fix(framework): track anchor presence separately from value (T51 WP0b rework)

${VAR:-} collapsed exported-empty into genuinely-unset, mis-filing
both-empty and the two mixed empty/unset states as informational where
the charter requires WARNs. Presence now tracked via [[ -v VAR ]]
alongside value: NOTES only when both variables are genuinely absent;
any present-but-empty or single-present state emits a loud WARN per
missing/empty anchor, each naming the launchers as authority (unset and
empty get distinct wording). Suite: the wrong both-empty note arm
replaced by three warn arms (both-empty, host-empty+brain-unset,
host-unset+brain-empty); warn arms accept >=1 warn with zero notes
(single-present states warn once, both-present-empty warns twice — per
anchor, by design); red control now mutates presence tracking back to
the nonemptiness collapse (the reviewed defect shape) and must emit
NOTEs for both-empty. 10 arms green; gates green.

.mosaic/repo.json

@@ -1,4 +1,11 @@
 {
+  "schema_version": 2,
   "integration_trunk": "next",
-  "release_branch": "main"
+  "release_branch": "main",
+  "flow": "trunk-release",
+  "canonical_remote": "https://git.mosaicstack.dev/mosaicstack/stack",
+  "canonical_clone": "host:/src/mosaic-stack",
+  "worktree_root": "host:/src/mosaic-stack-worktrees",
+  "worktree_policy": "orchestrator-precreated",
+  "notes": "next=development/integration; main=production release. Never branch work off main. worktree_policy is TRANSITIONAL: the wrapper worktree consumer is BLOCKED on the J3/#1174 amendment (checked roots + capacity guard); pre-creation is the interim orchestration choice, not closed policy — it becomes a timing choice only after the wrapper can validate this root."
 }

packages/mosaic/framework/guides/TOOLS-REFERENCE.md

@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@ approve path carries the trap.) `pr-review.sh` sends the correct token for the d
 Whatever you use, re-read `GET /pulls/{n}/reviews` and assert the state before reporting a verdict
 placed.
 
-The guard exits nonzero for any provider-asserted non-green, missing, or malformed CI state. If credentials or the provider are unavailable, it emits `CANNOT_ASSERT` and writes a JSONL audit record. Push degrades to exit 0 so recovery work is not bricked; merge holds with retryable exit 75 until the provider recovers, then self-clears without manual reset. Neither outcome is evidence that CI was clear. `pr-merge.sh` automatically inspects the exact PR head repository and full commit SHA rather than its `main` base; this also handles fork PRs without branch-name ambiguity. Pass `--expect-head <approved-full-sha>` to bind a commit-specific review or merge-gate verdict; Gitea uses atomic `head_commit_id` and GitHub uses `--match-head-commit`.
+The guard exits nonzero for any provider-asserted non-green, missing, or malformed CI state. If credentials or the provider are unavailable, it emits `CANNOT_ASSERT` and writes a JSONL audit record. Push degrades to exit 0 so recovery work is not bricked; merge holds with retryable exit 75 until the provider recovers, then self-clears without manual reset. Neither outcome is evidence that CI was clear. For a repository with no CI configured at all, `pr-merge.sh --no-ci-expected` is the sanctioned merge path: it forwards to `ci-queue-wait.sh --no-ci-expected`, which reclassifies a zero-context merge head as queue-clear only when the acting token holds repository admin and `MOSAIC_GIT_IDENTITY` names the asserting identity (a caller without one is refused with exit 78 before the admin lookup), and records the assertion (or its refusal) in the same JSONL audit log. `pr-merge.sh` automatically inspects the exact PR head repository and full commit SHA rather than its `main` base; this also handles fork PRs without branch-name ambiguity. Pass `--expect-head <approved-full-sha>` to bind a commit-specific review or merge-gate verdict; Gitea uses atomic `head_commit_id` and GitHub uses `--match-head-commit`.
 
 ### Code Review (Codex)
 

packages/mosaic/framework/tools/_lib/credentials.sh

@@ -24,24 +24,6 @@
 # $HOME points at a per-profile directory that has no credentials file.
 # Operators symlink /etc/mosaic/credentials.json to the host's canonical
 # file once, instead of exporting MOSAIC_CREDENTIALS_FILE per invocation.
-#
-# GITEA SEAT SLOTS (gitea-mosaicstack / gitea-usc arms only):
-# On a fleet host, a resolved git identity is a SEAT whose live credential is
-# its slot file, not the shared service store. Resolution, mirroring
-# get_gitea_token() in tools/git/detect-platform.sh (mosaicstack#1311 lineage):
-#   - MOSAIC_GIT_IDENTITY names a seat with a directory under
-#     ${MOSAIC_BRAIN_HOME:-~/.mosaic}/fleet/agents/<identity>/ → its token is
-#     read from <slot>/secrets/gitea-<instance>-<identity>.token and exported
-#     as GITEA_TOKEN. The URL still comes from credentials.json (it is
-#     provider config, not identity).
-#   - A seat with an EMPTY/missing slot is a REFUSAL (fail loud), not a
-#     fallback: there is no precedence between the seat and service stores,
-#     and a silent service fallback would act as the wrong identity (#1343
-#     family; usc/uconnect#3084 precedent).
-#   - No identity resolved → the service store in credentials.json, exactly
-#     as before. Non-fleet hosts are unchanged.
-# Other services (woodpecker, authentik, ...) have no seat concept and are
-# untouched by this.
 
