fix(#1264 ): preserve portable standalone launch

fix(#1264 ): harden unattended identity bootstrap
fix(#1264 ): bootstrap fleet identity without a TTY
2026-08-16 19:01:26 -05:00 · 2026-08-16 18:33:39 -05:00 · 2026-08-16 17:37:32 -05:00
36 changed files with 1650 additions and 1247 deletions
@@ -9,19 +9,19 @@ This book is the canonical home for installation, configuration, deployment, rou
 - [Documentation atlas](../README.md) — placement rules and source-of-truth boundaries.
 - [Documentation sitemap](../SITEMAP.md) — resolvable current navigation and authority-gated migration summary.
 - [Product requirements](../PRD.md) — normative requirements, currently marked draft.
- [Operations index](operations/README.md) — current local procedures and explicitly held operational outlines.
+- [Operations index](operations/README.md) — current local procedures, unattended fleet first-start handling, and explicitly held operational outlines.
 - [Security index](security/README.md) — current SSO provider configuration.

 ## Chapter map

-| Chapter                               | Scope                                                               | Status                                                                  |
-| ------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------- |
-| `installation/`                       | Prerequisites, installation, and first deployment.                  | Scaffold only.                                                          |
-| `configuration/`                      | Environment, provider, tier, and runtime configuration.             | Scaffold only.                                                          |
-| `deployment/`                         | Topologies, rollout, migration, and upgrade procedures.             | Scaffold only.                                                          |
-| [`operations/`](operations/README.md) | Health, observability, routine operation, and maintenance.          | Local upgrade/recovery is current; connector lease operations are held. |
-| [`security/`](security/README.md)     | Authentication, authorization, SSO, secrets, and security controls. | SSO provider guide is current; other pages are planned.                 |
-| `recovery/`                           | Incident response, backup, rollback, and recovery.                  | Scaffold only.                                                          |
+| Chapter                               | Scope                                                               | Status                                                                                         |
+| ------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
+| `installation/`                       | Prerequisites, installation, and first deployment.                  | Scaffold only.                                                                                 |
+| `configuration/`                      | Environment, provider, tier, and runtime configuration.             | Scaffold only.                                                                                 |
+| `deployment/`                         | Topologies, rollout, migration, and upgrade procedures.             | Scaffold only.                                                                                 |
+| [`operations/`](operations/README.md) | Health, observability, routine operation, and maintenance.          | Local upgrade/recovery and fleet first start are current; connector lease operations are held. |
+| [`security/`](security/README.md)     | Authentication, authorization, SSO, secrets, and security controls. | SSO provider guide is current; other pages are planned.                                        |
+| `recovery/`                           | Incident response, backup, rollback, and recovery.                  | Scaffold only.                                                                                 |

 Every promoted page must be added to this index and to [`SITEMAP.md`](../SITEMAP.md) in the same migration slice.

@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 ## Current procedures

 - [Upgrade safety and recovery](upgrade-safety-and-recovery.md) — installed-CLI and local-PGlite upgrade, rollback, and framework-configuration recovery.
+- [Fleet unattended first start](fleet-unattended-first-start.md) — systemd/no-TTY identity initialization, failure handling, and isolated verification.

 ## Held procedures

@@ -0,0 +1,70 @@
+# Fleet Unattended First-Start Operations
+
+> **Status:** Current after issue #1264 lands. This runbook covers only Mosaic's first-run identity
+> gate; it does not install runtimes or credentials.
+
+## Operational contract
+
+A systemd fleet unit launches under a sanitized environment with no TTY. The generated environment
+sets `MOSAIC_AGENT_NAME`; Mosaic resolves that exact value against the canonical installed roster
+before writing identity files.
+
+If top-level identity contracts are missing, Mosaic atomically seeds them from the shipped generic
+sources:
+
+| Destination            | Source                          | New-file mode |
+| ---------------------- | ------------------------------- | ------------- |
+| `$MOSAIC_HOME/SOUL.md` | `$MOSAIC_HOME/defaults/SOUL.md` | `0600`        |
+| `$MOSAIC_HOME/USER.md` | `$MOSAIC_HOME/defaults/USER.md` | `0600`        |
+
+Creation is no-clobber and safe under concurrent seat starts. Existing regular files remain
+byte-for-byte and mode-for-mode unchanged. The runtime composer then injects the exact roster name
+and class; the generic source files grant no seat authority.
+
+## Failure handling
+
+The fleet path never falls back to an interactive wizard. It exits nonzero before runtime execution
+when:
+
+- `MOSAIC_AGENT_NAME` is not an exact roster member;
+- a defined ambient `MOSAIC_AGENT_CLASS` is blank/whitespace or disagrees with that member's
+  canonical class;
+- a missing destination has no safe regular default source;
+- a source or existing destination is a symlink (including dangling), directory, unavailable, or over the bounded size;
+- the fleet communications helper/roster cannot be validated; or
+- `USER.md` cannot be securely re-read at the point where its content is composed.
+
+Diagnostics begin with:
+
+```text
+[mosaic] ERROR: unattended fleet identity initialization failed: ...
+```
+
+Repair the exact named source, destination, roster, or helper and retry only that roster member. Do
+not delete or replace an existing personalized `SOUL.md`/`USER.md` merely to clear the check.
+
+## Verification without a live seat
+
+The source gate is:
+
+```bash
+pnpm --filter @mosaicstack/mosaic... build && \
+  pnpm --filter @mosaicstack/mosaic exec vitest run \
+    src/commands/launch-first-start.spec.ts
+```
+
+The build leg is load-bearing: `dist/` is ignored, so a direct Vitest invocation could otherwise run
+absent or stale CLI output. The gate runs the exact-source built CLI in subprocesses with piped stdin,
+temporary homes, a canonical fixture roster, fake runtime/broker executables, and no provider call. It
+covers no-TTY launch, exact identity,
+private modes, no-clobber, missing/symlink defaults, unknown members, blank/mismatched class,
+portable standalone composition/wizard preservation, and concurrent first start.
+
+Do not use this fixture as proof that a real provider credential is present or that a package has
+been deployed. Those require separate environment-specific evidence.
+
+## Related
+
+- [User workflow](../../USER-GUIDE/workflows/fleet-unattended-first-start.md)
+- [Developer architecture](../../DEVELOPER-GUIDE/architecture/fleet-first-start-identity.md)
+- [Verification report](../../reports/qa/2026-08-16-1264-unattended-first-start.md)
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ This book is the canonical home for architecture, package and application guides

 - [Lease-broker operations and verification](testing/lease-broker-operations.md) — safe static/test commands plus explicitly held live operations.
 - [Channel adapters](integrations/channel-adapters.md) — current shared contracts and Discord reference boundary; future adapter parity is draft.
+- [Fleet first-start identity](architecture/fleet-first-start-identity.md) — no-TTY launch boundary, roster authority, and no-clobber filesystem design.

 Every promoted page must be added to this index and to [`SITEMAP.md`](../SITEMAP.md) in the same migration slice.

@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ This chapter is the canonical home for Mosaic Stack's system model, component bo
 - [`mutator-class-gate.md`](mutator-class-gate.md) — default-deny tool authorization, runtime adapters, launch choke point, and parser assurance boundary.
 - [`compaction-revocation.md`](compaction-revocation.md) — Claude/Pi observer lifecycle, runtime generations, revocation, and the bounded residual stale window.
 - [`channel-protocol.md`](channel-protocol.md) — current shared channel DTOs and Discord compatibility baseline, with unimplemented adapter work explicitly marked draft.
+- [`fleet-first-start-identity.md`](fleet-first-start-identity.md) — roster-owned identity bootstrap for concurrent no-TTY fleet launches.
 - [`decisions/mos-runtime-portability-m1.md`](decisions/mos-runtime-portability-m1.md) — current logical identity, connector lease, grant, audit, and fencing decision; connector activation remains held.

 These pages are current security-contract references and are consumed by the lease-broker acceptance suites. Their live deployment gaps remain explicitly labeled in the pages; this migration does not change runtime behavior.
@@ -0,0 +1,81 @@
+# Fleet First-Start Identity Boundary
+
+> **Status:** Implemented by issue #1264. Requirements: `FCM-REQ-12`, `AC-FCM-10`.
+
+## Problem
+
+`launchRuntime()` called `checkSoul()` before runtime execution. A missing top-level `SOUL.md`
+caused `checkSoul()` to spawn a child `mosaic wizard` with inherited stdio. Under a systemd-created
+fleet pane with no TTY, that child blocked or failed before the runtime boundary even though generic
+`defaults/SOUL.md` and `defaults/USER.md` already shipped in the same `MOSAIC_HOME`.
+
+## Chosen boundary
+
+The fix remains at `checkSoul()` and does not add flags to `yolo`, fleet commands, systemd units, or
+`start-agent-session.sh`:
+
+1. A present, nonblank, whitespace-exact `MOSAIC_AGENT_NAME` selects the fleet path.
+2. `resolveFleetIdentity()` must resolve that exact member through the existing roster/helper
+   boundary, and any defined `MOSAIC_AGENT_CLASS` (including blank/whitespace) must canonicalize to
+   the roster class, before any identity seed. Only undefined means absent.
+3. `lstatSync()` preflights every destination directory entry without following links, so a dangling
+   link is rejected before its counterpart can be published.
+4. Safe bounded snapshots are read from only the missing contracts under `defaults/`.
+5. Each snapshot is written to a random owner-private temporary file in `MOSAIC_HOME`.
+6. `linkSync()` publishes the complete file without overwriting an existing path. `EEXIST` means a
+   concurrent seat or operator won; the existing path is preserved and revalidated.
+7. Temporary files are removed, and both installed contracts are re-opened through the no-symlink
+   secure-file reader before launch continues.
+8. `composeContract()` independently re-resolves the roster, securely reads fleet `USER.md` through
+   a Linux descriptor at the point of use, and injects exact member identity and communications data.
+
+A standalone launch with no `MOSAIC_AGENT_NAME` retains the portable tolerant USER read and the
+interactive wizard. Fleet-only no-follow enforcement must not make supported standalone macOS
+composition depend on Linux `/proc` descriptor traversal.
+
+## Identity and authority
+
+The copied defaults deliberately say “Mosaic agent”; they are a generic behavioral base. They are
+not the source of a fleet seat's identity. The canonical roster controls:
+
+- exact agent/session name;
+- canonical role/class and persona;
+- peer rows and point of contact;
+- tmux socket and helper target; and
+- communications generation.
+
+An unknown/padded ambient name, mismatched class, or explicitly blank/whitespace class fails before
+any file is seeded. This avoids replacing the interactive wall with a fleet of indistinguishable or
+ambiently invented identities.
+
+## Concurrency and filesystem properties
+
+- Sources and final destinations are bounded regular files beneath `MOSAIC_HOME`; target and dangling
+  symlinks are not followed.
+- New files have mode `0600`.
+- Hard-link publication is same-filesystem, atomic, and no-clobber.
+- A temporary path is removed only when this process successfully created it.
+- All required source snapshots are validated before the first destination is published, preventing
+  a missing second default from leaving a partial seed.
+- Existing operator files are never chmodded or rewritten.
+
+## Verification
+
+`src/commands/launch-first-start.spec.ts` uses the production-kind boundary: the real built CLI in a
+no-TTY subprocess, not a direct wizard test. The package `test:vitest` gate builds Mosaic before
+Vitest, while the clean-checkout command builds its workspace dependencies first, so ignored
+`dist/cli.js` cannot be absent or stale. A fake lease launcher records whether execution reached the
+runtime boundary and captures the composed prompt.
+Positive and negative cases prove the check can both proceed and refuse. Fleet composition coverage
+replaces a previously validated `USER.md` with an external symlink and proves point-of-use refusal;
+a standalone unreadable-optional-USER case proves the portable tolerant branch remains separate.
+
+Real Pi authentication and provider task execution remain environment tests, not claims of this
+fixture.
+
+## Non-goals
+
+- Runtime installation or pane-PATH resolution (#1256/#1258).
+- The held `~/.mosaic` launch-composition layer in PR #1213.
+- Personalizing the operator's standalone identity without a wizard.
+- Changing fleet systemd or shell launcher code.
@@ -146,6 +146,29 @@ lands. M0 consists only of these normative requirements, the complete task DAG,
 documentation IA checklist, and the legacy example/profile disposition inventory. Subsequent cards
 are defined in [docs/TASKS.md](./TASKS.md) and must remain one card/one PR.

+### Unattended fleet first-start amendment (#1264)
+
+`FCM-REQ-11` is reserved by #1256's concurrent runtime-preflight delivery. This amendment therefore
+uses the next non-colliding identifiers.
+
+1. `FCM-REQ-12`: A roster-owned fleet launch SHALL NOT invoke an interactive identity wizard when
+   top-level `SOUL.md` or `USER.md` is absent. It SHALL initialize only missing top-level identity
+   contracts from the shipped generic `defaults/` contracts without overwriting operator-owned
+   bytes. The canonical roster member remains the sole source of the seat's exact name and class;
+   generic defaults grant no fleet identity or authority. Missing or unsafe defaults SHALL fail
+   closed with actionable diagnostics before runtime execution. Non-fleet launches retain the
+   interactive identity flow.
+2. `AC-FCM-10`: A systemd-equivalent no-TTY test with a clean temporary Mosaic home SHALL prove a
+   named fleet seat reaches the runtime boundary without starting `mosaic wizard`, creates
+   byte-equal owner-private `SOUL.md` and `USER.md` seeds, and receives its exact roster name/class in
+   composed context. Tests SHALL also prove no-clobber behavior, concurrent/idempotent first start,
+   fail-closed invalid defaults, and preservation of the standalone interactive path.
+
+`ASSUMPTION:` `MOSAIC_AGENT_NAME` is the existing launch discriminator for roster-owned fleet
+processes. This amendment does not add a second fleet flag because generated fleet environments
+already set that value and the runtime composer independently resolves it against the canonical
+roster before execution.
+
 ---

 ## Exact Cross-Harness Fleet Communications Contract (#766)
@@ -38,11 +38,13 @@ These paths remain canonical because current source/tests consume them or becaus
 - [Quickstart](USER-GUIDE/getting-started/quickstart.md) — installed-CLI first-use route with local PGlite safety boundaries.
 - [Web dashboard](USER-GUIDE/product/web-dashboard.md) — current routes, views, chat persistence, settings, and admin behavior.
 - [Discord conversations](USER-GUIDE/workflows/discord-conversations.md) — current authorized parent-channel, thread, attachment, and control workflow.
+- [Fleet unattended first start](USER-GUIDE/workflows/fleet-unattended-first-start.md) — no-TTY identity bootstrap and exact roster identity.

 ## Administrator documentation

 - [Administrator operations](ADMIN-GUIDE/operations/README.md) — current local procedures and explicitly held outlines.
 - [Upgrade safety and recovery](ADMIN-GUIDE/operations/upgrade-safety-and-recovery.md) — installed-CLI/local-PGlite upgrade and framework recovery.
+- [Fleet unattended first-start operations](ADMIN-GUIDE/operations/fleet-unattended-first-start.md) — systemd identity initialization, refusal paths, and isolated verification.
 - [Mos connector lease operations](ADMIN-GUIDE/operations/mos-connector-lease-operations.md) — held/non-operative M1 outline while policy remains deny-all.
 - [Administrator security](ADMIN-GUIDE/security/README.md) — current security chapter index.
 - [SSO providers](ADMIN-GUIDE/security/sso-providers.md) — Authentik, WorkOS, and Keycloak configuration and discovery.
@@ -56,6 +58,7 @@ These paths remain canonical because current source/tests consume them or becaus
 - [Lease-broker security](DEVELOPER-GUIDE/architecture/lease-broker-security.md) — identity, ancestry, filesystem, observer, and residual boundaries.
 - [Whole mutator-class gate](DEVELOPER-GUIDE/architecture/mutator-class-gate.md) — default-deny tool authorization and launch choke point.
 - [Compaction revocation](DEVELOPER-GUIDE/architecture/compaction-revocation.md) — lifecycle observers, generation fencing, and residual stale window.
+- [Fleet first-start identity](DEVELOPER-GUIDE/architecture/fleet-first-start-identity.md) — roster authority and atomic no-clobber identity seeding.
 - [Architecture decisions](DEVELOPER-GUIDE/architecture/decisions/README.md) — implemented and accepted boundaries.
 - [Mos runtime portability M1](DEVELOPER-GUIDE/architecture/decisions/mos-runtime-portability-m1.md) — logical identity, connector lease, grants, audit, and fencing.
 - [Architecture RFCs](DEVELOPER-GUIDE/architecture/rfcs/README.md) — draft proposals without operational authority.
@@ -75,6 +78,7 @@ These paths remain canonical because current source/tests consume them or becaus
 - [Archived planning](archive/planning/README.md) — historical briefs, board reviews, and work-package specifications.
 - [Archived work records](archive/work-records/README.md) — historical task scratchpads without live consumers.
 - [P8-003 performance report](reports/qa/p8-003-performance-optimization.md) — historical implementation evidence, not a current SLO.
+- [Issue #1264 unattended fleet first-start verification](reports/qa/2026-08-16-1264-unattended-first-start.md) — RED/GREEN no-TTY CLI evidence and explicit untested bounds.
 - [Plans index](plans/README.md) — approved intent and implementation/audit plans.
 - [Documentation information-architecture design](plans/2026-08-10-docs-information-architecture-design.md) — approved documentation structure decision.
 - [Documentation catalog-audit plan](plans/2026-08-10-docs-catalog-audit.md) — evidence method and migration acceptance criteria.
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ This book is the canonical home for end-user workflows, user-visible behavior, p
 - [Quickstart](getting-started/quickstart.md) — install Mosaic, complete setup, and launch a session.
 - [Web dashboard](product/web-dashboard.md) — current routes, navigation, chat persistence, projects/tasks views, settings, and admin behavior.
 - [Discord conversations](workflows/discord-conversations.md) — current authorized parent-channel, thread, attachment, and control workflow.
+- [Fleet unattended first start](workflows/fleet-unattended-first-start.md) — no-TTY identity bootstrap, exact roster identity, and separate runtime prerequisites.

 ## Chapter map

@@ -18,7 +19,7 @@ This book is the canonical home for end-user workflows, user-visible behavior, p
 | ------------------ | ------------------------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------- |
 | `getting-started/` | First-use setup, orientation, and quickstarts.                | Quickstart is current; additional pages are planned. |
 | `concepts/`        | User-facing terminology, product concepts, and mental models. | Scaffold only.                                       |
-| `workflows/`       | Task-oriented procedures for using Mosaic Stack.              | Discord conversation workflow is current.            |
+| `workflows/`       | Task-oriented procedures for using Mosaic Stack.              | Discord and fleet first-start workflows are current. |
 | `product/`         | Current product surfaces and visible behavior.                | Web dashboard reference is current.                  |
 | `troubleshooting/` | User-visible failures, diagnostics, and fixes.                | Scaffold only.                                       |

@@ -27,6 +28,7 @@ This book is the canonical home for end-user workflows, user-visible behavior, p
 - [Quickstart](getting-started/quickstart.md) — the verified installed-CLI first-use path.
 - [Web dashboard](product/web-dashboard.md) — verified current Next.js dashboard behavior and limitations.
 - [Discord conversations](workflows/discord-conversations.md) — verified current Discord user workflow.
+- [Fleet unattended first start](workflows/fleet-unattended-first-start.md) — verified no-TTY first-start behavior and prerequisite boundaries.

 Every promoted page must be added to this index and to [`SITEMAP.md`](../SITEMAP.md) in the same migration slice.

@@ -0,0 +1,61 @@
+# Fleet Unattended First Start
+
+> **Status:** Current for roster-owned local fleet launches after issue #1264 lands. Runtime
+> installation and provider authentication remain separate prerequisites.
+
+A fleet seat started by systemd has no operator at its pane. On its first launch, Mosaic must not
+stop at the interactive identity wizard.
+
+## What happens on first start
+
+When `MOSAIC_AGENT_NAME` names an exact member of the installed fleet roster and top-level identity
+contracts are absent, the launcher:
+
+1. validates the exact roster member, its canonical class, and the installed fleet communications
+   helper;
+2. reads the shipped generic contracts from
+   `~/.config/mosaic/defaults/SOUL.md` and `defaults/USER.md`;
+3. creates only the missing top-level `SOUL.md` and `USER.md` as owner-private files;
+4. preserves any existing top-level identity file byte-for-byte; and
+5. launches the runtime with the roster member's exact agent/session name and role/class in composed
+   context.
+
+The generic defaults do **not** make every seat the same identity. They provide a shared behavioral
+base. The canonical roster row supplies each seat's exact name, class, peers, socket, and authority.
+
+## Operator behavior
+
+A normal standalone launch without a fleet identity retains its portable configuration path and still
+uses the interactive wizard when `SOUL.md` is absent:
+
+```bash
+mosaic pi
+```
+
+A roster-owned seat may be started without attaching to its pane:
+
+```bash
+mosaic fleet start <exact-roster-name>
+```
+
+Mosaic refuses before runtime execution if the requested member is absent, its explicitly supplied
+ambient class is blank or conflicts with the roster, a required default is missing or unsafe, or an existing identity contract
+is not a safe regular file. Repair the named component and retry the same exact roster member; do not
+copy another seat's personalized identity.
+
+## Separate prerequisites
+
+This behavior clears the Mosaic identity-wizard wall only. A clean host still needs:
+
+- the declared runtime installed on the pane PATH;
+- the fleet transport and generated unit assets; and
+- runtime/provider authentication appropriate to that seat.
+
+Those checks are separate so a successful identity bootstrap is not reported as a fully authenticated
+agent session.
+
+## Related
+
+- [Administrator runbook](../../ADMIN-GUIDE/operations/fleet-unattended-first-start.md)
+- [Developer architecture](../../DEVELOPER-GUIDE/architecture/fleet-first-start-identity.md)
+- [Verification report](../../reports/qa/2026-08-16-1264-unattended-first-start.md)
@@ -12,11 +12,13 @@ Use the canonical guide, API contract, source, and tests to determine current be
 - [Issue #756 documentation checklist](documentation/756-discord-plugin-checklist.md) — historical completion checklist for the official Discord plugin workstream.
 - [Framework consistency audit — 2026-02-17](documentation/AUDIT-2026-02-17-framework-consistency.md) — historical framework consistency and remediation snapshot.
 - [Compaction-refresh #830 checklist](compaction-refresh/830-documentation-checklist.md) — historical incomplete-at-snapshot documentation checklist.
+- [Issue #1264 documentation checklist](documentation/1264-documentation-checklist.md) — current in-repo user/admin/developer/report coverage and review gate.

