fix(fleet): fail closed on persona overrides

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.8 <noreply@anthropic.com>

docs/scratchpads/758-fcm-m1-002-shared-role-resolution.md

@@ -72,6 +72,36 @@ compatibility and canonical collision denial.
 - Independent security review: **APPROVE**, no verified authority/security findings on the final
   delta.
 
+### Post-PR fail-closed remediation
+
+Independent rereview found resolver fail-open edges that the original green PR head did not cover. The
+remediation remained uncommitted until every finding was reproduced red-first and the same reviewer
+approved the complete two-file delta.
+
+Final regression evidence:
+
+```text
+persona resolver: 47/47
+focused affected suites: 6 files / 138 tests
+root-container resolver suites: 86/86
+full canonical run: 42/42 Turbo tasks; Mosaic 50 files / 733 tests
+```
+
+DB migration, typecheck, lint, Prettier, and `git diff --check` also passed. Coverage now proves:
+
+- unreadable, unscannable, direct-dangling, ancestor-dangling, and literal `..` traversal override paths
+  fail closed across async, sync, listing, and status APIs;
+- genuinely missing override directories still permit baseline fallback;
+- cached missing scans are revalidated before fallback;
+- marker-defined identity and domain metadata are revalidated on the second read;
+- `LIBRARY.md` rows and incidental later markers cannot define, shadow, or advertise personas.
+
+Final independent finding-specific rereview: **APPROVE**. The reviewer verified exact absolute and
+relative dangling-ancestor traversal, cached-missing revalidation, second-read marker identity, and
+async/sync/list/status behavior. The source remained at remote head `1c41adad…` during remediation;
+a fresh pushed head still requires terminal-green CI and durable exact-head reviewer-of-record before
+merge.
+
 
 ## Risks and boundaries
 

packages/mosaic/src/commands/fleet-personas.spec.ts

@@ -1,15 +1,17 @@
-import { cp, mkdir, mkdtemp, rm, writeFile } from 'node:fs/promises';
+import { cp, mkdir, mkdtemp, rm, symlink, writeFile } from 'node:fs/promises';
 import { tmpdir } from 'node:os';
-import { dirname, join, resolve } from 'node:path';
+import { dirname, join, relative, resolve } from 'node:path';
 import { fileURLToPath } from 'node:url';
 import { afterEach, beforeEach, describe, expect, it } from 'vitest';
 import {
   authorityForCanonicalClass,
   canonicalizeRoleClass,
   extractClassesFromDir,
+  extractClassesFromDirSync,
   listPersonaClasses,
   personaStatus,
   resolvePersona,
+  resolvePersonaFrom,
   resolvePersonaSync,
 } from './fleet-personas.js';
 import { loadProfiles, validateProfile, type FleetProfile } from './fleet-profiles.js';
@@ -174,12 +176,17 @@ describe('required FCM role library', () => {
 });
 
 describe('extractClassesFromDir (shared extraction)', () => {
-  it('records class + domain from inline markers and degrades on missing dir', async () => {
+  it('records class + domain and distinguishes scanned from missing directories', async () => {
     const base = await extractClassesFromDir(rolesDir);
+    expect(base.scanState).toBe('scanned');
     expect(base.classes.has('ceo')).toBe(true);
     expect(base.byClass.get('ceo')?.domain).toBe('executive');
-    const missing = await extractClassesFromDir(join(tmp, 'nope'));
+
+    const missingDir = join(tmp, 'nope');
+    const missing = await extractClassesFromDir(missingDir);
+    expect(missing.scanState).toBe('missing');
     expect(missing.classes.size).toBe(0);
+    expect(extractClassesFromDirSync(missingDir).scanState).toBe('missing');
   });
 });
 
@@ -200,6 +207,229 @@ describe('resolvePersona — override wins', () => {
     expect(resolved?.content).toContain('BASELINE');
   });
 
