docs(roadmap): name 0.7.12 as the current release

The Feed printed raw ISO timestamps on each row, in a request's detail, on a delivered update's "Delivered:" or "Accepted by bridge:" line, and in "Read at", while the header already drew times with displayTime in the configured zone (ui.timezone). The Feed now uses the same function and formats when the page is drawn, not when it's read, since the zone setting arrives after start-up. A delivered update's detail prints its time once, under the delivery label, instead of twice. A missing time reads "time unknown", as elsewhere in the TUI, and the default zone is unchanged.

ROADMAP.md

@@ -6,9 +6,9 @@ This isn't a schedule or a promise: we release often, and an item ships when a g
 To see what's being worked on, by release and theme, open the [OpenRig roadmap board](https://github.com/users/mvschwarz/projects/1).
 Issues labelled `good first issue` are also listed on the [contribute page](https://github.com/mvschwarz/openrig/contribute).
 
-## Released in 0.7.11
+## Released in 0.7.12
 
-[0.7.11 is published](https://github.com/mvschwarz/openrig/releases/tag/v0.7.11): OpenRig 0.7.11 is a patch for people running their own agent teams. An ordinary send or work notice now goes into a person's typed draft by default instead of being refused (see Behaviour that changed). See its release notes for what shipped, known issues, upgrade instructions and contributor credits.
+[0.7.12 is published](https://github.com/mvschwarz/openrig/releases/tag/v0.7.12): OpenRig 0.7.12 is a patch for people running their own agent teams. When you answer your team, by typing, clicking or qualifying an answer, the answer now goes to an agent that reads it with the question and decides. When no receiving agent is available, your answer waits. See its release notes for what shipped, known issues, upgrade instructions and contributor credits.
 
 ## How to help
 

docs/reference/agent-startup-guide.md

@@ -405,6 +405,11 @@ Each startup file and action specifies when it applies:
 - a launch replaces it, as launches always did, and names it (`guidance_block_refreshed_unrecorded`);
 - an exact resume or a handover leaves it, and names it as possibly stale (`guidance_block_may_be_stale`).
 
+**A file keeps one copy of each block.**
+- **Touched markers:** a marker an editor or formatter rewrapped, with spaces or line breaks inside the comment, still reads as its block, and the next write puts it back in OpenRig's form.
+- **Collected copies:** they're reduced to the first. Beside a copy you edited, OpenRig's own unedited copies and exact repeats are removed, and every different edited copy stays (`guidance_block_copies_removed`).
+- **A marker that lost its pair:** OpenRig can't tell where that block starts or ends, so it adds no copy beside it and names it (`guidance_block_markers_damaged`). Put back the missing marker or remove the partial block, and OpenRig's next write keeps one block. `rig package install` leaves such a file as it is, names it in its result (`notes`), and installs the rest. A marker without its pair beside a complete block is named too (`guidance_block_marker_unpaired`), and the block is written.
+
 An exact resume doesn't type anything into the resumed conversation. So there, the restore result names the block (`guidanceNotes`), but the seat isn't told.
 
 Use this to avoid re-sending context that a fresh conversation doesn't need twice. For example, a one-time project briefing might only apply on `fresh_start`, while identity grounding should apply on both, so a seat that comes back fresh gets it again.

docs/reference/claude-status-line.md

@@ -13,7 +13,9 @@ provider usage stop updating, and Claude resume-token capture at adoption or
 handover loses its current session evidence. An earlier sidecar can remain and
 contain an older session ID; without one, context and capture report
 `missing_sidecar`, and provider usage reports `no_statusline_cache_yet` unless an
-earlier cache remains.
+earlier cache remains. A cache that exists but cannot be read reports
+`claude_statusline_cache_unreadable`; a readable cache that carried no rate
+limits reports `claude_statusline_cache_had_no_windows`.
 
 ## Feed both commands the same input
 

docs/reference/getting-started.md

@@ -342,9 +342,16 @@ startup reconcile leaves when every kernel terminal is gone, for example after a
 reboot. It does not detect a reboot as such. It uses the same restore as
 `rig up kernel --existing`, and `rig status` reports it as `Kernel: booting`
 until the seats are ready. A kernel stopped with `rig down kernel`, including
-one whose seats were already detached, stays down on later starts. So do a kernel
-with only some seats stopped and seats you unclaimed. Start one again with
-`rig up kernel --existing`.
+one whose seats were already detached, stays down on later starts; start it again
+with `rig up kernel --existing`. A seat you stopped or unclaimed also stays down.
+While the kernel's other seats are running, `rig up kernel --existing` refuses
+(it restores only a kernel with no live session), so start one stopped seat with
+`rig launch kernel <logical id>` (`--plan` first). It restores that seat from the
+kernel's latest restore-usable snapshot and resumes its saved conversation; a seat
+it can't resume is reported as waiting for a decision, not as started.
+`rig seat launch <seat> --fresh --reason "…"` instead starts a new conversation
+with no continuity source: use it only when you want a fresh occupant, since the
+seat's earlier conversation isn't carried.
 When the tmux server is gone, an explicit `rig down` of any rig can start an
 empty server and probe again. It records the stop and clears eligible bindings
 only after confirming the sessions are absent. This can leave an empty tmux

docs/reference/hosted-members.md

@@ -112,6 +112,33 @@ OpenRig doesn't observe a hosted member between its calls, so it never reads idl
   - `lastWake`: its latest ring and the result, among its 50 most recent rows.
 - `rig roster show` and `find` show the last call; the last ring is in `rig_team`.
 
+### Check-in status
+
+A connected assistant (a roster member marked `hosted: true`) checks in each time it reads its own pending inbox (through the queue list, as the MCP list tool does
+when it lists the member's own work). Other calls it makes don't count yet. Its status compares its last check-in with
+what its roster entry states: a cadence (`check_in_minutes`), or that it checks in when a person asks it
+(`check_in_on_request: true`):
+
+| Status | Meaning |
+|---|---|
+| `checking-in` | its last check-in is no older than twice its stated cadence |
+| `check-in-overdue` | its last check-in is older than that: its schedule may be off or waiting for an approval |
+| `no-check-in-yet` | no check-in recorded for it on this daemon, whatever its entry states |
+| `on-request` | its entry says it checks in when a person asks it |
+| `disconnected` | reserved for a recorded revocation or removal of its connection. Nothing records one yet, so a revoked assistant reads overdue (or unknown, with no cadence) |
+| `unknown` | its entry states neither, its statement can't be used, or its check-ins couldn't be read; the reason says which, and its last check-in is shown. OpenRig assumes no cadence, so this never reads idle or overdue |
+
+Each place it's shown gives the evidence with it, for example `overdue: last check-in 2026-11-12T13:05:00Z, expected
+every 60 min; its schedule may be off or waiting for an approval`.
+
+A stated cadence is its person's statement: neither reading proves the assistant's own schedule ran, or that it picked
+anything up. It's a status only. Work addressed to a member that isn't checking in still queues and is rung as before, a check-in
+isn't pickup (pickup is its claim), and no check-in doesn't mean it's idle, failed or safe. `GET /api/queue/hosted-members`
+gives this daemon's host id and each member on this host with its status, last check-in and stated cadence (with the
+reason when it's unknown); `rig roster show` and `find` show it as `Check-in:`, for a team with or without terminal seats.
+When the member has unclaimed work, the standing notice described above states the same status in its `check-ins:`
+line; when that notice is filed doesn't change.
+
 ## Revoke
 
 `rig mcp token revoke grok` refuses its next request. The rows it worked, and their answers, stay.

docs/reference/rosters.md

@@ -92,3 +92,8 @@ A member marked `"hosted": true` is a hosted member: a tool outside the terminal
 `show` and `find` say it's hosted rather than unmatched. See [Hosted members](hosted-members.md).
 Its entry can declare `wake.webhook`, the secret names for a trigger OpenRig rings when work lands for it
 (see [Ring it when work lands](hosted-members.md#ring-it-when-work-lands)).
+It can also declare `check_in_minutes`, how often it's expected to check its queue (a positive whole number of minutes;
+an hourly schedule is `60`), or `check_in_on_request: true` when it checks in only when a person asks it. That's what
+its person set up, not something OpenRig observes. With neither, its check-in status reads unknown: OpenRig doesn't
+assume a cadence. A value that can't be used doesn't stop the roster loading: that member's check-in
+status reads unknown, with the reason. See [Check-in status](hosted-members.md#check-in-status).

packages/cli/src/commands/daemon.ts

@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ import {
   OPENRIG_DIR,
   STATE_FILE,
   resolveBindIntent,
+  statusGuardMessage,
 } from "../daemon-lifecycle.js";
 
 interface ProcessAliveDeps {
@@ -37,14 +38,16 @@ export function createIsProcessAlive(deps: ProcessAliveDeps): (pid: number) => b
 
 export type SignalOutcome = "sent" | "missing" | "not-permitted";
 
-/** kill(pid, 0) as an outcome. POSIX: only ESRCH means no such process; EPERM means the process
- *  EXISTS but this shell may not signal it (another user's process, or a sandbox such as Codex's). */
+/** kill(pid, 0) as an outcome. POSIX: kill(pid, 0) fails only with ESRCH (no such process) or EPERM
+ *  (the process EXISTS but this shell may not signal it: another user's process, or a sandbox such as
+ *  Codex's). Only ESRCH is "missing"; any other error is not evidence of death, so it reads as
+ *  "not-permitted" (uninspectable), never as a dead process. */
 export function signalProbe(pid: number, kill: (pid: number, signal: 0) => unknown = process.kill): SignalOutcome {
   try {
     kill(pid, 0);
     return "sent";
   } catch (error) {
-    return (error as NodeJS.ErrnoException).code === "EPERM" ? "not-permitted" : "missing";
+    return (error as NodeJS.ErrnoException).code === "ESRCH" ? "missing" : "not-permitted";
   }
 }
 
@@ -159,6 +162,11 @@ export function realDeps(): LifecycleDeps {
     isProcessAlive,
     // RULING 1ae863d2 — sibling-home scan (home-resolution honesty).
     listDir: (p) => { try { return fs.readdirSync(p); } catch { return []; } },
+    // #2860: where the OS has pid namespaces (Linux), a missing pid is only proof from the daemon's own.
+    pidNamespace: () => {
+      if (process.platform !== "linux") return "host";
+      try { return fs.readlinkSync("/proc/self/ns/pid"); } catch { return undefined; }
+    },
   };
 }
 
@@ -369,6 +377,12 @@ export function daemonCommand(depsOverride?: LifecycleDeps): Command {
             console.log(`  resolved: ${status.siblingHint.resolvedHome}`);
             console.log(`  sibling:  ${status.siblingHint.siblingHome}`);
             console.log("  Fix: point OPENRIG_HOME at the right home (or check your shell env) — this CLI is likely resolving the wrong home.");
+          } else if (status.pidUnseen) {
+            // #2860: the same words as the command guard.
+            const unseen = statusGuardMessage(status);
+            console.log(unseen.fact);
+            console.log(`  ${unseen.consequence}`);
+            console.log(`  ${unseen.action}`);
           } else if (!status.startPending) {
             // A pending start's probe was refused, not inconclusive; its line above says what is known.
             console.log("Daemon state UNVERIFIED — the probe timed out or was inconclusive (this is NOT evidence the daemon is down).");

packages/cli/src/commands/package.ts

@@ -137,6 +137,7 @@ export function packageCommand(depsOverride?: StatusDeps): Command {
         conflicts?: Array<{ existingPath: string; reason: string }>;
         verification?: { passed: boolean };
         policyRejected?: Array<{ entry: { exportType: string; exportName: string }; reason: string }>;
+        notes?: string[];
         error?: string;
         errors?: string[];
         code?: string;
@@ -204,6 +205,11 @@ export function packageCommand(depsOverride?: StatusDeps): Command {
           console.log(`  ${r.entry.exportType.padEnd(12)} ${r.entry.exportName.padEnd(20)} ${r.reason}`);
         }
       }
+
+      if (res.data.notes && res.data.notes.length > 0) {
+        console.log("Left as it is:");
+        for (const note of res.data.notes) console.log(`  ${note}`);
+      }
     });
 
   // rig package rollback <installId>

packages/cli/src/commands/queue.ts

@@ -1395,6 +1395,13 @@ export function queueCommand(depsOverride?: QueueDeps): Command {
     .option("--summary <text>", "Summary persisted onto the item (human-seat parks, or standalone summary update without --state)")
     .option("--evidence-ref <path>", "Pointer to the durable artifact, persisted onto the item on a human-seat park or a done close (--state done). For a code result, a JSON file of kind openrig.code-result/v1 (repo, base and revision as full commit ids, paths) lets a reader diff it exactly")
     .option("--note <text>", "Transition note for the audit log")
+    .addHelpText("after", `
+After reading an existing remote successor, record its exact closure target, including the host:
+  rig queue update <source-id> --note "custody-verified: receiver@team@remote-host. Registered-host read confirmed the successor"
+The note can accompany the closing update or be appended later; a separate note is not required.
+A trailing period, comma, semicolon, colon or closing parenthesis is accepted; a longer or different target is not.
+For a new cross-host transfer, prefer rig queue handoff --host <registered-host>.
+`)
     .option("--source <name@external>", "Outside a managed seat: the external routine that appends the --note, recorded as an external actor (claimed:v1), never a seat; note only, on this host's daemon (a --host that resolves to another host is refused). A managed seat stays the actor. Like any note, it resets the item's stall and notification timing (and its recovery and operator episodes) and advances a claimed item's last activity, but never resets how long an unclaimed item has waited")
     .option("--host <id>", QUEUE_HOST_ROW_OPTION_HELP)
     .option("--full", "Print the whole response row(s) as today, even when output.compact is on (the receipt's waiting keeps only blocker and nextBackstop)")

packages/cli/src/commands/roster.ts

@@ -5,6 +5,10 @@ import { fileURLToPath } from "node:url";
 import { execFile } from "node:child_process";
 import { ConfigStore } from "../config-store.js";
 import { mcpPresenceFilePath, readPresence } from "../mcp-presence.js";
+import { CHECK_IN_DISPLAY, describeCheckIn, type CheckInStatus } from "@openrig/daemon/connection-contract";
+import { getDaemonStatus, getDaemonUrl } from "../daemon-lifecycle.js";
+import { DaemonClient } from "../client.js";
+import { realDeps } from "./daemon.js";
 import { parseRoster, readRosters, type Roster, type RosterMember, type RosterWake } from "@openrig/daemon/rosters";
 
 // One roster parser, shared with the daemon (a hosted member's wake route reads the same files).
@@ -17,6 +21,23 @@ export interface RosterInventory {
   sources: Row[];
   /** This host's id, from the local daemon's own nodes; null when it has none to read it from. */
   localHostId?: string | null;
+  /** The local daemon's hosted members with their check-in status, and that daemon's own host id (the host whose
+   *  check-ins these are); null when it couldn't be read. */
+  checkIns?: { hostId: string | null; members: Row[] } | null;
+}
+
+/** Each hosted member's check-in status, from the local daemon. Null when the daemon isn't running or doesn't answer
+ *  (an older daemon has no such read): every hosted member's status then reads unknown. */
+export async function readHostedCheckIns(): Promise<RosterInventory["checkIns"]> {
+  try {
+    const status = await getDaemonStatus(realDeps());
+    if (status.state !== "running") return null;
+    const res = await new DaemonClient(getDaemonUrl(status)).get<unknown>("/api/queue/hosted-members");
+    return res.status < 400 && object(res.data) && Array.isArray(res.data.members)
+      ? { hostId: text(res.data.hostId), members: res.data.members.filter(object) } : null;
+  } catch {
+    return null;
+  }
 }
 const object = (v: unknown): v is Row => !!v && typeof v === "object" && !Array.isArray(v);
 const text = (v: unknown): string | null => typeof v === "string" && v.trim() ? v : null;
@@ -49,7 +70,30 @@ export async function readRosterInventory(): Promise<RosterInventory> {
       sources.push({ scope, status: "unavailable", error: result.stderr.trim() || (error as Error).message });
     }
   }
-  return { readAt: new Date().toISOString(), nodes, sources, localHostId };
+  return { readAt: new Date().toISOString(), nodes, sources, localHostId, checkIns: await readHostedCheckIns() };
+}
+
+function hostedCheckIn(member: RosterMember, inventory: RosterInventory): Row {
+  const unknown = (reason: string) => ({ status: "unknown", lastCheckInAt: null, expectedMinutes: member.check_in_minutes ?? null,
+    onRequest: member.check_in_on_request === true, reason });
+  // The daemon names its own host with its check-ins, so a team with no terminal seat still matches its members.
+  if (!inventory.checkIns) return unknown("this host's daemon gave no check-in status");
+  if (!inventory.checkIns.hostId || member.host !== inventory.checkIns.hostId) return unknown("it's listed on another host, whose check-ins this host doesn't hold");
+  const row = inventory.checkIns.members.find((m) => m.seat === member.seat);
+  return row && typeof row.status === "string" && row.status in CHECK_IN_DISPLAY ? row
+    : unknown("this host's daemon gave no status for it");
+}
+
+/** A connected assistant's check-in in one human line with its evidence, in the daemon's own words
+ *  (`describeCheckIn`): "overdue: last check-in 13:05, expected every 60 min; its schedule may be off or waiting for an
+ *  approval". A status this CLI doesn't know reads unknown. */
+export function formatCheckIn(checkIn: Row): string {
+  const known = typeof checkIn.status === "string" && checkIn.status in CHECK_IN_DISPLAY;
+  return describeCheckIn({ status: known ? checkIn.status as CheckInStatus : "unknown",
+    lastCheckInAt: typeof checkIn.lastCheckInAt === "string" ? checkIn.lastCheckInAt : null,
+    expectedMinutes: typeof checkIn.expectedMinutes === "number" ? checkIn.expectedMinutes : null,
+    onRequest: checkIn.onRequest === true,
+    ...(known && typeof checkIn.reason === "string" ? { reason: checkIn.reason } : {}) });
 }
 
 export function enrichRosterMember(member: RosterMember, inventory: RosterInventory) {
@@ -93,6 +137,9 @@ export function enrichRosterMember(member: RosterMember, inventory: RosterInvent
     // is in rig_team.
     ...(member.hosted ? { lastCallAt: inventory.localHostId && member.host === inventory.localHostId
       ? readPresence(mcpPresenceFilePath())[member.seat]?.lastCallAt ?? null : null } : {}),
+    // Whether it's checking its queue, for a member on this host; another host's member, or a status this daemon
+    // couldn't give, reads unknown.
+    ...(member.hosted ? { checkIn: hostedCheckIn(member, inventory) } : {}),
   } };
 }
 
@@ -134,7 +181,7 @@ export function rosterCommand(deps: Deps = {}): Command {
         else {
           const members = (verb === "show" ? (result.roster as Row).members : result.matches) as Array<ReturnType<typeof enrichRosterMember> & { roster?: { id: string } }>;
           if (verb === "show") { const r = result.roster as Roster; console.log(`${r.name} — ${r.purpose}\nCurator: ${r.curator.seat} (${r.curator.host})`); }
-          for (const m of members) console.log(`${m.seat} (${m.host})${m.roster ? ` [${m.roster.id}]` : ""}\n  ${m.engagement.join(", ")}: ${m.capabilities.join(", ")}\n  When: ${m.use_when}\n  Why: ${m.why}${m.caveat ? `\n  Caveat: ${m.caveat}` : ""}\n  ${m.live.status}: runtime ${m.live.runtime ?? "unknown"}; configured model ${m.live.configuredModel ?? "unknown"}; last observed model ${formatModelObservation(m.live.modelObservation)}\n  Activity: ${m.live.agentActivity.state}; sampled ${m.live.agentActivity.sampledAt ?? "unknown"}${m.hosted ? `\n  Last call: ${m.live.lastCallAt ?? "unknown"}` : ""}\n  ${m.live.reason}`);
+          for (const m of members) console.log(`${m.seat} (${m.host})${m.roster ? ` [${m.roster.id}]` : ""}\n  ${m.engagement.join(", ")}: ${m.capabilities.join(", ")}\n  When: ${m.use_when}\n  Why: ${m.why}${m.caveat ? `\n  Caveat: ${m.caveat}` : ""}\n  ${m.live.status}: runtime ${m.live.runtime ?? "unknown"}; configured model ${m.live.configuredModel ?? "unknown"}; last observed model ${formatModelObservation(m.live.modelObservation)}\n  Activity: ${m.live.agentActivity.state}; sampled ${m.live.agentActivity.sampledAt ?? "unknown"}${m.hosted ? `\n  Last call: ${m.live.lastCallAt ?? "unknown"}\n  Check-in: ${formatCheckIn(m.live.checkIn ?? {})}` : ""}\n  ${m.live.reason}`);
           if (!members.length) console.log("No matching members.");
           const obs = result.observations as { sources: Row[] };
           for (const source of obs.sources) if (source.status !== "ok") console.error(`Observation gap (${source.scope}): ${source.warning ?? source.error ?? source.status}`);

packages/cli/src/daemon-lifecycle.ts

@@ -22,8 +22,15 @@ export interface DaemonState {
   host?: string;
   db: string;
   startedAt: string;
+  /** The pid namespace (Linux `/proc/self/ns/pid`) of the shell that started the daemon. A shell
+   *  in another namespace cannot tell a missing pid from an invisible one, nor map the number.
+   *  Absent on older records. */
+  pidNamespace?: string;
 }
 
+/** Linux' initial pid namespace: where an older record, which names no namespace, is read. */
+const INITIAL_PID_NAMESPACE = "pid:[4026531836]";
+
 /**
  * OPR.0.4.3.21 — event-loop wedge evidence read from the enriched `/healthz`
  * body. Present only when the daemon actually answered healthz with a monitor
@@ -64,6 +71,10 @@ export interface DaemonStatus {
   eventLoop?: DaemonEventLoopEvidence;
   /** #275 — the OS code behind a failed health probe (e.g. EPERM when a sandbox blocked it). */
   probeErrorCode?: string;
+  /** The recorded pid looks missing and the connection was refused, but this shell is not in the
+   *  daemon's pid namespace and no clean-shutdown receipt matches: nothing here shows the daemon is
+   *  down (#2860). */
+  pidUnseen?: true;
   /** T2 — a refused listener under a live start reservation (daemon-start.lock): a launch is in
    *  progress and not listening yet. `pid` is the live launcher (else child) PID; `since` its start. */
   startPending?: { pid: number; since?: string };
@@ -152,6 +163,15 @@ export function statusGuardMessage(status: DaemonStatus): DaemonNotRunningError
       ...causeCode,
     };
   }
+  // #2860: a refused probe and a missing pid, seen from outside the daemon's pid namespace.
+  if (status.pidUnseen) {
+    return {
+      fact: "Couldn't connect to the daemon from this shell; it may still be running.",
+      consequence: "This shell can't see the daemon's process (a sandbox or another namespace) and no clean shutdown was recorded, so a refused connection here doesn't show it is down.",
+      action: "Don't start another daemon from here. Check from a normal terminal with 'rig daemon status'.",
+      ...causeCode,
+    };
+  }
   // unverified, or running-but-unhealthy: we do NOT know it is down.
   return {
     fact: "Daemon did not respond — it may be busy or stopped (state not confirmed).",
@@ -248,6 +268,9 @@ export interface LifecycleDeps {
   /** #275 — three-state liveness for status reads (production: realDeps). Optional so existing
    *  mocks keep the boolean rule; absent = derived from isProcessAlive. */
   processLiveness?: (pid: number) => ProcessLiveness;
+  /** This shell's pid namespace ("host" where the OS has none, undefined when unreadable).
+   *  Production: realDeps. Absent = no namespace evidence, a missing pid counts as dead. */
+  pidNamespace?: () => string | undefined;
   // OPR.0.4.2.1 — optional injectable delay for the status-probe bounded settle/retry.
   // Defaults to a real setTimeout in production; tests pass a no-op to stay fast. Optional so
   // existing deps / mocks / callers are untouched.
@@ -889,7 +912,8 @@ async function startOwnedDaemon(opts: StartOptions, deps: LifecycleDeps, lock: D
     }
     assertChild();
     if (!deps.isProcessAlive(pid!)) throw new Error(`Daemon child ${pid} liveness could not be confirmed; state not published`);
-    const state: DaemonState = { pid: pid!, port, host: probeHost, db, startedAt: new Date().toISOString() };
+    const namespace = deps.pidNamespace?.();
+    const state: DaemonState = { pid: pid!, port, host: probeHost, db, startedAt: new Date().toISOString(), ...(namespace && namespace !== "host" ? { pidNamespace: namespace } : {}) };
     try {
       deps.writeFile(STATE_FILE, JSON.stringify(state, null, 2));
       assertChild();
@@ -950,6 +974,17 @@ function isCleanShutdown(receipt: DaemonShutdownReceipt | undefined): boolean {
   return receipt?.outcome === "clean" && receipt.phase === "complete" && receipt.failures.length === 0;
 }
 
+/** Whether the recorded pid number means the same process in this shell. A recorded namespace must
+ *  be this shell's own: another namespace (even the host's) numbers processes differently, so its
+ *  missing number says nothing. Only an older record, which names none, is read as the host's. */
+function sharesPidNamespace(state: DaemonState, deps: LifecycleDeps): boolean {
+  if (!deps.pidNamespace) return true;
+  const own = deps.pidNamespace();
+  if (own === undefined) return false;
+  if (state.pidNamespace) return own === state.pidNamespace;
+  return own === "host" || own === INITIAL_PID_NAMESPACE;
+}
+
 function removeMatchingState(deps: LifecycleDeps, stateFile: string, state: DaemonState): void {
   // A concurrent start/rebind must not have its state removed by an old stop/status.
   const current = readState(deps);
@@ -1153,7 +1188,23 @@ export async function getDaemonStatus(
       return { state: "running", port: Number(url.port) || DEFAULT_PORT, host: url.hostname || DEFAULT_HOST, healthy: ev.healthy, reason: ev.reason, eventLoop: ev.eventLoop, ...(ev.databaseWarnings ? { databaseWarnings: ev.databaseWarnings } : {}) };
     } catch (err) {
       // 1ae863d2: refusal = positive down; anything else (timeout/wedged/blocked) = unverified.
-      return isRefusedError(err) ? { state: "stopped" } : { state: "unverified", ...endpoint, ...probeErrorCodeOf(err) };
+      if (!isRefusedError(err)) return { state: "unverified", ...endpoint, ...probeErrorCodeOf(err) };
+      // #2860: a loopback URL that is this home's recorded daemon is judged like the record: a refusal
+      // alone proves nothing from a shell that can't see the pid. No record for it keeps the plain rule.
+      const recorded = "explicitRemote" in endpoint ? null : readState(deps);
+      if (!recorded || recorded.port !== ("port" in endpoint ? endpoint.port : undefined)) return { state: "stopped" };
+      const recordedHost = recorded.host ?? DEFAULT_HOST;
+      const recordedLiveness: ProcessLiveness = deps.processLiveness
+        ? deps.processLiveness(recorded.pid)
+        : deps.isProcessAlive(recorded.pid) ? "alive" : "dead";
+      const { receipt } = readShutdownReceipt(deps, resolveLifecycleFile(deps, "daemon.json"));
+      if ((receiptMatchesState(receipt, recorded) && isCleanShutdown(receipt))
+        || (recordedLiveness === "dead" && sharesPidNamespace(recorded, deps))) return { state: "stopped" };
+      const startPending = liveStartReservation(deps);
+      return {
+        state: "unverified", pid: recorded.pid, port: recorded.port, host: recordedHost, ...(startPending ? { startPending } : {}),
+        ...(recordedLiveness !== "alive" && !startPending ? { pidUnseen: true as const } : {}), ...probeErrorCodeOf(err),
+      };
     }
   }
 
@@ -1187,17 +1238,21 @@ export async function getDaemonStatus(
     }
   }
 
-  const liveness: ProcessLiveness = deps.processLiveness
+  let liveness: ProcessLiveness = deps.processLiveness
     ? deps.processLiveness(state.pid)
     : deps.isProcessAlive(state.pid) ? "alive" : "dead";
+  // #2860: down needs positive evidence: the daemon's clean-shutdown receipt, or a missing pid seen
+  // from the daemon's own pid namespace. Elsewhere a missing pid may just be invisible.
+  const stateFile = resolveLifecycleFile(deps, "daemon.json");
+  const { receipt } = readShutdownReceipt(deps, stateFile);
+  const cleanShutdown = receiptMatchesState(receipt, state) && isCleanShutdown(receipt);
   if (liveness === "dead") {
-    // A status read must not erase the identity needed to judge a failed stop.
-    const stateFile = resolveLifecycleFile(deps, "daemon.json");
-    const { receipt } = readShutdownReceipt(deps, stateFile);
-    if (options.cleanupStaleState !== false && receiptMatchesState(receipt, state) && isCleanShutdown(receipt)) {
+    if (cleanShutdown && options.cleanupStaleState !== false) {
+      // A status read must not erase the identity needed to judge a failed stop.
       removeMatchingState(deps, stateFile, state);
     }
-    return { state: "stale" };
+    if (cleanShutdown || sharesPidNamespace(state, deps)) return { state: "stale" };
+    liveness = "unknown";
   }
 
   const host = state.host ?? DEFAULT_HOST;
@@ -1213,7 +1268,9 @@ export async function getDaemonStatus(
       // T2: unless a live start reservation says a launch is in progress.
       if (isRefusedError(err)) {
         const startPending = liveStartReservation(deps);
-        return startPending ? { state: "unverified", pid: state.pid, port: state.port, host, startPending, ...probeErrorCodeOf(err) } : { state: "stopped" };
+        if (startPending) return { state: "unverified", pid: state.pid, port: state.port, host, startPending, ...probeErrorCodeOf(err) };
+        // #2860: a refusal from a shell that can't see the pid proves nothing without a clean shutdown.
+        return cleanShutdown ? { state: "stopped" } : { state: "unverified", pid: state.pid, port: state.port, host, pidUnseen: true, ...probeErrorCodeOf(err) };
       }
       return { state: "unverified", pid: state.pid, port: state.port, host, ...probeErrorCodeOf(err) };
     }

packages/cli/src/daemon-reachability.ts

@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ export function getOfflineHelpPath(): string | undefined {
  *  reporting a starved loop) gets the request, under its normal timeout. */
 export function daemonMayAnswer(status: DaemonStatus): boolean {
   if (status.state === "stopped" || status.state === "stale") return false;
-  if (status.probeErrorCode === "ECONNREFUSED" || status.startPending) return false;
+  if (status.probeErrorCode === "ECONNREFUSED" || status.startPending || status.pidUnseen) return false;
   if (status.siblingHint || isBlockedConnectionCode(status.probeErrorCode)) return false;
   return true;
 }

packages/cli/test/daemon-blocked-connection.test.ts

@@ -289,6 +289,12 @@ describe("sandboxed liveness: EPERM on kill(pid, 0) is not a dead daemon", () =>
     expect(signalProbe(1, throwing("ESRCH"))).toBe("missing");
   });
 