 ## Code-review evidence

 - [Issue #756 independent code review](code-review/756-code-review.md) — historical exact-scope review of the official Discord plugin workstream.
 - [Gateway security-hardening code review — 2026-03-13](code-review/gateway-security-20260313.md) — historical no-blocker review snapshot.
+- [Issue #1264 independent code and security review](code-review/1264-code-review.md) — initial finding, remediation, clean re-review, and remaining formal PR-review gate.

 ## Security evidence

@@ -26,6 +28,7 @@ Use the canonical guide, API contract, source, and tests to determine current be

 - [P8-003 performance optimization report](qa/p8-003-performance-optimization.md) — historical implementation evidence; not a current SLO or production benchmark.
 - [Gateway security-hardening QA report — 2026-03-13](qa/gateway-security-20260313.md) — historical test report with its original live-smoke-test limitation.
+- [Issue #1264 unattended fleet first-start verification](qa/2026-08-16-1264-unattended-first-start.md) — RED/GREEN no-TTY CLI evidence, baseline gates, and explicit real-provider limitation.

 ## Native Kanban/SOT evidence

@@ -0,0 +1,97 @@
+# Issue #1264 Code and Security Review
+
+> Branch: `fix/1264-fleet-unattended-first-start` | Base:
+> `origin/next@476db12b92971634b67fd2057b7577ee5894e449`
+
+## Initial automated review
+
+Codex reviewed the pre-PR uncommitted delta with:
+
+```bash
+~/.config/mosaic/tools/codex/codex-code-review.sh --uncommitted \
+  -o /tmp/1264-codex-code-review.json
+```
+
+Result: `request-changes`, confidence `0.93`, 20 files, one should-fix. `checkSoul()` trimmed
+`MOSAIC_AGENT_NAME` for pre-seed resolution while composition used the original value, so a padded
+name could seed files before later refusal.
+
+Remediation rejected blank/leading/trailing-whitespace values before roster lookup or writes and
+added three built-CLI no-side-effect regressions. Automated re-review approved that delta with no
+findings (confidence `0.86`). Initial security review reported risk `none` (confidence `0.91`).
+
+## Formal exact-head review
+
+Daphne reviewed PR #1268 at exact head `43fa0477877e0d0f110da8d11c3033b40ddeb191` and filed Gitea
+review ID 168 as `REQUEST_CHANGES`. The review was source/PR-only; the canary remained untouched.
+
+Blocking groups:
+
+1. class mismatch was validated after first-start mutation;
+2. secure `USER.md` validation was discarded before ordinary path-following composition;
+3. `existsSync()` treated a dangling destination symlink as missing, allowing counterpart partial
+   publication; and
+4. the built-CLI/evidence chain allowed stale ignored `dist/`, cited an unshipped canary object, and
+   carried conflicting test totals/pane wording.
+
+The diagnostic's defaults-only repair advice was also inaccurate for roster/class/destination
+failures.
+
+## Formal-review remediation
+
+All four blocking groups received regressions before production changes. The RED run produced four
+failures while 1,568 existing tests passed. Remediation then:
+
+- validates canonical name and class before seeding;
+- preflights destination directory entries with `lstatSync()` so target and dangling symlinks fail
+  before publication;
+- securely reads `USER.md` through an `O_NOFOLLOW` descriptor at composition time;
+- adds a Mosaic build before package Vitest and a dependency build in the clean-checkout command;
+- replaces defaults-only advice with neutral named-component repair guidance; and
+- reconciles shipping canary provenance, pane chronology, commands, and totals.
+
+Remediation code review:
+
+```bash
+~/.config/mosaic/tools/codex/codex-code-review.sh --uncommitted \
+  -o /tmp/1264-remediation-code-review.json
+```
+
+Result: `approve`, confidence `0.88`, 6 files, no findings. Summary: the fail-closed destination
+checks, class-validation order, secure composition, and build-before-Vitest path are coherent.
+
+Remediation security review:
+
+```bash
+~/.config/mosaic/tools/codex/codex-security-review.sh --uncommitted \
+  -o /tmp/1264-remediation-security-review.json
+```
+
+Result: risk `none`, confidence `0.93`, 9 files, no critical/high/medium/low findings. The sandbox
+could not run Vitest because Vite attempted to create a temporary config artifact on its read-only
+mount (`EROFS`); executor-owned focused and full results are recorded in the QA report.
+
+## Second exact-head review
+
+Daphne reviewed exact head `9dc90be7e13b1cd609f6df97d43d890ef5392ca0` and filed Gitea review
+ID 169 as `REQUEST_CHANGES`. Review 169 confirmed all review-168 closures, then found:
+
+1. the new point-of-use reader was Linux-only but had been applied to every standalone USER read,
+   breaking supported non-fleet macOS composition; and
+2. explicit blank/whitespace `MOSAIC_AGENT_CLASS` was treated as absent and could seed before
+   runtime, while only undefined should mean absent.
+
+Red-first remediation preserves legacy `readOptional()` for standalone composition, keeps descriptor
+no-follow consumption fleet-only, moves the replacement-symlink case under a valid fleet identity,
+and rejects defined blank/whitespace classes before seeding. Three blank-class CLI cases and one
+tolerant standalone composition case failed before the source change and pass after it.
+
+Review-169 remediation code review approved at confidence `0.90` (4 files, no findings). Security
+review reported risk `none` at confidence `0.90` (4 files, no findings). The review sandbox retained
+its known Vite `EROFS` limitation; executor-owned tests are in the QA report.
+
+## Remaining review gate
+
+Daphne must re-review the next exact pushed head. This report cannot record that future verdict
+without changing the reviewed head, so the authoritative terminal verdict belongs to PR #1268's
+Gitea review record. Fred and goals are excluded as reviewers.
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+# #1264 Documentation Completion Checklist
+
+## Required artifacts
+
+- [x] `docs/PRD.md` updated with `FCM-REQ-12` and `AC-FCM-10`.
+- [x] User workflow documents unattended fleet first start and separate prerequisites.
+- [x] Administrator operations page documents source/destination ownership, failure handling, and an
+      exact-source build-before-Vitest verification gate.
+- [x] Developer architecture page documents control flow, identity authority, concurrency, and non-goals.
+- [x] `docs/SITEMAP.md` and book indexes updated.
+- [x] QA evidence is under `docs/reports/qa/`; working notes are under `docs/scratchpads/`.
+- [x] Framework defaults README reflects fleet-versus-standalone behavior.
+
+## API coverage
+
+- [x] No HTTP/API endpoint or DTO changed; OpenAPI and endpoint indexes are not applicable.
+
+## Structural standards
+
+- [x] User, administrator, developer, report, and sitemap indexes link the new pages.
+- [x] No noncanonical file was added at the `docs/` root.
+- [x] Canonical documentation remains in-repo; no external publication was requested or performed.
+
+## Review gate
+
+- [x] Initial padded-name finding remediated and automated re-review approved.
+- [x] Daphne formal review ID 168 completed on exact first head `43fa0477` and requested changes.
+- [x] Four review-168 groups reproduced red and remediated; automated reviews are clean.
+- [x] Daphne review ID 169 completed on exact head `9dc90be7` and confirmed review-168 closures.
+- [x] Review-169 standalone-portability and blank-class blockers reproduced red and remediated;
+      automated reviews are clean.
+- [ ] Daphne exact-second-remediation-head re-review completed after push (Fred/goals excluded).
@@ -0,0 +1,220 @@
+# #1264 Unattended Fleet First-Start Verification
+
+> Status: **IN PROGRESS — review-169 remediation complete locally; push/re-review pending** |
+> Executor: goals | Date: 2026-08-16 | Target: isolated local fixtures only
+
+## Objective
+
+Verify that a named fleet seat launched through a systemd-equivalent, no-TTY environment on a clean
+host reaches its runtime boundary without an interactive Mosaic identity wizard. Preserve standalone
+wizard behavior and canonical-roster ownership of exact seat identity.
+
+## Source evidence accepted for local verification
+
+Daphne's canary Run-7 report is reachable from jarvis-brain `origin/main` at
+`8bf94afeb8c7d5df96cdd4a4508e75a1d2999710`,
+`docs/reports/2026-08-16_sbx-canary-greenfield-e2e.md`. The earlier local object
+`6c0b6fc70ae6a179a1b7ff9dedfc54e9adccd19a` is not reachable from an origin ref and is not used as
+shipping provenance. Run 7 measured:
+
+```text
+systemd -> start-agent-session.sh -> mosaic yolo pi (PID 3726)
+                                  -> child mosaic wizard (PID 3762)
+```
+
+The pane was preserved when Run 7 was captured. Formal review ID 168 records that an authorized
+rollback occurred later. This task never accessed or altered the canary VM, pane, snapshot, or
+rollback state. Product behavior is independently tested here with temporary roots and fake runtime
+executables.
+
+## Controls
+
+- Original base: `origin/next@476db12b92971634b67fd2057b7577ee5894e449`.
+- PR: #1268, first pushed head `43fa0477877e0d0f110da8d11c3033b40ddeb191`.
+- `DATABASE_URL` remains unset for local tests.
+- No runtime/provider credential or token value, VM, installed Mosaic tree, unit, timer, PATH profile,
+  or live tmux session is read or mutated. Standard Gitea/Woodpecker wrappers authenticate metadata
+  reads/writes without exposing credential values.
+- Tiny's runtime-preflight and `start-agent-session.sh` PATH work remain out of scope.
+- Held PR #1213 is not a dependency.
+
+## Requirements-to-evidence map
+
+| Acceptance criterion                                                   | Method                                                          | Evidence                      |
+| ---------------------------------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------- |
+| No-TTY fleet first start avoids wizard and reaches runtime             | Exact-source built CLI with piped stdin                         | CLI GREEN                     |
+| Missing top-level identity files are initialized from shipped defaults | Exact-byte and `0600` assertions                                | CLI + filesystem GREEN        |
+| Exact seat identity remains roster-owned                               | Captured argv; mismatched/blank class no-side-effect refusals   | CLI GREEN                     |
+| Existing operator identity is never overwritten                        | Custom bytes/mode with defaults removed                         | CLI + filesystem GREEN        |
+| Concurrent/repeated first start is safe                                | Four parallel CLIs plus repeated launch                         | CLI GREEN                     |
+| Missing/unsafe defaults and destinations fail before partial mutation  | Missing, target/dangling symlink, oversized, invalid-root cases | Filesystem/CLI GREEN          |
+| Validated `USER.md` cannot be replaced by an external symlink          | Seed, replace, compose at point of use                          | Composition GREEN             |
+| Standalone launch retains wizard                                       | Same built CLI without fleet identity                           | CLI GREEN                     |
+| Built-CLI evidence cannot use stale ignored `dist/`                    | Build-with-dependencies gate before Vitest                      | Package script + command gate |
+
+## Initial RED
+
+Production source remained unchanged after adding the first reproducer. The CLI was built from
+`origin/next@476db12` before the test.
+
+```bash
+env -u DATABASE_URL pnpm --filter @mosaicstack/mosaic exec vitest run \
+  src/commands/launch-first-start.spec.ts
+```
+
+Exit `1`; one file and one test failed. Output included:
+
+```text
+[mosaic] SOUL.md not found. Running setup wizard...
+◆  What would you like to do?
+[mosaic] Setup failed. Run: mosaic wizard
+AssertionError: expected 1 to be +0
+```
+
+The fake runtime-boundary capture was not created. Complete stdout/stderr was retained at
+`/tmp/1264-red.out` during that work session.
+
+## Formal-review remediation RED
+
+Daphne's exact-head review ID 168 requested changes at `43fa0477`. Before changing production code,
+new regressions were run against an exact-source build. Four tests failed while the existing 1,568
+passed:
+
+1. valid roster name plus mismatched ambient class seeded both files before refusal;
+2. dangling `SOUL.md` allowed `USER.md` to be published before refusal;
+3. dangling `USER.md` allowed `SOUL.md` to be published before refusal; and
+4. replacing a securely validated `USER.md` with an external symlink was followed by composition.
+
+This establishes that all four review-168 findings were observable on the pushed implementation.
+
+Daphne's review ID 169 then found two more exact-head failures at `9dc90be7`. Before production
+changes, four new assertions failed:
+
+1. standalone composition routed an unreadable optional `USER.md` through the Linux-only descriptor
+   reader instead of the legacy portable tolerant path; and
+2. explicit `MOSAIC_AGENT_CLASS` values `""`, `" "`, and tab were treated as absent, seeded both
+   identity files, and reached runtime.
+
+The replacement-symlink case was also moved under a valid roster identity so it tests the fleet-only
+security boundary rather than standalone behavior.
+
+## Final GREEN
+
+The production-kind command builds Mosaic and all workspace dependencies before invoking Vitest,
+because `dist/` is ignored and may otherwise be absent or stale:
+
+```bash
+env -u DATABASE_URL sh -c '
+  pnpm --filter @mosaicstack/mosaic... build &&
+  pnpm --filter @mosaicstack/mosaic exec vitest run \
+    src/commands/fleet-first-start-identity.spec.ts \
+    src/commands/launch-first-start.spec.ts \
+    src/commands/launch.spec.ts \
+    src/commands/compose-contract.spec.ts \
+    src/config/file-adapter.test.ts \
+    src/cli-smoke.spec.ts
+'
+```
+
+Exit `0`: `6/6` files, `128/128` tests.
+
+- 15 real-CLI/no-TTY tests cover exact roster name/class, byte-equal `0600` seeds, no-clobber,
+  partial seed, missing/symlink defaults, unknown/padded/blank name, mismatched or explicitly blank
+  class, standalone wizard preservation, and four concurrent starts.
+- 12 direct filesystem tests cover complete publication, existing operators, idempotence, source
+  prevalidation, target and dangling destination links, invalid roots, oversized input, and
+  unexpected link errors.
+- Composition coverage deterministically replaces a valid fleet seat's validated `USER.md` with an
+  external symlink and requires refusal at point of use. A separate standalone case proves tolerant
+  optional composition remains outside the Linux-only fleet reader.
+
+Full package gate (which rebuilds Mosaic itself after the clean-checkout dependency build):
+
+```bash
+env -u DATABASE_URL pnpm --filter @mosaicstack/mosaic run test:vitest
+```
+
+Exit `0`: `88/88` files, `1,577/1,577` tests.
+
+Focused helper + point-of-use coverage:
+
+```text
+2 files, 53/53 tests
+Statements 97.84% | Branches 91.66% | Functions 100% | Lines 97.84%
+Exit 0
+```
+
+Final repository gates after remediation:
+
+```text
+pnpm preflight    exit 0
+pnpm typecheck    45/45 tasks, exit 0
+pnpm lint         25/25 tasks, exit 0
+pnpm build        25/25 tasks, exit 0
+pnpm format:check exit 0
+git diff --check  exit 0
+```
+
+Pre-PR targeted shell runs on the unchanged shell surfaces also passed:
+
+```text
+bash framework/tools/fleet/test-start-agent-session.sh                 exit 0 locally
+bash framework/tools/quality/scripts/test-install-migration.sh         21 passed, 0 failed
+bash framework/tools/_scripts/test-mosaic-init-rce.sh                   PASS
+```
+
+The aggregate local `test:framework-shell` run stopped at `invariant_r_unittest.py`: installed
+operator-global Pi is `0.84.2`, while the invariant is measured for `0.84.1`. Later aggregate stages
+remain unmeasured except the targeted suites above. Root `pnpm test` remains locally **UNTESTED**
+because this checkout prohibits the PostgreSQL-dependent gateway isolation path.
+
+## Review and security evidence
+
+- Initial Codex review found padded-name mutation-before-refusal; it was fixed with three
+  no-side-effect regressions.
+- Codex review of the formal-review remediation: `approve`, confidence `0.88`, 6 files, no findings.
+- Codex security review of the remediation: risk `none`, confidence `0.93`, 9 files, no findings.
+  Its sandbox could not execute Vitest because Vite attempted a write on a read-only mount; the
+  executor-owned results above are the test evidence.
+- Daphne formal review ID 168 at exact head `43fa0477`: `REQUEST_CHANGES`, four blocking groups; all
+  closed by review 169.
+- Daphne formal review ID 169 at exact head `9dc90be7`: `REQUEST_CHANGES`, two blocking groups
+  (standalone portability and explicit blank class). Both now have red-first regressions and local
+  green remediation.
+- Codex review of review-169 remediation: `approve`, confidence `0.90`, 4 files, no findings.
+- Codex security review of review-169 remediation: risk `none`, confidence `0.90`, 4 files, no
+  findings. Exact-new-head Daphne re-review is pending until that head is pushed.
+
+## CI evidence and external blocker
+
+Pipeline 2445 ran against exact first head `43fa0477`:
+
+- install, sanitization, upgrade guard, typecheck, lint, and format passed;
+- Mosaic Vitest passed `88/88`, `1,568/1,568`; and
+- the test step emitted exactly one `FAIL:` line:
+
+```text
+FAIL: host provides 'pi' in the system path; missing-binary cases are not measurable here
+```
+
+That line comes from the inherited `test-start-agent-session.sh` CI-fit guard, not #1264. Fred filed
+the correction as PR #1270. Its pipeline 2448 is terminal green and proves the four formerly masked
+suites execute, but #1270 is not merged, so `next` still carries the failing chain. A new #1268
+pipeline 2449 at `9dc90be7` reproduced the same single inherited `FAIL:` after Mosaic passed
+`1,573/1,573`. A new pipeline is pending the review-169 remediation push. Terminal-green #1268 CI is
+not claimed.
+
+PR #1268's envelope was read back as `user.login=mos-dt-0`; its commit is explicitly authored and
+committed by `goals <[email protected]>`. No goals Gitea login exists on this host, and no
+other principal was borrowed. The cross-wrapper principal defect is tracked in #1272.
+
+## Explicitly untested
+
+- Canary VM remediation/restart: **UNTESTED and prohibited**.
+- Real Pi authentication/provider prompt and task execution: **UNTESTED**.
+- PR #1213 composition layer: **UNTESTED and not required**.
+- Deployment/published npm behavior: **UNTESTED until merge/release**.
+- Local PostgreSQL execution/migration: **UNTESTED and prohibited**.
+
+The local gate proves Mosaic crosses its identity boundary and reaches a fake lease-runtime boundary;
+it does not claim provider readiness, deployment, or a currently running canary seat.
@@ -0,0 +1,104 @@
+# #1264 — Unattended fleet first start
+
+## Tracking
+
+- Issue: `mosaicstack/stack#1264`
+- PR: `mosaicstack/stack#1268`
+- Branch: `fix/1264-fleet-unattended-first-start`
+- Base: `origin/next@476db12b92971634b67fd2057b7577ee5894e449`
+- First pushed head: `43fa0477877e0d0f110da8d11c3033b40ddeb191`
+- Current remediation worktree: `/var/home/jason.woltje/agent-work/1264-review2-remediation`
+- Coordinator: Fred; reviewer must be neither Fred nor this implementation seat.
+- `docs/TASKS.md` is orchestrator-owned and is not modified by this worker.
+
+The original `/var/home/jason.woltje/agent-work/1264-unattended-first-start` and first remediation
+worktrees were removed without force after each pushed head and clean state were verified. The
+Fred-authorized plain-Git worktree exception was reused for exact-head review remediation because
+`/src` remains unavailable.
+
+## Objective
+
+A roster-owned fleet seat launched from systemd on a clean host must cross Mosaic's first-run identity
+gate without a human or TTY, while retaining exact name/class from the canonical roster and
+preserving the standalone interactive wizard.
+
+## Intake and boundaries
+
+- Shipping canary provenance is jarvis-brain `origin/main` commit
+  `8bf94afeb8c7d5df96cdd4a4508e75a1d2999710`. The earlier local `6c0b6fc...` object is not used.
+- The Run-7 pane was preserved when evidence was captured; formal review records a later authorized
+  rollback. This task never accessed or altered the canary.
+- Tiny's concurrent runtime-preflight, `start-agent-session.sh`, and #1258 PATH seam remain untouched.
+- Held PR #1213 is not a dependency.
+- No runtime/provider credential values or provider calls, installed-host changes, PostgreSQL, unit,
+  timer, or profile mutation. Tests use temporary roots and fake executables only; Gitea/Woodpecker
+  metadata operations use standard wrappers without exposing credentials.
+
+## Requirements and design
+
+- PRD IDs: `FCM-REQ-12`, `AC-FCM-10`; `FCM-REQ-11` is reserved by #1256.
+- A present fleet name must be nonblank, whitespace-exact, and resolve through the canonical roster.
+- Any defined ambient class, including blank/whitespace, must canonicalize to the roster class before
+  mutation; only undefined means absent.
+- Preflight all destination directory entries with no-follow existence semantics so dangling links
+  fail before counterpart publication.
+- Seed only missing top-level files from bounded regular defaults with owner-private, atomic,
+  no-clobber hard links.
+- Generic defaults are behavior, not identity or authority.
+- Securely consume fleet `USER.md` through a Linux descriptor at composition time.
+- Standalone composition retains the portable tolerant USER read and missing identity retains the
+  wizard.
+
+## Progress
+
+- [x] Issue, canary report, Tiny collision state, and PRD read/amended.
+- [x] Initial production-kind RED captured with a real built CLI and no TTY.
+- [x] Implementation, tests, user/admin/developer docs, QA, and indexes delivered.
+- [x] Initial automated review finding (padded name before write) remediated.
+- [x] Commit `43fa0477` pushed; PR #1268 opened against `next`; original worktree removed cleanly.
+- [x] Daphne formal review ID 168 completed on exact first head: `REQUEST_CHANGES` with four groups.
+- [x] All four review-168 groups reproduced red before remediation and passed at `9dc90be7`.
+- [x] Daphne review ID 169 completed on `9dc90be7`: review-168 closures confirmed; two new blockers.
+- [x] Review-169 portability and blank-class blockers reproduced red and now pass locally.
+- [x] Review-169 Codex review approved; security review risk `none`.
+- [ ] Commit/push second remediation with explicit goals author/committer; verify remote object/content.
+- [ ] Daphne exact-new-head re-review.
+- [ ] Terminal #1268 CI. Pipeline 2445's only `FAIL:` was the inherited Pi-PATH CI-fit guard; PR
+  #1270's pipeline 2448 is green, but #1270 is not merged.
+- [ ] Remove the clean remediation worktree after push.
+
+## Test evidence
+
+### Initial RED
+
+The built `origin/next` CLI entered `mosaic wizard`, rendered `What would you like to do?`, exited 1,
+and never created the fake runtime-boundary capture.
+
+### Formal-review RED
+
+Against exact first-head production code, four new tests failed while 1,568 existing tests passed:
+class mismatch mutated before refusal; each dangling destination left its counterpart; and a
+replacement `USER.md` symlink was consumed by composition. Review-169 RED then proved standalone
+composition hit the Linux-only reader and three explicit blank/whitespace class cases seeded and
+launched.
+
+### Final local GREEN
+
+- Exact-source focused gate: `6/6` files, `128/128` tests.
+- Full exact-source Mosaic Vitest: `88/88` files, `1,577/1,577` tests.
+- Helper + point-of-use coverage: `53/53`; 97.84% statements/lines, 91.66% branches, 100% functions.
+- Root preflight passed; typecheck `45/45`, lint `25/25`, build `25/25`.
+- Initial targeted shell gates passed: start-agent-session, install migration `21/21`, init-RCE.
+- Local aggregate framework shell stops at operator-global Pi `0.84.2` versus measured `0.84.1`.
+- Local root `pnpm test` remains unrun because the checkout prohibits its PostgreSQL-dependent path.
+
+The full evidence and command boundaries are in
+`docs/reports/qa/2026-08-16-1264-unattended-first-start.md`.
+
+## Review / delivery notes
+
+- Review-168 remediation Codex review: approve `0.88`; security risk `none` `0.93`.
+- Review-169 remediation Codex review: approve `0.90`; security risk `none` `0.90`.
+- PR envelope reads `mos-dt-0`; the commit reads goals/goals. No goals Gitea principal exists on this
+  host, so no other principal will be borrowed. Tracked in #1272.
+- PR #1270 is pushed, not merged. Do not represent `next` or #1268 CI as green until measured.
@@ -7,6 +7,10 @@
 - [DOCS-IA-001 — information architecture](DOCS-IA-001.md) — completed structure-design and documentation-contract record.
 - [DOCS-IA-002 — catalog audit and migration](DOCS-IA-002-catalog-audit.md) — active coordinator progress, autonomous lane state, verification evidence, and authority blockers.