+  it('does not let a LIBRARY-only row shadow a readable baseline persona', async () => {
+    await mkdir(overrideDir, { recursive: true });
+    await writeFile(
+      join(overrideDir, 'LIBRARY.md'),
+      '| Persona | Purpose |\n| --- | --- |\n| code | Index only |\n',
+      'utf8',
+    );
+
+    const resolved = await resolvePersona('code', { rolesDir, overrideDir });
+    expect(resolved?.layer).toBe('baseline');
+    expect(resolved?.content).toContain('BASELINE');
+    expect((await listPersonaClasses({ rolesDir, overrideDir })).has('code')).toBe(true);
+    expect(
+      (await personaStatus({ rolesDir, overrideDir })).find(({ klass }) => klass === 'code')
+        ?.status,
+    ).toBe('baseline');
+  });
+
+  it('does not let an incidental later class marker shadow a readable baseline persona', async () => {
+    await mkdir(overrideDir, { recursive: true });
+    await writeFile(
+      join(overrideDir, 'mascot.md'),
+      '# mascot\n\n(`class: mascot`)\n\nSee also (`class: code`).\n',
+      'utf8',
+    );
+
+    const resolved = await resolvePersona('code', { rolesDir, overrideDir });
+    expect(resolved?.layer).toBe('baseline');
+    expect(resolved?.content).toContain('BASELINE');
+    expect((await listPersonaClasses({ rolesDir, overrideDir })).has('code')).toBe(true);
+    expect((await listPersonaClasses({ rolesDir, overrideDir })).has('mascot')).toBe(true);
+    expect(
+      (await personaStatus({ rolesDir, overrideDir })).find(({ klass }) => klass === 'code')
+        ?.status,
+    ).toBe('baseline');
+  });
+
+  it('does not advertise an incidental-only class through listing or status APIs', async () => {
+    await mkdir(overrideDir, { recursive: true });
+    await writeFile(
+      join(overrideDir, 'mascot.md'),
+      '# mascot\n\n(`class: mascot`)\n\nSee also (`class: phantom`).\n',
+      'utf8',
+    );
+
+    expect((await listPersonaClasses({ rolesDir, overrideDir })).has('phantom')).toBe(false);
+    expect(
+      (await personaStatus({ rolesDir, overrideDir })).some(({ klass }) => klass === 'phantom'),
+    ).toBe(false);
+  });
+
+  it('fails closed if a marker-defined override becomes unreadable after extraction', async () => {
+    await mkdir(overrideDir, { recursive: true });
+    const overrideFile = join(overrideDir, 'engineering.md');
+    await writeFile(overrideFile, overridePersona('code', 'engineering'), 'utf8');
+    const [base, over] = await Promise.all([
+      extractClassesFromDir(rolesDir),
+      extractClassesFromDir(overrideDir),
+    ]);
+    await rm(overrideFile);
+    await mkdir(overrideFile);
+
+    expect(await resolvePersonaFrom('code', { rolesDir, overrideDir, base, over })).toBeNull();
+  });
+
+  it('fails closed if a marker-defined override changes identity after extraction', async () => {
+    await mkdir(overrideDir, { recursive: true });
+    const overrideFile = join(overrideDir, 'engineering.md');
+    await writeFile(overrideFile, overridePersona('code', 'engineering'), 'utf8');
+    const [base, over] = await Promise.all([
+      extractClassesFromDir(rolesDir),
+      extractClassesFromDir(overrideDir),
+    ]);
+    await writeFile(overrideFile, overridePersona('mascot', 'fun'), 'utf8');
+
+    expect(await resolvePersonaFrom('code', { rolesDir, overrideDir, base, over })).toBeNull();
+
+    const classes = await listPersonaClasses({ rolesDir, overrideDir });
+    expect(classes.has('code')).toBe(true);
+    expect(classes.has('mascot')).toBe(true);
+    const status = new Map(
+      (await personaStatus({ rolesDir, overrideDir })).map((entry) => [entry.klass, entry]),
+    );
+    expect(status.get('code')?.status).toBe('baseline');
+    expect(status.get('mascot')?.status).toBe('custom');
+  });
+
+  it('fails closed asynchronously when the override directory cannot be scanned', async () => {
+    await writeFile(overrideDir, 'not a directory', 'utf8');
+    expect(await resolvePersona('code', { rolesDir, overrideDir })).toBeNull();
+  });
+
+  it('fails closed synchronously when the override directory cannot be scanned', async () => {
+    await writeFile(overrideDir, 'not a directory', 'utf8');
+    expect(resolvePersonaSync('code', { rolesDir, overrideDir })).toBeNull();
+  });
+
+  it('fails closed asynchronously and synchronously for a dangling override-directory symlink', async () => {
+    await symlink(join(tmp, 'missing-override-target'), overrideDir, 'dir');
+
+    expect(await resolvePersona('code', { rolesDir, overrideDir })).toBeNull();
+    expect(resolvePersonaSync('code', { rolesDir, overrideDir })).toBeNull();
+  });
+
+  it('fails closed asynchronously and synchronously when an override ancestor is a dangling symlink', async () => {
+    const danglingAncestor = join(tmp, 'dangling-ancestor');
+    await symlink(join(tmp, 'missing-ancestor-target'), danglingAncestor, 'dir');
+    overrideDir = join(danglingAncestor, 'nested', 'roles.local');
+
+    expect(await resolvePersona('code', { rolesDir, overrideDir })).toBeNull();
+    expect(resolvePersonaSync('code', { rolesDir, overrideDir })).toBeNull();
+    expect(await listPersonaClasses({ rolesDir, overrideDir })).toEqual(new Set());
+    expect(await personaStatus({ rolesDir, overrideDir })).toEqual([]);
