diff --git a/.github/workflows/links.yml b/.github/workflows/links.yml
index ed04d53..4a8387d 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/links.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/links.yml
@@ -64,14 +64,14 @@ jobs:
         env:
           LYCHEE_OUTPUT: lychee/out.md
 
-      - name: Fail if broken links found and no web archive fallback
-        if: steps.lychee.outputs.exit_code != 0 && steps.webarchive.outputs.all_archived != 'true'
+      - name: Fail if broken links were found
+        if: always() && steps.lychee.outputs.exit_code != 0
         run: |
-          echo "::error::Broken links were detected with no Web Archive fallback available."
+          echo "::error::Broken live links were detected."
           echo ""
           echo "What happened:"
           echo "  lychee found one or more broken links in the *.md and *.html files of this repository."
-          echo "  The Web Archive check found no archived versions for some of them."
+          echo "  An available Web Archive snapshot is a suggested replacement; it does not make the live link valid."
           echo ""
           echo "How to fix:"
           echo "  1. Review the 'Check links with lychee' step above for the broken links."
diff --git a/changelog.d/20260812_issue_54_archived_broken_links.md b/changelog.d/20260812_issue_54_archived_broken_links.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6f314b4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog.d/20260812_issue_54_archived_broken_links.md
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+### Fixed
+
+- Fail broken-link validation for dead live URLs even when Web Archive snapshots are available.
diff --git a/tests/test_workflows.py b/tests/test_workflows.py
index 3365f2f..069379f 100644
--- a/tests/test_workflows.py
+++ b/tests/test_workflows.py
@@ -136,17 +136,15 @@ def test_security_workflow_scans_code_actions_and_dependencies() -> None:
     assert "comment-summary-in-pr: on-failure" in dependency_job
 
 
-def test_links_workflow_checks_docs_with_web_archive_fallback() -> None:
-    """Markdown and HTML changes must trigger the bounded broken-link check."""
+def test_links_workflow_fails_for_every_broken_live_link() -> None:
+    """Archived snapshots must not make broken live links pass validation."""
     workflow = read_workflow("links.yml")
     link_job = workflow_job_block(workflow, "link-checker")
     lychee_step = workflow_step_block(link_job, "Check links with lychee")
     archive_step = workflow_step_block(
         link_job, "Check broken links against Web Archive"
     )
-    failure_step = workflow_step_block(
-        link_job, "Fail if broken links found and no web archive fallback"
-    )
+    failure_step = workflow_step_block(link_job, "Fail if broken links were found")
 
     assert "- '**.md'" in workflow
     assert "- '**.html'" in workflow
@@ -161,7 +159,8 @@ def test_links_workflow_checks_docs_with_web_archive_fallback() -> None:
     assert "output: lychee/out.md" in lychee_step
     assert "if: steps.lychee.outputs.exit_code != 0" in archive_step
     assert "python scripts/check_web_archive.py" in archive_step
-    assert "steps.webarchive.outputs.all_archived != 'true'" in failure_step
+    assert "if: always() && steps.lychee.outputs.exit_code != 0" in failure_step
+    assert "all_archived" not in failure_step
     assert "exit 1" in failure_step