+## Active implementation records
+
+- [Issue #1264 — unattended fleet first start](1264-unattended-first-start.md) — plan, RED/GREEN evidence, collision boundaries, and PR lifecycle state.
+
 Completed scratchpads may remain here when they provide useful delivery provenance. Their conclusions must be reflected in the owning canonical page before the scratchpad is treated as complete.

 ## Related
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ mosaic yolo pi             # Launch Pi in yolo mode
 The launcher:

 1. Verifies `~/.config/mosaic` exists
-2. Verifies `SOUL.md` exists (auto-runs `mosaic init` if missing)
+2. Resolves identity: standalone launches auto-run `mosaic init` when `SOUL.md` is missing; exact roster-owned fleet launches validate name/class, atomically seed only missing `SOUL.md`/`USER.md` from generic `defaults/`, securely consume `USER.md`, and never prompt
 3. Injects `AGENTS.md` into the runtime
 4. Forwards all arguments to the runtime CLI

@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ The Gitea API token is **never passed on a curl command line.** An `Authorizatio

 ### `--login` override

-Both `pr-review.sh` and `issue-comment.sh` accept an optional `--login <name>` flag that overrides the automatically detected Gitea login for that single invocation (as of #1280, `pr-create.sh`, `pr-merge.sh` and `issue-create.sh` accept it too, and it wins over `MOSAIC_GIT_IDENTITY` everywhere). The override selects **which credential the REST write, the `/user` identity lookup, and the read-back all use** — its token is resolved from the tea config for that login name (`get_gitea_token_for_login`), falling back to the repo host's credential when no login is named. The resolved login is **host- and port-bound**: the login's configured URL host **and effective port** (the scheme's default port — 80 for `http`, 443 for `https` — applies when a port is omitted, symmetrically on both sides) must match the repo remote's, so a login name shared across hosts (or an override configured for a different Gitea, including one on a different port of the same host) can never send one host's credential to another — a host or port mismatch fails closed rather than leaking a cross-host token. Resolving the acting identity and the read-back from the _same_ login that performs the write is essential: a write performed under an overridden login must be verified against that login's identity, not the host default's. Callers who need a different login than the host default should pass `--login <reviewer-login>`.
+Both `pr-review.sh` and `issue-comment.sh` accept an optional `--login <name>` flag that overrides the automatically detected Gitea login for that single invocation. The override selects **which credential the REST write, the `/user` identity lookup, and the read-back all use** — its token is resolved from the tea config for that login name (`get_gitea_token_for_login`), falling back to the repo host's credential when no login is named. The resolved login is **host- and port-bound**: the login's configured URL host **and effective port** (the scheme's default port — 80 for `http`, 443 for `https` — applies when a port is omitted, symmetrically on both sides) must match the repo remote's, so a login name shared across hosts (or an override configured for a different Gitea, including one on a different port of the same host) can never send one host's credential to another — a host or port mismatch fails closed rather than leaking a cross-host token. Resolving the acting identity and the read-back from the _same_ login that performs the write is essential: a write performed under an overridden login must be verified against that login's identity, not the host default's. Callers who need a different login than the host default should pass `--login <reviewer-login>`.

 As a durable successor to this mechanism, consider giving each reviewer/approver slot its own dedicated Gitea login credential, so that author≠reviewer holds at the credential level rather than relying on wrapper-level `--login` bookkeeping. This is a recommendation for future hardening, not something implemented by this flag.

@@ -58,36 +58,6 @@ token file present, both tools fall through to the existing shared-account path
 unchanged, so this feature is a no-op on any host that hasn't provisioned per-slot
 tokens.

-### Identity-first principal resolution in the wrappers (#1280)
-
-`resolve_gitea_principal()` (detect-platform.sh) gives the write wrappers —
-`pr-create.sh`, `pr-merge.sh`, `pr-review.sh`, `issue-create.sh`, `issue-comment.sh` —
-ONE precedence for choosing the acting principal:
-
-1. an explicit `--login <name>` (now accepted by all five; operator intent beats
-   environment), then
-2. the per-agent identity above (`MOSAIC_GIT_IDENTITY` env / worktree
-   `mosaic.gitIdentity`) when a per-slot token exists — the wrapper then writes via the
-   REST API with that identity's token and never consults `tea`, so the tea login list
-   cannot shadow the requested principal, then
-3. the tea login list — the LAST resort, never the first, because it enumerates
-   whatever logins the host happens to hold and knows nothing about which seat is
-   calling.
-
-A requested identity whose per-slot token is absent, or a `--login` whose token cannot
-resolve host-bound, **fails loud** (nonzero, naming the identity/login and the expected
-slot) instead of silently writing under whatever account `tea` has configured — that
-silent fallthrough is defect #1280 (reviews, comments, merges, PRs and issues filed
-under the wrong account). `pr-merge.sh --dry-run` reports the principal the merge would
-act as, resolved exactly as the real merge resolves it. ⚠ A **workstation-global**
-`mosaic.gitIdentity` shadows every seat on that host (a fresh clone with no local value
-resolves the global one) — set it per-worktree, not with `--global`.
-
-The resolver is covered by `test-gitea-principal-resolution.sh`; the happy-path
-ordering (identity arm REACHED, not sitting behind a tea failure) by
-`test-pr-create-identity-first.sh`; merge credential binding by
-`test-pr-merge-principal-resolution.sh`.
-
 ### Enabling it for a clone

 The framework installer syncs `git-credential-mosaic` to
@@ -497,32 +497,6 @@ get_gitea_url_for_host() {
    return 1
 }

-# Map a Gitea host to the per-agent identity-token slot PREFIX ("gitea-usc" /
-# "gitea-mosaicstack") used by identity-first principal resolution
-# (MOSAIC_GIT_IDENTITY / git config mosaic.gitIdentity; #1280). Returns 1 for
-# hosts with no per-slot scheme — callers treat that as "identity does not
-# bind here" and fall through to existing behavior, never as an error. This is
-# the single source of truth for the slot layout: get_gitea_token and
-# resolve_gitea_principal both derive their slot paths from here, so the two
-# resolutions can never disagree about where an identity's credential lives.
-gitea_identity_slot_prefix() {
-    case "$1" in
-        git.uscllc.com)      echo "gitea-usc" ;;
-        git.mosaicstack.dev) echo "gitea-mosaicstack" ;;
-        *) return 1 ;;
-    esac
-}
-
-# Resolve the per-slot token FILE PATH for an identity on a host. Prints the
-# absolute path on success; returns 1 (no output) when the host has no per-slot
-# scheme. Prints a PATH only — never a token value.
-gitea_identity_token_slot() {
-    local identity="$1" host="$2" prefix
-    [[ -n "$identity" ]] || return 1
-    prefix=$(gitea_identity_slot_prefix "$host") || return 1
-    printf '%s\n' "$HOME/.config/mosaic/secrets/gitea-tokens/${prefix}-${identity}.token"
-}
-
 # Resolve a Gitea API token for the given host.
 # Priority: Mosaic credential loader → GITEA_TOKEN env → ~/.git-credentials
 get_gitea_token() {
@@ -543,8 +517,13 @@ get_gitea_token() {
        _ident_src="git config mosaic.gitIdentity"
    fi
    if [[ -n "$_ident" ]]; then
-        local _idtok=""
-        if _idtok="$(gitea_identity_token_slot "$_ident" "$host" 2>/dev/null)"; then
+        local _idpfx=""
+        case "$host" in
+            git.uscllc.com)      _idpfx=gitea-usc ;;
+            git.mosaicstack.dev) _idpfx=gitea-mosaicstack ;;
+        esac
+        if [[ -n "$_idpfx" ]]; then
+            local _idtok="$HOME/.config/mosaic/secrets/gitea-tokens/${_idpfx}-${_ident}.token"
            if [[ -r "$_idtok" ]]; then
                cat "$_idtok"
                return 0
@@ -1486,81 +1465,6 @@ raise SystemExit(1)
 PY
 }

-# resolve_gitea_principal — identity-first acting-principal resolution shared by
-# the git wrappers (#1280). The defect this fixes: wrappers resolved their
-# acting principal from tea's login list FIRST, and that list enumerates
-# whatever logins happen to be configured on the host — it knows nothing about
-# which seat is calling — so a wrapper invoked with MOSAIC_GIT_IDENTITY=fargo
-# still wrote under whichever account tea held (mos-dt-0), and the correct
-# identity-aware code sat behind arms that only ran when the tea path failed.
-# Precedence here is the contract:
-#   1. an explicit login override ($1, the wrapper's --login) — operator intent
-#      beats environment;
-#   2. MOSAIC_GIT_IDENTITY env, else per-worktree `git config mosaic.gitIdentity`
-#      (mirroring get_gitea_token exactly, so resolver and token resolution can
-#      never disagree) — binds only on hosts with a per-slot token scheme;
-#   3. the tea login list — LAST resort, never the first.
-#
-# Prints exactly one line, three tab-separated fields (machine-readable for
-# wrapper dispatch and tests):
-#   mode        "login" | "identity" | "default"
-#   principal   login name (login) | identity name (identity) | tea login or "" (default)
-#   source      "tea-login:<name>" | "identity-slot:<path>" | "tea-default" | "host-credential"
-#
-# Fails LOUD (nonzero, empty stdout, stderr diagnostic) when an explicit
-# override cannot be honored — a refusal is a good day; silently falling
-# through to whoever tea has configured is the exact defect this resolves:
-#   - login mode: no host-bound token for that tea login. The existence check
-#     runs the same tea-config lookup tea itself uses; the token VALUE is
-#     discarded (never printed, never used).
-#   - identity mode: no per-slot token file for that identity on a recognized
-#     host — the diagnostic names the identity, its source, and the expected
-#     slot path. An identity requested on a host with NO per-slot scheme does
-#     not bind (matching get_gitea_token's containment) and falls to default.
-#
-# NEVER prints a token value — principal names and slot paths only.
-# $1 = explicit login override ("" when absent), $2 = host (default: the
-# origin remote's host).
-resolve_gitea_principal() {
-    local login_override="${1:-}" host="${2:-}" ident ident_src slot login
-    [[ -n "$host" ]] || { host=$(get_remote_host) || return 1; }
-
-    if [[ -n "$login_override" ]]; then
-        get_gitea_token_for_login "$login_override" "$host" >/dev/null || {
-            echo "Error: --login '$login_override' has no host-matched token on host '$host' (tea config lookup); refusing to fall back to any other principal (#1280 identity-first resolution)." >&2
-            return 1
-        }
-        printf 'login\t%s\ttea-login:%s\n' "$login_override" "$login_override"
-        return 0
-    fi
-
-    ident="${MOSAIC_GIT_IDENTITY:-}"
-    ident_src="MOSAIC_GIT_IDENTITY"
-    if [[ -z "$ident" ]]; then
-        ident="$(git config --get mosaic.gitIdentity 2>/dev/null || true)"
-        ident_src="git config mosaic.gitIdentity"
-    fi
-    if [[ -n "$ident" ]] && slot="$(gitea_identity_token_slot "$ident" "$host" 2>/dev/null)"; then
-        if [[ -r "$slot" ]]; then
-            printf 'identity\t%s\tidentity-slot:%s\n' "$ident" "$slot"
-            return 0
-        fi
-        echo "Error: git identity '$ident' requested (via $ident_src) for host '$host', but no per-slot token at $slot (#1280 identity-first resolution)." >&2
-        echo "       Refusing to fall back to the tea login list or shared credentials. Provision the per-slot token, or unset the identity." >&2
-        return 1
-    fi
-
-    # No override requested: tea's login list is the LAST resort. Absence is
-    # not an error here — callers fall back to the host credential, exactly as
-    # they did before this resolver existed (preserved behavior).
-    if login=$(get_gitea_login_for_host "$host" 2>/dev/null); then
-        printf 'default\t%s\ttea-default\n' "$login"
-    else
-        printf 'default\t\thost-credential\n'
-    fi
-    return 0
-}
-
 # Resolve HTTPS basic auth credentials for a Gitea host from ~/.git-credentials.
 # Prints "username:password" for direct curl -u consumption. Callers must not log it.
 get_gitea_basic_auth() {
@@ -76,36 +76,27 @@ fi
 detect_platform >/dev/null

 # Resolve and cache the Gitea REST endpoint + token for the current remote,
-# bound to a SPECIFIC acting principal ($1) selected identity-first (#1280):
-# an explicit --login wins, else MOSAIC_GIT_IDENTITY / git config
-# mosaic.gitIdentity binds the per-slot credential, else the tea login list
-# (last resort). Populates GITEA_API_ROOT (…/api/v1), GITEA_API_BASE
-# (…/api/v1/repos/<slug>), and GITEA_API_TOKEN.
+# bound to a SPECIFIC login identity ($1). Populates GITEA_API_ROOT (…/api/v1),
+# GITEA_API_BASE (…/api/v1/repos/<slug>), and GITEA_API_TOKEN.
 #
-# The token is resolved for the EFFECTIVE principal so that the single
-# credential used for the write ALSO drives the /user identity read and the
-# read-back — write token and read-back token are the same identity by
-# construction (this is the credential-ordering fix: a --login override is no
-# longer written under one credential and verified under a different default
-# one). When $2 is "identity" the principal ($1) is a requested git identity:
-# the token MUST resolve from that identity's per-slot token (get_gitea_token's
-# identity arm), failing closed rather than borrowing the tea default login —
-# the tea login list must never shadow a requested identity (#1280). When $2
-# is "explicit" the principal came from a caller-supplied --login: that exact
-# login's token MUST resolve, and we FAIL CLOSED rather than silently
-# downgrading the write to the host default identity. Otherwise the best-effort
-# default path applies (per-login token, else the host-scoped credential).
-# Returns non-zero (clear stderr) on any resolution failure.
+# The token is resolved for the EFFECTIVE login (the --login override when
+# given, otherwise the detected default) so that the single credential used for
+# the write ALSO drives the /user identity read and the read-back — write token
+# and read-back token are the same identity by construction (this is the
+# credential-ordering fix: a --login override is no longer written under one
+# credential and verified under a different default one). Falls back to the
+# host-scoped credential ONLY when NO --login override was supplied (the
+# best-effort default path). When $2 is "explicit" the login came from a
+# caller-supplied --login: that exact login's token MUST resolve, and we FAIL
+# CLOSED rather than silently downgrading the write to the host default
+# identity — otherwise a caller relying on a dedicated per-role credential would
+# be told the write succeeded as requested while it was attributed to the shared
+# default. Returns non-zero (clear stderr) on any resolution failure.
 gitea_resolve_api_for_login() {
    local effective_login="$1" override_explicit="${2:-}" host configured_url repo

    host=$(get_remote_host)
-    if [[ "$override_explicit" == "identity" ]]; then
-        GITEA_API_TOKEN=$(get_gitea_token "$host") || {
-            echo "Error: could not resolve the per-slot token for requested git identity '$effective_login' on host '$host'; refusing to fall back to the tea login list or shared credentials (comment write/read-back, #1280)." >&2
-            return 1
-        }
-    elif [[ -n "$override_explicit" ]]; then
+    if [[ -n "$override_explicit" ]]; then
        GITEA_API_TOKEN=$(get_gitea_token_for_login "$effective_login" "$host") || {
            echo "Error: could not resolve a host-matched Gitea token for --login '$effective_login' on host '$host'; refusing to fall back to the host default identity or a cross-host credential (comment write/read-back)" >&2
            return 1
@@ -327,31 +318,23 @@ if [[ "$PLATFORM" == "github" ]]; then
    gh issue comment "$ISSUE_NUMBER" --body "$COMMENT"
    echo "Added comment to GitHub issue #$ISSUE_NUMBER"
 elif [[ "$PLATFORM" == "gitea" ]]; then
-    # Resolve the acting principal identity-first (#1280): an explicit --login
-    # wins; otherwise MOSAIC_GIT_IDENTITY / git config mosaic.gitIdentity
-    # selects the principal when a per-slot token exists (fail-loud when it
-    # does not); the tea login list is the LAST resort — it knows nothing about
-    # which seat is calling, so resolving from it first wrote under whichever
-    # account tea had configured (the #1280 family).
-    principal_host=$(get_remote_host)
-    if ! principal_resolved="$(resolve_gitea_principal "$LOGIN_OVERRIDE" "$principal_host")"; then
-        # resolve_gitea_principal already printed the fail-loud diagnostic.
-        exit 1
-    fi
-    PRINCIPAL_MODE="$(printf '%s' "$principal_resolved" | cut -f1)"
-    PRINCIPAL_NAME="$(printf '%s' "$principal_resolved" | cut -f2)"
+    # Resolve the login this comment should be attributed to: the --login
+    # override when given, otherwise the detected default for this repo's host.
+    # A --login override always wins. Otherwise name this repo host's login only
+    # as a best effort: the login name merely selects a per-login token, and
+    # gitea_resolve_api_for_login falls back to the host credential
+    # (get_gitea_token) when no tea login is named, so the default credential
+    # still resolves even when the host tea has no matching login entry.
+    EFFECTIVE_LOGIN="$LOGIN_OVERRIDE"
+    [[ -n "$EFFECTIVE_LOGIN" ]] || EFFECTIVE_LOGIN=$(get_gitea_login 2>/dev/null || true)

-    # Bind the REST endpoint + token to the resolved principal, then derive the
+    # Bind the REST endpoint + token to the effective login, then derive the
    # acting identity from that SAME credential (GET /user). The write below and
    # its read-back both use this credential, so the write is verified against
-    # the identity that actually performed it.
-    if [[ "$PRINCIPAL_MODE" == "identity" ]]; then
-        gitea_resolve_api_for_login "$PRINCIPAL_NAME" identity || exit 1
-    elif [[ "$PRINCIPAL_MODE" == "login" ]]; then
-        gitea_resolve_api_for_login "$PRINCIPAL_NAME" explicit || exit 1
-    else
-        gitea_resolve_api_for_login "$PRINCIPAL_NAME" "" || exit 1
-    fi
+    # the identity that actually performed it. Passing "explicit" when --login
+    # was supplied forbids the host-default fallback: an unresolvable explicit
+    # override fails closed instead of writing under the default identity.
+    gitea_resolve_api_for_login "$EFFECTIVE_LOGIN" "${LOGIN_OVERRIDE:+explicit}" || exit 1
    ACTING_LOGIN=$(gitea_authenticated_login) || exit 1

    comment_id=$(gitea_create_comment_verified "$ISSUE_NUMBER" "$COMMENT" "$ACTING_LOGIN") || {
@@ -1,15 +1,6 @@
 #!/bin/bash
 # issue-create.sh - Create issues on Gitea or GitHub
-# Usage: issue-create.sh -t "Title" [-b "Body"] [-l "label1,label2"] [-m "milestone"] [--login <name>]
-#
-# Acting principal is resolved identity-first (#1280): an explicit --login
-# wins; otherwise MOSAIC_GIT_IDENTITY / per-worktree git config
-# mosaic.gitIdentity selects the principal when a per-slot token exists (and
-# the wrapper then creates the issue through the REST API with that identity's
-# token — tea is never invoked, so the tea login list cannot shadow the
-# requested principal); the tea login list is the LAST resort. A requested
-# identity with no per-slot token fails LOUD rather than writing under
-# whichever account tea happens to hold.
+# Usage: issue-create.sh -t "Title" [-b "Body"] [-l "label1,label2"] [-m "milestone"]

 set -e

@@ -25,14 +16,6 @@ INTERACTIVE=false

 # get_remote_host and get_gitea_token are provided by detect-platform.sh

-# Acting-principal mode set in the Gitea branch below (from
-# resolve_gitea_principal): "login" when --login was given, "identity" when a
-# git identity bound, "default" otherwise. PRINCIPAL_MODE=login makes the API
-# arm resolve the --login principal's token too, so an explicit --login keeps
-# winning even on the tea-FAILURE fallback arm.
-PRINCIPAL_MODE=""
-PRINCIPAL_NAME=""
-
 gitea_issue_create_api() {
    local host repo token url payload
    host=$(get_remote_host) || {
@@ -43,19 +26,10 @@ gitea_issue_create_api() {
        echo "Error: could not determine repo owner/name for API fallback" >&2
        return 1
    }
-    if [[ "$PRINCIPAL_MODE" == "login" ]]; then
-        token=$(get_gitea_token_for_login "$PRINCIPAL_NAME" "$host") || {
-            echo "Error: could not resolve a host-matched Gitea token for --login '$PRINCIPAL_NAME' on host '$host' (API path)" >&2
-            return 1
-        }
-    else
-        # Identity-first when MOSAIC_GIT_IDENTITY / git config mosaic.gitIdentity
-        # is set (per-slot token, fail-loud on absence); shared default otherwise.
-        token=$(get_gitea_token "$host") || {
-            echo "Error: Gitea token not found for API fallback (set GITEA_TOKEN or configure ~/.git-credentials)" >&2
-            return 1
-        }
-    fi
+    token=$(get_gitea_token "$host") || {
+        echo "Error: Gitea token not found for API fallback (set GITEA_TOKEN or configure ~/.git-credentials)" >&2
+        return 1
+    }

    if [[ -n "$LABELS" || -n "$MILESTONE" ]]; then
        echo "Warning: API fallback currently applies title/body only; labels/milestone require authenticated tea setup." >&2
@@ -93,7 +67,6 @@ Options:
    -b, --body BODY         Issue body/description
    -l, --labels LABELS     Comma-separated labels (e.g., "bug,feature")
    -m, --milestone NAME    Milestone name to assign
-        --login NAME        Act as this Gitea tea login (wins over MOSAIC_GIT_IDENTITY)
    -i, --interactive       Prompt for missing issue fields
    -h, --help              Show this help message