+  it("an error other than ESRCH is never evidence that the process is gone", () => {
+    const throwing = (code: string | undefined) => () => { throw Object.assign(new Error(String(code)), { code }); };
+    expect(signalProbe(1, throwing("EINVAL"))).toBe("not-permitted");
+    expect(signalProbe(1, throwing(undefined))).toBe("not-permitted");
+  });
+
   it("unknown liveness plus a blocked probe is unverified with EPERM, never stale, and the guard says blocked", async () => {
     const status = await getDaemonStatus(withState({
       isProcessAlive: () => false,
@@ -304,14 +310,16 @@ describe("sandboxed liveness: EPERM on kill(pid, 0) is not a dead daemon", () =>
     expect(guard.fact).not.toMatch(/not running/i);
   });
 
-  it("unknown liveness plus a refused probe is still a stopped daemon with down advice", async () => {
+  // #2860: a refusal from a shell that can't inspect the pid is "stopped" only with the daemon's clean-shutdown receipt.
+  it("unknown liveness plus a refused probe and no clean shutdown is unverified, not stopped", async () => {
     const status = await getDaemonStatus(withState({
       isProcessAlive: () => false,
       processLiveness: sandboxLiveness,
       fetch: probeFailing("ECONNREFUSED"),
     }));
-    expect(status.state).toBe("stopped");
-    expect(statusGuardMessage(status).fact).toMatch(/not running/i);
+    expect(status.state).toBe("unverified");
+    expect(status.pidUnseen).toBe(true);
+    expect(statusGuardMessage(status).fact).toMatch(/couldn't connect.*from this shell/i);
   });
 
   it("unknown liveness plus a healthy probe is running", async () => {

packages/cli/test/daemon-status-pid-namespace.test.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,207 @@
+// #2860 — a sandbox that cuts loopback often also hides the daemon's pid. A refused probe plus a
+// missing pid then looked exactly like a stopped daemon, and the guard told the agent to run `rig up`.
+//
+// Contract pinned here: "stopped" needs positive evidence, either the daemon's own clean-shutdown
+// receipt or a missing pid seen from the daemon's pid namespace. Otherwise status says the CLI
+// couldn't connect from this shell and the daemon may still be running, and never advises starting
+// another daemon.
+import { afterEach, describe, it, expect, vi } from "vitest";
+import {
+  daemonStatusGuard,
+  getDaemonStatus,
+  statusGuardMessage,
+  STATE_FILE,
+  type DaemonState,
+  type LifecycleDeps,
+} from "../src/daemon-lifecycle.js";
+import { daemonCommand } from "../src/commands/daemon.js";
+import { daemonMayAnswer, shouldAutoStartDaemon } from "../src/daemon-reachability.js";
+
+const INITIAL_NAMESPACE = "pid:[4026531836]";
+const DAEMON_NAMESPACE = "pid:[4026532001]";
+const SANDBOX_NAMESPACE = "pid:[4026532777]";
+const START = "2026-01-01T00:00:00Z";
+
+const REFUSED: LifecycleDeps["fetch"] = async () => {
+  const err = new Error("fetch failed") as Error & { cause?: { code: string } };
+  err.cause = { code: "ECONNREFUSED" };
+  throw err;
+};
+
+function cleanReceipt(pid: number): string {
+  const now = new Date().toISOString();
+  return JSON.stringify({ schema: "openrig.daemon-shutdown/v1", pid, startedAt: START, completedAt: now, outcome: "clean", phase: "complete", failures: [] });
+}
+
+function deps(state: DaemonState, over: Partial<LifecycleDeps> = {}, receipt?: string): LifecycleDeps {
+  return {
+    spawn: vi.fn() as unknown as LifecycleDeps["spawn"],
+    fetch: vi.fn(REFUSED),
+    kill: vi.fn(() => true),
+    readFile: vi.fn((p: string) => (p === STATE_FILE ? JSON.stringify(state) : p.endsWith("daemon-shutdown.json") ? receipt ?? null : null)),
+    writeFile: vi.fn(),
+    removeFile: vi.fn(),
+    exists: vi.fn((p: string) => p === STATE_FILE || (receipt !== undefined && p.endsWith("daemon-shutdown.json"))),
+    mkdirp: vi.fn(),
+    openForAppend: vi.fn(() => 0),
+    isProcessAlive: vi.fn(() => false),
+    processLiveness: vi.fn(() => "dead" as const),
+    pidNamespace: () => SANDBOX_NAMESPACE,
+    sleep: async () => {},
+    ...over,
+  };
+}
+
+const recorded = (extra: Partial<DaemonState> = {}): DaemonState =>
+  ({ pid: 4242, port: 7433, db: "x.db", startedAt: START, pidNamespace: DAEMON_NAMESPACE, ...extra });
+
+afterEach(() => vi.restoreAllMocks());
+
+describe("#2860: a refused probe with an invisible pid is not a stopped daemon", () => {
+  it("reads 'couldn't connect from this shell' when the pid is missing, the probe is refused and there is no clean shutdown", async () => {
+    const status = await getDaemonStatus(deps(recorded()));
+    expect(status.state).toBe("unverified");
+    expect(status.pidUnseen).toBe(true);
+    const message = statusGuardMessage(status);
+    expect(message.fact).toMatch(/couldn't connect to the daemon from this shell.*may still be running/i);
+    expect(`${message.fact} ${message.consequence} ${message.action}`).not.toMatch(/rig up|rig daemon start/i);
+    expect(message.action).toMatch(/don't start another daemon/i);
+    expect(shouldAutoStartDaemon(status)).toBe(false);
+  });
+
+  it("blocks commands through the guard with the same message", async () => {
+    const status = await getDaemonStatus(deps(recorded()));
+    const lines: string[] = [];
+    vi.spyOn(console, "error").mockImplementation((line: string) => { lines.push(line); });
+    const savedExit = process.exitCode;
+    try {
+      expect(daemonStatusGuard(status)).toBe(false);
+    } finally { process.exitCode = savedExit; }
+    const message = statusGuardMessage(status);
+    expect(lines).toEqual([`Error: ${message.fact}`, `  ${message.consequence}`, `  ${message.action}`]);
+  });
+
+  it("is the same on an older record that names no namespace", async () => {
+    const status = await getDaemonStatus(deps({ pid: 4242, port: 7433, db: "x.db", startedAt: START }));
+    expect(status.pidUnseen).toBe(true);
+  });
+
+  it("is the same when this shell cannot read its own namespace", async () => {
+    const status = await getDaemonStatus(deps(recorded(), { pidNamespace: () => undefined }));
+    expect(status.pidUnseen).toBe(true);
+  });
+
+  it("is the same when the pid exists but cannot be inspected (unknown liveness) and the probe is refused", async () => {
+    const status = await getDaemonStatus(deps(recorded(), { processLiveness: vi.fn(() => "unknown" as const) }));
+    expect(status.state).toBe("unverified");
+    expect(status.pidUnseen).toBe(true);
+  });
+
+  it("still answers 'running' when the probe gets through, whatever the pid looks like", async () => {
+    const status = await getDaemonStatus(deps(recorded(), { fetch: vi.fn(async () => ({ ok: true })) }));
+    expect(status.state).toBe("running");
+  });
+
+  it("does not remove state it cannot prove stale", async () => {
+    const d = deps(recorded());
+    await getDaemonStatus(d);
+    expect(d.removeFile).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+  });
+});
+
+describe("#2860: the real stopped cases keep reading as down", () => {
+  it("a clean shutdown for the recorded pid reads stopped from any shell", async () => {
+    const d = deps(recorded(), {}, cleanReceipt(4242));
+    const status = await getDaemonStatus(d);
+    expect(status.state).toBe("stale");
+    expect(statusGuardMessage(status).fact).toBe("Daemon not running.");
+    expect(shouldAutoStartDaemon(status)).toBe(true);
+    expect(d.removeFile).toHaveBeenCalledWith(STATE_FILE);
+  });
+
+  it("a clean shutdown plus a refused probe reads stopped even when the pid state is unknown", async () => {
+    const status = await getDaemonStatus(deps(recorded(), { processLiveness: vi.fn(() => "unknown" as const) }, cleanReceipt(4242)));
+    expect(status.state).toBe("stopped");
+  });
+
+  it("a receipt for another pid is no evidence", async () => {
+    const status = await getDaemonStatus(deps(recorded(), {}, cleanReceipt(1111)));
+    expect(status.pidUnseen).toBe(true);
+  });
+
+  it.each([
+    ["the daemon's own namespace", recorded(), () => DAEMON_NAMESPACE],
+    ["the initial namespace it was started in", recorded({ pidNamespace: INITIAL_NAMESPACE }), () => INITIAL_NAMESPACE],
+    ["an older record, from the initial namespace", recorded({ pidNamespace: undefined }), () => INITIAL_NAMESPACE],
+    ["an older record, on a platform without pid namespaces", recorded({ pidNamespace: undefined }), () => "host"],
+  ])("a dead pid in a normal shell (%s) still reads down so 'rig up' can start it", async (_label, state, namespace) => {
+    const status = await getDaemonStatus(deps(state, { pidNamespace: namespace }));
+    expect(status.state).toBe("stale");
+    expect(statusGuardMessage(status).fact).toBe("Daemon not running.");
+    expect(shouldAutoStartDaemon(status)).toBe(true);
+  });
+
+  it("a number recorded in a nested namespace says nothing from the initial one, whatever it finds there", async () => {
+    const fetch = vi.fn(REFUSED);
+    const status = await getDaemonStatus(deps(recorded(), { pidNamespace: () => INITIAL_NAMESPACE, fetch }));
+    expect(status.state).toBe("unverified");
+    expect(status.pidUnseen).toBe(true);
+    expect(fetch).toHaveBeenCalled();
+  });
+
+  it("...and a healthy endpoint reads running, not stale", async () => {
+    const status = await getDaemonStatus(deps(recorded(), { pidNamespace: () => INITIAL_NAMESPACE, fetch: vi.fn(async () => ({ ok: true })) }));
+    expect(status.state).toBe("running");
+  });
+
+  it("deps without namespace evidence keep the old rule", async () => {
+    const d = deps(recorded());
+    delete d.pidNamespace;
+    expect((await getDaemonStatus(d)).state).toBe("stale");
+  });
+});
+
+describe("#2860: a selected loopback OPENRIG_URL is judged like the record", () => {
+  const withUrl = async (url: string, d: LifecycleDeps) => {
+    process.env.OPENRIG_URL = url;
+    try { return await getDaemonStatus(d); } finally { delete process.env.OPENRIG_URL; }
+  };
+  const URL_OF_DAEMON = "http://127.0.0.1:7433";
+
+  it("a refusal with an invisible pid and no clean shutdown is not stopped, and 'rig up' is not advised", async () => {
+    const status = await withUrl(URL_OF_DAEMON, deps(recorded()));
+    expect(status.state).toBe("unverified");
+    expect(status.pidUnseen).toBe(true);
+    expect(shouldAutoStartDaemon(status)).toBe(false);
+    expect(daemonMayAnswer(status)).toBe(false);
+  });
+
+  it("a missing pid in the daemon's own namespace reads stopped", async () => {
+    expect((await withUrl(URL_OF_DAEMON, deps(recorded(), { pidNamespace: () => DAEMON_NAMESPACE }))).state).toBe("stopped");
+  });
+
+  it("a matching clean shutdown reads stopped from any shell", async () => {
+    expect((await withUrl(URL_OF_DAEMON, deps(recorded(), {}, cleanReceipt(4242)))).state).toBe("stopped");
+  });
+
+  it("with no record for that endpoint a refusal keeps reading stopped", async () => {
+    expect((await withUrl("http://127.0.0.1:9999", deps(recorded()))).state).toBe("stopped");
+    expect((await withUrl(URL_OF_DAEMON, deps(recorded(), { exists: vi.fn(() => false), readFile: vi.fn(() => null) }))).state).toBe("stopped");
+  });
+
+  it("a remote URL keeps reading stopped on a refusal", async () => {
+    expect((await withUrl("http://daemon.example:7433", deps(recorded()))).state).toBe("stopped");
+  });
+});
+
+describe("#2860: `rig daemon status` says what the guard says", () => {
+  it("prints the guard's three lines", async () => {
+    const d = deps(recorded());
+    const status = await getDaemonStatus(d);
+    const message = statusGuardMessage(status);
+    const lines: string[] = [];
+    vi.spyOn(console, "log").mockImplementation((line: string) => { lines.push(line); });
+    await daemonCommand(d).parseAsync(["status"], { from: "user" });
+    expect(lines).toEqual([message.fact, `  ${message.consequence}`, `  ${message.action}`]);
+  });
+});

packages/cli/test/edge.test.ts

@@ -78,7 +78,8 @@ describe("rig edge", () => {
     expect(result.out).toHaveLength(1);
     const error = JSON.parse(result.out[0]!).error;
     expect(error).toMatchObject({ fact: expect.any(String), consequence: expect.any(String), action: expect.any(String) });
-    if (causeCode === "ECONNREFUSED") expect(error.fact).toBe("Daemon not running.");
+    // #2860: a refused connection alone isn't proof the daemon is stopped, so rig edge says so only on positive evidence.
+    if (causeCode === "ECONNREFUSED") expect(error.fact).toBe("Daemon did not respond — it may be busy or stopped (state not confirmed).");
     else expect(error).toMatchObject({ causeCode: "EPERM", fact: expect.stringContaining("blocked") });
     expect(client.get).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
     expect(client.post).not.toHaveBeenCalled();

packages/cli/test/package.test.ts

@@ -207,6 +207,20 @@ function createMockDaemon() {
         }));
         return;
       }
+      if (sourceRef.includes("skipped")) {
+        res.writeHead(201, { "Content-Type": "application/json" });
+        res.end(JSON.stringify({
+          installId: "inst-skip-1",
+          packageId: "pkg-1",
+          packageName: "guidance-pkg",
+          applied: [],
+          deferred: [],
+          conflicts: [],
+          verification: { passed: true },
+          notes: ["guidance_block_markers_damaged: /repo/CLAUDE.md: guidance-pkg has a BEGIN or END marker without its pair"],
+        }));
+        return;
+      }
       if (sourceRef.includes("merge")) {
         res.writeHead(201, { "Content-Type": "application/json" });
         res.end(JSON.stringify({
@@ -383,6 +397,14 @@ describe("rig package", () => {
     expect(output).toContain("inst-merge-1");
   });
 
+  it("install with a guidance file left as it is: names the file and the reason, exit 0", async () => {
+    const { logs, exitCode } = await captureLogs(() => makeProgram().parseAsync(["node", "rig", "package", "install", "/skipped/path", "--target", "/repo", "--allow-merge"]));
+    const output = logs.join("\n");
+    expect(output).toContain("Left as it is:");
+    expect(output).toContain("  guidance_block_markers_damaged: /repo/CLAUDE.md: guidance-pkg has a BEGIN or END marker without its pair");
+    expect(exitCode).toBeUndefined();
+  });
+
   // Test 8: install conflicts (409) → exitCode 1
   it("install conflicts: prints conflicts, exitCode 1", async () => {
     const { logs, exitCode } = await captureLogs(() => makeProgram().parseAsync(["node", "rig", "package", "install", "/conflict/path", "--target", "/repo"]));

packages/cli/test/roster.test.ts

@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ import { tmpdir } from "node:os";
 import { join } from "node:path";
 import { execFile, execFileSync } from "node:child_process";
 import { promisify } from "node:util";
-import { enrichRosterMember, parseRoster, readRosters, rosterCommand, type RosterInventory } from "../src/commands/roster.js";
+import { enrichRosterMember, formatCheckIn, parseRoster, readRosters, rosterCommand, type RosterInventory } from "../src/commands/roster.js";
 
 const member = { seat: "editor@studio", host: "host-a", capabilities: ["colour grading"], engagement: ["consult"], use_when: "Choose a look", why: "Knows the footage", caveat: "Advice only" };
 const authored = { version: 1, id: "production", name: "Production", purpose: "Make a film", curator: { seat: "lead@studio", host: "host-a" }, updated_at: "2026-09-01", members: [member] };
@@ -133,3 +133,55 @@ it("does not choose the first duplicate route when activity observations conflic
   expect(enrichRosterMember(member, { readAt: "2026-10-01T00:00:02Z", nodes: [idle, unclocked], sources: [] }).live.agentActivity)
     .toEqual({ state: "idle", reason: null, sampledAt: null });
 });
+
+it("keeps any positive whole check-in cadence; one that can't be used still loads, with its reason and no cadence", () => {
+  const hourly = { ...member, seat: "bot@team", hosted: true, check_in_minutes: 60 };
+  expect(parseRoster({ ...authored, members: [hourly, { ...hourly, seat: "fast@team", check_in_minutes: 1 }] }).members)
+    .toEqual([hourly, { ...hourly, seat: "fast@team", check_in_minutes: 1 }]);
+  for (const bad of [{ ...hourly, check_in_minutes: 0 }, { ...hourly, check_in_minutes: 1.5 }, { ...hourly, check_in_minutes: "60" },
+    { ...member, check_in_minutes: 60 }]) {
+    const [loaded] = parseRoster({ ...authored, members: [bad] }).members;
+    expect(loaded).not.toHaveProperty("check_in_minutes");
+    expect(loaded!.check_in_problem).toMatch(/check_in_minutes/);
+  }
+});
+it("shows a hosted member's check-in status from this host's daemon; another host's member, or no answer, reads unknown", () => {
+  const bot = { ...member, seat: "bot@team", host: "host-a", hosted: true, check_in_minutes: 60 };
+  const checkIns = [{ seat: "bot@team", rung: false, status: "check-in-overdue", lastCheckInAt: "2026-11-12T09:00:00.000Z", expectedMinutes: 60, reporter: "openrig-observed" }];
+  const here = { ...inventory([]), localHostId: "host-a", checkIns: { hostId: "host-a", members: checkIns } };
+  expect(enrichRosterMember(bot, here).live.checkIn).toMatchObject({ status: "check-in-overdue", lastCheckInAt: "2026-11-12T09:00:00.000Z" });
+  expect(formatCheckIn(enrichRosterMember(bot, here).live.checkIn!))
+    .toBe("overdue: last check-in 2026-11-12T09:00:00.000Z, expected every 60 min; its schedule may be off or waiting for an approval");
+  for (const [missing, reason] of [[{ ...here, checkIns: null }, "this host's daemon gave no check-in status"],
+    [{ ...here, checkIns: { hostId: "host-b", members: checkIns } }, "it's listed on another host, whose check-ins this host doesn't hold"],
+    [{ ...here, checkIns: { hostId: null, members: checkIns } }, "it's listed on another host, whose check-ins this host doesn't hold"],
+    [{ ...here, checkIns: { hostId: "host-a", members: [{ ...checkIns[0], status: "invented" }] } }, "this host's daemon gave no status for it"]] as const) {
+    expect(enrichRosterMember(bot, missing).live.checkIn).toEqual({ status: "unknown", lastCheckInAt: null, expectedMinutes: 60, onRequest: false, reason });
+  }
+  // The roster line is the daemon's own sentence for each status.
+  expect(formatCheckIn({ status: "unknown", lastCheckInAt: null, expectedMinutes: null, reason: "its check-ins couldn't be read" }))
+    .toBe("unknown (its check-ins couldn't be read)");
+  expect(formatCheckIn({ status: "no-check-in-yet", lastCheckInAt: null, expectedMinutes: null })).toBe("no check-in yet; no check-in cadence declared");
+  expect(formatCheckIn({ status: "no-check-in-yet", lastCheckInAt: null, expectedMinutes: 60 })).toBe("no check-in yet; expected every 60 min");
+  expect(formatCheckIn({ status: "on-request", lastCheckInAt: "2026-11-12T09:00:00.000Z", expectedMinutes: null, onRequest: true }))
+    .toBe("on request: it checks its queue when a person asks it; last check-in 2026-11-12T09:00:00.000Z");
+  expect(formatCheckIn({ status: "invented", lastCheckInAt: null, expectedMinutes: null })).toBe("unknown (its check-in status couldn't be read)");
+  expect(enrichRosterMember(member, here).live).not.toHaveProperty("checkIn");
+});
+it("a team with no terminal seat still shows its members' check-ins: the daemon names its own host with them", () => {
+  const bot = { ...member, seat: "bot@team", host: "host-a", hosted: true, check_in_minutes: 60 };
+  const fresh = { seat: "bot@team", rung: false, status: "checking-in", lastCheckInAt: "2026-11-12T09:55:00.000Z", expectedMinutes: 60, reporter: "openrig-observed" };
+  const noSeats: RosterInventory = { ...inventory([]), localHostId: null, checkIns: { hostId: "host-a", members: [fresh] } };
+  expect(enrichRosterMember(bot, noSeats).live.checkIn).toMatchObject({ status: "checking-in", lastCheckInAt: fresh.lastCheckInAt });
+});
+it("keeps check_in_on_request: true; any other value, both statements at once, or a member not marked hosted loads with its reason", () => {
+  const asked = { ...member, seat: "bot@team", hosted: true, check_in_on_request: true };
+  expect(parseRoster({ ...authored, members: [asked] }).members).toEqual([asked]);
+  for (const [bad, reason] of [[{ ...asked, check_in_on_request: false }, /isn't true/], [{ ...asked, check_in_minutes: 60 }, /both/],
+    [{ ...member, check_in_on_request: true }, /connected assistant/]] as const) {
+    const [loaded] = parseRoster({ ...authored, members: [bad] }).members;
+    expect(loaded).not.toHaveProperty("check_in_on_request");
+    expect(loaded).not.toHaveProperty("check_in_minutes");
+    expect(loaded!.check_in_problem).toMatch(reason);
+  }
+});

packages/daemon/assets/plugins/openrig-core/.claude-plugin/plugin.json

@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
     "url": "https://github.com/mvschwarz"
   },
   "homepage": "https://github.com/mvschwarz/openrig-plugins",
-  "repository": "github:mvschwarz/openrig-plugins",
+  "repository": "https://github.com/mvschwarz/openrig-plugins",
   "license": "Apache-2.0",
   "keywords": ["openrig", "agent", "topology", "rig", "continuity", "coordination", "compaction", "handoff"],
   "skills": "./skills",

packages/daemon/assets/plugins/openrig-core/.codex-plugin/plugin.json

@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
     "url": "https://github.com/mvschwarz"
   },
   "homepage": "https://github.com/mvschwarz/openrig-plugins",
-  "repository": "github:mvschwarz/openrig-plugins",
+  "repository": "https://github.com/mvschwarz/openrig-plugins",
   "license": "Apache-2.0",
   "keywords": ["openrig", "agent", "topology", "rig", "continuity", "coordination", "compaction", "handoff"],
   "skills": "./skills",

packages/daemon/assets/plugins/openrig/.claude-plugin/plugin.json

@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
     "url": "https://github.com/mvschwarz"
   },
   "homepage": "https://github.com/mvschwarz/openrig",
-  "repository": "github:mvschwarz/openrig",
+  "repository": "https://github.com/mvschwarz/openrig",
   "license": "Apache-2.0",
   "keywords": ["openrig", "agents", "team", "delegation", "mcp"],
   "skills": "./skills",

packages/daemon/assets/plugins/openrig/.codex-plugin/plugin.json

@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
     "url": "https://github.com/mvschwarz"
   },
   "homepage": "https://github.com/mvschwarz/openrig",
-  "repository": "github:mvschwarz/openrig",
+  "repository": "https://github.com/mvschwarz/openrig",
   "license": "Apache-2.0",
   "keywords": [
     "openrig",

packages/daemon/assets/plugins/openrig/plugin.json

@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
     "url": "https://github.com/mvschwarz"
   },
   "homepage": "https://github.com/mvschwarz/openrig",
-  "repository": "github:mvschwarz/openrig",
+  "repository": "https://github.com/mvschwarz/openrig",
   "license": "Apache-2.0",
   "keywords": ["openrig", "agents", "team", "delegation", "mcp"]
 }

packages/daemon/package.json

@@ -31,6 +31,10 @@
       "types": "./dist/rosters-surface.d.ts",
       "import": "./dist/rosters-surface.js"
     },
+    "./connection-contract": {
+      "types": "./dist/connection-contract-surface.d.ts",
+      "import": "./dist/connection-contract-surface.js"
+    },
     "./gateway-protocol": {
       "types": "./dist/gateway-protocol-surface.d.ts",
       "import": "./dist/gateway-protocol-surface.js"

packages/daemon/src/connection-contract-surface.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+// The `@openrig/daemon/connection-contract` surface: the shared outcome and status words, so the CLI and the daemon
+// read them from one place.
+export * from "./domain/connection-contract.js";

packages/daemon/src/domain/bootstrap-orchestrator.ts

@@ -643,6 +643,9 @@ export class BootstrapOrchestrator {
         if (!outcome.ok) {
           errors.push(`Package install failed for '${ref}' (${runtime}): ${outcome.message}`);
           packageInstallFailed = true;
+        } else {
+          // A file the install left as it is, and why: the rest installed, and the rig still imports.
+          for (const note of outcome.notes ?? []) warnings.push(`Package '${ref}' (${runtime}): ${note}`);
         }
       }
     }

packages/daemon/src/domain/connection-contract.ts

@@ -42,6 +42,102 @@ export interface ReportedFact<F extends string> {
   reporter: Reporter;
 }
 
