diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 6db0440..d3fdb9e 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 {
   "name": "webjamsocketserver",
   "description": "Uses latest version of socketcluster-server",
-  "version": "3.0.11",
+  "version": "3.0.12",
   "license": "MIT",
   "type": "module",
   "main": "build/src/index.js",
diff --git a/src/AgController/index.ts b/src/AgController/index.ts
index 05a1bea..70d65e8 100644
--- a/src/AgController/index.ts
+++ b/src/AgController/index.ts
@@ -269,7 +269,11 @@ class AgController {
         try {
           const gig = receiver.value.gig ?? receiver.value.tour;
           await this.verifyAdminWrite(receiver.value.token);
-          if (gig && gig.datetime && gig.city && gig.usState && gig.venue) {
+          // A gig is identified by venueId (linked to a Venue doc) OR a non-empty
+          // free-text venue (one-off gig) — #256. city/usState are legacy
+          // display-only fields resolved from the linked venue and are no
+          // longer required here.
+          if (gig && gig.datetime && (gig.venueId || gig.venue)) {
             await utils.handleGig('createDocs', gig, 'gigCreated', this.gigController, this.server);
           } else throw new Error('Invalid create gig data');
         } catch (e) {
@@ -305,7 +309,10 @@ class AgController {
     try {
       const id = data.gigId ?? data.tourId;
       const gig = data.gig ?? data.tour ?? {};
-      if (!gig.venue || !gig.datetime || !gig.city || !gig.usState) throw new Error('Invalid gig data');
+      // Same rule as newGig (#256): a gig is identified by venueId OR a
+      // non-empty free-text venue; city/usState are legacy display-only
+      // fields resolved from the linked venue and are no longer required.
+      if (!gig.datetime || !(gig.venueId || gig.venue)) throw new Error('Invalid gig data');
       r = await this.gigController.findByIdAndUpdate(id, gig);
     } catch (e) {
       // Rethrow (#253, same pattern as handleImage/JaMmusic#1199): swallowing
diff --git a/src/model/gig/gig-schema.ts b/src/model/gig/gig-schema.ts
index e60539a..9d58ad2 100644
--- a/src/model/gig/gig-schema.ts
+++ b/src/model/gig/gig-schema.ts
@@ -13,7 +13,10 @@ const gigSchema = new Schema({
   location: { type: String, required: false },
   city: { type: String, required: false },
   usState: { type: String, required: false },
-  venue: { type: String, required: true },
+  // A gig is identified by venueId (linked) OR free-text venue (one-off);
+  // neither is mandatory at the schema layer — AgController's newGig/updateGig
+  // guards are the gate (#256).
+  venue: { type: String, required: false },
   tickets: { type: String, required: false },
   duration: { type: Number, required: false, default: 0 },
   promoImageUrl: { type: String, required: false },
diff --git a/test/AgController/index.spec.ts b/test/AgController/index.spec.ts
index 7da1385..db9e8b3 100644
--- a/test/AgController/index.spec.ts
+++ b/test/AgController/index.spec.ts
@@ -280,6 +280,40 @@ describe('AgControler', () => {
       gig: {},
     })).rejects.toThrow('Invalid gig data');
   });
+  it('updates a gig when venueId is set and venue/city/usState are empty strings (#256)', async () => {
+    const agController = new AgController(aStub);
+    agController.gigController.findByIdAndUpdate = vi.fn(() => Promise.resolve(true));
+    r = await agController.updateGig({
+      gigId: testId,
+      gig: {
+        venueId: testId, datetime: new Date(), venue: '', city: '', usState: '',
+      },
+    });
+    expect(r).toBe('Gig updated');
+  });
+  it('updates a one-off gig with only free-text venue set and no venueId (#256)', async () => {
+    const agController = new AgController(aStub);
+    agController.gigController.findByIdAndUpdate = vi.fn(() => Promise.resolve(true));
+    r = await agController.updateGig({
+      gigId: testId,
+      gig: { venue: 'The Local Bar', datetime: new Date() },
+    });
+    expect(r).toBe('Gig updated');
+  });
+  it('rejects updateGig when neither venueId nor venue is set (#256)', async () => {
+    const agController = new AgController(aStub);
+    await expect(agController.updateGig({
+      gigId: testId,
+      gig: { datetime: new Date() },
+    })).rejects.toThrow('Invalid gig data');
+  });
+  it('rejects updateGig when datetime is missing even though venueId is set (#256)', async () => {
+    const agController = new AgController(aStub);
+    await expect(agController.updateGig({
+      gigId: testId,
+      gig: { venueId: testId },
+    })).rejects.toThrow('Invalid gig data');
+  });
   it('does not process the newTour message from client when token is not valid', async () => {
     const agController = new AgController(aStub);
     agController.clients = ['123'];
@@ -494,6 +528,124 @@ describe('AgControler', () => {