+  });
+
+  it('fails closed when dot-dot traversal crosses a dangling override ancestor', async () => {
+    const danglingAncestor = join(tmp, 'dangling-dotdot-ancestor');
+    await symlink(join(tmp, 'missing-dotdot-target'), danglingAncestor, 'dir');
+    overrideDir = `${danglingAncestor}/../roles.local`;
+
+    expect(await resolvePersona('code', { rolesDir, overrideDir })).toBeNull();
+    expect(resolvePersonaSync('code', { rolesDir, overrideDir })).toBeNull();
+    expect(await listPersonaClasses({ rolesDir, overrideDir })).toEqual(new Set());
+    expect(await personaStatus({ rolesDir, overrideDir })).toEqual([]);
+  });
+
+  it('fails closed when relative dot-dot traversal crosses a dangling override ancestor', async () => {
+    const danglingAncestor = join(tmp, 'relative-dangling-ancestor');
+    await symlink(join(tmp, 'missing-relative-target'), danglingAncestor, 'dir');
+    overrideDir = `${relative(process.cwd(), danglingAncestor)}/../roles.local`;
+    expect(overrideDir.startsWith('/')).toBe(false);
+
+    expect(await resolvePersona('code', { rolesDir, overrideDir })).toBeNull();
+    expect(resolvePersonaSync('code', { rolesDir, overrideDir })).toBeNull();
+    expect(await listPersonaClasses({ rolesDir, overrideDir })).toEqual(new Set());
+    expect(await personaStatus({ rolesDir, overrideDir })).toEqual([]);
+  });
+
+  it('revalidates a cached missing override before baseline fallback', async () => {
+    const cachedOverrideDir = join(tmp, 'mutable-ancestor', 'roles.local');
+    const [base, over] = await Promise.all([
+      extractClassesFromDir(rolesDir),
+      extractClassesFromDir(cachedOverrideDir),
+    ]);
+    expect(over.scanState).toBe('missing');
+    await symlink(join(tmp, 'missing-mutable-target'), join(tmp, 'mutable-ancestor'), 'dir');
+
+    expect(
+      await resolvePersonaFrom('code', {
+        rolesDir,
+        overrideDir: cachedOverrideDir,
+        base,
+        over,
+      }),
+    ).toBeNull();
+  });
+
+  it('falls back to baseline asynchronously and synchronously when override directory is missing', async () => {
+    const asyncResolution = await resolvePersona('code', { rolesDir, overrideDir });
+    const syncResolution = resolvePersonaSync('code', { rolesDir, overrideDir });
+    expect(asyncResolution?.layer).toBe('baseline');
+    expect(syncResolution?.layer).toBe('baseline');
+  });
+
+  it('fails closed asynchronously when the canonical override exists but is unreadable', async () => {
+    await mkdir(overrideDir, { recursive: true });
+    await mkdir(join(overrideDir, 'code.md'));
+
+    expect(await resolvePersona('code', { rolesDir, overrideDir })).toBeNull();
+  });
+
+  it('does not advertise a shadowed baseline whose canonical override is unreadable', async () => {
+    await mkdir(overrideDir, { recursive: true });
+    await mkdir(join(overrideDir, 'code.md'));
+
+    expect((await listPersonaClasses({ rolesDir, overrideDir })).has('code')).toBe(false);
+    expect(
+      (await personaStatus({ rolesDir, overrideDir })).some(({ klass }) => klass === 'code'),
+    ).toBe(false);
+  });
+
+  it('does not advertise baseline personas when the override directory is unscannable', async () => {
+    await writeFile(overrideDir, 'not a directory', 'utf8');
+
+    expect(await listPersonaClasses({ rolesDir, overrideDir })).toEqual(new Set());
+    expect(await personaStatus({ rolesDir, overrideDir })).toEqual([]);
+  });
+
+  it('does not advertise baseline personas through a dangling override-directory symlink', async () => {
+    await symlink(join(tmp, 'missing-override-target'), overrideDir, 'dir');
+
+    expect(await listPersonaClasses({ rolesDir, overrideDir })).toEqual(new Set());
+    expect(await personaStatus({ rolesDir, overrideDir })).toEqual([]);
+  });
+
+  it('preserves baseline listings when the override directory is missing', async () => {
+    expect((await listPersonaClasses({ rolesDir, overrideDir })).has('code')).toBe(true);
+    expect(
+      (await personaStatus({ rolesDir, overrideDir })).find(({ klass }) => klass === 'code')
+        ?.status,
+    ).toBe('baseline');
+  });
+
+  it('does not advertise an unreadable custom override as a valid persona class or status', async () => {
+    await mkdir(overrideDir, { recursive: true });
+    await mkdir(join(overrideDir, 'ghost.md'));
+
+    const extracted = await extractClassesFromDir(overrideDir);
+    expect(extracted.fileStems.has('ghost')).toBe(true);
+    expect(extracted.classes.has('ghost')).toBe(false);
+    expect((await listPersonaClasses({ rolesDir, overrideDir })).has('ghost')).toBe(false);
+    expect(
+      (await personaStatus({ rolesDir, overrideDir })).some(({ klass }) => klass === 'ghost'),
+    ).toBe(false);
+  });
+
+  it('fails closed synchronously when the canonical override exists but is unreadable', async () => {
+    await mkdir(overrideDir, { recursive: true });
+    await mkdir(join(overrideDir, 'code.md'));
+
+    expect(resolvePersonaSync('code', { rolesDir, overrideDir })).toBeNull();
+  });
+
   it('returns null for an unknown class', async () => {
     expect(await resolvePersona('does-not-exist', { rolesDir, overrideDir })).toBeNull();
   });