@@ -124,10 +97,6 @@ while [[ $# -gt 0 ]]; do
            MILESTONE="$2"
            shift 2
            ;;
-        --login)
-            LOGIN_OVERRIDE="$2"
-            shift 2
-            ;;
        -i|--interactive)
            INTERACTIVE=true
            shift
@@ -165,37 +134,13 @@ case "$PLATFORM" in
        "${CMD[@]}"
        ;;
    gitea)
-        # Resolve the acting principal identity-first (#1280). The tea login
-        # list is the LAST resort: it knows nothing about which seat is calling,
-        # and a login resolved from it first is what attributed issues to the
-        # wrong account even when MOSAIC_GIT_IDENTITY was set.
-        principal_host=$(get_remote_host 2>/dev/null || true)
-        if ! principal_resolved="$(resolve_gitea_principal "${LOGIN_OVERRIDE:-}" "$principal_host")"; then
-            # resolve_gitea_principal already printed the fail-loud diagnostic.
-            exit 1
-        fi
-        PRINCIPAL_MODE="$(printf '%s' "$principal_resolved" | cut -f1)"
-        PRINCIPAL_NAME="$(printf '%s' "$principal_resolved" | cut -f2)"
-
-        if [[ "$PRINCIPAL_MODE" == "identity" ]]; then
-            # HAPPY PATH for a requested identity: create through the REST API
-            # with the per-slot token and never invoke tea — the identity arm
-            # must be REACHED, not sit behind a tea failure (#1280).
-            gitea_issue_create_api
-            exit $?
-        fi
-
        if command -v tea >/dev/null 2>&1; then
            REPO_SLUG=$(get_repo_slug)
-            if [[ "$PRINCIPAL_MODE" == "login" ]]; then
-                GITEA_LOGIN_NAME="$PRINCIPAL_NAME"
-            else
-                GITEA_LOGIN_NAME=$(get_gitea_login) || {
-                    echo "Warning: could not resolve Gitea login for tea; trying Gitea API fallback..." >&2
-                    gitea_issue_create_api
-                    exit $?
-                }
-            fi
+            GITEA_LOGIN_NAME=$(get_gitea_login) || {
+                echo "Warning: could not resolve Gitea login for tea; trying Gitea API fallback..." >&2
+                gitea_issue_create_api
+                exit $?
+            }
            if ! get_gitea_authenticated_user "$GITEA_LOGIN_NAME" >/dev/null; then
                echo "Warning: Tea authenticated-user validation failed (possible stale user/login); trying Gitea API fallback..." >&2
                gitea_issue_create_api
@@ -1,15 +1,6 @@
 #!/bin/bash
 # pr-create.sh - Create pull requests on Gitea or GitHub
-# Usage: pr-create.sh -t "Title" [-b "Body"] [-B base] [-H head] [-l "labels"] [-m "milestone"] [--login <name>]
-#
-# Acting principal is resolved identity-first (#1280): an explicit --login
-# wins; otherwise MOSAIC_GIT_IDENTITY / per-worktree git config
-# mosaic.gitIdentity selects the principal when a per-slot token exists (and
-# the wrapper then creates the PR through the REST API with that identity's
-# token — tea is never invoked, so the tea login list cannot shadow the
-# requested principal); the tea login list is the LAST resort. A requested
-# identity with no per-slot token fails LOUD rather than writing under
-# whichever account tea happens to hold.
+# Usage: pr-create.sh -t "Title" [-b "Body"] [-B base] [-H head] [-l "labels"] [-m "milestone"]

 set -e

@@ -28,15 +19,6 @@ ISSUE=""

 # get_remote_host, get_gitea_token, get_repo_info, and get_gitea_repo_args are provided by detect-platform.sh

-# Acting-principal mode set in the Gitea branch below (from
-# resolve_gitea_principal): "login" when --login was given, "identity" when a
-# git identity bound, "default" otherwise. PRINCIPAL_MODE=login makes the API
-# arm resolve the --login principal's token too, so an explicit --login keeps
-# winning even on the tea-FAILURE fallback arm (otherwise the fallback would
-# silently re-resolve to the environment identity or shared credential).
-PRINCIPAL_MODE=""
-PRINCIPAL_NAME=""
-
 gitea_pr_create_api() {
    local host repo token url payload
    host=$(get_remote_host) || {
@@ -47,19 +29,10 @@ gitea_pr_create_api() {
        echo "Error: could not determine repo owner/name for API fallback" >&2
        return 1
    }
-    if [[ "$PRINCIPAL_MODE" == "login" ]]; then
-        token=$(get_gitea_token_for_login "$PRINCIPAL_NAME" "$host") || {
-            echo "Error: could not resolve a host-matched Gitea token for --login '$PRINCIPAL_NAME' on host '$host' (API path)" >&2
-            return 1
-        }
-    else
-        # Identity-first when MOSAIC_GIT_IDENTITY / git config mosaic.gitIdentity
-        # is set (per-slot token, fail-loud on absence); shared default otherwise.
-        token=$(get_gitea_token "$host") || {
-            echo "Error: Gitea token not found for API fallback (set GITEA_TOKEN or configure ~/.git-credentials)" >&2
-            return 1
-        }
-    fi
+    token=$(get_gitea_token "$host") || {
+        echo "Error: Gitea token not found for API fallback (set GITEA_TOKEN or configure ~/.git-credentials)" >&2
+        return 1
+    }

    if [[ -n "$LABELS" || -n "$MILESTONE" || "$DRAFT" == true ]]; then
        echo "Warning: API fallback applies title/body/head/base only; labels/milestone/draft require authenticated tea setup." >&2
@@ -103,7 +76,6 @@ Options:
    -H, --head BRANCH       Head branch with changes (default: current branch)
    -l, --labels LABELS     Comma-separated labels
    -m, --milestone NAME    Milestone name
-        --login NAME        Act as this Gitea tea login (wins over MOSAIC_GIT_IDENTITY)
    -i, --issue NUMBER      Link to issue (auto-generates title if not provided)
    -d, --draft             Create as draft PR
    -h, --help              Show this help message
@@ -144,10 +116,6 @@ while [[ $# -gt 0 ]]; do
            MILESTONE="$2"
            shift 2
            ;;
-        --login)
-            LOGIN_OVERRIDE="$2"
-            shift 2
-            ;;
        -i|--issue)
            ISSUE="$2"
            shift 2
@@ -206,41 +174,15 @@ case "$PLATFORM" in
        "${CMD[@]}"
        ;;
    gitea)
-        # Resolve the acting principal identity-first (#1280). The tea login
-        # list is the LAST resort: it knows nothing about which seat is calling,
-        # and a login resolved from it first is what attributed PRs to the wrong
-        # account even when MOSAIC_GIT_IDENTITY was set.
-        principal_host=$(get_remote_host 2>/dev/null || true)
-        if ! principal_resolved="$(resolve_gitea_principal "${LOGIN_OVERRIDE:-}" "$principal_host")"; then
-            # resolve_gitea_principal already printed the fail-loud diagnostic.
-            exit 1
-        fi
-        PRINCIPAL_MODE="$(printf '%s' "$principal_resolved" | cut -f1)"
-        PRINCIPAL_NAME="$(printf '%s' "$principal_resolved" | cut -f2)"
-
-        if [[ "$PRINCIPAL_MODE" == "identity" ]]; then
-            # HAPPY PATH for a requested identity: the per-slot token IS the
-            # credential, so create through the REST API directly and never
-            # invoke tea — the identity arm must be REACHED, not sit behind a
-            # tea failure (#1280). Fail-loud on a missing slot already happened
-            # in resolve_gitea_principal.
-            gitea_pr_create_api
-            exit $?
-        fi
-
        # tea pull create syntax. Always pass --repo because tea repo inference
        # is unreliable in Mosaic worktrees/profile shells. Use arrays instead
        # of eval so markdown backticks/body content are not shell-executed.
        REPO_SLUG=$(get_repo_slug)
-        if [[ "$PRINCIPAL_MODE" == "login" ]]; then
-            GITEA_LOGIN_NAME="$PRINCIPAL_NAME"
-        else
-            GITEA_LOGIN_NAME=$(get_gitea_login) || {
-                echo "Warning: could not resolve Gitea login for tea; trying Gitea API fallback..." >&2
-                gitea_pr_create_api
-                exit $?
-            }
-        fi
+        GITEA_LOGIN_NAME=$(get_gitea_login) || {
+            echo "Warning: could not resolve Gitea login for tea; trying Gitea API fallback..." >&2
+            gitea_pr_create_api
+            exit $?
+        }
        if ! get_gitea_authenticated_user "$GITEA_LOGIN_NAME" >/dev/null; then
            echo "Warning: Tea authenticated-user validation failed (possible stale user/login); trying Gitea API fallback..." >&2
            gitea_pr_create_api
@@ -1,13 +1,6 @@
 #!/bin/bash
 # pr-merge.sh - Merge pull requests on Gitea or GitHub
-# Usage: pr-merge.sh -n PR_NUMBER [-m squash] [-d] [--expect-head SHA] [--co-author-trailers --escalate-to PRINCIPAL] [--login <name>]
-#
-# Acting principal is resolved identity-first (#1280): an explicit --login
-# wins; otherwise MOSAIC_GIT_IDENTITY / per-worktree git config
-# mosaic.gitIdentity selects the credential (per-slot token, fail-loud when
-# absent); the shared host credential is the last resort. The merge is
-# performed with the resolved credential only — never a cross-principal
-# fallback (an HTTP 401 from the identity-bound token is a hard stop).
+# Usage: pr-merge.sh -n PR_NUMBER [-m squash] [-d] [--expect-head SHA] [--co-author-trailers --escalate-to PRINCIPAL]

 set -euo pipefail

@@ -23,7 +16,6 @@ DRY_RUN=false
 EXPECT_HEAD=""
 CO_AUTHOR_TRAILERS=false
 ESCALATE_TO=""
-LOGIN_OVERRIDE=""

 usage() {
    cat <<EOF
@@ -39,7 +31,6 @@ Options:
        --expect-head SHA   Refuse unless the PR head matches this full commit SHA
        --co-author-trailers Build verified trailers from linked PR commit authors
        --escalate-to NAME  Named principal for an unresolved-author BLOCK
-        --login NAME        Act as this Gitea tea login (wins over MOSAIC_GIT_IDENTITY)
    -h, --help              Show this help message

 Examples:
@@ -48,7 +39,6 @@ Examples:
    $(basename "$0") -n 42 -d                 # Squash merge and delete branch
    $(basename "$0") -n 42 --expect-head 0123456789abcdef0123456789abcdef01234567
    $(basename "$0") -n 42 --co-author-trailers --escalate-to tl-mosaic
-    $(basename "$0") -n 42 --login fred-ms    # Merge under the fred-ms tea login
 EOF
    exit "${1:-1}"
 }
@@ -92,14 +82,6 @@ while [[ $# -gt 0 ]]; do
            ESCALATE_TO="$2"
            shift 2
            ;;
-        --login|-l)
-            if [[ $# -lt 2 ]]; then
-                echo "Error: --login requires one tea login name." >&2
-                exit 1
-            fi
-            LOGIN_OVERRIDE="$2"
-            shift 2
-            ;;
        -h|--help)
            usage 0
            ;;
@@ -590,22 +572,9 @@ PY
 merge_gitea_with_api() {
    local host="$1" token attempt_rc