+/** Whether a member outside any terminal is checking its queue. It's a status, never a refusal: work addressed to the
+ *  member queues and is rung exactly as before, a check-in isn't pickup (pickup is a claim), and no check-in isn't
+ *  idle, failure or safe. */
+export type CheckInStatus =
+  /** Its last check-in is no older than twice its stated cadence (`CHECK_IN_OVERDUE_CADENCES`). */
+  | "checking-in"
+  /** Its last check-in is older than twice its stated cadence: its schedule may be off or waiting for an approval. */
+  | "check-in-overdue"
+  /** No check-in recorded for it. */
+  | "no-check-in-yet"
+  /** Its setup says it checks its queue when a person asks it (`check_in_on_request`), not on a schedule. */
+  | "on-request"
+  /** Its connection was revoked or removed, as recorded. Never inferred from silence. Nothing records a revocation yet,
+   *  so nothing emits it: a revoked member stops checking in and reads overdue. */
+  | "disconnected"
+  /** Its setup states no cadence, its stated one can't be used, or its check-ins couldn't be read (the reason says
+   *  which). Never idle and never overdue: with no stated cadence, OpenRig assumes none. */
+  | "unknown";
+
+/** How each check-in status reads to a person. */
+export const CHECK_IN_DISPLAY: Readonly<Record<CheckInStatus, string>> = {
+  "checking-in": "checking in",
+  "check-in-overdue": "overdue",
+  "no-check-in-yet": "no check-in yet",
+  "on-request": "on request",
+  "disconnected": "disconnected",
+  "unknown": "unknown",
+};
+
+/** The one rule for a stated cadence: a last check-in no older than this many cadences reads checking in, and an older
+ *  one overdue. One missed run, plus its schedule's own jitter, isn't overdue. A cadence is its person's statement, so
+ *  neither reading proves a vendor schedule or a pickup. */
+export const CHECK_IN_OVERDUE_CADENCES = 2;
+
+export interface MemberCheckIn {
+  status: CheckInStatus;
+  /** Its own latest read of its pending inbox, as OpenRig observed it. */
+  lastCheckInAt: string | null;
+  /** The cadence its person stated at setup; null when none was. */
+  expectedMinutes: number | null;
+  /** Its setup says it checks in when a person asks it. */
+  onRequest: boolean;
+  reporter: Reporter;
+  /** Why the status is unknown, when it is. */
+  reason?: string;
+}
+
+/** A connected assistant's check-in status from what its setup states (a cadence, or on request) and its last observed
+ *  check-in (`seen`, `never`, or `unknown` when the record can't be read). First match wins: disconnected, unknown (an
+ *  unusable statement or an unreadable record), no check-in yet, on request, then checking in or overdue by its cadence,
+ *  else unknown because it states none. Nothing passes `revokedAt` yet, so nothing reads disconnected. */
+export function memberCheckInStatus(input: {
+  checkInMinutes: number | null | undefined;
+  /** Its setup says it checks in on request rather than on a schedule. */
+  onRequest?: boolean;
+  /** Why the stated cadence can't be used, from the roster. */
+  cadenceProblem?: string | null;
+  checkIn: { state: "seen"; at: string } | { state: "never" } | { state: "unknown" };
+  revokedAt?: string | null;
+  now: Date;
+}): MemberCheckIn {
+  const expectedMinutes = input.checkInMinutes ?? null;
+  const lastCheckInAt = input.checkIn.state === "seen" ? input.checkIn.at : null;
+  const onRequest = input.onRequest === true;
+  const unknown = (reason: string): MemberCheckIn => ({ status: "unknown", lastCheckInAt, expectedMinutes, onRequest, reporter: "openrig-observed", reason });
+  const known = (status: CheckInStatus): MemberCheckIn => ({ status, lastCheckInAt, expectedMinutes, onRequest, reporter: "openrig-observed" });
+  if (input.revokedAt) return known("disconnected");
+  if (input.cadenceProblem) return unknown(input.cadenceProblem);
+  if (input.checkIn.state === "unknown") return unknown("its check-ins couldn't be read");
+  if (input.checkIn.state === "never") return known("no-check-in-yet");
+  if (onRequest) return known("on-request");
+  if (expectedMinutes === null) return unknown(NO_CADENCE_STATED);
+  const age = input.now.getTime() - Date.parse(input.checkIn.at);
+  if (!Number.isFinite(age)) return unknown("its last check-in's time couldn't be read");
+  return known(age <= expectedMinutes * CHECK_IN_OVERDUE_CADENCES * 60_000 ? "checking-in" : "check-in-overdue");
+}
+
+/** Why a connected assistant whose setup states neither a cadence nor on request reads unknown. */
+export const NO_CADENCE_STATED = "no check-in cadence declared";
+
+/** A connected assistant's check-in in one line for a person, with its evidence: "overdue: last check-in 13:05,
+ *  expected every 60 min; its schedule may be off or waiting for an approval". */
+export function describeCheckIn(c: Pick<MemberCheckIn, "status" | "lastCheckInAt" | "expectedMinutes" | "onRequest" | "reason">): string {
+  const last = c.lastCheckInAt ? `last check-in ${c.lastCheckInAt}` : null;
+  const expected = c.expectedMinutes !== null ? `expected every ${c.expectedMinutes} min`
+    : c.onRequest ? "checks in when a person asks it" : NO_CADENCE_STATED;
+  switch (c.status) {
+    case "checking-in": return `checking in: ${last}, ${expected}`;
+    case "check-in-overdue": return `overdue: ${last}, ${expected}; its schedule may be off or waiting for an approval`;
+    case "no-check-in-yet": return `no check-in yet; ${expected}`;
+    case "on-request": return `on request: it checks its queue when a person asks it${last ? `; ${last}` : ""}`;
+    case "disconnected": return "disconnected: its connection was revoked or removed";
+    case "unknown": return `unknown (${c.reason ?? "its check-in status couldn't be read"})${last ? `; ${last}` : ""}`;
+  }
+}
+
 /** The route a wake took. `none` means no route can carry it (a pull-only member, an address nothing holds). */
 export type WakeRoute = "terminal" | "gateway" | "hosted-trigger" | "none";
 

packages/daemon/src/domain/install-engine.ts

@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import type { InstallPlanEntry } from "./install-planner.js";
 import type { PolicyResult } from "./install-policy.js";
 import type { RefinedInstallPlan } from "./conflict-detector.js";
 import { InstallRepository, type JournalEntry } from "./install-repository.js";
+import { damagedManagedBlockNote, findManagedBlocks, managedBlockBodyMatches, mergeManagedBlockText } from "./managed-blocks.js";
 
 export interface EngineFsOps {
   readFile: (filePath: string) => string;
@@ -19,6 +20,8 @@ export interface InstallResult {
   applied: JournalEntry[];
   deferred: InstallPlanEntry[];
   conflicts: InstallPlanEntry[];
+  /** Entries left as they were, each with the reason: a guidance file whose block has a marker without its pair. */
+  notes: string[];
 }
 
 export interface RollbackResult {
@@ -52,10 +55,19 @@ export class InstallEngine {
   ): InstallResult {
     const install = this.installRepo.createInstall(packageId, targetRoot, "project_shared", bootstrapId);
     const applied: JournalEntry[] = [];
+    const notes: string[] = [];
     const backupRoot = path.join(targetRoot, ".rigged-backups", install.id);
 
     try {
       for (const entry of policyResult.approved) {
+        // A guidance block with a marker that lost its pair can't be replaced, and another copy beside it is the
+        // duplicate to avoid: that file is left as it is and named, and the rest of the install goes on.
+        const unreadable = entry.exportType === "guidance" ? this.unreadableGuidanceBlock(entry, plan.packageName) : null;
+        if (unreadable) {
+          notes.push(unreadable);
+          continue;
+        }
+
         // Ensure target directory
         this.fs.mkdirp(path.dirname(entry.targetPath));
 
@@ -121,6 +133,7 @@ export class InstallEngine {
       applied,
       deferred: plan.deferred,
       conflicts: plan.conflicts,
+      notes,
     };
   }
 
@@ -170,6 +183,14 @@ export class InstallEngine {
     return { restored, deleted };
   }
 
+  /** The note for a guidance entry whose target holds a marker of the package's block without its pair, and no complete
+   *  copy, or null. */
+  private unreadableGuidanceBlock(entry: InstallPlanEntry, packageName: string): string | null {
+    if (!entry.sourcePath || !this.fs.exists(entry.targetPath)) return null;
+    const found = findManagedBlocks(this.fs.readFile(entry.targetPath), packageName);
+    return found.blocks.length === 0 && found.unpaired > 0 ? damagedManagedBlockNote(entry.targetPath, packageName) : null;
+  }
+
   private applyGuidanceMerge(entry: InstallPlanEntry, packageName: string): void {
     if (!entry.sourcePath) return;
 
@@ -178,34 +199,17 @@ export class InstallEngine {
 
     if (this.fs.exists(entry.targetPath)) {
       const existing = this.fs.readFile(entry.targetPath);
-      const startMarker = BLOCK_START(packageName);
-      const endMarker = BLOCK_END(packageName);
-      const legacyStart = `<!-- BEGIN RIGGED MANAGED BLOCK: ${packageName} -->`;
-      const legacyEnd = `<!-- END RIGGED MANAGED BLOCK: ${packageName} -->`;
-      // Prefer the OpenRig form; fall back to legacy markers from
-      // prior installs so re-applying a guidance package over a
-      // pre-rename file replaces the old block instead of appending a
-      // duplicate.
-      let startIdx = existing.indexOf(startMarker);
-      let endIdx = existing.indexOf(endMarker, startIdx + startMarker.length);
-      let matchedEndLength = endMarker.length;
-      if (startIdx === -1 || endIdx === -1) {
-        const legacyStartIdx = existing.indexOf(legacyStart);
-        const legacyEndIdx = existing.indexOf(legacyEnd, legacyStartIdx + legacyStart.length);
-        if (legacyStartIdx !== -1 && legacyEndIdx !== -1) {
-          startIdx = legacyStartIdx;
-          endIdx = legacyEndIdx;
-          matchedEndLength = legacyEnd.length;
-        }
-      }
-
-      if (startIdx !== -1 && endIdx !== -1) {
-        // Update existing block (rewrites legacy markers to OpenRig form).
-        const updated = existing.slice(0, startIdx) + block + existing.slice(endIdx + matchedEndLength);
-        this.fs.writeFile(entry.targetPath, updated);
-      } else {
+      const found = findManagedBlocks(existing, packageName);
+      if (found.blocks.length === 0) {
         // Insert new block at end
         this.fs.writeFile(entry.targetPath, existing + "\n\n" + block + "\n");
+      } else {
+        // Update the first copy in place, in the OpenRig form (legacy markers too). A later copy goes when it repeats the
+        // first copy's text or the package's; a copy with other text, which someone wrote, stays.
+        const first = found.blocks[0]!.body;
+        const updated = mergeManagedBlockText(existing, packageName, block, [],
+          (body) => !managedBlockBodyMatches(body, first) && !managedBlockBodyMatches(body, content));
+        if (updated !== null) this.fs.writeFile(entry.targetPath, updated);
       }
     } else {
       // New file

packages/daemon/src/domain/install-verifier.ts

@@ -45,7 +45,9 @@ export class InstallVerifier {
     this.fs = fs;
   }
 
-  verify(installId: string): VerificationResult {
+  /** `skipped`: entries the install deliberately left as they were (its result's notes), so an install whose every entry was
+   *  skipped verifies as that, not as an empty journal. */
+  verify(installId: string, opts: { skipped?: number } = {}): VerificationResult {
     const install = this.installRepo.getInstall(installId);
     if (!install) {
       return {
@@ -76,6 +78,16 @@ export class InstallVerifier {
     const journal = this.installRepo.getJournalEntries(installId);
     const applyEntries = journal.filter((e) => e.action !== "rollback");
 
+    // Every entry left as it was on purpose, each named in the install's notes: nothing to check, and nothing missing.
+    if (applyEntries.length === 0 && (opts.skipped ?? 0) > 0) {
+      return {
+        passed: true,
+        installId,
+        entries: [],
+        statusCheck: { ...statusCheck, name: "entries_skipped", passed: true, expected: "applied entries, or skips named in notes", actual: `0 applied, ${opts.skipped} skipped` },
+      };
+    }
+
     // Empty journal for applied install is a verification failure
     if (applyEntries.length === 0) {
       return {

packages/daemon/src/domain/managed-block-records.ts

@@ -2,7 +2,8 @@ import { createHash } from "node:crypto";
 import fs from "node:fs";
 import nodePath from "node:path";
 import type Database from "better-sqlite3";
-import { frameManagedBlockBody, managedBlockStanding, mergeManagedBlock, type ManagedBlockMergeFsOps, type ManagedBlockStanding } from "./managed-blocks.js";
+import { damagedManagedBlockNote, frameManagedBlockBody, managedBlockBodyMatches, managedBlockStanding, mergeManagedBlock, pruneManagedBlockCopies,
+  withCanonicalMarkers, type ManagedBlockMergeFsOps, type ManagedBlockStanding } from "./managed-blocks.js";
 
 /** #2456: OpenRig's record of what it last wrote in each managed guidance block, so a later start, exact resume, handover
  *  or runtime switch can tell a block it wrote (refreshed when its source changes) from a block a person edited (kept). */
@@ -92,6 +93,8 @@ export function decideManagedBlock(content: string, blockId: string, source: str
   const standing = managedBlockStanding(content, blockId, source, recorded, managedBlockBodyHash);
   const named = opts.sourcePath ?? "its source";
   if (standing === "absent") return { standing, write: !opts.onlyIfPresent };
+  // A marker without its pair: writing would add a second copy beside the block that can't be read, at every start.
+  if (standing === "damaged") return { standing, write: false, note: damagedManagedBlockNote(targetPath, blockId) };
   if (unreadable && standing === "unrecorded") {
     return { standing: "unknown", write: false,
       note: `guidance_block_record_unreadable: ${targetPath}: ${blockId} wasn't refreshed from ${named} because OpenRig couldn't read its write record` };
@@ -103,10 +106,36 @@ export function decideManagedBlock(content: string, blockId: string, source: str
   return { standing, write: true };
 }
 
+/** A block that isn't rewritten (current, edited or unrecorded) can still carry extra copies, or markers an editor
+ *  rewrapped: take out the copies that repeat a kept one, and OpenRig's own (its source's text, or what it last wrote)
+ *  beside an edited one, so the file keeps one copy of each distinct text, and put the markers in OpenRig's form. Nothing
+ *  a person wrote is removed. Best effort: a file that can't be read or written is named in `notes` and left as it is,
+ *  and the block's own decision stands. Returns whether the file changed. */
+export function pruneKeptManagedBlock(files: ManagedBlockMergeFsOps, targetPath: string, blockId: string, source: string,
+  records: ManagedBlockRecords | undefined, notes?: string[]): boolean {
+  let recorded: string | undefined;
+  try { recorded = records?.get(targetPath, blockId); } catch { /* unreadable: only the source's text counts as OpenRig's */ }
+  try {
+    const existing = files.exists(targetPath) ? files.readFile(targetPath) : "";
+    const pruned = pruneManagedBlockCopies(existing, blockId,
+      (body) => managedBlockBodyMatches(body, source) || (recorded !== undefined && managedBlockBodyHash(body) === recorded));
+    const tidy = withCanonicalMarkers(pruned ?? existing, blockId);
+    if (tidy === existing) return false;
+    files.writeFile(targetPath, tidy);
+    if (pruned !== null) {
+      notes?.push(`guidance_block_copies_removed: ${targetPath}: ${blockId} had repeated copies; the repeats were removed and every edited copy was kept`);
+    }
+    return true;
+  } catch (err) {
+    notes?.push(`guidance_block_copies_not_removed: ${targetPath}: ${blockId}'s repeated copies or markers couldn't be tidied (${(err as Error).message}); the file was left as it is`);
+    return false;
+  }
+}
+
 /** #2456: the one write of a managed guidance block that every adapter's guidance merge goes through. Without `records` it's
- *  the plain merge, as before. With them, `decideManagedBlock` decides; a kept block is named in `warnings` and nothing is
- *  written. A written block is recorded at once, so a later failure in the same start can't lose its record. Returns
- *  whether the block was written. */
+ *  the plain merge, as before. With them, `decideManagedBlock` decides; a kept block is named in `warnings`, and only its
+ *  repeated copies are taken out (`pruneKeptManagedBlock`). A written block is recorded at once, so a later failure in the
+ *  same start can't lose its record. Returns whether the block was written. */
 export function writeManagedGuidanceBlock(files: ManagedBlockMergeFsOps, targetPath: string, blockId: string, content: string, opts: {
   records?: ManagedBlockRecords; unrecorded?: "keep" | "refresh"; onlyIfPresent?: boolean; sourcePath?: string;
   warnings?: string[]; replaceBlockIds?: string[];
@@ -115,15 +144,19 @@ export function writeManagedGuidanceBlock(files: ManagedBlockMergeFsOps, targetP
   // Without records, the plain merge as before; a refresh-only call (`onlyIfPresent`) then writes nothing.
   if (!opts.records) {
     if (opts.onlyIfPresent) return false;
-    merge();
-    return true;
+    return merge();
   }
   const existing = files.exists(targetPath) ? files.readFile(targetPath) : "";
   const decision = decideManagedBlock(existing, blockId, content, opts.records, targetPath,
     { unrecorded: opts.unrecorded ?? "refresh", onlyIfPresent: opts.onlyIfPresent, sourcePath: opts.sourcePath });
   if (decision.note) opts.warnings?.push(decision.note);
-  if (!decision.write) return false;
-  merge();
+  if (!decision.write) {
+    if (decision.standing === "edited" || decision.standing === "unrecorded") {
+      pruneKeptManagedBlock(files, targetPath, blockId, content, opts.records, opts.warnings);
+    }
+    return false;
+  }
+  if (!merge()) return false;
   recordManagedBlockWrite(opts.records, targetPath, blockId, content, opts.warnings);
   return true;
 }

packages/daemon/src/domain/managed-blocks.ts

@@ -41,15 +41,95 @@ export function managedBlockText(blockId: string, content: string): string {
 /** What `mergeManagedBlock` puts between a file's existing text and a block it adds at the end. */
 export const MANAGED_BLOCK_APPEND_SEPARATOR = "\n\n";
 
+/** A BEGIN or END marker for `blockId`, in the current or the legacy form, as an editor or formatter may leave it: any
+ *  run of whitespace, line breaks included, between its words. */
+function markerSource(kind: "BEGIN" | "END", blockId: string): string {
+  return `<!--\\s*${kind}\\s+(?:OpenRig|RIGGED)\\s+MANAGED\\s+BLOCK:\\s*${escapeRegex(blockId)}\\s*-->`;
+}
+
+/** One `blockId` block in a file: where it and its body start and end, and the text between its markers. */
+export interface FoundManagedBlock { start: number; end: number; bodyStart: number; bodyEnd: number; body: string }
+
+/** Every `blockId` block in `content`, in order: each BEGIN paired with the next marker when that marker is an END. A
+ *  marker left without a pair (an END with no BEGIN before it, or a BEGIN followed by another BEGIN or by nothing) is
+ *  counted in `unpaired`: where its block ends, or starts, can't be read. */
+export function findManagedBlocks(content: string, blockId: string): { blocks: FoundManagedBlock[]; unpaired: number } {
+  const markers = [...content.matchAll(new RegExp(`(${markerSource("BEGIN", blockId)})|${markerSource("END", blockId)}`, "g"))]
+    .map((m) => ({ begin: m[1] !== undefined, index: m.index!, length: m[0].length }));
+  const blocks: FoundManagedBlock[] = [];
+  let unpaired = 0;
+  for (let i = 0; i < markers.length; i++) {
+    const marker = markers[i]!;
+    const next = markers[i + 1];
+    if (marker.begin && next && !next.begin) {
+      const bodyStart = marker.index + marker.length;
+      blocks.push({ start: marker.index, end: next.index + next.length, bodyStart, bodyEnd: next.index, body: content.slice(bodyStart, next.index) });
+      i++;
+    } else {
+      unpaired++;
+    }
+  }
+  return { blocks, unpaired };
+}
+
+/** The note for a block OpenRig didn't write because a marker of it has lost its pair. */
+export function damagedManagedBlockNote(targetPath: string, blockId: string): string {
+  return `guidance_block_markers_damaged: ${targetPath}: ${blockId} has a BEGIN or END marker without its pair, so OpenRig `
+    + "didn't add another copy; restore the missing marker or remove the partial block, and OpenRig's next write keeps one block";
+}
+
+/**
+ * `existing` with `blockId`'s block written as `block`, or null when it can't be written without a second copy: the file
+ * has a marker of that block without its pair, and no complete copy. The first copy is replaced in place and a later copy
+ * is removed with the separator before it, so a file that collected copies keeps one; with `keepLater`, a later copy it
+ * names stays, unless it repeats one already kept. Blocks of `replaceBlockIds` (older ids) are removed. A file with none
+ * of these gets the block at its end.
+ */
+export function mergeManagedBlockText(existing: string, blockId: string, block: string, replaceBlockIds: readonly string[] = [],
+  keepLater?: (body: string) => boolean): string | null {
+  const own = findManagedBlocks(existing, blockId);
+  if (own.blocks.length === 0 && own.unpaired > 0) return null;
+  const keptLater: string[] = [];
+  const edits: Array<{ start: number; end: number; text: string }> = [];
+  own.blocks.forEach((found, i) => {
+    if (i === 0) edits.push({ start: found.start, end: found.end, text: block });
+    else if (keepLater?.(found.body) && !keptLater.some((body) => managedBlockBodyMatches(body, found.body))) keptLater.push(found.body);
+    else edits.push({ start: withSeparator(existing, found.start), end: found.end, text: "" });
+  });
+  for (const id of new Set(replaceBlockIds)) {
+    if (id === blockId) continue;
+    for (const found of findManagedBlocks(existing, id).blocks) edits.push({ start: found.start, end: found.end, text: "" });
+  }
+  if (edits.length === 0) return `${existing}${MANAGED_BLOCK_APPEND_SEPARATOR}${block}`;
+  // A block of one id inside another's is left to the outer edit.
+  const ordered: typeof edits = [];
+  for (const edit of edits.sort((a, b) => a.start - b.start)) if (edit.start >= (ordered.at(-1)?.end ?? 0)) ordered.push(edit);
+  let updated = existing;
+  // The block goes in by slicing, never a replacement string, so `$&` and the like in authored content stay as written.
+  for (const edit of ordered.reverse()) updated = `${updated.slice(0, edit.start)}${edit.text}${updated.slice(edit.end)}`;
+  if (own.blocks.length === 0) updated = `${updated.trim()}\n\n${block}`.trim();
+  // End with one newline only when the file doesn't already: re-merging on every launch must not add a line each time
+  // (#2372), and blank lines a person left after the last block stay.
+  return updated.endsWith("\n") ? updated : `${updated}\n`;
+}
+
+/** Where a later copy's removal starts: before the newlines that separate it from the text above, so removing the copy
+ *  takes the separator the writer put there. */
+function withSeparator(content: string, start: number): number {
+  let from = start;
+  while (from > 0 && content[from - 1] === "\n") from--;
+  return from;
+}
+
+/** Write `blockId`'s block into a guidance file (see `mergeManagedBlockText`). Returns false, writing nothing and naming
+ *  the block in `warnings`, when a marker of it has lost its pair. */
 export function mergeManagedBlock(
   fs: ManagedBlockMergeFsOps,
   targetPath: string,
   blockId: string,
   content: string,
   options?: MergeManagedBlockOptions,
-): void {
-  const begin = MANAGED_BLOCK_START(blockId);
-  const end = MANAGED_BLOCK_END(blockId);
+): boolean {
   const block = managedBlockText(blockId, content);
 
   if (!fs.exists(targetPath)) {
@@ -57,49 +137,39 @@ export function mergeManagedBlock(
     fs.writeFile(targetPath, block);
     const warnings = excludeNewGeneratedFiles(nodePath.dirname(targetPath), [targetPath]);
     options?.warnings?.push(...warnings);
-    return;
+    return true;
   }
 
   const existing = fs.readFile(targetPath);
-  const allReplaceIds = Array.from(new Set([blockId, ...(options?.replaceBlockIds ?? [])]));
-  const replaceableIds = allReplaceIds.filter((id) => {
-    const candidateBegin = MANAGED_BLOCK_START(id);
-    const candidateEnd = MANAGED_BLOCK_END(id);
-    const legacyBegin = LEGACY_BLOCK_START(id);
-    const legacyEnd = LEGACY_BLOCK_END(id);
-    return (
-      (existing.includes(candidateBegin) && existing.includes(candidateEnd)) ||
-      (existing.includes(legacyBegin) && existing.includes(legacyEnd))
-    );
-  });
-
-  if (replaceableIds.length > 0) {
-    let updated = existing;
-    for (const id of replaceableIds) {
-      const candidateBegin = MANAGED_BLOCK_START(id);
-      const candidateEnd = MANAGED_BLOCK_END(id);
-      const regex = new RegExp(`${escapeRegex(candidateBegin)}[\\s\\S]*?${escapeRegex(candidateEnd)}`, "g");
-      // A replacer function inserts the block literally; a replacement string
-      // would expand `$$`, `$&`, `` $` `` and `$'` in the authored content.
-      const replacement = id === blockId ? block : "";
-      updated = updated.replace(regex, () => replacement);
-      // Legacy marker variant from prior installs — replace with the
-      // OpenRig form (or strip when not the active block id).
-      const legacyBegin = LEGACY_BLOCK_START(id);
-      const legacyEnd = LEGACY_BLOCK_END(id);
-      const legacyRegex = new RegExp(`${escapeRegex(legacyBegin)}[\\s\\S]*?${escapeRegex(legacyEnd)}`, "g");
-      updated = updated.replace(legacyRegex, () => replacement);
-    }
-    if (!updated.includes(begin) || !updated.includes(end)) {
-      updated = `${updated.trim()}\n\n${block}`.trim();
-    }
-    // End with one newline only when the file doesn't already: re-merging on every launch must not add a line each time
-    // (#2372), and blank lines a person left after the last block stay.
-    fs.writeFile(targetPath, updated.endsWith("\n") ? updated : `${updated}\n`);
-    return;
+  const merged = mergeManagedBlockText(existing, blockId, block, options?.replaceBlockIds ?? []);
+  if (merged === null) {
+    options?.warnings?.push(damagedManagedBlockNote(targetPath, blockId));
+    return false;
   }
+  fs.writeFile(targetPath, merged);
+  if (findManagedBlocks(existing, blockId).unpaired > 0) options?.warnings?.push(unpairedMarkerNote(targetPath, blockId));
+  return true;
+}
 
-  fs.writeFile(targetPath, `${existing}${MANAGED_BLOCK_APPEND_SEPARATOR}${block}`);
+/** The note for a marker without its pair left beside a block that was written. */
+export function unpairedMarkerNote(targetPath: string, blockId: string): string {
+  return `guidance_block_marker_unpaired: ${targetPath}: ${blockId} was written, and a BEGIN or END marker of it without its `
+    + "pair was left as it is; remove it or restore its pair";
+}
+
+/** `content` with each `blockId` block whose markers an editor rewrapped written back in OpenRig's own form, its body
+ *  exactly as it is. Markers already in the current or legacy form stay as they are. */
+export function withCanonicalMarkers(content: string, blockId: string): string {
+  let updated = content;
+  for (const found of findManagedBlocks(content, blockId).blocks.reverse()) {
+    const begin = content.slice(found.start, found.bodyStart);
+    const end = content.slice(found.bodyEnd, found.end);
+    const exact = (begin === MANAGED_BLOCK_START(blockId) && end === MANAGED_BLOCK_END(blockId))
+      || (begin === LEGACY_BLOCK_START(blockId) && end === LEGACY_BLOCK_END(blockId));
+    if (exact) continue;
+    updated = `${updated.slice(0, found.start)}${MANAGED_BLOCK_START(blockId)}${found.body}${MANAGED_BLOCK_END(blockId)}${updated.slice(found.end)}`;
+  }
+  return updated;
 }
 
 /** Each `blockId` block in `content` (current markers): the whole block and the text between its markers. */
@@ -136,19 +206,47 @@ export function managedBlockOpenings(content: string, blockId: string): number {
  *  - `current`: it holds the source's text;
  *  - `stale`: it holds what OpenRig last wrote, and the source has changed since, so it's OpenRig's to refresh;
  *  - `edited`: it holds something else, which someone wrote by hand;
- *  - `unrecorded`: it differs from the source and OpenRig has no record of writing it, so which of the two is unknown.
+ *  - `unrecorded`: it differs from the source and OpenRig has no record of writing it, so which of the two is unknown;
+ *  - `damaged`: it holds a marker of the block without its pair, and no complete copy, so the block can't be read.
  *  A block written more than once counts as edited when any copy is. */
-export type ManagedBlockStanding = "absent" | "current" | "stale" | "edited" | "unrecorded";
+export type ManagedBlockStanding = "absent" | "current" | "stale" | "edited" | "unrecorded" | "damaged";
 
 export function managedBlockStanding(content: string, blockId: string, source: string, recordedHash: string | undefined,
   hash: (body: string) => string): ManagedBlockStanding {
-  const bodies = managedBlockBodies(content, blockId);
-  if (bodies.length === 0) return "absent";
+  const found = findManagedBlocks(content, blockId);
+  const bodies = found.blocks.map((block) => block.body);
+  if (bodies.length === 0) return found.unpaired > 0 ? "damaged" : "absent";
   if (bodies.every((body) => managedBlockBodyMatches(body, source))) return "current";
   if (recordedHash === undefined) return "unrecorded";
   return bodies.every((body) => hash(body) === recordedHash) ? "stale" : "edited";
 }
 
+/** `content` with the extra copies of a `blockId` block taken out where no one's text is lost: a later copy whose body
+ *  repeats an earlier copy's, and, beside a copy that's kept, a copy that `isOpenRigs` says holds only what OpenRig
+ *  wrote. Every other copy stays where it is. Null when there's nothing to take out. */
+export function pruneManagedBlockCopies(content: string, blockId: string, isOpenRigs: (body: string) => boolean): string | null {
+  const { blocks } = findManagedBlocks(content, blockId);
+  if (blocks.length < 2) return null;
+  const kept: FoundManagedBlock[] = [];
+  const removed: FoundManagedBlock[] = [];
+  for (const block of blocks) {
+    if (kept.some((other) => managedBlockBodyMatches(other.body, block.body))) removed.push(block);
+    else kept.push(block);
+  }
+  const people = kept.filter((block) => !isOpenRigs(block.body));
+  if (people.length > 0) for (const block of kept.filter((b) => isOpenRigs(b.body))) removed.push(block);
+  if (removed.length === 0) return null;
+  let updated = content;
+  for (const block of removed.sort((a, b) => b.start - a.start)) {
+    // A copy goes with the newlines before it; one that starts the file goes with the newlines after it instead.
+    const from = withSeparator(content, block.start);
+    let to = block.end;
+    if (from === 0) while (updated[to] === "\n") to++;
+    updated = `${updated.slice(0, from)}${updated.slice(to)}`;
+  }
+  return updated;
+}
+
 /** Whether `content` holds a `blockId` block whose body is anything but `written`: someone edited it. */
 export function hasEditedManagedBlock(content: string, blockId: string, written: string): boolean {
   return [...content.matchAll(managedBlockPattern(blockId))].some((m) => !managedBlockBodyMatches(m[1]!, written));

packages/daemon/src/domain/package-install-service.ts

@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ import { detectConflicts } from "./conflict-detector.js";
 import { applyPolicy } from "./install-policy.js";
 
 export type PackageInstallOutcome =
-  | { ok: true; installId: string; packageId: string; applied: number; deferred: number }
+  | { ok: true; installId: string; packageId: string; applied: number; deferred: number; notes?: string[] }
   | { ok: false; code: "conflict_blocked"; message: string }
   | { ok: false; code: "policy_rejected"; message: string }
   | { ok: false; code: "manifest_hash_mismatch"; message: string }
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ export class PackageInstallService {
     }
 
     // Verify
-    const verification = this.installVerifier.verify(result.installId);
+    const verification = this.installVerifier.verify(result.installId, { skipped: result.notes?.length ?? 0 });
     if (!verification.passed) {
       return { ok: false, code: "verification_failed", message: "Post-apply verification failed" };
     }
@@ -112,6 +112,7 @@ export class PackageInstallService {
       packageId: pkg.id,
       applied: result.applied.length,
       deferred: result.deferred.length,
+      ...(result.notes?.length ? { notes: result.notes } : {}),
     };
   }
 }

packages/daemon/src/domain/plugin-vendor-service.ts

@@ -21,12 +21,17 @@
 //     per founder authorization 2026-05-10 (LICENSE only); 404 is the
 //     expected normal-state response until a separate publish authorization.
 