packages/mosaic/src/commands/fleet-personas.ts

@@ -25,10 +25,10 @@
  * can reference a customized or user-added persona.
  */
 
-import { readFileSync, readdirSync } from 'node:fs';
+import { lstatSync, readFileSync, readdirSync, statSync } from 'node:fs';
-import { readFile, readdir } from 'node:fs/promises';
+import { lstat, readFile, readdir, stat } from 'node:fs/promises';
 import { homedir } from 'node:os';
-import { basename, join } from 'node:path';
+import { basename, isAbsolute, join, sep } from 'node:path';
 import type { Command } from 'commander';
 
 function defaultMosaicHome(): string {
@@ -53,8 +53,6 @@ export function defaultOverrideDir(mosaicHome = defaultMosaicHome()): string {
 const CLASS_MARKER = /`?class:\s*\n?\s*([a-z][a-z0-9-]*)`?/g;
 /** Optional `domain: Y` marker that travels alongside the class in the prose. */
 const DOMAIN_MARKER = /`?domain:\s*\n?\s*([a-z][a-z0-9-]*)`?/;
-/** LIBRARY.md persona rows: the first table cell is the persona name. */
-const LIBRARY_ROW = /^\|\s*([a-z][a-z0-9-]*)\s*\|/gm;
 
 /** Where a resolved persona's definition came from. */
 export type PersonaLayer = 'baseline' | 'override';
@@ -131,41 +129,56 @@ export interface PersonaFile {
   klass: string;
   /** The markdown file the class was found in. */
   file: string;
+  /** True when the first class marker, rather than filename, defined this mapping. */
+  markerDefined?: boolean;
   domain?: string;
 }
 
+export type DirScanState = 'scanned' | 'missing' | 'error';
+
 /** The set of persona classes a directory of role contracts defines. */
 export interface DirClasses {
-  /** Every class name the dir contributes (markers + filenames + LIBRARY rows). */
+  /** Whether the directory was scanned, absent, or present-but-unscannable. */
+  scanState: DirScanState;
+  /** Every readable class name the directory contributes by filename or first marker. */
   classes: Set<string>;
+  /** Filename stems present on disk, retained even when a markdown entry is unreadable. */
+  fileStems: Set<string>;
   /** For classes whose file carries a marker, the file + domain that defined it. */
   byClass: Map<string, PersonaFile>;
 }
 
 /**
- * Scan one directory of role contracts and extract the persona classes it
+ * Scan one directory of role contracts and extract readable persona identities.
- * defines. THIS is the shared extraction both fleet-personas and fleet-profiles
+ * Valid identities come only from a successfully read non-LIBRARY filename and
- * rely on. Sources, unioned (each needed — see module doc):
+ * that file's first `class:` marker. LIBRARY rows and later prose mentions are
- *   1. inline `class: X` markers in roles/*.md (primary; may wrap a newline),
+ * index/reference data, not independently readable role contracts.
- *   2. persona-name cells from LIBRARY.md index tables,
- *   3. the role filename stem (covers marker-less alias docs like planner).
  *
- * Missing dir / unreadable files degrade gracefully to whatever was found.
+ * Missing directories are distinguished from present-but-unscannable paths.
- * `byClass` records the defining file+domain for marker-bearing classes so the
+ * `byClass` records the first marker-defined file+domain so the resolver can map
- * resolver can map a class back to its file; filename-only and LIBRARY-only
+ * a class back to its contract; marker-less readable files map by filename.
- * classes still appear in `classes` for membership checks.
  */
 export async function extractClassesFromDir(dir: string): Promise<DirClasses> {
-  const acc: DirClasses = { classes: new Set<string>(), byClass: new Map<string, PersonaFile>() };
+  const acc: DirClasses = {
+    scanState: 'scanned',
+    classes: new Set<string>(),
+    fileStems: new Set<string>(),
+    byClass: new Map<string, PersonaFile>(),
+  };
   let entries: string[];
   try {
     entries = await readdir(dir);
-  } catch {
+  } catch (error) {
+    acc.scanState = await classifyScanFailure(dir, error);
     return acc;
   }
 