-    # Identity-first principal resolution (#1280): an explicit --login wins
-    # over MOSAIC_GIT_IDENTITY (operator intent beats environment); otherwise
-    # get_gitea_token resolves the identity's per-slot token when an identity
-    # is requested (fail-loud when absent) and the shared host credential only
-    # when no identity is set. No cross-principal fallback: whatever resolves
-    # here is the ONLY credential the merge is attempted with.
-    if [[ -n "$LOGIN_OVERRIDE" ]]; then
-        if ! token=$(get_gitea_token_for_login "$LOGIN_OVERRIDE" "$host"); then
-            echo "Error: --login '$LOGIN_OVERRIDE' has no host-matched token on host '$host'; refusing to merge under any other principal (#1280 identity-first resolution)." >&2
-            return 1
-        fi
-    else
-        if ! token=$(get_gitea_token "$host"); then
-            echo "Error: Could not resolve the required Gitea token; refusing merge without changing principals." >&2
-            return 1
-        fi
+    if ! token=$(get_gitea_token "$host"); then
+        echo "Error: Could not resolve the required Gitea token; refusing merge without changing principals." >&2
+        return 1
    fi
    if [[ -z "$token" ]]; then
        echo "Error: Required Gitea token resolved empty; refusing merge without changing principals." >&2
@@ -633,25 +602,10 @@ if [[ "$DRY_RUN" == true ]]; then
            echo "Error: Cannot determine host from origin remote URL" >&2
            exit 1
        }
-        # Report the acting principal the merge WOULD use, resolved the same
-        # way the real merge resolves it (#1280) — a dry run that names a
-        # different principal than the merge would act as is a lie.
-        if ! principal_resolved="$(resolve_gitea_principal "$LOGIN_OVERRIDE" "$HOST")"; then
-            # Fail-loud diagnostic already printed (unresolvable --login or a
-            # requested identity with no per-slot token).
-            exit 1
-        fi
-        DRY_PRINCIPAL_MODE="$(printf '%s' "$principal_resolved" | cut -f1)"
-        DRY_PRINCIPAL_NAME="$(printf '%s' "$principal_resolved" | cut -f2)"
-        case "$DRY_PRINCIPAL_MODE" in
-            login)    DRY_PRINCIPAL_DESC="tea login '$DRY_PRINCIPAL_NAME'" ;;
-            identity) DRY_PRINCIPAL_DESC="git identity '$DRY_PRINCIPAL_NAME' (per-slot credential)" ;;
-            *)        DRY_PRINCIPAL_DESC="default host credential" ;;
-        esac
        if [[ "$CO_AUTHOR_TRAILERS" == true ]]; then
-            echo "Dry run: would verify PR commit authors and merge PR #$PR_NUMBER on $HOST as $DRY_PRINCIPAL_DESC with authenticated Gitea API message fields (base=$BASE_BRANCH, method=squash)."
+            echo "Dry run: would verify PR commit authors and merge PR #$PR_NUMBER on $HOST with authenticated Gitea API message fields (base=$BASE_BRANCH, method=squash)."
        else
-            echo "Dry run: would merge PR #$PR_NUMBER on $HOST as $DRY_PRINCIPAL_DESC with the authenticated exact-head Gitea API path (base=$BASE_BRANCH, method=squash)."
+            echo "Dry run: would merge PR #$PR_NUMBER on $HOST with the authenticated exact-head Gitea API path (base=$BASE_BRANCH, method=squash)."
        fi
    else
        echo "Dry run: would merge PR #$PR_NUMBER on $PLATFORM (base=$BASE_BRANCH, method=squash)."
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ while [[ $# -gt 0 ]]; do
            echo "  -n, --number   PR number (required)"
            echo "  -a, --action   Review action: approve, request-changes, comment (required)"
            echo "  -c, --comment  Review comment (required for request-changes)"
-            echo "  -l, --login    Override the detected Gitea tea login (all actions; wins over MOSAIC_GIT_IDENTITY)"
+            echo "  -l, --login    Override the detected Gitea tea login (approve/request-changes only)"
            echo "  -r, --repo     Explicit owner/repo slug (skips git-remote slug inference)"
            echo "  -H, --host     Explicit Gitea host (skips remote-host inference)"
            echo "  -h, --help     Show this help"
@@ -346,14 +346,7 @@ gitea_resolve_api_for_login() {
    else
        host=$(get_remote_host)
    fi
-    if [[ "$override_explicit" == "identity" ]]; then
-        # Requested git identity (#1280): the per-slot token MUST resolve via
-        # get_gitea_token's identity arm; never borrow the tea default login.
-        GITEA_API_TOKEN=$(get_gitea_token "$host") || {
-            echo "Error: could not resolve the per-slot token for requested git identity '$effective_login' on host '$host'; refusing to fall back to the tea login list or shared credentials (review write/read-back, #1280)." >&2
-            return 1
-        }
-    elif [[ -n "$override_explicit" ]]; then
+    if [[ -n "$override_explicit" ]]; then
        GITEA_API_TOKEN=$(get_gitea_token_for_login "$effective_login" "$host") || {
            echo "Error: could not resolve a host-matched Gitea token for --login '$effective_login' on host '$host'; refusing to fall back to the host default identity or a cross-host credential (review write/read-back)" >&2
            return 1
@@ -683,32 +676,29 @@ if [[ "$PLATFORM" == "github" ]]; then
            ;;
    esac
 elif [[ "$PLATFORM" == "gitea" ]]; then
-    # Resolve the acting principal ONCE for every action, identity-first
-    # (#1280): an explicit --login wins; otherwise MOSAIC_GIT_IDENTITY /
-    # per-worktree git config mosaic.gitIdentity selects the principal when a
-    # per-slot token exists (fail-loud when it does not); the tea login list is
-    # the LAST resort — it enumerates whatever logins this host happens to hold
-    # and knows nothing about which seat is calling, so resolving from it first
-    # wrote under whichever account tea had configured (the #1280 family).
-    principal_host="${HOST_OVERRIDE:-$(get_remote_host 2>/dev/null || true)}"
-    if ! principal_resolved="$(resolve_gitea_principal "$LOGIN_OVERRIDE" "$principal_host")"; then
-        # resolve_gitea_principal already printed the fail-loud diagnostic.
-        exit 1
-    fi
-    PRINCIPAL_MODE="$(printf '%s' "$principal_resolved" | cut -f1)"
-    PRINCIPAL_NAME="$(printf '%s' "$principal_resolved" | cut -f2)"
    case $ACTION in
        approve)
-            # Identity-first principal resolution (#1280): PRINCIPAL_MODE /
-            # PRINCIPAL_NAME were resolved once above from --login >
-            # MOSAIC_GIT_IDENTITY / git config > tea login list (last resort).
-            if [[ "$PRINCIPAL_MODE" == "identity" ]]; then
-                gitea_resolve_api_for_login "$PRINCIPAL_NAME" identity || exit 1
-            elif [[ "$PRINCIPAL_MODE" == "login" ]]; then
-                gitea_resolve_api_for_login "$PRINCIPAL_NAME" explicit || exit 1
-            else
-                gitea_resolve_api_for_login "$PRINCIPAL_NAME" "" || exit 1
-            fi
+            # Best-effort host for the tea-login GUESS only (gitea_resolve_api_for_login
+            # below re-derives the real host from HOST_OVERRIDE/remote independently and
+            # is authoritative). Prefer an explicit -H/--host; otherwise best-effort
+            # git-remote inference, tolerating its ABSENCE (a bare `get_remote_host` here
+            # under `set -e`, with no origin and no -H, previously killed the script
+            # SILENTLY — exit 1, zero output — even though -r/-H are exactly the flags
+            # that support running with no usable origin at all).
+            host="${HOST_OVERRIDE:-$(get_remote_host 2>/dev/null || true)}"
+            # A --login override always wins. Otherwise name this host's login
+            # only as a best effort: the login name merely selects a per-login
+            # token, and gitea_resolve_api_for_login falls back to the host
+            # credential (get_gitea_token) when no tea login is named — so a host
+            # tea's login list need not enumerate exotic (e.g. ported) hosts for
+            # the default credential to resolve. The single resolved token is
+            # then used for the write, the /user identity, and the read-back.
+            EFFECTIVE_LOGIN="$LOGIN_OVERRIDE"
+            [[ -n "$EFFECTIVE_LOGIN" ]] || EFFECTIVE_LOGIN=$(get_gitea_login_for_host "$host" 2>/dev/null || true)
+            # Bind the REST endpoint + token to the effective login, then derive
+            # the acting identity from that SAME credential so the review submit
+            # and its read-back verify against the identity that performed them.
+            gitea_resolve_api_for_login "$EFFECTIVE_LOGIN" "${LOGIN_OVERRIDE:+explicit}" || exit 1
            ACTING_LOGIN=$(gitea_authenticated_login) || exit 1
            head_sha=$(gitea_pr_head_sha "$PR_NUMBER") || exit 1
            # The review body (if any) travels with the review itself in the REST
@@ -725,16 +715,24 @@ elif [[ "$PLATFORM" == "gitea" ]]; then
                echo "Error: Comment required for request-changes"
                exit 1
            fi
-            # Identity-first principal resolution (#1280): PRINCIPAL_MODE /
-            # PRINCIPAL_NAME were resolved once above from --login >
-            # MOSAIC_GIT_IDENTITY / git config > tea login list (last resort).
-            if [[ "$PRINCIPAL_MODE" == "identity" ]]; then
-                gitea_resolve_api_for_login "$PRINCIPAL_NAME" identity || exit 1
-            elif [[ "$PRINCIPAL_MODE" == "login" ]]; then
-                gitea_resolve_api_for_login "$PRINCIPAL_NAME" explicit || exit 1
-            else
-                gitea_resolve_api_for_login "$PRINCIPAL_NAME" "" || exit 1
-            fi
+            # Best-effort host for the tea-login GUESS only (gitea_resolve_api_for_login
+            # below re-derives the real host from HOST_OVERRIDE/remote independently and
+            # is authoritative). Prefer an explicit -H/--host; otherwise best-effort
+            # git-remote inference, tolerating its ABSENCE (a bare `get_remote_host` here
+            # under `set -e`, with no origin and no -H, previously killed the script
+            # SILENTLY — exit 1, zero output — even though -r/-H are exactly the flags
+            # that support running with no usable origin at all).
+            host="${HOST_OVERRIDE:-$(get_remote_host 2>/dev/null || true)}"
+            # A --login override always wins. Otherwise name this host's login
+            # only as a best effort: the login name merely selects a per-login
+            # token, and gitea_resolve_api_for_login falls back to the host
+            # credential (get_gitea_token) when no tea login is named — so a host
+            # tea's login list need not enumerate exotic (e.g. ported) hosts for
+            # the default credential to resolve. The single resolved token is
+            # then used for the write, the /user identity, and the read-back.
+            EFFECTIVE_LOGIN="$LOGIN_OVERRIDE"
+            [[ -n "$EFFECTIVE_LOGIN" ]] || EFFECTIVE_LOGIN=$(get_gitea_login_for_host "$host" 2>/dev/null || true)
+            gitea_resolve_api_for_login "$EFFECTIVE_LOGIN" "${LOGIN_OVERRIDE:+explicit}" || exit 1
            ACTING_LOGIN=$(gitea_authenticated_login) || exit 1
            head_sha=$(gitea_pr_head_sha "$PR_NUMBER") || exit 1
            review_id=$(gitea_submit_review_verified "$PR_NUMBER" "REQUEST_CHANGES" "$COMMENT" "$ACTING_LOGIN" "$head_sha") || {
@@ -748,16 +746,24 @@ elif [[ "$PLATFORM" == "gitea" ]]; then
                echo "Error: Comment required"
                exit 1
            fi
-            # Identity-first principal resolution (#1280): PRINCIPAL_MODE /
-            # PRINCIPAL_NAME were resolved once above from --login >
-            # MOSAIC_GIT_IDENTITY / git config > tea login list (last resort).
-            if [[ "$PRINCIPAL_MODE" == "identity" ]]; then
-                gitea_resolve_api_for_login "$PRINCIPAL_NAME" identity || exit 1
-            elif [[ "$PRINCIPAL_MODE" == "login" ]]; then
-                gitea_resolve_api_for_login "$PRINCIPAL_NAME" explicit || exit 1
-            else
-                gitea_resolve_api_for_login "$PRINCIPAL_NAME" "" || exit 1
-            fi
+            # Best-effort host for the tea-login GUESS only (gitea_resolve_api_for_login
+            # below re-derives the real host from HOST_OVERRIDE/remote independently and
+            # is authoritative). Prefer an explicit -H/--host; otherwise best-effort
+            # git-remote inference, tolerating its ABSENCE (a bare `get_remote_host` here
+            # under `set -e`, with no origin and no -H, previously killed the script
+            # SILENTLY — exit 1, zero output — even though -r/-H are exactly the flags
+            # that support running with no usable origin at all).
+            host="${HOST_OVERRIDE:-$(get_remote_host 2>/dev/null || true)}"
+            # A --login override always wins. Otherwise name this host's login
+            # only as a best effort: the login name merely selects a per-login
+            # token, and gitea_resolve_api_for_login falls back to the host
+            # credential (get_gitea_token) when no tea login is named — so a host
+            # tea's login list need not enumerate exotic (e.g. ported) hosts for
+            # the default credential to resolve. The single resolved token is
+            # then used for the write, the /user identity, and the read-back.
+            EFFECTIVE_LOGIN="$LOGIN_OVERRIDE"
+            [[ -n "$EFFECTIVE_LOGIN" ]] || EFFECTIVE_LOGIN=$(get_gitea_login_for_host "$host" 2>/dev/null || true)
+            gitea_resolve_api_for_login "$EFFECTIVE_LOGIN" "${LOGIN_OVERRIDE:+explicit}" || exit 1
            ACTING_LOGIN=$(gitea_authenticated_login) || exit 1
            comment_id=$(gitea_create_comment_verified "$PR_NUMBER" "$COMMENT" "$ACTING_LOGIN") || {
                echo "Error: could not create and verify a comment on Gitea PR #$PR_NUMBER via a provider-returned created id (#865)." >&2
@@ -1,255 +0,0 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env bash
-# Regression harness for detect-platform.sh's resolve_gitea_principal() — the
-# identity-first acting-principal resolution shared by the git wrappers
-# (mosaicstack/stack #1280).
-#
-# The contract under test (precedence: --login > MOSAIC_GIT_IDENTITY /
-# git config mosaic.gitIdentity > tea login list, which is the LAST resort):
-#   1. identity env + per-slot token present -> mode=identity, principal=
-#      identity name, source names the identity's slot PATH (never a token
-#      value).
-#   2. identity env + per-slot token ABSENT -> FAIL LOUD: nonzero, empty
-#      stdout, stderr naming the identity and the expected slot path.
-#   3. identity env + --login -> --login wins (login mode resolves even when
-#      the identity has no slot — operator intent beats environment).
-#   4. identity unset + no --login -> default mode: the tea login list
-#      resolves the principal exactly as before (preserved behavior).
-#   5. no identity + no host-matching tea login -> default/host-credential
-#      (preserved behavior; absence is not an error on the default path).
-#   6. identity on an UNRECOGNIZED host (no per-slot scheme) -> does not bind;
-#      default mode (containment, mirroring get_gitea_token).
-#   7. --login with no host-bound token for that login -> FAIL LOUD, stderr
-#      naming the login and the host.
-#   8. git config mosaic.gitIdentity is honored when the env var is unset.
-#   9. The resolver NEVER emits a token value — stdout/stderr of every
-#      successful resolution must not contain the slot file's contents.
-#
-# Uses a stubbed tea binary, stubbed tea config.yml, stubbed credentials.json
-# and stubbed per-slot token files under a fake HOME. NEVER reads real secrets.
-
-set -euo pipefail
-
-SCRIPT_DIR="$(cd "$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")" && pwd)"
-WORK_DIR="${MOSAIC_TEST_WORK_DIR:-$PWD/.mosaic-test-work/gitea-principal-resolution}"
-FAKE_HOME="$WORK_DIR/home"
-REPO_DIR="$WORK_DIR/repo"
-BIN_DIR="$WORK_DIR/bin"
-CREDENTIALS_FILE="$FAKE_HOME/.config/mosaic/credentials.json"
-
-rm -rf "$WORK_DIR"
-mkdir -p "$FAKE_HOME/.config/mosaic/secrets/gitea-tokens" "$FAKE_HOME/.config/tea" "$REPO_DIR" "$BIN_DIR"
-
-git -C "$REPO_DIR" init -q
-git -C "$REPO_DIR" remote add origin https://git.mosaicstack.dev/mosaicstack/stack.git
-
-cat > "$CREDENTIALS_FILE" <<'JSON'
-{
-  "gitea": {
-    "mosaicstack": {
-      "url": "https://git.mosaicstack.dev",
-      "token": "shared-mosaicstack-token"
-    },
-    "usc": {
-      "url": "https://git.uscllc.com",
-      "token": "shared-usc-token"
-    }
-  }
-}
-JSON
-
-# tea's own config store: the source get_gitea_token_for_login reads. Logins
-# "alice" (mosaicstack) and "bob-usc" (usc) carry sentinel token values that
-# the assertions prove are NEVER emitted by the resolver.
-cat > "$FAKE_HOME/.config/tea/config.yml" <<'YAML'
-logins:
- name: alice
-  url: https://git.mosaicstack.dev
-  token: SECRET-alice-tea-token
- name: bob-usc
-  url: https://git.uscllc.com
-  token: SECRET-bob-usc-tea-token
-YAML
-
-# Stubbed tea: only what login resolution needs (`login list --output json`).
-cat > "$BIN_DIR/tea" <<'SH'
-#!/usr/bin/env bash
-set -euo pipefail
-if [[ "$*" == "login list --output json" ]]; then
-    cat <<'JSON'
-[
-  {"name":"alice","url":"https://git.mosaicstack.dev","default":true},
-  {"name":"bob-usc","url":"https://git.uscllc.com"}
-]
-JSON
-    exit 0
-fi
-exit 0
-SH
-chmod +x "$BIN_DIR/tea"
-
-# Per-slot identity token with a sentinel value the assertions prove is never
-# emitted (proving "token came from the identity's slot BY PATH, not by value").
-echo -n "SECRET-agentX-slot-token" > "$FAKE_HOME/.config/mosaic/secrets/gitea-tokens/gitea-mosaicstack-agentX.token"
-
-fail=0
-assert_eq() {
-  local desc="$1" expected="$2" actual="$3"
-  if [[ "$expected" != "$actual" ]]; then
-    echo "FAIL: $desc — expected '$expected', got '$actual'" >&2
-    fail=1
-  fi
-}
-assert_contains() {
-  local desc="$1" haystack="$2" needle="$3"
-  if [[ "$haystack" != *"$needle"* ]]; then
-    echo "FAIL: $desc — missing '$needle' in: $haystack" >&2
-    fail=1
-  fi
-}
-assert_not_contains() {
-  local desc="$1" haystack="$2" needle="$3"
-  if [[ "$haystack" == *"$needle"* ]]; then
-    echo "FAIL: $desc — must not contain '$needle', got: $haystack" >&2
-    fail=1
-  fi
-}
-
-# Runs resolve_gitea_principal for $1=login_override $2=host inside REPO_DIR
-# (per-worktree git config resolves there) under a fake HOME, stubbed tea, and
-# stubbed credentials. Extra env (e.g. MOSAIC_GIT_IDENTITY) via $@.
-call_resolver() {
-  local login="$1" host="$2"; shift 2
-  (
-    cd "$REPO_DIR"
-    env -i HOME="$FAKE_HOME" PATH="$BIN_DIR:$PATH" \
-      GIT_CONFIG_GLOBAL=/dev/null GIT_CONFIG_SYSTEM=/dev/null \
-      MOSAIC_CREDENTIALS_FILE="$CREDENTIALS_FILE" \
-      DETECT_PLATFORM_SH="$SCRIPT_DIR/detect-platform.sh" "$@" \
-      bash -c 'source "$DETECT_PLATFORM_SH"; resolve_gitea_principal "$1" "$2"' _ "$login" "$host"
-  )
-}
-
-field() { printf '%s' "$1" | cut -f"$2"; }
-
-# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
-# 1. Identity env + slot present -> identity mode, slot named BY PATH, and no
-#    token value ever emitted.
-# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
-git -C "$REPO_DIR" config --unset mosaic.gitIdentity 2>/dev/null || true
-out=$(call_resolver "" "git.mosaicstack.dev" MOSAIC_GIT_IDENTITY=agentX)
-assert_eq "identity mode"            "identity" "$(field "$out" 1)"
-assert_eq "identity principal"       "agentX"   "$(field "$out" 2)"
-assert_eq "identity slot source" \
-  "identity-slot:$FAKE_HOME/.config/mosaic/secrets/gitea-tokens/gitea-mosaicstack-agentX.token" \
-  "$(field "$out" 3)"
-assert_not_contains "identity stdout leaks token" "$out" "SECRET"
-
-# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
-# 2. Identity env + slot ABSENT -> fail loud: nonzero, empty stdout, stderr
-#    naming the identity and the expected slot path.
-# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
-stderr_file="$WORK_DIR/stderr.tmp"
-set +e
-out=$(call_resolver "" "git.mosaicstack.dev" MOSAIC_GIT_IDENTITY=agentNoSlot 2>"$stderr_file")
-rc=$?
-set -e
-if [[ "$rc" -eq 0 ]]; then
-  echo "FAIL: missing slot — expected nonzero return, got 0 (stdout='$out')" >&2
-  fail=1
-fi
-if [[ -n "$out" ]]; then
-  echo "FAIL: missing slot — expected empty stdout, got '$out'" >&2
-  fail=1
-fi
-err=$(cat "$stderr_file")
-assert_contains "missing slot names identity"  "$err" "agentNoSlot"
-assert_contains "missing slot names slot path" "$err" \
-  "$FAKE_HOME/.config/mosaic/secrets/gitea-tokens/gitea-mosaicstack-agentNoSlot.token"
-assert_not_contains "missing-slot stderr leaks token" "$err" "SECRET"
-
-# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
-# 3. Identity + --login -> --login wins. Also wins when the identity has NO
-#    slot (no identity check may veto an explicit login).
-# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
-out=$(call_resolver "alice" "git.mosaicstack.dev" MOSAIC_GIT_IDENTITY=agentX)
-assert_eq "login beats identity (mode)"      "login" "$(field "$out" 1)"
-assert_eq "login beats identity (principal)" "alice" "$(field "$out" 2)"
-assert_eq "login source" "tea-login:alice" "$(field "$out" 3)"
-out=$(call_resolver "alice" "git.mosaicstack.dev" MOSAIC_GIT_IDENTITY=agentNoSlot)
-assert_eq "login beats slot-less identity" "login" "$(field "$out" 1)"
-
-# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
-# 4. No identity, no --login -> default mode via the tea login list
-#    (preserved behavior).
-# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
-out=$(call_resolver "" "git.mosaicstack.dev")
-assert_eq "default mode"          "default" "$(field "$out" 1)"
-assert_eq "default principal"     "alice"   "$(field "$out" 2)"
-assert_eq "default source"        "tea-default" "$(field "$out" 3)"
-
-# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
-# 5. No identity, no --login, no host-matching tea login -> default with the
-#    host credential (absence is not an error on the default path).
-# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
-out=$(call_resolver "" "git.unknown.test")
-assert_eq "no-match default mode"  "default" "$(field "$out" 1)"
-assert_eq "no-match default principal" "" "$(field "$out" 2)"
-assert_eq "no-match default source" "host-credential" "$(field "$out" 3)"
-
-# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
-# 6. Identity on an UNRECOGNIZED host -> does not bind; default mode
-#    (containment, mirroring get_gitea_token's scope).
-# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
-out=$(call_resolver "" "github.com" MOSAIC_GIT_IDENTITY=agentX)
-assert_eq "unrecognized host falls to default" "default" "$(field "$out" 1)"
-
-# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
-# 7. --login with no host-bound token for that login -> fail loud, stderr
-#    naming the login and the host.
-# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
-: > "$stderr_file"
-set +e
-out=$(call_resolver "ghost-login" "git.mosaicstack.dev" 2>"$stderr_file")
-rc=$?
-set -e
-if [[ "$rc" -eq 0 ]]; then
-  echo "FAIL: unknown --login — expected nonzero return, got 0 (stdout='$out')" >&2
-  fail=1
-fi
-err=$(cat "$stderr_file")
-assert_contains "unknown login names login" "$err" "ghost-login"
-assert_contains "unknown login names host"  "$err" "git.mosaicstack.dev"
-# A cross-host login (exists, but for usc) must ALSO fail loud for mosaicstack.
-set +e
-out=$(call_resolver "bob-usc" "git.mosaicstack.dev" 2>"$stderr_file")
-rc=$?
-set -e
-if [[ "$rc" -eq 0 ]]; then
-  echo "FAIL: cross-host --login — expected nonzero return, got 0" >&2
-  fail=1
-fi
-
-# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
-# 8. git config mosaic.gitIdentity honored when env is unset.
-# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
-git -C "$REPO_DIR" config mosaic.gitIdentity agentX
-out=$(call_resolver "" "git.mosaicstack.dev")
-assert_eq "git-config identity mode" "identity" "$(field "$out" 1)"
-assert_eq "git-config identity principal" "agentX" "$(field "$out" 2)"
-git -C "$REPO_DIR" config --unset mosaic.gitIdentity
-
-# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
-# 9. Cross-host slot layout: the usc slot path is chosen for the usc host.
-# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
-echo -n "SECRET-agentX-usc-token" > "$FAKE_HOME/.config/mosaic/secrets/gitea-tokens/gitea-usc-agentX.token"
-out=$(call_resolver "" "git.uscllc.com" MOSAIC_GIT_IDENTITY=agentX)
-assert_eq "usc identity mode" "identity" "$(field "$out" 1)"
-assert_eq "usc slot source" \
-  "identity-slot:$FAKE_HOME/.config/mosaic/secrets/gitea-tokens/gitea-usc-agentX.token" \
-  "$(field "$out" 3)"
-
-if [[ "$fail" -eq 0 ]]; then
-  echo "resolve_gitea_principal identity-first resolution regression passed"
-fi
-
-exit "$fail"
@@ -77,30 +77,12 @@ exit 0
 SH
 chmod +x "$BIN_DIR/tea"

-# TRIPWIRE provider stub: this harness tests argv construction, so ANY curl
-# call is a failure of that contract (and, before this stub existed, a LIVE
-# write — the #1282–#1287 incident: the seat's real HOME leaked a global
-# mosaic.gitIdentity, flipping the wrapper into identity mode whose real
-# per-slot token created real issues on the forge). Fail loudly instead.
-cat > "$BIN_DIR/curl" <<'SH'
-#!/usr/bin/env bash
-echo "FAIL: body-safety harness reached a provider request — this test must never curl" >&2
-exit 99
-SH
-chmod +x "$BIN_DIR/curl"
-
-# Hermetic invocation: fake HOME (no credentials, no tea config, no token
-# slots) and GIT_CONFIG_GLOBAL severed — `git config --get mosaic.gitIdentity`
-# otherwise resolves the WORKSTATION's global identity (mos-dt-0 on the seat
-# that wrote this) and reroutes the wrapper into identity mode (#1280 family).
 (
    cd "$REPO_DIR"
-    env -i HOME="$WORK_DIR/home" PATH="$BIN_DIR:$PATH" \
-      GIT_CONFIG_GLOBAL=/dev/null GIT_CONFIG_SYSTEM=/dev/null \
-      MOSAIC_TEST_RECEIVED="$RECEIVED_FILE" \
-      "$SCRIPT_DIR/issue-create.sh" -t "Body safety test" -b "$BODY"
+    PATH="$BIN_DIR:$PATH" \
+    MOSAIC_TEST_RECEIVED="$RECEIVED_FILE" \
+    "$SCRIPT_DIR/issue-create.sh" -t "Body safety test" -b "$BODY"
 ) >/dev/null
-mkdir -p "$WORK_DIR/home"

 # 1. No command substitution executed anywhere in the pipeline.
 if [[ -e "$SENTINEL" ]]; then
@@ -47,31 +47,14 @@ SH
 chmod +x "$BIN_DIR/tea" "$BIN_DIR/curl"

 run_wrapper() {
-  # Hermetic: fake HOME (fixture credentials only, no token slots, no tea
-  # config) and GIT_CONFIG_GLOBAL severed — `git config --get
-  # mosaic.gitIdentity` otherwise resolves the WORKSTATION's global identity
-  # and reroutes the wrapper into identity mode before the tea paths this
-  # harness exercises (#1280 family; see test-issue-create-body-safety.sh).
-  # An `env …` prefix (used for MOSAIC_TEA_STALE_USER) is re-wrapped, not
-  # doubled: arguments beginning with "env" are shifted past.
-  local env_pairs=()
-  if [[ "${1:-}" == "env" ]]; then
-    shift
-    while [[ "$#" -gt 0 && "$1" == *=* ]]; do
-      env_pairs+=("$1")
-      shift
-    done
-  fi
  (
    cd "$REPO_DIR"
-    env -i HOME="$WORK_DIR/home" PATH="$BIN_DIR:$PATH" \
-      GIT_CONFIG_GLOBAL=/dev/null GIT_CONFIG_SYSTEM=/dev/null \
-      MOSAIC_CREDENTIALS_FILE="$CREDENTIALS_FILE" \
-      MOSAIC_TEST_LOG="$LOG_FILE" "${env_pairs[@]}" \
-      "$@"
+    PATH="$BIN_DIR:$PATH" \
+    MOSAIC_CREDENTIALS_FILE="$CREDENTIALS_FILE" \
+    MOSAIC_TEST_LOG="$LOG_FILE" \
+    "$@"
  )
 }
-mkdir -p "$WORK_DIR/home"

