diff --git a/crates/aep/src/import/effects.rs b/crates/aep/src/import/effects.rs
index a65a67d58..77d1db32e 100644
--- a/crates/aep/src/import/effects.rs
+++ b/crates/aep/src/import/effects.rs
@@ -438,7 +438,15 @@ fn import_extra(fx: &AepEffect<'_, '_>, extra: Extra, p: &EffectParam<'_, '_>, h
         col.lose(LossCategory::Effects, format!("{here}: keyframes or an expression on {} are not imported", p.name));
     }
     let Some(data) = fx.arbitrary_data(&p.match_name) else {
-        // No data: every value is at its default.
+        // No record: every value is at its default. A Channel Info value record without its
+        // aRbs/aRbp payload (every sampled record has it) is damaged: the payload may have chosen
+        // other channels (`Z`), so the defaults are not what After Effects renders.
+        if p.stored().is_some() && matches!(extra, Extra::Extractor | Extra::Identifier) {
+            col.lose(
+                LossCategory::DamagedData,
+                format!("{here}: the Channel Info data is missing (a value record without its data), the default channels used"),
+            );
+        }
         return;
     };
     let mut set = |id: &str, v: f64| {
diff --git a/crates/aep/tests/it/import/effects_thirdparty.rs b/crates/aep/tests/it/import/effects_thirdparty.rs
index e7e00dd77..567d77642 100644
--- a/crates/aep/tests/it/import/effects_thirdparty.rs
+++ b/crates/aep/tests/it/import/effects_thirdparty.rs
@@ -270,13 +270,16 @@ fn identifier_names_without_a_terminator_or_in_invalid_utf8_are_refused() {
 }
 
 /// A Channel Info value record without its arbitrary data (no `aRbs`): the effect still imports,
-/// with the defaults, and nothing panics.
+/// with the defaults, nothing panics, and the missing data is reported as damaged (it may have
+/// chosen other channels, so the defaults are not what After Effects renders).
 #[test]
-fn a_missing_channel_info_payload_leaves_the_defaults() {
+fn a_missing_channel_info_payload_is_reported_and_leaves_the_defaults() {
     let mut fx = extractor(vec![], vec![]);
     fx.data.clear();
     let (g, r) = run(&fx, "ec.3d.extractor");
     assert_eq!(losses(&r, LossCategory::Effects, "EXtractoR"), Vec::<String>::new());
+    let found = losses(&r, LossCategory::DamagedData, "EXtractoR");
+    assert!(found.len() == 1 && found[0].contains("Channel Info data is missing"), "{found:?}");
     let g = g.expect("imported");
     for (id, want) in [("red", "R"), ("green", "G"), ("blue", "B"), ("alpha", "A")] {
         assert_eq!(v(&g, id), Value::Str(want.into()), "{id}");
@@ -285,6 +288,8 @@ fn a_missing_channel_info_payload_leaves_the_defaults() {
     fx.data.clear();
     let (g, r) = run(&fx, "ec.3d.identifier");
     assert_eq!(losses(&r, LossCategory::Effects, "IDentifier"), Vec::<String>::new());
+    let found = losses(&r, LossCategory::DamagedData, "IDentifier");
+    assert!(found.len() == 1 && found[0].contains("Channel Info data is missing"), "{found:?}");
     let g = g.expect("imported");
     assert_eq!(v(&g, "channelType"), Value::Enum(0));
     near(&g, "id", 5.0);