   for (const entry of entries) {
     if (!entry.endsWith('.md')) continue;
+    // Preserve entry presence separately from valid readable classes. Resolvers
+    // use it to fail closed on an explicit unreadable canonical override without
+    // advertising that override through class listing/status APIs.
+    if (entry !== 'LIBRARY.md') acc.fileStems.add(basename(entry, '.md'));
     let text: string;
     try {
       text = await readFile(join(dir, entry), 'utf8');
@@ -184,16 +197,25 @@ export async function extractClassesFromDir(dir: string): Promise<DirClasses> {
  * cannot await. Missing dir / unreadable files degrade gracefully.
  */
 export function extractClassesFromDirSync(dir: string): DirClasses {
-  const acc: DirClasses = { classes: new Set<string>(), byClass: new Map<string, PersonaFile>() };
+  const acc: DirClasses = {
+    scanState: 'scanned',
+    classes: new Set<string>(),
+    fileStems: new Set<string>(),
+    byClass: new Map<string, PersonaFile>(),
+  };
   let entries: string[];
   try {
     entries = readdirSync(dir);
-  } catch {
+  } catch (error) {
+    acc.scanState = classifyScanFailureSync(dir, error);
     return acc;
   }
 
   for (const entry of entries) {
     if (!entry.endsWith('.md')) continue;
+    // Keep sync extraction equivalent to the async scanner, including unreadable
+    // filename presence kept separate from valid readable classes.
+    if (entry !== 'LIBRARY.md') acc.fileStems.add(basename(entry, '.md'));
     let text: string;
     try {
       text = readFileSync(join(dir, entry), 'utf8');
@@ -205,6 +227,83 @@ export function extractClassesFromDirSync(dir: string): DirClasses {
   return acc;
 }
 