+import fs from "node:fs";
 import nodePath from "node:path";
 import { createHash, randomUUID } from "node:crypto";
 
 export interface PluginVendorFs {
   readFile(path: string): string;
   writeFile(path: string, content: string): void;
+  /** A file's raw bytes. With `writeBytes`, a plugin's files are copied and compared byte for byte, so a binary file
+   *  (an icon) arrives intact. Optional: without them files are read and written as text. */
+  readBytes?(path: string): Uint8Array;
+  writeBytes?(path: string, content: Uint8Array): void;
   /** Copy raw bytes, failing if the recovery path already exists. */
   copyFileExclusive(source: string, target: string): void;
   exists(path: string): boolean;
@@ -160,7 +165,7 @@ export class PluginVendorService {
           const destPath = nodePath.join(targetDir, relPath);
           if (
             this.fs.exists(destPath) &&
-            hashContent(this.fs.readFile(destPath)) === hashContent(this.fs.readFile(srcPath))
+            hashContent(this.read(destPath)) === hashContent(this.read(srcPath))
           ) {
             this.preserveMode(srcPath, destPath);
           }
@@ -170,7 +175,7 @@ export class PluginVendorService {
       }
     }
 
-    const updates: Array<[string, string]> = this.fs.listFiles(sourceDir).map(rel => [rel, this.fs.readFile(nodePath.join(sourceDir, rel))]);
+    const updates: Array<[string, FileContent]> = this.fs.listFiles(sourceDir).map(rel => [rel, this.read(nodePath.join(sourceDir, rel))]);
     if (!this.preserveBeforeRefresh(targetDir, updates)) return;
     this.fs.mkdirp(targetDir);
 
@@ -179,23 +184,34 @@ export class PluginVendorService {
       const destPath = nodePath.join(targetDir, relPath);
       // Hash-skip: only write if content differs (idempotent re-runs). Reconcile mode even on
       // skip — a byte-identical copy staged earlier may still carry the wrong (default) mode.
-      if (this.fs.exists(destPath) && hashContent(this.fs.readFile(destPath)) === hashContent(content)) {
+      if (this.fs.exists(destPath) && hashContent(this.read(destPath)) === hashContent(content)) {
         this.preserveMode(srcPath, destPath);
         continue;
       }
       this.fs.mkdirp(nodePath.dirname(destPath));
-      this.fs.writeFile(destPath, content);
+      this.write(destPath, content);
       this.preserveMode(srcPath, destPath);
     }
   }
 
+  /** A plugin file as the fs reads it exactly: bytes when it can, else text. */
+  private read(path: string): FileContent {
+    return this.fs.readBytes ? this.fs.readBytes(path) : this.fs.readFile(path);
+  }
+
+  private write(path: string, content: FileContent): void {
+    if (typeof content === "string") this.fs.writeFile(path, content);
+    else if (this.fs.writeBytes) this.fs.writeBytes(path, content);
+    else this.fs.writeFile(path, Buffer.from(content).toString("utf-8"));
+  }
+
   /** Preserve every replaced file before touching a target, including its version authority. */
-  private preserveBeforeRefresh(targetDir: string, updates: Array<[string, string]>): boolean {
+  private preserveBeforeRefresh(targetDir: string, updates: Array<[string, FileContent]>): boolean {
     const backupDir = nodePath.join(nodePath.dirname(this.userPluginsDir), "backups", "managed-refresh", randomUUID());
     try {
       for (const [rel, content] of new Map(updates)) {
         const dest = nodePath.join(targetDir, rel);
-        if (!this.fs.exists(dest) || hashContent(this.fs.readFile(dest)) === hashContent(content)) continue;
+        if (!this.fs.exists(dest) || hashContent(this.read(dest)) === hashContent(content)) continue;
         const backup = nodePath.join(backupDir, rel);
         this.fs.mkdirp(nodePath.dirname(backup));
         this.fs.copyFileExclusive(dest, backup);
@@ -276,7 +292,7 @@ export class PluginVendorService {
           continue;
         }
       }
-      const updates: Array<[string, string]> = files.map(rel => [rel, this.fs.readFile(nodePath.join(sourceDir, rel))]);
+      const updates: Array<[string, FileContent]> = files.map(rel => [rel, this.read(nodePath.join(sourceDir, rel))]);
       if (!this.preserveBeforeRefresh(targetDir, [...updates, [GLOBAL_VENDOR_VERSION, `${sourceVersion}\n`]])) continue;
       this.fs.mkdirp(targetDir);
       for (const [relPath, content] of updates) {
@@ -284,13 +300,13 @@ export class PluginVendorService {
         const destPath = nodePath.join(targetDir, relPath);
         if (
           this.fs.exists(destPath) &&
-          hashContent(this.fs.readFile(destPath)) === hashContent(content)
+          hashContent(this.read(destPath)) === hashContent(content)
         ) {
           this.preserveMode(srcPath, destPath);
           continue;
         }
         this.fs.mkdirp(nodePath.dirname(destPath));
-        this.fs.writeFile(destPath, content);
+        this.write(destPath, content);
         this.preserveMode(srcPath, destPath);
       }
       this.fs.writeFile(versionMarker, `${sourceVersion}\n`);
@@ -339,6 +355,37 @@ export class PluginVendorService {
   }
 }
 
-function hashContent(content: string): string {
+/** A plugin file's content: its bytes, or its text from an fs that only reads text. */
+type FileContent = string | Uint8Array;
+
+/** The same digest for a text and for its UTF-8 bytes, so a text compare and a byte compare agree. */
+function hashContent(content: FileContent): string {
   return createHash("sha256").update(content).digest("hex");
 }
+
+/** The daemon's own filesystem for vendoring: files are copied and compared as bytes. */
+export function nodePluginVendorFs(): PluginVendorFs {
+  return {
+    readFile: (p) => fs.readFileSync(p, "utf-8"),
+    writeFile: (p, c) => fs.writeFileSync(p, c, "utf-8"),
+    readBytes: (p) => fs.readFileSync(p),
+    writeBytes: (p, c) => fs.writeFileSync(p, c),
+    copyFileExclusive: (src, dest) => fs.copyFileSync(src, dest, fs.constants.COPYFILE_EXCL),
+    exists: (p) => fs.existsSync(p),
+    mkdirp: (p) => { fs.mkdirSync(p, { recursive: true }); },
+    listFiles: (dir) => {
+      const r: string[] = [];
+      /** Collect relative file paths recursively. */
+      const w = (d: string, pre: string) => {
+        for (const e of fs.readdirSync(d, { withFileTypes: true })) {
+          if (e.isDirectory()) w(nodePath.join(d, e.name), nodePath.join(pre, e.name));
+          else r.push(pre ? nodePath.join(pre, e.name) : e.name);
+        }
+      };
+      w(dir, "");
+      return r;
+    },
+    statMode: (p) => fs.statSync(p).mode,
+    chmod: (p, m) => fs.chmodSync(p, m),
+  };
+}

packages/daemon/src/domain/provider/claude-usage-reader.ts

@@ -61,15 +61,16 @@ export interface ClaudeUsageReaderDeps {
 
 /**
  * Read each Claude seat's provider_usage cache → provider_statusline rows via
- * claudeStatuslineSignals. Explicit unknown rows for absent cache (no_statusline_cache_yet) and
- * cache-present-but-no/-malformed windows (empty_reading).
- * Never throws — a malformed cache is treated as present-with-no-windows, not a crash.
+ * claudeStatuslineSignals. Explicit unknown rows for absent cache (no_statusline_cache_yet),
+ * an unreadable cache (unreadable_cache), and a valid cache with no windows (empty_reading).
+ * Never throws — a malformed cache becomes an unknown row, not a crash.
  */
 export function collectClaudeStatuslineSignals(deps: ClaudeUsageReaderDeps): ProviderSignal[] {
   const now = deps.now();
   const out: ProviderSignal[] = [];
   for (const seat of deps.listClaudeSeats()) {
     let cachePresent = false;
+    let cacheUnreadable = false;
     let reading: ClaudeStatuslineReading | undefined;
     let staleAfter: string | undefined;
     let capturedAsOf: string | undefined;
@@ -84,7 +85,8 @@ export function collectClaudeStatuslineSignals(deps: ClaudeUsageReaderDeps): Pro
         staleAfter = parsed.staleAfter;
         capturedAsOf = typeof parsed.asOf === "string" ? parsed.asOf : undefined;
       } catch {
-        // Malformed cache → present-with-no-windows (empty_reading unknown), never a throw.
+        // Malformed cache → present-but-unreadable (its own unknown), never a throw.
+        cacheUnreadable = true;
         reading = undefined;
       }
     }
@@ -92,6 +94,7 @@ export function collectClaudeStatuslineSignals(deps: ClaudeUsageReaderDeps): Pro
       ...claudeStatuslineSignals({
         seatSession: seat.seatSession,
         cachePresent,
+        cacheUnreadable,
         reading,
         // Signal asOf = when the reading was captured (the cache's asOf) when present+valid; else now.
         asOf: cachePresent && capturedAsOf ? capturedAsOf : now,
@@ -109,6 +112,7 @@ export function collectClaudeSignalsFromProviderUsageDirectory(
   legacyDirectory?: string,
 ): ProviderSignal[] {
   const seats = new Map<string, ClaudeSeatRef>();
+  const unreadableFiles = new Set<string>();
   for (const candidateDirectory of [directory, legacyDirectory]) {
     if (!candidateDirectory) continue;
     try {
@@ -119,10 +123,16 @@ export function collectClaudeSignalsFromProviderUsageDirectory(
           if (typeof parsed.seatSession === "string") {
             seats.set(parsed.seatSession, { seatSession: parsed.seatSession });
           }
-        } catch { /* malformed cache cannot create a usable cache signal */ }
+        } catch {
+          // A cache file that exists but cannot be read or parsed still names its seat in the
+          // filename (telemetrySidecarFilename sanitizes the same seat name). Keep it in the
+          // seat list so the reader reports an unreadable cache instead of the file vanishing.
+          unreadableFiles.add(file.slice(0, -".json".length));
+        }
       }
     } catch { /* absent cache directory */ }
   }
+  for (const seatSession of unreadableFiles) seats.set(seatSession, { seatSession });
 
   const readFrom = (candidateDirectory: string, seatSession: string): string | null => {
     try {

packages/daemon/src/domain/provider/codex-limit-banner.ts

@@ -19,7 +19,8 @@ export interface CodexLimitBanner {
   evidence: string;
 }
 
-const BANNER_LINE_RE = /^\s*■ You've hit your usage limit\b/;
+// Codex prints a typographic apostrophe (U+2019); older builds use the straight one.
+const BANNER_LINE_RE = /^\s*■ You['’]ve hit your usage limit\b/u;
 const RESET_RE = /try again at ([^.!\n]+)/i;
 
 // Fenced code blocks: banner-shaped text an agent printed is quoted content,

packages/daemon/src/domain/provider/provider-signals.ts

@@ -131,6 +131,8 @@ export interface ClaudeSignalInput {
   seatSession: string;
   /** false = the statusline cache has not been written yet (before the first API response). */
   cachePresent: boolean;
+  /** True when a cache file exists but cannot be read or parsed. Distinct from an empty reading. */
+  cacheUnreadable?: boolean;
   /** Present only when the cache exists and carried a rate_limits object. */
   reading?: ClaudeStatuslineReading;
   asOf: string;
@@ -140,6 +142,7 @@ export interface ClaudeSignalInput {
 export const CLAUDE_UNKNOWN_REASON = {
   no_statusline_cache_yet: "claude_no_statusline_cache_yet",
   empty_reading: "claude_statusline_cache_had_no_windows",
+  unreadable_cache: "claude_statusline_cache_unreadable",
 } as const;
 
 function claudeUnknownSignal(
@@ -165,17 +168,22 @@ function claudeUnknownSignal(
 /**
  * Normalize a Claude statusline `rate_limits` reading into `signals[]` rows.
  * - seat before first response (no cache) → explicit unknown row.
+ * - a cache that exists but cannot be read/parsed → its own unknown reason (broken, not empty).
  * - seat with subscription windows → one `provider_statusline` row per window (five_hour, and
  *   seven_day normalized to "weekly"); a genuine 0 survives as 0.
  * - subscription with cache but no windows → explicit unknown row (never fabricated zeros).
  */
 export function claudeStatuslineSignals(input: ClaudeSignalInput): ProviderSignal[] {
-  const { seatSession, cachePresent, reading, asOf, staleAfter } = input;
+  const { seatSession, cachePresent, cacheUnreadable, reading, asOf, staleAfter } = input;
 
   if (!cachePresent) {
     return [claudeUnknownSignal(seatSession, asOf, CLAUDE_UNKNOWN_REASON.no_statusline_cache_yet, staleAfter)];
   }
 
+  if (cacheUnreadable) {
+    return [claudeUnknownSignal(seatSession, asOf, CLAUDE_UNKNOWN_REASON.unreadable_cache, staleAfter)];
+  }
+
   const windows: Array<["five_hour" | "weekly", ClaudeStatuslineWindow | undefined]> = [
     ["five_hour", reading?.five_hour],
     ["weekly", reading?.seven_day],

packages/daemon/src/domain/queue-repository.ts

@@ -85,7 +85,8 @@ import { parseReplyToChoice, parseReplyToThreadMissing, formatReplyToChoice, des
 import { classifyDestination, type DestinationClass } from "./gateway/destination-resolver.js";
 import { join } from "node:path";
 import { SettingsStore } from "./user-settings/settings-store.js";
-import { hostedWakeFor, isHostedMemberAt, type RosterWake } from "./rosters.js";
+import { hostedMembersAt, hostedWakeFor, isHostedMemberAt, type RosterMember, type RosterWake } from "./rosters.js";
+import { memberCheckInStatus, type MemberCheckIn } from "./connection-contract.js";
 import { hostedRingMayHaveArrived, ringHostedWake } from "./hosted-wake.js";
 import { effectiveGateRoles } from "./gate-predicate.js";
 import {
@@ -651,6 +652,16 @@ function defaultIsHostedMember(destination: string): boolean {
   }
 }
 
+/** The hosted members the authored rosters list on this host. Empty when the rosters or this host's id can't be read. */
+function defaultHostedMembers(): RosterMember[] {
+  try {
+    const root = new SettingsStore().resolveOne("workspace.root").value;
+    return typeof root === "string" && root ? hostedMembersAt(join(root, "rosters"), getSelfHostId()) : [];
+  } catch {
+    return [];
+  }
+}
+
 /** A session's latest read of its own pending inbox: when it was seen, never seen, or unknown (the record can't be read). */
 export type InboxCheckIn = { state: "seen"; at: string } | { state: "never" } | { state: "unknown" };
 
@@ -1098,6 +1109,7 @@ export class QueueRepository {
   private readonly hostedWakeFn: (destination: string) => RosterWake | null;
   /** Whether the rosters list an address as a hosted member, trigger or not. */
   private readonly hostedMemberFn: (destination: string) => boolean;
+  private readonly hostedMembersFn: () => RosterMember[];
   private readonly permissionDecider?: (ask: QueueItem, requester: string) => { session: string; describe?: string } | null;
   private readonly hostedWakeFetch: typeof fetch | undefined;
   /** When this process last wrote each session's inbox check-in, so a seat that polls often writes at most once a minute. */
@@ -1151,6 +1163,7 @@ export class QueueRepository {
       sharedChannels?: () => ReadonlyArray<{ address: string }>;
       hostedWake?: (destination: string) => RosterWake | null;
       isHostedMember?: (destination: string) => boolean;
+      hostedMembers?: () => RosterMember[];
       hostedWakeFetch?: typeof fetch;
       /** Who decides a runner's permission ask after its person answers, while the runner waits (startup wires the
        *  receiving-agent order, `permissionDeciderFor`). Absent, or null for an ask: the ask closes with the answer, as
@@ -1174,6 +1187,7 @@ export class QueueRepository {
     this.sharedChannelsFn = opts?.sharedChannels ?? (() => sharedChannelAddresses());
     this.hostedWakeFn = opts?.hostedWake ?? defaultHostedWake;
     this.hostedMemberFn = opts?.isHostedMember ?? defaultIsHostedMember;
+    this.hostedMembersFn = opts?.hostedMembers ?? defaultHostedMembers;
     this.permissionDecider = opts?.permissionDecider;
     this.hostedWakeFetch = opts?.hostedWakeFetch;
     this.hasTargetRepoColumn = detectQueueColumn(db, "target_repo");
@@ -5271,6 +5285,24 @@ export class QueueRepository {
     }
   }
 
+  /** Each hosted member on this host with its check-in status: its stated cadence against its own inbox reads. A status
+   *  only; nothing here changes how work reaches it. */
+  hostedMemberCheckIns(now: Date = new Date()): Array<{ seat: string; rung: boolean } & MemberCheckIn> {
+    return this.hostedMembersFn().map((m) => ({ seat: m.seat, rung: m.wake !== undefined,
+      ...memberCheckInStatus({ checkInMinutes: m.check_in_minutes, onRequest: m.check_in_on_request, cadenceProblem: m.check_in_problem,
+        checkIn: this.lastInboxCheckIn(m.seat), now }) }));
+  }
+
+  /** One member's check-in status, as `hostedMemberCheckIns` gives it. A seat the rosters don't list here (or can't be
+   *  read for) states no cadence, so it reads by its check-ins alone. */
+  hostedMemberCheckIn(seat: string, now: Date = new Date()): MemberCheckIn {
+    let member: RosterMember | undefined;
+    try { member = this.hostedMembersFn().find((m) => this.isSameSession(m.seat, seat)); } catch { member = undefined; }
+    // The roster's spelling of the seat, as the list read uses, so both read the same check-ins.
+    return memberCheckInStatus({ checkInMinutes: member?.check_in_minutes, onRequest: member?.check_in_on_request,
+      cadenceProblem: member?.check_in_problem, checkIn: this.lastInboxCheckIn(member?.seat ?? seat), now });
+  }
+
   /** This session's latest recorded check-in under any of its names. */
   lastInboxCheckIn(session: string): InboxCheckIn {
     try {

packages/daemon/src/domain/queue-stuck-sweep.ts

@@ -30,11 +30,11 @@ import { resolveOperatorSeat, resolveRecoveryAgentSeat, resolveSessionNodeId } f
 import { nodeExecutorStoppedReason } from "./node-inventory.js";
 import { isBoundTerminalSeat } from "./terminal-seat.js";
 import type Database from "better-sqlite3";
-import { createLinkedSuccessorLookup, deriveCrossHostSuccessorId, hasLinkedSuccessor, matchesRecordedHandoffTarget, QueueRepositoryError, type InboxCheckIn, type QueueItem, type QueueRepository } from "./queue-repository.js";
+import { createLinkedSuccessorLookup, deriveCrossHostSuccessorId, hasLinkedSuccessor, matchesRecordedHandoffTarget, QueueRepositoryError, type QueueItem, type QueueRepository } from "./queue-repository.js";
 import { stalledPickupFinding } from "./queue-pickup.js";
 import { SettingsStore } from "./user-settings/settings-store.js";
 import { loadHostRegistry } from "./hosts/hosts-registry-reader.js";
-import { readWakeOutcome } from "./connection-contract.js";
+import { describeCheckIn, readWakeOutcome, type MemberCheckIn } from "./connection-contract.js";
 
 export const STUCK_SWEEP_INTERVAL_KEY = "queue.stuck_sweep_interval_seconds";
 export const DEFAULT_STUCK_SWEEP_INTERVAL_SECONDS = 300;
@@ -291,7 +291,9 @@ function custodyVerifiedTargets(db: Database.Database, qitemId: string, targets:
   for (const { transition_note: note } of notes) {
     if (!note) continue;
     for (const token of note.slice(CUSTODY_VERIFIED_PREFIX.length).trim().split(/\s+/)) {
-      const named = [token, ...token.split(",").map((t) => t.trim())].filter(Boolean);
+      const named = [token, ...token.split(",").map((t) => t.trim())]
+        .filter(Boolean)
+        .map((t) => targets.includes(t) ? t : t.replace(/[.,;:)]$/, ""));
       if (!named.some((t) => targets.includes(t))) continue;
       for (const t of named) verified.add(t);
       break;
@@ -619,20 +621,36 @@ function unclaimedBacklogText(seat: string, rows: BacklogRow[], thresholdMinutes
  *  and what to do. Its work's age runs from each row's own time, which a check-in never resets. Built from the rows' fixed
  *  facts and the member's check-in state, never a current check-in's exact time, so a pass rewrites it only when the rows
  *  or that state change. */
-function polledBacklogText(member: string, rows: BacklogRow[], thresholdMinutes: number, checkIn: InboxCheckIn,
+function polledBacklogText(member: string, rows: BacklogRow[], thresholdMinutes: number, checkIn: MemberCheckIn,
   now: Date): { summary: string; body: string } {
   const { sorted, listed, count } = backlogListing(rows);
-  const recent = checkIn.state === "seen" && now.getTime() - Date.parse(checkIn.at) <= thresholdMinutes * 60_000;
-  const checkIns = recent
-    ? `checking in: it read its own inbox within the last ${thresholdMinutes} min`
-    : checkIn.state === "seen"
-      ? `no check-in observed since ${checkIn.at}`
-      : checkIn.state === "never" ? "no check-in observed yet" : "unknown: its check-ins couldn't be read";
+  // The member's shared check-in status, in the same words `rig roster` uses (`describeCheckIn`). Only the words follow
+  // it; when this notice is filed doesn't. Where that line would carry the time of a check-in that keeps moving (checking
+  // in, on request, unknown), the notice says instead whether the member read its inbox within the threshold, so a
+  // check-in rewrites the notice only when it changes that, never its time alone. An overdue or never-seen member's line
+  // is fixed until it checks in, so it keeps its evidence.
+  const at = checkIn.lastCheckInAt;
+  const lately = at !== null && now.getTime() - Date.parse(at) <= thresholdMinutes * 60_000;
+  const recency = at === null ? "" : lately ? `; it read its own inbox within the last ${thresholdMinutes} min` : `; no check-in since ${at}`;
+  const recent = checkIn.status === "checking-in" || ((checkIn.status === "on-request" || checkIn.status === "unknown") && lately);
+  const checkIns = ((): string => {
+    switch (checkIn.status) {
+      case "checking-in": return `checking in: its last check-in is within twice its expected ${checkIn.expectedMinutes} min`;
+      case "on-request": return `on request: it checks its queue when a person asks it${recency}`;
+      case "unknown": return `unknown (${checkIn.reason ?? "its check-in status couldn't be read"})${recency}`;
+      case "check-in-overdue":
+      case "no-check-in-yet":
+      case "disconnected":
+        return describeCheckIn(checkIn);
+    }
+  })();
   const why = recent
-    ? "it's checking in, but this work is still unclaimed. Check whether it can do this work, or route it to another seat"
-    : checkIn.state === "unknown"
-      ? "nobody has claimed these rows, and whether it's reading its queue isn't known. Ask its owner, or route the work to another seat"
-      : "nobody has claimed these rows, and no read of its own inbox has been observed in that time. Ask its owner to check it's running, or route the work to another seat";
+    ? "it's reading its own inbox, but this work is still unclaimed. Check whether it can do this work, or route it to another seat"
+    : checkIn.status === "check-in-overdue"
+      ? "nobody has claimed these rows, and it hasn't checked in as often as its setup expects. Ask its owner to check its schedule or a pending approval, or route the work to another seat"
+      : checkIn.status === "unknown" && at === null
+        ? "nobody has claimed these rows, and whether it's reading its queue isn't known. Ask its owner, or route the work to another seat"
+        : "nobody has claimed these rows, and no read of its own inbox has been observed in that time. Ask its owner to check it's running, or route the work to another seat";
   return {
     summary: `Stuck sweep: unclaimed-backlog on ${member} (${count})`,
     body:
@@ -1493,7 +1511,7 @@ export async function runStuckSweep(deps: StuckSweepDeps): Promise<StuckSweepRes
       // A polling member's notice says whether it's checking in; an agent seat's names the route to add instead.
       const polled = rows.length > 0 ? rows.some(polledUnclaimed) : pollsForWork(seat);
       const backlogText = (standsFor: BacklogRow[]) => polled
-        ? polledBacklogText(seat, standsFor, ageMinutes, deps.queueRepo.lastInboxCheckIn(seat), now)
+        ? polledBacklogText(seat, standsFor, ageMinutes, deps.queueRepo.hostedMemberCheckIn(seat, now), now)
         : unclaimedBacklogText(seat, standsFor, ageMinutes, node);
       // A polling member's notice goes where its rows' findings went: the person, else their creator when they share one,
       // else the operator agent. With none, it stays with the member, which reads it when it next checks.

packages/daemon/src/domain/reconciler.ts

@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ export class Reconciler {
         // A session this server doesn't show isn't gone while its seat's recorded process still runs: the daemon is
         // looking at a different tmux server. Detaching it would have the kernel relaunch duplicates and supersede the
         // live seats. Without that evidence (after a reboot nothing recorded is running), it detaches as before.
-        const elsewhere = await this.recordedProcessStillRunning(session, processes);
+        const elsewhere = await recordedProcessStillRunning(this.db, session, processes);
         if (elsewhere) {
           unseen.push({ sessionId: session.id, sessionName: session.sessionName, ...elsewhere });
           continue;
@@ -123,31 +123,32 @@ export class Reconciler {
 
     return { checked, detached, detachedSessionIds, unseen, errors };
   }
+}
 
-  /** The seat's last observed process, as a conservative hint that it still runs, not proof of identity: the last pid
-   *  evidence recorded for this very session (kept with its own time, so a later poll that couldn't see the seat doesn't
-   *  erase it), and a process with that pid whose start isn't observably later than that observation. Start times are
-   *  whole seconds, so a pid reused within the observation's second still passes. An unreadable table or record is no
-   *  evidence. */
-  private async recordedProcessStillRunning(
-    session: { nodeId: string; sessionName: string },
-    processes: () => Promise<ProcessTableRow[] | null>,
-  ): Promise<{ pid: number; parent: { pid: number; command: string } | null } | null> {
-    const evidence = new SeatIdentityStore(this.db).getProcessEvidence(session.nodeId);
-    if (!evidence || evidence.sessionName !== session.sessionName) return null;
-    const observedAt = Date.parse(evidence.observedAt) / 1000;
-    const pids = [evidence.panePid, evidence.pid]
-      .filter((pid): pid is number => typeof pid === "number" && pid > 0);
-    if (!pids.length || Number.isNaN(observedAt)) return null;
-    const rows = await processes();
-    if (!rows) return null;
-    for (const pid of pids) {
-      const row = rows.find((r) => r.pid === pid);
-      const started = row ? lstartToMinTs(row.startedAt) : undefined;
-      if (!row || started === undefined || started > observedAt) continue;
-      const parent = rows.find((r) => r.pid === row.ppid);
-      return { pid, parent: parent ? { pid: parent.pid, command: parent.command } : null };
-    }
-    return null;
+/** The seat's last observed process, as a conservative hint that it still runs, not proof of identity: the last pid
+ *  evidence recorded for this very session (kept with its own time, so a later poll that couldn't see the seat doesn't
+ *  erase it), and a process with that pid whose start isn't observably later than that observation. Start times are
+ *  whole seconds, so a pid reused within the observation's second still passes. An unreadable table or record is no
+ *  evidence. */
+export async function recordedProcessStillRunning(
+  db: Database.Database,
+  session: { nodeId: string; sessionName: string },
+  processes: () => Promise<ProcessTableRow[] | null>,
+): Promise<{ pid: number; parent: { pid: number; command: string } | null } | null> {
+  const evidence = new SeatIdentityStore(db).getProcessEvidence(session.nodeId);
+  if (!evidence || evidence.sessionName !== session.sessionName) return null;
+  const observedAt = Date.parse(evidence.observedAt) / 1000;
+  const pids = [evidence.panePid, evidence.pid]
+    .filter((pid): pid is number => typeof pid === "number" && pid > 0);
+  if (!pids.length || Number.isNaN(observedAt)) return null;
+  const rows = await processes();
+  if (!rows) return null;
+  for (const pid of pids) {
+    const row = rows.find((r) => r.pid === pid);
+    const started = row ? lstartToMinTs(row.startedAt) : undefined;
+    if (!row || started === undefined || started > observedAt) continue;
+    const parent = rows.find((r) => r.pid === row.ppid);
+    return { pid, parent: parent ? { pid: parent.pid, command: parent.command } : null };
   }
+  return null;
 }

packages/daemon/src/domain/restore-guidance.ts

@@ -17,25 +17,21 @@ import nodePath from "node:path";
 import { lstatSync } from "node:fs";
 import type Database from "better-sqlite3";
 import {
-  MANAGED_BLOCK_START,
-  MANAGED_BLOCK_END,
   DEFAULT_CLAUDE_MANAGED_BLOCK_FILE,
+  findManagedBlocks,
   mergeManagedBlock,
   stripManagedBlocks,
   type ManagedBlockMergeFsOps,
   isPerSeatRoleGuidance,
   isPerSeatRoleStartupFile,
 } from "./managed-blocks.js";
-import { decideManagedBlock, recordManagedBlockWrite, type ManagedBlockRecords } from "./managed-block-records.js";
+import { decideManagedBlock, pruneKeptManagedBlock, recordManagedBlockWrite, type ManagedBlockRecords } from "./managed-block-records.js";
 import { resolveConcreteHint } from "./runtime-adapter.js";
 import { reanchorBuiltinStartupFile, reanchorShippedProjectionEntry, withContextEntryFloor } from "./builtin-startup-files.js";
 import type { NodeStartupSnapshot } from "./types.js";
 import { SEAT_SKILLS_BOOTSTRAP_BLOCK_ID } from "./seat-skill-storage.js";
 import { guidanceFileIsLink } from "./footprint-choice.js";
 