 : > "$LOG_FILE"
 printf 'Interactive title\nInteractive body\nlabel-a,label-b\nM1\n' | run_wrapper "$SCRIPT_DIR/issue-create.sh" -i >/dev/null
@@ -1,244 +0,0 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env bash
-# Load-bearing regression harness for pr-create.sh identity-first principal
-# resolution (mosaicstack/stack #1280).
-#
-# The failure this harness is written down to catch: `MOSAIC_GIT_IDENTITY=fargo
-# pr-create.sh …` produces a PR attributed to `mos-dt-0` (whichever account the
-# tea login list happens to hold). Before #1280 the identity-aware code existed
-# but sat on the API arm that only ran when the tea path FAILED — tea succeeded,
-# so the identity arm never executed, and every test that did not check ORDERING
-# passed. This harness checks ordering directly:
-#
-#   1. identity set + slot present -> the PR is created via the REST API with
-#      the identity's per-slot token (asserted by sentinel value AT the fake
-#      provider), and tea's `pr create` is NEVER invoked.
-#   2. identity set + slot ABSENT -> nonzero, stderr naming the identity and
-#      the expected slot path; neither tea `pr create` nor any API request
-#      fires. No silent fallback to the tea login list.
-#   3. identity set + --login -> --login wins: tea runs WITH the explicit
-#      --login, no API request.
-#   4. nothing set -> preserved behavior: tea path with the tea-list login.
-#
-# Uses a stubbed tea, a stubbed curl provider, stubbed credentials.json and
-# per-slot token under a fake HOME. NEVER reads real secrets or hits a live
-# forge — all assertions are against the stubs' logs.
-
-set -euo pipefail
-
-SCRIPT_DIR="$(cd "$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")" && pwd)"
-WORK_DIR="${MOSAIC_TEST_WORK_DIR:-$PWD/.mosaic-test-work/pr-create-identity-first}"
-FAKE_HOME="$WORK_DIR/home"
-REPO_DIR="$WORK_DIR/repo"
-TOOLS_DIR="$WORK_DIR/tools"
-BIN_DIR="$WORK_DIR/bin"
-LOG_FILE="$WORK_DIR/calls.log"
-CREDENTIALS_FILE="$FAKE_HOME/.config/mosaic/credentials.json"
-
-rm -rf "$WORK_DIR"
-mkdir -p "$FAKE_HOME/.config/mosaic/secrets/gitea-tokens" "$FAKE_HOME/.config/tea" \
-  "$REPO_DIR" "$TOOLS_DIR/git" "$TOOLS_DIR/_lib" "$BIN_DIR"
-
-# Fixture: the real scripts under test, copied so sibling stubs (and the
-# ../_lib credential loader) resolve inside the fixture tree.
-cp "$SCRIPT_DIR/pr-create.sh" "$TOOLS_DIR/git/pr-create.sh"
-cp "$SCRIPT_DIR/detect-platform.sh" "$TOOLS_DIR/git/detect-platform.sh"
-cp "$SCRIPT_DIR/../_lib/credentials.sh" "$TOOLS_DIR/_lib/credentials.sh"
-chmod +x "$TOOLS_DIR/git/pr-create.sh"
-
-git -C "$REPO_DIR" init -q
-git -C "$REPO_DIR" remote add origin https://git.mosaicstack.dev/mosaicstack/stack.git
-
-cat > "$CREDENTIALS_FILE" <<'JSON'
-{
-  "gitea": {
-    "mosaicstack": {
-      "url": "https://git.mosaicstack.dev",
-      "token": "shared-mosaicstack-token"
-    }
-  }
-}
-JSON
-
-cat > "$FAKE_HOME/.config/tea/config.yml" <<'YAML'
-logins:
- name: alice
-  url: https://git.mosaicstack.dev
-  token: SECRET-alice-tea-token
-YAML
-
-echo -n "SECRET-agentX-slot-token" > "$FAKE_HOME/.config/mosaic/secrets/gitea-tokens/gitea-mosaicstack-agentX.token"
-
-: > "$LOG_FILE"
-
-# Stubbed tea: records every invocation; `login list` feeds login resolution;
-# `api --login <n> /user` feeds get_gitea_authenticated_user; `pr create` marks
-# the marker file (its presence fails the identity-mode assertions).
-cat > "$BIN_DIR/tea" <<SH
-#!/usr/bin/env bash
-set -euo pipefail
-printf 'TEA: %s\n' "\$*" >> "$LOG_FILE"
-if [[ "\$*" == "login list --output json" ]]; then
-    cat <<'JSON'
-[
-  {"name":"alice","url":"https://git.mosaicstack.dev","default":true}
-]
-JSON
-    exit 0
-fi
-if [[ "\${1:-}" == "api" ]]; then
-    printf '%s\n' '{"login":"alice"}'
-    exit 0
-fi
-if [[ "\$*" == pr\ create* ]]; then
-    echo "TEA-PR-CREATE-INVOKED" >> "$LOG_FILE"
-    exit 0
-fi
-exit 0
-SH
-chmod +x "$BIN_DIR/tea"
-
-# Stubbed provider: records the URL and the Authorization header VALUE it
-# received, answers 201 with a created-PR object. The sentinel token values are
-# synthetic fixtures — asserting them at the provider proves WHICH slot's
-# credential carried the write.
-cat > "$BIN_DIR/curl" <<SH
-#!/usr/bin/env bash
-set -euo pipefail
-url=""
-auth=""
-while [[ \$# -gt 0 ]]; do
-    case "\$1" in
-        -H)
-            case "\$2" in
-                Authorization*) auth="\$2" ;;
-            esac
-            shift 2
-            ;;
-        *)  [[ -n "\$1" && "\$1" != -* ]] && url="\$1"
-            shift
-            ;;
-    esac
-done
-printf 'CURL-URL: %s\nCURL-AUTH: %s\n' "\$url" "\$auth" >> "$LOG_FILE"
-cat <<'JSON'
-{"number": 1299, "html_url": "https://git.mosaicstack.dev/mosaicstack/stack/pulls/1299"}
-JSON
-exit 0
-SH
-chmod +x "$BIN_DIR/curl"
-
-fail=0
-assert_contains() {
-  local desc="$1" needle="$2"
-  if ! grep -qF -- "$needle" "$LOG_FILE"; then
-    echo "FAIL: $desc — log does not contain '$needle':" >&2
-    cat "$LOG_FILE" >&2
-    fail=1
-  fi
-}
-assert_not_contains() {
-  local desc="$1" needle="$2"
-  if grep -qF -- "$needle" "$LOG_FILE"; then
-    echo "FAIL: $desc — log must not contain '$needle':" >&2
-    cat "$LOG_FILE" >&2
-    fail=1
-  fi
-}
-
-EXTRA_ARGS=""
-run_pr_create() {
-  # "$@" carries ONLY environment assignments (VAR=value); EXTRA_ARGS (if
-  # set) carries wrapper arguments, so `env` never mistakes a wrapper flag
-  # like --login for one of its own.
-  (
-    cd "$REPO_DIR"
-    # shellcheck disable=SC2086 # EXTRA_ARGS is deliberately word-split wrapper args
-    env -i HOME="$FAKE_HOME" PATH="$BIN_DIR:$PATH" \
-      GIT_CONFIG_GLOBAL=/dev/null GIT_CONFIG_SYSTEM=/dev/null \
-      MOSAIC_CREDENTIALS_FILE="$CREDENTIALS_FILE" "$@" \
-      bash "$TOOLS_DIR/git/pr-create.sh" -t "Test PR" -B next -H fix/test $EXTRA_ARGS
-  )
-}
-
-# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
-# 1. HAPPY PATH (the load-bearing ordering test): identity set + slot present
-#    -> REST API with the per-slot token; tea `pr create` NEVER invoked.
-# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
-set +e
-out=$(run_pr_create MOSAIC_GIT_IDENTITY=agentX 2>"$WORK_DIR/stderr-1.tmp")
-rc=$?
-set -e
-if [[ "$rc" -ne 0 ]]; then
-  echo "FAIL: identity happy path — expected rc=0, got $rc" >&2
-  cat "$WORK_DIR/stderr-1.tmp" >&2
-  fail=1
-fi
-assert_contains "identity happy path reaches the API" "CURL-URL: https://git.mosaicstack.dev/api/v1/repos/mosaicstack/stack/pulls"
-assert_contains "identity happy path carries the slot token" "CURL-AUTH: Authorization: token SECRET-agentX-slot-token"
-assert_not_contains "identity happy path must NOT invoke tea pr create" "TEA-PR-CREATE-INVOKED"
-
-# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
-# 2. Identity set + slot ABSENT -> fail loud BEFORE any write: nonzero, stderr
-#    naming identity + slot path, no tea pr create, no API request.
-# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
-: > "$LOG_FILE"
-set +e
-out=$(run_pr_create MOSAIC_GIT_IDENTITY=agentNoSlot 2>"$WORK_DIR/stderr-2.tmp")
-rc=$?
-set -e
-if [[ "$rc" -eq 0 ]]; then
-  echo "FAIL: missing slot — expected nonzero return, got 0 (stdout='$out')" >&2
-  fail=1
-fi
-err=$(cat "$WORK_DIR/stderr-2.tmp")
-if [[ "$err" != *"agentNoSlot"* ]]; then
-  echo "FAIL: missing slot — stderr does not name the identity:" >&2
-  echo "$err" >&2
-  fail=1
-fi
-if [[ "$err" != *"$FAKE_HOME/.config/mosaic/secrets/gitea-tokens/gitea-mosaicstack-agentNoSlot.token"* ]]; then
-  echo "FAIL: missing slot — stderr does not name the expected slot path:" >&2
-  echo "$err" >&2
-  fail=1
-fi
-assert_not_contains "missing slot must not reach tea pr create" "TEA-PR-CREATE-INVOKED"
-assert_not_contains "missing slot must not reach the API" "CURL-URL"
-
-# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
-# 3. Identity set + --login -> --login wins: tea runs WITH the explicit login.
-# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
-: > "$LOG_FILE"
-EXTRA_ARGS="--login alice"
-set +e
-out=$(run_pr_create MOSAIC_GIT_IDENTITY=agentX 2>"$WORK_DIR/stderr-3.tmp")
-rc=$?
-set -e
-EXTRA_ARGS=""
-if [[ "$rc" -ne 0 ]]; then
-  echo "FAIL: login override — expected rc=0, got $rc" >&2
-  cat "$WORK_DIR/stderr-3.tmp" >&2
-  fail=1
-fi
-assert_contains "login override drives tea with the explicit login" "TEA: pr create --repo mosaicstack/stack --login alice"
-assert_not_contains "login override must not hit the API" "CURL-URL"
-
-# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
-# 4. Nothing set -> preserved behavior: tea path with the tea-list login.
-# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
-: > "$LOG_FILE"
-set +e
-out=$(run_pr_create 2>"$WORK_DIR/stderr-4.tmp")
-rc=$?
-set -e
-if [[ "$rc" -ne 0 ]]; then
-  echo "FAIL: default path — expected rc=0, got $rc" >&2
-  cat "$WORK_DIR/stderr-4.tmp" >&2
-  fail=1
-fi
-assert_contains "default path still uses the tea-list login" "TEA: pr create --repo mosaicstack/stack --login alice"
-
-if [[ "$fail" -eq 0 ]]; then
-  echo "pr-create identity-first happy-path regression passed"
-fi
-
-exit "$fail"
@@ -1,247 +0,0 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env bash
-# Regression harness for pr-merge.sh identity-first principal resolution
-# (mosaicstack/stack #1280).
-#
-# Covers:
-#   1. --dry-run reports the acting principal the merge WOULD use, resolved the
-#      same way the real merge resolves it: --login > MOSAIC_GIT_IDENTITY /
-#      git config mosaic.gitIdentity > shared host credential. (The pre-#1280
-#      deployed copy reported a tea login that the merge would not act as.)
-#   2. --dry-run fails closed when the requested principal has no credential:
-#      unknown --login, or an identity with no per-slot token (stderr names
-#      the login / the identity and its slot path).
-#   3. The real merge POST carries the resolved principal's credential and no
-#      other: --login merges with that login's tea-config token; an identity
-#      merges with the per-slot token; an unresolvable --login never reaches
-#      the provider.
-#
-# Fixture pattern from test-pr-merge-head-pin.sh: the scripts under test are
-# copied into a fixture tree with stubbed pr-metadata.sh / ci-queue-wait.sh
-# siblings; the provider is a stubbed curl that records the credential it
-# received. NEVER reads real secrets or hits a live forge.
-
-set -euo pipefail
-
-SCRIPT_DIR="$(cd "$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")" && pwd)"
-WORK_DIR="${MOSAIC_TEST_WORK_DIR:-$PWD/.mosaic-test-work/pr-merge-principal-resolution}"
-FAKE_HOME="$WORK_DIR/home"
-REPO_DIR="$WORK_DIR/repo"
-TOOLS_DIR="$WORK_DIR/tools"
-BIN_DIR="$WORK_DIR/bin"
-LOG_FILE="$WORK_DIR/calls.log"
-CREDENTIALS_FILE="$FAKE_HOME/.config/mosaic/credentials.json"
-SHA=0123456789abcdef0123456789abcdef01234567
-
-rm -rf "$WORK_DIR"
-mkdir -p "$FAKE_HOME/.config/mosaic/secrets/gitea-tokens" "$FAKE_HOME/.config/tea" \
-  "$REPO_DIR" "$TOOLS_DIR/git" "$TOOLS_DIR/_lib" "$BIN_DIR"
-
-cp "$SCRIPT_DIR/pr-merge.sh" "$TOOLS_DIR/git/pr-merge.sh"
-cp "$SCRIPT_DIR/detect-platform.sh" "$TOOLS_DIR/git/detect-platform.sh"
-cp "$SCRIPT_DIR/../_lib/credentials.sh" "$TOOLS_DIR/_lib/credentials.sh"
-chmod +x "$TOOLS_DIR/git/pr-merge.sh"
-
-git -C "$REPO_DIR" init -q
-git -C "$REPO_DIR" remote add origin https://git.mosaicstack.dev/mosaicstack/stack.git
-
-# Stubbed siblings pr-merge.sh resolves relative to its own SCRIPT_DIR.
-cat > "$TOOLS_DIR/git/pr-metadata.sh" <<SH
-#!/usr/bin/env bash
-printf '%s\n' '{"baseRefName":"next","headRefName":"fix/pinned","headRefOid":"$SHA","headRepository":"mosaicstack/stack","title":"Test PR","author":{"login":"contributor"}}'
-SH
-cat > "$TOOLS_DIR/git/ci-queue-wait.sh" <<'SH'
-#!/usr/bin/env bash
-exit 0
-SH
-chmod +x "$TOOLS_DIR/git/pr-metadata.sh" "$TOOLS_DIR/git/ci-queue-wait.sh"
-
-cat > "$CREDENTIALS_FILE" <<'JSON'
-{
-  "gitea": {
-    "mosaicstack": {
-      "url": "https://git.mosaicstack.dev",
-      "token": "shared-mosaicstack-token"
-    }
-  }
-}
-JSON
-
-cat > "$FAKE_HOME/.config/tea/config.yml" <<'YAML'
-logins:
- name: fred-ms
-  url: https://git.mosaicstack.dev
-  token: SECRET-fred-ms-tea-token
-YAML
-
-echo -n "SECRET-agentX-slot-token" > "$FAKE_HOME/.config/mosaic/secrets/gitea-tokens/gitea-mosaicstack-agentX.token"
-
-: > "$LOG_FILE"
-
-# Stubbed tea for login-list resolution only.
-cat > "$BIN_DIR/tea" <<'SH'
-#!/usr/bin/env bash
-set -euo pipefail
-if [[ "$*" == "login list --output json" ]]; then
-    cat <<'JSON'
-[
-  {"name":"fred-ms","url":"https://git.mosaicstack.dev","default":true}
-]
-JSON
-    exit 0
-fi
-exit 0
-SH
-chmod +x "$BIN_DIR/tea"
-
-# Stubbed provider. pr-merge passes curl config on STDIN with -K -; the stub
-# reads stdin, records the Authorization header it received, answers 200.
-cat > "$BIN_DIR/curl" <<SH
-#!/usr/bin/env bash
-set -euo pipefail
-url=""
-out_file=""
-stdin_config=""
-if [[ ! -t 0 ]]; then
-    stdin_config="\$(cat || true)"
-fi
-while [[ \$# -gt 0 ]]; do
-    case "\$1" in
-        -o) out_file="\$2"; shift 2 ;;
-        -K|-w|--max-filesize|--max-time|--connect-timeout|-sS) shift 2 ;;
-        *)  [[ -n "\$1" && "\$1" != -* && -z "\$url" ]] && url="\$1"
-            shift
-            ;;
-    esac
-done
-auth="\$(printf '%s' "\$stdin_config" | grep -o 'Authorization: token [^"]*' || true)"
-printf 'CURL-URL: %s\nCURL-AUTH: %s\n' "\$url" "\$auth" >> "$LOG_FILE"
-[[ -n "\$out_file" ]] && printf '{}' > "\$out_file"
-printf '200\n'
-exit 0
-SH
-chmod +x "$BIN_DIR/curl"
-
-fail=0
-assert_contains_log() {
-  local desc="$1" needle="$2"
-  if ! grep -qF -- "$needle" "$LOG_FILE"; then
-    echo "FAIL: $desc — log does not contain '$needle':" >&2
-    cat "$LOG_FILE" >&2
-    fail=1
-  fi
-}
-assert_not_contains_log() {
-  local desc="$1" needle="$2"
-  if grep -qF -- "$needle" "$LOG_FILE"; then
-    echo "FAIL: $desc — log must not contain '$needle':" >&2
-    cat "$LOG_FILE" >&2
-    fail=1
-  fi
-}
-
-run_pr_merge() {
-  local extra_args="$1"; shift
-  (
-    cd "$REPO_DIR"
-    # shellcheck disable=SC2086 # extra_args is deliberately word-split wrapper args
-    env -i HOME="$FAKE_HOME" PATH="$BIN_DIR:$PATH" \
-      GIT_CONFIG_GLOBAL=/dev/null GIT_CONFIG_SYSTEM=/dev/null \
-      MOSAIC_CREDENTIALS_FILE="$CREDENTIALS_FILE" "$@" \
-      bash "$TOOLS_DIR/git/pr-merge.sh" -n 42 $extra_args
-  )
-}
-
-# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
-# 1. --dry-run reports the resolved acting principal truthfully.
-# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
-out=$(run_pr_merge "--dry-run" MOSAIC_GIT_IDENTITY=agentX)
-if [[ "$out" != *"as git identity 'agentX' (per-slot credential)"* ]]; then
-  echo "FAIL: dry-run identity — principal not reported: $out" >&2
-  fail=1
-fi
-
-out=$(run_pr_merge "--dry-run --login fred-ms" MOSAIC_GIT_IDENTITY=agentX)
-if [[ "$out" != *"as tea login 'fred-ms'"* ]]; then
-  echo "FAIL: dry-run login override — login not reported (must beat env identity): $out" >&2
-  fail=1
-fi
-
-out=$(run_pr_merge "--dry-run")
-if [[ "$out" != *"as default host credential"* ]]; then
-  echo "FAIL: dry-run default — not reported: $out" >&2
-  fail=1
-fi
-
-# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
-# 2. --dry-run fails closed when the requested principal has no credential.
-# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
-stderr_file="$WORK_DIR/stderr.tmp"
-set +e
-out=$(run_pr_merge "--dry-run --login ghost" 2>"$stderr_file")
-rc=$?
-set -e
-if [[ "$rc" -eq 0 ]] || [[ "$(cat "$stderr_file")" != *"ghost"* ]]; then
-  echo "FAIL: dry-run unknown --login — expected fail-loud naming 'ghost', rc=$rc" >&2
-  cat "$stderr_file" >&2
-  fail=1
-fi
-
-: > "$stderr_file"
-set +e
-out=$(run_pr_merge "--dry-run" MOSAIC_GIT_IDENTITY=agentNoSlot 2>"$stderr_file")
-rc=$?
-set -e
-err=$(cat "$stderr_file")
-if [[ "$rc" -eq 0 ]] || [[ "$err" != *"agentNoSlot"* ]] \
-  || [[ "$err" != *"$FAKE_HOME/.config/mosaic/secrets/gitea-tokens/gitea-mosaicstack-agentNoSlot.token"* ]]; then
-  echo "FAIL: dry-run identity without slot — expected fail-loud naming identity + slot path, rc=$rc" >&2
-  echo "$err" >&2
-  fail=1
-fi
-
-# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
-# 3. The real merge POST carries the resolved principal's credential ONLY.
-# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
-: > "$LOG_FILE"
-set +e
-out=$(run_pr_merge "--login fred-ms" MOSAIC_GIT_IDENTITY=agentX 2>"$stderr_file")
-rc=$?
-set -e
-if [[ "$rc" -ne 0 ]]; then
-  echo "FAIL: merge with --login — expected rc=0, got $rc" >&2
-  cat "$stderr_file" >&2
-  fail=1
-fi
-assert_contains_log "merge --login uses the login token" "CURL-AUTH: Authorization: token SECRET-fred-ms-tea-token"
-assert_not_contains_log "merge --login must not use the identity slot token" "SECRET-agentX-slot-token"
-assert_not_contains_log "merge --login must not use the shared token" "shared-mosaicstack-token"
-
-: > "$LOG_FILE"
-set +e
-out=$(run_pr_merge "" MOSAIC_GIT_IDENTITY=agentX 2>"$stderr_file")
-rc=$?
-set -e
-if [[ "$rc" -ne 0 ]]; then
-  echo "FAIL: merge with identity — expected rc=0, got $rc" >&2
-  cat "$stderr_file" >&2
-  fail=1
-fi
-assert_contains_log "merge identity uses the per-slot token" "CURL-AUTH: Authorization: token SECRET-agentX-slot-token"
-assert_not_contains_log "merge identity must not use the shared token" "shared-mosaicstack-token"
-
-: > "$LOG_FILE"
-set +e
-out=$(run_pr_merge "--login ghost" 2>"$stderr_file")
-rc=$?
-set -e
-if [[ "$rc" -eq 0 ]]; then
-  echo "FAIL: merge with unknown --login — expected nonzero, got 0" >&2
-  fail=1
-fi
-assert_not_contains_log "merge with unknown --login must not reach the provider" "CURL-URL"
-
-if [[ "$fail" -eq 0 ]]; then
-  echo "pr-merge identity-first principal resolution regression passed"
-fi
-
-exit "$fail"
@@ -39,20 +39,3 @@ packages/mosaic/framework/tools/tmux/test-send-message-verdict.sh | requires rea
 # recorded judgement. These lines ARE that judgement, signed.)
 packages/mosaic/framework/tools/orchestrator/smoke-test.sh | behavior smoke checks for coord continue/run workflows, run manually by orchestrator seats; unmeasured in CI; #1017 burndown
 packages/mosaic/framework/tools/wake/validate-973/microtest-wake-assert.sh | #973 instrument self-test, run as a precondition of the validate-973 evidence procedure rather than as a standing CI suite; #1017 burndown candidate
-
-# --- tools/fleet: precondition is unsatisfiable in the CI image (#1271) ---
-# Signed by fred (sb-it-1-dt, 2026-08-16) at origin/next 476db12.
-# This suite asserts the launcher's behaviour when `mosaic` and `pi` are MISSING.
-# It shims fakes into $FAKE_BIN, but the constructed PANE_PATH always ends in the
-# real system path, so on a host that installs those binaries the missing-binary
-# cases cannot be measured at all. The suite's own guard (line 103) says so and
-# fails rather than reporting a pass it cannot back. That guard is correct.
-# The error was wiring the suite into CI: #1017 (c56483eb) enumerated it and
-# dropped this exclusion, and the CI image provides `pi` in the system path, so
-# it has failed on every pipeline since. Measured 2026-08-16 across pipelines
-# 2444 (#1256), 2438 (#1240) and 2441 (#1017-quality): exactly one FAIL line in
-# each full log, identical, this assertion; control `zzz-not-present-zzz` -> 0.
-# Burn-down and the full measurement are tracked in #1271; unwired by PR #1270.
-# Because test:framework-shell is one && chain and this sat at position 44 of 48,
-# the four suites after it had not run at all since the merge.
-packages/mosaic/framework/tools/fleet/test-start-agent-session.sh | precondition unsatisfiable in the CI image: asserts missing-binary behaviour, but PANE_PATH always ends in the system path and the image provides `pi` there; guard at line 103 fails by design rather than passing unmeasured. Burn down by controlling the tail of PANE_PATH inside the test. NOT by removing `pi` from the image: the CI image installs @earendil-works/[email protected] deliberately (measured in pipeline 2444's test-step log), and other suites depend on that pin. Burn-down tracked in #1271
@@ -24,8 +24,9 @@
    "build": "tsc",
    "lint": "eslint src",
    "typecheck": "tsc --noEmit",
-    "test": "vitest run --passWithNoTests && pnpm run test:framework-shell",
-    "test:framework-shell": "bash framework/tools/quality/scripts/check-test-enumeration.sh && bash framework/tools/quality/scripts/test-check-test-enumeration.sh && python3 src/lease-broker/daemon_deadline_unittest.py && python3 src/lease-broker/normative_fragments_unittest.py && python3 src/lease-broker/promotion_binding_unittest.py && python3 src/lease-broker/promotion_trigger_unittest.py && python3 src/lease-broker/receipt_challenge_unittest.py && python3 src/lease-broker/context_recovery_unittest.py && python3 src/lease-broker/recovery_runtime_unittest.py && python3 src/lease-broker/recovery_b1_adversarial_unittest.py && python3 src/lease-broker/receipt_observer_client_unittest.py && python3 src/lease-broker/invariant_r_unittest.py && python3 src/lease-broker/framework_skill_portability_unittest.py && python3 src/mutator-gate/runtime_tools_unittest.py && python3 src/mutator-gate/runtime_launch_guard_unittest.py && python3 src/mutator-gate/version_coupling_unittest.py && python3 framework/tools/lease-broker/check-runtime-launches.py --root ../.. && bash framework/tools/codex/test-pr-diff-context.sh && bash framework/tools/qa/test-deps-preflight.sh && bash framework/tools/git/test-pr-review-gitea-comment.sh && bash framework/tools/git/test-pr-review-repo-host-override.sh && bash framework/tools/git/test-ci-queue-wait-branch-absent.sh && bash framework/tools/git/test-ci-queue-wait-tristate.sh && bash framework/tools/git/test-ci-queue-wait-github-checks.sh && bash framework/tools/git/test-pr-merge-queue-branch.sh && bash framework/tools/git/test-pr-merge-head-pin.sh && bash framework/tools/git/test-pr-merge-message-field.sh && bash framework/tools/git/test-git-credential-mosaic.sh && bash framework/tools/git/test-gitea-token-identity.sh && bash framework/tools/git/test-gitea-principal-resolution.sh && bash framework/tools/git/test-pr-create-identity-first.sh && bash framework/tools/git/test-pr-merge-principal-resolution.sh && bash framework/tools/woodpecker/test-terminal-green-contract.sh && bash framework/tools/_scripts/test-install-ordering-guard.sh && bash framework/tools/_scripts/test-mosaic-init-rce.sh && bash framework/tools/tmux/agent-send.test.sh && bash framework/tools/wake/test-wake-store-ack.sh && bash framework/tools/wake/test-wake-store-enqueue-race.sh && bash framework/tools/wake/test-wake-digest-hmac.sh && bash framework/tools/wake/test-wake-digest-quarantine.sh && bash framework/tools/wake/test-wake-detector.sh && bash framework/tools/wake/test-wake-fn-oracle.sh && bash framework/tools/wake/test-wake-reconcile.sh && bash framework/tools/wake/test-wake-beacon.sh && bash framework/tools/wake/test-wake-preimage.sh && bash framework/tools/wake/test-wake-install.sh && bash framework/tools/glpi/test-list-http-status.sh && bash framework/tools/orchestrator/test-board-roll.sh && bash framework/tools/woodpecker/test-ci-wait-exit-matrix.sh && bash framework/tools/_scripts/test-fleet-transport-check.sh"
+    "test": "pnpm run test:vitest && pnpm run test:framework-shell",
+    "test:vitest": "pnpm run build && vitest run --passWithNoTests",
+    "test:framework-shell": "bash framework/tools/quality/scripts/check-test-enumeration.sh && bash framework/tools/quality/scripts/test-check-test-enumeration.sh && python3 src/lease-broker/daemon_deadline_unittest.py && python3 src/lease-broker/normative_fragments_unittest.py && python3 src/lease-broker/promotion_binding_unittest.py && python3 src/lease-broker/promotion_trigger_unittest.py && python3 src/lease-broker/receipt_challenge_unittest.py && python3 src/lease-broker/context_recovery_unittest.py && python3 src/lease-broker/recovery_runtime_unittest.py && python3 src/lease-broker/recovery_b1_adversarial_unittest.py && python3 src/lease-broker/receipt_observer_client_unittest.py && python3 src/lease-broker/invariant_r_unittest.py && python3 src/lease-broker/framework_skill_portability_unittest.py && python3 src/mutator-gate/runtime_tools_unittest.py && python3 src/mutator-gate/runtime_launch_guard_unittest.py && python3 src/mutator-gate/version_coupling_unittest.py && python3 framework/tools/lease-broker/check-runtime-launches.py --root ../.. && bash framework/tools/codex/test-pr-diff-context.sh && bash framework/tools/qa/test-deps-preflight.sh && bash framework/tools/git/test-pr-review-gitea-comment.sh && bash framework/tools/git/test-pr-review-repo-host-override.sh && bash framework/tools/git/test-ci-queue-wait-branch-absent.sh && bash framework/tools/git/test-ci-queue-wait-tristate.sh && bash framework/tools/git/test-ci-queue-wait-github-checks.sh && bash framework/tools/git/test-pr-merge-queue-branch.sh && bash framework/tools/git/test-pr-merge-head-pin.sh && bash framework/tools/git/test-pr-merge-message-field.sh && bash framework/tools/git/test-git-credential-mosaic.sh && bash framework/tools/git/test-gitea-token-identity.sh && bash framework/tools/woodpecker/test-terminal-green-contract.sh && bash framework/tools/_scripts/test-install-ordering-guard.sh && bash framework/tools/_scripts/test-mosaic-init-rce.sh && bash framework/tools/tmux/agent-send.test.sh && bash framework/tools/wake/test-wake-store-ack.sh && bash framework/tools/wake/test-wake-store-enqueue-race.sh && bash framework/tools/wake/test-wake-digest-hmac.sh && bash framework/tools/wake/test-wake-digest-quarantine.sh && bash framework/tools/wake/test-wake-detector.sh && bash framework/tools/wake/test-wake-fn-oracle.sh && bash framework/tools/wake/test-wake-reconcile.sh && bash framework/tools/wake/test-wake-beacon.sh && bash framework/tools/wake/test-wake-preimage.sh && bash framework/tools/wake/test-wake-install.sh && bash framework/tools/fleet/test-start-agent-session.sh && bash framework/tools/glpi/test-list-http-status.sh && bash framework/tools/orchestrator/test-board-roll.sh && bash framework/tools/woodpecker/test-ci-wait-exit-matrix.sh && bash framework/tools/_scripts/test-fleet-transport-check.sh"
  },
  "dependencies": {
    "@mosaicstack/brain": "workspace:*",
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ import { tmpdir } from 'node:os';
 import { join } from 'node:path';
 import { fileURLToPath } from 'node:url';
 import { FileConfigAdapter } from '../config/file-adapter.js';
+import { seedFleetIdentityDefaults } from './fleet-first-start-identity.js';
 import { composeContract } from './launch.js';

