diff --git a/internal/route/rules/rules.go b/internal/route/rules/rules.go
index f8b7e93e..c32d439d 100644
--- a/internal/route/rules/rules.go
+++ b/internal/route/rules/rules.go
@@ -155,7 +155,7 @@ func ruleOnAlwaysTrue(on RuleOn) bool {
 func matcherSignature(raw string) (string, bool) {
 	raw = strings.TrimSpace(raw)
 	if raw == "" {
-		return "", false
+		return "(any)", true // unconditional rule
 	}
 
 	andParts := splitAnd(raw)
diff --git a/internal/route/rules/rules_test.go b/internal/route/rules/rules_test.go
index b507a891..baa66b95 100644
--- a/internal/route/rules/rules_test.go
+++ b/internal/route/rules/rules_test.go
@@ -124,6 +124,19 @@ header Host example.com {
 `,
 			want: nil,
 		},
+		{
+			name: "unconditional terminating rule shadows later unconditional rule",
+			rules: `
+{
+	error 404 "not found"
+}
+
+{
+	error 403 "forbidden"
+}
+`,
+			want: ErrDeadRule,
+		},
 	}
 	for _, tt := range tests {
 		t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {