Interesting observation "if a handler returns a partial response map, Pedestal accepts it as is, even if missing the :header"

P.S. It can be hard to tell whether "allows...to omit headers" is the problem or the solution. Reading the details, I infer a pattern of naming enhancement issues as if to complete the sentence, "effective with this patch, the system ___"? If the house were on fire, the enhancement might be titled, "doesn't burn"?

also been burned by this several times

Yes, it’s an odd mix of excessive rigor in one place — detecting the :response map to terminate the interceptor chain) — vs. excessive slack elsewhere: ignoring a :response map that doesn’t match the expectation (which defies the intent of the developer), and allowing pretty much anything from a handler because the interceptor chain terminates when it runs out of interceptors.

I got hit by this the other day too.

It’s a pretty obvious deficiency, should have been addressed years ago. I suspect it’s a case of being too close to the problem.