-const LEGACY_BLOCK_START = (id: string) => `<!-- BEGIN RIGGED MANAGED BLOCK: ${id} -->`;
-const LEGACY_BLOCK_END = (id: string) => `<!-- END RIGGED MANAGED BLOCK: ${id} -->`;
-
 
 export interface GuidanceItem {
   blockId: string;
@@ -97,15 +93,10 @@ export function recordedGuidanceFile(db: Pick<Database.Database, "prepare">, nod
   } catch { return null; }
 }
 
-/** Whether guidance text holds this id's block as it is written: a BEGIN marker followed later by its END, in the
- *  current or legacy form. For reporting an installed file; restore's own `blockState` is unchanged. */
+/** Whether guidance text holds this id's block as it is written: a BEGIN marker followed by its END, in the current or
+ *  legacy form, read as the writer reads it (`findManagedBlocks`). For reporting an installed file. */
 export function hasCompleteGuidanceBlock(content: string, blockId: string): boolean {
-  const ordered = (start: string, end: string): boolean => {
-    const begin = content.indexOf(start);
-    return begin >= 0 && content.indexOf(end, begin + start.length) >= 0;
-  };
-  return ordered(MANAGED_BLOCK_START(blockId), MANAGED_BLOCK_END(blockId))
-    || ordered(LEGACY_BLOCK_START(blockId), LEGACY_BLOCK_END(blockId));
+  return findManagedBlocks(content, blockId).blocks.length > 0;
 }
 
 /** The guidance file a seat's managed blocks live in, and the blocks it should hold on restore. */
@@ -199,14 +190,13 @@ export function applySeatSkillsLineRule(guidance: SeatGuidance, answeredYes: boo
 
 type BlockState = "complete" | "absent" | "incomplete";
 
-/** A block counts only with both its markers (current or legacy form). A lone marker is incomplete:
- *  writing next to it is unsafe, because cleanup strips from a BEGIN to the next END. */
+/** A block counts only with both its markers (current or legacy form), read as the writer reads them. A lone marker is
+ *  incomplete: writing next to it is unsafe, because cleanup strips from a BEGIN to the next END, and it would add a
+ *  second copy beside one that can't be read. */
 function blockState(content: string, blockId: string): BlockState {
-  const current = [content.includes(MANAGED_BLOCK_START(blockId)), content.includes(MANAGED_BLOCK_END(blockId))];
-  const legacy = [content.includes(LEGACY_BLOCK_START(blockId)), content.includes(LEGACY_BLOCK_END(blockId))];
-  if ((current[0] && current[1]) || (legacy[0] && legacy[1])) return "complete";
-  if (current[0] || current[1] || legacy[0] || legacy[1]) return "incomplete";
-  return "absent";
+  const found = findManagedBlocks(content, blockId);
+  if (found.blocks.length > 0) return "complete";
+  return found.unpaired > 0 ? "incomplete" : "absent";
 }
 
 function blockStates(guidance: SeatGuidance, fs: Pick<ManagedBlockMergeFsOps, "exists" | "readFile">): Map<string, BlockState> {
@@ -228,11 +218,13 @@ export interface GuidanceRepair {
   refreshed: string[];
   /** #2456: blocks left as they are although they differ from their source, each named with the reason
    *  (`guidance_block_edited`, `guidance_block_may_be_stale` or `guidance_block_record_unreadable`). The seat runs them as
-   *  they are. A block written whose record wasn't saved is named here too (`guidance_block_record_not_saved`). */
+   *  they are. A block written whose record wasn't saved is named here too (`guidance_block_record_not_saved`), and so are
+   *  a kept block's removed repeats (`guidance_block_copies_removed`). */
   kept: string[];
 }
 
-const KEPT_GUIDANCE_PREFIXES = ["guidance_block_edited: ", "guidance_block_may_be_stale: ", "guidance_block_record_unreadable: "];
+const KEPT_GUIDANCE_PREFIXES = ["guidance_block_edited: ", "guidance_block_may_be_stale: ", "guidance_block_record_unreadable: ",
+  "guidance_block_markers_damaged: "];
 
 /** #2456: the one line a seat is told when a managed guidance block was left as it is (edited by hand, or possibly stale),
  *  naming each one, or undefined when none was. */
@@ -261,7 +253,8 @@ export function appendIsCleanupSafe(content: string, blocks: Array<{ blockId: st
 
 /** Put back the missing managed guidance blocks. With `records` (#2456), a block already there that OpenRig wrote is
  *  refreshed from its changed source, and one edited since, or with no record, is kept and named (`decideManagedBlock`).
- *  Without them a block already there is left as it is, as before. Any other text in the file is left exactly as it is,
+ *  Without them a block already there keeps its text. Either way a block left in place loses its exact repeats, and
+ *  OpenRig's own copies beside an edited one, and rewrapped markers go back to OpenRig's form (`pruneKeptManagedBlock`). Any other text in the file is left exactly as it is,
  *  and nothing is written unless cleanup would later remove exactly what was written. Never throws: a failure becomes a
  *  reported gap. */
 export function restoreMissingGuidance(guidance: SeatGuidance, fs: ManagedBlockMergeFsOps, records?: ManagedBlockRecords): GuidanceRepair {
@@ -279,17 +272,27 @@ export function restoreMissingGuidance(guidance: SeatGuidance, fs: ManagedBlockM
   for (const item of guidance.items) {
     const state = states.get(item.blockId);
     if (state === "complete") {
-      if (!records || item.unresolved) continue;
+      if (item.unresolved) continue;
       let source: string;
       try {
         if (!fs.exists(item.sourcePath)) continue;
         source = fs.readFile(item.sourcePath);
       } catch { continue; }
+      // Without records the block's text stays as it is; only its exact repeats and rewrapped markers are tidied.
+      if (!records) {
+        pruneKeptManagedBlock(fs, guidance.targetPath, item.blockId, source, undefined, repair.kept);
+        continue;
+      }
       // #2456: the same decision every adapter's guidance write makes; an exact resume and a handover keep an unrecorded block.
       const decision = decideManagedBlock(existing ?? "", item.blockId, source, records, guidance.targetPath, { unrecorded: "keep", sourcePath: item.sourcePath });
       if (decision.note) repair.kept.push(decision.note);
-      else if (decision.standing === "current") recordManagedBlockWrite(records, guidance.targetPath, item.blockId, source, repair.kept);
-      else if (decision.write) toWrite.push({ blockId: item.blockId, content: source, refresh: true });
+      if (decision.write && decision.standing !== "current") {
+        toWrite.push({ blockId: item.blockId, content: source, refresh: true });
+        continue;
+      }
+      if (decision.standing === "current") recordManagedBlockWrite(records, guidance.targetPath, item.blockId, source, repair.kept);
+      // A block left as it is (current, edited or unrecorded) keeps one copy of each distinct text, in OpenRig's markers.
+      pruneKeptManagedBlock(fs, guidance.targetPath, item.blockId, source, records, repair.kept);
       continue;
     }
     if (state === "incomplete") {
@@ -313,6 +316,9 @@ export function restoreMissingGuidance(guidance: SeatGuidance, fs: ManagedBlockM
   if (toWrite.length === 0) return repair;
   // A file that doesn't exist yet holds no text to lose. An existing one is written only if the
   // next rig down would remove exactly what is added.
+  // Read again: removing a kept block's repeats above may have changed the file.
+  try { existing = fs.exists(guidance.targetPath) ? fs.readFile(guidance.targetPath) : null; }
+  catch (err) { repair.gaps.push(`could not read ${guidance.targetPath}: ${(err as Error).message}`); return repair; }
   if (existing !== null && !appendIsCleanupSafe(existing, toWrite)) {
     for (const block of toWrite) {
       repair.gaps.push(`${block.blockId}: not written, because ${guidance.targetPath} has a managed-block marker that the next rig down would strip together with other text, so adding blocks there could cost that text`);
@@ -321,7 +327,7 @@ export function restoreMissingGuidance(guidance: SeatGuidance, fs: ManagedBlockM
   }
   for (const block of toWrite) {
     try {
-      mergeManagedBlock(fs, guidance.targetPath, block.blockId, block.content);
+      if (!mergeManagedBlock(fs, guidance.targetPath, block.blockId, block.content, { warnings: repair.gaps })) continue;
       if (records) recordManagedBlockWrite(records, guidance.targetPath, block.blockId, block.content, repair.kept);
       (block.refresh ? repair.refreshed : repair.restored).push(block.blockId);
     } catch (err) {

packages/daemon/src/domain/rosters.ts

@@ -26,6 +26,14 @@ export interface RosterMember extends Reference {
   hosted?: boolean;
   /** A hosted member's trigger, rung when a row lands for it. */
   wake?: RosterWake;
+  /** How often a hosted member is expected to check its queue, in minutes, as its person set it up (an hourly schedule
+   *  is 60). Stated, not observed: absent means it checks only when a person prompts it. */
+  check_in_minutes?: number;
+  /** Its person set it to check in when asked, not on a schedule. */
+  check_in_on_request?: true;
+  /** Why an authored `check_in_minutes` can't be used. The roster still loads; the member's check-in status reads
+   *  unknown with this reason. */
+  check_in_problem?: string;
 }
 export interface Roster {
   version: 1;
@@ -65,9 +73,19 @@ export function parseRoster(value: unknown): Roster {
         || (m.hosted !== undefined && typeof m.hosted !== "boolean")) {
       throw new Error("Each member needs seat, host, capabilities, engagement, use_when and why (optional caveat, and hosted: true or false)");
     }
+    // A cadence that can't be used never stops the roster loading: the member's check-in status reads unknown instead.
+    const cadence = m.check_in_minutes, onRequest = m.check_in_on_request;
+    const cadenceProblem = cadence === undefined && onRequest === undefined ? null
+      : m.hosted !== true ? "check_in_minutes and check_in_on_request are for a connected assistant (a member marked hosted: true)"
+        : onRequest !== undefined && onRequest !== true ? `check_in_on_request ${JSON.stringify(onRequest)} isn't true`
+          : onRequest === true && cadence !== undefined ? "it states both check_in_minutes and check_in_on_request"
+            : cadence !== undefined && (!Number.isInteger(cadence) || (cadence as number) <= 0) ? `check_in_minutes ${JSON.stringify(cadence)} isn't a positive whole number of minutes`
+              : null;
     return { seat: m.seat, host: m.host, capabilities: m.capabilities, engagement: m.engagement,
       use_when: m.use_when as string, why: m.why as string, ...(m.caveat === undefined ? {} : { caveat: m.caveat as string }),
-      ...(m.hosted === true ? { hosted: true } : {}), ...(m.wake === undefined ? {} : { wake: parseWake(m.wake) }) };
+      ...(m.hosted === true ? { hosted: true } : {}), ...(m.wake === undefined ? {} : { wake: parseWake(m.wake) }),
+      ...(cadenceProblem ? { check_in_problem: cadenceProblem }
+        : { ...(cadence === undefined ? {} : { check_in_minutes: cadence as number }), ...(onRequest === true ? { check_in_on_request: true as const } : {}) }) };
   });
   return { version: 1, id: value.id as string, name: value.name as string, purpose: value.purpose as string,
     curator: { seat: value.curator.seat, host: value.curator.host }, updated_at: value.updated_at as string, members };
@@ -103,6 +121,17 @@ export function hostedWakeFor(destination: string, folder: string, selfHostId: s
   return null;
 }
 
+/** The hosted members the rosters list on this host, one per seat: where two rosters list the same seat, the first by
+ *  file name wins. Empty when this host's id is unknown. */
+export function hostedMembersAt(folder: string, selfHostId: string | null): RosterMember[] {
+  if (!selfHostId) return [];
+  const bySeat = new Map<string, RosterMember>();
+  for (const roster of readRosters(folder).rosters) {
+    for (const m of roster.members) if (m.hosted === true && m.host === selfHostId && !bySeat.has(m.seat)) bySeat.set(m.seat, m);
+  }
+  return [...bySeat.values()];
+}
+
 /** Whether a roster on this host lists this address as a hosted member, with or without a trigger. */
 export function isHostedMemberAt(destination: string, folder: string, selfHostId: string | null): boolean {
   if (!selfHostId) return false;

packages/daemon/src/domain/seat-identity-reconciler.ts

@@ -141,6 +141,22 @@ export class SeatIdentityReconciler {
     `).all() as RunningSeatRow[];
   }
 
+  /** Nodes whose latest session `rig unclaim` released (detached, origin claimed). Unclaim leaves the process running,
+   *  so the node's last recorded process stays on record: a fresh launch reads it before reopening a tmux server, and
+   *  must not start a second occupant beside a process that still runs. An older schema without `origin` keeps none. */
+  private releasedSeats(): string[] {
+    try {
+      return (this.db.prepare(`
+        SELECT n.id as node_id FROM nodes n
+        JOIN sessions s ON s.node_id = n.id
+          AND s.id = (SELECT s2.id FROM sessions s2 WHERE s2.node_id = n.id ORDER BY s2.id DESC LIMIT 1)
+        WHERE s.status = 'detached' AND s.origin = 'claimed'
+      `).all() as Array<{ node_id: string }>).map((r) => r.node_id);
+    } catch {
+      return [];
+    }
+  }
+
   /** Reconcile every running tmux-bound seat once and persist the verdicts. */
   async reconcileAll(): Promise<void> {
     // Skip ticks while actual reads are pending; never release on a deadline
@@ -156,8 +172,8 @@ export class SeatIdentityReconciler {
 
   private async reconcileSweep(generation: number): Promise<void> {
     const seats = this.runningSeats();
-    // Prune verdicts for nodes no longer running (keep the table bounded).
-    this.store.pruneExcept(seats.map((s) => s.node_id));
+    // Prune verdicts for nodes no longer running (keep the table bounded), except a released seat's.
+    this.store.pruneExcept([...seats.map((s) => s.node_id), ...this.releasedSeats()]);
     if (seats.length === 0) return;
 
     const observedAt = this.now().toISOString();

packages/daemon/src/domain/seat-lifecycle-service.ts

@@ -55,6 +55,8 @@ import { sessionCommunityHarnessSelect } from "./session-registry.js";
 import { seatLaunchAdditionsReport } from "./seat-launch-additions.js";
 import { seatSkillPaths } from "./seat-skill-storage.js";
 import { resolveSeatKind, seatProcessOwner } from "./seat-kinds.js";
+import { recordedProcessStillRunning } from "./reconciler.js";
+import { readProcessTable, type ProcessTableRow } from "./process-table.js";
 
 /**
  * S5 (OPR.0.5.4.7) — the seat-lifecycle verb surface: set-model, single-seat stop,
@@ -110,6 +112,8 @@ export interface SeatLifecycleDeps {
   eventBus: EventBus;
   tmuxAdapter: TmuxAdapter;
   listProcesses?: NativeProcessLister;
+  /** The OS process table, read before reopening a released seat's tmux server; injectable for tests. */
+  readProcesses?: () => Promise<ProcessTableRow[]>;
   nodeLauncher?: NodeLauncher;
   startupOrchestrator?: StartupOrchestrator;
   runtimeAdapters?: Record<string, RuntimeAdapter>;
@@ -338,6 +342,7 @@ export class SeatLifecycleService {
   private readonly eventBus: EventBus;
   private readonly tmuxAdapter: TmuxAdapter;
   private readonly listProcesses?: NativeProcessLister;
+  private readonly readProcesses: () => Promise<ProcessTableRow[]>;
   private readonly nodeLauncher: NodeLauncher | null;
   private readonly startupOrchestrator: StartupOrchestrator | null;
   private readonly runtimeAdapters: Record<string, RuntimeAdapter>;
@@ -360,6 +365,7 @@ export class SeatLifecycleService {
     this.eventBus = deps.eventBus;
     this.tmuxAdapter = deps.tmuxAdapter;
     this.listProcesses = deps.listProcesses;
+    this.readProcesses = deps.readProcesses ?? readProcessTable;
     this.nodeLauncher = deps.nodeLauncher ?? null;
     this.startupOrchestrator = deps.startupOrchestrator ?? null;
     this.runtimeAdapters = deps.runtimeAdapters ?? {};
@@ -1575,17 +1581,34 @@ export class SeatLifecycleService {
     // probe sees unavailable transport instead of positive absence. Reopen an
     // empty server only when the persisted state proves this seat's managed
     // occupant was deliberately stopped and no other managed row remains live.
+    // `rig unclaim` is as deliberate for an adopted session: it marks the row
+    // detached and clears the binding, and the person ends the process and its
+    // tmux session, which can be the server's last session too.
     // The probe below still decides absence; a recreated session or failed
     // transport remains a refusal.
     if ("code" in canonicalProbe) {
       const latest = this.latestSession(node.id);
       const hasCurrentBinding = this.sessionRegistry.getBindingForNode(node.id) !== null;
+      const released = latest?.status === "detached" && latest.origin === "claimed";
       const stoppedManagedOccupant = latest !== null
         && latest.session_name === canonicalSessionName
-        && latest.status === "exited"
-        && latest.origin !== "claimed"
+        && ((latest.status === "exited" && latest.origin !== "claimed") || released)
         && !hasCurrentBinding
         && this.nonTerminalSessions(node.id).length === 0;
+      // Unclaim doesn't end the process. While the released session's recorded process still runs, its server may
+      // only have lost its socket: a server started there would read the session absent and launch a second occupant
+      // beside it. So keep the refusal, as the reconciler keeps such a session (the same evidence).
+      const stillRuns = stoppedManagedOccupant && released
+        ? await recordedProcessStillRunning(this.db, { nodeId: node.id, sessionName: canonicalSessionName },
+          () => this.readProcesses().catch(() => null))
+        : null;
+      if (stillRuns) {
+        return {
+          ...canonicalProbe,
+          guidance: `This seat's released session last ran as process ${stillRuns.pid}, which is still running, so it may be `
+            + "on a tmux server this daemon can't reach. End that process, then launch again.",
+        };
+      }
       if (stoppedManagedOccupant) {
         try {
           const restored = await this.tmuxAdapter.startServer();

packages/daemon/src/routes/packages.ts

@@ -273,7 +273,7 @@ packagesRoutes.post("/install", async (c) => {
   }
 
   // Verify
-  const verification = installVerifier.verify(result.installId);
+  const verification = installVerifier.verify(result.installId, { skipped: result.notes?.length ?? 0 });
   if (!verification.passed) {
     eventBus.emit({ type: "package.install_failed", packageName: resolved.manifest.name, code: "verification_failed", message: "Post-apply verification failed" });
     return c.json({
@@ -281,6 +281,7 @@ packagesRoutes.post("/install", async (c) => {
       code: "verification_failed",
       installId: result.installId,
       verification,
+      ...(result.notes?.length ? { notes: result.notes } : {}),
     }, 500);
   }
 
@@ -302,6 +303,7 @@ packagesRoutes.post("/install", async (c) => {
     conflicts: result.conflicts,
     verification,
     ...(policyResult.rejected.length > 0 ? { policyRejected: policyResult.rejected } : {}),
+    ...(result.notes?.length ? { notes: result.notes } : {}),
   }, 201);
 });
 

packages/daemon/src/routes/queue.ts

@@ -1441,6 +1441,11 @@ export function queueRoutes(): Hono {
     return c.json(items);
   });
 
+  // Each connected assistant on this host and whether it's checking its queue, with this daemon's own host id: the check-ins
+  // are this host's, so a reader matches members to it without needing a terminal seat to learn it. A status only:
+  // work addressed to an assistant that isn't checking in still queues and is rung as before. Precedes /:qitemId.
+  app.get("/hosted-members", (c) => c.json({ hostId: getSelfHostId(), members: getRepo(c).hostedMemberCheckIns() }));
+
   // GET /undelivered — surfaces pending create-path nudge failures plus active
   // human-notification episodes whose gateway delivery ledger failed or never posted.
   // Rig-scoped + bounded + compact-by-default, mirroring /overdue.

packages/daemon/src/startup.ts

@@ -1049,30 +1049,9 @@ export async function createDaemon(opts?: DaemonOptions): Promise<DaemonResult>
   // (repo currently empty as of 2026-05-10; vendored
   // copy is the source of truth at v0).
   try {
-    const { PluginVendorService } = await import("./domain/plugin-vendor-service.js");
+    const { PluginVendorService, nodePluginVendorFs } = await import("./domain/plugin-vendor-service.js");
     const vendoredAssetsDir = nodePath.resolve(import.meta.dirname, "../assets/plugins");
     const userPluginsDir = getDefaultOpenRigPath("plugins");
-    const realFs = {
-      readFile: (p: string) => fs.readFileSync(p, "utf-8"),
-      writeFile: (p: string, c: string) => fs.writeFileSync(p, c, "utf-8"),
-      copyFileExclusive: (src: string, dest: string) => fs.copyFileSync(src, dest, fs.constants.COPYFILE_EXCL),
-      exists: (p: string) => fs.existsSync(p),
-      mkdirp: (p: string) => fs.mkdirSync(p, { recursive: true }),
-      listFiles: (dir: string) => {
-        const r: string[] = [];
-        /** Collect relative file paths recursively. */
-        function w(d: string, pre: string) {
-          for (const e of fs.readdirSync(d, { withFileTypes: true })) {
-            if (e.isDirectory()) w(nodePath.join(d, e.name), nodePath.join(pre, e.name));
-            else r.push(pre ? nodePath.join(pre, e.name) : e.name);
-          }
-        }
-        w(dir, "");
-        return r;
-      },
-      statMode: (p: string) => fs.statSync(p).mode,
-      chmod: (p: string, m: number) => fs.chmodSync(p, m),
-    };
     const httpClient = async (url: string, opts?: { timeoutMs?: number }) => {
       const ctrl = new AbortController();
       const timer = setTimeout(() => ctrl.abort(), opts?.timeoutMs ?? 5000);
@@ -1086,7 +1065,7 @@ export async function createDaemon(opts?: DaemonOptions): Promise<DaemonResult>
     const vendorService = new PluginVendorService({
       vendoredAssetsDir,
       userPluginsDir,
-      fs: realFs,
+      fs: nodePluginVendorFs(),
       httpClient,
       logger: (...args) => console.log("[openrig]", ...args),
     });

packages/daemon/test/bootstrap-orchestrator.test.ts

@@ -1387,6 +1387,38 @@ exports:
     expect(result.errors.some((e) => e.includes("skipped"))).toBe(true);
   });
 
+  it("a package whose only guidance entry is left as it is still imports the rig, with the note in warnings", async () => {
+    writePkg(path.join(tmpDir, "test-pkg"), VALID_MANIFEST_YAML, { "skills/helper/SKILL.md": "# Helper" });
+    const guidanceManifest = `
+schema_version: 1
+name: guidance-pkg
+version: "1.0.0"
+summary: Guidance only
+compatibility:
+  runtimes: [claude-code]
+exports:
+  guidance:
+    - source: guidance/rules.md
+      name: rules
+      kind: claude_md
+      supported_scopes: [project_shared]
+      default_scope: project_shared
+      merge_strategy: managed_block
+`.trim();
+    writePkg(path.join(tmpDir, "guidance-pkg"), guidanceManifest, { "guidance/rules.md": "Follow these rules." });
+    const damaged = "# Project\n\n<!-- BEGIN OpenRig MANAGED BLOCK: guidance-pkg -->\nhalf a block\n";
+    fs.writeFileSync(path.join(tmpDir, "CLAUDE.md"), damaged);
+    const specPath = writeSpec(SPEC_WITH_PACKAGES_YAML.replace("      - ./test-pkg", "      - ./test-pkg\n      - ./guidance-pkg"));
+
+    const result = await buildOrchestrator().bootstrap({ mode: "apply", sourceRef: specPath, autoApprove: true });
+
+    expect(fs.readFileSync(path.join(tmpDir, "CLAUDE.md"), "utf-8")).toBe(damaged);
+    expect(result.errors).toEqual([]);
+    expect(result.status).toBe("completed");
+    expect(result.stages.find((s) => s.stage === "import_rig")?.status).not.toBe("skipped");
+    expect(result.warnings).toContainEqual(expect.stringMatching(/^Package '\.\/guidance-pkg' \(claude-code\): guidance_block_markers_damaged: .*CLAUDE\.md: guidance-pkg has a BEGIN or END marker without its pair/));
+  });
+
   // === P7-T05: Bundle source tests ===
 
   // T25: Real bundle bootstrap happy path

packages/daemon/test/codex-limit-banner.test.ts

@@ -43,6 +43,16 @@ describe("detectCodexLimitBanner", () => {
     expect(detectCodexLimitBanner(BANNER)).toMatchObject({ resetText: "4:14 AM" });
   });
 
+  it("matches the typographic apostrophe Codex prints (U+2019)", () => {
+    const pane = [
+      "■ You’ve hit your usage limit. Upgrade to Pro (https://chatgpt.com/explore/pro), visit",
+      "https://chatgpt.com/settings/usage to purchase more credits or try again at Nov 1st, 2026 12:30 AM.",
+    ].join("\n");
+    expect(detectCodexLimitBanner(pane)).toMatchObject({
+      resetText: "Nov 1st, 2026 12:30 AM",
+    });
+  });
+
   it("tolerates leading indent but still requires the marker first", () => {
     expect(detectCodexLimitBanner("   ■ You've hit your usage limit. try again at 4:14 AM.")).toMatchObject({
       resetText: "4:14 AM",

packages/daemon/test/connection-contract.test.ts

@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import { describe, it, expect } from "vitest";
-import { readWakeOutcome } from "../src/domain/connection-contract.js";
+import { describeCheckIn, memberCheckInStatus, readWakeOutcome } from "../src/domain/connection-contract.js";
 import { NUDGE_FAIL_PREFIX } from "../src/domain/policies/parked-owner-consumer.js";
 
 describe("readWakeOutcome: every recorded nudge result reads as a delivery fact", () => {
@@ -51,3 +51,73 @@ describe("readWakeOutcome: every recorded nudge result reads as a delivery fact"
     expect(readWakeOutcome(undefined)).toBeNull();
   });
 });
+
+describe("memberCheckInStatus: a hosted member's check-in status", () => {
+  const now = new Date("2026-11-12T12:00:00.000Z");
+  const seenAgo = (minutes: number) => ({ state: "seen" as const, at: new Date(now.getTime() - minutes * 60_000).toISOString() });
+  const status = (checkInMinutes: number | null, checkIn: Parameters<typeof memberCheckInStatus>[0]["checkIn"], revokedAt?: string) =>
+    memberCheckInStatus({ checkInMinutes, checkIn, now, ...(revokedAt ? { revokedAt } : {}) }).status;
+
+  it("with a stated cadence, one rule: checking in up to exactly twice it, overdue a moment after", () => {
+    const at = (ms: number) => ({ state: "seen" as const, at: new Date(now.getTime() - ms).toISOString() });
+    expect(status(60, seenAgo(5))).toBe("checking-in");
+    expect(status(60, seenAgo(90))).toBe("checking-in"); // past one cadence is not yet overdue
+    expect(status(60, at(2 * 60 * 60_000))).toBe("checking-in");
+    expect(status(60, at(2 * 60 * 60_000 + 1))).toBe("check-in-overdue");
+    expect(status(1, at(2 * 60_000 + 1))).toBe("check-in-overdue"); // any positive cadence works the same way
+  });
+
+  it("a stated cadence that can't be used reads unknown with its reason, ahead of every other reading", () => {
+    expect(memberCheckInStatus({ checkInMinutes: null, cadenceProblem: "check_in_minutes \"60\" isn't a positive whole number of minutes",
+      checkIn: seenAgo(5), now })).toMatchObject({ status: "unknown", reason: expect.stringContaining("check_in_minutes") });
+    expect(memberCheckInStatus({ checkInMinutes: 60, checkIn: { state: "unknown" }, now })).toMatchObject({ status: "unknown", reason: "its check-ins couldn't be read" });
+  });
+
+  it("with no stated cadence it reads unknown with its last check-in, never on request, idle or overdue", () => {
+    expect(memberCheckInStatus({ checkInMinutes: null, checkIn: seenAgo(5), now }))
+      .toMatchObject({ status: "unknown", reason: "no check-in cadence declared", lastCheckInAt: seenAgo(5).at });
+    expect(status(null, seenAgo(10_000))).toBe("unknown");
+  });
+
+  it("on request only when its setup says so, whatever its last check-in's age", () => {
+    const onRequest = (checkIn: Parameters<typeof memberCheckInStatus>[0]["checkIn"]) =>
+      memberCheckInStatus({ checkInMinutes: null, onRequest: true, checkIn, now });
+    expect(onRequest(seenAgo(5)).status).toBe("on-request");
+    expect(onRequest(seenAgo(10_000))).toMatchObject({ status: "on-request", onRequest: true });
+    expect(onRequest({ state: "never" }).status).toBe("no-check-in-yet");
+    expect(memberCheckInStatus({ checkInMinutes: undefined, checkIn: seenAgo(5), now })).toMatchObject({ lastCheckInAt: seenAgo(5).at, expectedMinutes: null });
+  });
+
+  it("no recorded check-in reads never, with or without a cadence; an unreadable record reads unknown, never idle or overdue", () => {
+    expect(status(60, { state: "never" })).toBe("no-check-in-yet");
+    expect(memberCheckInStatus({ checkInMinutes: null, checkIn: { state: "never" }, now })).toMatchObject({ status: "no-check-in-yet", expectedMinutes: null });
+    expect(status(60, { state: "unknown" })).toBe("unknown");
+    expect(status(60, { state: "seen", at: "not a time" })).toBe("unknown");
+  });
+
+  it("disconnected comes only from a recorded revocation, ahead of everything else; silence never produces it", () => {
+    expect(status(60, seenAgo(5), "2026-11-12T11:00:00.000Z")).toBe("disconnected");
+    expect(status(60, seenAgo(100_000))).toBe("check-in-overdue");
+    expect(status(null, { state: "never" })).not.toBe("disconnected");
+  });
+});
+
+describe("describeCheckIn: one line, with its evidence", () => {
+  const base = { lastCheckInAt: "2026-11-12T13:05:00.000Z", expectedMinutes: 60, onRequest: false };
+  it("overdue carries its last check-in, its expected cadence and the suspected reason", () => {
+    expect(describeCheckIn({ ...base, status: "check-in-overdue" }))
+      .toBe("overdue: last check-in 2026-11-12T13:05:00.000Z, expected every 60 min; its schedule may be off or waiting for an approval");
+    expect(describeCheckIn({ ...base, status: "checking-in" })).toBe("checking in: last check-in 2026-11-12T13:05:00.000Z, expected every 60 min");
+  });
+  it("names what setup says when there's no check-in, and gives an unknown its reason and last check-in", () => {
+    expect(describeCheckIn({ ...base, status: "no-check-in-yet", lastCheckInAt: null })).toBe("no check-in yet; expected every 60 min");
+    expect(describeCheckIn({ ...base, status: "no-check-in-yet", lastCheckInAt: null, expectedMinutes: null, onRequest: true }))
+      .toBe("no check-in yet; checks in when a person asks it");
+    expect(describeCheckIn({ ...base, status: "no-check-in-yet", lastCheckInAt: null, expectedMinutes: null }))
+      .toBe("no check-in yet; no check-in cadence declared");
+    expect(describeCheckIn({ ...base, status: "on-request", expectedMinutes: null, onRequest: true }))
+      .toBe("on request: it checks its queue when a person asks it; last check-in 2026-11-12T13:05:00.000Z");
+    expect(describeCheckIn({ ...base, status: "unknown", expectedMinutes: null, reason: "no check-in cadence declared" }))
+      .toBe("unknown (no check-in cadence declared); last check-in 2026-11-12T13:05:00.000Z");
+  });
+});

packages/daemon/test/install-engine.test.ts

@@ -234,6 +234,48 @@ describe("InstallEngine", () => {
     expect(fs.readFileSync(targetPath, "utf8")).toBe(`${prefix}<!-- BEGIN OpenRig MANAGED BLOCK: test-pkg -->\nUpdated guidance.\n<!-- END OpenRig MANAGED BLOCK: test-pkg -->\n# Footer\n`);
   });
 
