diff --git a/tools/import-normalizer/dates.py b/tools/import-normalizer/dates.py
index d1dc81aa..37d39c58 100644
--- a/tools/import-normalizer/dates.py
+++ b/tools/import-normalizer/dates.py
@@ -69,6 +69,20 @@ class ParsedDate:
     end: str | None = None   # RANGE end day; None for every non-RANGE precision
 
 
+@dataclass(frozen=True)
+class MatchResult:
+    """Uniform return shape for every _match_* matcher.
+
+    A matcher returns None when it does not match, or a MatchResult when it does.
+    `end` is the RANGE end day (None for every non-RANGE precision); `needs_review`
+    is True only for a half-resolved RANGE whose start parsed but end did not.
+    """
+    iso: str
+    precision: Precision
+    end: str | None = None
+    needs_review: bool = False
+
+
 _LEADING_MARKERS = re.compile(
     r"^(um|ca\.?|circa|etwa|wohl|vermutlich|nach|vor|anfang|mitte|ende)\s+", re.I)
 
@@ -98,7 +112,7 @@ def _match_iso(s):
     if re.fullmatch(r"\d{4}-\d{2}-\d{2}", s):
         try:
             datetime.date.fromisoformat(s)
-            return s, Precision.DAY
+            return MatchResult(s, Precision.DAY)
         except ValueError:
             return None
     return None
@@ -113,7 +127,7 @@ def _match_numeric(s):
     if year is None or not (1 <= month <= 12):
         return None
     try:
-        return datetime.date(year, month, day).isoformat(), Precision.DAY
+        return MatchResult(datetime.date(year, month, day).isoformat(), Precision.DAY)
     except ValueError:
         return None
 
@@ -131,7 +145,7 @@ def _match_roman(s):
     if not month or year is None:
         return None
     try:
-        return datetime.date(year, month, day).isoformat(), Precision.DAY
+        return MatchResult(datetime.date(year, month, day).isoformat(), Precision.DAY)
     except ValueError:
         return None
 
@@ -147,7 +161,7 @@ def _build_day_month_year(day, month, year):
     if not month or year is None or not (1 <= month <= 12):
         return None
     try:
-        return datetime.date(year, month, day).isoformat(), Precision.DAY
+        return MatchResult(datetime.date(year, month, day).isoformat(), Precision.DAY)
     except ValueError:
         return None
 
@@ -189,7 +203,7 @@ def _match_month_year(s):
     year = expand_year(m.group(2))
     if not month or year is None:
         return None
-    return datetime.date(year, month, 1).isoformat(), Precision.MONTH
+    return MatchResult(datetime.date(year, month, 1).isoformat(), Precision.MONTH)
 
 
 def _match_feast_season(s):
@@ -199,19 +213,23 @@ def _match_feast_season(s):
     year = expand_year(m.group(2))
     if year is None:
         return None
-    return resolve_feast_or_season(m.group(1), year)
+    resolved = resolve_feast_or_season(m.group(1), year)
+    if resolved is None:
+        return None
+    iso, precision = resolved
+    return MatchResult(iso, precision)
 
 
 def _match_year_only(s):
     if _YEAR_ONLY_RE.fullmatch(s):
-        return datetime.date(int(s), 1, 1).isoformat(), Precision.YEAR
+        return MatchResult(datetime.date(int(s), 1, 1).isoformat(), Precision.YEAR)
     return None
 
 
 def _match_range(s):
     m = _RANGE_YY_RE.fullmatch(s)
     if m:
-        return datetime.date(int(m.group(1)), 1, 1).isoformat(), Precision.RANGE, None
+        return MatchResult(datetime.date(int(m.group(1)), 1, 1).isoformat(), Precision.RANGE)
     m = _RANGE_DAY_RE.fullmatch(s)
     if m:
         day_start, day_end, rest = m.group(1), m.group(2), m.group(3)
@@ -220,14 +238,15 @@ def _match_range(s):
             start = matcher(f"{day_start}.{rest}")
             if start:
                 end = matcher(f"{day_end}.{rest}")
-                return start[0], Precision.RANGE, (end[0] if end else None)
+                return MatchResult(start.iso, Precision.RANGE,
+                                   end.iso if end else None)
     m = _RANGE_HYPHEN_RE.fullmatch(s)
     if m:
         start = m.group(1).strip()
         for matcher in (_match_numeric, _match_roman, _match_monthname_a, _match_year_only):
             r = matcher(start)
             if r:
-                return r[0], Precision.RANGE, None
+                return MatchResult(r.iso, Precision.RANGE)
     return None
 
 
@@ -256,11 +275,8 @@ def parse_date(raw: str, date_overrides: dict | None = None) -> ParsedDate:
     for matcher in _MATCHERS:
         result = matcher(cleaned)
         if result:
-            iso, precision = result[0], result[1]
-            end = result[2] if len(result) > 2 else None
-            if approx:
-                precision = Precision.APPROX
-            return ParsedDate(iso, precision, raw, end)
+            precision = Precision.APPROX if approx else result.precision
+            return ParsedDate(result.iso, precision, raw, result.end)
     return ParsedDate(None, Precision.UNKNOWN, raw)
 
 
diff --git a/tools/import-normalizer/tests/test_dates.py b/tools/import-normalizer/tests/test_dates.py
index b380c7c7..bffb848c 100644
--- a/tools/import-normalizer/tests/test_dates.py
+++ b/tools/import-normalizer/tests/test_dates.py
@@ -2,6 +2,18 @@ import datetime
 import dates
 from dates import Precision
 
+def test_matchers_return_uniform_matchresult():
+    # Every matcher returns a MatchResult(iso, precision, end) — no 2- vs 3-tuple
+    # length-sniffing. A non-range matcher leaves end=None; a range matcher sets it.
+    day = dates._match_numeric("15.2.1888")
+    assert isinstance(day, dates.MatchResult)
+    assert (day.iso, day.precision, day.end) == ("1888-02-15", Precision.DAY, None)
+
+    rng = dates._match_range("10./11.1.1917")
+    assert isinstance(rng, dates.MatchResult)
+    assert (rng.iso, rng.precision, rng.end) == ("1917-01-10", Precision.RANGE, "1917-01-11")
+
+
 def test_easter_known_years():
     # Anonymous Gregorian algorithm — verified against published tables
     assert dates.easter(2024) == datetime.date(2024, 3, 31)