       { newGig: 'Invalid create gig data' },
     );
   });
+  it('creates a gig when venueId is set and venue/city/usState are empty strings (#256)', async () => {
+    const agController = new AgController(aStub);
+    agController.clients = ['123'];
+    agController.gigController.createDocs = vi.fn(() => Promise.resolve([]));
+    agController.verifyAdminWrite = vi.fn(() => Promise.resolve());
+    const cStub:any = {
+      socket: {
+        id: '123',
+        listener: () => ({ createConsumer: () => ({ next: () => Promise.resolve({ done: true, value: '1000' }) }) }),
+        transmit: () => { },
+        receiver: () => ({
+          createConsumer: () => ({
+            next: () => Promise.resolve({
+              value: {
+                token: 'token',
+                gig: {
+                  venueId: testId, datetime: new Date(), venue: '', city: '', usState: '',
+                },
+              },
+              done: true,
+            }),
+          }),
+        }),
+      },
+    };
+    const setIntervalMock:any = vi.fn((cb:any) => cb());
+    global.setInterval = setIntervalMock;
+    agController.newGig(cStub, 'newGig');
+    await delay(1000);
+    expect(agController.gigController.createDocs).toHaveBeenCalled();
+  });
+  it('creates a one-off gig with only free-text venue set and no venueId (#256)', async () => {
+    const agController = new AgController(aStub);
+    agController.clients = ['123'];
+    agController.gigController.createDocs = vi.fn(() => Promise.resolve([]));
+    agController.verifyAdminWrite = vi.fn(() => Promise.resolve());
+    const cStub:any = {
+      socket: {
+        id: '123',
+        listener: () => ({ createConsumer: () => ({ next: () => Promise.resolve({ done: true, value: '1000' }) }) }),
+        transmit: () => { },
+        receiver: () => ({
+          createConsumer: () => ({
+            next: () => Promise.resolve({
+              value: {
+                token: 'token',
+                gig: { venue: 'The Local Bar', datetime: new Date() },
+              },
+              done: true,
+            }),
+          }),
+        }),
+      },
+    };
+    const setIntervalMock:any = vi.fn((cb:any) => cb());
+    global.setInterval = setIntervalMock;
+    agController.newGig(cStub, 'newGig');
+    await delay(1000);
+    expect(agController.gigController.createDocs).toHaveBeenCalled();
+  });
+  it('rejects newGig with neither venueId nor venue (#256)', async () => {
+    const agController = new AgController(aStub);
+    agController.clients = ['123'];
+    agController.gigController.createDocs = vi.fn(() => Promise.resolve([]));
+    agController.verifyAdminWrite = vi.fn(() => Promise.resolve());
+    const eStub:any = {
+      socket: {
+        id: '123',
+        listener: () => ({ createConsumer: () => ({ next: () => Promise.resolve({ done: true, value: '1000' }) }) }),
+        transmit: vi.fn(),
+        receiver: () => ({
+          createConsumer: () => ({
+            next: () => Promise.resolve({
+              value: {
+                token: 'token',
+                gig: { datetime: new Date() },
+              },
+              done: true,
+            }),
+          }),
+        }),
+      },
+    };
+    const setIntervalMock:any = vi.fn((cb:any) => cb());
+    global.setInterval = setIntervalMock;
+    agController.newGig(eStub, 'newGig');
+    await delay(1000);
+    expect(eStub.socket.transmit).toHaveBeenCalledWith('socketError', { newGig: 'Invalid create gig data' });
+  });
+  it('rejects newGig when datetime is missing even though venueId is set (#256)', async () => {
+    const agController = new AgController(aStub);
+    agController.clients = ['123'];
+    agController.gigController.createDocs = vi.fn(() => Promise.resolve([]));
+    agController.verifyAdminWrite = vi.fn(() => Promise.resolve());
+    const eStub:any = {
+      socket: {
+        id: '123',
+        listener: () => ({ createConsumer: () => ({ next: () => Promise.resolve({ done: true, value: '1000' }) }) }),
+        transmit: vi.fn(),
+        receiver: () => ({
+          createConsumer: () => ({
+            next: () => Promise.resolve({
+              value: {
+                token: 'token',
+                gig: { venueId: testId },
+              },
+              done: true,
+            }),
+          }),
+        }),
+      },
+    };
+    const setIntervalMock:any = vi.fn((cb:any) => cb());
+    global.setInterval = setIntervalMock;
+    agController.newGig(eStub, 'newGig');
+    await delay(1000);
+    expect(eStub.socket.transmit).toHaveBeenCalledWith('socketError', { newGig: 'Invalid create gig data' });
+  });
   it('handles missing receiver value when process the newTour message from client', () => {
     const agController = new AgController(aStub);
     agController.clients = ['123'];