+  it("keeps one copy of its block: the first is updated in place and the repeats go", () => {
+    const pkg = seedPackage();
+    const sourcePath = writeSource("guidance/AGENTS.md", "Updated guidance.");
+    const targetPath = path.join(repoRoot, "AGENTS.md");
+    const old = "<!-- BEGIN OpenRig MANAGED BLOCK: test-pkg -->\nOld content.\n<!-- END OpenRig MANAGED BLOCK: test-pkg -->";
+    fs.writeFileSync(targetPath, `# Header\n\n${old}\n\n${old}\n# Footer\n`);
+    const entry = makeEntry({ exportType: "guidance", classification: "managed_merge", targetPath, sourcePath });
+    new InstallEngine(installRepo, realFs(tmpDir)).apply(makePolicy([entry]), makePlan([entry]), pkg.id, repoRoot);
+    expect(fs.readFileSync(targetPath, "utf8")).toBe(
+      "# Header\n\n<!-- BEGIN OpenRig MANAGED BLOCK: test-pkg -->\nUpdated guidance.\n<!-- END OpenRig MANAGED BLOCK: test-pkg -->\n# Footer\n");
+  });
+
+  it("keeps a later copy someone edited, and every different edit, with the text between", () => {
+    const pkg = seedPackage();
+    const sourcePath = writeSource("guidance/AGENTS.md", "Updated guidance.");
+    const targetPath = path.join(repoRoot, "AGENTS.md");
+    const copy = (body: string) => `<!-- BEGIN OpenRig MANAGED BLOCK: test-pkg -->\n${body}\n<!-- END OpenRig MANAGED BLOCK: test-pkg -->`;
+    fs.writeFileSync(targetPath, `# Header\n\n${copy("Old content.")}\n\nmine\n\n${copy("Old content, with my rule.")}\n\n${copy("Another edit.")}\n`);
+    const entry = makeEntry({ exportType: "guidance", classification: "managed_merge", targetPath, sourcePath });
+    new InstallEngine(installRepo, realFs(tmpDir)).apply(makePolicy([entry]), makePlan([entry]), pkg.id, repoRoot);
+    expect(fs.readFileSync(targetPath, "utf8")).toBe(
+      `# Header\n\n${copy("Updated guidance.")}\n\nmine\n\n${copy("Old content, with my rule.")}\n\n${copy("Another edit.")}\n`);
+  });
+
+  it("installs the rest when a guidance block lost its END: that file is left as it is and named, with no copy added", () => {
+    const pkg = seedPackage();
+    const skillSource = writeSource("skills/foo/SKILL.md", "# Foo Skill");
+    const skillTarget = path.join(repoRoot, ".agents/skills/foo/SKILL.md");
+    const guidanceSource = writeSource("guidance/AGENTS.md", "Updated guidance.");
+    const guidanceTarget = path.join(repoRoot, "AGENTS.md");
+    const text = "# Header\n<!-- BEGIN OpenRig MANAGED BLOCK: test-pkg -->\nOld content.\n# Footer\n";
+    fs.writeFileSync(guidanceTarget, text);
+    const skill = makeEntry({ exportName: "foo", targetPath: skillTarget, sourcePath: skillSource });
+    const guidance = makeEntry({ exportType: "guidance", classification: "managed_merge", targetPath: guidanceTarget, sourcePath: guidanceSource });
+    const result = new InstallEngine(installRepo, realFs(tmpDir)).apply(makePolicy([skill, guidance]), makePlan([skill, guidance]), pkg.id, repoRoot);
+    expect(fs.readFileSync(guidanceTarget, "utf8")).toBe(text);
+    expect(fs.readFileSync(skillTarget, "utf8")).toBe("# Foo Skill");
+    expect(result.applied.map((e) => e.targetPath)).toEqual([skillTarget]);
+    expect(result.notes).toEqual([expect.stringMatching(/^guidance_block_markers_damaged: .*AGENTS\.md: test-pkg has a BEGIN or END marker without its pair/)]);
+    expect(installRepo.getInstall(result.installId)?.status).toBe("applied");
+  });
+
   // Test 7: Backup created before overwrite
   it("backup created before overwrite", () => {
     const pkg = seedPackage();

packages/daemon/test/managed-blocks-one-copy.test.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,195 @@
+// A guidance file keeps exactly one copy of each OpenRig-managed block, however often OpenRig writes it: after an editor
+// or formatter touched its markers, after copies collected, and when a marker lost its pair. A person's edit is kept.
+import { describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
+import {
+  managedBlockStanding,
+  managedBlockText,
+  mergeManagedBlock,
+  type ManagedBlockMergeFsOps,
+} from "../src/domain/managed-blocks.js";
+import { managedBlockBodyHash, writeManagedGuidanceBlock, type ManagedBlockRecords } from "../src/domain/managed-block-records.js";
+import { restoreMissingGuidance } from "../src/domain/restore-guidance.js";
+
+const FILE = "/repo/AGENTS.md";
+const SOURCE = "/specs/culture.md";
+
+/** An in-memory guidance file and source, so nothing here touches a real instruction file. */
+function memory(files: Record<string, string>): ManagedBlockMergeFsOps & { files: Record<string, string> } {
+  return {
+    files,
+    exists: (p) => p in files,
+    readFile: (p) => files[p]!,
+    writeFile: (p, content) => { files[p] = content; },
+  };
+}
+
+function recordsOf(entries: Record<string, string> = {}): ManagedBlockRecords & { entries: Record<string, string> } {
+  return {
+    entries,
+    get: (file, id) => entries[`${file}#${id}`],
+    set: (file, id, body) => { entries[`${file}#${id}`] = managedBlockBodyHash(body); },
+  };
+}
+
+const count = (text: string, id = "CULTURE.md") => text.split(`<!-- BEGIN OpenRig MANAGED BLOCK: ${id} -->`).length - 1;
+
+describe("the writer keeps one copy", () => {
+  it("reads markers a formatter rewrapped as the block, and replaces it in place at every launch", () => {
+    const touched = "# Notes\n\n<!--\n  BEGIN OpenRig MANAGED BLOCK: CULTURE.md\n-->\nold culture\n<!--   END OpenRig  MANAGED BLOCK:  CULTURE.md -->\n\nafter\n";
+    const fs = memory({ [FILE]: touched });
+    const sizes: number[] = [];
+    const written: unknown[] = [];
+    for (let launch = 0; launch < 4; launch++) {
+      written.push(mergeManagedBlock(fs, FILE, "CULTURE.md", "new culture"));
+      sizes.push(fs.files[FILE]!.length);
+    }
+    expect(fs.files[FILE]).toBe(`# Notes\n\n${managedBlockText("CULTURE.md", "new culture")}\n\nafter\n`);
+    expect(new Set(sizes).size).toBe(1);
+    expect(written).toEqual([true, true, true, true]);
+  });
+
+  it("collapses copies that collected to the first, and keeps a person's text before, between and after them", () => {
+    const block = managedBlockText("CULTURE.md", "culture");
+    const fs = memory({ [FILE]: `# Notes\n\n${block}\n\nperson text\n\n${block}\n\n${block}\n\nthe end\n` });
+    mergeManagedBlock(fs, FILE, "CULTURE.md", "culture");
+    expect(fs.files[FILE]).toBe(`# Notes\n\n${block}\n\nperson text\n\nthe end\n`);
+  });
+
+  it.each([
+    ["a BEGIN whose END was lost", "# Notes\n\n<!-- BEGIN OpenRig MANAGED BLOCK: CULTURE.md -->\nculture\n<!-- END OpenRig MANAGED BLOCK -->\n"],
+    ["an END whose BEGIN was lost", "# Notes\n\n<!-- BEGIN MANAGED BLOCK: CULTURE.md -->\nculture\n<!-- END OpenRig MANAGED BLOCK: CULTURE.md -->\n"],
+  ])("adds no copy beside %s, at any launch, and names it", (_name, text) => {
+    const fs = memory({ [FILE]: text });
+    const warnings: string[] = [];
+    const written: unknown[] = [];
+    for (let launch = 0; launch < 3; launch++) written.push(mergeManagedBlock(fs, FILE, "CULTURE.md", "culture", { warnings }));
+    expect(fs.files[FILE]).toBe(text);
+    expect(warnings).toHaveLength(3);
+    expect(written).toEqual([false, false, false]);
+    expect(warnings[0]).toMatch(/^guidance_block_markers_damaged: \/repo\/AGENTS\.md: CULTURE\.md has a BEGIN or END marker without its pair/);
+  });
+
+  it("still replaces a complete copy when a lost marker sits beside it, leaves that marker, and names it", () => {
+    const lone = "<!-- BEGIN OpenRig MANAGED BLOCK: CULTURE.md -->\nstray\n";
+    const fs = memory({ [FILE]: `${lone}\n${managedBlockText("CULTURE.md", "old")}\n` });
+    const warnings: string[] = [];
+    const written = mergeManagedBlock(fs, FILE, "CULTURE.md", "new", { warnings });
+    expect(fs.files[FILE]).toBe(`${lone}\n${managedBlockText("CULTURE.md", "new")}\n`);
+    expect(written).toBe(true);
+    expect(warnings).toEqual([expect.stringMatching(/^guidance_block_marker_unpaired: \/repo\/AGENTS\.md: CULTURE\.md was written/)]);
+  });
+
+  it("appends to a file with no marker at all, as before", () => {
+    const fs = memory({ [FILE]: "# Notes\n" });
+    mergeManagedBlock(fs, FILE, "CULTURE.md", "culture");
+    expect(fs.files[FILE]).toBe(`# Notes\n\n\n${managedBlockText("CULTURE.md", "culture")}`);
+  });
+
+  it("reads a lost marker as damaged, not absent", () => {
+    expect(managedBlockStanding("<!-- BEGIN OpenRig MANAGED BLOCK: CULTURE.md -->\nculture\n", "CULTURE.md", "culture", undefined, managedBlockBodyHash))
+      .toBe("damaged");
+    expect(managedBlockStanding("# no block\n", "CULTURE.md", "culture", undefined, managedBlockBodyHash)).toBe("absent");
+  });
+});
+
+describe("a launch's guidance write keeps a person's edit and drops only repeats", () => {
+  const launch = (fs: ManagedBlockMergeFsOps, records: ManagedBlockRecords, source: string, warnings: string[]) =>
+    writeManagedGuidanceBlock(fs, FILE, "CULTURE.md", source, { records, sourcePath: SOURCE, warnings });
+
+  it("refreshes OpenRig's own copies to one", () => {
+    const old = managedBlockText("CULTURE.md", "old culture");
+    const fs = memory({ [FILE]: `# Notes\n\n${old}\n\n${old}\n` });
+    const records = recordsOf({ [`${FILE}#CULTURE.md`]: managedBlockBodyHash("old culture") });
+    expect(launch(fs, records, "new culture", [])).toBe(true);
+    expect(fs.files[FILE]).toBe(`# Notes\n\n${managedBlockText("CULTURE.md", "new culture")}\n`);
+  });
+
+  it("keeps copies a formatter changed as edits, and leaves one of them", () => {
+    const formatted = managedBlockText("CULTURE.md", "- culture, reformatted");
+    const fs = memory({ [FILE]: `# Notes\n\n${formatted}\n\n${formatted}\n\n${formatted}\n` });
+    const records = recordsOf({ [`${FILE}#CULTURE.md`]: managedBlockBodyHash("* culture") });
+    const warnings: string[] = [];
+    expect(launch(fs, records, "* culture", warnings)).toBe(false);
+    expect(fs.files[FILE]).toBe(`# Notes\n\n${formatted}\n`);
+    expect(warnings.map((w) => w.split(":")[0])).toEqual(["guidance_block_edited", "guidance_block_copies_removed"]);
+  });
+
+  it("keeps a person's edited copy and drops OpenRig's unedited copy beside it", () => {
+    const edited = managedBlockText("CULTURE.md", "culture, with my change");
+    const fs = memory({ [FILE]: `${managedBlockText("CULTURE.md", "culture")}\n\n${edited}\n` });
+    const records = recordsOf({ [`${FILE}#CULTURE.md`]: managedBlockBodyHash("culture") });
+    expect(launch(fs, records, "culture", [])).toBe(false);
+    expect(fs.files[FILE]).toBe(`${edited}\n`);
+  });
+
+  it("keeps two different edited copies: it can't tell which one is meant", () => {
+    const text = `${managedBlockText("CULTURE.md", "edit one")}\n\n${managedBlockText("CULTURE.md", "edit two")}\n`;
+    const fs = memory({ [FILE]: text });
+    expect(launch(fs, recordsOf({ [`${FILE}#CULTURE.md`]: managedBlockBodyHash("culture") }), "culture", [])).toBe(false);
+    expect(fs.files[FILE]).toBe(text);
+  });
+
+  it("records nothing and adds no copy beside a lost marker", () => {
+    const text = "<!-- BEGIN OpenRig MANAGED BLOCK: CULTURE.md -->\nculture\n";
+    const fs = memory({ [FILE]: text });
+    const records = recordsOf();
+    const warnings: string[] = [];
+    const written: unknown[] = [];
+    for (let i = 0; i < 3; i++) written.push(launch(fs, records, "culture", warnings));
+    expect(fs.files[FILE]).toBe(text);
+    expect(written).toEqual([false, false, false]);
+    expect(records.entries).toEqual({});
+    expect(warnings.every((w) => w.startsWith("guidance_block_markers_damaged: "))).toBe(true);
+  });
+
+  it("keeps going when the file can't be written: the edited block is kept as decided, and the tidy is named", () => {
+    const formatted = managedBlockText("CULTURE.md", "- culture, reformatted");
+    const text = `${formatted}\n\n${formatted}\n`;
+    const fs = memory({ [FILE]: text });
+    fs.writeFile = () => { throw new Error("EACCES: permission denied"); };
+    const warnings: string[] = [];
+    expect(launch(fs, recordsOf({ [`${FILE}#CULTURE.md`]: managedBlockBodyHash("* culture") }), "* culture", warnings)).toBe(false);
+    expect(fs.files[FILE]).toBe(text);
+    expect(warnings.map((w) => w.split(":")[0])).toEqual(["guidance_block_edited", "guidance_block_copies_not_removed"]);
+  });
+});
+
+describe("restore keeps one copy", () => {
+  it("removes repeats of a current block, and a second restore changes nothing", () => {
+    const current = managedBlockText("CULTURE.md", "* culture");
+    const fs = memory({ [FILE]: `# Notes\n\n${current}\n\nmine\n\n${current}\n`, [SOURCE]: "* culture" });
+    const records = recordsOf({ [`${FILE}#CULTURE.md`]: managedBlockBodyHash("* culture") });
+    const guidance = { targetPath: FILE, items: [{ blockId: "CULTURE.md", sourcePath: SOURCE }] };
+    restoreMissingGuidance(guidance, fs, records);
+    const once = fs.files[FILE];
+    restoreMissingGuidance(guidance, fs, records);
+    expect(once).toBe(`# Notes\n\n${current}\n\nmine\n`);
+    expect(fs.files[FILE]).toBe(once);
+  });
+
+  it("without write records keeps the block's text, and still removes its exact repeats and puts rewrapped markers back", () => {
+    const rewrapped = "<!--\n BEGIN OpenRig MANAGED BLOCK: CULTURE.md -->\nmy edit\n<!-- END OpenRig MANAGED BLOCK: CULTURE.md -->";
+    const fs = memory({ [FILE]: `${rewrapped}\n\n${managedBlockText("CULTURE.md", "my edit")}\n`, [SOURCE]: "* culture" });
+    restoreMissingGuidance({ targetPath: FILE, items: [{ blockId: "CULTURE.md", sourcePath: SOURCE }] }, fs);
+    expect(fs.files[FILE]).toBe(`${managedBlockText("CULTURE.md", "my edit")}\n`);
+  });
+
+  it("removes a kept block's repeats, and puts back nothing beside a lost marker", () => {
+    const formatted = managedBlockText("CULTURE.md", "- culture, reformatted");
+    const fs = memory({
+      [FILE]: `# Notes\n\n${formatted}\n\n${formatted}\n\n<!-- BEGIN OpenRig MANAGED BLOCK: ROLE.md -->\nrole\n`,
+      [SOURCE]: "* culture",
+      "/specs/role.md": "role",
+    });
+    const records = recordsOf({ [`${FILE}#CULTURE.md`]: managedBlockBodyHash("* culture") });
+    const repair = restoreMissingGuidance({ targetPath: FILE, items: [
+      { blockId: "CULTURE.md", sourcePath: SOURCE },
+      { blockId: "ROLE.md", sourcePath: "/specs/role.md" },
+    ] }, fs, records);
+    expect(fs.files[FILE]).toBe(`# Notes\n\n${formatted}\n\n<!-- BEGIN OpenRig MANAGED BLOCK: ROLE.md -->\nrole\n`);
+    expect(count(fs.files[FILE]!)).toBe(1);
+    expect(repair.restored).toEqual([]);
+    expect(repair.gaps.join("\n")).toContain("ROLE.md: /repo/AGENTS.md holds only part of this block");
+    expect(repair.kept.map((k) => k.split(":")[0])).toEqual(["guidance_block_edited", "guidance_block_copies_removed"]);
+  });
+});

packages/daemon/test/openrig-core-plugin.test.ts

@@ -90,7 +90,8 @@ describe("openrig-core plugin — manifest shape (HG-2.2)", () => {
     // Hook + skills wiring
     expect(manifest["skills"]).toBe("./skills");
     expect(manifest["hooks"]).toBe("./hooks/claude.json");
-    expect(manifest["repository"]).toMatch(/github:mvschwarz\/openrig-plugins/);
+    // An https URL: Claude's plugin directory drops a `github:` shorthand from its listing.
+    expect(manifest["repository"]).toBe("https://github.com/mvschwarz/openrig-plugins");
     expect(manifest["license"]).toBeDefined();
   });
 

packages/daemon/test/packages-routes.test.ts

@@ -322,6 +322,32 @@ roles:
     expect(claudeMd).toContain("# Existing content");
   });
 
+  it("POST /api/packages/install whose only guidance entry is left as it is → 201 with the note, verified", async () => {
+    writePkg(pkgDir, GUIDANCE_MANIFEST_YAML, {
+      "guidance/rules.md": "Follow these rules.",
+    });
+    const damaged = "# Existing content\n\n<!-- BEGIN OpenRig MANAGED BLOCK: guidance-pkg -->\nhalf a block\n";
+    fs.writeFileSync(path.join(targetDir, "CLAUDE.md"), damaged);
+
+    const res = await app.request("/api/packages/install", {
+      method: "POST",
+      headers: { "Content-Type": "application/json" },
+      body: JSON.stringify({
+        sourceRef: pkgDir,
+        targetRoot: targetDir,
+        runtime: "claude-code",
+        allowMerge: true,
+      }),
+    });
+
+    expect(fs.readFileSync(path.join(targetDir, "CLAUDE.md"), "utf-8")).toBe(damaged);
+    expect(res.status).toBe(201);
+    const body = await res.json();
+    expect(body.applied).toEqual([]);
+    expect(body.notes).toEqual([expect.stringMatching(/^guidance_block_markers_damaged: .*CLAUDE\.md: guidance-pkg has a BEGIN or END marker without its pair/)]);
+    expect(body.verification.passed).toBe(true);
+  });
+
   // --- Test 8: POST /install mixed policy: skills approved, guidance rejected ---
   it("POST /api/packages/install mixed policy → 201 with applied + policyRejected", async () => {
     writePkg(pkgDir, MIXED_MANIFEST_YAML, {

packages/daemon/test/plugin-vendor-binary.test.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,74 @@
+// Vendoring copies a bundled plugin into ~/.openrig/plugins byte for byte, binary files included: a plugin's icon.png
+// must arrive exactly as it ships, and a text file must arrive as it always did.
+import fs from "node:fs";
+import os from "node:os";
+import nodePath from "node:path";
+import { createHash } from "node:crypto";
+import { afterEach, describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
+import { nodePluginVendorFs, PluginVendorService } from "../src/domain/plugin-vendor-service.js";
+
+const dirs: string[] = [];
+afterEach(() => { for (const dir of dirs.splice(0)) fs.rmSync(dir, { recursive: true, force: true }); });
+
+/** A PNG header and bytes that aren't valid UTF-8, so a text round trip would change them. */
+const ICON = Buffer.concat([Buffer.from([0x89, 0x50, 0x4e, 0x47, 0x0d, 0x0a, 0x1a, 0x0a]), Buffer.from([0xff, 0xfe, 0x80, 0x00, 0xc3, 0x28, 0xa0, 0xa1])]);
+const sha = (bytes: Buffer) => createHash("sha256").update(bytes).digest("hex");
+const httpClient = async () => ({ ok: false, status: 404 });
+
+function scratch(): { assets: string; plugins: string } {
+  const root = fs.mkdtempSync(nodePath.join(os.tmpdir(), "openrig-vendor-binary-"));
+  dirs.push(root);
+  return { assets: nodePath.join(root, "assets"), plugins: nodePath.join(root, "home", "plugins") };
+}
+
+function shipPlugin(assets: string, version: string, icon = ICON): void {
+  const plugin = nodePath.join(assets, "openrig");
+  fs.mkdirSync(nodePath.join(plugin, ".claude-plugin"), { recursive: true });
+  fs.mkdirSync(nodePath.join(plugin, "skills", "demo"), { recursive: true });
+  fs.writeFileSync(nodePath.join(plugin, ".claude-plugin", "plugin.json"), JSON.stringify({ name: "openrig", version, description: "Team — work" }));
+  fs.writeFileSync(nodePath.join(plugin, ".claude-plugin", "icon.png"), icon);
+  fs.writeFileSync(nodePath.join(plugin, "skills", "demo", "SKILL.md"), "# Demo — a skill\n");
+  fs.writeFileSync(nodePath.join(plugin, "skills", "demo", "badge.png"), icon);
+}
+
+const service = (assets: string, plugins: string) =>
+  new PluginVendorService({ vendoredAssetsDir: assets, userPluginsDir: plugins, fs: nodePluginVendorFs(), httpClient });
+
+describe("vendoring a plugin with a binary file", () => {
+  it("installs the icon byte for byte, and its text files as before", async () => {
+    const { assets, plugins } = scratch();
+    shipPlugin(assets, "0.1.0");
+    await service(assets, plugins).ensureVendored("openrig");
+    const installed = fs.readFileSync(nodePath.join(plugins, "openrig", ".claude-plugin", "icon.png"));
+    expect(sha(installed)).toBe(sha(ICON));
+    expect(fs.readFileSync(nodePath.join(plugins, "openrig", "skills", "demo", "SKILL.md"), "utf-8")).toBe("# Demo — a skill\n");
+  });
+
+  it("leaves an identical install alone at the same version, and refreshes a newer one exactly, keeping the old bytes", async () => {
+    const { assets, plugins } = scratch();
+    shipPlugin(assets, "0.1.0");
+    await service(assets, plugins).ensureVendored("openrig");
+    await service(assets, plugins).ensureVendored("openrig");
+    const backups = nodePath.join(nodePath.dirname(plugins), "backups");
+    expect(fs.existsSync(backups)).toBe(false);
+
+    const newer = Buffer.concat([ICON, Buffer.from([0xfd, 0xbe])]);
+    fs.rmSync(assets, { recursive: true });
+    shipPlugin(assets, "0.2.0", newer);
+    await service(assets, plugins).ensureVendored("openrig");
+    expect(sha(fs.readFileSync(nodePath.join(plugins, "openrig", ".claude-plugin", "icon.png")))).toBe(sha(newer));
+    const kept = fs.readdirSync(nodePath.join(backups, "managed-refresh"))
+      .map((id) => nodePath.join(backups, "managed-refresh", id, ".claude-plugin", "icon.png"))
+      .filter((path) => fs.existsSync(path));
+    expect(kept.map((path) => sha(fs.readFileSync(path)))).toEqual([sha(ICON)]);
+  });
+
+  it("projects a skill's binary file into a global skill root byte for byte", () => {
+    const { assets, plugins } = scratch();
+    shipPlugin(assets, "0.1.0");
+    const root = nodePath.join(nodePath.dirname(plugins), "global-skills");
+    service(assets, plugins).ensureSkillDirGlobally(nodePath.join(assets, "openrig", "skills", "demo"), "demo", "0.1.0", [root]);
+    expect(sha(fs.readFileSync(nodePath.join(root, "demo", "badge.png")))).toBe(sha(ICON));
+    expect(fs.readFileSync(nodePath.join(root, "demo", "SKILL.md"), "utf-8")).toBe("# Demo — a skill\n");
+  });
+});

packages/daemon/test/provider-c3-seat-keyed-discovery.test.ts

@@ -112,6 +112,40 @@ describe("Slice-04 C3 — seat-keyed Claude provider_usage discovery (production
     }
   });
 
+  it("a live seat whose only cache is malformed reports unreadable_cache through real getReadModel", async () => {
+    const root = fs.mkdtempSync(nodePath.join(os.tmpdir(), "provider-c3-unreadable-"));
+    try {
+      const usageDir = nodePath.join(root, "provider-usage");
+      fs.mkdirSync(usageDir, { recursive: true });
+      const seatSession = "dev-impl@test-rig";
+      fs.writeFileSync(nodePath.join(usageDir, `${seatSession}.json`), "{ not json");
+
+      const db = createFullTestDb();
+      seedClaudeSeat(db, seatSession);
+      const svc = new ProviderServiceImpl({
+        db,
+        listRigs: () => [{ id: "rig-1" }],
+        env: emptyCodexHomeEnv(),
+        now: () => ASOF,
+        collectClaudeSignals: () => collectClaudeSignalsFromProviderUsageDirectory(usageDir, () => ASOF),
+      });
+      const model = await svc.getReadModel();
+      const claude = model.signals.filter((signal) => signal.provider === "claude");
+
+      expect(claude).toHaveLength(1);
+      expect(claude[0]).toMatchObject({
+        seatSession,
+        sourceClass: "unknown",
+        authority: "unknown",
+        unknownReason: "claude_statusline_cache_unreadable",
+        automationUse: "do_not_automate",
+      });
+      expect(claude[0]!.usedPercent).toBeUndefined();
+    } finally {
+      fs.rmSync(root, { recursive: true, force: true });
+    }
+  });
+
   it("an exited latest Claude session plus matching stale cache emits zero Claude signals", async () => {
     const root = fs.mkdtempSync(nodePath.join(os.tmpdir(), "provider-c3-exited-"));
     try {

packages/daemon/test/provider-claude-usage-reader.test.ts

@@ -76,12 +76,20 @@ describe("collectClaudeStatuslineSignals — reader → provider_statusline / ex
     expect(sigs[0]!.unknownReason).toBe(CLAUDE_UNKNOWN_REASON.empty_reading);
   });
 
