chore: bump version to 1.5.18

* feat(admin): align turnstone-admin DB config with server (config.toml + env)

turnstone-admin previously read TURNSTONE_DB_* env vars only, forcing
operators with credentials in config.toml to re-export them just to
run admin commands. Wire add_config_arg + apply_config(["database"])
into main() so admin honors the same precedence as turnstone-server:
CLI / config.toml [database] > TURNSTONE_DB_* env > hardcoded defaults.

Also exposes pool_size + sslmode/sslrootcert/sslcert/sslkey to admin,
which previously dropped any such config silently.

Hardening: load_config() now warns once when config.toml is group- or
world-readable, since DB password and TLS key paths live in [database].

Tests cover precedence (default / config / env / partial fallback /
empty-string-in-config-beats-env), the real init_storage boundary on
a tmp sqlite path, the sys.argv -> main() pre-parser path, and the
new permission check (mode 0644 warns, 0600 quiet).

* test(admin): unify config import style in test_admin_db_config

Use module alias (config_mod.apply_config) instead of mixing
'import turnstone.core.config as config_mod' with 'from
turnstone.core.config import apply_config'.  Addresses
github-code-quality bot feedback on PR #531.

CHANGELOG.md

@@ -14,6 +14,147 @@ Three release tracks are maintained:
 
 ## [Unreleased]
 
+## [1.5.18]
+
+Backports the `turnstone-admin` config-loading alignment from `main`
+plus the accompanying `load_config` permission-warning hardening.  No
+schema changes.
+
+### Added
+
+- **`turnstone-admin` reads `config.toml`** — the admin CLI now honors
+  the same `[database]` section that `turnstone-server` does, with the
+  same precedence (`CLI / config.toml > TURNSTONE_DB_* env > defaults`).
+  Operators with DB credentials in `config.toml` no longer need to
+  re-export `TURNSTONE_DB_URL` before every admin invocation.  Newly
+  plumbed through to `init_storage`: `pool_size`, `sslmode`,
+  `sslrootcert`, `sslcert`, `sslkey` — previously the admin CLI
+  silently dropped these.  A new `--config PATH` flag mirrors the
+  one already on `turnstone-server`.
+
+### Security
+
+- **Permissive `config.toml` now warns** — `turnstone.core.config.load_config`
+  logs a single warning when the resolved config file is group- or
+  world-readable (any bit in `0o077`).  DB password and TLS key paths
+  live in `[database]`; operators usually want the file at `0600`.
+
+## [1.5.17]
+
+Backports a clutch of coordinator-tool clarity fixes plus a watch-delivery
+correctness fix from `main` to the `stable/1.5` track, plus a previously-
+latent intent-verdicts persistence bug exposed by the new heuristic-verdict
+INSERT paths.  No schema changes.
+
+### Fixed
+
+- **`intent_verdicts` PK collisions on every llm_fallback delivery** —
+  async LLM-tier "llm_fallback" verdicts (`turnstone/core/judge.py` —
+  `_deliver_fallbacks` and the in-loop fallback path) deliberately
+  reuse the heuristic verdict's `verdict_id` so the row gets
+  "upgraded in place" from `tier="heuristic"` → `tier="llm_fallback"`
+  when the LLM judge times out, is cancelled, or returns no content.
+  The consumer `_persist_intent_verdict` was doing a plain INSERT,
+  hitting the `intent_verdicts_pkey` constraint on every fallback
+  delivery; Postgres logged the duplicate-key error, the application
+  try/except swallowed it at `log.debug`, and the row never actually
+  got upgraded — the LLM judge's annotation
+  (`"(LLM judge did not return a verdict)"`) was lost.  The collision
+  rate exploded on this release because the new heuristic-INSERT
+  paths in the auto-approve early-return branches of `approve_tools`
+  (introduced below) leave no gap for the fallback to land cleanly
+  into.  Fix: new `upsert_intent_verdict` storage method using
+  `ON CONFLICT (verdict_id) DO UPDATE` that updates only `tier`,
+  `reasoning`, `judge_model` — the three fields that genuinely
+  change between heuristic and llm_fallback.  Every other column
+  (identity, carried-verbatim, and `user_decision`) is excluded;
+  `user_decision` in particular would otherwise be clobbered back
+  to `"pending"` when a fallback arrives after the operator has
+  already resolved the approval.  The bulk-INSERT path stays as
+  plain INSERT — fresh UUIDs in `judge.evaluate` make in-turn dups
+  impossible; the inverse race (fallback wins before bulk lands) is
+  reachable but unchanged in observable behavior by this fix,
+  documented at the bulk site for a future hardening pass.
+- **Coordinator LLM re-spawn loops on large fan-outs** — the spawn-tool
+  return JSON used `ws_id` as its key, which primed the model's recency
+  bias to feed the spawn result straight back into another
+  `spawn_workstream(ws_id=...)` call instead of progressing to
+  `wait_for_workstream(ws_ids=[...])`.  On 10+ child fan-outs this cascaded
+  into self-inflicted re-spawn loops.  The LLM-facing tool result now emits
+  `child_ws_id` (the storage column / HTTP API contract is unchanged); the
+  field name is already an existing project term so the rename aligns
+  rather than introduces new vocabulary.  Also handles the silent
+  upstream-omits-ws_id success-shape edge that previously emitted
+  `{"child_ws_id": null}` to the LLM — now surfaces a tool error so the
+  model retries rather than chasing a null id.
+- **`inspect_workstream` blowing the coordinator context budget** — a
+  coord doing a fan-out wave against tool-heavy children could land
+  >100 KB of raw output per inspect call, and the previous safety net
+  (`_truncate_output`'s head+tail strategy) silently dropped *middle*
+  messages — exactly the wrong shape for understanding a child's
+  trajectory (the FIRST sets the brief, the LAST shows the conclusion,
+  the middle is the connective tissue).  Output now goes through a
+  three-tier degradation ladder mirroring the search tool's
+  `_format_search_results`: `_tier="full"` (every message verbatim) →
+  `_tier="compact"` (per-message head/tail-snipped content + snipped
+  `tool_calls.arguments`, falling through a `(20,30)` / `(10,20)` /
+  `(5,10)` message-list trim ladder) → `_tier="skeleton"` (counts, role
+  distribution, last-assistant preview).  Budget 32 KiB matches the
+  search tool's; the chosen tier is annotated on the response so the
+  model can recall with a tighter `message_limit` if signal was lost.
+- **Auto-approved verdicts indistinguishable from pending review** —
+  `intent_verdict` rows for auto-approved tool calls landed with
+  `user_decision=""`, which read identically to "still waiting for the
+  operator" in the audit trail and led to a real misdiagnosis incident.
+  The column now carries an explicit vocabulary at insert: `pending` /
+  `approved` / `denied` / `timeout` / `policy` / `blanket` / `skill` /
+  `always` / `auto_approve_tools`.  The auto-approve early-return
+  branches in `approve_tools` now persist heuristic verdicts stamped
+  with their reason (previously dropped on the floor), and late LLM-tier
+  verdicts that arrive for an already-auto-approved call_id are stamped
+  via a TTL-pruned lookup map — so the audit row carries the
+  auto-approve reason even when the LLM judge daemon completes after
+  the synchronous approval cycle finished.  `resolve_approval` gains a
+  `timeout` kwarg writing `"timeout"` (the previous shape collapsed
+  passive timeouts and active denials into the same column).
+- **`list_skills` empty `allowed_tools` misread as "no tool access"** —
+  the response previously emitted `"allowed_tools": []` for every skill
+  that hadn't declared an auto-approve allowlist, which a coordinator
+  model read as "this skill can't use any tools" (real misdiagnosis: a
+  code-review child appeared to have been spawned with zero tool
+  access).  The field is now omitted entirely when empty — absence
+  carries the unambiguous meaning "no tool is pre-approved for this
+  skill", presence (non-empty list) keeps the standard Claude Code
+  skill-spec shape.  The tool description rewrite makes the
+  auto-approve-allowlist semantics explicit so a future reader doesn't
+  re-derive the gating misread.
+- **Watch terminal-fires silently dropped on backpressure** —
+  delivery now routes terminal events through the same path as
+  normal fires instead of being filtered out when the consumer was
+  saturated.
+
+### Documentation
+
+- **Storage `LIKE_ESCAPE` contract** — clarify that callers passing
+  `.like(escape=...)` must use the same escape character that the
+  storage helper assumes; previous wording let a reader pass a
+  different escape and silently produce no matches.
+
+## [1.5.15]
+
+### Fixed
+
+- **Admin console blank-page on MCP server rows with consented users** — a
+  Phase 9 (1.5.14) regression in `admin.js` used double-quote string
+  delimiters on the bulk-revoke button HTML literal, but the literal embeds
+  a `"` mid-attribute. JS closed the string early, turned `bulk-revoke (`
+  into bare tokens, and the resulting `SyntaxError` wiped out every global
+  in `admin.js` — `showAdmin` and all other admin entry points became
+  undefined, so the console UI was non-functional whenever the rendered MCP
+  server list contained at least one row with `consented_users_count > 0`.
+  Switch the literal to single-quote delimiters to match the surrounding
+  block.
+
 ## [1.5.14]
 
 Backports OAuth-MCP Phase 9 from `main` to the `stable/1.5` track.

Dockerfile

@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ FROM python:3.14-slim
 LABEL org.opencontainers.image.title="turnstone" \
       org.opencontainers.image.description="Multi-node AI orchestration platform"
 
-COPY --from=ghcr.io/astral-sh/uv:0.11.8 /uv /usr/local/bin/uv
+COPY --from=ghcr.io/astral-sh/uv:0.11.14 /uv /usr/local/bin/uv
 
 # Remove the slim image's man page exclusion so man-db has actual content
 RUN rm -f /etc/dpkg/dpkg.cfg.d/docker

docs/architecture.md

@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ turnstone/
     discord/          Discord adapter (bot, cog, views, streaming, config)
     slack/            Slack adapter (Socket Mode bot, DM routing, approval buttons)
   shared_static/      Shared design system (base.css, auth.js, theme.js, toast.js, utils.js, kb.js)
-    katex-0.16.45/    Vendored KaTeX math rendering library (MIT, woff2 fonts)
+    katex-0.16.47/    Vendored KaTeX math rendering library (MIT, woff2 fonts)
   ui/
     colors.py         ANSI color constants with NO_COLOR support
     markdown.py       Streaming terminal markdown renderer (line-buffered)

docs/bulk-endpoints.md

@@ -110,11 +110,18 @@ owns it; the node is just currently unreachable.
 
