diff --git a/lib/crates/fabro-cli/src/commands/runs/rm.rs b/lib/crates/fabro-cli/src/commands/runs/rm.rs
index 67d79f238..0f7e71d8d 100644
--- a/lib/crates/fabro-cli/src/commands/runs/rm.rs
+++ b/lib/crates/fabro-cli/src/commands/runs/rm.rs
@@ -69,7 +69,18 @@ async fn remove_from(
         }
 
         write_run_status(&run.path, RunStatus::Removing, None);
-        if let Ok(Some(run_store)) = store.open_run_reader(&run.run_id).await {
+        let run_store = match store.open_run_reader(&run.run_id).await {
+            Ok(run_store) => run_store,
+            Err(err) => {
+                warn!(
+                    run_id = %run.run_id,
+                    error = %err,
+                    "failed to open run store during removal"
+                );
+                None
+            }
+        };
+        if let Some(run_store) = run_store.as_ref() {
             if let Err(err) = run_store
                 .put_status(&RunStatusRecord::new(RunStatus::Removing, None))
                 .await
@@ -82,8 +93,7 @@ async fn remove_from(
             }
         }
 
-        let sandbox_path = run.path.join("sandbox.json");
-        if let Ok(record) = fabro_sandbox::SandboxRecord::load(&sandbox_path) {
+        if let Some(record) = load_sandbox_record(&run.path, run_store.as_deref()).await {
             if record.provider != "local" {
                 match reconnect_sandbox(&record).await {
                     Ok(sandbox) => {
@@ -144,3 +154,21 @@ async fn remove_from(
     }
     Ok(())
 }
+
+async fn load_sandbox_record(
+    run_dir: &Path,
+    run_store: Option<&dyn fabro_store::RunStore>,
+) -> Option<fabro_sandbox::SandboxRecord> {
+    if let Some(run_store) = run_store {
+        match run_store.get_sandbox().await {
+            Ok(Some(record)) => return Some(record),
+            Ok(None) => {}
+            Err(err) => {
+                warn!(error = %err, "failed to load sandbox record from store");
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    let sandbox_path = run_dir.join("sandbox.json");
+    fabro_sandbox::SandboxRecord::load(&sandbox_path).ok()
+}
diff --git a/lib/crates/fabro-cli/tests/it/cmd/rm.rs b/lib/crates/fabro-cli/tests/it/cmd/rm.rs
index 858341967..70030259e 100644
--- a/lib/crates/fabro-cli/tests/it/cmd/rm.rs
+++ b/lib/crates/fabro-cli/tests/it/cmd/rm.rs
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 use fabro_test::{fabro_snapshot, test_context};
 use serde_json::Value;
 
-use super::support::{setup_completed_dry_run, setup_created_dry_run};
+use super::support::{setup_completed_dry_run, setup_created_dry_run, setup_local_sandbox_run};
 use walkdir::WalkDir;
 
 #[test]
@@ -118,6 +118,33 @@ fn rm_force_deletes_submitted_run() {
     "###);
 }
 
+#[test]
+fn rm_force_deletes_run_without_sandbox_json_when_store_has_sandbox() {
+    let context = test_context!();
+    let setup = setup_local_sandbox_run(&context);
+    std::fs::remove_file(setup.run.run_dir.join("sandbox.json")).unwrap();
+
+    let mut filters = context.filters();
+    filters.push((
+        r"\b[0-9A-HJKMNP-TV-Z]{12}\b".to_string(),
+        "[ULID]".to_string(),
+    ));
+
+    let mut cmd = context.command();
+    cmd.args(["rm", "--force", &setup.run.run_id]);
+    fabro_snapshot!(filters, cmd, @"
+    success: true
+    exit_code: 0
+    ----- stdout -----
+    ----- stderr -----
+    [ULID]
+    ");
+    assert!(
+        !setup.run.run_dir.exists(),
+        "run directory should be deleted even without sandbox.json"
+    );
+}
+
 #[test]
 fn rm_partial_failure_reports_which_identifiers_failed() {
     let context = test_context!();