diff --git a/src/ocrmypdf/pdfa.py b/src/ocrmypdf/pdfa.py
index 264b16fe..a4cd30b6 100644
--- a/src/ocrmypdf/pdfa.py
+++ b/src/ocrmypdf/pdfa.py
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ from importlib.resources import files as package_files
 from pathlib import Path
 
 import pikepdf
-from pikepdf import Array, Dictionary, Name, Pdf, Stream
+from pikepdf import Array, Dictionary, Name, Object, Pdf, Stream
 
 log = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
@@ -137,34 +137,19 @@ def file_claims_pdfa(filename: Path):
     return pdfa_dict
 
 
-def _cid_font_is_embedded(type0_font: Dictionary) -> bool:
+def _cid_font_is_embedded(type0_font: Object) -> bool:
     """Return True if a Type0 font's CID descendant carries embedded glyphs."""
     for descendant in type0_font.get(Name.DescendantFonts, []):
         descriptor = descendant.get(Name.FontDescriptor, None)
-        if descriptor is not None and any(
+        # A malformed PDF may store a non-dictionary here; `key in descriptor`
+        # raises on those, so require a real dictionary before probing it.
+        if isinstance(descriptor, Dictionary) and any(
             key in descriptor for key in (Name.FontFile, Name.FontFile2, Name.FontFile3)
         ):
             return True
     return False
 
 
-def _dict_entries(resource):
-    """Return the values of a PDF resource sub-dictionary, tolerating garbage.
-
-    A ``/Font`` or ``/XObject`` resource is expected to be a dictionary, but a
-    malformed PDF -- common in OCR workloads -- may store a non-dictionary
-    object (an array, a name, an empty value) there. Calling ``.values()`` on a
-    non-dictionary raises, so return an empty list in that case rather than
-    letting the scan crash (issue #1713).
-    """
-    if resource is None:
-        return []
-    try:
-        return list(resource.values())
-    except (AttributeError, TypeError):
-        return []
-
-
 def find_nonembedded_cid_fonts(pdf: Pdf) -> set[str]:
     """Find CID-keyed (Type0) fonts that lack embedded glyph data.
 
@@ -191,20 +176,26 @@ def find_nonembedded_cid_fonts(pdf: Pdf) -> set[str]:
     def scan_resources(resources, depth: int = 0) -> None:
         if resources is None or depth > 10:
             return
+        # A well-formed PDF stores dictionaries under /Font and /XObject, but a
+        # malformed one (common in OCR workloads) may store an array, a name, or
+        # another non-dictionary object. Only such dictionaries have .values(),
+        # so guard with isinstance rather than let the scan crash (issue #1713).
         fonts = resources.get(Name.Font, None)
-        for font in _dict_entries(fonts):
-            try:
-                if font.get(Name.Subtype) != Name.Type0:
+        if isinstance(fonts, Dictionary):
+            for font in fonts.as_dict().values():
+                try:
+                    if font.get(Name.Subtype) != Name.Type0:
+                        continue
+                    if not _cid_font_is_embedded(font):
+                        basefont = str(font.get(Name.BaseFont, '/(unnamed)'))
+                        found.add(basefont.lstrip('/'))
+                except (AttributeError, TypeError, KeyError):
                     continue
-                if not _cid_font_is_embedded(font):
-                    basefont = str(font.get(Name.BaseFont, '/(unnamed)'))
-                    found.add(basefont.lstrip('/'))
-            except (AttributeError, TypeError, KeyError):
-                continue
         xobjects = resources.get(Name.XObject, None)
-        for xobj in _dict_entries(xobjects):
-            if xobj.get(Name.Subtype) == Name.Form and Name.Resources in xobj:
-                scan_resources(xobj[Name.Resources], depth + 1)
+        if isinstance(xobjects, Dictionary):
+            for xobj in xobjects.as_dict().values():
+                if xobj.get(Name.Subtype) == Name.Form and Name.Resources in xobj:
+                    scan_resources(xobj[Name.Resources], depth + 1)
 
     for page in pdf.pages:
         scan_resources(page.get(Name.Resources, None))
diff --git a/tests/test_pdfa.py b/tests/test_pdfa.py
index 0f984650..a544f9f8 100644
--- a/tests/test_pdfa.py
+++ b/tests/test_pdfa.py
@@ -110,6 +110,36 @@ class TestFindNonembeddedCidFonts:
         with pikepdf.open(path) as pdf:
             assert find_nonembedded_cid_fonts(pdf) == set()
 
+    def test_non_dictionary_font_descriptor_is_reported(self, tmp_path):
+        # A Type0 font whose descendant carries a non-dictionary /FontDescriptor
+        # has no embedded glyph data, so it must be reported -- not crash. This
+        # is the same malformed-resource bug class as #1713, one level deeper:
+        # `key in descriptor` raises ValueError on a non-dictionary.
+        path = tmp_path / 'bad_descriptor.pdf'
+        with pikepdf.new() as pdf:
+            page = pdf.add_blank_page()
+            cidfont = pdf.make_indirect(
+                pikepdf.Dictionary(
+                    Type=Name.Font,
+                    Subtype=Name.CIDFontType2,
+                    BaseFont=Name('/BOGUS+CID'),
+                    FontDescriptor=Name.NotADictionary,
+                )
+            )
+            type0 = pdf.make_indirect(
+                pikepdf.Dictionary(
+                    Type=Name.Font,
+                    Subtype=Name.Type0,
+                    BaseFont=Name('/BOGUS+CID'),
+                    Encoding=Name.Identity_H,
+                    DescendantFonts=pikepdf.Array([cidfont]),
+                )
+            )
+            page.Resources = pikepdf.Dictionary(Font=pikepdf.Dictionary(F0=type0))
+            pdf.save(path)
+        with pikepdf.open(path) as pdf:
+            assert find_nonembedded_cid_fonts(pdf) == {'BOGUS+CID'}
+
 
 @pytest.fixture
 def nonembedded_cid_pdf(tmp_path):