 ### Example — `spawn_batch`
 
+This is the coordinator-tool result shape (the JSON the LLM receives),
+not an HTTP API response — the table above keys it under "model tool"
+to distinguish it from the `/v1/api/...` endpoints in the same table.
+The underlying HTTP spawn endpoint still returns `ws_id`; the tool
+result re-keys it to `child_ws_id` to defuse a coordinator-LLM recency
+bias (see `docs/coordinator-skills.md`).
+
 ```json
 {
   "results": {
-    "0": {"ws_id": "d4e5f6...", "name": "csrf-audit", "node_id": "gpu-3"},
-    "2": {"ws_id": "f1a2b3...", "name": "xss-audit",  "node_id": "gpu-1"}
+    "0": {"child_ws_id": "d4e5f6...", "name": "csrf-audit", "node_id": "gpu-3"},
+    "2": {"child_ws_id": "f1a2b3...", "name": "xss-audit",  "node_id": "gpu-1"}
   },
   "denied": [
     {"idx": 1, "reason": "skill not found: nonexistent-skill"}

docs/coordinator-skills.md

@@ -169,14 +169,21 @@ validates ws_id against `parent_ws_id=coord_ws_id` AND
   the wait into reporting "complete".
 
 Pattern: capture each spawn result in the next tool call's input.
-The JSON tool-result carries `{"ws_id": "...", "name": "...",
+The JSON tool-result carries `{"child_ws_id": "...", "name": "...",
 "node_id": "...", "routing_strategy": "..."}`; the model should
-extract the ws_id and pass it to `inspect_workstream` /
-`wait_for_workstream` / `send_to_workstream` / `close_workstream`
-verbatim.
+extract the `child_ws_id` and pass it as `ws_id` (or in the `ws_ids`
+list) to `inspect_workstream` / `wait_for_workstream` /
+`send_to_workstream` / `close_workstream` verbatim.  The asymmetry
+— spawn returns `child_ws_id` but the other tools accept `ws_id` /
+`ws_ids` — is intentional: it defuses a coordinator-LLM recency
+bias where seeing `ws_id` in a spawn return primed re-spawn loops
+instead of progression to the wait phase.
 
 A UI that wants human-readable identifiers should render the `name`
-field and keep the ws_id as the click-through key.
+field and keep the workstream id as the click-through key — note
+that the id *value* is the same regardless of whether it arrived
+under the `child_ws_id` key (spawn return) or the `ws_id` key
+(every other tool's input/output); only the field name differs.
 
 ---
 

pyproject.toml

@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ build-backend = "hatchling.build"
 
 [project]
 name = "turnstone"
-version = "1.5.14"
+version = "1.5.18"
 description = "Multi-node AI orchestration platform with tool use, agent routing, and cluster simulation."
 readme = "README.md"
 license = "BUSL-1.1"
@@ -82,9 +82,9 @@ include = [
   "turnstone/console/static/coordinator/*.js",
   "turnstone/shared_static/*.css",
   "turnstone/shared_static/*.js",
-  "turnstone/shared_static/katex-0.16.45/**/*",
+  "turnstone/shared_static/katex-0.16.47/**/*",
   "turnstone/shared_static/hljs-11.11.1/**/*",
-  "turnstone/shared_static/mermaid-11.14.0/**/*",
+  "turnstone/shared_static/mermaid-11.15.0/**/*",
   "turnstone/shared_static/hls-1.6.16/**/*",
   "turnstone/sdk/py.typed",
   "turnstone/deploy/*.yaml",

scripts/update-vendored-js.sh

@@ -50,11 +50,14 @@ update_refs() {
     local old_pattern="$1"  # e.g. katex-0.16.38
     local new_pattern="$2"  # e.g. katex-0.16.39
 
-    # Find all files with version references (excludes vendored JS and worktrees)
+    # Find all files with version references. Excludes the old versioned vendor
+    # directory itself (about to be rm -rf'd anyway) so we don't bother rewriting
+    # self-references inside it — but does NOT exclude all of shared_static/,
+    # because shared_static/renderer.js loads the vendored libs and needs the bump.
     local files
-    files=$(grep -rl --include='*.toml' --include='*.html' --include='*.js' --include='*.md' \
+    files=$(grep -rl --include='*.toml' --include='*.html' --include='*.js' --include='*.md' --include='*.py' \
         -F "$old_pattern" . \
-        --exclude-dir='.claude' --exclude-dir='node_modules' --exclude-dir='shared_static' \
+        --exclude-dir='.claude' --exclude-dir='node_modules' --exclude-dir="$old_pattern" \
         2>/dev/null || true)
     for f in $files; do
         sed -i "s|${old_pattern}|${new_pattern}|g" "$f"

sdk/typescript/package-lock.json

@@ -74,9 +74,9 @@
       }
     },
     "node_modules/@oxc-project/types": {
-      "version": "0.129.0",
-      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/@oxc-project/types/-/types-0.129.0.tgz",
-      "integrity": "sha512-3oz8m3FGdr2nDXVqmFUw7jolKliC4MoyXYIG2c7gpjBnzUWQpUGIYcXYKxTdTi+N2jusvt610ckTMkxdwHkYEg==",
+      "version": "0.130.0",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/@oxc-project/types/-/types-0.130.0.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-ibD2usx9JRu7f5pu2tMKMI4cpA4NgXJQoYRP4pQ7Pxmn1l6k/53qWtQWZayhYy3X4QZkt90Ot+mJEaeXouio6Q==",
       "dev": true,
       "license": "MIT",
       "funding": {
@@ -84,9 +84,9 @@
       }
     },
     "node_modules/@rolldown/binding-android-arm64": {
-      "version": "1.0.0",
-      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/@rolldown/binding-android-arm64/-/binding-android-arm64-1.0.0.tgz",
-      "integrity": "sha512-TWMZnRLMe63C2Lhyicviu7ZHaU4kxa6PS3rofvc9GmcvptzNN11BcfQ4Sl7MwTOsisQoa2keB/EBdNCAnUo8vA==",
+      "version": "1.0.1",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/@rolldown/binding-android-arm64/-/binding-android-arm64-1.0.1.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-fJI3I0r3C3Oj/zdBCpaCmBRZYf07xpaq4yCfDDoSFm+beWNzbIl26puW8RraUdugoJw/95zerNOn6jasAhzSmg==",
       "cpu": [
         "arm64"
       ],
@@ -101,9 +101,9 @@
       }
     },
     "node_modules/@rolldown/binding-darwin-arm64": {
-      "version": "1.0.0",
-      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/@rolldown/binding-darwin-arm64/-/binding-darwin-arm64-1.0.0.tgz",
-      "integrity": "sha512-6XcD+8k0gPVItNagEw78/qqcBDwKcwDYS8V2hRmVsfUSIrd8cWe/CBvRDI5toqFyPfj+FJr6t8U6Xj2P2prEew==",
+      "version": "1.0.1",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/@rolldown/binding-darwin-arm64/-/binding-darwin-arm64-1.0.1.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-cKnAhWEsV7TPcA/5EAteDp6KcJZBQ2G+BqE7zayMMi7kMvwRsbv7WT9aOnn0WNl4SKEIf43vjS31iUPu80nzXg==",
       "cpu": [
         "arm64"
       ],
@@ -118,9 +118,9 @@
       }
     },
     "node_modules/@rolldown/binding-darwin-x64": {
-      "version": "1.0.0",
-      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/@rolldown/binding-darwin-x64/-/binding-darwin-x64-1.0.0.tgz",
-      "integrity": "sha512-iN/tWVXRQDWvmZlKdceP1Dwug9GDpEymhb9p4xnEe6zvCg5lFmzVljl+1qR1NVx3yfGpr2Na+CuLmv5IU8uzfQ==",
+      "version": "1.0.1",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/@rolldown/binding-darwin-x64/-/binding-darwin-x64-1.0.1.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-YKrVwQjIRBPo+5G/u03wGjbdy4q7pyzCe93DK9VJ7zkVmeg8LJ7GbgsiHWdR4xSoe4CAXRD7Bcjgbtr64bkXNg==",
       "cpu": [
         "x64"
       ],
@@ -135,9 +135,9 @@
       }
     },
     "node_modules/@rolldown/binding-freebsd-x64": {
-      "version": "1.0.0",
-      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/@rolldown/binding-freebsd-x64/-/binding-freebsd-x64-1.0.0.tgz",
-      "integrity": "sha512-jjQMDvvwSOuhOwMszD/klSOjyWMM3zI64hWTj9KT5x4MxRbZAf+7vLQ6qouRhtsLVFHr3f0ILaJAfgENPiQdAQ==",
+      "version": "1.0.1",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/@rolldown/binding-freebsd-x64/-/binding-freebsd-x64-1.0.1.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-z/oBsREo46SsFqBwYtFe0kpJeBijAT48O/WXLI4suiCLBkr03RTtTJMCzSdDd2znlh8VJizL09XVkQgk8IZonw==",
       "cpu": [
         "x64"
       ],
@@ -152,9 +152,9 @@
       }
     },
     "node_modules/@rolldown/binding-linux-arm-gnueabihf": {
-      "version": "1.0.0",
-      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/@rolldown/binding-linux-arm-gnueabihf/-/binding-linux-arm-gnueabihf-1.0.0.tgz",
-      "integrity": "sha512-d//Dtg2x6/m3mbV64yUGNnDGNZaDGRpDLLNGerHQUVObuNaIQaaDp25yUiqGXtHEXX+NP2d0wAlmKgpYgIAJ2A==",
+      "version": "1.0.1",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/@rolldown/binding-linux-arm-gnueabihf/-/binding-linux-arm-gnueabihf-1.0.1.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-ik8q7GM11zxvYxFc2PeDcT6TBvhCQMaUxfph/M5l9sKuTs/Sjg3L+Byw0F7w0ZVLBZmx30P+gG0ECzzN+MFcmQ==",
       "cpu": [
         "arm"
       ],
@@ -169,9 +169,9 @@
       }
     },
     "node_modules/@rolldown/binding-linux-arm64-gnu": {
-      "version": "1.0.0",
-      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/@rolldown/binding-linux-arm64-gnu/-/binding-linux-arm64-gnu-1.0.0.tgz",
-      "integrity": "sha512-n7Ofp0mx+aB2cC+Sdy5YtMnXtY9lchnHbY+3Yt0uq9JsWQExf4f5Whu0tK0R8Jdc9S6RchTHjIFY7uc92puOVQ==",
+      "version": "1.0.1",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/@rolldown/binding-linux-arm64-gnu/-/binding-linux-arm64-gnu-1.0.1.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-QoSx2EkyrrdZ6kcyE8stqZ62t0Yra8Fs5ia9lOxJrh6TMQJK7gQKmscdTHf7pOXKREKrVwOtJcQG3qVSfc866A==",
       "cpu": [
         "arm64"
       ],
@@ -189,9 +189,9 @@
       }
     },
     "node_modules/@rolldown/binding-linux-arm64-musl": {
-      "version": "1.0.0",
-      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/@rolldown/binding-linux-arm64-musl/-/binding-linux-arm64-musl-1.0.0.tgz",
-      "integrity": "sha512-EIVjy2cgd7uuMMo94FVkBp7F6DhcZAUwNURkSG3RwUmvAXR6s0ISxM81U+IydcZByPG0pZIHsf1b6kTxoFDgJA==",
+      "version": "1.0.1",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/@rolldown/binding-linux-arm64-musl/-/binding-linux-arm64-musl-1.0.1.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-uwNwFpwKeNiZawfAWBgg0VIztPTV3ihhh1vV334h9ivnNLorxnQMU6Fz8wG1Zb4Qh9LC1/MkcyT3YlDXG3Rsgg==",
       "cpu": [
         "arm64"
       ],
@@ -209,9 +209,9 @@
       }
     },
     "node_modules/@rolldown/binding-linux-ppc64-gnu": {
-      "version": "1.0.0",
-      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/@rolldown/binding-linux-ppc64-gnu/-/binding-linux-ppc64-gnu-1.0.0.tgz",
-      "integrity": "sha512-JEwwOPcwTLAcpDQlqSmjEmfs63xJnSiUNIGvLcDLUHCWK4XowpS/7c7tUsUH6uT/ct6bMUTdXKfI8967FYj6mg==",
+      "version": "1.0.1",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/@rolldown/binding-linux-ppc64-gnu/-/binding-linux-ppc64-gnu-1.0.1.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-zY1bul7OWr7DFBiJ++wofXvnr8B45ce3QsQUhKrIhXsygAh7bTkwyeM1bi1a2g5C/yC/N8TZyGDEoMfm/l9mpg==",
       "cpu": [
         "ppc64"
       ],
@@ -229,9 +229,9 @@
       }
     },
     "node_modules/@rolldown/binding-linux-s390x-gnu": {
-      "version": "1.0.0",
-      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/@rolldown/binding-linux-s390x-gnu/-/binding-linux-s390x-gnu-1.0.0.tgz",
-      "integrity": "sha512-0wjCFhLrihtAubnT9iA0N++0pSV0z5Hg7tNGdNJ4RFaINceHadoF+kiFGyY1qSSNVIAZtLotG8Ju1bgDPkjnFA==",
+      "version": "1.0.1",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/@rolldown/binding-linux-s390x-gnu/-/binding-linux-s390x-gnu-1.0.1.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-0frlsT/f4Ft6I7SMESTKnF3cZsdicQn1dCMkF/jT9wDLE+gGoiQfv1nmT9e+s7s/fekvvy6tZM2jHvI2tkbJDQ==",
       "cpu": [
         "s390x"
       ],
@@ -249,9 +249,9 @@
       }
     },
     "node_modules/@rolldown/binding-linux-x64-gnu": {
-      "version": "1.0.0",
-      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/@rolldown/binding-linux-x64-gnu/-/binding-linux-x64-gnu-1.0.0.tgz",
-      "integrity": "sha512-Dfn7iak9BcMMePxcoJfpSbWqnEyrp/dRF63/8qW/eHBdOZov6x5aShLLEYGYdIeSJ6vMLK/XCVB+lGIxm41bQA==",
+      "version": "1.0.1",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/@rolldown/binding-linux-x64-gnu/-/binding-linux-x64-gnu-1.0.1.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-XABVmGp9Tg0WspTVvwduTc4fpqy6JnAUrSQe6OuyqD/03nI7r0O9OWUkMIwFrjKAIqolvqoA4ZrJppgwE0Gxmw==",
       "cpu": [
         "x64"
       ],
@@ -269,9 +269,9 @@
       }
     },
     "node_modules/@rolldown/binding-linux-x64-musl": {
-      "version": "1.0.0",
-      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/@rolldown/binding-linux-x64-musl/-/binding-linux-x64-musl-1.0.0.tgz",
-      "integrity": "sha512-5/utzzDmD/pD/bmuaUcbTf/sZYy0aztwIVlfpoW1fTjCZ0BaPOMVWGZL1zvgxyi7ZIVYWlxKONHmSbHuiOh8Jw==",
+      "version": "1.0.1",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/@rolldown/binding-linux-x64-musl/-/binding-linux-x64-musl-1.0.1.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-bV4fzswuzVcKD90o/VM6QqKxnxlDq0g2BISDLNVmxrnhpv1DDbyPhCIjYfvzYLV+MvkKKnQt2Q6AO86SEBULUQ==",
       "cpu": [
         "x64"
       ],
@@ -289,9 +289,9 @@
       }
     },
     "node_modules/@rolldown/binding-openharmony-arm64": {
-      "version": "1.0.0",
-      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/@rolldown/binding-openharmony-arm64/-/binding-openharmony-arm64-1.0.0.tgz",
-      "integrity": "sha512-ouJs8VcUomfLfpbUECqFMRqdV4x6aeAK3MA4m6vTrJJjKyWTV5KnxZx7Jd9G+GlDaQQxubcba00x16OyJ1meig==",
+      "version": "1.0.1",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/@rolldown/binding-openharmony-arm64/-/binding-openharmony-arm64-1.0.1.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-/Mh0Zhq3OP7fVs0kcQHZP6lZEthMGTaSf8UBQYSFEZDWGXXlEC+nJ6EqenaK2t4LBXMe3A+K/G2BVXXdtOr4PQ==",
       "cpu": [
         "arm64"
       ],
@@ -306,9 +306,9 @@
       }
     },
     "node_modules/@rolldown/binding-wasm32-wasi": {
-      "version": "1.0.0",
-      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/@rolldown/binding-wasm32-wasi/-/binding-wasm32-wasi-1.0.0.tgz",
-      "integrity": "sha512-E+oHKGiDA+lsKMmFtffDDw91EryDT7uJocrIuCHqhm6bCTM6xFK+3gaCkYOHfPwQr0cCNarSM2xaELoQDz9jJg==",
+      "version": "1.0.1",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/@rolldown/binding-wasm32-wasi/-/binding-wasm32-wasi-1.0.1.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-+1xc9X45l8ufsBAm6Gjvx2qDRIY9lTVt0cgWNcJ+1gdhXvkbxePA60yRTwSTuXL09CMhyJmjpV7E3NoyxbqFQQ==",
       "cpu": [
         "wasm32"
       ],
@@ -325,9 +325,9 @@
       }
     },
     "node_modules/@rolldown/binding-win32-arm64-msvc": {
-      "version": "1.0.0",
-      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/@rolldown/binding-win32-arm64-msvc/-/binding-win32-arm64-msvc-1.0.0.tgz",
-      "integrity": "sha512-yYK02n8Rngo+gbm1y6G0+7jk1sJ/2Wt7K0me0Y7k/ErBpyf+LJ2gFpqWVTcRV1rUepBlQRmpgWkTQCiiwrK0Ow==",
+      "version": "1.0.1",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/@rolldown/binding-win32-arm64-msvc/-/binding-win32-arm64-msvc-1.0.1.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-1D+UqZdfnuR+Jy1GgMJwi85bD40H21uNmOPRWQhw4oRSuolZ/B5rixZ45DK2KXOTCvmVCecauWgEhbw8bI7tOw==",
       "cpu": [
         "arm64"
       ],
@@ -342,9 +342,9 @@
       }
     },
     "node_modules/@rolldown/binding-win32-x64-msvc": {
-      "version": "1.0.0",
-      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/@rolldown/binding-win32-x64-msvc/-/binding-win32-x64-msvc-1.0.0.tgz",
-      "integrity": "sha512-14bpChMahXRRXiTwahSl+zzHPW6qQTXtkMuJBFlbo+pqSAews2d4BdCSHfrJ/MBsCZtpmTafsY+1QhBzitcmdg==",
+      "version": "1.0.1",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/@rolldown/binding-win32-x64-msvc/-/binding-win32-x64-msvc-1.0.1.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-INAycaWuhlOK3wk4mRHGsdgwYWmd9cChdPdE9bwWmy6rn9VqVNYNFGhOdXrofXUxwHIncSiPNb8tNm8knDVIeQ==",
       "cpu": [
         "x64"
       ],
@@ -359,9 +359,9 @@
       }
     },
     "node_modules/@rolldown/pluginutils": {
-      "version": "1.0.0",
-      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/@rolldown/pluginutils/-/pluginutils-1.0.0.tgz",
-      "integrity": "sha512-aKs/3GSWyV0mrhNmt/96/Z3yczC3yvrzYATCiCXQebBsGyYzjNdUphRVLeJQ67ySKVXRfMxt2lm12pmXvbPFQQ==",
+      "version": "1.0.1",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/@rolldown/pluginutils/-/pluginutils-1.0.1.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-2j9bGt5Jh8hj+vPtgzPtl72j0yRxHAyumoo6TNfAjsLB04UtpSvPbPcDcBMxz7n+9CYB0c1GxQFxYRg2jimqGw==",
       "dev": true,
       "license": "MIT"
     },
@@ -409,16 +409,16 @@
       "license": "MIT"
     },
     "node_modules/@vitest/expect": {
-      "version": "4.1.5",
-      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/@vitest/expect/-/expect-4.1.5.tgz",
-      "integrity": "sha512-PWBaRY5JoKuRnHlUHfpV/KohFylaDZTupcXN1H9vYryNLOnitSw60Mw9IAE2r67NbwwzBw/Cc/8q9BK3kIX8Kw==",
+      "version": "4.1.6",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/@vitest/expect/-/expect-4.1.6.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-7EHDquPthALSV0jhhjgEW8FXaviMx7rSqu8W6oqCoAuOhKov814P99QDV1pxMA3QPv21YudvJngIhjrNI4opLg==",
       "dev": true,
       "license": "MIT",
       "dependencies": {
         "@standard-schema/spec": "^1.1.0",
         "@types/chai": "^5.2.2",
-        "@vitest/spy": "4.1.5",
-        "@vitest/utils": "4.1.5",
+        "@vitest/spy": "4.1.6",
+        "@vitest/utils": "4.1.6",
         "chai": "^6.2.2",
         "tinyrainbow": "^3.1.0"
       },
@@ -427,13 +427,13 @@
       }
     },
     "node_modules/@vitest/mocker": {
-      "version": "4.1.5",
-      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/@vitest/mocker/-/mocker-4.1.5.tgz",
-      "integrity": "sha512-/x2EmFC4mT4NNzqvC3fmesuV97w5FC903KPmey4gsnJiMQ3Be1IlDKVaDaG8iqaLFHqJ2FVEkxZk5VmeLjIItw==",
+      "version": "4.1.6",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/@vitest/mocker/-/mocker-4.1.6.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-MCFc63czMjEInOlcY2cpQCvCN+KgbAn+60xu9cMgP4sKaLC5JNAKw7JH8QdAnoAC88hW1IiSNZ+GgVXlN1UcMQ==",
       "dev": true,
       "license": "MIT",
       "dependencies": {
-        "@vitest/spy": "4.1.5",
+        "@vitest/spy": "4.1.6",
         "estree-walker": "^3.0.3",
         "magic-string": "^0.30.21"
       },
@@ -454,9 +454,9 @@
       }
     },
     "node_modules/@vitest/pretty-format": {
-      "version": "4.1.5",
-      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/@vitest/pretty-format/-/pretty-format-4.1.5.tgz",
-      "integrity": "sha512-7I3q6l5qr03dVfMX2wCo9FxwSJbPdwKjy2uu/YPpU3wfHvIL4QHwVRp57OfGrDFeUJ8/8QdfBKIV12FTtLn00g==",
+      "version": "4.1.6",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/@vitest/pretty-format/-/pretty-format-4.1.6.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-h5SxD/IzNhZYnrSZRsUZQIC+vD0GY8cUvq0iwsmkFKixRCKLLWqCXa/FIQ4S1R+sI+PGoojkHsdNrbZiM9Qpgw==",
       "dev": true,
       "license": "MIT",
       "dependencies": {
@@ -467,13 +467,13 @@
       }
     },
     "node_modules/@vitest/runner": {
-      "version": "4.1.5",
-      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/@vitest/runner/-/runner-4.1.5.tgz",
-      "integrity": "sha512-2D+o7Pr82IEO46YPpoA/YU0neeyr6FTerQb5Ro7BUnBuv6NQtT/kmVnczngiMEBhzgqz2UZYl5gArejsyERDSQ==",
+      "version": "4.1.6",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/@vitest/runner/-/runner-4.1.6.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-nOPCmn2+yD0ZNmKdsXGv/UxMMWbMuKeD6GyYncNwdkYDxpQvrPSKYj2rWuDjC2Y4b6w6hjip5dBKFzEUuZe3vA==",
       "dev": true,
       "license": "MIT",
       "dependencies": {
-        "@vitest/utils": "4.1.5",
+        "@vitest/utils": "4.1.6",
         "pathe": "^2.0.3"
       },
       "funding": {
@@ -481,14 +481,14 @@
       }
     },
     "node_modules/@vitest/snapshot": {
-      "version": "4.1.5",
-      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/@vitest/snapshot/-/snapshot-4.1.5.tgz",
-      "integrity": "sha512-zypXEt4KH/XgKGPUz4eC2AvErYx0My5hfL8oDb1HzGFpEk1P62bxSohdyOmvz+d9UJwanI68MKwr2EquOaOgMQ==",
+      "version": "4.1.6",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/@vitest/snapshot/-/snapshot-4.1.6.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-YhsdE6xAVfTDmzjxL2ZDUvjj+ZsgyOKe+TdQzqkD72wIOmHka8NuGQ6NpTNZv9D2Z63fbwWKJPeVpEw4EQgYxw==",
       "dev": true,
       "license": "MIT",
       "dependencies": {
-        "@vitest/pretty-format": "4.1.5",
-        "@vitest/utils": "4.1.5",
+        "@vitest/pretty-format": "4.1.6",
+        "@vitest/utils": "4.1.6",
         "magic-string": "^0.30.21",
         "pathe": "^2.0.3"
       },
@@ -497,9 +497,9 @@
       }
     },
     "node_modules/@vitest/spy": {
-      "version": "4.1.5",
-      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/@vitest/spy/-/spy-4.1.5.tgz",
-      "integrity": "sha512-2lNOsh6+R2Idnf1TCZqSwYlKN2E/iDlD8sgU59kYVl+OMDmvldO1VDk39smRfpUNwYpNRVn3w4YfuC7KfbBnkQ==",
+      "version": "4.1.6",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/@vitest/spy/-/spy-4.1.6.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-JFKxMx6udhwKh/Ldo270e17QX710vgunMkuPAvXjHSvC6oqLWAHhVhjg/I71q0u0CBSErIODV1Kjv0FQNSWjdg==",
       "dev": true,
       "license": "MIT",
       "funding": {
@@ -507,13 +507,13 @@
       }
     },
     "node_modules/@vitest/utils": {
-      "version": "4.1.5",
-      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/@vitest/utils/-/utils-4.1.5.tgz",
-      "integrity": "sha512-76wdkrmfXfqGjueGgnb45ITPyUi1ycZ4IHgC2bhPDUfWHklY/q3MdLOAB+TF1e6xfl8NxNY0ZYaPCFNWSsw3Ug==",
+      "version": "4.1.6",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/@vitest/utils/-/utils-4.1.6.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-FxIY+U81R3LGKCxaHHFRQ5+g6/iRgGLmeHWdp2Amj4ljQRrEIWHmZyDfDYBRZlpyqA7qKxtS9DD1dhk8RnRIVQ==",
       "dev": true,
       "license": "MIT",
       "dependencies": {
-        "@vitest/pretty-format": "4.1.5",
+        "@vitest/pretty-format": "4.1.6",
         "convert-source-map": "^2.0.0",
         "tinyrainbow": "^3.1.0"
       },
@@ -988,14 +988,14 @@
       }
     },
     "node_modules/rolldown": {
-      "version": "1.0.0",
-      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/rolldown/-/rolldown-1.0.0.tgz",
-      "integrity": "sha512-yD986aXDESFGS95spT1LAv0jssywP4npMEjmMHyN2/5+eE8qQJUype2AaKkRiLgBgyD0LFlubwAht7VmY8rGoA==",
+      "version": "1.0.1",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/rolldown/-/rolldown-1.0.1.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-X0KQHljNnEkWNqqiz9zJrGunh1B0HgOxLXvnFpCOcadzcy5qohZ3tqMEUg00vncoRovXuK3ZqCT9KnnKzoInFQ==",
       "dev": true,
       "license": "MIT",
       "dependencies": {
-        "@oxc-project/types": "=0.129.0",
-        "@rolldown/pluginutils": "1.0.0"
+        "@oxc-project/types": "=0.130.0",
+        "@rolldown/pluginutils": "^1.0.0"
       },
       "bin": {
         "rolldown": "bin/cli.mjs"
@@ -1004,21 +1004,21 @@
         "node": "^20.19.0 || >=22.12.0"
       },
       "optionalDependencies": {
-        "@rolldown/binding-android-arm64": "1.0.0",
-        "@rolldown/binding-darwin-arm64": "1.0.0",
-        "@rolldown/binding-darwin-x64": "1.0.0",
-        "@rolldown/binding-freebsd-x64": "1.0.0",
-        "@rolldown/binding-linux-arm-gnueabihf": "1.0.0",
-        "@rolldown/binding-linux-arm64-gnu": "1.0.0",
-        "@rolldown/binding-linux-arm64-musl": "1.0.0",
-        "@rolldown/binding-linux-ppc64-gnu": "1.0.0",
-        "@rolldown/binding-linux-s390x-gnu": "1.0.0",
-        "@rolldown/binding-linux-x64-gnu": "1.0.0",
-        "@rolldown/binding-linux-x64-musl": "1.0.0",
-        "@rolldown/binding-openharmony-arm64": "1.0.0",
-        "@rolldown/binding-wasm32-wasi": "1.0.0",
-        "@rolldown/binding-win32-arm64-msvc": "1.0.0",
-        "@rolldown/binding-win32-x64-msvc": "1.0.0"
+        "@rolldown/binding-android-arm64": "1.0.1",
+        "@rolldown/binding-darwin-arm64": "1.0.1",
+        "@rolldown/binding-darwin-x64": "1.0.1",
+        "@rolldown/binding-freebsd-x64": "1.0.1",
+        "@rolldown/binding-linux-arm-gnueabihf": "1.0.1",
+        "@rolldown/binding-linux-arm64-gnu": "1.0.1",
+        "@rolldown/binding-linux-arm64-musl": "1.0.1",
+        "@rolldown/binding-linux-ppc64-gnu": "1.0.1",
+        "@rolldown/binding-linux-s390x-gnu": "1.0.1",
+        "@rolldown/binding-linux-x64-gnu": "1.0.1",
+        "@rolldown/binding-linux-x64-musl": "1.0.1",
+        "@rolldown/binding-openharmony-arm64": "1.0.1",
+        "@rolldown/binding-wasm32-wasi": "1.0.1",
+        "@rolldown/binding-win32-arm64-msvc": "1.0.1",
+        "@rolldown/binding-win32-x64-msvc": "1.0.1"
       }
     },
     "node_modules/siginfo": {
@@ -1119,16 +1119,16 @@
       }
     },
     "node_modules/vite": {
-      "version": "8.0.12",
-      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/vite/-/vite-8.0.12.tgz",
-      "integrity": "sha512-w2dDofOWv2QB09ZITZBsvKTVAlYvPR4IAmrY/v0ir9KvLs0xybR7i48wxhM1/oyBWO34wPns+bPGw5ZrZqDpZg==",
+      "version": "8.0.13",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/vite/-/vite-8.0.13.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-MFtjBYgzmSxmgA4RAfjIyXWpGe1oALnjgUTzzV7QLx/TKxCzjtMH6Fd9/eVK+5Fg1qNoz5VAwsmMs/NofrmJvw==",
       "dev": true,
       "license": "MIT",
       "dependencies": {
         "lightningcss": "^1.32.0",
         "picomatch": "^4.0.4",
         "postcss": "^8.5.14",
-        "rolldown": "1.0.0",
+        "rolldown": "1.0.1",
         "tinyglobby": "^0.2.16"
       },
       "bin": {
@@ -1197,19 +1197,19 @@
       }
     },
     "node_modules/vitest": {
-      "version": "4.1.5",
-      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/vitest/-/vitest-4.1.5.tgz",
-      "integrity": "sha512-9Xx1v3/ih3m9hN+SbfkUyy0JAs72ap3r7joc87XL6jwF0jGg6mFBvQ1SrwaX+h8BlkX6Hz9shdd1uo6AF+ZGpg==",
+      "version": "4.1.6",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/vitest/-/vitest-4.1.6.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-6lvjbS3p9b4CrdCmguzbh2/4uoXhGE2q71R4OX5sqF9R1bo9Xd6fGrMAfvp5wnCzlBnFVdCOp6onuTQVbo8iUQ==",
       "dev": true,
       "license": "MIT",
       "dependencies": {
-        "@vitest/expect": "4.1.5",
-        "@vitest/mocker": "4.1.5",
-        "@vitest/pretty-format": "4.1.5",
-        "@vitest/runner": "4.1.5",
-        "@vitest/snapshot": "4.1.5",
-        "@vitest/spy": "4.1.5",
-        "@vitest/utils": "4.1.5",
+        "@vitest/expect": "4.1.6",
+        "@vitest/mocker": "4.1.6",