+async function classifyScanFailure(dir: string, error: unknown): Promise<DirScanState> {
+  if (!isMissingPathError(error)) return 'error';
+  return (await hasBrokenSymlinkInPath(dir)) ? 'error' : 'missing';
+}
+
+function classifyScanFailureSync(dir: string, error: unknown): DirScanState {
+  if (!isMissingPathError(error)) return 'error';
+  return hasBrokenSymlinkInPathSync(dir) ? 'error' : 'missing';
+}
+
+function traversalPrefixes(path: string): string[] {
+  const absolute = isAbsolute(path) ? path : `${process.cwd()}${sep}${path}`;
+  const parts = absolute.split(sep);
+  const prefixes: string[] = [];
+  let current: string = sep;
+  for (const part of parts) {
+    if (!part) continue;
+    current = current === sep ? `${sep}${part}` : `${current}${sep}${part}`;
+    prefixes.push(current);
+  }
+  return prefixes;
+}
+
+async function hasBrokenSymlinkInPath(path: string): Promise<boolean> {
+  for (const current of traversalPrefixes(path)) {
+    try {
+      const entry = await lstat(current);
+      if (entry.isSymbolicLink()) {
+        try {
+          await stat(current);
+        } catch {
+          return true;
+        }
+      }
+    } catch (error) {
+      if (!isMissingPathError(error)) return true;
+    }
+  }
+  return false;
+}
+
+function hasBrokenSymlinkInPathSync(path: string): boolean {
+  for (const current of traversalPrefixes(path)) {
+    try {
+      const entry = lstatSync(current);
+      if (entry.isSymbolicLink()) {
+        try {
+          statSync(current);
+        } catch {
+          return true;
+        }
+      }
+    } catch (error) {
+      if (!isMissingPathError(error)) return true;
+    }
+  }
+  return false;
+}
+
+async function missingScanStillValid(dir: string): Promise<boolean> {
+  try {
+    await readdir(dir);
+    return false;
+  } catch (error) {
+    return (await classifyScanFailure(dir, error)) === 'missing';
+  }
+}
+
+function isMissingPathError(error: unknown): boolean {
+  return (
+    typeof error === 'object' &&
+    error !== null &&
+    'code' in error &&
+    (error as { code?: unknown }).code === 'ENOENT'
+  );
+}
+
 /**
  * Apply the class-extraction rules for ONE role file's text into `acc`. Pure
  * over already-read content, so the async and sync directory scanners share a
@@ -213,32 +312,25 @@ export function extractClassesFromDirSync(dir: string): DirClasses {
  */
 function accumulateEntry(acc: DirClasses, dir: string, entry: string, text: string): void {
   const { classes, byClass } = acc;
-  if (entry === 'LIBRARY.md') {
+  if (entry === 'LIBRARY.md') return;
-    for (const m of text.matchAll(LIBRARY_ROW)) {
+
-      const name = m[1];
+  // A successfully read role file is addressable by filename, including
-      if (name && name !== 'persona') classes.add(name);
+  // marker-less compatibility contracts such as planner.md.
-    }
-    return;
-  }
-  // The filename stem is itself a valid class (covers marker-less alias docs).
   const stem = basename(entry, '.md');
   classes.add(stem);
   const domainMatch = DOMAIN_MARKER.exec(text);
   const domain = domainMatch?.[1];
-  let markedClassForFile: string | undefined;
+  const firstMarker = text.matchAll(CLASS_MARKER).next().value as RegExpExecArray | undefined;
-  for (const m of text.matchAll(CLASS_MARKER)) {
+  const markedClassForFile = firstMarker?.[1];
-    const klass = m[1];
+  if (markedClassForFile) {
-    if (!klass) continue;
+    classes.add(markedClassForFile);
-    classes.add(klass);
+    byClass.set(markedClassForFile, {
-    // Record the FIRST marker as the file's defining class (the prose names
+      klass: markedClassForFile,
-    // the persona's own class up top; later mentions reference siblings).
+      file: join(dir, entry),
-    if (!markedClassForFile) {
+      markerDefined: true,
-      markedClassForFile = klass;
+      ...(domain ? { domain } : {}),
-      byClass.set(klass, { klass, file: join(dir, entry), ...(domain ? { domain } : {}) });
+    });
-    }
+  } else if (!byClass.has(stem)) {
-  }
-  // A marker-less file still maps its stem to itself (no domain known).
-  if (!markedClassForFile && !byClass.has(stem)) {
     byClass.set(stem, { klass: stem, file: join(dir, entry) });
   }
 }
@@ -260,19 +352,13 @@ function resolveDirs(opts: PersonaDirs): { rolesDir: string; overrideDir: string
 }
 
 /**
- * UNION of baseline classes and override classes. Overrides may ADD entirely new
+ * Every class with an actually readable winning contract. Discovery applies the
- * classes not present in the baseline, so callers (e.g. profile roster
+ * same override shadow/fail-closed semantics as resolution, so callers never
- * validation) treat a user-added persona as a real class.
+ * advertise a class that cannot be used.
  */
 export async function listPersonaClasses(opts: PersonaDirs = {}): Promise<Set<string>> {
-  const { rolesDir, overrideDir } = resolveDirs(opts);
+  const { personas } = await collectUsablePersonas(opts);
-  const [base, over] = await Promise.all([
+  return new Set(personas.keys());
-    extractClassesFromDir(rolesDir),
-    extractClassesFromDir(overrideDir),
-  ]);
-  const union = new Set<string>(base.classes);
-  for (const c of over.classes) union.add(c);
-  return union;
 }
 
 export type PersonaStatus = 'baseline' | 'overridden' | 'custom';
@@ -287,6 +373,110 @@ export interface PersonaResolution extends CanonicalRoleClass {
   domain?: string;
 }
 