 /**
@@ -319,6 +320,7 @@ describe('composeContract — overlay composer', () => {
        ].join('\n'),
      );
      process.env['MOSAIC_AGENT_NAME'] = 'exact-self';
+      expect(seedFleetIdentityDefaults(installedHome)).toEqual(['SOUL.md', 'USER.md']);

      const composed = composeContract('pi', installedHome);
      expect(composed).toContain(sourceTools);
@@ -332,6 +334,49 @@ describe('composeContract — overlay composer', () => {
    }
  });

+  it('refuses a fleet USER.md replacement symlink at the point of composition', () => {
+    mkdirSync(join(fixture.home, 'fleet'), { recursive: true });
+    writeFileSync(
+      join(fixture.home, 'fleet', 'roster.yaml'),
+      [
+        'version: 1',
+        'transport: tmux',
+        'agents:',
+        '  - name: exact-user-seat',
+        '    runtime: pi',
+        '    class: worker',
+        '',
+      ].join('\n'),
+    );
+    process.env['MOSAIC_AGENT_NAME'] = 'exact-user-seat';
+    process.env['MOSAIC_AGENT_CLASS'] = 'worker';
+    writeFileSync(join(fixture.home, 'defaults', 'SOUL.md'), '# Generic soul\n');
+    writeFileSync(join(fixture.home, 'defaults', 'USER.md'), '# Generic user\n');
+    expect(seedFleetIdentityDefaults(fixture.home)).toEqual(['SOUL.md']);
+
+    const userPath = join(fixture.home, 'USER.md');
+    const external = join(fixture.root, 'attacker-user.md');
+    writeFileSync(external, 'UNSAFE-REPLACEMENT-USER-CONTENT\n');
+    rmSync(userPath);
+    symlinkSync(external, userPath);
+
+    expect(() => composeContract('pi', fixture.home)).toThrow(
+      `fleet identity installed is unavailable or unsafe: ${userPath}`,
+    );
+    expect(readFileSync(external, 'utf8')).toBe('UNSAFE-REPLACEMENT-USER-CONTENT\n');
+  });
+
+  it('preserves tolerant standalone composition when optional USER.md is unreadable', () => {
+    const userPath = join(fixture.home, 'USER.md');
+    rmSync(userPath);
+    mkdirSync(userPath);
+
+    const out = composeContract('pi', fixture.home);
+
+    expect(out).toContain(AGENTS);
+    expect(out).not.toContain('# User Profile');
+  });
+
  it.each(['claude', 'codex', 'opencode', 'pi'] as const)(
    'never injects installed TOOLS.md through a target symlink for %s',
    (runtime) => {
@@ -0,0 +1,182 @@
+import {
+  chmodSync,
+  existsSync,
+  mkdirSync,
+  mkdtempSync,
+  lstatSync,
+  readFileSync,
+  readdirSync,
+  rmSync,
+  statSync,
+  symlinkSync,
+  writeFileSync,
+} from 'node:fs';
+import { tmpdir } from 'node:os';
+import { dirname, join } from 'node:path';
+import { afterEach, describe, expect, it } from 'vitest';
+import {
+  linkIdentityContractNoClobber,
+  seedFleetIdentityDefaults,
+} from './fleet-first-start-identity.js';
+
+const roots: string[] = [];
+const DEFAULT_SOUL = '# Generic soul\n';
+const DEFAULT_USER = '# Generic user\n';
+
+function writeFixture(path: string, content: string | Buffer, mode: number = 0o600): void {
+  mkdirSync(dirname(path), { recursive: true, mode: 0o700 });
+  writeFileSync(path, content, { mode });
+  chmodSync(path, mode);
+}
+
+function createMosaicHome(): string {
+  const root = mkdtempSync(join(tmpdir(), 'mosaic-identity-seed-'));
+  roots.push(root);
+  const mosaicHome = join(root, 'home', '.config', 'mosaic');
+  writeFixture(join(mosaicHome, 'defaults', 'SOUL.md'), DEFAULT_SOUL);
+  writeFixture(join(mosaicHome, 'defaults', 'USER.md'), DEFAULT_USER);
+  return mosaicHome;
+}
+
+function temporarySeeds(mosaicHome: string): string[] {
+  return readdirSync(mosaicHome).filter((entry) => entry.includes('.fleet-seed-'));
+}
+
+afterEach((): void => {
+  for (const root of roots.splice(0)) rmSync(root, { recursive: true, force: true });
+});
+
+describe('linkIdentityContractNoClobber', () => {
+  it('returns false and preserves a destination that already exists', () => {
+    const mosaicHome = createMosaicHome();
+    const source = join(mosaicHome, 'source.tmp');
+    const destination = join(mosaicHome, 'destination.md');
+    writeFixture(source, 'candidate\n');
+    writeFixture(destination, 'operator\n');
+
+    expect(linkIdentityContractNoClobber(source, destination)).toBe(false);
+    expect(readFileSync(destination, 'utf8')).toBe('operator\n');
+  });
+
+  it('does not misclassify an unexpected link failure as a concurrent winner', () => {
+    const mosaicHome = createMosaicHome();
+    const missingSource = join(mosaicHome, 'missing.tmp');
+
+    expect(() =>
+      linkIdentityContractNoClobber(missingSource, join(mosaicHome, 'destination.md')),
+    ).toThrow();
+  });
+});
+
+describe('seedFleetIdentityDefaults', () => {
+  it('publishes complete owner-private default snapshots', () => {
+    const mosaicHome = createMosaicHome();
+
+    expect(seedFleetIdentityDefaults(mosaicHome)).toEqual(['SOUL.md', 'USER.md']);
+
+    for (const [entry, expected] of [
+      ['SOUL.md', DEFAULT_SOUL],
+      ['USER.md', DEFAULT_USER],
+    ] as const) {
+      const path = join(mosaicHome, entry);
+      expect(readFileSync(path, 'utf8')).toBe(expected);
+      expect(statSync(path).mode & 0o777).toBe(0o600);
+    }
+    expect(temporarySeeds(mosaicHome)).toEqual([]);
+  });
+
+  it('preserves an existing regular contract byte-for-byte and mode-for-mode', () => {
+    const mosaicHome = createMosaicHome();
+    const customSoul = '# Operator-owned soul\n';
+    writeFixture(join(mosaicHome, 'SOUL.md'), customSoul, 0o640);
+
+    expect(seedFleetIdentityDefaults(mosaicHome)).toEqual(['USER.md']);
+    expect(readFileSync(join(mosaicHome, 'SOUL.md'), 'utf8')).toBe(customSoul);
+    expect(statSync(join(mosaicHome, 'SOUL.md')).mode & 0o777).toBe(0o640);
+  });
+
+  it('is idempotent after both installed contracts exist', () => {
+    const mosaicHome = createMosaicHome();
+
+    expect(seedFleetIdentityDefaults(mosaicHome)).toEqual(['SOUL.md', 'USER.md']);
+    expect(seedFleetIdentityDefaults(mosaicHome)).toEqual([]);
+    expect(temporarySeeds(mosaicHome)).toEqual([]);
+  });
+
+  it('validates every required source before publishing any destination', () => {
+    const mosaicHome = createMosaicHome();
+    const missing = join(mosaicHome, 'defaults', 'USER.md');
+    rmSync(missing);
+
+    expect(() => seedFleetIdentityDefaults(mosaicHome)).toThrow(
+      `fleet identity default is unavailable or unsafe: ${missing}`,
+    );
+    expect(existsSync(join(mosaicHome, 'SOUL.md'))).toBe(false);
+    expect(existsSync(join(mosaicHome, 'USER.md'))).toBe(false);
+  });
+
+  it('fails closed when the configured Mosaic home is not a directory', () => {
+    const root = mkdtempSync(join(tmpdir(), 'mosaic-identity-invalid-home-'));
+    roots.push(root);
+    const mosaicHome = join(root, 'mosaic-home');
+    writeFixture(mosaicHome, 'not a directory\n');
+
+    expect(() => seedFleetIdentityDefaults(mosaicHome)).toThrow(
+      `fleet identity installed is unavailable or unsafe: ${join(mosaicHome, 'SOUL.md')}`,
+    );
+  });
+
+  it('refuses a symlinked default instead of following it', () => {
+    const mosaicHome = createMosaicHome();
+    const source = join(mosaicHome, 'defaults', 'SOUL.md');
+    rmSync(source);
+    symlinkSync(join(mosaicHome, 'defaults', 'USER.md'), source);
+
+    expect(() => seedFleetIdentityDefaults(mosaicHome)).toThrow(
+      `fleet identity default is unavailable or unsafe: ${source}`,
+    );
+    expect(existsSync(join(mosaicHome, 'SOUL.md'))).toBe(false);
+  });
+
+  it('refuses an existing symlinked destination without replacing it', () => {
+    const mosaicHome = createMosaicHome();
+    const destination = join(mosaicHome, 'SOUL.md');
+    symlinkSync(join(mosaicHome, 'defaults', 'SOUL.md'), destination);
+
+    expect(() => seedFleetIdentityDefaults(mosaicHome)).toThrow(
+      `fleet identity installed is unavailable or unsafe: ${destination}`,
+    );
+    expect(lstatSync(destination).isSymbolicLink()).toBe(true);
+    expect(existsSync(join(mosaicHome, 'USER.md'))).toBe(false);
+  });
+
+  it.each(['SOUL.md', 'USER.md'] as const)(
+    'rejects a dangling %s destination before publishing its counterpart',
+    (entry) => {
+      const mosaicHome = createMosaicHome();
+      const destination = join(mosaicHome, entry);
+      const counterpart = join(mosaicHome, entry === 'SOUL.md' ? 'USER.md' : 'SOUL.md');
+      symlinkSync(join(mosaicHome, 'missing-identity-target'), destination);
+
+      expect(existsSync(destination)).toBe(false);
+      expect(lstatSync(destination).isSymbolicLink()).toBe(true);
+      expect(() => seedFleetIdentityDefaults(mosaicHome)).toThrow(
+        `fleet identity installed is unavailable or unsafe: ${destination}`,
+      );
+      expect(lstatSync(destination).isSymbolicLink()).toBe(true);
+      expect(existsSync(counterpart)).toBe(false);
+    },
+  );
+
+  it('rejects an oversized source before publishing a partial identity', () => {
+    const mosaicHome = createMosaicHome();
+    const source = join(mosaicHome, 'defaults', 'USER.md');
+    writeFixture(source, Buffer.alloc(256 * 1024 + 1, 0x61));
+
+    expect(() => seedFleetIdentityDefaults(mosaicHome)).toThrow(
+      `fleet identity default is unavailable or unsafe: ${source}`,
+    );
+    expect(existsSync(join(mosaicHome, 'SOUL.md'))).toBe(false);
+    expect(existsSync(join(mosaicHome, 'USER.md'))).toBe(false);
+  });
+});
@@ -0,0 +1,120 @@
+import { randomBytes } from 'node:crypto';
+import { linkSync, lstatSync, realpathSync, rmSync, writeFileSync } from 'node:fs';
+import { join } from 'node:path';
+import { readRegularFileSecure } from '../fleet/secure-file.js';
+
+const MAX_IDENTITY_CONTRACT_BYTES = 256 * 1024;
+export const FLEET_IDENTITY_DEFAULTS = ['SOUL.md', 'USER.md'] as const;
+
+function isFilesystemError(error: unknown, code: string): boolean {
+  return error instanceof Error && 'code' in error && error.code === code;
+}
+
+/** @internal Publish a complete temporary file without replacing any path. */
+export function linkIdentityContractNoClobber(source: string, destination: string): boolean {
+  try {
+    linkSync(source, destination);
+    return true;
+  } catch (error: unknown) {
+    if (isFilesystemError(error, 'EEXIST')) return false;
+    throw error;
+  }
+}
+
+function unsafeIdentityError(kind: 'default' | 'installed', path: string, error: unknown): Error {
+  const reason = error instanceof Error ? error.message : String(error);
+  return new Error(`fleet identity ${kind} is unavailable or unsafe: ${path} (${reason})`);
+}
+
+function readIdentityContract(
+  mosaicHome: string,
+  path: string,
+  kind: 'default' | 'installed',
+): Buffer {
+  try {
+    return readRegularFileSecure(path, {
+      root: mosaicHome,
+      maxBytes: MAX_IDENTITY_CONTRACT_BYTES,
+    }).content;
+  } catch (error: unknown) {
+    throw unsafeIdentityError(kind, path, error);
+  }
+}
+
+function installedEntryExists(path: string): boolean {
+  try {
+    lstatSync(path);
+    return true;
+  } catch (error: unknown) {
+    if (isFilesystemError(error, 'ENOENT')) return false;
+    throw unsafeIdentityError('installed', path, error);
+  }
+}
+
+/** Secure fleet point-of-use read for a top-level identity contract. */
+export function readInstalledIdentityContractAtPointOfUse(
+  mosaicHome: string,
+  entry: (typeof FLEET_IDENTITY_DEFAULTS)[number],
+): Buffer {
+  const configuredPath = join(mosaicHome, entry);
+  try {
+    // Preserve the launcher's established support for a symlinked Mosaic home,
+    // while pinning this read to the resolved directory. O_NOFOLLOW still
+    // rejects replacement of the identity file itself (or any child ancestor).
+    const canonicalHome = realpathSync(mosaicHome);
+    return readRegularFileSecure(join(canonicalHome, entry), {
+      root: canonicalHome,
+      maxBytes: MAX_IDENTITY_CONTRACT_BYTES,
+    }).content;
+  } catch (error: unknown) {
+    throw unsafeIdentityError('installed', configuredPath, error);
+  }
+}
+
+/**
+ * Seed the generic identity base required by unattended fleet launches.
+ *
+ * Exact seat identity remains roster-owned and is injected later by the
+ * runtime composer. Each destination appears atomically through a hard link to
+ * a complete owner-private temporary file; a concurrent first seat may win the
+ * link without allowing either process to overwrite operator content.
+ */
+export function seedFleetIdentityDefaults(mosaicHome: string): string[] {
+  const snapshots = new Map<(typeof FLEET_IDENTITY_DEFAULTS)[number], Buffer>();
+
+  for (const entry of FLEET_IDENTITY_DEFAULTS) {
+    const destination = join(mosaicHome, entry);
+    if (installedEntryExists(destination)) {
+      readIdentityContract(mosaicHome, destination, 'installed');
+      continue;
+    }
+    const source = join(mosaicHome, 'defaults', entry);
+    snapshots.set(entry, readIdentityContract(mosaicHome, source, 'default'));
+  }
+
+  const seeded: string[] = [];
+  for (const [entry, content] of snapshots) {
+    const destination = join(mosaicHome, entry);
+    const temporary = join(
+      mosaicHome,
+      `.${entry}.fleet-seed-${process.pid.toString()}-${randomBytes(6).toString('hex')}`,
+    );
+    let temporaryCreated = false;
+    try {
+      writeFileSync(temporary, content, { flag: 'wx', mode: 0o600 });
+      temporaryCreated = true;
+      if (linkIdentityContractNoClobber(temporary, destination)) {
+        seeded.push(entry);
+      } else {
+        readIdentityContract(mosaicHome, destination, 'installed');
+      }
+    } finally {
+      if (temporaryCreated) rmSync(temporary, { force: true });
+    }
+  }
+
+  for (const entry of FLEET_IDENTITY_DEFAULTS) {
+    readIdentityContract(mosaicHome, join(mosaicHome, entry), 'installed');
+  }
+  return seeded;
+}
@@ -0,0 +1,393 @@
+import { spawn, spawnSync, type SpawnSyncReturns } from 'node:child_process';
+import {
+  chmodSync,
+  existsSync,
+  mkdirSync,
+  mkdtempSync,
+  readFileSync,
+  readdirSync,
+  rmSync,
+  statSync,
+  symlinkSync,
+  writeFileSync,
+} from 'node:fs';
+import { tmpdir } from 'node:os';
+import { dirname, join } from 'node:path';
+import { fileURLToPath } from 'node:url';
+import { afterEach, describe, expect, it } from 'vitest';
+
+const CLI_PATH = fileURLToPath(new URL('../../dist/cli.js', import.meta.url));
+const DEFAULT_SOUL_PATH = fileURLToPath(
+  new URL('../../framework/defaults/SOUL.md', import.meta.url),
+);
+const DEFAULT_USER_PATH = fileURLToPath(
+  new URL('../../framework/defaults/USER.md', import.meta.url),
+);
+
+interface GreenfieldFixture {
+  readonly root: string;
+  readonly home: string;
+  readonly mosaicHome: string;
+  readonly binDir: string;
+  readonly capturePath: string;
+}
+
+interface AsyncLaunchResult {
+  readonly status: number | null;
+  readonly signal: NodeJS.Signals | null;
+  readonly stdout: string;
+  readonly stderr: string;
+}
+
+const fixtures: string[] = [];
+
+function writeFixture(path: string, content: string, mode: number = 0o600): void {
+  mkdirSync(dirname(path), { recursive: true, mode: 0o700 });
+  writeFileSync(path, content, { encoding: 'utf8', mode });
+  chmodSync(path, mode);
+}
+
+function createGreenfieldFixture(): GreenfieldFixture {
+  const root = mkdtempSync(join(tmpdir(), 'mosaic-first-start-'));
+  fixtures.push(root);
+  const home = join(root, 'home');
+  const mosaicHome = join(home, '.config', 'mosaic');
+  const binDir = join(root, 'bin');
+  const capturePath = join(root, 'runtime-boundary.json');
+
+  mkdirSync(binDir, { recursive: true, mode: 0o700 });
+  writeFixture(join(mosaicHome, 'AGENTS.md'), '# Agent dispatcher\n');
+  writeFixture(join(mosaicHome, 'runtime', 'pi', 'RUNTIME.md'), '# Pi runtime\n');
+  writeFixture(join(mosaicHome, 'defaults', 'SOUL.md'), readFileSync(DEFAULT_SOUL_PATH, 'utf8'));
+  writeFixture(join(mosaicHome, 'defaults', 'USER.md'), readFileSync(DEFAULT_USER_PATH, 'utf8'));
+  writeFixture(
+    join(mosaicHome, 'fleet', 'roster.yaml'),
+    `version: 1
+transport: tmux
+tmux:
+  socket_name: mosaic-fleet
+  holder_session: _holder
+defaults:
+  working_directory: ~
+runtimes:
+  pi:
+    reset_command: /new
+agents:
+  - name: unattended-seat
+    runtime: pi
+    class: worker
+`,
+  );
+  writeFixture(
+    join(mosaicHome, 'tools', 'tmux', 'agent-send.sh'),
+    '#!/usr/bin/env bash\nexit 0\n',
+    0o755,
+  );
+  writeFixture(
+    join(mosaicHome, 'tools', 'lease-broker', 'launch-runtime.py'),
+    `#!/usr/bin/env python3
+import json
+import os
+import pathlib
+import sys
+pathlib.Path(os.environ["MOSAIC_TEST_RUNTIME_CAPTURE"]).write_text(
+    json.dumps({"argv": sys.argv[1:]}), encoding="utf-8"
+)
+`,
+    0o755,
+  );
+  // checkRuntime() must find Pi, while the fake broker boundary prevents this
+  // executable from running or making a provider call.
+  writeFixture(join(binDir, 'pi'), '#!/usr/bin/env bash\nexit 97\n', 0o755);
+
+  return { root, home, mosaicHome, binDir, capturePath };
+}
+
+function launchEnvironment(
+  fixture: GreenfieldFixture,
+  capturePath: string,
+  fleet: boolean = true,