+        "@vitest/pretty-format": "4.1.6",
+        "@vitest/runner": "4.1.6",
+        "@vitest/snapshot": "4.1.6",
+        "@vitest/spy": "4.1.6",
+        "@vitest/utils": "4.1.6",
         "es-module-lexer": "^2.0.0",
         "expect-type": "^1.3.0",
         "magic-string": "^0.30.21",
@@ -1237,12 +1237,12 @@
         "@edge-runtime/vm": "*",
         "@opentelemetry/api": "^1.9.0",
         "@types/node": "^20.0.0 || ^22.0.0 || >=24.0.0",
-        "@vitest/browser-playwright": "4.1.5",
-        "@vitest/browser-preview": "4.1.5",
-        "@vitest/browser-webdriverio": "4.1.5",
-        "@vitest/coverage-istanbul": "4.1.5",
-        "@vitest/coverage-v8": "4.1.5",
-        "@vitest/ui": "4.1.5",
+        "@vitest/browser-playwright": "4.1.6",
+        "@vitest/browser-preview": "4.1.6",
+        "@vitest/browser-webdriverio": "4.1.6",
+        "@vitest/coverage-istanbul": "4.1.6",
+        "@vitest/coverage-v8": "4.1.6",
+        "@vitest/ui": "4.1.6",
         "happy-dom": "*",
         "jsdom": "*",
         "vite": "^6.0.0 || ^7.0.0 || ^8.0.0"

tests/test_admin_db_config.py

@@ -0,0 +1,220 @@
+"""Tests for turnstone-admin DB configuration precedence.
+
+Locks in the alignment with turnstone-server:
+  CLI / config.toml [database]  >  TURNSTONE_DB_* env  >  hardcoded default
+
+The motivation is to keep DB secrets in config.toml (see
+feedback_secrets_not_in_env) rather than forcing operators to export
+TURNSTONE_DB_URL before every admin invocation.
+"""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import argparse
+from typing import TYPE_CHECKING
+from unittest.mock import patch
+
+import pytest
+
+if TYPE_CHECKING:
+    from collections.abc import Iterator
+    from pathlib import Path
+
+import turnstone.core.config as config_mod
+from turnstone.admin import _get_storage
+
+
+def _reset_cache() -> None:
+    config_mod._cache = None
+    config_mod._config_path = None
+
+
+def _build_args(config_path: str | None) -> argparse.Namespace:
+    """Build an args namespace the way admin.main() does.
+
+    Skips ``add_config_arg`` (which reads ``sys.argv``) — the test
+    constructs the args programmatically instead.
+    """
+    config_mod.set_config_path(config_path or "/nonexistent/turnstone-admin-test.toml")
+    parser = argparse.ArgumentParser()
+    config_mod.apply_config(parser, ["database"])
+    sub = parser.add_subparsers(dest="command")
+    sub.add_parser("list-users")
+    return parser.parse_args(["list-users"])
+
+
+@pytest.fixture(autouse=True)
+def _clear_db_env(monkeypatch: pytest.MonkeyPatch) -> Iterator[None]:
+    """Clean slate: no TURNSTONE_DB_* env vars unless a test sets them."""
+    for var in (
+        "TURNSTONE_DB_BACKEND",
+        "TURNSTONE_DB_URL",
+        "TURNSTONE_DB_PATH",
+        "TURNSTONE_DB_POOL_SIZE",
+        "TURNSTONE_DB_SSLMODE",
+        "TURNSTONE_DB_SSLROOTCERT",
+        "TURNSTONE_DB_SSLCERT",
+        "TURNSTONE_DB_SSLKEY",
+        "TURNSTONE_CONFIG",
+    ):
+        monkeypatch.delenv(var, raising=False)
+    _reset_cache()
+    yield
+    _reset_cache()
+
+
+def test_defaults_to_sqlite_when_neither_config_nor_env_set() -> None:
+    args = _build_args(None)
+    with patch("turnstone.core.storage.init_storage") as init:
+        _get_storage(args)
+    assert init.call_args.args == ("sqlite",)
+    assert init.call_args.kwargs["url"] == ""
+    assert init.call_args.kwargs["path"] == ""
+    assert init.call_args.kwargs["pool_size"] == 2
+
+
+def test_config_toml_database_section_drives_init_storage(tmp_path: Path) -> None:
+    cfg = tmp_path / "config.toml"
+    cfg.write_text(
+        "[database]\n"
+        'backend = "postgresql"\n'
+        'url = "postgresql+psycopg://fromconfig:x@host/db"\n'
+        "pool_size = 5\n"
+        'sslmode = "verify-full"\n'
+        'sslrootcert = "/etc/ssl/ca.pem"\n'
+        'sslcert = "/etc/ssl/client.pem"\n'
+        'sslkey = "/etc/ssl/client.key"\n'
+    )
+    args = _build_args(str(cfg))
+    with patch("turnstone.core.storage.init_storage") as init:
+        _get_storage(args)
+    assert init.call_args.args == ("postgresql",)
+    kw = init.call_args.kwargs
+    assert kw["url"] == "postgresql+psycopg://fromconfig:x@host/db"
+    assert kw["pool_size"] == 5
+    assert kw["sslmode"] == "verify-full"
+    assert kw["sslrootcert"] == "/etc/ssl/ca.pem"
+    assert kw["sslcert"] == "/etc/ssl/client.pem"
+    assert kw["sslkey"] == "/etc/ssl/client.key"
+
+
+def test_env_used_as_fallback_when_config_absent(monkeypatch: pytest.MonkeyPatch) -> None:
+    monkeypatch.setenv("TURNSTONE_DB_BACKEND", "postgresql")
+    monkeypatch.setenv("TURNSTONE_DB_URL", "postgresql+psycopg://fromenv:x@host/db")
+    monkeypatch.setenv("TURNSTONE_DB_POOL_SIZE", "7")
+    monkeypatch.setenv("TURNSTONE_DB_SSLMODE", "require")
+
+    args = _build_args(None)
+    with patch("turnstone.core.storage.init_storage") as init:
+        _get_storage(args)
+    assert init.call_args.args == ("postgresql",)
+    kw = init.call_args.kwargs
+    assert kw["url"] == "postgresql+psycopg://fromenv:x@host/db"
+    assert kw["pool_size"] == 7
+    assert kw["sslmode"] == "require"
+
+
+def test_config_toml_wins_over_env(monkeypatch: pytest.MonkeyPatch, tmp_path: Path) -> None:
+    """config.toml beats env — operators should put secrets in TOML."""
+    monkeypatch.setenv("TURNSTONE_DB_BACKEND", "sqlite")
+    monkeypatch.setenv("TURNSTONE_DB_URL", "postgresql+psycopg://fromenv:x@host/db")
+    monkeypatch.setenv("TURNSTONE_DB_SSLMODE", "require")
+
+    cfg = tmp_path / "config.toml"
+    cfg.write_text(
+        "[database]\n"
+        'backend = "postgresql"\n'
+        'url = "postgresql+psycopg://fromconfig:x@host/db"\n'
+        'sslmode = "verify-full"\n'
+    )
+    args = _build_args(str(cfg))
+    with patch("turnstone.core.storage.init_storage") as init:
+        _get_storage(args)
+    assert init.call_args.args == ("postgresql",)
+    kw = init.call_args.kwargs
+    assert kw["url"] == "postgresql+psycopg://fromconfig:x@host/db"
+    assert kw["sslmode"] == "verify-full"
+
+
+def test_partial_config_falls_through_to_env_per_key(
+    monkeypatch: pytest.MonkeyPatch, tmp_path: Path
+) -> None:
+    """A key missing from [database] should fall back to its env var."""
+    monkeypatch.setenv("TURNSTONE_DB_SSLMODE", "require")
+    monkeypatch.setenv("TURNSTONE_DB_POOL_SIZE", "9")
+
+    cfg = tmp_path / "config.toml"
+    cfg.write_text(
+        '[database]\nbackend = "postgresql"\nurl = "postgresql+psycopg://fromconfig:x@host/db"\n'
+    )
+    args = _build_args(str(cfg))
+    with patch("turnstone.core.storage.init_storage") as init:
+        _get_storage(args)
+    kw = init.call_args.kwargs
+    assert kw["url"] == "postgresql+psycopg://fromconfig:x@host/db"
+    assert kw["sslmode"] == "require"
+    assert kw["pool_size"] == 9
+
+
+def test_empty_string_in_config_beats_env(monkeypatch: pytest.MonkeyPatch, tmp_path: Path) -> None:
+    """`url = ""` in config.toml beats an env var.
+
+    Locks in the `is not None` guard — a falsy-but-present TOML value
+    should NOT silently fall through to the env fallback.
+    """
+    monkeypatch.setenv("TURNSTONE_DB_URL", "postgresql+psycopg://fromenv:x@host/db")
+    cfg = tmp_path / "config.toml"
+    cfg.write_text('[database]\nbackend = "sqlite"\nurl = ""\n')
+    args = _build_args(str(cfg))
+    with patch("turnstone.core.storage.init_storage") as init:
+        _get_storage(args)
+    assert init.call_args.kwargs["url"] == ""
+
+
+def test_main_threads_config_toml_through_real_argv(
+    monkeypatch: pytest.MonkeyPatch, tmp_path: Path
+) -> None:
+    """End-to-end: ``turnstone-admin --config <toml> list-users`` honors TOML.
+
+    Covers the ``add_config_arg`` -> ``apply_config`` -> ``_get_storage``
+    chain that the programmatic ``_build_args`` helper skips.
+    """
+    cfg = tmp_path / "config.toml"
+    cfg.write_text(
+        '[database]\nbackend = "postgresql"\nurl = "postgresql+psycopg://fromcli:x@host/db"\n'
+    )
+    monkeypatch.setattr("sys.argv", ["turnstone-admin", "--config", str(cfg), "list-users"])
+
+    fake_storage = patch("turnstone.core.storage.init_storage").start()
+    fake_storage.return_value.list_users.return_value = []
+    try:
+        from turnstone.admin import main
+
+        main()
+    finally:
+        patch.stopall()
+
+    assert fake_storage.call_args.args == ("postgresql",)
+    assert fake_storage.call_args.kwargs["url"] == "postgresql+psycopg://fromcli:x@host/db"
+
+
+def test_get_storage_initializes_real_sqlite_backend(tmp_path: Path) -> None:
+    """Drives the real ``init_storage`` boundary on a fresh sqlite file.
+
+    Mock-only tests would miss a kwarg-name typo (sslmode -> ssl_mode).
+    This test trips on any such drift because Alembic + the backend
+    actually run.
+    """
+    from turnstone.core.storage import reset_storage
+
+    db_file = tmp_path / "admin.db"
+    cfg = tmp_path / "config.toml"
+    cfg.write_text(f'[database]\nbackend = "sqlite"\npath = "{db_file}"\n')
+    args = _build_args(str(cfg))
+
+    reset_storage()
+    try:
+        storage = _get_storage(args)
+        assert storage.list_users() == []
+    finally:
+        reset_storage()

tests/test_config.py

@@ -50,6 +50,41 @@ def test_load_config_invalid_toml(tmp_path):
     assert load_config() == {}
 
 
+def test_load_config_warns_when_world_readable(tmp_path, caplog):
+    """Secrets in config.toml — warn if anyone but the owner can read it."""
+    import logging
+    import os
+
+    _reset_cache()
+    cfg = tmp_path / "config.toml"
+    cfg.write_text('[database]\nurl = "postgresql+psycopg://u:secret@h/d"\n')
+    os.chmod(cfg, 0o644)
+    set_config_path(str(cfg))
+
+    with caplog.at_level(logging.WARNING, logger="turnstone.core.config"):
+        load_config()
+
+    messages = [r.getMessage() for r in caplog.records]
+    assert any("group/world-readable" in m for m in messages)
+
+
+def test_load_config_quiet_when_mode_0600(tmp_path, caplog):
+    import logging
+    import os
+
+    _reset_cache()
+    cfg = tmp_path / "config.toml"
+    cfg.write_text('[database]\nurl = "postgresql+psycopg://u:secret@h/d"\n')
+    os.chmod(cfg, 0o600)
+    set_config_path(str(cfg))
+
+    with caplog.at_level(logging.WARNING, logger="turnstone.core.config"):
+        load_config()
+
+    messages = [r.getMessage() for r in caplog.records]
+    assert not any("group/world-readable" in m for m in messages)
+
+
 def test_load_config_caches(tmp_path):
     _reset_cache()
     cfg = tmp_path / "config.toml"

tests/test_coordinator_client.py

@@ -1228,6 +1228,49 @@ def test_list_skills_hides_interactive_only_skills(tmp_path):
         assert skill["kind"] in {"coordinator", "any"}
 
 
+def test_list_skills_omits_allowed_tools_when_empty(tmp_path):
+    """``allowed_tools`` is the auto-approve allowlist (tools exempt
+    from the operator approval gate), NOT the set of tools the skill
+    can use.  An empty list reads as "no tool access" to a model
+    that doesn't know the semantics — real misdiagnosis source: a
+    code-review skill with no auto-approve allowlist looked like it
+    had been spawned with zero tools.  Dropping the key when empty
+    removes the ambiguity at the source; absence of the field carries
+    the unambiguous meaning "no tool is pre-approved for this skill"
+    while a tool list reads as "these specific tools bypass the prompt".
+    """
+    st = SQLiteBackend(str(tmp_path / "skills_empty.db"))
+    st.create_prompt_template(
+        template_id="s-empty",
+        name="empty-skill",
+        category="ops",
+        content="",
+        variables="[]",
+        is_default=False,
+        org_id="",
+        created_by="test",
+        tags="[]",
+        allowed_tools="[]",
+    )
+    st.create_prompt_template(
+        template_id="s-nonempty",
+        name="nonempty-skill",
+        category="ops",
+        content="",
+        variables="[]",
+        is_default=False,
+        org_id="",
+        created_by="test",
+        tags="[]",
+        allowed_tools='["read_file"]',
+    )
+    client = _make_read_client(st)
+    result = client.list_skills()
+    by_name = {s["name"]: s for s in result["skills"]}
+    assert "allowed_tools" not in by_name["empty-skill"]
+    assert by_name["nonempty-skill"]["allowed_tools"] == ["read_file"]
+
+
 def test_list_skills_projects_allowed_tools_capped_with_sentinel(tmp_path):
     """Each row carries the skill's allowed_tools (capped at the projection
     cap with a +N more sentinel) so coordinators can pick a skill without
@@ -2616,3 +2659,362 @@ def test_cleanup_dead_task_child_refs_storage_batch_failure_swallows(populated_s
 
     populated_storage.get_workstreams_batch = _boom  # type: ignore[method-assign]
     assert client.cleanup_dead_task_child_refs("coord-1") == 0
+
+
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# inspect_workstream — three-tier output compression
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+#
+# A coord doing a fan-out wave against tool-heavy children would
+# otherwise blow the context budget on raw output alone.  Mirrors the
+# search tool's Tier-1/Tier-2/Tier-3 ladder.
+
+
+def _make_inspect_result(
+    *, ws_id: str = "ws-test", state: str = "running", n_messages: int = 5
+) -> dict[str, Any]:
+    """Build an inspect-result dict shaped like ``coordinator_client.inspect()``.
+
+    Production output keys (``ws_id``, ``skill_id``) mirror the storage
+    row that ``inspect()`` spreads from ``get_workstream``.  Tests that
+    synthesize an inspect result must match these keys — otherwise a
+    formatter that looks at the production keys silently emits null
+    values against a fixture that uses different ones (real bug-1
+    regression source: skeleton tier read ``skill`` from a fixture
+    that wrote ``skill`` while production wrote ``skill_id``).
+    """
+    return {
+        "ws_id": ws_id,
+        "state": state,
+        "title": "test workstream",
+        "skill_id": "researcher",
+        "messages": [
+            {"role": "user" if i % 2 == 0 else "assistant", "content": f"msg {i} content"}
+            for i in range(n_messages)
+        ],
+        "verdicts": [],
+    }
+
+
+def test_format_inspect_tiered_full_fits_returns_full_tier():
+    """Small payloads pass through with `_tier='full'` — no compression."""
+    from turnstone.console.coordinator_client import _format_inspect_tiered
+
+    result = _make_inspect_result(n_messages=3)
+    out = _format_inspect_tiered(result)
+    parsed = json.loads(out)
+    assert parsed["_tier"] == "full"
+    # Every message verbatim.
+    assert len(parsed["messages"]) == 3
+    assert parsed["messages"][0]["content"] == "msg 0 content"
+
+
+def test_format_inspect_tiered_compact_when_full_exceeds_budget():
+    """Large messages trigger the compact tier — head/tail-snipped
+    content with the rest of the row intact."""
+    from turnstone.console.coordinator_client import (
+        _INSPECT_MSG_CONTENT_HEAD,
+        _INSPECT_MSG_CONTENT_TAIL,
+        _INSPECT_OUTPUT_BUDGET,
+        _format_inspect_tiered,
+    )
+
+    # Each message ~5KB; with 20 messages, full tier blows the 32KB budget.
+    fat = "X" * 5000
+    result = {
+        "id": "ws-fat",
+        "state": "running",
+        "messages": [{"role": "assistant", "content": fat} for _ in range(20)],
+        "verdicts": [],
+    }
+    out = _format_inspect_tiered(result)
+    parsed = json.loads(out)
+    assert parsed["_tier"] == "compact"
+    # Every message preserved (compact keeps the count, just snips content).
+    assert len(parsed["messages"]) == 20
+    # Head/tail snip kicked in.
+    msg_content = parsed["messages"][0]["content"]
+    assert msg_content.startswith("X" * _INSPECT_MSG_CONTENT_HEAD)
+    assert msg_content.endswith("X" * _INSPECT_MSG_CONTENT_TAIL)
+    assert "chars elided" in msg_content
+    # Budget invariant — the load-bearing contract of the formatter.
+    # Without this assertion, a future change to ``_tier_note`` or
+    # ``_compact_message`` could push the output over budget and the
+    # ``_truncate_output`` head+tail safety net would silently mask
+    # the regression, re-introducing the middle-message-drop pathology.
+    assert len(out) <= _INSPECT_OUTPUT_BUDGET
+
+
+def test_format_inspect_tiered_compact_when_content_below_snip_threshold():
+    """When per-message content is below the snip threshold but the
+    message COUNT alone overflows the budget, compact tier must still
+    stay within budget — by trimming the message list (head + tail of
+    messages) rather than degrading straight to skeleton.  Bug-3
+    regression cover: with 400 × 100-char messages, the original
+    formatter fell through to skeleton because adding ``_tier_note``
+    to an un-snipped tier-2 produced output strictly larger than
+    tier-1 (both over budget).  The fix preserves messages from both
+    ends of the list and inserts an ``_omitted`` sentinel."""
+    from turnstone.console.coordinator_client import (
+        _INSPECT_OUTPUT_BUDGET,
+        _format_inspect_tiered,
+    )
+
+    # 400 × ~100 chars → Tier-1 ~53 KB (over budget), per-message
+    # content under the 964-char snip threshold so content-snipping
+    # saves nothing.  Without the list-trim rung the formatter would
+    # fall to skeleton and drop all 400 messages.
+    smallish = "S" * 100
+    result = {
+        "ws_id": "ws-many-small",
+        "state": "running",
+        "messages": [
+            {"role": "assistant" if i % 2 == 0 else "user", "content": smallish} for i in range(400)
+        ],
+        "verdicts": [],
+    }
+    out = _format_inspect_tiered(result)
+    parsed = json.loads(out)
+    # Should NOT fall through to skeleton — message-list trim preserves
+    # head + tail of the conversation.
+    assert parsed["_tier"] == "compact"
+    assert "messages" in parsed
+    # Some messages must survive; the trim shape is head + tail with an
+    # ``_omitted`` sentinel between them.
+    assert len(parsed["messages"]) > 0
+    assert len(parsed["messages"]) < 400
+    # Budget invariant.
+    assert len(out) <= _INSPECT_OUTPUT_BUDGET
+
+
+def test_format_inspect_tiered_skeleton_when_compact_also_exceeds_budget():
+    """Tier 3 fallback: counts + last assistant preview only.  Trigger by
+    flooding with messages whose content is a multi-block list — the
+    snipper correctly leaves non-string content unchanged (mirrors
+    Anthropic/OpenAI multi-block content shape), so even after the
+    (5, 10) message-list trim the surviving 15 messages don't fit in
+    the 32 KB budget."""
+    from turnstone.console.coordinator_client import (
+        _INSPECT_OUTPUT_BUDGET,
+        _format_inspect_tiered,
+    )
+
+    # 50 messages × multi-block content (~30 KB each — list-shape
+    # content bypasses the head/tail string snipper because lists
+    # aren't strings).  Even (5, 10) trim leaves 15 × 30 KB which
+    # blows the 32 KB budget — forces skeleton.
+    fat_block = {"type": "text", "text": "Y" * 3000}
+    result = {
+        "ws_id": "ws-flood",
+        "state": "running",
+        "title": "flood",
+        "skill_id": "researcher",
+        "messages": [
+            {
+                "role": "assistant" if i % 2 == 0 else "user",
+                "content": [fat_block] * 10,
+            }
+            for i in range(50)
+        ],
+        "verdicts": [],
+    }
+    out = _format_inspect_tiered(result)
+    parsed = json.loads(out)
+    assert parsed["_tier"] == "skeleton"
+    assert parsed["message_count"] == 50
+    # Role distribution surfaces — the "what shape of activity" signal.
+    assert parsed["roles"]["assistant"] == 25
+    assert parsed["roles"]["user"] == 25
+    # No `messages` field at skeleton tier — only the aggregate signal.
+    assert "messages" not in parsed
+    # Budget invariant.
+    assert len(out) <= _INSPECT_OUTPUT_BUDGET
+
+
+def test_format_inspect_tiered_skeleton_keeps_terminal_state_fields():
+    """``close_reason`` / ``last_error`` survive the skeleton fall — they're
+    small, load-bearing, and the operator needs them to understand WHY
+    a terminal child landed in its state."""
+    from turnstone.console.coordinator_client import (
+        _INSPECT_OUTPUT_BUDGET,
+        _format_inspect_tiered,
+    )
+
+    # Same flood pattern as the bare-skeleton test (multi-block content
+    # bypasses the string snipper) — paired with terminal-state fields
+    # that must survive the skeleton fall.
+    fat_block = {"type": "text", "text": "Z" * 3000}
+    result = {
+        "ws_id": "ws-closed",
+        "state": "closed",
+        "title": "done",
+        "skill_id": "researcher",
+        "messages": [{"role": "user", "content": [fat_block] * 10} for _ in range(50)],
+        "verdicts": [],
+        "close_reason": "task complete: report attached",
+        "live": None,  # filtered by truthy check
+    }
+    out = _format_inspect_tiered(result)
+    parsed = json.loads(out)
+    assert parsed["_tier"] == "skeleton"
+    assert parsed["close_reason"] == "task complete: report attached"
+    # Falsy ``live`` doesn't bleed through.
+    assert "live" not in parsed
+    assert len(out) <= _INSPECT_OUTPUT_BUDGET
+
+
+def test_format_inspect_tiered_error_shapes_bypass_tiering():
+    """Cross-tenant / not-found responses keep their original shape — they
+    carry no messages, are already tiny, and changing them would break
+    callers that key on the ``error`` field."""
+    from turnstone.console.coordinator_client import _format_inspect_tiered
+
+    result = {"error": "workstream not found", "ws_id": "ws-foreign"}
+    out = _format_inspect_tiered(result)
+    parsed = json.loads(out)
+    assert parsed == {"error": "workstream not found", "ws_id": "ws-foreign"}
+    # No `_tier` annotation — error shapes are self-describing.
+    assert "_tier" not in parsed
+
+
+def test_format_inspect_tiered_compact_preserves_tool_call_linkage():
+    """Compact tier keeps ``tool_name`` / ``tool_call_id`` / ``name`` so a
+    model reading the snipped trace can still pair a tool call to its
+    response — the linkage is load-bearing for "what happened" signal."""
+    from turnstone.console.coordinator_client import _format_inspect_tiered
+
+    fat = "Q" * 5000
+    result = {
+        "ws_id": "ws-tools",
+        "state": "running",
+        "messages": [
+            {
+                "role": "assistant",
+                "content": fat,
+                "tool_name": "bash",
+                "tool_call_id": "call-1",
+            }
+            for _ in range(20)
+        ],
+        "verdicts": [],
+    }
+    out = _format_inspect_tiered(result)
+    parsed = json.loads(out)
+    assert parsed["_tier"] == "compact"
+    first = parsed["messages"][0]
+    assert first["tool_name"] == "bash"
+    assert first["tool_call_id"] == "call-1"
+
+
+def test_format_inspect_tiered_compact_preserves_assistant_tool_calls():
+    """Compact tier must preserve the assistant-side ``tool_calls`` list
+    (OpenAI shape: ``[{id, type, function: {name, arguments}}]``) so a
+    model reading the snipped trace can see WHICH tool was called and
+    pair it with the corresponding result row via ``id`` ↔ ``tool_call_id``.
+    Bug-2 regression cover: the pre-fix compactor stripped ``tool_calls``,
+    leaving the audit reader with a tool-result orphan against an
+    invisible call.
+
+    ``function.arguments`` strings are snipped head/tail (analogous to
+    content) because they can be multi-KB JSON; ``id`` and
+    ``function.name`` are preserved verbatim — they're the linkage."""
+    from turnstone.console.coordinator_client import (
+        _INSPECT_TOOL_ARG_HEAD,
+        _INSPECT_TOOL_ARG_TAIL,
+        _format_inspect_tiered,
+    )
+
+    fat_content = "C" * 5000  # forces compact tier
+    fat_args = "A" * 5000  # forces argument snipping
+    tool_calls = [
+        {
+            "id": "call-abc-123",
+            "type": "function",
+            "function": {"name": "bash", "arguments": fat_args},
+        },
+        {
+            "id": "call-def-456",
+            "type": "function",
+            "function": {"name": "read_file", "arguments": fat_args},
+        },
+    ]
+    result = {
+        "ws_id": "ws-tool-calls",
+        "state": "running",
+        "messages": [
+            {"role": "assistant", "content": fat_content, "tool_calls": tool_calls}
+            for _ in range(20)
+        ],
+        "verdicts": [],
+    }
+    out = _format_inspect_tiered(result)
+    parsed = json.loads(out)
+    assert parsed["_tier"] == "compact"
+    first = parsed["messages"][0]
+    # tool_calls survives compaction.
+    assert "tool_calls" in first
+    assert len(first["tool_calls"]) == 2
+    # Linkage fields verbatim.
+    assert first["tool_calls"][0]["id"] == "call-abc-123"
+    assert first["tool_calls"][0]["function"]["name"] == "bash"
+    assert first["tool_calls"][1]["id"] == "call-def-456"
+    assert first["tool_calls"][1]["function"]["name"] == "read_file"
+    # arguments snipped head/tail — both prefix and suffix preserved.
+    snipped_args = first["tool_calls"][0]["function"]["arguments"]
+    assert snipped_args.startswith("A" * _INSPECT_TOOL_ARG_HEAD)
+    assert snipped_args.endswith("A" * _INSPECT_TOOL_ARG_TAIL)
+    assert "chars elided" in snipped_args
+
+
+def test_format_inspect_tiered_compact_passes_small_messages_through_unsnipped():
+    """Messages under the snip threshold pass through verbatim at compact
+    tier — snipping a 100-byte message costs more bytes (the elision
+    marker) than it saves."""
+    from turnstone.console.coordinator_client import _format_inspect_tiered
+
+    # Mix: a few large messages force compact tier; small messages must
+    # not be snipped.
+    big = "B" * 5000
+    small = "S" * 50
+    result = {
+        "id": "ws-mixed",
+        "state": "running",