-  it("malformed cache JSON → unknown(empty_reading), never throws", () => {
+  it("malformed cache JSON → unknown(unreadable_cache), never throws", () => {
     const sigs = collectClaudeStatuslineSignals(readerDeps({
       listClaudeSeats: () => [{ seatSession: "dev-impl@rig" }],
       readCacheRaw: () => "{ not json",
     }));
     expect(sigs[0]!.sourceClass).toBe("unknown");
+    expect(sigs[0]!.unknownReason).toBe(CLAUDE_UNKNOWN_REASON.unreadable_cache);
+  });
+
+  it("a valid cache with no windows keeps empty_reading (distinct from an unreadable cache)", () => {
+    const sigs = collectClaudeStatuslineSignals(readerDeps({
+      listClaudeSeats: () => [{ seatSession: "dev-impl@rig" }],
+      readCacheRaw: () => JSON.stringify({ seatSession: "dev-impl@rig", asOf: CACHE_ASOF }),
+    }));
     expect(sigs[0]!.unknownReason).toBe(CLAUDE_UNKNOWN_REASON.empty_reading);
   });
 });
@@ -111,14 +119,33 @@ describe("0.5.8 provider-usage compatibility bridge", () => {
     const malformedCanonical = collectClaudeSignalsFromProviderUsageDirectory(canonical, () => ASOF, legacy);
     expect(malformedCanonical.find((signal) => signal.seatSession === "legacy@rig")?.usedPercent).toBeUndefined();
     expect(malformedCanonical.find((signal) => signal.seatSession === "legacy@rig")?.unknownReason)
-      .toBe(CLAUDE_UNKNOWN_REASON.empty_reading);
+      .toBe(CLAUDE_UNKNOWN_REASON.unreadable_cache);
 
     fs.rmSync(path.join(canonical, "[email protected]"));
     fs.mkdirSync(path.join(canonical, "[email protected]"));
     const wrongTypeCanonical = collectClaudeSignalsFromProviderUsageDirectory(canonical, () => ASOF, legacy);
     expect(wrongTypeCanonical.find((signal) => signal.seatSession === "legacy@rig")?.usedPercent).toBeUndefined();
     expect(wrongTypeCanonical.find((signal) => signal.seatSession === "legacy@rig")?.unknownReason)
-      .toBe(CLAUDE_UNKNOWN_REASON.empty_reading);
+      .toBe(CLAUDE_UNKNOWN_REASON.unreadable_cache);
     fs.rmSync(home, { recursive: true, force: true });
   });
 });
+
+describe("collectClaudeSignalsFromProviderUsageDirectory — a malformed-only cache stays visible", () => {
+  it("reports unreadable_cache for a seat known only from a malformed file's name", () => {
+    const home = fs.mkdtempSync(path.join(os.tmpdir(), "provider-unreadable-"));
+    const directory = path.join(home, "state", "provider-usage");
+    fs.mkdirSync(directory, { recursive: true });
+    fs.writeFileSync(path.join(directory, "[email protected]"), "{ not json");
+    try {
+      const signals = collectClaudeSignalsFromProviderUsageDirectory(directory, () => ASOF);
+      expect(signals).toHaveLength(1);
+      expect(signals[0]!.seatSession).toBe("broken@rig");
+      expect(signals[0]!.sourceClass).toBe("unknown");
+      expect(signals[0]!.unknownReason).toBe(CLAUDE_UNKNOWN_REASON.unreadable_cache);
+      expect(signals[0]!.usedPercent).toBeUndefined();
+    } finally {
+      fs.rmSync(home, { recursive: true, force: true });
+    }
+  });
+});

packages/daemon/test/provider-signals-claude.test.ts

@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import { describe, it, expect } from "vitest";
-import { claudeStatuslineSignals } from "../src/domain/provider/provider-signals.js";
+import { CLAUDE_UNKNOWN_REASON, claudeStatuslineSignals } from "../src/domain/provider/provider-signals.js";
 
 // Slice-04 (OPR.0.5.0.4) — Claude statusline lane normalization (§2 Claude lane + the
 // 2026-07-31 RESEARCH verdict). Proof item 6: the statusline sidecar's rate_limits object
@@ -68,5 +68,21 @@ describe("claudeStatuslineSignals — Claude lane honesty", () => {
     expect(sigs[0].sourceClass).toBe("unknown");
     expect(sigs[0].usedPercent).toBeUndefined();
     expect(sigs[0].automationUse).toBe("do_not_automate");
+    expect(sigs[0].unknownReason).toBe(CLAUDE_UNKNOWN_REASON.empty_reading);
+  });
+
+  it("an unreadable cache gets its own reason, not the empty-reading one", () => {
+    const sigs = claudeStatuslineSignals({
+      seatSession: "dev-impl@rig",
+      cachePresent: true,
+      cacheUnreadable: true,
+      asOf: ASOF,
+    });
+    expect(sigs).toHaveLength(1);
+    expect(sigs[0].sourceClass).toBe("unknown");
+    expect(sigs[0].unknownReason).toBe(CLAUDE_UNKNOWN_REASON.unreadable_cache);
+    expect(sigs[0].unknownReason).not.toBe(CLAUDE_UNKNOWN_REASON.empty_reading);
+    expect(sigs[0].usedPercent).toBeUndefined();
+    expect(sigs[0].automationUse).toBe("do_not_automate");
   });
 });

packages/daemon/test/queue-stuck-sweep-hosted-poll.test.ts

@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ import { ALL_MIGRATIONS } from "../src/db/all-migrations.js";
 import { QueueRepository, type QueueItem } from "../src/domain/queue-repository.js";
 import { EventBus } from "../src/domain/event-bus.js";
 import { queueRoutes } from "../src/routes/queue.js";
-import type { RosterWake } from "../src/domain/rosters.js";
+import type { RosterMember, RosterWake } from "../src/domain/rosters.js";
 import { createStuckSweepStatus, runStuckSweep, STUCK_SWEEP_FINDING_TAG, unclaimedBacklogTag } from "../src/domain/queue-stuck-sweep.js";
 
 const MEMBER = "helper-a@hub";
@@ -23,12 +23,13 @@ describe("stuck sweep: a hosted member that polls for its work", () => {
   let repo: QueueRepository;
 
   function makeRepo(opts: { hostedWake?: (d: string) => RosterWake | null; resolveSessionAddresses?: (n: string) => string[];
-    validateRig?: (d: string) => boolean } = {}): QueueRepository {
+    validateRig?: (d: string) => boolean; hostedMembers?: () => RosterMember[] } = {}): QueueRepository {
     return new QueueRepository(db, bus, {
       validateRig: opts.validateRig ?? (() => true),
       loadHumanRegistry: () => ({ ok: true, entities: [] }),
       isHostedMember: (d) => d === MEMBER,
       hostedWake: opts.hostedWake ?? (() => null),
+      hostedMembers: opts.hostedMembers ?? (() => []),
       ...(opts.resolveSessionAddresses ? { resolveSessionAddresses: opts.resolveSessionAddresses } : {}),
     });
   }
@@ -114,16 +115,88 @@ describe("stuck sweep: a hosted member that polls for its work", () => {
     expect(more).toEqual([]);
     expect(notice!.destinationSession).toBe(PERSON);
     expect(notice!.sourceSession).toBe(MEMBER);
-    expect(notice!.body).toContain(`check-ins: no check-in observed since ${at.toISOString()}`);
+    expect(notice!.body).toContain(`check-ins: unknown (no check-in cadence declared); no check-in since ${at.toISOString()}`);
     expect(notice!.body).toContain("no read of its own inbox has been observed in that time. Ask its owner to check it's running, or route the work to another seat");
     for (const row of rows) expect(notice!.body).toContain(`- ${row.qitemId}, unclaimed since ${row.tsCreated}, from lead@hub: work for ${MEMBER}`);
     expect(notice!.body).not.toMatch(/dead/i);
   });
 
+  /** The member as its roster lists it, with the cadence its person stated at setup (or none). */
+  const asListed = (checkInMinutes?: number): RosterMember[] => [{ seat: MEMBER, host: "hub", capabilities: ["research"],
+    engagement: ["delegate"], use_when: "research", why: "it researches", hosted: true,
+    ...(checkInMinutes === undefined ? {} : { check_in_minutes: checkInMinutes }) }];
+
+  it("a stated cadence decides only the notice's check-in line, never when the notice is filed: overdue past twice it, checking in within it", async () => {
+    const at = new Date(Date.now() - 3 * 3_600_000);
+    repo = makeRepo({ hostedMembers: () => asListed(60) });
+    repo.recordInboxCheckIn(MEMBER, at);
+    await work(MEMBER, { ageMinutes: 61 });
+    await sweep();
+    expect(notices()[0]!.body).toContain(`check-ins: overdue: last check-in ${at.toISOString()}, expected every 60 min; its schedule may be off or waiting for an approval`);
+    expect(notices()[0]!.body).toContain("why: nobody has claimed these rows, and it hasn't checked in as often as its setup expects.");
+
+    // The same three-hour-old check-in is on time for a member expected every four hours, though older than the
+    // unclaimed age that judges a member with no stated cadence.
+    db.close();
+    db = new Database(":memory:");
+    migrate(db, ALL_MIGRATIONS);
+    bus = new EventBus(db);
+    repo = makeRepo({ hostedMembers: () => asListed(240) });
+    seedSeat("lead@hub");
+    repo.recordInboxCheckIn(MEMBER, at);
+    await work(MEMBER, { ageMinutes: 61 });
+    await sweep();
+    expect(notices()[0]!.body).toContain("check-ins: checking in: its last check-in is within twice its expected 240 min");
+  });
+
+  it("the notice says what the hosted-members read says: an unusable cadence reads unknown with its reason, even with a fresh check-in", async () => {
+    const member = { ...asListed()[0]!, check_in_problem: "check_in_minutes \"60\" isn't a positive whole number of minutes" };
+    repo = makeRepo({ hostedMembers: () => [member] });
+    repo.recordInboxCheckIn(MEMBER, new Date(Date.now() - 5 * 60_000));
+    await work(MEMBER, { ageMinutes: 61 });
+    await sweep();
+    expect(repo.hostedMemberCheckIns()[0]).toMatchObject({ status: "unknown", reason: member.check_in_problem });
+    expect(notices()[0]!.body).toContain(`check-ins: unknown (${member.check_in_problem}); it read its own inbox within the last 60 min`);
+    expect(notices()[0]!.body).not.toContain("checking in");
+  });
+
+  it("check-in status is a status, never a refusal: work for an overdue or never-seen member queues and is recorded as before", async () => {
+    repo = makeRepo({ hostedMembers: () => asListed(60) });
+    repo.recordInboxCheckIn(MEMBER, new Date(Date.now() - 5 * 3_600_000));
+    const overdue = await repo.create({ sourceSession: "lead@hub", destinationSession: MEMBER, body: "work", summary: "work" });
+    const unlisted = makeRepo();
+    const baseline = await unlisted.create({ sourceSession: "lead@hub", destinationSession: MEMBER, body: "work", summary: "work" });
+    expect(repo.getById(overdue.qitemId)).toMatchObject({ state: "pending", destinationSession: MEMBER });
+    expect(repo.getById(overdue.qitemId)!.lastNudgeResult).toBe(unlisted.getById(baseline.qitemId)!.lastNudgeResult);
+    expect(repo.hostedMemberCheckIns().map((m) => m.status)).toEqual(["check-in-overdue"]);
+  });
+
+  it("the hosted-members read gives each member's status, last check-in and stated cadence", async () => {
+    const members = [...asListed(60), { ...asListed()[0]!, seat: "helper-b@hub", check_in_on_request: true as const },
+      { ...asListed(30)[0]!, seat: "helper-c@hub" }, { ...asListed()[0]!, seat: "helper-d@hub" }];
+    repo = makeRepo({ hostedMembers: () => members });
+    const at = new Date(Date.now() - 10 * 60_000);
+    repo.recordInboxCheckIn(MEMBER, at);
+    repo.recordInboxCheckIn("helper-b@hub", at);
+    repo.recordInboxCheckIn("helper-d@hub", at);
+    const res = await appFor(repo).request("/api/queue/hosted-members");
+    expect(res.status).toBe(200);
+    const body = await res.json() as { hostId: unknown; members: unknown };
+    expect(body).toHaveProperty("hostId");
+    expect(body.members).toEqual([
+      { seat: MEMBER, rung: false, status: "checking-in", lastCheckInAt: at.toISOString(), expectedMinutes: 60, onRequest: false, reporter: "openrig-observed" },
+      { seat: "helper-b@hub", rung: false, status: "on-request", lastCheckInAt: at.toISOString(), expectedMinutes: null, onRequest: true, reporter: "openrig-observed" },
+      { seat: "helper-c@hub", rung: false, status: "no-check-in-yet", lastCheckInAt: null, expectedMinutes: 30, onRequest: false, reporter: "openrig-observed" },
+      // States neither a cadence nor on request: unknown, with its last check-in, never on request, idle or overdue.
+      { seat: "helper-d@hub", rung: false, status: "unknown", lastCheckInAt: at.toISOString(), expectedMinutes: null, onRequest: false,
+        reporter: "openrig-observed", reason: "no check-in cadence declared" },
+    ]);
+  });
+
   it("a member that never checked in says so", async () => {
     await work(MEMBER, { ageMinutes: 61 });
     await sweep();
-    expect(notices()[0]!.body).toContain("check-ins: no check-in observed yet");
+    expect(notices()[0]!.body).toContain("check-ins: no check-in yet; no check-in cadence declared");
   });
 
   it("polling without claiming: old work still surfaces, and the member's check-ins neither reset its age nor rewrite the notice", async () => {
@@ -132,8 +205,8 @@ describe("stuck sweep: a hosted member that polls for its work", () => {
     await poll();
     await sweep();
     const [notice] = notices();
-    expect(notice!.body).toContain("check-ins: checking in: it read its own inbox within the last 60 min");
-    expect(notice!.body).toContain("it's checking in, but this work is still unclaimed");
+    expect(notice!.body).toContain("check-ins: unknown (no check-in cadence declared); it read its own inbox within the last 60 min");
+    expect(notice!.body).toContain("it's reading its own inbox, but this work is still unclaimed");
     expect(notice!.body).toContain(`- ${old.qitemId}, unclaimed since ${old.tsCreated}`);
     expect(notice!.body).not.toContain(young.qitemId);
     expect(perRow()).toEqual([]);
@@ -186,7 +259,7 @@ describe("stuck sweep: a hosted member that polls for its work", () => {
     expect(errors.mock.calls.filter((call) => String(call[0]).includes("inbox check-in not recorded"))).toHaveLength(1);
     expect(repo.lastInboxCheckIn(MEMBER)).toEqual({ state: "unknown" });
     await sweep();
-    expect(notices()[0]!.body).toContain("check-ins: unknown: its check-ins couldn't be read");
+    expect(notices()[0]!.body).toContain("check-ins: unknown (its check-ins couldn't be read)");
   });
 
   it("after a restart the stale check-in is still known, and the first new read records at once", async () => {

packages/daemon/test/queue-stuck-sweep.test.ts

@@ -1767,6 +1767,36 @@ describe("S02 standing stuck sweep — both halves, routed findings, quiet-but-o
     expect(await findingsFor(row.qitemId)).toHaveLength(0);
   });
 
+  it.each(["", ".", ",", ";", ":", ")"])("CUSTODY PUNCTUATION: a closing note accepts the exact target followed by %j", async (punctuation) => {
+    const row = await mkRow();
+    const target = "qitem-20990101000000-punctuation@remote-host";
+    repo.update({ qitemId: row.qitemId, actorSession: "worker@r", state: "done",
+      closureReason: "handed_off_to", closureTarget: target,
+      transitionNote: `custody-verified: ${target}${punctuation} registered-host read confirmed the successor` });
+    await runSweep();
+    expect(await findingsFor(row.qitemId)).toHaveLength(0);
+  });
+
+  it.each(["x.", ".other.", ":123)"])("CUSTODY PUNCTUATION: extra target characters %j do not verify a prefix", async (suffix) => {
+    const row = await mkRow();
+    const target = "qitem-20990101000000-punctuation@remote-host";
+    repo.update({ qitemId: row.qitemId, actorSession: "worker@r", state: "done",
+      closureReason: "handed_off_to", closureTarget: target,
+      transitionNote: `custody-verified: ${target}${suffix} registered-host read confirmed another successor` });
+    await runSweep();
+    expect(await findingsFor(row.qitemId)).toHaveLength(1);
+  });
+
+  it("CUSTODY PUNCTUATION: a shortened target is not an exact target", async () => {
+    const row = await mkRow();
+    const target = "qitem-20990101000000-punctuation@remote-host";
+    repo.update({ qitemId: row.qitemId, actorSession: "worker@r", state: "done",
+      closureReason: "handed_off_to", closureTarget: target,
+      transitionNote: `custody-verified: ${target.slice(0, -1)}. checked elsewhere` });
+    await runSweep();
+    expect(await findingsFor(row.qitemId)).toHaveLength(1);
+  });
+
   it("DISPOSITION CLOSES THE OPEN FINDING: verification landing after the finding minted auto-closes it on the next sweep, and the finding taught the recipe", async () => {
     const row = await mkRow();
     const missing = "qitem-20990101000000-precon02";

packages/daemon/test/seat-fresh-launch.test.ts

@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ import { SeatLifecycleService } from "../src/domain/seat-lifecycle-service.js";
 import { getNodeInventory } from "../src/domain/node-inventory.js";
 import { PsProjectionService } from "../src/domain/ps-projection.js";
 import { SeatIdentityStore } from "../src/domain/seat-identity-store.js";
+import { SeatIdentityReconciler } from "../src/domain/seat-identity-reconciler.js";
 import type { RuntimeAdapter } from "../src/domain/runtime-adapter.js";
 import type { ProjectionPlan } from "../src/domain/projection-planner.js";
 import type { TmuxAdapter, TmuxResult } from "../src/adapters/tmux.js";
@@ -24,6 +25,7 @@ import { deriveOriented } from "../src/domain/startup-proof.js";
 import { deriveRehydrateSessionIdByNode } from "../src/domain/active-occupant.js";
 import { readFreshOccupantRelations } from "../src/domain/fresh-occupant-relation.js";
 import type { NativeProcessLister, NativeProcessRow } from "../src/domain/native-process-lineage.js";
+import type { ProcessTableRow } from "../src/domain/process-table.js";
 
 import { ClaudeCodeAdapter } from "../src/adapters/claude-code-adapter.js";
 import { CLAUDE_BYPASS_CONSENT } from "./fixtures/claude-bypass-consent.js";
@@ -59,6 +61,7 @@ describe("SeatLifecycleService.launchFresh", () => {
   let activitySwaps: Array<{ nodeId: string; generation: string }>;
   let service: SeatLifecycleService;
   let listProcesses: NativeProcessLister;
+  let readProcesses: () => Promise<ProcessTableRow[]>;
 
   beforeEach(() => {
     db = createFullTestDb();
@@ -131,6 +134,7 @@ describe("SeatLifecycleService.launchFresh", () => {
     listProcesses = async () => [{ pid: 4242, ppid: 1, pgid: 4242, tpgid: 4242,
       executableName: "codex", command: "/opt/native/codex -m model", argv: ["/opt/native/codex", "-m", "model"],
       startedAt: "Sat Jan  1 12:00:00 2000" }];
+    readProcesses = async () => [];
     runtimeAdapters = { "claude-code": adapter, codex: { ...adapter, runtime: "codex" } };
     service = new SeatLifecycleService({
       db,
@@ -139,6 +143,7 @@ describe("SeatLifecycleService.launchFresh", () => {
       eventBus,
       tmuxAdapter: tmux,
       listProcesses: () => listProcesses(),
+      readProcesses: () => readProcesses(),
       nodeLauncher,
       startupOrchestrator,
       runtimeAdapters,
@@ -843,6 +848,105 @@ describe("SeatLifecycleService.launchFresh", () => {
       expect(alive.has(seat.sessionName)).toBe(true);
     });
 
+    // `rig unclaim` releases an adopted session (its row detached, its binding cleared) and leaves its process running;
+    // the person then ends it and its tmux session. When that was the server's last session, tmux exits with it.
+    const releaseAdopted = (seat: ReturnType<typeof seedSeat>) => {
+      sessionRegistry.markDetached(seat.session!.id);
+      sessionRegistry.clearBinding(seat.node.id);
+    };
+
+    it("reopens an empty tmux server after rig unclaim released the seat's last session", async () => {
+      const seat = seedSeat({ adopted: true });
+      const server = modelServerLifetime();
+      releaseAdopted(seat);
+      alive.delete(seat.sessionName);
+      livePanes.delete(seat.sessionName);
+      server.up = false;
+
+      const result = await service.launchFresh({ seatRef: seat.sessionName, fresh: true, reason: "start a new occupant" });
+
+      expect(result).toMatchObject({ ok: true, status: "ready", sessionName: seat.sessionName });
+      expect(server).toEqual({ up: true, starts: 1 });
+      expect(tmux.createSession).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+      expect(killed).toEqual([]);
+    });
+
+    it("still refuses a released seat's fresh launch when its session is live behind a transport blip", async () => {
+      const seat = seedSeat({ adopted: true });
+      const server = modelServerLifetime();
+      releaseAdopted(seat);
+      // The released process is still running in its session; only the first probe fails.
+      vi.mocked(tmux.probeSession).mockResolvedValueOnce({ state: "transport_unavailable", cause: "probe blip" });
+
+      const result = await service.launchFresh({ seatRef: seat.sessionName, fresh: true, reason: "start a new occupant" });
+
+      expect(result).toMatchObject({ ok: false, code: "unmanaged_session_collision" });
+      expect(server.starts).toBe(0);
+      expect(tmux.createSession).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+      expect(killed).toEqual([]);
+      expect(alive.has(seat.sessionName)).toBe(true);
+    });
+
+    // Unclaim doesn't end the process, and tmux can lose its socket while its server keeps running: the probe then
+    // can't reach the server, and a server started at that path is a new, empty one. So the model keeps the two apart:
+    // `alive` and `server.up` are what the socket answers, and the process table is what still runs.
+    const DAYS = ["Sun", "Mon", "Tue", "Wed", "Thu", "Fri", "Sat"];
+    const MONTHS = ["Jan", "Feb", "Mar", "Apr", "May", "Jun", "Jul", "Aug", "Sep", "Oct", "Nov", "Dec"];
+    const lstart = (d: Date) => `${DAYS[d.getDay()]} ${MONTHS[d.getMonth()]} ${String(d.getDate()).padStart(2, " ")} `
+      + `${[d.getHours(), d.getMinutes(), d.getSeconds()].map((n) => String(n).padStart(2, "0")).join(":")} ${d.getFullYear()}`;
+    const processRow = (pid: number, ppid: number, startedAt: Date, command: string): ProcessTableRow =>
+      ({ pid, ppid, pgid: pid, tpgid: -1, executableName: command.split(" ")[0]!, startedAt: lstart(startedAt), command });
+    const observed = new Date(Date.now() - 60_000);
+    const releasedWithLostSocket = async () => {
+      const seat = seedSeat({ adopted: true });
+      const server = modelServerLifetime();
+      // Recorded while the adopted seat ran; then released, and the daemon's identity sweep (every 5 s) runs.
+      new SeatIdentityStore(db).upsert({
+        nodeId: seat.node.id, verdict: "verified", evidenceSource: null, reason: null,
+        evidence: { registeredPane: "%old", observedPid: 5151, observedPanePid: 5150, observedCommand: "claude", matchedLayer: 1 },
+        sessionName: seat.sessionName, observedAt: observed.toISOString(),
+      });
+      releaseAdopted(seat);
+      const blindPoll = { listSessions: async () => [] } as unknown as ConstructorParameters<typeof SeatIdentityReconciler>[0]["tmux"];
+      await new SeatIdentityReconciler({ db, tmux: blindPoll }).reconcileAll();
+      alive.delete(seat.sessionName);
+      livePanes.delete(seat.sessionName);
+      server.up = false;
+      return { seat, server };
+    };
+
+    it("keeps refusing a released seat's fresh launch while its recorded process still runs behind a lost socket", async () => {
+      const { seat } = await releasedWithLostSocket();
+      const before = new Date(observed.getTime() - 10 * 60_000);
+      readProcesses = async () => [processRow(5150, 900, before, "zsh"), processRow(900, 1, before, "tmux new-session")];
+
+      const result = await service.launchFresh({ seatRef: seat.sessionName, fresh: true, reason: "start a new occupant" });
+
+      expect(result).toMatchObject({ ok: false, code: "tmux_probe_failed",
+        guidance: expect.stringContaining("last ran as process 5150, which is still running") });
+      expect(tmux.startServer).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+      expect(tmux.createSession).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+      expect(killed).toEqual([]);
+      expect(sessionRegistry.getSessionsForRig(seat.rig.id).map((s) => s.status)).toEqual(["detached"]);
+    });
+
+    it.each([
+      { name: "its recorded process has ended", rows: async () => [] as ProcessTableRow[] },
+      { name: "its pid now belongs to a later process",
+        rows: async () => [processRow(5150, 1, new Date(observed.getTime() + 30_000), "vim")] },
+      { name: "the process table can't be read", rows: async (): Promise<ProcessTableRow[]> => { throw new Error("ps failed"); } },
+    ])("reopens the server for a released seat when $name", async ({ rows }) => {
+      const { seat, server } = await releasedWithLostSocket();
+      readProcesses = rows;
+
+      const result = await service.launchFresh({ seatRef: seat.sessionName, fresh: true, reason: "start a new occupant" });
+
+      expect(result).toMatchObject({ ok: true, status: "ready", sessionName: seat.sessionName });
+      expect(server).toEqual({ up: true, starts: 1 });
+      expect(tmux.createSession).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+      expect(killed).toEqual([]);
+    });
+
     it("proves older non-terminal rows absent on the restored server before superseding them", async () => {
       const seat = seedSeat({ clean: true });
       const older = sessionRegistry.registerSession(seat.node.id, "r00-dev-impl@fresh-rig");

packages/daemon/test/seat-identity-reconciler.test.ts

@@ -440,6 +440,28 @@ describe("SeatIdentityReconciler.reconcileAll", () => {
     db.close();
   });
 
+  it("keeps a released seat's recorded process through the prune, and still prunes a stopped one", async () => {
+    // rig unclaim leaves the latest row detached with origin claimed, and the process running. A fresh launch reads
+    // that process's record before reopening a tmux server, so the 5 s sweep mustn't drop it.
+    const db = createFullTestDb();
+    seedSeat(db, { nodeId: "n1", sessionName: "s1@rig", pane: "%1", status: "detached" });
+    db.prepare("UPDATE sessions SET origin = 'claimed' WHERE node_id = 'n1'").run();
+    seedSeat(db, { nodeId: "n2", sessionName: "s2@rig", pane: "%2", status: "exited" });
+    const store = new SeatIdentityStore(db);
+    for (const [nodeId, sessionName, pid] of [["n1", "s1@rig", 5151], ["n2", "s2@rig", 6161]] as const) {
+      store.upsert({ nodeId, verdict: "verified", evidenceSource: null, reason: null,
+        evidence: { registeredPane: "%1", observedPid: pid, observedPanePid: pid - 1, observedCommand: "claude", matchedLayer: 1 },
+        sessionName, observedAt: NOW().toISOString() });
+    }
+    const rec = new SeatIdentityReconciler({ db, tmux: makeTmux({ sessions: [] }), now: NOW });
+
+    await rec.reconcileAll();
+
+    expect(store.getProcessEvidence("n1")).toEqual({ sessionName: "s1@rig", pid: 5151, panePid: 5150, observedAt: NOW().toISOString() });
+    expect(store.getForNode("n2")).toBeNull();
+    db.close();
+  });
+
   it("liveness is NOT derived from heartbeats — a dead pane stays non-green regardless of any heartbeat", async () => {
     // The reconciler never reads queue/classifier/hook state; a seat whose pane
     // is gone yields pane_missing even if (hypothetically) work/heartbeats exist.

packages/tui/src/attention/attention-model.ts

@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import type { AttentionRead, AttentionItem } from "@openrig/daemon/attention";
 import type { Action, FleetSnapshot, ViewState } from "../types.js";
 import { listItem, wrapDetailLines, type ContentLine } from "../detail.js";
+import { displayTime } from "../time.js";
 
 /** The bounded, confirmed-delivery or bridge-acceptance projection served by S02; no client classification. */
 export interface DeliveredHumanUpdates {
@@ -11,6 +12,8 @@ export interface DeliveredHumanUpdates {
   truncated: boolean;
 }
 