 if [[ -z "${MOSAIC_CREDENTIALS_FILE:-}" ]]; then
   for _cand in "$HOME/.config/mosaic/credentials.json" "/etc/mosaic/credentials.json"; do
@@ -112,35 +94,6 @@ _mosaic_load_woodpecker_legacy() {
   _mosaic_sync_woodpecker_env "$WOODPECKER_INSTANCE" "$WOODPECKER_URL" "$WOODPECKER_TOKEN"
 }
 
-_gitea_seat_token() {
-  # Echo the seat-slot token path for $1=identity $2=instance-prefix, or rc 1
-  # when the identity is not a seat. Reads nothing; path logic only.
-  local ident="$1" pfx="$2" brain_home slot
-  brain_home="${MOSAIC_BRAIN_HOME:-$HOME/.mosaic}"
-  slot="$brain_home/fleet/agents/$ident/secrets/gitea-$pfx-$ident.token"
-  if [[ -d "$brain_home/fleet/agents/$ident" ]]; then
-    printf '%s' "$slot"
-    return 0
-  fi
-  return 1
-}
-
-_gitea_resolve_seat_or_refuse() {
-  # $1=identity $2=instance-prefix $3=service-name (for messages).
-  # Seat with a readable slot → echoes the token (caller exports).
-  # Seat with an empty/missing slot → rc 1 with a named refusal.
-  # Not a seat → rc 2 (caller falls to the service store).
-  local ident="$1" pfx="$2" svc="$3" slot
-  slot="$(_gitea_seat_token "$ident" "$pfx")" || return 2
-  if [[ -r "$slot" ]] && [[ -s "$slot" ]]; then
-    tr -d '\n' <"$slot"
-    return 0
-  fi
-  echo "Error: load_credentials $svc: git identity '$ident' resolves to a SEAT but its slot is empty or unreadable: $slot" >&2
-  echo "       Refusing to fall back to the shared service store — that would act as the wrong identity. Provision the slot or unset MOSAIC_GIT_IDENTITY." >&2
-  return 1
-}
-
 load_credentials() {
   local service="$1"
 
@@ -230,30 +183,16 @@ EOF
       ;;
     gitea-mosaicstack)
       export GITEA_URL="${GITEA_URL:-$(_mosaic_read_cred '.gitea.mosaicstack.url')}"
+      export GITEA_TOKEN="${GITEA_TOKEN:-$(_mosaic_read_cred '.gitea.mosaicstack.token')}"
       GITEA_URL="${GITEA_URL%/}"
       [[ -n "$GITEA_URL" ]] || { echo "Error: gitea.mosaicstack.url not found" >&2; return 1; }
-      if [[ -z "${GITEA_TOKEN:-}" && -n "${MOSAIC_GIT_IDENTITY:-}" ]]; then
-        local _seat_tok
-        _seat_tok="$(_gitea_resolve_seat_or_refuse "$MOSAIC_GIT_IDENTITY" mosaicstack gitea-mosaicstack)" \
-          && export GITEA_TOKEN="$_seat_tok" && return 0
-        local _src_rc=$?
-        [[ "$_src_rc" -eq 2 ]] || return 1
-      fi
-      export GITEA_TOKEN="${GITEA_TOKEN:-$(_mosaic_read_cred '.gitea.mosaicstack.token')}"
       [[ -n "$GITEA_TOKEN" ]] || { echo "Error: gitea.mosaicstack.token not found" >&2; return 1; }
       ;;
     gitea-usc)
       export GITEA_URL="${GITEA_URL:-$(_mosaic_read_cred '.gitea.usc.url')}"
+      export GITEA_TOKEN="${GITEA_TOKEN:-$(_mosaic_read_cred '.gitea.usc.token')}"
       GITEA_URL="${GITEA_URL%/}"
       [[ -n "$GITEA_URL" ]] || { echo "Error: gitea.usc.url not found" >&2; return 1; }
-      if [[ -z "${GITEA_TOKEN:-}" && -n "${MOSAIC_GIT_IDENTITY:-}" ]]; then
-        local _seat_tok
-        _seat_tok="$(_gitea_resolve_seat_or_refuse "$MOSAIC_GIT_IDENTITY" usc gitea-usc)" \
-          && export GITEA_TOKEN="$_seat_tok" && return 0
-        local _src_rc=$?
-        [[ "$_src_rc" -eq 2 ]] || return 1
-      fi
-      export GITEA_TOKEN="${GITEA_TOKEN:-$(_mosaic_read_cred '.gitea.usc.token')}"
       [[ -n "$GITEA_TOKEN" ]] || { echo "Error: gitea.usc.token not found" >&2; return 1; }
       ;;
     woodpecker-*)