+        "messages": [{"role": "assistant", "content": big} for _ in range(15)]
+        + [{"role": "user", "content": small}],
+        "verdicts": [],
+    }
+    out = _format_inspect_tiered(result)
+    parsed = json.loads(out)
+    assert parsed["_tier"] == "compact"
+    # The trailing small message is exact, not snipped.
+    assert parsed["messages"][-1]["content"] == small
+
+
+def test_format_inspect_tiered_emits_tier_note_when_compressed():
+    """The ``_tier_note`` advisory tells the LLM how to ask for a tighter
+    or fuller view next time — actionable feedback rather than a bare
+    "we compressed your output" signal."""
+    from turnstone.console.coordinator_client import _format_inspect_tiered
+
+    fat = "F" * 5000
+    result = {
+        "id": "ws-noted",
+        "state": "running",
+        "messages": [{"role": "assistant", "content": fat} for _ in range(20)],
+        "verdicts": [],
+    }
+    out = _format_inspect_tiered(result)
+    parsed = json.loads(out)
+    assert "_tier_note" in parsed
+    assert "message_limit" in parsed["_tier_note"]
+
+
+def test_format_inspect_tiered_full_tier_omits_tier_note():
+    """When the full tier fits, no note is emitted — the absence of a
+    note is the signal that nothing was compressed."""
+    from turnstone.console.coordinator_client import _format_inspect_tiered
+
+    out = _format_inspect_tiered(_make_inspect_result(n_messages=2))
+    parsed = json.loads(out)
+    assert parsed["_tier"] == "full"
+    assert "_tier_note" not in parsed

tests/test_coordinator_tools.py

@@ -215,7 +215,12 @@ def test_spawn_exec_does_not_surface_misleading_status_field(coord_session):
     summary tempted callers to write ``if result["status"] == "idle"``
     which silently never matched.  The summary now omits the field
     entirely; lifecycle state lives on the workstream row and is read
-    via inspect_workstream."""
+    via inspect_workstream.
+
+    Also asserts the return key is ``child_ws_id`` (not ``ws_id``) so
+    the coordinator LLM doesn't recency-bias toward feeding the spawn
+    output back into another ``spawn_workstream(ws_id=...)`` call.
+    """
     sess, coord, _ui = coord_session
     coord.spawn.return_value = {
         "ws_id": "child-7",
@@ -227,8 +232,9 @@ def test_spawn_exec_does_not_surface_misleading_status_field(coord_session):
     _call_id, output = sess._exec_spawn_workstream(item)
     body = json.loads(output)
     assert "status" not in body
+    assert "ws_id" not in body
     # The substantive fields are still here.
-    assert body["ws_id"] == "child-7"
+    assert body["child_ws_id"] == "child-7"
     assert body["node_id"] == "node-1"
 
 
@@ -248,6 +254,10 @@ def test_spawn_batch_exec_does_not_surface_misleading_status_field(coord_session
     body = json.loads(output)
     assert "0" in body["results"]
     assert "status" not in body["results"]["0"]
+    # Per-result entries surface ``child_ws_id``, not ``ws_id`` — same
+    # recency-bias rationale as the spawn_workstream test above.
+    assert body["results"]["0"]["child_ws_id"] == "c-x"
+    assert "ws_id" not in body["results"]["0"]
 
 
 def test_spawn_exec_surfaces_client_error(coord_session):
@@ -260,6 +270,21 @@ def test_spawn_exec_surfaces_client_error(coord_session):
     assert ui.tool_results[-1][3] is True  # is_error
 
 
+def test_spawn_exec_treats_missing_ws_id_on_success_path_as_error(coord_session):
+    """A malformed upstream response (200-success-shape with no
+    ``ws_id``) used to emit ``{"child_ws_id": null}`` to the LLM,
+    which then chased a null id through follow-up tools.  Now matches
+    the matching guard in ``_exec_spawn_batch``: surface as a tool
+    error so the model retries instead of acting on garbage."""
+    sess, coord, ui = coord_session
+    # No ``error`` field, but ``ws_id`` is missing — the silent-null path.
+    coord.spawn.return_value = {"name": "c", "node_id": "node-1", "status": 200}
+    item = sess._prepare_tool(_tc("spawn_workstream", {"initial_message": "hi"}))
+    _call_id, output = sess._exec_spawn_workstream(item)
+    assert "no ws_id" in output
+    assert ui.tool_results[-1][3] is True  # is_error
+
+
 # ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 # inspect_workstream
 # ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -1410,9 +1435,13 @@ def test_spawn_batch_exec_serialises_spawns_and_returns_results(coord_session):
     assert body["denied"] == []
     # Keyed by input index (stringified).
     assert set(body["results"].keys()) == {"0", "1", "2"}
-    assert body["results"]["0"]["ws_id"] == "child-0"
+    assert body["results"]["0"]["child_ws_id"] == "child-0"
     assert body["results"]["1"]["node_id"] == "n-1"
-    assert body["results"]["2"]["ws_id"] == "child-2"
+    assert body["results"]["2"]["child_ws_id"] == "child-2"
+    # Confirm we don't leak the old ``ws_id`` key alongside the new
+    # ``child_ws_id`` — see test_spawn_exec_does_not_surface_misleading_status_field
+    # for the rationale on the rename.
+    assert "ws_id" not in body["results"]["0"]
 
 
 def test_spawn_batch_exec_surfaces_per_item_errors_in_denied(coord_session):

tests/test_judge_storage.py

@@ -51,7 +51,11 @@ class TestIntentVerdictCRUD:
         assert v["tier"] == "heuristic"
         assert v["judge_model"] == ""
         assert v["latency_ms"] == 2
-        assert v["user_decision"] == ""
+        # ``user_decision`` defaults to ``"pending"`` (not the empty
+        # string) so an audit reader can distinguish in-flight rows
+        # from pre-convention legacy rows that carry the column's
+        # server_default of ``""``.
+        assert v["user_decision"] == "pending"
         assert "created" in v
 
     def test_get_nonexistent(self, db):
@@ -114,6 +118,123 @@ class TestIntentVerdictCRUD:
         assert ok is False
 
 
+class TestIntentVerdictUpsert:
+    """``upsert_intent_verdict`` — the LLM-tier-aware persistence path.
+
+    Backs the heuristic → llm_fallback "upgrade in place" pattern.
+    The async judge's fallback verdicts deliberately reuse the
+    heuristic ``verdict_id``; a plain INSERT would collide on the
+    PK and the upgrade would be lost to a silently-swallowed
+    exception (Postgres logged ``intent_verdicts_pkey`` violations
+    for every fallback delivery on stable/1.5 smoke tests).
+    """
+
+    def test_upsert_on_fresh_id_inserts(self, db):
+        """No conflict — behaves like a regular INSERT."""
+        db.upsert_intent_verdict(**_make_verdict_kwargs())
+        v = db.get_intent_verdict("v_001")
+        assert v is not None
+        assert v["tier"] == "heuristic"
+        assert v["user_decision"] == "pending"
+
+    def test_upsert_on_conflict_upgrades_tier_reasoning_judge_model(self, db):
+        """On PK conflict: tier, reasoning, judge_model update — every
+        other field is preserved.  Mirrors what the judge emits when
+        promoting heuristic → llm_fallback."""
+        db.upsert_intent_verdict(
+            **_make_verdict_kwargs(
+                tier="heuristic",
+                reasoning="initial heuristic reasoning",
+                judge_model="",
+            )
+        )
+        db.upsert_intent_verdict(
+            **_make_verdict_kwargs(
+                tier="llm_fallback",
+                reasoning="initial heuristic reasoning (LLM judge did not return a verdict)",
+                judge_model="gpt-5-judge",
+            )
+        )
+        v = db.get_intent_verdict("v_001")
+        assert v is not None
+        # The three fields that should change.
+        assert v["tier"] == "llm_fallback"
+        assert "LLM judge did not return" in v["reasoning"]
+        assert v["judge_model"] == "gpt-5-judge"
+
+    def test_upsert_on_conflict_preserves_user_decision(self, db):
+        """LOAD-BEARING: a manually-resolved approval (user_decision=
+        ``"approved"``) or auto-approve-stamped row (user_decision=
+        ``"policy"``/``"blanket"``/etc.) must NOT be clobbered back to
+        ``"pending"`` when the late LLM-fallback verdict lands.
+        ``IntentVerdict.to_dict()`` doesn't project user_decision, so
+        the upsert's defaulted ``"pending"`` would silently overwrite
+        the real value if user_decision were in the on-conflict
+        SET clause."""
+        db.upsert_intent_verdict(**_make_verdict_kwargs())
+        ok = db.update_intent_verdict("v_001", user_decision="approved")
+        assert ok is True
+        # Simulate the late LLM-fallback delivery — same verdict_id,
+        # default user_decision (the IntentVerdict.to_dict() shape).
+        db.upsert_intent_verdict(
+            **_make_verdict_kwargs(
+                tier="llm_fallback",
+                reasoning="extended (LLM judge did not return a verdict)",
+                judge_model="gpt-5-judge",
+            )
+        )
+        v = db.get_intent_verdict("v_001")
+        assert v is not None
+        assert v["user_decision"] == "approved"  # NOT clobbered to "pending"
+        assert v["tier"] == "llm_fallback"  # but the upgrade did land
+
+    def test_upsert_on_conflict_preserves_identity_and_carried_fields(self, db):
+        """Identity columns (ws_id, call_id, func_name, func_args) and
+        carried-verbatim columns (intent_summary, risk_level,
+        confidence, recommendation, evidence, latency_ms) are
+        excluded from the on-conflict SET — verify they aren't
+        changed even when the second upsert passes different values
+        (defensive against a future judge bug that ships divergent
+        carried fields)."""
+        db.upsert_intent_verdict(**_make_verdict_kwargs())
+        db.upsert_intent_verdict(
+            **_make_verdict_kwargs(
+                # Same verdict_id (conflict trigger), divergent everything else.
+                ws_id="ws-different",
+                call_id="tc_different",
+                func_name="bash_v2",
+                func_args='{"command":"rm -rf /"}',
+                intent_summary="totally different summary",
+                risk_level="critical",
+                confidence=0.0,
+                recommendation="deny",
+                evidence='["dangerous"]',
+                latency_ms=99999,
+                # The three fields that DO update.
+                tier="llm_fallback",
+                reasoning="upgraded reasoning",
+                judge_model="judge-v2",
+            )
+        )
+        v = db.get_intent_verdict("v_001")
+        assert v is not None
+        # All preserved from the first upsert (identity + carried).
+        assert v["ws_id"] == "ws-abc"
+        assert v["call_id"] == "tc_001"
+        assert v["func_name"] == "bash"
+        assert v["func_args"] == '{"command":"echo hello"}'
+        assert v["intent_summary"] == "Echo a greeting to stdout"
+        assert v["risk_level"] == "low"
+        assert v["confidence"] == 0.85
+        assert v["recommendation"] == "approve"
+        assert v["evidence"] == '["The command only prints text."]'
+        assert v["latency_ms"] == 2
+        # Only the three updated.
+        assert v["tier"] == "llm_fallback"
+        assert v["reasoning"] == "upgraded reasoning"
+        assert v["judge_model"] == "judge-v2"
+
+
 # ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 # Bulk insert
 # ---------------------------------------------------------------------------

tests/test_nudge_queue.py

@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 
 from __future__ import annotations
 
+import logging
 import threading
 
 import pytest
@@ -401,8 +402,10 @@ class TestValidation:
 
 
 class TestValidUntil:
-    """``valid_until`` predicate: drain re-checks freshness; falsy /
-    raising predicates drop the entry without delivery.
+    """``valid_until`` predicate: drain re-checks freshness.  Falsy
+    predicates drop the entry without delivery and log at ``info``
+    (normal lifecycle outcome); raising predicates drop the entry and
+    log at ``warning`` with ``exc_info`` (misbehaving predicate).
     """
 
     def test_valid_until_true_delivers(self):
@@ -411,26 +414,52 @@ class TestValidUntil:
         out = q.drain({"any"})
         assert out == [("a", "1", None)]
 
-    def test_valid_until_false_drops_silently(self):
+    def test_valid_until_false_drops_with_info_log(self, caplog: pytest.LogCaptureFixture):
         q = NudgeQueue()
         q.enqueue("a", "1", "any", valid_until=lambda: False)
-        out = q.drain({"any"})
+        with caplog.at_level(logging.INFO, logger="turnstone.core.nudge_queue"):
+            out = q.drain({"any"})
         assert out == []
         # Already removed from queue (drain partition removes BEFORE
         # predicate check — falsy doesn't return to queue).
         assert len(q) == 0
+        # The drop emits a structured info record so a wiring
+        # regression (a predicate that always returns False) is still
+        # observable, without spamming ``warning`` for the routine
+        # lifecycle case where ``valid_until`` is doing its job.
+        # structlog renders the event name + extras into ``msg`` as a
+        # single rendered string, so substring-match like the
+        # ``watch_dispatch.queue_full`` assertion in
+        # tests/test_watch_dispatch.py.
+        drops = [r for r in caplog.records if "nudge_queue.predicate_dropped" in r.getMessage()]
+        assert len(drops) == 1
+        assert drops[0].levelno == logging.INFO
+        assert "predicate_false" in drops[0].getMessage()
+        assert "'nudge_type': 'a'" in drops[0].getMessage()
+        assert "'channel': 'any'" in drops[0].getMessage()
+        assert "'text_len': 1" in drops[0].getMessage()
 
-    def test_valid_until_exception_drops_silently(self):
+    def test_valid_until_exception_drops_with_warning(self, caplog: pytest.LogCaptureFixture):
         q = NudgeQueue()
 
         def boom() -> bool:
             raise RuntimeError("predicate crash")
 
         q.enqueue("a", "1", "any", valid_until=boom)
-        out = q.drain({"any"})
+        with caplog.at_level(logging.WARNING, logger="turnstone.core.nudge_queue"):
+            out = q.drain({"any"})
         assert out == []
         # Crash-on-predicate is treated as "no longer valid" — drop, not propagate.
         assert len(q) == 0
+        # Stays at ``warning`` (with ``exc_info``) because a raising
+        # predicate is a bug, not a normal lifecycle outcome.
+        drops = [r for r in caplog.records if "nudge_queue.predicate_dropped" in r.getMessage()]
+        assert len(drops) == 1
+        assert drops[0].levelno == logging.WARNING
+        rendered = drops[0].getMessage()
+        assert "predicate_raised" in rendered
+        assert "RuntimeError" in rendered
+        assert "predicate crash" in rendered
 
     def test_valid_until_evaluated_outside_lock(self):
         """The predicate may do non-trivial work (e.g. storage I/O)

tests/test_session_ui_base.py

@@ -167,8 +167,8 @@ def test_on_intent_verdict_persists_verdict_row() -> None:
     }
     with _patch_get_storage(storage):
         ui.on_intent_verdict(verdict)
-    storage.create_intent_verdict.assert_called_once()
-    kwargs = storage.create_intent_verdict.call_args.kwargs
+    storage.upsert_intent_verdict.assert_called_once()
+    kwargs = storage.upsert_intent_verdict.call_args.kwargs
     assert kwargs["verdict_id"] == "v1"
     assert kwargs["ws_id"] == "ws-1"
     assert kwargs["call_id"] == "c1"
@@ -352,6 +352,192 @@ def test_resolve_approval_stamps_all_pending_verdicts() -> None:
     assert ui._last_verdict_decision == "denied"
 
 
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# user_decision value space — pending / approved / denied / timeout
+# / auto-approve reasons (policy / blanket / skill / always / auto_approve_tools).
+# Guards the "user_decision is never empty for new rows" invariant.
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+
+def test_resolve_approval_timeout_kwarg_writes_timeout_value() -> None:
+    """``resolve_approval(False, ..., timeout=True)`` writes
+    ``user_decision="timeout"`` so the audit trail can distinguish a
+    passive timeout expiry from an active user denial — the feedback
+    string used to carry this distinction but the column alone could not."""
+    storage = MagicMock()
+    ui = _make_ui()
+    with _patch_get_storage(storage):
+        ui.on_intent_verdict({"verdict_id": "v1", "call_id": "c1"})
+    with _patch_get_storage(storage):
+        ui.resolve_approval(False, "expired", timeout=True)
+    storage.update_intent_verdict.assert_any_call("v1", user_decision="timeout")
+    assert ui._last_verdict_decision == "timeout"
+
+
+def test_resolve_approval_timeout_with_approved_raises() -> None:
+    """``timeout=True`` is mutually exclusive with ``approved=True`` —
+    the combination would land a row whose audit column says
+    ``"timeout"`` while the SSE event reports ``approved=True``. Fail
+    loud so the inconsistency can't ship silently."""
+    import pytest
+
+    ui = _make_ui()
+    with pytest.raises(ValueError, match="timeout"):
+        ui.resolve_approval(True, timeout=True)
+
+
+def test_record_auto_approves_populates_reason_lookup() -> None:
+    """``_record_auto_approves`` must seed
+    ``_auto_approve_reasons[call_id]`` with the per-item reason so a
+    late-arriving LLM judge verdict can recover the auto-approve
+    reason via ``on_intent_verdict``."""
+    storage = MagicMock()
+    ui = _make_ui()
+    items = [
+        {
+            "call_id": "c-policy",
+            "func_name": "bash",
+            "auto_approved": True,
+            "auto_approve_reason": "policy",
+        },
+        {
+            "call_id": "c-blanket",
+            "func_name": "list_workstreams",
+            "auto_approved": True,
+            "auto_approve_reason": "blanket",
+        },
+    ]
+    with _patch_get_storage(storage):
+        ui._record_auto_approves(items)
+    assert "c-policy" in ui._auto_approve_reasons
+    assert "c-blanket" in ui._auto_approve_reasons
+    assert ui._auto_approve_reasons["c-policy"][0] == "policy"
+    assert ui._auto_approve_reasons["c-blanket"][0] == "blanket"
+
+
+def test_on_intent_verdict_consumes_auto_approve_reason() -> None:
+    """A late LLM verdict for a previously auto-approved call_id picks
+    up the reason from ``_auto_approve_reasons``, stamps it on the
+    verdict before persist, and pops the entry so re-use isn't
+    possible. Closes the misdiagnosis bug where auto-approved tools
+    landed verdict rows with ``user_decision=""``."""
+    storage = MagicMock()
+    ui = _make_ui()
+    ui._auto_approve_reasons["c-x"] = ("auto_approve_tools", 0.0)
+    with _patch_get_storage(storage):
+        ui.on_intent_verdict({"verdict_id": "v-x", "call_id": "c-x"})
+    storage.upsert_intent_verdict.assert_called_once()
+    kwargs = storage.upsert_intent_verdict.call_args.kwargs
+    assert kwargs["user_decision"] == "auto_approve_tools"
+    # Consumed on read so the same call_id can't double-stamp later.
+    assert "c-x" not in ui._auto_approve_reasons
+    # Auto-stamped verdicts must NOT join _pending_verdicts — the
+    # row's final decision is already set; appending would let a
+    # later resolve_approval overwrite the auto-reason with the
+    # manual decision (real audit-trail clobber bug).
+    assert ui._pending_verdicts == []
+
+
+def test_on_intent_verdict_auto_reason_survives_resolve_cycle() -> None:
+    """Mixed-batch case: one tool was auto-approved (policy), another
+    needs manual approval. The LLM judge fires for the auto-approved
+    sibling DURING the manual-approval wait. The verdict must land
+    with ``user_decision="policy"`` and stay that way even after
+    ``resolve_approval`` fires for the pending sibling — the prior
+    bug was that the auto-stamped row got overwritten with
+    ``"approved"``/``"denied"`` by the resolve path."""
+    storage = MagicMock()
+    ui = _make_ui()
+    ui._auto_approve_reasons["c-auto"] = ("policy", 0.0)
+    with _patch_get_storage(storage):
+        # LLM verdict fires for the auto-approved sibling.
+        ui.on_intent_verdict({"verdict_id": "v-auto", "call_id": "c-auto"})
+        # Now the pending sibling gets a verdict + manual resolve.
+        ui.on_intent_verdict({"verdict_id": "v-pending", "call_id": "c-pending"})
+        ui.resolve_approval(True, "looks good")
+    # Only the pending verdict should be UPDATEd to "approved" — the
+    # auto-stamped one stays "policy" via its INSERT.
+    update_calls = {
+        c.args[0]: c.kwargs.get("user_decision")
+        for c in storage.update_intent_verdict.call_args_list
+    }
+    assert update_calls == {"v-pending": "approved"}
+    # The auto verdict's INSERT carried the policy reason.
+    insert_calls = {
+        c.kwargs["verdict_id"]: c.kwargs["user_decision"]
+        for c in storage.upsert_intent_verdict.call_args_list
+    }
+    assert insert_calls["v-auto"] == "policy"
+    assert insert_calls["v-pending"] == "pending"
+
+
+def test_persist_auto_approved_heuristic_verdicts_stamps_reason() -> None:
+    """The auto-approve early-return branches in ``approve_tools`` used
+    to drop heuristic verdicts on the floor — auditors couldn't tell
+    whether the judge ran or the call was simply silently auto-approved.
+    ``_persist_auto_approved_heuristic_verdicts`` closes that gap and
+    stamps each verdict with the item's reason."""
+    storage = MagicMock()
+    ui = _make_ui()
+    items = [
+        {
+            "call_id": "c-1",
+            "auto_approved": True,
+            "auto_approve_reason": "blanket",
+            "_heuristic_verdict": {
+                "verdict_id": "v-1",
+                "call_id": "c-1",
+                "risk_level": "low",
+                "recommendation": "review",
+            },
+        },
+        # No _heuristic_verdict — skipped (judge didn't run for this item).
+        {"call_id": "c-2", "auto_approved": True, "auto_approve_reason": "blanket"},
+        # Not auto_approved — skipped (this helper only handles auto-approved).
+        {
+            "call_id": "c-3",
+            "_heuristic_verdict": {"verdict_id": "v-3", "call_id": "c-3"},
+        },
+    ]
+    with _patch_get_storage(storage):
+        ui._persist_auto_approved_heuristic_verdicts(items)
+    storage.create_intent_verdicts_bulk.assert_called_once()
+    rows = storage.create_intent_verdicts_bulk.call_args.args[0]
+    assert len(rows) == 1
+    assert rows[0]["verdict_id"] == "v-1"
+    assert rows[0]["user_decision"] == "blanket"
+
+
+def test_auto_approve_reasons_ttl_prune_drops_stale_entries() -> None:
+    """Lazy TTL eviction at write time: entries older than
+    ``_AUTO_APPROVE_REASON_TTL`` are pruned on the next
+    ``_record_auto_approves`` call. Without this, a session with the
+    LLM judge disabled would accumulate entries that never get
+    consumed."""
+    import time as time_module
+
+    storage = MagicMock()
+    ui = _make_ui()
+    # Seed two stale entries (well past the TTL).
+    stale_ts = time_module.time() - ui._AUTO_APPROVE_REASON_TTL - 30.0
+    ui._auto_approve_reasons["c-stale-1"] = ("policy", stale_ts)
+    ui._auto_approve_reasons["c-stale-2"] = ("blanket", stale_ts)
+    items = [
+        {
+            "call_id": "c-fresh",
+            "auto_approved": True,
+            "auto_approve_reason": "skill",
+            "func_name": "bash",
+        }
+    ]
+    with _patch_get_storage(storage):
+        ui._record_auto_approves(items)
+    # Stale entries pruned; only the fresh one remains.
+    assert "c-stale-1" not in ui._auto_approve_reasons
+    assert "c-stale-2" not in ui._auto_approve_reasons
+    assert "c-fresh" in ui._auto_approve_reasons
+
+
 # ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 # Output guard persistence
 # ---------------------------------------------------------------------------

tests/test_watch_dispatch.py

@@ -232,59 +232,52 @@ class TestSoftCap:
 
 
 # ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
-# valid_until predicate
+# Predicate independence
 # ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 
-class TestValidUntil:
-    """The ``valid_until`` predicate captured at dispatch time re-checks
-    the watch's ``active`` flag at drain time, so a cancelled watch's
-    last splat doesn't ride out a future wake.
+class TestPredicateIndependence:
+    """The watch closure does NOT wire a ``valid_until`` predicate.
+
+    Earlier the closure wired ``_still_active`` (re-reading
+    ``is_watch_active`` at drain time).  That predicate raced
+    ``WatchRunner._poll_watch``'s commit of ``active=False`` and silently
+    dropped every terminal fire.  The closure now enqueues without a
+    predicate; entries survive drain regardless of the row's ``active``
+    column state.
     """
 
-    def test_valid_until_drops_when_watch_inactive(self, tmp_db, monkeypatch):
+    def test_drain_delivers_even_when_storage_reports_inactive(self, tmp_db, monkeypatch):
         session = _make_session_for_dispatch()
         _runner, dispatch = _register_runner(session)
 
-        # Storage stub returns False at drain time.
-        is_active_calls = patch_session_storage(monkeypatch, active=False)
-
-        dispatch(_reminder("body"), "watch-1")
-        # Drain fires the predicate; entry should NOT be delivered.
-        out = session._nudge_queue.drain({"any"})
-        assert out == []
-        # Predicate ran once with the dispatched watch_id.
-        assert is_active_calls == ["watch-1"]
-
-    def test_valid_until_drops_when_storage_raises(self, tmp_db, monkeypatch):
-        """The closure's broad-except in the predicate translates a
-        storage-layer exception to ``False`` so the drain doesn't
-        propagate; the predicate captured ``watch_id`` correctly
-        (otherwise storage wouldn't even be touched).
-        """