+const BRIDGE_ACCEPTED_SCOPE = " · accepted by bridge";
+
 function isBridgeAcceptedUpdate(q: DeliveredHumanUpdates["items"][number]): boolean {
   return q.deliveryOutcome === "accepted" || q.deliveryReceipt.startsWith("relay-owner-notification-accepted");
 }
@@ -38,13 +41,13 @@ export function composeHumanUpdates(attention: AttentionRead | null, updates: De
     const baseScope = projects.length === 1 ? `project ${projects[0]} (queue tag)` : "instance · project unknown";
     const item: AttentionItem = { id: `human-update:${q.qitemId}`, kind: "update", summary: q.summary || q.body.trim().split(/\r?\n/).find(Boolean) || (accepted ? "Accepted by bridge" : "Delivered update"),
       recipient: q.destinationSession, urgency: "update", unblocks: null, at: q.deliveredAt,
-      scope: accepted ? `${baseScope} · accepted by bridge` : baseScope, project: null,
+      scope: accepted ? `${baseScope}${BRIDGE_ACCEPTED_SCOPE}` : baseScope, project: null,
       source: `/api/queue/${encodeURIComponent(q.qitemId)}` };
     if (!read.items.some(current => current.id === `queue-update:${q.qitemId}`)) read.items.push(item);
     if (wanted === item.id && read.detail?.item.id !== item.id) {
       read.detailError = null;
       read.detail = { item, lines: [q.body, ...(q.humanDetail ? ["Supplemental detail:", q.humanDetail] : []),
-        `From: ${q.sourceSession}`, accepted ? `Accepted by bridge: ${q.deliveredAt}` : `Delivered: ${q.deliveredAt}`, `Delivery receipt: ${q.deliveryReceipt}`, `Queue: ${q.qitemId}`, `Evidence: ${q.evidenceRef ?? "none recorded"}`],
+        `From: ${q.sourceSession}`, `Delivery receipt: ${q.deliveryReceipt}`, `Queue: ${q.qitemId}`, `Evidence: ${q.evidenceRef ?? "none recorded"}`],
         files: q.evidenceRef?.startsWith("/") ? [{ label: "Update evidence", path: q.evidenceRef }] : [] };
     }
   }
@@ -71,7 +74,10 @@ export function attentionLines(state: ViewState, snap: FleetSnapshot, width: num
       if (d.item.recipient) lines.push({ text: `To: ${d.item.recipient}` });
       if (d.item.id.startsWith("human-update:") || d.item.id.startsWith("queue-update:")) lines.push({ text: "No action needed" });
       if (d.item.unblocks) lines.push({ text: `Unblocks: ${d.item.unblocks}` });
-      lines.push({ text: `Scope: ${d.item.scope}` }, { text: `Observed: ${d.item.at ?? "unknown"}` });
+      // Times are drawn in the person's zone (ui.timezone), as the header's are; a delivered update's time is when it was
+      // delivered or accepted by the bridge.
+      const when = !d.item.id.startsWith("human-update:") ? "Observed" : d.item.scope.endsWith(BRIDGE_ACCEPTED_SCOPE) ? "Accepted by bridge" : "Delivered";
+      lines.push({ text: `Scope: ${d.item.scope}` }, { text: `${when}: ${displayTime(d.item.at, state.timeZone)}` });
       lines.push(...questionLines(d.item).map(text => ({ text })));
       lines.push(...d.lines.map(text => ({ text })));
       for (const f of d.files) lines.push(listItem(f.label, { type: "attention-source", path: f.path }));
@@ -124,10 +130,10 @@ export function attentionLines(state: ViewState, snap: FleetSnapshot, width: num
         if (i.humanQuestions?.length) lines.push({ text: `    Questions: ${i.humanQuestions.length}, ${unansweredCount(i)} unanswered` });
         if (i.id.startsWith("human-update:") || i.id.startsWith("queue-update:")) lines.push({ text: "    No action needed" });
         if (i.unblocks) lines.push({ text: `    Unblocks: ${i.unblocks}` });
-        lines.push({ text: `    ${i.scope} · ${i.at ?? "time unknown"}` });
+        lines.push({ text: `    ${i.scope} · ${displayTime(i.at, state.timeZone)}` });
       }
     }
-    lines.push({ text: "" }, { text: `Read at ${read.readAt}` }, ...read.sources.map(s => ({ text: `${s.source}: ${s.state} · ${s.detail}` })));
+    lines.push({ text: "" }, { text: `Read at ${displayTime(read.readAt, state.timeZone)}` }, ...read.sources.map(s => ({ text: `${s.source}: ${s.state} · ${s.detail}` })));
   }
   lines.push({ text: "" }, { text: "Viewing is not approval. Each request's detail says whether it went to Slack and where to answer it." });
   return wrapDetailLines(lines, width);

packages/tui/src/hydrate.ts

@@ -287,8 +287,10 @@ function toAgentRow(node: NodeInventoryRead): AgentRow {
             : node.activityState?.display === "idle"
               ? "idle"
               : (node.terminalActive === true || (node.terminalActive == null && node.agentActivity?.state === "running") ? "active"
-                // A community harness gives no idle signal: a quiet screen is unknown, not idle.
-                : node.communityHarness ? "unknown" : "idle"))
+                // The daemon's activity word decides when it's served (as in `rig ps`): it said unknown, so a quiet
+                // screen stays unknown. A community harness gives no idle signal either. Only an older daemon that
+                // serves no activity word keeps the screen fallback.
+                : node.communityHarness || node.activityState ? "unknown" : "idle"))
           : (node.sessionStatus ?? "unknown"),
     live: node.lifecycleState === "running",
     canRun: node.lifecycleState !== "running"

packages/tui/test/feed-open-human-updates.test.ts

@@ -50,6 +50,24 @@ it("renders an unsent local FYI without inventing an approval or a delivery rece
   expect(text).not.toContain("Delivery receipt:");
 });
 
+it("draws Feed times in the person's zone, as the header does, and redraws them when the zone changes", () => {
+  const item = current(), attention = read([item]);
+  attention.detail = { item, lines: ["Current queue body"], files: [] };
+  const merged = composeHumanUpdates(attention, delivered("other"), item.id)!;
+  const draw = (timeZone: string, attentionOpen: string | null) => attentionLines(
+    { ...createViewState({ instanceId: "owned-fixture", timeZone }).get(), section: "needs" as const, attentionOpen },
+    { ...emptySnapshot(), attentionRead: merged }, 140).map(l => l.text).join("\n");
+  const london = draw("Europe/London", null);
+  expect(london).toContain("instance · 2026-10-01 13:00:00 GMT+1");
+  expect(london).toContain("instance · project unknown · 2026-10-08 13:00:00 GMT+1");
+  expect(london).toContain("Read at 2026-10-09 13:00:00 GMT+1");
+  expect(london).not.toMatch(/\d{4}-\d{2}-\d{2}T\d{2}:/);
+  // The same read, drawn after the zone setting arrives: nothing is re-read, and nothing keeps the earlier zone.
+  const angeles = draw("America/Los_Angeles", item.id);
+  expect(angeles).toContain("Observed: 2026-10-01 05:00:00 PDT");
+  expect(angeles).not.toMatch(/\d{4}-\d{2}-\d{2}T\d{2}:|GMT\+1/);
+});
+
 it("does not retain delivered history beyond a successful empty receipt window when only current updates fail", () => {
   const prior = composeHumanUpdates(read([]), delivered())!;
   const failed = read([]);
@@ -155,8 +173,9 @@ it("labels relay bridge acceptance as accepted by the bridge rather than Deliver
     ],
   };
   const openedBridge = composeHumanUpdates(read([]), bridgeUpdates, "human-update:bridge-fyi")!;
-  const bridgeDetailLines = openedBridge.detail?.lines.join("\n") ?? "";
-  expect(bridgeDetailLines).toContain("Accepted by bridge: 2026-10-08T14:00:00Z");
+  const detailState = (id: string) => ({ ...createViewState({ instanceId: "owned-fixture", timeZone: "UTC" }).get(), section: "needs" as const, attentionOpen: id });
+  const bridgeDetailLines = attentionLines(detailState("human-update:bridge-fyi"), { ...emptySnapshot(), attentionRead: openedBridge }, 140).map(l => l.text).join("\n");
+  expect(bridgeDetailLines).toContain("Accepted by bridge: 2026-10-08 14:00:00 UTC");
   expect(bridgeDetailLines).not.toContain("Delivered:");
   expect(openedBridge.sources.find(s => s.source === "delivered updates")?.detail).toContain("accepted by the bridge");
   expect(openedBridge.sources.find(s => s.source === "delivered updates")?.detail).not.toContain("confirmed delivered updates");
@@ -168,8 +187,8 @@ it("labels relay bridge acceptance as accepted by the bridge rather than Deliver
 
   // Slack delivered wording remains unchanged
   const openedSlack = composeHumanUpdates(read([]), delivered("slack-fyi"), "human-update:slack-fyi")!;
-  const slackDetailLines = openedSlack.detail?.lines.join("\n") ?? "";
-  expect(slackDetailLines).toContain("Delivered: 2026-10-08T12:00:00Z");
+  const slackDetailLines = attentionLines(detailState("human-update:slack-fyi"), { ...emptySnapshot(), attentionRead: openedSlack }, 140).map(l => l.text).join("\n");
+  expect(slackDetailLines).toContain("Delivered: 2026-10-08 12:00:00 UTC");
   expect(slackDetailLines).not.toContain("Accepted by bridge:");
   expect(openedSlack.sources.find(s => s.source === "delivered updates")?.detail).toBe(
     "Latest 20 confirmed delivered updates; retained receipt window.",

packages/tui/test/hydrate.test.ts

@@ -710,7 +710,7 @@ describe("snapshot hydration over the §4.A reads (Phase 2)", () => {
     expect(output.lines.find((line) => /\bmismatch\s/.test(line))).not.toContain("run ▸");
     expect(output.lines.find((line) => /\bmissing\s/.test(line))).not.toContain("run ▸");
   });
-  it("shows a quiet community harness as unknown, never idle, and leaves built-in rows as they were", async () => {
+  it("shows a quiet seat the daemon reads as unknown as unknown, never idle, for a community harness and a built-in runtime alike", async () => {
     const base = (FIXTURES["/api/rigs/01JRIG/nodes"] as Array<Record<string, unknown>>)[0]!;
     const quiet = { startupStatus: "ready", sessionStatus: "running", terminalActive: false, agentActivity: { state: "unknown" },
       activityState: { activity: "unknown", display: "unknown", needsInput: { count: 0, reason: null }, decidedBy: null } };
@@ -727,8 +727,28 @@ describe("snapshot hydration over the §4.A reads (Phase 2)", () => {
       "dev.app-quiet": "unknown",
       "dev.app-moving": "active",
       "dev.app-prompt": "needs_input",
-      "dev.pi-quiet": "idle",
-      "dev.claude-quiet": "idle",
+      "dev.pi-quiet": "unknown",
+      "dev.claude-quiet": "unknown",
+    });
+  });
+
+  it("keeps the daemon's idle and working words, and the screen fallback only for a daemon that serves no activity word", async () => {
+    const base = (FIXTURES["/api/rigs/01JRIG/nodes"] as Array<Record<string, unknown>>)[0]!;
+    const running = { startupStatus: "ready", sessionStatus: "running", runtime: "claude-code", agentActivity: { state: "unknown" } };
+    const served = (display: string) => ({ activity: display === "idle" ? "idle-at-prompt" : display, display, needsInput: { count: 0, reason: null }, decidedBy: null });
+    const nodes = [
+      { ...base, ...running, logicalId: "dev.served-idle", terminalActive: false, activityState: served("idle") },
+      { ...base, ...running, logicalId: "dev.served-working", terminalActive: false, activityState: served("working") },
+      { ...base, ...running, logicalId: "dev.unknown-moving", terminalActive: true, activityState: served("unknown") },
+      { ...base, ...running, logicalId: "dev.legacy-quiet", terminalActive: false, activityState: undefined },
+    ];
+    const snap = await hydrateSnapshot(fixtureClient({}, { "/api/rigs/01JRIG/nodes": nodes }));
+    const statuses = Object.fromEntries(myrig(snap).pods[0]!.agents.map((agent) => [agent.name, agent.status]));
+    expect(statuses).toEqual({
+      "dev.served-idle": "idle",
+      "dev.served-working": "active",
+      "dev.unknown-moving": "active",
+      "dev.legacy-quiet": "idle",
     });
   });
 

scripts/build-package-assets.test.mjs

@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import fs from "node:fs";
 import { tmpdir } from "node:os";
 import { join } from "node:path";
 import { test } from "node:test";
+import { packEntry } from "./npm-pack-json.mjs";
 
 const script = fs.readFileSync(new URL("./build-package.sh", import.meta.url), "utf8");
 const assetsBranch = script.match(/^if \[ -d "\$DAEMON_DIR\/assets" \]; then\n[\s\S]*?^fi$/m)?.[0];
@@ -129,7 +130,7 @@ test("offline npm pack carries staged asset bytes and executability, with npm's
     assertStaged(f);
     const staged = snapshot(f.staged);
     fs.writeFileSync(join(f.cli, "package.json"), JSON.stringify({ name: "openrig-assets-fixture", version: "1.0.0", private: true, files: ["daemon"] }));
-    const packed = JSON.parse(execFileSync("bash", ["-c", 'umask 0022; exec npm pack --offline --ignore-scripts --json --pack-destination "$1"', "asset-pack", f.root], { cwd: f.cli, encoding: "utf8", timeout: 30_000, stdio: ["ignore", "pipe", "pipe"] }))[0];
+    const packed = packEntry(execFileSync("bash", ["-c", 'umask 0022; exec npm pack --offline --ignore-scripts --json --pack-destination "$1"', "asset-pack", f.root], { cwd: f.cli, encoding: "utf8", timeout: 30_000, stdio: ["ignore", "pipe", "pipe"] }));
     const files = new Map(packed.files.map(file => [file.path, file]));
     for (const [name, bytes] of Object.entries(contents)) {
       const entry = `daemon/assets/${name}`;

scripts/check-packing.test.mjs

@@ -2,14 +2,14 @@ import { execSync } from "node:child_process";
 import { existsSync, readFileSync } from "node:fs";
 import { test } from "node:test";
 import assert from "node:assert/strict";
+import { packEntry } from "./npm-pack-json.mjs";
 
 test("npm pack of @openrig/cli includes scripts/check-abi.mjs in tarball", () => {
   const output = execSync("npm pack --dry-run --json 2>/dev/null", {
     cwd: "packages/cli",
     encoding: "utf-8",
   });
-  const entries = JSON.parse(output);
-  const files = entries[0]?.files?.map((f) => f.path) ?? [];
+  const files = packEntry(output).files?.map((f) => f.path) ?? [];
 
   assert.ok(
     files.some((f) => f.includes("scripts/check-abi.mjs")),

scripts/check-substance-gate.mjs

@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ import {
   scanInternalLeaks,
 } from "./internal-leak-scanner.mjs";
 import { LEAK_GUARD_RULES_ENV, leakGuardRulesPath } from "./leak-guard-rules.mjs";
+import { packEntries } from "./npm-pack-json.mjs";
 
 const HERE = dirname(fileURLToPath(import.meta.url));
 const FIX = "Genericize the content, cite its public home, or re-home it to the internal pack root.";
@@ -155,13 +156,22 @@ function derivePackageArtifacts(packageRoot) {
   if (packed.status !== 0) {
     throw new Error(`npm artifact enumeration failed:\n${packed.stderr || packed.stdout || `exit ${packed.status}`}`);
   }
-  let parsed;
+  let entries = [];
   try {
-    parsed = JSON.parse(packed.stdout);
+    // One parse, in the shared reader: a JSON string (even one holding a serialized list) is not a shape npm prints.
+    entries = packEntries(packed.stdout);
   } catch (error) {
-    throw new Error(`npm artifact enumeration did not return JSON: ${error.message}`);
+    if (error instanceof SyntaxError) throw new Error(`npm artifact enumeration did not return JSON: ${error.message}`);
+    // not a shape npm prints: reported below as no files array
   }
-  const rawFiles = parsed?.[0]?.files;
+  // One package is packed here; scanning only the first of several would issue a receipt for part of the artifact.
+  if (entries.length > 1) {
+    throw new Error(
+      `npm artifact enumeration listed ${entries.length} packages where one was packed; `
+      + "run the gate for one package (check --package-root and any npm workspaces setting)",
+    );
+  }
+  const rawFiles = entries[0]?.files;
   if (!Array.isArray(rawFiles)) throw new Error("npm artifact enumeration returned no files array");
   const files = rawFiles.map((entry) => entry?.path).filter((path) => typeof path === "string");
   if (files.length !== rawFiles.length || files.length === 0) {

scripts/check-substance-gate.test.mjs

@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import { execFileSync, spawnSync } from "node:child_process";
 import {
   existsSync,
   mkdirSync,
+  chmodSync,
   mkdtempSync,
   readFileSync,
   rmSync,
@@ -405,6 +406,44 @@ test("exact-line allowances reach content and derived scans and are recorded in
   });
 });
 
+test("npm output that is a JSON string is refused, even when the string holds a serialized list", () => {
+  withFixture(({ root, repo, rules, review, receipt }) => {
+    write(join(repo, "public/guide.md"), "Generic product guidance.\n");
+    commitAll(repo, "string output fixture");
+    writeFileSync(review, JSON.stringify({ surfaces: [] }));
+    const bin = join(root, "bin");
+    const serialized = JSON.stringify([{ files: [{ path: "package.json" }, { path: "public/guide.md" }] }]);
+    write(join(bin, "npm"), `#!${process.execPath}\nprocess.stdout.write(${JSON.stringify(JSON.stringify(serialized))});\n`);
+    chmodSync(join(bin, "npm"), 0o755);
+
+    const result = runGate({ repo, rules, review, receipt, cutSha: gitHead(repo),
+      env: { ...process.env, PATH: `${bin}:${process.env.PATH}` } });
+    assert.notEqual(result.status, 0);
+    assert.match(result.stderr, /npm artifact enumeration returned no files array/);
+  });
+});
+
+test("npm output that lists more than one package is refused before any scan or receipt", () => {
+  const first = { name: "first", files: [{ path: "package.json" }, { path: "public/guide.md" }] };
+  const second = { name: "second", files: [{ path: "package.json" }, { path: "public/other.md" }] };
+  for (const printed of [[first, second], { first, second }]) {
+    withFixture(({ root, repo, rules, review, receipt }) => {
+      write(join(repo, "public/guide.md"), "Generic product guidance.\n");
+      commitAll(repo, "two package output fixture");
+      writeFileSync(review, JSON.stringify({ surfaces: [] }));
+      const bin = join(root, "bin");
+      write(join(bin, "npm"), `#!${process.execPath}\nprocess.stdout.write(${JSON.stringify(JSON.stringify(printed))});\n`);
+      chmodSync(join(bin, "npm"), 0o755);
+
+      const result = runGate({ repo, rules, review, receipt, cutSha: gitHead(repo),
+        env: { ...process.env, PATH: `${bin}:${process.env.PATH}` } });
+      assert.notEqual(result.status, 0);
+      assert.match(result.stderr, /npm artifact enumeration listed 2 packages where one was packed; run the gate for one package \(check --package-root and any npm workspaces setting\)/);
+      assert.equal(existsSync(receipt), false);
+    });
+  }
+});
+
 test("the release ceremony names the gate and its durable receipt", () => {
   const pkg = JSON.parse(readFileSync("package.json", "utf8"));
   assert.equal(pkg.scripts["gate:substance"], "node scripts/check-substance-gate.mjs");
@@ -420,7 +459,7 @@ function writeGateHarness(root, source, invocationPath) {
   mkdirSync(root, { recursive: true });
   const gate = join(root, "check-substance-gate.mjs");
   writeFileSync(gate, source);
-  for (const module of ["internal-leak-scanner.mjs", "leak-guard-rules.mjs"]) {
+  for (const module of ["internal-leak-scanner.mjs", "leak-guard-rules.mjs", "npm-pack-json.mjs"]) {
     writeFileSync(join(root, module), readFileSync(resolve("scripts", module)));
   }
   writeFileSync(join(root, "check-internal-leak-guard.mjs"), [
@@ -474,7 +513,7 @@ function withFixture(run) {
   }
 }
 
-function runGate({ repo, rules, review, receipt, cutSha, gate = GATE }) {
+function runGate({ repo, rules, review, receipt, cutSha, gate = GATE, env = process.env }) {
   return spawnSync(process.execPath, [
     gate,
     "--repo", repo,
@@ -485,7 +524,7 @@ function runGate({ repo, rules, review, receipt, cutSha, gate = GATE }) {
     "--receipt", receipt,
     "--judge", "dev-qa@fixture",
     "--cut-sha", cutSha,
-  ], { encoding: "utf8" });
+  ], { encoding: "utf8", env });
 }
 
 function write(path, content) {

scripts/cli-license.test.mjs

@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import { tmpdir } from "node:os";
 import { delimiter, join } from "node:path";
 import { test } from "node:test";
 import assert from "node:assert/strict";
+import { packEntry } from "./npm-pack-json.mjs";
 
 test("the CLI build carries the unchanged repository LICENSE and README into npm pack", () => {
   const root = mkdtempSync(join(tmpdir(), "cli-license-"));
@@ -26,14 +27,14 @@ test("the CLI build carries the unchanged repository LICENSE and README into npm
     execFileSync("npm", ["run", "build"], { cwd: cli, env, stdio: "pipe" });
     const source = readFileSync(join(root, "LICENSE"));
     assert.deepEqual(readFileSync(join(cli, "LICENSE")), source, "build must stage the repository license verbatim");
-    const packed = JSON.parse(execFileSync("npm", ["pack", "--ignore-scripts", "--json"], { cwd: cli, env, encoding: "utf8", stdio: ["pipe", "pipe", "pipe"] }));
-    assert.ok(packed[0].files.some((file) => file.path === "LICENSE"), "npm archive must include LICENSE");
-    const bytes = execFileSync("tar", ["-xOf", join(cli, packed[0].filename), "package/LICENSE"]);
+    const packed = packEntry(execFileSync("npm", ["pack", "--ignore-scripts", "--json"], { cwd: cli, env, encoding: "utf8", stdio: ["pipe", "pipe", "pipe"] }));
+    assert.ok(packed.files.some((file) => file.path === "LICENSE"), "npm archive must include LICENSE");
+    const bytes = execFileSync("tar", ["-xOf", join(cli, packed.filename), "package/LICENSE"]);
     assert.deepEqual(bytes, source, "packed license must equal the existing root bytes");
     // npm shows the package-root README on the registry page; without it the page reads "No README data found".
     const readme = readFileSync(join(root, "README.md"));
-    assert.ok(packed[0].files.some((file) => file.path === "README.md"), "npm archive must include README.md");
-    const readmeBytes = execFileSync("tar", ["-xOf", join(cli, packed[0].filename), "package/README.md"]);
+    assert.ok(packed.files.some((file) => file.path === "README.md"), "npm archive must include README.md");
+    const readmeBytes = execFileSync("tar", ["-xOf", join(cli, packed.filename), "package/README.md"]);
     assert.deepEqual(readmeBytes, readme, "packed README must equal the existing root bytes");
   } finally {
     rmSync(root, { recursive: true, force: true });

scripts/npm-pack-json.mjs

@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+// `npm pack --json` prints an array of entries up to npm 11 and, from npm 12, an object keyed by package name
+// ("the --json output of `npm pack` and `npm publish` have changed",
+// https://github.com/npm/cli/releases/tag/v12.0.0). Every reader of that output goes through here, so both shapes
+// give the same entries.
+
+/** The entries `npm pack --json` printed, in order, from its output text or its parsed value. */
+export function packEntries(output) {
+  const parsed = typeof output === "string" ? JSON.parse(output) : output;
+  const entries = Array.isArray(parsed)
+    ? parsed
+    : parsed !== null && typeof parsed === "object" ? Object.values(parsed) : null;
+  if (!entries || !entries.every((entry) => entry !== null && typeof entry === "object" && !Array.isArray(entry))) {
+    throw new Error("npm pack --json printed neither an array of entries nor an object of per-package entries");
+  }
+  return entries;
+}
+
+/** The one entry of a `npm pack --json` run that packed one package; any other count throws. */
+export function packEntry(output) {
+  const entries = packEntries(output);
+  if (entries.length !== 1) {
+    throw new Error(`npm pack --json printed ${entries.length} entries where one package was packed`);
+  }
+  return entries[0];
+}

scripts/npm-pack-json.test.mjs

@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+import assert from "node:assert/strict";
+import { test } from "node:test";
+import { packEntries, packEntry } from "./npm-pack-json.mjs";
+
+const entry = { id: "@openrig/[email protected]", name: "@openrig/cli", version: "1.2.3", filename: "openrig-cli-1.2.3.tgz",
+  files: [{ path: "LICENSE" }, { path: "package.json" }] };
+
+test("npm 10 and 11: an array of entries", () => {
+  assert.deepEqual(packEntries(JSON.stringify([entry])), [entry]);
+  assert.deepEqual(packEntry(JSON.stringify([entry])), entry);
+});
+
+test("npm 12: an object of entries keyed by package name", () => {
+  assert.deepEqual(packEntries(JSON.stringify({ "@openrig/cli": entry })), [entry]);
+  assert.deepEqual(packEntry(JSON.stringify({ "@openrig/cli": entry })), entry);
+});
+
+test("both shapes keep every entry in order, and a parsed value reads like its text", () => {
+  const other = { ...entry, name: "@openrig/acp", filename: "openrig-acp-1.2.3.tgz" };
+  assert.deepEqual(packEntries([entry, other]), [entry, other]);
+  assert.deepEqual(packEntries({ "@openrig/cli": entry, "@openrig/acp": other }), [entry, other]);
+});
+
+test("packEntry refuses any count but one", () => {
+  assert.throws(() => packEntry("[]"), /0 entries/);
+  assert.throws(() => packEntry("{}"), /0 entries/);
+  assert.throws(() => packEntry(JSON.stringify([entry, entry])), /2 entries/);
+});
+
+test("output that is neither shape throws", () => {
+  for (const output of ["null", "\"text\"", "3", JSON.stringify(entry), JSON.stringify([[entry]]), JSON.stringify({ a: null })]) {
+    assert.throws(() => packEntries(output), /neither an array of entries nor an object of per-package entries/, output);
+  }
+  assert.throws(() => packEntries("not json"), SyntaxError);
+});

scripts/pack-release.mjs

@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import { createHash } from 'node:crypto';
 import { existsSync, mkdirSync, readFileSync, writeFileSync } from 'node:fs';
 import { join, resolve } from 'node:path';
 import { fileURLToPath } from 'node:url';
+import { packEntry } from './npm-pack-json.mjs';
 
 const LISTING = ['packages/acp/registry/agent.json', 'packages/acp/registry/icon.svg'];
 const readJson = (root, rel) => JSON.parse(readFileSync(join(root, rel), 'utf8'));
@@ -35,8 +36,8 @@ export function packRelease(root, dest) {
   mkdirSync(dest, { recursive: true });
   // The CLI is packed as the release producer has packed it; the launcher isn't a workspace, so it's packed by path.
   // --ignore-scripts skips pack's prepack and postpack, but npm 10 still runs a `prepare`; neither package has one.
-  const pack = target => JSON.parse(execFileSync('npm', ['pack', ...target, '--ignore-scripts', '--json', '--pack-destination', dest],
-    { cwd: root, encoding: 'utf8' }))[0];
+  const pack = target => packEntry(execFileSync('npm', ['pack', ...target, '--ignore-scripts', '--json', '--pack-destination', dest],
+    { cwd: root, encoding: 'utf8' }));
   const artifacts = [pack(['--workspace', 'packages/cli']), pack(['./packages/acp'])].map(packed => {
     const path = join(dest, packed.filename);
     return { name: packed.name, version: packed.version, path, size: packed.size, sha256: sha256(path), integrity: packed.integrity };

scripts/test-tui-package.mjs

@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import os from "node:os";
 import path from "node:path";
 import { execFileSync, spawn, spawnSync } from "node:child_process";
 import { fileURLToPath } from "node:url";
+import { packEntry } from "./npm-pack-json.mjs";
 
 const root = path.resolve(path.dirname(fileURLToPath(import.meta.url)), "..");
 const cli = path.join(root, "packages", "cli");
@@ -47,8 +48,8 @@ async function assertDelayedSplits(entry, pkgDir) {
 
 try {
   execFileSync("npm", ["run", "build:package"], { cwd: root, stdio: "inherit" });
-  const packed = JSON.parse(execFileSync("npm", ["pack", "--ignore-scripts", "--json", "--pack-destination", temp], { cwd: cli, encoding: "utf8" }));
-  const tarball = path.join(temp, packed[0].filename);
+  const packed = packEntry(execFileSync("npm", ["pack", "--ignore-scripts", "--json", "--pack-destination", temp], { cwd: cli, encoding: "utf8" }));
+  const tarball = path.join(temp, packed.filename);
   execFileSync("tar", ["-xzf", tarball, "-C", temp]);
 
   const pkgDir = path.join(temp, "package");
@@ -68,7 +69,7 @@ try {
   });
   assert.equal(launched.status, 0, launched.stderr || `packed TUI exited ${launched.status}`);
   await assertDelayedSplits(entry, pkgDir);
-  console.log(`packed TUI launch PASS: ${packed[0].filename}`);
+  console.log(`packed TUI launch PASS: ${packed.filename}`);
 } finally {
   fs.rmSync(temp, { recursive: true, force: true });
 }