+  agentName: string = 'unattended-seat',
+  agentClass: string = 'worker',
+): NodeJS.ProcessEnv {
+  return {
+    HOME: fixture.home,
+    MOSAIC_HOME: fixture.mosaicHome,
+    ...(fleet
+      ? {
+          MOSAIC_AGENT_NAME: agentName,
+          MOSAIC_AGENT_CLASS: agentClass,
+        }
+      : {}),
+    MOSAIC_TEST_RUNTIME_CAPTURE: capturePath,
+    PATH: `${fixture.binDir}:/usr/bin:/bin`,
+  };
+}
+
+function launchSync(
+  fixture: GreenfieldFixture,
+  options: {
+    readonly capturePath?: string;
+    readonly fleet?: boolean;
+    readonly agentName?: string;
+    readonly agentClass?: string;
+  } = {},
+): SpawnSyncReturns<string> {
+  const capturePath = options.capturePath ?? fixture.capturePath;
+  return spawnSync(process.execPath, [CLI_PATH, 'yolo', 'pi'], {
+    cwd: fixture.root,
+    encoding: 'utf8',
+    input: '',
+    timeout: 10_000,
+    env: launchEnvironment(
+      fixture,
+      capturePath,
+      options.fleet ?? true,
+      options.agentName ?? 'unattended-seat',
+      options.agentClass ?? 'worker',
+    ),
+  });
+}
+
+function launchAsync(fixture: GreenfieldFixture, capturePath: string): Promise<AsyncLaunchResult> {
+  return new Promise<AsyncLaunchResult>((resolve, reject): void => {
+    const child = spawn(process.execPath, [CLI_PATH, 'yolo', 'pi'], {
+      cwd: fixture.root,
+      env: launchEnvironment(fixture, capturePath),
+      stdio: ['pipe', 'pipe', 'pipe'],
+    });
+    let stdout = '';
+    let stderr = '';
+    child.stdout.setEncoding('utf8');
+    child.stderr.setEncoding('utf8');
+    child.stdout.on('data', (chunk: string): void => {
+      stdout += chunk;
+    });
+    child.stderr.on('data', (chunk: string): void => {
+      stderr += chunk;
+    });
+    child.on('error', reject);
+    child.on('close', (status: number | null, signal: NodeJS.Signals | null): void => {
+      resolve({ status, signal, stdout, stderr });
+    });
+    child.stdin.end();
+  });
+}
+
+function outputOf(result: { readonly stdout: string; readonly stderr: string }): string {
+  return `${result.stdout}${result.stderr}`;
+}
+
+function assertPrivateDefaultSeeds(fixture: GreenfieldFixture): void {
+  const soul = join(fixture.mosaicHome, 'SOUL.md');
+  const user = join(fixture.mosaicHome, 'USER.md');
+  expect(readFileSync(soul, 'utf8')).toBe(readFileSync(DEFAULT_SOUL_PATH, 'utf8'));
+  expect(readFileSync(user, 'utf8')).toBe(readFileSync(DEFAULT_USER_PATH, 'utf8'));
+  expect(statSync(soul).mode & 0o777).toBe(0o600);
+  expect(statSync(user).mode & 0o777).toBe(0o600);
+}
+
+function capturedArguments(path: string): string[] {
+  const capture = JSON.parse(readFileSync(path, 'utf8')) as { argv: string[] };
+  return capture.argv;
+}
+
+afterEach((): void => {
+  for (const root of fixtures.splice(0)) {
+    rmSync(root, { recursive: true, force: true });
+  }
+});
+
+describe('fleet unattended first start (#1264)', () => {
+  it('reaches the runtime boundary without a TTY or identity wizard on a clean install', () => {
+    const fixture = createGreenfieldFixture();
+    const result = launchSync(fixture);
+    const output = outputOf(result);
+
+    expect(result.error, output).toBeUndefined();
+    expect(result.status, output).toBe(0);
+    expect(output).toContain('Initialized unattended fleet identity defaults: SOUL.md, USER.md');
+    expect(output).not.toContain('Running setup wizard');
+    expect(output).not.toContain('What would you like to do?');
+    expect(existsSync(fixture.capturePath), output).toBe(true);
+    assertPrivateDefaultSeeds(fixture);
+
+    const argv = capturedArguments(fixture.capturePath);
+    expect(argv).toContain('--runtime');
+    expect(argv.join('\n')).toContain('Agent/session: `unattended-seat`');
+    expect(argv.join('\n')).toContain('Role/class: `worker`');
+  });
+
+  it('preserves existing operator identity bytes without requiring defaults', () => {
+    const fixture = createGreenfieldFixture();
+    const customSoul = '# Operator soul\nNever replace this.\n';
+    const customUser = '# Operator user\nNever replace this either.\n';
+    writeFixture(join(fixture.mosaicHome, 'SOUL.md'), customSoul, 0o640);
+    writeFixture(join(fixture.mosaicHome, 'USER.md'), customUser, 0o600);
+    rmSync(join(fixture.mosaicHome, 'defaults'), { recursive: true, force: true });
+
+    const first = launchSync(fixture);
+    const secondCapture = join(fixture.root, 'runtime-boundary-second.json');
+    const second = launchSync(fixture, { capturePath: secondCapture });
+
+    expect(first.status, outputOf(first)).toBe(0);
+    expect(second.status, outputOf(second)).toBe(0);
+    expect(readFileSync(join(fixture.mosaicHome, 'SOUL.md'), 'utf8')).toBe(customSoul);
+    expect(readFileSync(join(fixture.mosaicHome, 'USER.md'), 'utf8')).toBe(customUser);
+    expect(statSync(join(fixture.mosaicHome, 'SOUL.md')).mode & 0o777).toBe(0o640);
+    expect(existsSync(fixture.capturePath)).toBe(true);
+    expect(existsSync(secondCapture)).toBe(true);
+  });
+
+  it('seeds only the missing identity contract and leaves a custom SOUL byte-exact', () => {
+    const fixture = createGreenfieldFixture();
+    const customSoul = '# Exact custom soul bytes\n';
+    writeFixture(join(fixture.mosaicHome, 'SOUL.md'), customSoul, 0o640);
+
+    const result = launchSync(fixture);
+
+    expect(result.status, outputOf(result)).toBe(0);
+    expect(outputOf(result)).toContain('Initialized unattended fleet identity defaults: USER.md');
+    expect(readFileSync(join(fixture.mosaicHome, 'SOUL.md'), 'utf8')).toBe(customSoul);
+    expect(statSync(join(fixture.mosaicHome, 'SOUL.md')).mode & 0o777).toBe(0o640);
+    expect(readFileSync(join(fixture.mosaicHome, 'USER.md'), 'utf8')).toBe(
+      readFileSync(DEFAULT_USER_PATH, 'utf8'),
+    );
+  });
+
+  it('fails closed without a wizard or partial seed when a required default is missing', () => {
+    const fixture = createGreenfieldFixture();
+    const missingDefault = join(fixture.mosaicHome, 'defaults', 'USER.md');
+    rmSync(missingDefault);
+
+    const result = launchSync(fixture);
+    const output = outputOf(result);
+
+    expect(result.status, output).toBe(1);
+    expect(output).toContain('unattended fleet identity initialization failed');
+    expect(output).toContain(missingDefault);
+    expect(output).not.toContain('Running setup wizard');
+    expect(output).not.toContain('What would you like to do?');
+    expect(existsSync(fixture.capturePath)).toBe(false);
+    expect(existsSync(join(fixture.mosaicHome, 'SOUL.md'))).toBe(false);
+    expect(existsSync(join(fixture.mosaicHome, 'USER.md'))).toBe(false);
+  });
+
+  it('rejects a symlinked identity default without following it or prompting', () => {
+    const fixture = createGreenfieldFixture();
+    const soulDefault = join(fixture.mosaicHome, 'defaults', 'SOUL.md');
+    rmSync(soulDefault);
+    symlinkSync(DEFAULT_SOUL_PATH, soulDefault);
+
+    const result = launchSync(fixture);
+    const output = outputOf(result);
+
+    expect(result.status, output).toBe(1);
+    expect(output).toContain(`fleet identity default is unavailable or unsafe: ${soulDefault}`);
+    expect(output).not.toContain('Running setup wizard');
+    expect(existsSync(fixture.capturePath)).toBe(false);
+  });
+
+  it('refuses an unknown ambient fleet name before seeding or prompting', () => {
+    const fixture = createGreenfieldFixture();
+
+    const result = launchSync(fixture, { agentName: 'not-in-the-roster' });
+    const output = outputOf(result);
+
+    expect(result.status, output).toBe(1);
+    expect(output).toContain('canonical fleet identity is unavailable');
+    expect(output).toContain('Agent "not-in-the-roster" is not in the fleet roster');
+    expect(output).not.toContain('Running setup wizard');
+    expect(existsSync(fixture.capturePath)).toBe(false);
+    expect(existsSync(join(fixture.mosaicHome, 'SOUL.md'))).toBe(false);
+    expect(existsSync(join(fixture.mosaicHome, 'USER.md'))).toBe(false);
+  });
+
+  it('refuses a mismatched ambient fleet class before seeding or prompting', () => {
+    const fixture = createGreenfieldFixture();
+
+    const result = launchSync(fixture, { agentClass: 'reviewer' });
+    const output = outputOf(result);
+
+    expect(result.status, output).toBe(1);
+    expect(output).toContain('Refusing split identity authority');
+    expect(output).not.toContain('Running setup wizard');
+    expect(existsSync(fixture.capturePath)).toBe(false);
+    expect(existsSync(join(fixture.mosaicHome, 'SOUL.md'))).toBe(false);
+    expect(existsSync(join(fixture.mosaicHome, 'USER.md'))).toBe(false);
+  });
+
+  it.each(['', ' ', '\t'])(
+    'refuses explicit blank ambient fleet class %j before seeding',
+    (agentClass: string) => {
+      const fixture = createGreenfieldFixture();
+
+      const result = launchSync(fixture, { agentClass });
+      const output = outputOf(result);
+
+      expect(result.status, output).toBe(1);
+      expect(output).toContain('Refusing split identity authority');
+      expect(output).not.toContain('Running setup wizard');
+      expect(existsSync(fixture.capturePath)).toBe(false);
+      expect(existsSync(join(fixture.mosaicHome, 'SOUL.md'))).toBe(false);
+      expect(existsSync(join(fixture.mosaicHome, 'USER.md'))).toBe(false);
+    },
+  );
+
+  it.each([' unattended-seat', 'unattended-seat ', ''])(
+    'refuses non-exact ambient fleet name %j before seeding',
+    (agentName: string) => {
+      const fixture = createGreenfieldFixture();
+
+      const result = launchSync(fixture, { agentName });
+      const output = outputOf(result);
+
+      expect(result.status, output).toBe(1);
+      expect(output).toContain(
+        'MOSAIC_AGENT_NAME must be a non-empty exact roster name with no surrounding whitespace',
+      );
+      expect(output).not.toContain('Running setup wizard');
+      expect(existsSync(fixture.capturePath)).toBe(false);
+      expect(existsSync(join(fixture.mosaicHome, 'SOUL.md'))).toBe(false);
+      expect(existsSync(join(fixture.mosaicHome, 'USER.md'))).toBe(false);
+    },
+  );
+
+  it('keeps the interactive wizard path for a standalone launch', () => {
+    const fixture = createGreenfieldFixture();
+
+    const result = launchSync(fixture, { fleet: false });
+    const output = outputOf(result);
+
+    expect(result.status, output).toBe(1);
+    expect(output).toContain('[mosaic] SOUL.md not found. Running setup wizard...');
+    expect(output).toContain('What would you like to do?');
+    expect(output).toContain('[mosaic] Setup failed. Run: mosaic wizard');
+    expect(existsSync(fixture.capturePath)).toBe(false);
+    expect(existsSync(join(fixture.mosaicHome, 'SOUL.md'))).toBe(false);
+  });
+
+  it('allows concurrent no-TTY seats to initialize the same defaults without clobber or residue', async () => {
+    const fixture = createGreenfieldFixture();
+    const captures = Array.from({ length: 4 }, (_, index) =>
+      join(fixture.root, `runtime-boundary-${index.toString()}.json`),
+    );
+
+    const results = await Promise.all(
+      captures.map(
+        async (capturePath): Promise<AsyncLaunchResult> => launchAsync(fixture, capturePath),
+      ),
+    );
+
+    for (const result of results) {
+      expect(result.status, outputOf(result)).toBe(0);
+      expect(result.signal, outputOf(result)).toBeNull();
+      expect(outputOf(result)).not.toContain('Running setup wizard');
+    }
+    assertPrivateDefaultSeeds(fixture);
+    expect(captures.every((capturePath) => existsSync(capturePath))).toBe(true);
+    expect(
+      readdirSync(fixture.mosaicHome).filter((entry) => entry.includes('.fleet-seed-')),
+    ).toEqual([]);
+  });
+});
@@ -30,6 +30,10 @@ import { readRegularFileSecure } from '../fleet/secure-file.js';
 import { readPersonaContractBlock } from '../fleet/persona-contract.js';
 import { canonicalizeRoleClass } from './fleet-personas.js';
 import { launchClaudex, type ClaudexHarnessAdapter } from './claudex.js';
+import {
+  readInstalledIdentityContractAtPointOfUse,
+  seedFleetIdentityDefaults,
+} from './fleet-first-start-identity.js';
 import { runLeaseEnforcementDoctorCheck } from './lease-doctor-check.js';

 const MOSAIC_HOME = process.env['MOSAIC_HOME'] ?? join(homedir(), '.config', 'mosaic');
@@ -230,8 +234,55 @@ function checkRuntime(cmd: string): void {
  }
 }

+function assertAmbientFleetClassMatches(canonicalName: string, canonicalClass: string): void {
+  const configuredClass = process.env['MOSAIC_AGENT_CLASS'];
+  if (configuredClass === undefined) return;
+
+  const ambientClass = canonicalizeRoleClass(configuredClass).canonicalClass;
+  if (ambientClass !== canonicalClass) {
+    throw new Error(
+      `Ambient MOSAIC_AGENT_CLASS resolves to "${ambientClass}" but canonical roster member "${canonicalName}" resolves to "${canonicalClass}". Refusing split identity authority.`,
+    );
+  }
+}
+
 function checkSoul(): void {
  const soulPath = join(MOSAIC_HOME, 'SOUL.md');
+  const fleetAgentName = process.env['MOSAIC_AGENT_NAME'];
+  if (fleetAgentName !== undefined) {
+    try {
+      if (fleetAgentName.length === 0 || fleetAgentName !== fleetAgentName.trim()) {
+        throw new Error(
+          'MOSAIC_AGENT_NAME must be a non-empty exact roster name with no surrounding whitespace',
+        );
+      }
+      const fleetIdentity = resolveFleetIdentity(MOSAIC_HOME, fleetAgentName);
+      if (!fleetIdentity.ok || !fleetIdentity.identity) {
+        throw new Error(
+          `canonical fleet identity is unavailable: ${fleetIdentity.error ?? 'exact roster member was not resolved'}`,
+        );
+      }
+      assertAmbientFleetClassMatches(
+        fleetIdentity.identity.member.name,
+        fleetIdentity.identity.member.className,
+      );
+      const seeded = seedFleetIdentityDefaults(MOSAIC_HOME);
+      if (seeded.length > 0) {
+        console.log(
+          `[mosaic] Initialized unattended fleet identity defaults: ${seeded.join(', ')}. Exact seat identity remains roster-owned.`,
+        );
+      }
+      return;
+    } catch (error: unknown) {
+      const reason = error instanceof Error ? error.message : String(error);
+      console.error(`[mosaic] ERROR: unattended fleet identity initialization failed: ${reason}`);
+      console.error(
+        '[mosaic] Repair the named fleet roster, launch identity, installed contract, or shipped default, then retry.',
+      );
+      process.exit(1);
+    }
+  }
+
  if (!existsSync(soulPath)) {
    console.log('[mosaic] SOUL.md not found. Running setup wizard...');

@@ -532,26 +583,27 @@ For required push/merge/issue-close/release actions, execute without routine con
  parts.push(readFileSync(join(mosaicHome, 'AGENTS.md'), 'utf-8'));

  // USER.md (+ USER.local.md operator overlay, appended directly under the
-  // profile its base owns).
-  const user = readOptional(join(mosaicHome, 'USER.md'));
+  // profile its base owns). Fleet first start is Linux/systemd-owned and uses
+  // the no-follow reader at point of use. Standalone launches retain the
+  // portable tolerant path used on macOS and other supported hosts.
+  const fleetAgentName = process.env['MOSAIC_AGENT_NAME'];
+  const user =
+    fleetAgentName === undefined
+      ? readOptional(join(mosaicHome, 'USER.md'))
+      : readInstalledIdentityContractAtPointOfUse(mosaicHome, 'USER.md').toString('utf8');
  if (user) parts.push('\n\n# User Profile\n\n' + user);
  const userLocal = readOptional(join(mosaicHome, 'USER.local.md'));
  if (userLocal.trim()) {
    parts.push('\n\n## Operator Overlay (USER.local.md)\n\n' + userLocal);
  }

-  const fleetIdentity = resolveFleetIdentity(mosaicHome, process.env['MOSAIC_AGENT_NAME']);
+  const fleetIdentity = resolveFleetIdentity(mosaicHome, fleetAgentName);
  if (!fleetIdentity.ok) {
    throw new Error(`Fleet communications contract unavailable: ${fleetIdentity.error}`);
  }
  const canonicalMember = fleetIdentity.identity?.member;
-  if (canonicalMember && process.env['MOSAIC_AGENT_CLASS']?.trim()) {
-    const ambientClass = canonicalizeRoleClass(process.env['MOSAIC_AGENT_CLASS']).canonicalClass;
-    if (ambientClass !== canonicalMember.className) {
-      throw new Error(
-        `Ambient MOSAIC_AGENT_CLASS resolves to "${ambientClass}" but canonical roster member "${canonicalMember.name}" resolves to "${canonicalMember.className}". Refusing split identity authority.`,
-      );
-    }
+  if (canonicalMember) {
+    assertAmbientFleetClassMatches(canonicalMember.name, canonicalMember.className);
  }

  // TOOLS.md
Author	SHA1	Message	Date
goals	3af594590a	fix(#1264 ): preserve portable standalone launch ci/woodpecker/pr/ci Pipeline failed Details	2026-08-16 19:01:26 -05:00
goals	9dc90be7e1	fix(#1264 ): harden unattended identity bootstrap ci/woodpecker/pr/ci Pipeline failed Details	2026-08-16 18:33:39 -05:00
goals	43fa047787	fix(#1264 ): bootstrap fleet identity without a TTY ci/woodpecker/pr/ci Pipeline failed Details	2026-08-16 17:37:32 -05:00