-        session = _make_session_for_dispatch()
-        _runner, dispatch = _register_runner(session)
-
-        patch_session_storage(monkeypatch, raise_on_is_active=True)
-
-        dispatch(_reminder("body"), "watch-bound-id")
-        out = session._nudge_queue.drain({"any"})
-        assert out == []
-
-    def test_valid_until_delivers_when_watch_active(self, tmp_db, monkeypatch):
-        """Happy-path counter-test for the predicate above: the entry
-        DOES drain when the watch is still active.
-        """
-        session = _make_session_for_dispatch()
-        _runner, dispatch = _register_runner(session)
-
-        patch_session_storage(monkeypatch, active=True)
+        # Even if storage reports active=False, the entry should still
+        # drain — no predicate to drop it.
+        patch_session_storage(monkeypatch, active=False)
 
         dispatch(_reminder("body"), "watch-1")
         out = session._nudge_queue.drain({"any"})
         assert len(out) == 1
         assert out[0][0] == "watch_triggered"
 
+    def test_dispatch_never_calls_is_watch_active(self, tmp_db, monkeypatch):
+        """Pin the invariant directly: the closure must NOT consult
+        ``storage.is_watch_active`` anywhere along the enqueue + drain
+        path.  Without this assertion, a future change that re-wires
+        an ``is_watch_active`` predicate would silently bring back the
+        bug that motivates this whole module.
+        """
+        session = _make_session_for_dispatch()
+        _runner, dispatch = _register_runner(session)
+
+        is_active_calls = patch_session_storage(monkeypatch, active=True)
+
+        dispatch(_reminder("body"), "watch-bound-id")
+        session._nudge_queue.drain({"any"})
+        assert is_active_calls == [], (
+            f"watch closure must not call is_watch_active; got {is_active_calls!r}"
+        )
+
 
 # ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 # Concurrency

tests/test_watch_integration.py

@@ -24,11 +24,15 @@ the structural integration gate for the watch switchover.
 
 from __future__ import annotations
 
+import contextlib
 from typing import Any
 from unittest.mock import MagicMock, patch
 
+import pytest
+
 from tests._helpers import patch_session_storage
 from turnstone.core.session import ChatSession
+from turnstone.core.storage import get_storage
 from turnstone.core.watch import WatchRunner
 
 
@@ -272,3 +276,283 @@ def test_watch_dispatch_through_restore_fn_lands_on_rehydrated_session(tmp_db, m
     # Original session's queue stays empty — the dispatch did NOT
     # accidentally route back to it.
     assert len(original._nudge_queue) == 0
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    ("stop_on", "max_polls", "label"),
+    [
+        ('"HIT" in output', 100, "stop_on_fired"),
+        (None, 1, "max_polls_reached"),
+    ],
+)
+def test_poll_watch_terminal_fire_survives_drain(
+    tmp_db: str,
+    monkeypatch: pytest.MonkeyPatch,
+    stop_on: str | None,
+    max_polls: int,
+    label: str,
+) -> None:
+    """Regression for the dispatch-ordering bug.
+
+    With the broken ordering (``update_watch(active=False)`` before
+    ``_dispatch_result``) plus the ``_still_active`` ``valid_until``
+    predicate that re-reads ``is_watch_active`` at drain time, every
+    terminal watch fire was silently dropped — the closure enqueued
+    the entry but the predicate immediately invalidated it because
+    the row's ``active`` flag had already been flipped to ``0`` in
+    the same poll.  The model never saw the fire.
+
+    This test drives a REAL ``WatchRunner._poll_watch`` against a real
+    ``tmp_db`` watch row (no ``patch_session_storage(active=True)``
+    stub — that stub is exactly what masked the bug in earlier tests).
+    Covers both terminal paths: ``stop_on`` condition matched and
+    ``poll_count >= max_polls`` reached.
+    """
+    session = _make_session()
+    storage = get_storage()
+
+    runner = WatchRunner(storage=storage, node_id="test-node")
+    session.set_watch_runner(runner)
+
+    storage.create_watch(
+        watch_id=f"w-regression-{label}",
+        ws_id=session._ws_id,
+        node_id="test-node",
+        name=f"regression-{label}",
+        command="echo HIT",
+        interval_secs=10.0,
+        stop_on=stop_on,
+        max_polls=max_polls,
+        created_by="model",
+        next_poll="1970-01-01T00:00:00",
+    )
+
+    # Spy ``enqueue`` so the assertion can distinguish "dispatch never
+    # called" (a different bug class) from "dispatch enqueued but the
+    # predicate dropped it at drain" (this bug).
+    enqueue_calls: list[tuple[str, str, str]] = []
+    real_enqueue = session._nudge_queue.enqueue
+
+    def _spy_enqueue(*args: Any, **kwargs: Any) -> None:
+        enqueue_calls.append((args[0], args[1][:40], args[2]))
+        return real_enqueue(*args, **kwargs)
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(session._nudge_queue, "enqueue", _spy_enqueue)
+
+    # For the max_polls=1 case the first poll has prev_output=None and
+    # would not normally fire on output change; the max_polls branch
+    # at watch.py:412-414 still marks is_final=True so dispatch runs.
+    due = storage.list_due_watches("2099-01-01T00:00:00")
+    matching = [r for r in due if r["watch_id"] == f"w-regression-{label}"]
+    assert len(matching) == 1, f"watch row not picked up by list_due_watches: {due!r}"
+    runner._poll_watch(matching[0])
+
+    assert len(enqueue_calls) == 1, (
+        f"_poll_watch did not enqueue exactly one fire (got {enqueue_calls!r}); "
+        "this is a different bug from the predicate-drop regression"
+    )
+    assert enqueue_calls[0][0] == "watch_triggered"
+
+    assert storage.is_watch_active(f"w-regression-{label}") is False, (
+        "terminal fire should have committed active=False on the row"
+    )
+
+    # The key assertion: drain delivers the entry.  Pre-fix this
+    # returned ``[]`` because the ``_still_active`` predicate re-read
+    # ``active=0``.  Post-fix the watch closure no longer wires a
+    # predicate and the entry survives.
+    out = session._nudge_queue.drain({"any"})
+    assert len(out) == 1, (
+        "Watch fire was enqueued but never reached drain — dispatch-ordering "
+        "regression.  Check that WatchRunner._poll_watch dispatches BEFORE "
+        "committing active=False, and that the watch closure in "
+        "ChatSession.set_watch_runner does not wire an is_watch_active "
+        "predicate."
+    )
+    nt, text, _meta = out[0]
+    assert nt == "watch_triggered"
+    assert "HIT" in text
+
+
+def test_cancel_reports_already_completed_for_auto_cancelled_watch(tmp_db: str) -> None:
+    """After a watch fires and auto-cancels, the cancel-by-name path
+    should report 'already completed' rather than 'not found'.
+
+    Pre-fix, ``_exec_watch`` cancel looked the watch up via
+    ``list_watches_for_ws`` which filters ``active==1``, so a recently-
+    auto-cancelled row was invisible and the model got the same
+    'not found' message it would for a typo'd name.  Post-fix the
+    cancel path uses ``find_watch_by_name`` (no active filter) and
+    branches on ``row["active"]``.
+    """
+    session = _make_session()
+    storage = get_storage()
+
+    storage.create_watch(
+        watch_id="w-completed-1",
+        ws_id=session._ws_id,
+        node_id="test-node",
+        name="completed-watch",
+        command="echo x",
+        interval_secs=10.0,
+        stop_on=None,
+        max_polls=100,
+        created_by="model",
+        next_poll="",
+    )
+    # Simulate the post-fire state.
+    storage.update_watch("w-completed-1", active=False, next_poll="")
+
+    _call_id, msg = session._exec_watch(
+        {"call_id": "c1", "action": "cancel", "watch_name": "completed-watch"}
+    )
+
+    assert "not found" not in msg.lower()
+    assert "completed" in msg.lower()
+
+
+def test_cancel_reports_not_found_for_unknown_watch(tmp_db: str) -> None:
+    """The 'not found' message still applies when the watch genuinely
+    does not exist — make sure the new ``find_watch_by_name`` path
+    didn't accidentally turn every cancel into 'already completed'.
+    """
+    session = _make_session()
+
+    _call_id, msg = session._exec_watch(
+        {"call_id": "c1", "action": "cancel", "watch_name": "ghost-watch"}
+    )
+
+    assert "not found" in msg.lower()
+
+
+def test_poll_watch_retry_deactivate_after_update_watch_failure(
+    tmp_db: str, monkeypatch: pytest.MonkeyPatch
+) -> None:
+    """``_terminal_dispatched`` lifecycle: if ``update_watch`` raises
+    AFTER ``_dispatch_result`` shipped the reminder for a terminal
+    fire, the next ``_poll_watch`` tick MUST retry the row write
+    (so the row stops appearing in ``list_due_watches``) and MUST NOT
+    re-dispatch the reminder the model already saw.
+
+    This is the keystone path that prevents duplicate-fire under
+    transient storage failure.  Pre-this-test, the entire branch was
+    unexercised.
+    """
+    session = _make_session()
+    storage = get_storage()
+    runner = WatchRunner(storage=storage, node_id="test-node")
+    session.set_watch_runner(runner)
+
+    watch_id = "w-retry-1"
+    storage.create_watch(
+        watch_id=watch_id,
+        ws_id=session._ws_id,
+        node_id="test-node",
+        name="retry-watch",
+        command="echo HIT",
+        interval_secs=10.0,
+        stop_on='"HIT" in output',
+        max_polls=100,
+        created_by="model",
+        next_poll="1970-01-01T00:00:00",
+    )
+
+    enqueue_calls: list[tuple[str, str]] = []
+    real_enqueue = session._nudge_queue.enqueue
+
+    def _spy_enqueue(*args: Any, **kwargs: Any) -> None:
+        enqueue_calls.append((args[0], args[1][:32]))
+        return real_enqueue(*args, **kwargs)
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(session._nudge_queue, "enqueue", _spy_enqueue)
+
+    # Stage 1 — first poll.  ``update_watch`` raises AFTER dispatch.
+    real_update = storage.update_watch
+    update_raise = {"armed": True}
+
+    def _failing_update(wid: str, **fields: Any) -> bool:
+        if update_raise["armed"]:
+            raise RuntimeError("simulated transient storage failure")
+        return real_update(wid, **fields)
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(storage, "update_watch", _failing_update)
+
+    due = storage.list_due_watches("2099-01-01T00:00:00")
+    matching = [r for r in due if r["watch_id"] == watch_id]
+    assert len(matching) == 1
+    # ``_poll_watch`` doesn't catch the storage error; the outer
+    # ``_tick`` would log it.  Suppress here so the test owns the
+    # boundary and continues to its assertions.
+    with contextlib.suppress(RuntimeError):
+        runner._poll_watch(matching[0])
+
+    # Dispatch ran exactly once and the watch_id sits in the
+    # terminal-dispatched set awaiting retry.
+    assert len(enqueue_calls) == 1
+    assert enqueue_calls[0][0] == "watch_triggered"
+    assert watch_id in runner._terminal_dispatched
+
+    # The row is still active=1 because update_watch raised.  It
+    # would re-appear in list_due_watches on the next tick.
+    assert storage.is_watch_active(watch_id) is True
+
+    # Stage 2 — second poll.  Storage now succeeds; retry-deactivate
+    # branch must commit active=False WITHOUT re-dispatching.
+    update_raise["armed"] = False
+
+    due = storage.list_due_watches("2099-01-01T00:00:00")
+    matching = [r for r in due if r["watch_id"] == watch_id]
+    assert len(matching) == 1
+    runner._poll_watch(matching[0])
+
+    # Exactly one dispatch in total — the retry path took the
+    # short-circuit return at the top of _poll_watch.
+    assert len(enqueue_calls) == 1, f"retry-deactivate must not re-dispatch; got {enqueue_calls!r}"
+    # Row is now inactive (the retry path's update_watch landed).
+    assert storage.is_watch_active(watch_id) is False
+    # Set is cleared so future watches with the same id (unlikely) /
+    # process memory doesn't accumulate.
+    assert watch_id not in runner._terminal_dispatched
+
+
+def test_cancel_clears_pending_terminal_dispatched_entry(
+    tmp_db: str, monkeypatch: pytest.MonkeyPatch
+) -> None:
+    """If ``update_watch`` raised after dispatch, leaving a pending
+    entry in ``_terminal_dispatched``, and the user then cancels the
+    watch out-of-band, the retry-deactivate branch never gets to run
+    (the cancel sets ``next_poll=""`` which removes the row from
+    ``list_due_watches``).  The cancel path itself must discard the
+    pending entry; otherwise the runner leaks ``watch_id``s for the
+    process lifetime.
+    """
+    session = _make_session()
+    storage = get_storage()
+    runner = WatchRunner(storage=storage, node_id="test-node")
+    session.set_watch_runner(runner)
+
+    watch_id = "w-leak-1"
+    storage.create_watch(
+        watch_id=watch_id,
+        ws_id=session._ws_id,
+        node_id="test-node",
+        name="leak-watch",
+        command="echo x",
+        interval_secs=10.0,
+        stop_on=None,
+        max_polls=100,
+        created_by="model",
+        next_poll="",
+    )
+    # Simulate: dispatch shipped, update_watch raised, watch_id sits
+    # in the runner's pending set.
+    with runner._terminal_dispatched_lock:
+        runner._terminal_dispatched.add(watch_id)
+
+    # User cancels.  Because the cancel writes active=False, next_poll="",
+    # the row leaves list_due_watches and the runner's retry-deactivate
+    # branch never executes for it.  The cancel must discard the entry.
+    storage.update_watch(watch_id, active=False, next_poll="")
+    session._exec_watch({"call_id": "c1", "action": "cancel", "watch_name": "leak-watch"})
+
+    assert watch_id not in runner._terminal_dispatched

tests/test_watch_storage.py

@@ -2,6 +2,10 @@
 
 from __future__ import annotations
 
+import sqlalchemy as sa
+
+from turnstone.core.storage._schema import watches as watches_table
+
 
 def _make_watch_kwargs(**overrides):
     """Build default kwargs for create_watch."""
@@ -101,6 +105,91 @@ class TestWatchListQueries:
         db.update_watch("w1", active=False)
         assert db.list_watches_for_ws("ws-1") == []
 
+    def test_find_by_name_returns_inactive(self, db):
+        """``find_watch_by_name`` ignores the active filter — that is
+        what lets the cancel-by-name UX distinguish 'already completed'
+        from 'no such watch.'
+        """
+        db.create_watch(**_make_watch_kwargs(watch_id="w1", ws_id="ws-1", name="completed"))
+        db.update_watch("w1", active=False)
+
+        row = db.find_watch_by_name("ws-1", "completed")
+        assert row is not None
+        assert row["watch_id"] == "w1"
+        assert not row["active"]
+
+    def test_find_by_name_matches_watch_id_prefix(self, db):
+        db.create_watch(**_make_watch_kwargs(watch_id="abcdef123", ws_id="ws-1", name="x"))
+        row = db.find_watch_by_name("ws-1", "abc")
+        assert row is not None
+        assert row["watch_id"] == "abcdef123"
+
+    def test_find_by_name_scoped_to_ws(self, db):
+        db.create_watch(**_make_watch_kwargs(watch_id="w1", ws_id="ws-1", name="shared"))
+        db.create_watch(**_make_watch_kwargs(watch_id="w2", ws_id="ws-2", name="shared"))
+
+        row = db.find_watch_by_name("ws-1", "shared")
+        assert row is not None
+        assert row["watch_id"] == "w1"
+
+    def test_find_by_name_returns_none_when_missing(self, db):
+        assert db.find_watch_by_name("ws-1", "ghost") is None
+
+    def test_find_by_name_empty_input_returns_none(self, db):
+        db.create_watch(**_make_watch_kwargs(watch_id="w1", ws_id="ws-1", name="x"))
+        assert db.find_watch_by_name("ws-1", "") is None
+
+    def test_find_by_name_treats_percent_as_literal(self, db):
+        """A model-supplied '%' must NOT match arbitrary watch_ids.
+
+        Pre-escape, ``watch_id.like(f"{name_or_prefix}%")`` would
+        interpret '%' as 'match anything' and pick up the first row in
+        the workstream regardless of name.
+        """
+        db.create_watch(**_make_watch_kwargs(watch_id="w1", ws_id="ws-1", name="real-watch"))
+        assert db.find_watch_by_name("ws-1", "%") is None
+
+    def test_find_by_name_treats_underscore_as_literal(self, db):
+        """Same as the '%' case for the single-char LIKE wildcard."""
+        db.create_watch(**_make_watch_kwargs(watch_id="abcd", ws_id="ws-1", name="real-watch"))
+        # '_' would otherwise match any single char, picking up
+        # watch_ids beginning with 'a', 'b', etc.
+        assert db.find_watch_by_name("ws-1", "_") is None
+
+    def test_find_by_name_prefers_active_over_newer_inactive(self, db):
+        """If a same-name pair exists where the inactive row is NEWER
+        than the active row, find_watch_by_name must still return the
+        active row.  Pre-fix the query was ``ORDER BY created DESC
+        LIMIT 1`` — which would return the newer inactive row and
+        cause the cancel UX to report 'already completed' for a name
+        whose live row is still polling.
+
+        Reachable in practice because storage allows out-of-band
+        writes (e.g. ``delete_watches_for_ws`` cleanup followed by
+        re-create, an admin manually flipping ``active``, or test
+        scaffolding) that bypass the create-time duplicate-name
+        guard.
+        """
+        # Older active watch.
+        db.create_watch(**_make_watch_kwargs(watch_id="w-active", ws_id="ws-1", name="recurring"))
+        # Newer inactive watch with the same name.  ``create_watch``
+        # stamps ``created`` to ``now`` at second resolution, so we
+        # bypass the API to give the inactive row a deterministically
+        # later timestamp.
+        db.create_watch(**_make_watch_kwargs(watch_id="w-inactive", ws_id="ws-1", name="recurring"))
+        with db._conn() as conn:
+            conn.execute(
+                sa.update(watches_table)
+                .where(watches_table.c.watch_id == "w-inactive")
+                .values(active=0, next_poll="", created="2099-01-01T00:00:00")
+            )
+            conn.commit()
+
+        row = db.find_watch_by_name("ws-1", "recurring")
+        assert row is not None
+        assert row["watch_id"] == "w-active"
+        assert row["active"]
+
     def test_list_for_node(self, db):
         db.create_watch(**_make_watch_kwargs(watch_id="w1", node_id="n1"))
         db.create_watch(**_make_watch_kwargs(watch_id="w2", node_id="n1"))

tests/test_web_helpers.py

@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ class TestVersionHtml:
     def test_vendored_katex_skipped(self):
         from turnstone.core.web_helpers import version_html
 
-        html = '<link rel="stylesheet" href="/shared/katex-0.16.44/katex.min.css">'
+        html = '<link rel="stylesheet" href="/shared/katex-0.16.47/katex.min.css">'
         result = version_html(html)
         assert result == html  # unchanged
 
@@ -43,14 +43,14 @@ class TestVersionHtml:
     def test_vendored_mermaid_skipped(self):
         from turnstone.core.web_helpers import version_html
 
-        html = '<script src="/shared/mermaid-11.14.0/mermaid.min.js"></script>'
+        html = '<script src="/shared/mermaid-11.15.0/mermaid.min.js"></script>'
         result = version_html(html)
         assert result == html  # unchanged
 
     def test_vendored_hls_skipped(self):
         from turnstone.core.web_helpers import version_html
 
-        html = '<script src="/shared/hls-1.6.15/hls.min.js"></script>'
+        html = '<script src="/shared/hls-1.6.16/hls.min.js"></script>'
         result = version_html(html)
         assert result == html  # unchanged
 
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ class TestVersionHtml:
 
         html = (
             '<link rel="stylesheet" href="/shared/base.css">\n'
-            '<link rel="stylesheet" href="/shared/katex-0.16.44/katex.min.css">\n'
+            '<link rel="stylesheet" href="/shared/katex-0.16.47/katex.min.css">\n'
             '<link rel="stylesheet" href="/static/style.css">\n'
             '<script src="/shared/utils.js"></script>\n'
             '<script src="/shared/hljs-11.11.1/highlight.min.js"></script>\n'
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ class TestVersionHtml:
         assert f'/shared/utils.js?v={__version__}"' in result
         assert f'/static/app.js?v={__version__}"' in result
         # Vendored libs unchanged
-        assert '/shared/katex-0.16.44/katex.min.css"' in result
+        assert '/shared/katex-0.16.47/katex.min.css"' in result
         assert '/shared/hljs-11.11.1/highlight.min.js"' in result
 
     def test_version_matches_package(self):

turnstone/__init__.py

@@ -1,3 +1,3 @@
 """turnstone - Multi-node AI orchestration platform with tool use, agent routing, and cluster simulation."""
 
-__version__ = "1.5.14"
+__version__ = "1.5.18"

turnstone/admin.py

@@ -12,14 +12,36 @@ import uuid
 from typing import Any
 
 
-def _get_storage() -> Any:
-    """Initialize and return the storage backend."""
+def _get_storage(args: argparse.Namespace) -> Any:
+    """Initialize and return the storage backend.
+
+    Precedence (matches turnstone-server): CLI / config.toml ``[database]``
+    > ``TURNSTONE_DB_*`` env vars > hardcoded defaults.
+    """
     from turnstone.core.storage import init_storage
 
-    db_backend = os.environ.get("TURNSTONE_DB_BACKEND", "sqlite")
-    db_url = os.environ.get("TURNSTONE_DB_URL", "")
-    db_path = os.environ.get("TURNSTONE_DB_PATH", "")
-    return init_storage(db_backend, path=db_path, url=db_url)
+    def _pick(arg_name: str, env_name: str, default: str = "") -> Any:
+        # `is not None` (not truthy) so a legitimate falsy TOML value
+        # like `pool_size = 0` or `url = ""` still beats the env fallback.
+        val = getattr(args, arg_name, None)
+        if val is not None:
+            return val
+        return os.environ.get(env_name, default)
+
+    db_backend = str(_pick("db_backend", "TURNSTONE_DB_BACKEND", "sqlite"))
+    db_url = str(_pick("db_url", "TURNSTONE_DB_URL"))
+    db_path = str(_pick("db_path", "TURNSTONE_DB_PATH"))
+    db_pool_size = int(_pick("db_pool_size", "TURNSTONE_DB_POOL_SIZE", "2"))
+    return init_storage(
+        db_backend,
+        path=db_path,
+        url=db_url,
+        pool_size=db_pool_size,
+        sslmode=str(_pick("db_sslmode", "TURNSTONE_DB_SSLMODE")),
+        sslrootcert=str(_pick("db_sslrootcert", "TURNSTONE_DB_SSLROOTCERT")),
+        sslcert=str(_pick("db_sslcert", "TURNSTONE_DB_SSLCERT")),
+        sslkey=str(_pick("db_sslkey", "TURNSTONE_DB_SSLKEY")),
+    )
 
 
 def _cmd_create_user(args: argparse.Namespace) -> None:
@@ -37,7 +59,7 @@ def _cmd_create_user(args: argparse.Namespace) -> None:
         print("Error: invalid username (1-64 chars: letters, digits, . _ -)", file=sys.stderr)
         sys.exit(1)
 
-    storage = _get_storage()
+    storage = _get_storage(args)
     user_id = uuid.uuid4().hex
 
     # Prompt for password
@@ -76,7 +98,7 @@ def _cmd_create_user(args: argparse.Namespace) -> None:
 def _cmd_create_token(args: argparse.Namespace) -> None:
     from turnstone.core.auth import generate_token, hash_token, token_prefix
 
-    storage = _get_storage()
+    storage = _get_storage(args)
 
     if storage.get_user(args.user) is None:
         print(f"Error: user {args.user} not found", file=sys.stderr)
@@ -110,7 +132,7 @@ def _cmd_create_token(args: argparse.Namespace) -> None:
 
 
 def _cmd_list_users(args: argparse.Namespace) -> None:
-    storage = _get_storage()
+    storage = _get_storage(args)
     users = storage.list_users()
     if not users:
         print("No users found.")
@@ -120,7 +142,7 @@ def _cmd_list_users(args: argparse.Namespace) -> None:
 
 
 def _cmd_list_tokens(args: argparse.Namespace) -> None:
-    storage = _get_storage()
+    storage = _get_storage(args)
     tokens = storage.list_api_tokens(args.user)
     if not tokens:
         print(f"No tokens found for user {args.user}.")
@@ -134,7 +156,7 @@ def _cmd_list_tokens(args: argparse.Namespace) -> None:
 
 
 def _cmd_revoke_token(args: argparse.Namespace) -> None:
-    storage = _get_storage()
+    storage = _get_storage(args)
     if storage.delete_api_token(args.token_id):
         print(f"Revoked token {args.token_id}")
     else:
@@ -297,7 +319,7 @@ def _cmd_list_node_metadata(args: argparse.Namespace) -> None:
     """List metadata for a node."""
     import json
 
-    storage = _get_storage()
+    storage = _get_storage(args)
     rows = storage.get_node_metadata(args.node_id)
     if not rows:
         print(f"No metadata for node: {args.node_id}")
@@ -324,7 +346,7 @@ def _cmd_set_node_metadata(args: argparse.Namespace) -> None:
     """Set a metadata key on a node."""
     import json
 
-    storage = _get_storage()
+    storage = _get_storage(args)
 
     # Check for auto-source conflict
     existing = storage.get_node_metadata(args.node_id)
@@ -345,7 +367,7 @@ def _cmd_set_node_metadata(args: argparse.Namespace) -> None:
 
 def _cmd_delete_node_metadata(args: argparse.Namespace) -> None:
     """Delete a metadata key from a node."""
-    storage = _get_storage()
+    storage = _get_storage(args)
 
     existing = storage.get_node_metadata(args.node_id)
     for r in existing:
@@ -395,6 +417,10 @@ def main() -> None:
         prog="turnstone-admin",
         description="Turnstone user and token administration",
     )
+    from turnstone.core.config import add_config_arg, apply_config
+
+    add_config_arg(parser)
+    apply_config(parser, ["database"])
     sub = parser.add_subparsers(dest="command")
 
     p_cu = sub.add_parser("create-user", help="Create a new user")

turnstone/console/coordinator_client.py

@@ -1278,21 +1278,29 @@ class CoordinatorClient:
             allowed_tools: list[str] = [str(t) for t in allowed_full[:_SKILL_TOOLS_PROJECTION_CAP]]