+async function readPersonaFromLayer(
+  requestedClass: string,
+  canonicalClass: string,
+  dir: string,
+  extracted: DirClasses,
+  layer: PersonaLayer,
+): Promise<PersonaResolution | null> {
+  const pf = extracted.byClass.get(canonicalClass);
+  if (!pf) {
+    if (!extracted.classes.has(canonicalClass)) return null;
+    const byName = join(dir, `${canonicalClass}.md`);
+    try {
+      const content = await readFile(byName, 'utf8');
+      const dm = DOMAIN_MARKER.exec(content);
+      return {
+        requestedClass,
+        canonicalClass,
+        klass: canonicalClass,
+        layer,
+        file: byName,
+        content,
+        ...(dm?.[1] ? { domain: dm[1] } : {}),
+      };
+    } catch {
+      return null;
+    }
+  }
+  try {
+    const content = await readFile(pf.file, 'utf8');
+    const currentMarker = content.matchAll(CLASS_MARKER).next().value as
+      | RegExpExecArray
+      | undefined;
+    if (pf.markerDefined && currentMarker?.[1] !== canonicalClass) return null;
+    const dm = DOMAIN_MARKER.exec(content);
+    return {
+      requestedClass,
+      canonicalClass,
+      klass: canonicalClass,
+      layer,
+      file: pf.file,
+      content,
+      ...(dm?.[1] ? { domain: dm[1] } : {}),
+    };
+  } catch {
+    return null;
+  }
+}
+
+function overrideShadowsBaseline(over: DirClasses, canonicalClass: string): boolean {
+  return (
+    over.scanState === 'error' ||
+    over.fileStems.has(canonicalClass) ||
+    over.byClass.has(canonicalClass)
+  );
+}
+
+function readPersonaFromLayerSync(
+  requestedClass: string,
+  canonicalClass: string,
+  dir: string,
+  extracted: DirClasses,
+  layer: PersonaLayer,
+): PersonaResolution | null {
+  const pf = extracted.byClass.get(canonicalClass);
+  if (!pf) {
+    if (!extracted.classes.has(canonicalClass)) return null;
+    const byName = join(dir, `${canonicalClass}.md`);
+    try {
+      const content = readFileSync(byName, 'utf8');
+      const dm = DOMAIN_MARKER.exec(content);
+      return {
+        requestedClass,
+        canonicalClass,
+        klass: canonicalClass,
+        layer,
+        file: byName,
+        content,
+        ...(dm?.[1] ? { domain: dm[1] } : {}),
+      };
+    } catch {
+      return null;
+    }
+  }
+  try {
+    const content = readFileSync(pf.file, 'utf8');
+    const currentMarker = content.matchAll(CLASS_MARKER).next().value as
+      | RegExpExecArray
+      | undefined;
+    if (pf.markerDefined && currentMarker?.[1] !== canonicalClass) return null;
+    const dm = DOMAIN_MARKER.exec(content);
+    return {
+      requestedClass,
+      canonicalClass,
+      klass: canonicalClass,
+      layer,
+      file: pf.file,
+      content,
+      ...(dm?.[1] ? { domain: dm[1] } : {}),
+    };
+  } catch {
+    return null;
+  }
+}
+
 /**
  * Resolve a persona class to its winning definition: the override file if
  * roles.local/ defines that class, else the baseline. Match by inline `class:`
@@ -320,53 +510,13 @@ export async function resolvePersonaFrom(
     canonicalizeRoleClass(requestedClass);
   const { rolesDir, overrideDir, base, over } = layers;
 
-  const fromLayer = async (
+  const override = await readPersonaFromLayer(requested, klass, overrideDir, over, 'override');
-    dir: string,
+  if (override) return override;
-    extracted: DirClasses,
+  // An explicit canonical override that cannot be resolved/read must shadow the
-    layer: PersonaLayer,
+  // baseline fail-closed; only an absent override may fall back.
-  ): Promise<PersonaResolution | null> => {
+  if (overrideShadowsBaseline(over, klass)) return null;
-    // Prefer the marker-defined file; fall back to the filename stem.
+  if (over.scanState === 'missing' && !(await missingScanStillValid(overrideDir))) return null;
-    let pf = extracted.byClass.get(klass);
+  return readPersonaFromLayer(requested, klass, rolesDir, base, 'baseline');
-    if (!pf) {
-      const byName = join(dir, `${klass}.md`);
-      if (!extracted.classes.has(klass)) return null;
-      // Class known only via filename/LIBRARY: read the stem file if present.
-      try {
-        const content = await readFile(byName, 'utf8');
-        const dm = DOMAIN_MARKER.exec(content);
-        return {
-          requestedClass: requested,
-          canonicalClass: klass,
-          klass,
-          layer,
-          file: byName,
-          content,
-          ...(dm?.[1] ? { domain: dm[1] } : {}),
-        };
-      } catch {
-        return null;
-      }
-    }
-    try {
-      const content = await readFile(pf.file, 'utf8');
-      return {
-        requestedClass: requested,
-        canonicalClass: klass,
-        klass,
-        layer,
-        file: pf.file,
-        content,
-        ...(pf.domain ? { domain: pf.domain } : {}),
-      };
-    } catch {
-      return null;
-    }
-  };
-
-  return (
-    (await fromLayer(overrideDir, over, 'override')) ??
-    (await fromLayer(rolesDir, base, 'baseline'))
-  );
 }
 
 /**
@@ -387,49 +537,46 @@ export function resolvePersonaSync(
   const base = extractClassesFromDirSync(rolesDir);
   const over = extractClassesFromDirSync(overrideDir);
 