             if len(allowed_full) > _SKILL_TOOLS_PROJECTION_CAP:
                 allowed_tools.append(f"+{len(allowed_full) - _SKILL_TOOLS_PROJECTION_CAP} more")
-            skills.append(
-                {
-                    "name": r.get("name") or "",
-                    "category": r.get("category") or "",
-                    "tags": tags,
-                    "version": r.get("version") or "",
-                    "description": r.get("description") or "",
-                    "model": r.get("model") or "",
-                    "enabled": bool(r.get("enabled")),
-                    "risk_level": r.get("risk_level") or "",
-                    "activation": r.get("activation") or "",
-                    "kind": r["kind"],
-                    "allowed_tools": allowed_tools,
-                }
-            )
+            skill_row: dict[str, Any] = {
+                "name": r.get("name") or "",
+                "category": r.get("category") or "",
+                "tags": tags,
+                "version": r.get("version") or "",
+                "description": r.get("description") or "",
+                "model": r.get("model") or "",
+                "enabled": bool(r.get("enabled")),
+                "risk_level": r.get("risk_level") or "",
+                "activation": r.get("activation") or "",
+                "kind": r["kind"],
+            }
+            # Omit ``allowed_tools`` when empty: an empty list reads as
+            # "no tools are usable by this skill" to a model that doesn't
+            # know the semantics, but the actual meaning is "no tools are
+            # pre-approved (auto-approve exemption list)".  Real
+            # misdiagnosis happened in testing when a code-review skill
+            # with no auto-approve allowlist looked like it had been
+            # spawned with zero tool access.  Dropping the key altogether
+            # when empty removes the ambiguity at the source.
+            if allowed_tools:
+                skill_row["allowed_tools"] = allowed_tools
+            skills.append(skill_row)
         return {"skills": skills, "truncated": truncated}
 
     # ------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -1791,6 +1799,293 @@ def _serialize_verdicts(rows: list[Any]) -> list[dict[str, Any]]:
     return out
 
 
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# inspect_workstream — tiered output compression
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+#
+# A coord doing a fan-out wave of inspect_workstream calls against
+# tool-heavy children can blow the context budget on raw output alone
+# (one child with a 100 KB bash result × N children).  The previous
+# safety net was ``_truncate_output``'s head+tail strategy, which
+# silently drops *middle* messages — exactly the wrong shape for a
+# coordinator trying to understand a child's trajectory (the LAST
+# message tells the model what the child concluded; the FIRST sets
+# the brief; the middle is the connective tissue).
+#
+# The three-tier degradation pattern matches the ``search`` tool's
+# Tier-1/Tier-2/Tier-3 ladder at ``session.py:_format_search_results``.
+# First tier whose serialized size fits the budget wins; the LLM
+# learns which tier it got via the ``_tier`` field in the response
+# (no API change to the coordinator tool).
+#
+# Budget chosen well under ``tool_truncation`` (typically 256 KB+) so
+# the head+tail safety net never fires for inspect_workstream — that
+# strategy silently drops middle messages, which is exactly the
+# pathology this formatter exists to avoid.
+
+_INSPECT_OUTPUT_BUDGET: int = 32_768
+# Per-message head/tail snip when Tier 2 needs to compress content.
+# Head dominates because the first ~600 chars of an assistant message
+# usually contains the conclusion / direction; the tail is the
+# follow-through.  Tool results compress similarly: head shows what
+# the tool was asked / what it found at the top; tail shows the final
+# state / error suffix.
+_INSPECT_MSG_CONTENT_HEAD: int = 600
+_INSPECT_MSG_CONTENT_TAIL: int = 300
+# Skeleton-tier preview length on the last assistant message.  Single
+# value because the skeleton wants ONE meaningful signal ("what did
+# the child last say"), not a head/tail snip.
+_INSPECT_SKELETON_LAST_PREVIEW: int = 400
+
+# Snip lengths for tool-call ``function.arguments`` strings on
+# assistant turns.  Tighter than content snipping because tool calls
+# often appear in clusters (10+ per turn for a fan-out) and the
+# arguments JSON is dense — keep just enough to see what was invoked
+# and the head of the args structure.
+_INSPECT_TOOL_ARG_HEAD: int = 300
+_INSPECT_TOOL_ARG_TAIL: int = 100
+
+# Bytes ``_snip_head_tail`` reserves for the elision marker itself
+# (``\n...[N chars elided]...\n``).  A text shorter than
+# ``head + tail + this margin`` passes through unsnipped — snipping
+# would cost more bytes (the marker) than it saves.
+_INSPECT_ELISION_MARGIN: int = 64
+
+# Message-list trim ladder for the compact tier when per-message
+# content snipping alone doesn't free enough budget.  Each rung is
+# ``(head_count, tail_count)`` — keep the first N + last M messages,
+# elide the middle as ``{"_omitted": K}``.  Tail-weighted because the
+# last assistant turn carries the load-bearing "what did the child
+# conclude" signal (same rationale as ``_inspect_skeleton``'s
+# last-assistant preview).  Tried in order; first rung whose
+# serialized emission fits the budget wins.  Mirrors the per-file
+# sample ladder in ``_format_search_results`` at session.py:254.
+_INSPECT_LIST_TRIM_LADDER: tuple[tuple[int, int], ...] = ((20, 30), (10, 20), (5, 10))
+
+
+def _snip_head_tail(text: str, head: int, tail: int) -> str:
+    """Head/tail snip with elision marker; passthrough when shorter than threshold."""
+    if not isinstance(text, str) or len(text) <= head + tail + _INSPECT_ELISION_MARGIN:
+        return text
+    elided = len(text) - head - tail
+    return text[:head] + f"\n...[{elided} chars elided]...\n" + text[-tail:]
+
+
+def _compact_tool_calls(tool_calls: Any) -> Any:
+    """Snip ``function.arguments`` on each tool-call entry; keep ``id`` and
+    ``function.name`` verbatim.
+
+    OpenAI shape: ``[{"id": ..., "type": "function", "function":
+    {"name": ..., "arguments": "<json-string>"}}, ...]``.  The
+    arguments string is the dominant size term on a fan-out turn that
+    issued many tool calls with multi-KB JSON arguments each;
+    preserving them verbatim re-opens the same size pressure the
+    compact tier is trying to relieve.  Non-list / non-dict entries
+    pass through so a future shape change doesn't crash the formatter.
+    """
+    if not isinstance(tool_calls, list):
+        return tool_calls
+    out: list[Any] = []
+    for call in tool_calls:
+        if not isinstance(call, dict):
+            out.append(call)
+            continue
+        compact_call: dict[str, Any] = {}
+        for k in ("id", "type"):
+            v = call.get(k)
+            if v:
+                compact_call[k] = v
+        func = call.get("function")
+        if isinstance(func, dict):
+            compact_func: dict[str, Any] = {}
+            name = func.get("name")
+            if name:
+                compact_func["name"] = name
+            args = func.get("arguments", "")
+            if args:
+                compact_func["arguments"] = _snip_head_tail(
+                    args, _INSPECT_TOOL_ARG_HEAD, _INSPECT_TOOL_ARG_TAIL
+                )
+            compact_call["function"] = compact_func
+        out.append(compact_call)
+    return out
+
+
+def _compact_message(msg: dict[str, Any]) -> dict[str, Any]:
+    """Tier-2 per-message projection: keep role + identifier keys, snip content + tool_calls.
+
+    Tool-call linkage is the load-bearing "what happened" signal:
+    ``tool_call_id`` on the result side matches an ``id`` in
+    ``tool_calls`` on the issuing assistant turn.  Stripping
+    ``tool_calls`` (the pre-fix shape) left tool results dangling
+    against an invisible call — the audit reader could see "bash
+    returned X" but not "the assistant asked for ``ls /tmp``".  The
+    ``arguments`` string is the size offender, so we snip it head/tail
+    rather than dropping the call entirely.
+    """
+    content = msg.get("content", "")
+    snipped = _snip_head_tail(content, _INSPECT_MSG_CONTENT_HEAD, _INSPECT_MSG_CONTENT_TAIL)
+    compact: dict[str, Any] = {"role": msg.get("role"), "content": snipped}
+    # Tool-result linkage (result-side keys).
+    for k in ("tool_name", "tool_call_id", "name"):
+        v = msg.get(k)
+        if v:
+            compact[k] = v
+    # Tool-call request linkage (issuing-side list), snipped per-call.
+    tool_calls = msg.get("tool_calls")
+    if tool_calls:
+        compact["tool_calls"] = _compact_tool_calls(tool_calls)
+    return compact
+
+
+def _inspect_skeleton(result: dict[str, Any]) -> dict[str, Any]:
+    """Tier-3 fallback: state + counts + last assistant preview + terminal info.
+
+    Drops every message, keeping only aggregate signal: state, message
+    count, role distribution, verdict count + risk distribution, and a
+    short preview of the most recent assistant turn (the "what did this
+    child last say" signal).  Terminal-state fields (``close_reason``,
+    ``last_error``) and the ``live`` block pass through unchanged
+    because they're already small and load-bearing.
+    """
+    messages = result.get("messages") or []
+    verdicts = result.get("verdicts") or []
+    role_counts: dict[str, int] = {}
+    for m in messages:
+        role = m.get("role") if isinstance(m, dict) else None
+        if role:
+            role_counts[role] = role_counts.get(role, 0) + 1
+    verdicts_by_risk: dict[str, int] = {}
+    for v in verdicts:
+        if isinstance(v, dict):
+            risk = v.get("risk_level") or "unknown"
+            verdicts_by_risk[risk] = verdicts_by_risk.get(risk, 0) + 1
+    last_preview = ""
+    for m in reversed(messages):
+        if not isinstance(m, dict) or m.get("role") != "assistant":
+            continue
+        c = m.get("content", "")
+        if isinstance(c, str) and c:
+            last_preview = c[:_INSPECT_SKELETON_LAST_PREVIEW]
+            if len(c) > _INSPECT_SKELETON_LAST_PREVIEW:
+                last_preview += "..."
+            break
+    skeleton: dict[str, Any] = {
+        # Storage row keys verbatim from ``get_workstreams_batch``
+        # (the projection backing ``get_workstream`` → ``inspect()``):
+        # ``ws_id``, ``skill_id``.  No fallback to ``id`` / ``skill``
+        # — fail loud on storage column drift rather than silently
+        # emitting null.
+        "ws_id": result["ws_id"],
+        "state": result.get("state"),
+        "title": result.get("title"),
+        "skill": result["skill_id"],
+        "message_count": len(messages),
+        "roles": role_counts,
+        "verdict_count": len(verdicts),
+        "verdicts_by_risk": verdicts_by_risk,
+        "last_assistant_preview": last_preview,
+        "_tier": "skeleton",
+        "_tier_note": (
+            "Output exceeded the inspect_workstream budget at both full and compact "
+            "tiers; skeleton-only.  Re-call with a smaller ``message_limit`` to fit "
+            "the compact tier, or read individual messages via the storage admin path."
+        ),
+    }
+    for k in ("close_reason", "last_error", "live"):
+        v = result.get(k)
+        if v:
+            skeleton[k] = v
+    return skeleton
+
+
+def _format_inspect_tiered(result: dict[str, Any], *, budget: int = _INSPECT_OUTPUT_BUDGET) -> str:
+    """Serialize an ``inspect_workstream`` result with tiered degradation.
+
+    Tier 1 (full):    every message verbatim — used when the size fits.
+    Tier 2 (compact): per-message ``{role, head/tail-snipped content,
+                      tool linkage, snipped tool_calls.arguments}`` for
+                      every message, then a head+tail message-list trim
+                      ladder when content snipping alone doesn't free
+                      enough budget.
+    Tier 3 (skeleton): no messages — counts + last assistant preview only.
+
+    First emission whose JSON serialization fits ``budget`` wins.
+    ``_tier`` appears on every non-error emission so the coordinator
+    LLM (and any audit reader) can see which compression rung the
+    output landed on without inferring from length.  Error-shape
+    results (missing or cross-tenant ws_id) bypass tiering entirely —
+    they're already small and the ``error`` key signals the shape.
+
+    The intermediate Tier-2 list-trim rungs exist because content
+    snipping alone fails on workloads where many small messages
+    overflow the budget by sheer count (``message_limit=200`` × a few
+    hundred chars each).  In that regime, dropping content-snipping
+    saves zero bytes per message, so without the list-trim ladder
+    Tier-2 produces output strictly larger than Tier-1 (added
+    ``_tier_note``) and the formatter fell through to skeleton —
+    losing every message when a head+tail message-list trim would
+    have preserved dozens.  Mirrors the per-file sample ladder in
+    ``_format_search_results`` (session.py:_SEARCH_TIER2_SAMPLE_LADDER).
+    """
+    if "error" in result:
+        # Cross-tenant guard / not-found responses — pass through.
+        return json.dumps(result, default=str, separators=(",", ":"))
+    tier1 = {**result, "_tier": "full"}
+    out1 = json.dumps(tier1, default=str, separators=(",", ":"))
+    if len(out1) <= budget:
+        return out1
+    messages = result.get("messages") or []
+    compact_msgs = [_compact_message(m) if isinstance(m, dict) else m for m in messages]
+    tier2_note_full = (
+        "Output exceeded the inspect_workstream budget at the full tier; messages "
+        "are head/tail-snipped at "
+        f"{_INSPECT_MSG_CONTENT_HEAD}/{_INSPECT_MSG_CONTENT_TAIL} chars.  Re-call "
+        "with a smaller ``message_limit`` for a tighter tail, or include_provider_"
+        "content=False if it was on."
+    )
+    tier2 = {
+        **result,
+        "messages": compact_msgs,
+        "_tier": "compact",
+        "_tier_note": tier2_note_full,
+    }
+    out2 = json.dumps(tier2, default=str, separators=(",", ":"))
+    if len(out2) <= budget:
+        return out2
+    # Tier-2 list-trim ladder: keep head N + tail M, elide the middle.
+    # Tail-weighted because the recent turns carry the load-bearing
+    # signal ("what did the child conclude") — same reason
+    # ``_inspect_skeleton`` keeps a last-assistant preview rather than
+    # a first-user preview.
+    total = len(compact_msgs)
+    for head_n, tail_n in _INSPECT_LIST_TRIM_LADDER:
+        if head_n + tail_n >= total:
+            # Rung doesn't actually trim — would re-emit Tier-2 verbatim.
+            continue
+        omitted = total - head_n - tail_n
+        trimmed: list[Any] = (
+            compact_msgs[:head_n] + [{"_omitted": omitted}] + compact_msgs[-tail_n:]
+        )
+        tier2_trim_note = (
+            f"Output exceeded the inspect_workstream budget at the compact tier; "
+            f"keeping first {head_n} + last {tail_n} of {total} messages, eliding "
+            f"{omitted} middle messages.  Re-call with a smaller ``message_limit`` "
+            "to fit the full compact tier."
+        )
+        tier2_trim = {
+            **result,
+            "messages": trimmed,
+            "_tier": "compact",
+            "_tier_note": tier2_trim_note,
+        }
+        out2_trim = json.dumps(tier2_trim, default=str, separators=(",", ":"))
+        if len(out2_trim) <= budget:
+            return out2_trim
+    skeleton = _inspect_skeleton(result)
+    return json.dumps(skeleton, default=str, separators=(",", ":"))
+
+
 # ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 # wait_for_workstream — last-message extraction
 # ---------------------------------------------------------------------------

turnstone/console/static/admin.js

@@ -3370,11 +3370,15 @@ function _renderMcpServers(items) {
     // outcome for this server.
     var refreshPill = "";
     if (newestRefreshAt !== null) {
-      var ageSeconds = Math.max(0, Math.floor(Date.now() / 1000 - newestRefreshAt));
+      var ageSeconds = Math.max(
+        0,
+        Math.floor(Date.now() / 1000 - newestRefreshAt),
+      );
       var ageShort;
       if (ageSeconds < 60) ageShort = ageSeconds + "s";
       else if (ageSeconds < 3600) ageShort = Math.floor(ageSeconds / 60) + "m";
-      else if (ageSeconds < 86400) ageShort = Math.floor(ageSeconds / 3600) + "h";
+      else if (ageSeconds < 86400)
+        ageShort = Math.floor(ageSeconds / 3600) + "h";
       else ageShort = Math.floor(ageSeconds / 86400) + "d";
       var outcomeText = newestRefreshOutcome || "unknown";
       var pillCls =
@@ -3443,7 +3447,7 @@ function _renderMcpServers(items) {
           consentCount +
           '" title="Drop all ' +
           consentCount +
-          " user consents for this server">bulk-revoke (" +
+          ' user consents for this server">bulk-revoke (' +
           consentCount +
           ")</button>";
       }

turnstone/console/static/coordinator/index.html

@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@
 <link rel="stylesheet" href="/shared/base.css">
 <link rel="stylesheet" href="/shared/ui-base.css">
 <link rel="stylesheet" href="/shared/chat.css">
-<link rel="stylesheet" href="/shared/katex-0.16.45/katex.min.css">
+<link rel="stylesheet" href="/shared/katex-0.16.47/katex.min.css">
 <link rel="stylesheet" href="/static/style.css">
 <link rel="stylesheet" href="/static/coordinator/coordinator.css">
 <style>
@@ -634,7 +634,7 @@
 <script src="/shared/composer_attachments.js"></script>
 <script src="/shared/composer_queue.js"></script>
 <script src="/shared/status_bar.js"></script>
-<script src="/shared/katex-0.16.45/katex.min.js"></script>
+<script src="/shared/katex-0.16.47/katex.min.js"></script>
 <script src="/shared/hljs-11.11.1/highlight.min.js"></script>
 <script src="/shared/renderer.js"></script>
 <script src="/static/coordinator/coordinator.js"></script>

turnstone/core/config.py

@@ -54,6 +54,27 @@ def set_config_path(path: str) -> None:
     _cache = None  # invalidate cache so next load_config() re-reads
 
 
+def _warn_if_world_readable(cfg_path: Path) -> None:
+    """Warn once if config.toml is group- or world-readable.
+
+    DB passwords, OIDC client secrets, and TLS key paths live in this
+    file — operators usually want it at 0600.  POSIX-only; no-ops where
+    ``stat()`` modes are meaningless (Windows).
+    """
+    try:
+        mode = cfg_path.stat().st_mode & 0o777
+    except OSError:
+        return
+    if mode & 0o077:
+        log.warning(
+            "%s is mode %04o (group/world-readable); secrets live here — "
+            "run `chmod 0600 %s` to restrict access",
+            cfg_path,
+            mode,
+            cfg_path,
+        )
+
+
 def load_config(section: str | None = None) -> dict[str, Any]:
     """Load config.toml and return the full dict or a specific section.
 
@@ -66,6 +87,7 @@ def load_config(section: str | None = None) -> dict[str, Any]:
         cfg_path = _resolve_config_path()
         if cfg_path.is_file():
             try:
+                _warn_if_world_readable(cfg_path)
                 _cache = tomllib.loads(cfg_path.read_text(encoding="utf-8"))
             except Exception as exc:
                 log.warning("Failed to parse %s: %s", cfg_path, exc)

turnstone/core/nudge_queue.py

@@ -19,11 +19,11 @@ Channels:
 Drain preserves FIFO order; non-matching entries stay queued.  Each
 entry can carry an optional ``valid_until`` predicate that drain
 evaluates outside the queue lock; entries whose predicate returns
-``False`` (or raises) are silently dropped without delivery — used by
-producers whose payload becomes stale if the underlying state changes
-between enqueue and drain (e.g. ``idle_children`` re-checks the active
-child set, dropping the nudge if every child finished while the queue
-sat).  Operations are atomic under an internal :class:`threading.Lock`.
+``False`` are dropped (logged at ``info`` — normal lifecycle outcome,
+e.g. ``idle_children`` after every child closed) and entries whose
+predicate raises are dropped (logged at ``warning`` with ``exc_info``
+— a misbehaving predicate).  Operations are atomic under an internal
+:class:`threading.Lock`.
 """
 
 from __future__ import annotations
@@ -32,9 +32,13 @@ import threading
 from collections import deque
 from typing import TYPE_CHECKING, Any, Literal, NamedTuple
 
+from turnstone.core.log import get_logger
+
 if TYPE_CHECKING:
     from collections.abc import Callable
 
+log = get_logger(__name__)
+
 Channel = Literal["user", "tool", "any"]
 _VALID_CHANNELS: frozenset[str] = frozenset({"user", "tool", "any"})
 
@@ -139,7 +143,12 @@ class NudgeQueue:
                 self._items = kept
         # Predicates evaluate outside the lock — they may do storage
         # I/O or other work that shouldn't block other producers /
-        # the drain consumer's other queues.
+        # the drain consumer's other queues.  Drop-level distinction:
+        # a ``False`` return is a normal lifecycle outcome (the
+        # producer's snapshot is stale — e.g. ``idle_children`` after
+        # every child closed) and logs at ``info``; a raised exception
+        # is a wiring bug (predicate is misbehaving) and stays at
+        # ``warning`` with ``exc_info`` so the traceback surfaces.
         out: list[tuple[str, str, dict[str, Any] | None]] = []
         for entry in candidates:
             if entry.valid_until is None:
@@ -148,11 +157,27 @@ class NudgeQueue:
             try:
                 if entry.valid_until():
                     out.append((entry.nudge_type, entry.text, entry.metadata))
+                    continue
+                log.info(
+                    "nudge_queue.predicate_dropped",
+                    extra={
+                        "nudge_type": entry.nudge_type,
+                        "channel": entry.channel,
+                        "reason": "predicate_false",
+                        "text_len": len(entry.text),
+                    },
+                )
             except Exception:
-                # Predicate raising is treated as "no longer valid" —
-                # drop silently rather than letting one bad predicate
-                # poison the whole drain batch.
-                pass
+                log.warning(
+                    "nudge_queue.predicate_dropped",
+                    extra={
+                        "nudge_type": entry.nudge_type,
+                        "channel": entry.channel,
+                        "reason": "predicate_raised",
+                        "text_len": len(entry.text),
+                    },
+                    exc_info=True,
+                )
         return out
 
     def __len__(self) -> int:

turnstone/core/session.py

@@ -1670,13 +1670,17 @@ class ChatSession:
         The closure carries:
           - a soft cap on per-session ``"watch_triggered"`` depth via
             :data:`_WATCH_QUEUE_SOFT_CAP` + drop-oldest-on-saturation.
-          - a ``valid_until`` predicate that re-checks
-            ``storage.is_watch_active(watch_id)`` at drain time so a
-            cancelled watch's last splat doesn't ride out a future wake.
           - producer-side :func:`sanitize_payload` over the whole
             formatted message so steering-vector / control-char payloads
             sourced from arbitrary shell output can't tamper with the
             envelope at interpolation time.
+
+        No ``valid_until`` predicate is wired: ``WatchRunner._poll_watch``
+        commits ``active=False`` for terminal fires right after dispatch
+        returns, and an ``is_watch_active`` predicate would race that
+        write at drain time and drop the fire the model was meant to see.
+        A user-cancelled watch's last splat is informative (the reminder
+        carries ``is_final=True``), not stale-noise to suppress.
         """
         self._watch_runner = runner
         nudge_queue = self._nudge_queue
@@ -1707,18 +1711,6 @@ class ChatSession:
                     _WATCH_QUEUE_SOFT_CAP,
                 )
 
-            def _still_active() -> bool:
-                # Re-checked at drain time outside the queue lock — if
-                # the watch was cancelled between fire and drain, the
-                # entry gets dropped silently rather than splicing a
-                # stale result onto the user's next turn.  Single-column
-                # ``is_watch_active`` avoids the full-row marshal of
-                # ``get_watch`` on this hot path.
-                try:
-                    return get_storage().is_watch_active(watch_id)
-                except Exception:
-                    return False
-
             def _maybe_sanitize(v: Any) -> Any:
                 return sanitize_payload(v) if isinstance(v, str) else v
 
@@ -1731,7 +1723,6 @@ class ChatSession:
                 "watch_triggered",
                 sanitized,
                 "any",
-                valid_until=_still_active,
                 metadata=metadata or None,
             )
 
@@ -7014,9 +7005,20 @@ class ChatSession:
             msg = f"Error: {result['error']}"
             self._report_tool_result(call_id, "spawn_workstream", msg, is_error=True)
             return call_id, msg
-        # Successful spawn — surface ws_id + node_id + name + routing
-        # strategy so the coordinator can follow up with inspect / send
-        # and explain why a given node was chosen.  ``status`` was
+        # Defensive: absence of ``error`` is the success signal, but
+        # a malformed upstream response could land here with no
+        # ``ws_id``.  Without this check the LLM gets
+        # ``{"child_ws_id": null}`` and chases a null id through
+        # follow-up tools.  Mirrors the matching guard in
+        # ``_exec_spawn_batch`` (denied row on empty ws_id).
+        child_ws_id = str(result.get("ws_id") or "")
+        if not child_ws_id:
+            msg = "Error: spawn returned no ws_id"
+            self._report_tool_result(call_id, "spawn_workstream", msg, is_error=True)
+            return call_id, msg
+        # Successful spawn — surface child_ws_id + node_id + name +
+        # routing strategy so the coordinator can follow up with inspect
+        # / send and explain why a given node was chosen.  ``status`` was
         # historically included but it was the routing-proxy's HTTP
         # code (always 200 on this branch); the absence of an
         # ``error`` field is the success signal.  Dropped here to
@@ -7027,14 +7029,19 @@ class ChatSession:
         # ``inspect_workstream``.
         summary = json.dumps(
             {
-                "ws_id": result.get("ws_id"),
+                # Key is ``child_ws_id`` (not ``ws_id``) so the coordinator
+                # LLM doesn't recency-bias toward feeding the spawn-return
+                # straight back into another ``spawn_workstream(ws_id=...)``
+                # call.  On large fan-outs this cascaded into self-inflicted
+                # re-spawn loops instead of progressing to ``wait_for_workstream``.
+                "child_ws_id": child_ws_id,
                 "name": result.get("name"),
                 "node_id": result.get("node_id"),
                 "routing_strategy": result.get("routing_strategy"),
             },
             separators=(",", ":"),
         )
-        self._report_tool_result(call_id, "spawn_workstream", f"spawned {result.get('ws_id', '?')}")
+        self._report_tool_result(call_id, "spawn_workstream", f"spawned {child_ws_id}")
         return call_id, summary
 
     # Cap per batch call.  Matches the ``wait_for_workstream`` ws_ids
@@ -7165,7 +7172,9 @@ class ChatSession:
                 denied.append({"idx": idx, "reason": "spawn returned no ws_id"})
                 continue
             results[str(idx)] = {
-                "ws_id": ws_id,
+                # ``child_ws_id`` (not ``ws_id``) — see the matching
+                # comment in ``_exec_spawn_workstream``.
+                "child_ws_id": ws_id,
                 "name": result.get("name", ""),
                 "node_id": result.get("node_id", ""),
                 # ``status`` deliberately omitted — see the matching
@@ -7243,6 +7252,8 @@ class ChatSession:
         }
 
     def _exec_inspect_workstream(self, item: dict[str, Any]) -> tuple[str, str]:
+        from turnstone.console.coordinator_client import _format_inspect_tiered
+
         call_id = item["call_id"]
         ws_id = item["ws_id"]
         try:
@@ -7255,8 +7266,13 @@ class ChatSession:
             msg = f"Error: inspect_workstream failed: {e}"
             self._report_tool_result(call_id, "inspect_workstream", msg, is_error=True)
             return call_id, msg
-        output = json.dumps(result, default=str, separators=(",", ":"))
-        # Summary for UI: state + message count
+        # Tiered output: full → compact (head/tail-snipped messages) →
+        # skeleton (counts + last-assistant preview).  First tier that
+        # fits the budget wins; the LLM sees a ``_tier`` field on every
+        # non-error response.  ``_truncate_output`` remains the safety
+        # net for the (rare) skeleton-exceeds-budget case — guarding
+        # against a single-field blowup we didn't anticipate.
+        output = _format_inspect_tiered(result)
         desc = f"{result.get('state', '?')} ({len(result.get('messages', []))} msgs)"
         self._report_tool_result(call_id, "inspect_workstream", desc)
         return call_id, self._truncate_output(output)
@@ -10473,16 +10489,23 @@ class ChatSession:
                 msg = "Error: storage unavailable"
                 self._report_tool_result(call_id, "watch", msg, is_error=True)
                 return call_id, msg
-            watches = storage.list_watches_for_ws(self._ws_id)
-            target = None
-            for w in watches:
-                if w["name"] == name or w["watch_id"].startswith(name):
-                    target = w
-                    break
+            target = storage.find_watch_by_name(self._ws_id, name)
             if target is None:
                 msg = f'Watch "{name}" not found.'
                 self._report_tool_result(call_id, "watch", msg, is_error=True)
                 return call_id, msg
+            # In either branch below the row leaves ``list_due_watches``
+            # view (already-inactive or just-cancelled with empty
+            # next_poll), so the runner's retry-deactivate branch will
+            # never reclaim a pending ``_terminal_dispatched`` entry.
+            # Clear it here to bound the lifetime of any leftover from
+            # a previous dispatch-then-failed-row-write.
+            if self._watch_runner is not None:
+                self._watch_runner.forget_terminal_dispatched(target["watch_id"])
+            if not target["active"]:
+                msg = f'Watch "{target["name"]}" already completed (auto-cancelled).'
+                self._report_tool_result(call_id, "watch", msg)
+                return call_id, msg
             storage.update_watch(target["watch_id"], active=False, next_poll="")
             msg = f'Watch "{target["name"]}" cancelled.'
             self._report_tool_result(call_id, "watch", msg)

turnstone/core/session_ui_base.py

@@ -179,6 +179,24 @@ class SessionUIBase:
         # ``/dashboard`` payload.  Capped so a long-running skill
         # workstream can't fill the live block with stale rows.
         self._recent_auto_approvals: list[dict[str, Any]] = []
+        # Maps ``call_id`` → ``(auto_approve_reason, inserted_ts)`` for
+        # verdicts that arrive AFTER ``approve_tools`` already returned.
+        # The LLM judge tier is asynchronous: ``on_intent_verdict`` can
+        # fire seconds later for a tool that ``approve_tools``
+        # short-circuited via one of the auto-approve branches.  Without
+        # this lookup the late-arriving LLM verdict lands with
+        # ``user_decision="pending"`` and stays that way forever (no
+        # ``resolve_approval`` cycle on the auto-approve path).
+        #
+        # Lifetime is bounded by ``_AUTO_APPROVE_REASON_TTL`` rather
+        # than by a count-cap or by session lifetime: a fixed cap
+        # would silently break the fix on the (N+1)th in-flight
+        # auto-approve; "evict on consume" alone would leak entries
+        # whenever the LLM judge is disabled (no ``on_intent_verdict``
+        # ever fires to drain them).  TTL means entries clear lazily
+        # on the next ``_record_auto_approves`` write whether or not
+        # the LLM judge tier is active.  Guarded by ``_ws_lock``.
+        self._auto_approve_reasons: dict[str, tuple[str, float]] = {}
         # Foreground gate — used by the CLI's WorkstreamTerminalUI to
         # block output when the workstream is in the background.
         # Starts set so non-CLI UIs can skip any explicit management.
@@ -367,6 +385,7 @@ class SessionUIBase:
         feedback: str | None = None,
         *,
         always: bool = False,
+        timeout: bool = False,
     ) -> None:
         """Unblock a pending approval with the caller's decision.
 
@@ -383,8 +402,22 @@ class SessionUIBase:
         can label their resolved-status pill correctly).  Keyword-only
         + default ``False`` so the four pre-existing callers (cancel,
         timeout, channel adapters) compile unchanged.
+
+        ``timeout`` flips the persisted ``user_decision`` from
+        ``"denied"`` to ``"timeout"`` so the audit trail can
+        distinguish an active user denial from a passive
+        approval-timeout expiry — the feedback string carries the
+        same information today but operators querying on the
+        ``user_decision`` column alone could not tell them apart.
+        Mutually exclusive with ``approved=True`` (a timeout is a
+        passive denial); the combination raises ``ValueError`` so a
+        future caller can't accidentally ship a row whose audit
+        column says ``"timeout"`` while the SSE event reports
+        ``approved=True``.
         """
-        decision_str = "approved" if approved else "denied"
+        if timeout and approved:
+            raise ValueError("resolve_approval: timeout=True is incompatible with approved=True")
+        decision_str = "timeout" if timeout else ("approved" if approved else "denied")
         # Swap-and-clear + set decision under lock to avoid racing
         # with the daemon judge thread's ``on_intent_verdict`` appends.
         with self._ws_lock:
@@ -544,8 +577,15 @@ class SessionUIBase:
                                 # the early return — the fall-through
                                 # branch never runs on this path, so without
                                 # this the policy bypass is invisible to
-                                # /dashboard + audit.
+                                # /dashboard + audit.  ``_record_auto_approves``
+                                # MUST run before ``_persist_auto_approved_*``
+                                # so the call_id → reason lookup map is
+                                # populated before the heuristic INSERTs go
+                                # in: otherwise an LLM judge verdict firing
+                                # in the gap lands with ``user_decision=
+                                # "pending"`` and stays that way.
                                 self._record_auto_approves(items)
+                                self._persist_auto_approved_heuristic_verdicts(items)
                                 self._enqueue(
                                     {
                                         "type": "tool_info",
@@ -608,7 +648,12 @@ class SessionUIBase:
                 self._ws_current_activity = f"⚙ {label}: {preview}" if label else ""
                 self._ws_activity_state = "tool" if label else ""
             self._broadcast_activity()
+            # ``_record_auto_approves`` runs FIRST so the call_id → reason
+            # lookup is populated before the heuristic INSERT can race
+            # against a concurrent LLM judge verdict — see the matching
+            # comment on the policy-deny branch above.
             self._record_auto_approves(items)
+            self._persist_auto_approved_heuristic_verdicts(items)
             self._enqueue({"type": "tool_info", "items": self._serialize_approval_items(items)})
             return True, None
 
@@ -628,19 +673,34 @@ class SessionUIBase:
         # commit instead of N (was visible as time-to-render-prompt
         # latency for fan-out turns); the per-item Prometheus call stays
         # in the loop because it's a lock+increment, not a DB round-trip.
+        #
+        # ``user_decision`` is stamped per-verdict here so the row lands
+        # with a meaningful value at insert: auto-approved items
+        # (mixed-path case: policy allowed some, others still prompt)
+        # carry their auto_approve_reason directly; items still pending
+        # operator decision carry ``"pending"`` and get updated by
+        # ``resolve_approval`` on close.  ``_pending_verdicts`` only
+        # tracks the latter — auto-approved verdicts are already final.
         heuristic_verdicts: list[dict[str, Any]] = []
+        pending_verdicts: list[dict[str, Any]] = []
         for item in items:
             hv = item.get("_heuristic_verdict")
-            if hv:
-                heuristic_verdicts.append(hv)
-                # Subclass-overridden Prometheus surface: WebUI feeds
-                # the per-node /metrics endpoint, ConsoleCoordinatorUI
-                # feeds the console's /metrics endpoint via ConsoleMetrics.
-                self._record_judge_metric(hv)
+            if not hv:
+                continue
+            if item.get("auto_approved"):
+                hv["user_decision"] = item.get("auto_approve_reason", "") or "pending"
+            else:
+                hv["user_decision"] = "pending"
+                pending_verdicts.append(hv)
+            heuristic_verdicts.append(hv)
+            # Subclass-overridden Prometheus surface: WebUI feeds
+            # the per-node /metrics endpoint, ConsoleCoordinatorUI
+            # feeds the console's /metrics endpoint via ConsoleMetrics.
+            self._record_judge_metric(hv)
         self._persist_intent_verdicts_bulk(heuristic_verdicts, default_tier="heuristic")
 
         with self._ws_lock:
-            self._pending_verdicts = heuristic_verdicts
+            self._pending_verdicts = pending_verdicts
 
         # Record any items the policy block already auto-approved
         # before falling through to the prompt — without this the
@@ -676,8 +736,14 @@ class SessionUIBase:
         if not self._approval_event.wait(timeout=self._APPROVAL_WAIT_TIMEOUT):
             # Approval timed out (e.g., user disconnected). Deny via
             # resolve_approval so verdicts and state are updated consistently.
+            # Feedback string derives from ``_APPROVAL_WAIT_TIMEOUT`` so the
+            # text follows the constant if the timeout knob moves.
             log.warning("Approval timed out for ws_id=%s", self.ws_id)
-            self.resolve_approval(False, "Approval timed out after 1 hour")
+            self.resolve_approval(
+                False,
+                f"Approval timed out after {self._APPROVAL_WAIT_TIMEOUT}s",
+                timeout=True,
+            )
         self._pending_approval = None
         approved, feedback = self._approval_result
 
@@ -714,8 +780,17 @@ class SessionUIBase:
         ``user_decision`` immediately (if the approval already
         resolved) or parks the verdict in ``_pending_verdicts`` for
         ``resolve_approval`` to stamp on close.
+
+        When the verdict arrives for a call_id that ``approve_tools``
+        already auto-approved (the LLM judge is async and can fire
+        seconds after the auto-approve path returned), stamp the
+        ``auto_approve_reason`` onto the verdict before persist so
+        the row lands with a meaningful ``user_decision`` instead of
+        the default ``"pending"`` (which would never be updated for
+        this code path).
         """
         call_id = verdict.get("call_id", "")
+        auto_reason = ""
         if call_id:
             with self._ws_lock:
                 if (
@@ -725,6 +800,14 @@ class SessionUIBase:
                     oldest_key = next(iter(self._llm_verdicts))
                     del self._llm_verdicts[oldest_key]
                 self._llm_verdicts[call_id] = verdict
+                # Pop (not get) — once consumed the entry isn't useful
+                # again; TTL pruning at the writer side keeps the
+                # never-consumed case bounded too.
+                entry = self._auto_approve_reasons.pop(call_id, None)
+                if entry is not None:
+                    auto_reason = entry[0]
+            if auto_reason:
+                verdict["user_decision"] = auto_reason
         self._enqueue({"type": "intent_verdict", **verdict})
         # Kind-specific cross-stream broadcast — ConsoleCoordinatorUI
         # overrides to push onto the cluster bus so a coord parent's
@@ -743,6 +826,17 @@ class SessionUIBase:
         # WRONG decision.  Storage UPDATE happens outside the lock
         # on the already-resolved path — no contention with other
         # ws-scoped work.
+        # If ``auto_reason`` was stamped above, the verdict already
+        # carries the final ``user_decision`` for this row.  Neither
+        # path below applies: appending to ``_pending_verdicts`` would
+        # cause ``resolve_approval`` (on the manual-approval sibling
+        # in a mixed batch) to overwrite the auto-reason with
+        # ``"approved"``/``"denied"``/``"timeout"``; the
+        # ``_persist_verdict_decisions`` immediate-stamp path would
+        # overwrite it the same way from a prior cycle's decision.
+        # Skip both so the audit trail keeps the auto-approve reason.
+        if auto_reason:
+            return
         with self._ws_lock:
             decision = self._last_verdict_decision
             if not decision:
@@ -811,9 +905,29 @@ class SessionUIBase:
                     "tier": v.get("tier", default_tier),
                     "judge_model": v.get("judge_model", ""),
                     "latency_ms": v.get("latency_ms", 0),
+                    "user_decision": v.get("user_decision", "pending"),
                 }
                 for v in verdicts
             ]
+            # Plain INSERT (not UPSERT) at the bulk site.  The race
+            # where a daemon-judge verdict lands BEFORE this bulk
+            # write IS reachable today: ``_evaluate_intent``
+            # (session.py) spawns the daemon thread before
+            # ``approve_tools`` is called, and the daemon's first
+            # emission (heuristic-only short batch, fast LLM response,
+            # or cancel-event ``_deliver_fallbacks`` from judge.py)
+            # can fire ``_persist_intent_verdict`` before this bulk
+            # INSERT runs.  Outcome of that race is unchanged by the
+            # per-row UPSERT switch: the bulk INSERT statement aborts
+            # on PK collision regardless of whether the colliding row
+            # was planted by INSERT or UPSERT, and the wrapping
+            # ``try/except`` swallows it.  Race A (daemon fires AFTER
+            # bulk) IS improved by the fix: heuristic→llm_fallback
+            # upgrade-in-place now lands.  Future bulk-side hardening
+            # (``ON CONFLICT DO NOTHING``) would preserve the OTHER
+            # rows in the batch when one collides, but would keep the
+            # daemon's ``tier`` ("llm"/"llm_fallback") for the
+            # colliding row instead of the bulk's heuristic stamp.
             storage.create_intent_verdicts_bulk(rows)
         except Exception:
             log.debug("Failed to bulk-persist intent verdicts", exc_info=True)
@@ -824,15 +938,21 @@ class SessionUIBase:
         *,
         default_tier: str = "llm",
     ) -> None:
-        """Persist an intent-judge verdict row.
+        """Persist an intent-judge verdict row via UPSERT.
 
-        Used by both the async LLM-tier path (``on_intent_verdict``,
-        default tier ``"llm"``) and the synchronous heuristic-tier
-        path (``approve_tools``, caller passes ``default_tier="heuristic"``).
+        Used by the async LLM-tier path (``on_intent_verdict``,
+        default tier ``"llm"``).  Routes through ``upsert_intent_verdict``
+        because ``tier="llm_fallback"`` verdicts deliberately reuse the
+        heuristic verdict's ``verdict_id`` (see ``judge.py`` —
+        ``_deliver_fallbacks`` and the in-loop fallback path)
+        so the row gets "upgraded in place" from heuristic →
+        llm_fallback.  A plain INSERT would collide on the PK and the
+        upgrade would be lost to a silently-swallowed exception.
         ``default_tier`` only matters when the verdict dict doesn't
-        already carry a ``tier`` key — both real producers always set it,
-        but the fallback is the right call-site label so a malformed
-        verdict still lands on the correct row classification.
+        already carry a ``tier`` key — both real producers always set
+        it, but the fallback is the right call-site label so a
+        malformed verdict still lands on the correct row
+        classification.
         """
         try:
             from turnstone.core.storage._registry import get_storage
@@ -840,7 +960,7 @@ class SessionUIBase:
             storage = get_storage()
             if storage is None:
                 return
-            storage.create_intent_verdict(
+            storage.upsert_intent_verdict(
                 verdict_id=verdict.get("verdict_id", ""),
                 ws_id=self.ws_id,
                 call_id=verdict.get("call_id", ""),
@@ -855,6 +975,7 @@ class SessionUIBase:
                 tier=verdict.get("tier", default_tier),
                 judge_model=verdict.get("judge_model", ""),
                 latency_ms=verdict.get("latency_ms", 0),
+                user_decision=verdict.get("user_decision", "pending"),
             )
         except Exception:
             log.debug("Failed to persist intent verdict", exc_info=True)
@@ -955,6 +1076,14 @@ class SessionUIBase:
     # workstreams that auto-approve dozens of tool calls per turn.
     _RECENT_AUTO_APPROVALS_MAX = 10
 
+    # TTL on the call_id → auto_approve_reason map.  Sized to comfortably
+    # cover the LLM judge's worst-case latency (cold start + a slow model
+    # + queue depth).  Pruning happens lazily at write time so the cost
+    # is paid only on the next auto-approve event; a session that goes
+    # quiet after auto-approving never pays the prune cost at all but
+    # the resident-set is also tiny.
+    _AUTO_APPROVE_REASON_TTL = 60.0
+
     @staticmethod
     def _serialize_approval_items(items: list[dict[str, Any]]) -> list[dict[str, Any]]:
         """Project each item to the wire shape the SSE event payload uses.
@@ -1026,6 +1155,38 @@ class SessionUIBase:
             else:
                 it["auto_approve_reason"] = reason
 
+    def _persist_auto_approved_heuristic_verdicts(self, items: list[dict[str, Any]]) -> None:
+        """Persist heuristic verdicts for items the auto-approve path resolved.
+
+        The manual-approval block at the bottom of ``approve_tools``
+        handles its own verdict persistence (and stamps
+        ``user_decision`` per item — auto-approved items in a
+        mixed-path batch carry their reason, pending items carry
+        ``"pending"``).  The auto-approve early-return branches
+        (policy-allow-with-deny, blanket flag, auto_approve_tools
+        match) used to drop heuristic verdicts on the floor — an
+        operator querying ``user_decision`` for the auto-approve
+        reason would find no row at all, conflating "we auto-approved
+        silently" with "the judge didn't run".  This helper closes
+        that gap: walk ``items``, persist each auto-approved verdict
+        with its reason stamped, and fan a metric row per verdict.
+        Safe to call with empty items.
+        """
+        if not items:
+            return
+        verdicts: list[dict[str, Any]] = []
+        for it in items:
+            if not it.get("auto_approved"):
+                continue
+            hv = it.get("_heuristic_verdict")
+            if not hv:
+                continue
+            hv["user_decision"] = it.get("auto_approve_reason", "") or "pending"
+            verdicts.append(hv)
+            self._record_judge_metric(hv)
+        if verdicts:
+            self._persist_intent_verdicts_bulk(verdicts, default_tier="heuristic")
+
     def _record_auto_approves(self, items: list[dict[str, Any]]) -> None:
         """Append auto-approved items to the per-ws ring buffer + audit log.
 
@@ -1062,6 +1223,32 @@ class SessionUIBase:
             overflow = len(self._recent_auto_approvals) - self._RECENT_AUTO_APPROVALS_MAX
             if overflow > 0:
                 self._recent_auto_approvals = self._recent_auto_approvals[overflow:]
+            # Mirror call_id → reason into the lookup map so a late
+            # ``on_intent_verdict`` (LLM judge tier) can stamp the
+            # right ``user_decision`` instead of leaving the verdict
+            # stuck as ``"pending"`` forever.  Prune expired entries
+            # first (lazy TTL eviction) so a session with the LLM
+            # judge disabled doesn't accumulate entries that will
+            # never be consumed.  Skip the rebuild when the map is
+            # empty or all entries are still fresh — the common case
+            # on a healthy LLM-judge-enabled session where entries
+            # drain via ``on_intent_verdict.pop`` within the TTL.
+            cutoff = ts - self._AUTO_APPROVE_REASON_TTL
+            if self._auto_approve_reasons and any(
+                ins_ts < cutoff for _, ins_ts in self._auto_approve_reasons.values()
+            ):
+                self._auto_approve_reasons = {
+                    cid: (reason, ins_ts)
+                    for cid, (reason, ins_ts) in self._auto_approve_reasons.items()
+                    if ins_ts >= cutoff
+                }
+            for entry in appended:
+                cid = entry["call_id"]
+                if cid:
+                    self._auto_approve_reasons[cid] = (
+                        entry["auto_approve_reason"],
+                        ts,
+                    )
         # Audit emission — one row per ``approve_tools`` call (not one
         # per item) keeps the audit table from blowing up on
         # tool-heavy turns while still capturing every tool name +

turnstone/core/storage/_postgresql.py

@@ -72,6 +72,9 @@ from turnstone.core.storage._schema import (
 from turnstone.core.storage._utils import (
     HEURISTIC_RULE_MUTABLE as _HEURISTIC_RULE_MUTABLE,
 )
+from turnstone.core.storage._utils import (
+    LIKE_ESCAPE as _LIKE_ESCAPE,
+)
 from turnstone.core.storage._utils import (
     MCP_SERVER_MUTABLE as _MCP_SERVER_MUTABLE,
 )
@@ -102,6 +105,9 @@ from turnstone.core.storage._utils import (
 from turnstone.core.storage._utils import (
     VERDICT_MUTABLE as _VERDICT_MUTABLE,
 )
+from turnstone.core.storage._utils import (
+    escape_like as _escape_like,
+)
 from turnstone.core.storage._utils import (
     normalize_search_terms as _normalize_search_terms,
 )
@@ -120,11 +126,6 @@ from turnstone.core.workstream import BULK_CLOSE_STATE_VALUES, WorkstreamKind
 log = get_logger(__name__)
 
 
-def _escape_ilike(s: str) -> str:
-    """Escape ILIKE metacharacters for use with ESCAPE '\\\\'."""