-  const fromLayer = (
+  const override = readPersonaFromLayerSync(requested, klass, overrideDir, over, 'override');
-    dir: string,
+  if (override) return override;
-    extracted: DirClasses,
+  if (overrideShadowsBaseline(over, klass)) return null;
-    layer: PersonaLayer,
+  return readPersonaFromLayerSync(requested, klass, rolesDir, base, 'baseline');
-  ): PersonaResolution | null => {
-    // Prefer the marker-defined file; fall back to the filename stem.
-    const pf = extracted.byClass.get(klass);
-    if (!pf) {
-      if (!extracted.classes.has(klass)) return null;
-      const byName = join(dir, `${klass}.md`);
-      try {
-        const content = readFileSync(byName, 'utf8');
-        const dm = DOMAIN_MARKER.exec(content);
-        return {
-          requestedClass: requested,
-          canonicalClass: klass,
-          klass,
-          layer,
-          file: byName,
-          content,
-          ...(dm?.[1] ? { domain: dm[1] } : {}),
-        };
-      } catch {
-        return null;
 }
-    }
-    try {
-      const content = readFileSync(pf.file, 'utf8');
-      return {
-        requestedClass: requested,
-        canonicalClass: klass,
-        klass,
-        layer,
-        file: pf.file,
-        content,
-        ...(pf.domain ? { domain: pf.domain } : {}),
-      };
-    } catch {
-      return null;
-    }
-  };
 
-  return fromLayer(overrideDir, over, 'override') ?? fromLayer(rolesDir, base, 'baseline');
+interface UsablePersonaIndex {
+  personas: Map<string, PersonaResolution>;
+  readableBaseline: Set<string>;
+}
+
+async function collectUsablePersonas(opts: PersonaDirs): Promise<UsablePersonaIndex> {
+  const { rolesDir, overrideDir } = resolveDirs(opts);
+  const [base, over] = await Promise.all([
+    extractClassesFromDir(rolesDir),
+    extractClassesFromDir(overrideDir),
+  ]);
+  if (over.scanState === 'error') {
+    return { personas: new Map(), readableBaseline: new Set() };
+  }
+
+  const candidates = new Set<string>([...base.classes, ...over.classes]);
+  const checked = await Promise.all(
+    [...candidates].map(async (requestedClass) => {
+      const { canonicalClass } = canonicalizeRoleClass(requestedClass);
+      const [persona, baseline] = await Promise.all([
+        resolvePersonaFrom(requestedClass, { rolesDir, overrideDir, base, over }),
+        readPersonaFromLayer(requestedClass, canonicalClass, rolesDir, base, 'baseline'),
+      ]);
+      return { requestedClass, persona, baseline };
+    }),
+  );
+
+  const personas = new Map<string, PersonaResolution>();
+  const readableBaseline = new Set<string>();
+  for (const { requestedClass, persona, baseline } of checked) {
+    if (persona) personas.set(requestedClass, persona);
+    if (baseline) readableBaseline.add(requestedClass);
+  }
+  return { personas, readableBaseline };
 }
 
 export interface PersonaStatusEntry {
@@ -446,24 +593,20 @@ export interface PersonaStatusEntry {
  * Domain is taken from the WINNING layer (override domain wins if present).
  */
 export async function personaStatus(opts: PersonaDirs = {}): Promise<PersonaStatusEntry[]> {
-  const { rolesDir, overrideDir } = resolveDirs(opts);
+  const { personas, readableBaseline } = await collectUsablePersonas(opts);
-  const [base, over] = await Promise.all([
+  const entries = [...personas.entries()].map(([klass, persona]): PersonaStatusEntry => {
-    extractClassesFromDir(rolesDir),
+    const status: PersonaStatus =
-    extractClassesFromDir(overrideDir),
+      persona.layer === 'baseline'
-  ]);
+        ? 'baseline'
-
+        : readableBaseline.has(klass)
-  const all = new Set<string>([...base.classes, ...over.classes]);
+          ? 'overridden'
-  const domainOf = (extracted: DirClasses, klass: string): string | undefined =>
+          : 'custom';
-    extracted.byClass.get(klass)?.domain;
+    return {
-
+      klass,
-  const entries: PersonaStatusEntry[] = [];
+      status,
-  for (const klass of all) {
+      ...(persona.domain ? { domain: persona.domain } : {}),
-    const inBase = base.classes.has(klass);
+    };
-    const inOver = over.classes.has(klass);
+  });
-    const status: PersonaStatus = inOver ? (inBase ? 'overridden' : 'custom') : 'baseline';
-    const domain = (inOver ? domainOf(over, klass) : undefined) ?? domainOf(base, klass);
-    entries.push({ klass, status, ...(domain ? { domain } : {}) });
-  }
   entries.sort((a, b) => a.klass.localeCompare(b.klass));
   return entries;
 }