-    return s.replace("\\", "\\\\").replace("%", "\\%").replace("_", "\\_")
-
-
 def _resolve_pg_listen_url(override: str, sqlalchemy_url: str) -> str:
     """Resolve the URL used by the dedicated LISTEN connection.
 
@@ -1835,6 +1836,33 @@ class PostgreSQLBackend:
             ).fetchall()
             return [dict(r._mapping) for r in rows]
 
+    def find_watch_by_name(self, ws_id: str, name_or_prefix: str) -> dict[str, Any] | None:
+
+        if not name_or_prefix:
+            return None
+        like_pattern = _escape_like(name_or_prefix) + "%"
+        with self._conn() as conn:
+            row = conn.execute(
+                sa.select(watches)
+                .where(
+                    (watches.c.ws_id == ws_id)
+                    & (
+                        (watches.c.name == name_or_prefix)
+                        | watches.c.watch_id.like(like_pattern, escape=_LIKE_ESCAPE)
+                    )
+                )
+                # Active rows win over inactive ones with the same name.
+                # _prepare_watch's duplicate-name guard filters active=1,
+                # so a model can recreate a name after the previous one
+                # auto-cancelled; a cancel-by-name request on the live
+                # row must not be shadowed by the older completed row.
+                .order_by(watches.c.active.desc(), watches.c.created.desc())
+                .limit(1)
+            ).fetchone()
+            if row is None:
+                return None
+            return dict(row._mapping)
+
     def list_watches_for_node(self, node_id: str) -> list[dict[str, Any]]:
 
         with self._conn() as conn:
@@ -3334,6 +3362,7 @@ class PostgreSQLBackend:
         tier: str,
         judge_model: str,
         latency_ms: int,
+        user_decision: str = "pending",
     ) -> None:
         now = datetime.now(UTC).strftime("%Y-%m-%dT%H:%M:%S")
         with self._conn() as conn:
@@ -3354,11 +3383,67 @@ class PostgreSQLBackend:
                     "tier": tier,
                     "judge_model": judge_model,
                     "latency_ms": latency_ms,
+                    "user_decision": user_decision,
                     "created": now,
                 },
             )
             conn.commit()
 
+    def upsert_intent_verdict(
+        self,
+        verdict_id: str,
+        ws_id: str,
+        call_id: str,
+        func_name: str,
+        func_args: str,
+        intent_summary: str,
+        risk_level: str,
+        confidence: float,
+        recommendation: str,
+        reasoning: str,
+        evidence: str,
+        tier: str,
+        judge_model: str,
+        latency_ms: int,
+        user_decision: str = "pending",
+    ) -> None:
+        from sqlalchemy.dialects.postgresql import insert as pg_insert
+
+        now = datetime.now(UTC).strftime("%Y-%m-%dT%H:%M:%S")
+        stmt = pg_insert(intent_verdicts).values(
+            verdict_id=verdict_id,
+            ws_id=ws_id,
+            call_id=call_id,
+            func_name=func_name,
+            func_args=func_args,
+            intent_summary=intent_summary,
+            risk_level=risk_level,
+            confidence=confidence,
+            recommendation=recommendation,
+            reasoning=reasoning,
+            evidence=evidence,
+            tier=tier,
+            judge_model=judge_model,
+            latency_ms=latency_ms,
+            user_decision=user_decision,
+            created=now,
+        )
+        # On verdict_id conflict, update only the three fields that
+        # genuinely change between heuristic and llm_fallback.  See the
+        # protocol docstring for the full exclusion rationale —
+        # ``user_decision`` exclusion in particular is load-bearing.
+        stmt = stmt.on_conflict_do_update(
+            index_elements=[intent_verdicts.c.verdict_id],
+            set_={
+                "tier": tier,
+                "reasoning": reasoning,
+                "judge_model": judge_model,
+            },
+        )
+        with self._conn() as conn:
+            conn.execute(stmt)
+            conn.commit()
+
     def create_intent_verdicts_bulk(self, verdicts: list[dict[str, Any]]) -> None:
         if not verdicts:
             return
@@ -3379,6 +3464,7 @@ class PostgreSQLBackend:
                 "tier": v.get("tier", "heuristic"),
                 "judge_model": v.get("judge_model", ""),
                 "latency_ms": v.get("latency_ms", 0),
+                "user_decision": v.get("user_decision", "pending"),
                 "created": now,
             }
             for v in verdicts
@@ -3671,7 +3757,7 @@ class PostgreSQLBackend:
             clauses = []
             params: dict[str, str] = {}
             for i, t in enumerate(terms):
-                escaped = _escape_ilike(t)
+                escaped = _escape_like(t)
                 clauses.append(
                     f"(name ILIKE :n{i} ESCAPE '\\' "
                     f"OR description ILIKE :d{i} ESCAPE '\\' "
@@ -3750,7 +3836,7 @@ class PostgreSQLBackend:
             scope_clauses, params = self._build_scope_or_clause(scopes)
             term_clauses = []
             for i, t in enumerate(terms):
-                escaped = _escape_ilike(t)
+                escaped = _escape_like(t)
                 term_clauses.append(
                     f"(name ILIKE :n{i} ESCAPE '\\' "
                     f"OR description ILIKE :d{i} ESCAPE '\\' "

turnstone/core/storage/_protocol.py

@@ -1003,6 +1003,23 @@ class StorageBackend(Protocol):
         """Return active watches for a workstream, ordered by created DESC."""
         ...
 
+    def find_watch_by_name(self, ws_id: str, name_or_prefix: str) -> dict[str, Any] | None:
+        """Return a watch in ``ws_id`` whose ``name`` matches
+        ``name_or_prefix`` exactly, or whose ``watch_id`` starts with it.
+
+        Unlike :meth:`list_watches_for_ws` this DOES NOT filter on the
+        ``active`` flag — callers can inspect ``row["active"]`` to
+        distinguish a still-running watch from one that fired and
+        auto-cancelled.  Returns ``None`` if no match.
+
+        When multiple rows match, prefers active rows over inactive
+        ones, then most-recently-created.  Without the active
+        preference, a recreated-after-completion name would let the
+        older inactive row shadow the new active one in the cancel
+        path.
+        """
+        ...
+
     def list_watches_for_node(self, node_id: str) -> list[dict[str, Any]]:
         """Return all active watches on a node, ordered by created DESC."""
         ...
@@ -1590,8 +1607,77 @@ class StorageBackend(Protocol):
         tier: str,
         judge_model: str,
         latency_ms: int,
+        user_decision: str = "pending",
     ) -> None:
-        """Record an intent validation verdict."""
+        """Record an intent validation verdict.
+
+        ``user_decision`` defaults to ``"pending"`` rather than ``""``
+        so an audit reader can distinguish "in-flight" rows from
+        legacy pre-fix rows (which carry ``""`` from the column's
+        server_default and indicate "convention not yet established
+        when this row was written"). Resolution writers
+        (:meth:`update_intent_verdict`) later overwrite the field with
+        ``"approved"`` / ``"denied"`` / ``"timeout"`` (user-driven) or
+        ``"policy"`` / ``"blanket"`` / ``"auto_approve_tools"``
+        (auto-approve reason, mirroring :class:`AutoApproveReason`).
+        """
+        ...
+
+    def upsert_intent_verdict(
+        self,
+        verdict_id: str,
+        ws_id: str,
+        call_id: str,
+        func_name: str,
+        func_args: str,
+        intent_summary: str,
+        risk_level: str,
+        confidence: float,
+        recommendation: str,
+        reasoning: str,
+        evidence: str,
+        tier: str,
+        judge_model: str,
+        latency_ms: int,
+        user_decision: str = "pending",
+    ) -> None:
+        """INSERT a verdict row, or UPDATE the judge-output fields on conflict.
+
+        Async LLM judge verdicts with ``tier="llm_fallback"`` deliberately
+        reuse the heuristic verdict's ``verdict_id`` so the row gets
+        "upgraded in place" from heuristic → fallback when the LLM tier
+        doesn't return a real verdict (timeout / cancelled / no-content).
+        A plain INSERT collides on ``intent_verdicts_pkey``; this method
+        ``ON CONFLICT (verdict_id) DO UPDATE`` updates only the columns
+        that genuinely change between the two tiers:
+
+        - ``tier`` (the upgrade itself)
+        - ``reasoning`` (gets " (LLM judge did not return a verdict)" appended)
+        - ``judge_model`` (heuristic carries "", fallback carries the model)
+
+        Every other column is EXCLUDED from the on-conflict SET clause:
+
+        - Identity columns (``verdict_id``, ``ws_id``, ``call_id``,
+          ``func_name``, ``func_args``) — already the same row.
+        - Carried-verbatim columns (``intent_summary``, ``risk_level``,
+          ``confidence``, ``recommendation``, ``evidence``, ``latency_ms``) —
+          the fallback copies them from the heuristic verdict; updating
+          would be a no-op.
+        - ``user_decision`` — LOAD-BEARING exclusion.  ``IntentVerdict.to_dict()``
+          doesn't project it, so a fallback verdict reaching this layer
+          defaults the kwarg to ``"pending"``.  If the operator already
+          resolved the approval between heuristic INSERT and fallback
+          fire, the row's ``user_decision`` was already updated to
+          ``"approved"``/``"denied"``/``"timeout"`` (or stamped to an
+          auto-approve reason at heuristic-INSERT time).  Clobbering it
+          back to ``"pending"`` would undo that.
+        - ``created`` — preserve the original timestamp.
+
+        Used by :meth:`SessionUIBase._persist_intent_verdict` for every
+        async LLM-tier delivery; the synchronous heuristic-bulk path
+        (:meth:`create_intent_verdicts_bulk`) stays as plain INSERT
+        since each heuristic UUID is freshly generated per turn.
+        """
         ...
 
     def create_intent_verdicts_bulk(self, verdicts: list[dict[str, Any]]) -> None:
@@ -1601,10 +1687,12 @@ class StorageBackend(Protocol):
         (``verdict_id`` / ``ws_id`` / ``call_id`` / ``func_name`` /
         ``func_args`` / ``intent_summary`` / ``risk_level`` /
         ``confidence`` / ``recommendation`` / ``reasoning`` / ``evidence`` /
-        ``tier`` / ``judge_model`` / ``latency_ms``). Used by the
-        synchronous heuristic-verdict persistence loop in
-        ``approve_tools`` so a tool-heavy turn doesn't pay N×commit
-        latency before the approval prompt renders.
+        ``tier`` / ``judge_model`` / ``latency_ms`` /
+        ``user_decision``). ``user_decision`` defaults to ``"pending"``
+        when absent — see :meth:`create_intent_verdict` for the
+        vocabulary. Used by the synchronous heuristic-verdict
+        persistence loop in ``approve_tools`` so a tool-heavy turn
+        doesn't pay N×commit latency before the approval prompt renders.
         """
         ...
 

turnstone/core/storage/_sqlite.py

@@ -72,6 +72,9 @@ from turnstone.core.storage._schema import (
 from turnstone.core.storage._utils import (
     HEURISTIC_RULE_MUTABLE as _HEURISTIC_RULE_MUTABLE,
 )
+from turnstone.core.storage._utils import (
+    LIKE_ESCAPE as _LIKE_ESCAPE,
+)
 from turnstone.core.storage._utils import (
     MCP_SERVER_MUTABLE as _MCP_SERVER_MUTABLE,
 )
@@ -102,6 +105,9 @@ from turnstone.core.storage._utils import (
 from turnstone.core.storage._utils import (
     VERDICT_MUTABLE as _VERDICT_MUTABLE,
 )
+from turnstone.core.storage._utils import (
+    escape_like as _escape_like,
+)
 from turnstone.core.storage._utils import (
     normalize_search_terms as _normalize_search_terms,
 )
@@ -120,11 +126,6 @@ from turnstone.core.workstream import BULK_CLOSE_STATE_VALUES, WorkstreamKind
 log = get_logger(__name__)
 
 
-def _escape_like(s: str) -> str:
-    """Escape LIKE metacharacters for use with ESCAPE '\\\\'."""
-    return s.replace("\\", "\\\\").replace("%", "\\%").replace("_", "\\_")
-
-
 def _fts5_query(query: str) -> str:
     """Convert a plain search string into a safe FTS5 query."""
     terms = query.split()
@@ -1976,6 +1977,33 @@ class SQLiteBackend:
             ).fetchall()
             return [dict(r._mapping) for r in rows]
 
+    def find_watch_by_name(self, ws_id: str, name_or_prefix: str) -> dict[str, Any] | None:
+
+        if not name_or_prefix:
+            return None
+        like_pattern = _escape_like(name_or_prefix) + "%"
+        with self._conn() as conn:
+            row = conn.execute(
+                sa.select(watches)
+                .where(
+                    (watches.c.ws_id == ws_id)
+                    & (
+                        (watches.c.name == name_or_prefix)
+                        | watches.c.watch_id.like(like_pattern, escape=_LIKE_ESCAPE)
+                    )
+                )
+                # Active rows win over inactive ones with the same name.
+                # _prepare_watch's duplicate-name guard filters active=1,
+                # so a model can recreate a name after the previous one
+                # auto-cancelled; a cancel-by-name request on the live
+                # row must not be shadowed by the older completed row.
+                .order_by(watches.c.active.desc(), watches.c.created.desc())
+                .limit(1)
+            ).fetchone()
+            if row is None:
+                return None
+            return dict(row._mapping)
+
     def list_watches_for_node(self, node_id: str) -> list[dict[str, Any]]:
 
         with self._conn() as conn:
@@ -3496,6 +3524,7 @@ class SQLiteBackend:
         tier: str,
         judge_model: str,
         latency_ms: int,
+        user_decision: str = "pending",
     ) -> None:
         now = datetime.now(UTC).strftime("%Y-%m-%dT%H:%M:%S")
         with self._conn() as conn:
@@ -3516,11 +3545,67 @@ class SQLiteBackend:
                     "tier": tier,
                     "judge_model": judge_model,
                     "latency_ms": latency_ms,
+                    "user_decision": user_decision,
                     "created": now,
                 },
             )
             conn.commit()
 
+    def upsert_intent_verdict(
+        self,
+        verdict_id: str,
+        ws_id: str,
+        call_id: str,
+        func_name: str,
+        func_args: str,
+        intent_summary: str,
+        risk_level: str,
+        confidence: float,
+        recommendation: str,
+        reasoning: str,
+        evidence: str,
+        tier: str,
+        judge_model: str,
+        latency_ms: int,
+        user_decision: str = "pending",
+    ) -> None:
+        from sqlalchemy.dialects.sqlite import insert as sqlite_insert
+
+        now = datetime.now(UTC).strftime("%Y-%m-%dT%H:%M:%S")
+        stmt = sqlite_insert(intent_verdicts).values(
+            verdict_id=verdict_id,
+            ws_id=ws_id,
+            call_id=call_id,
+            func_name=func_name,
+            func_args=func_args,
+            intent_summary=intent_summary,
+            risk_level=risk_level,
+            confidence=confidence,
+            recommendation=recommendation,
+            reasoning=reasoning,
+            evidence=evidence,
+            tier=tier,
+            judge_model=judge_model,
+            latency_ms=latency_ms,
+            user_decision=user_decision,
+            created=now,
+        )
+        # On verdict_id conflict, update only the three fields that
+        # genuinely change between heuristic and llm_fallback.  See the
+        # protocol docstring for the full exclusion rationale —
+        # ``user_decision`` exclusion in particular is load-bearing.
+        stmt = stmt.on_conflict_do_update(
+            index_elements=["verdict_id"],
+            set_={
+                "tier": tier,
+                "reasoning": reasoning,
+                "judge_model": judge_model,
+            },
+        )
+        with self._conn() as conn:
+            conn.execute(stmt)
+            conn.commit()
+
     def create_intent_verdicts_bulk(self, verdicts: list[dict[str, Any]]) -> None:
         if not verdicts:
             return
@@ -3541,6 +3626,7 @@ class SQLiteBackend:
                 "tier": v.get("tier", "heuristic"),
                 "judge_model": v.get("judge_model", ""),
                 "latency_ms": v.get("latency_ms", 0),
+                "user_decision": v.get("user_decision", "pending"),
                 "created": now,
             }
             for v in verdicts

turnstone/core/storage/_utils.py

@@ -98,6 +98,37 @@ def sanitize_text(value: str | None) -> str | None:
     return value
 
 
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# SQL LIKE escaping
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+# The escape character paired with :func:`escape_like`.  Callers MUST
+# pass ``escape=LIKE_ESCAPE`` to SQLAlchemy's ``.like()`` — without
+# that kwarg, ``.like()`` uses no escape character at all and the
+# ``\%`` / ``\_`` sequences produced by :func:`escape_like` would be
+# interpreted as a literal backslash followed by a wildcard.  ``\``
+# is the SQL standard escape character and works identically on SQLite
+# and PostgreSQL when passed explicitly.
+LIKE_ESCAPE = "\\"
+
+
+def escape_like(value: str) -> str:
+    """Escape ``%`` and ``_`` (and the escape character itself) so the
+    string can be safely embedded in a SQL ``LIKE`` pattern.
+
+    Pair with ``column.like(escape_like(prefix) + "%", escape=LIKE_ESCAPE)``
+    to do a true prefix match against caller-supplied input.  Without
+    this, untrusted text containing ``%`` or ``_`` is interpreted as a
+    wildcard — e.g. a model-supplied watch name of ``"%"`` would match
+    every row in the queried partition.
+    """
+    return (
+        value.replace(LIKE_ESCAPE, LIKE_ESCAPE * 2)
+        .replace("%", LIKE_ESCAPE + "%")
+        .replace("_", LIKE_ESCAPE + "_")
+    )
+
+
 # ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 # Row helper
 # ---------------------------------------------------------------------------

turnstone/core/watch.py

@@ -289,6 +289,17 @@ class WatchRunner:
         self._dispatch_fns: dict[str, Callable[[dict[str, Any], str], None]] = {}
         self._dispatch_lock = threading.Lock()
 
+        # Watch ids whose terminal reminder has already been dispatched
+        # but whose row write has not yet been confirmed.  Populated
+        # between ``_dispatch_result`` and ``update_watch`` in
+        # :meth:`_poll_watch`; on a subsequent tick the same row will
+        # still appear in ``list_due_watches`` (active=1, next_poll
+        # unchanged) — the guard at the top of ``_poll_watch`` retries
+        # the row write WITHOUT re-dispatching.  Bounded by transient
+        # storage failure depth (~MAX_WATCHES_PER_WS × num_ws).
+        self._terminal_dispatched: set[str] = set()
+        self._terminal_dispatched_lock = threading.Lock()
+
         self._stop_event = threading.Event()
         self._thread: threading.Thread | None = None
 
@@ -314,14 +325,18 @@ class WatchRunner:
     def set_dispatch_fn(self, ws_id: str, fn: Callable[[dict[str, Any], str], None]) -> None:
         """Register a per-workstream dispatch fn.
 
-        The fn signature is ``(reminder, watch_id)`` — the runner passes
-        the originating ``watch_id`` so dispatch closures can capture
-        per-watch metadata (e.g. a ``valid_until`` predicate that
-        re-checks ``storage.is_watch_active(watch_id)`` before
-        delivering a stale entry).  ``reminder`` is the structured dict
-        returned by :func:`build_watch_reminder` — ``text`` carries the
-        formatted body, the remaining fields ride as queue-entry
-        metadata so the frontend can render a ``.msg.watch-result`` card.
+        The fn signature is ``(reminder, watch_id)``.  ``reminder`` is
+        the structured dict returned by :func:`build_watch_reminder` —
+        ``text`` carries the formatted body, the remaining fields ride
+        as queue-entry metadata so the frontend can render a
+        ``.msg.watch-result`` card.  ``watch_id`` is passed for
+        closures that need per-watch metadata in their queue plumbing
+        (e.g. correlating a fire back to the originating row in logs);
+        do NOT use it to gate delivery against
+        ``storage.is_watch_active(watch_id)`` — see
+        :meth:`ChatSession.set_watch_runner` for why that pattern
+        races :meth:`_poll_watch`'s commit of ``active=False`` and
+        drops fires the model was meant to see.
         """
         with self._dispatch_lock:
             self._dispatch_fns[ws_id] = fn
@@ -339,6 +354,22 @@ class WatchRunner:
         with self._dispatch_lock:
             return self._dispatch_fns.get(ws_id)
 
+    def forget_terminal_dispatched(self, watch_id: str) -> None:
+        """Discard ``watch_id`` from the pending-terminal-dispatched
+        set if present.  Called by paths that take a watch out of
+        :meth:`StorageBackend.list_due_watches` view independent of
+        the runner's own poll (most importantly the user-cancel path
+        in :meth:`ChatSession._exec_watch`).  Without this, a
+        ``_poll_watch`` whose row write failed AFTER dispatch would
+        leak ``watch_id`` in ``_terminal_dispatched`` indefinitely —
+        the user-cancel writes ``next_poll=''`` which excludes the
+        row from ``list_due_watches``, so the retry-deactivate branch
+        at the top of :meth:`_poll_watch` never fires to clear the
+        entry.
+        """
+        with self._terminal_dispatched_lock:
+            self._terminal_dispatched.discard(watch_id)
+
     # -- Main loop -----------------------------------------------------------
 
     def _run(self) -> None:
@@ -383,6 +414,21 @@ class WatchRunner:
         prev_output = watch_row.get("last_output")
         created = watch_row.get("created", "")
 
+        # Re-poll of a row whose terminal reminder already shipped but
+        # whose ``active=False`` write didn't land — retry just the row
+        # write so the row stops appearing in ``list_due_watches``; do
+        # NOT re-dispatch the reminder, which the model already saw.
+        with self._terminal_dispatched_lock:
+            already_dispatched = watch_id in self._terminal_dispatched
+        if already_dispatched:
+            try:
+                self._storage.update_watch(watch_id, active=False, next_poll="")
+                with self._terminal_dispatched_lock:
+                    self._terminal_dispatched.discard(watch_id)
+            except Exception:
+                log.exception("watch_runner.retry_deactivate_failed", extra={"watch_id": watch_id})
+            return
+
         # Safety check
         blocked = is_command_blocked(command)
         if blocked:
@@ -416,22 +462,17 @@ class WatchRunner:
         now = datetime.now(UTC)
         now_str = now.strftime("%Y-%m-%dT%H:%M:%S")
 
-        # Update DB
-        update_fields: dict[str, Any] = {
-            "poll_count": poll_count,
-            "last_output": output,
-            "last_exit_code": exit_code,
-            "last_poll": now_str,
-        }
-        if is_final:
-            update_fields["active"] = False
-            update_fields["next_poll"] = ""
-        else:
-            next_poll = now + timedelta(seconds=watch_row["interval_secs"])
-            update_fields["next_poll"] = next_poll.strftime("%Y-%m-%dT%H:%M:%S")
-        self._storage.update_watch(watch_id, **update_fields)
-
-        # Dispatch result if condition fired or final
+        # Dispatch before committing the row update.  Belt-and-braces
+        # given the rest of the fix (closure no longer wires a
+        # ``valid_until`` predicate, cancel-by-name uses
+        # :meth:`find_watch_by_name` which ignores the ``active``
+        # filter): either order would deliver the reminder today, but
+        # this ordering preserves the invariant against re-wiring an
+        # ``is_watch_active`` predicate or adding a new
+        # ``active``-filtered read on this hot path.  Combined with the
+        # ``_terminal_dispatched`` guard above it also bounds the
+        # duplicate-fire blast radius if the row write fails after the
+        # reminder shipped.
         if fired or is_final:
             # Compute elapsed from created time
             elapsed_secs = 0.0
@@ -454,6 +495,33 @@ class WatchRunner:
                 reason=reason,
             )
             self._dispatch_result(ws_id, reminder, watch_id)
+            if is_final:
+                # Mark BEFORE the row write so a raise below routes the
+                # next tick into the retry-deactivate branch instead of
+                # re-firing the reminder.
+                with self._terminal_dispatched_lock:
+                    self._terminal_dispatched.add(watch_id)
+
+        # Update DB
+        update_fields: dict[str, Any] = {
+            "poll_count": poll_count,
+            "last_output": output,
+            "last_exit_code": exit_code,
+            "last_poll": now_str,
+        }
+        if is_final:
+            update_fields["active"] = False
+            update_fields["next_poll"] = ""
+        else:
+            next_poll = now + timedelta(seconds=watch_row["interval_secs"])
+            update_fields["next_poll"] = next_poll.strftime("%Y-%m-%dT%H:%M:%S")
+        self._storage.update_watch(watch_id, **update_fields)
+
+        if is_final:
+            # Row write committed; the retry-deactivate branch will
+            # never be reached for this watch_id.
+            with self._terminal_dispatched_lock:
+                self._terminal_dispatched.discard(watch_id)
 
         log.debug(
             "watch_runner.polled",