packages/mosaic/framework/tools/_lib/test-credentials-gitea-seats.sh

@@ -1,88 +0,0 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env bash
-# Hermetic regression for load_credentials gitea seat-slot resolution.
-# Sandbox brain home + sandbox credentials.json; no real credential is read.
-#
-# Pins:
-#   G1  MOSAIC_GIT_IDENTITY naming a seat with a populated slot → GITEA_TOKEN
-#       comes from the SLOT, URL from credentials.json.
-#   G2  seat with an EMPTY slot → rc 1, refusal names the identity and the
-#       slot path, and NO fallback to the service store occurred (the token
-#       must not equal the service-store value).
-#   G3  no identity → service store, unchanged behavior (token from
-#       credentials.json).
-#   G4  identity that is NOT a seat (no directory) → service store (same as
-#       G3; the identity is irrelevant on a non-fleet path).
-#   G5  other services are untouched: woodpecker resolution works the same
-#       with and without MOSAIC_GIT_IDENTITY set.
-#   G6  pre-existing GITEA_TOKEN env is never overridden by the seat path.
-set -uo pipefail
-
-W="${TMPDIR:-/tmp}/creds-seat-test-$$"
-BRAIN="$W/brain"; CREDS="$W/credentials.json"
-mkdir -p "$BRAIN/fleet/agents/live-seat/secrets" "$BRAIN/fleet/agents/empty-seat"
-printf 'seat-token-value-abc123\n' > "$BRAIN/fleet/agents/live-seat/secrets/gitea-mosaicstack-live-seat.token"
-cat > "$CREDS" <<'EOF'
-{"gitea":{"mosaicstack":{"url":"https://gitea.example.test","token":"service-token-value-xyz789"}},
- "woodpecker":{"default":"mosaic","mosaic":{"url":"https://ci.example.test","token":"wp-token-1"}}}
-EOF
-
-SCRIPT_DIR="$(cd "$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")" && pwd)"
-# shellcheck source=/dev/null
-source "$SCRIPT_DIR/credentials.sh"
-
-fail() { echo "FAIL: $*" >&2; exit 1; }
-
-load_env() { # $1=service, $2=env-setup; clean subshell; echoes rc then token
-  local svc="$1" setup="$2"
-  (
-    eval "$setup"
-    unset GITEA_TOKEN GITEA_URL
-    export MOSAIC_CREDENTIALS_FILE="$CREDS" MOSAIC_BRAIN_HOME="$BRAIN"
-    load_credentials "$svc" >/dev/null 2>"$W/err"
-    rc=$?
-    printf '%s\n%s\n' "$rc" "${GITEA_TOKEN:-}"
-  )
-}
-
-# G1: seat with populated slot
-out=$(load_env gitea-mosaicstack 'export MOSAIC_GIT_IDENTITY=live-seat')
-rc=$(printf '%s' "$out" | sed -n 1p); tok=$(printf '%s' "$out" | sed -n 2p)
-[ "$rc" = 0 ] || fail "G1: rc=$rc err=$(cat "$W/err")"
-[ "$tok" = "seat-token-value-abc123" ] || fail "G1: token not from slot: ${tok:0:20}"
-
-# G2: seat with empty slot refuses, no fallback
-out=$(load_env gitea-mosaicstack 'export MOSAIC_GIT_IDENTITY=empty-seat')
-rc=$(printf '%s' "$out" | sed -n 1p); tok=$(printf '%s' "$out" | sed -n 2p)
-[ "$rc" = 1 ] || fail "G2: expected rc=1 refusal, got rc=$rc tok=${tok:0:20}"
-[ "$tok" != "service-token-value-xyz789" ] || fail "G2: FELL BACK to service store on seat-miss"
-grep -q "empty-seat" "$W/err" || fail "G2: refusal does not name the identity"
-grep -q "fleet/agents/empty-seat" "$W/err" || fail "G2: refusal does not name the slot path"
-
-# G3: no identity → service store
-out=$(load_env gitea-mosaicstack 'unset MOSAIC_GIT_IDENTITY')
-rc=$(printf '%s' "$out" | sed -n 1p); tok=$(printf '%s' "$out" | sed -n 2p)
-[ "$rc" = 0 ] || fail "G3: rc=$rc err=$(cat "$W/err")"
-[ "$tok" = "service-token-value-xyz789" ] || fail "G3: service-store token not loaded"
-
-# G4: identity that is not a seat → service store
-out=$(load_env gitea-mosaicstack 'export MOSAIC_GIT_IDENTITY=nobody')
-rc=$(printf '%s' "$out" | sed -n 1p); tok=$(printf '%s' "$out" | sed -n 2p)
-[ "$rc" = 0 ] || fail "G4: rc=$rc err=$(cat "$W/err")"
-[ "$tok" = "service-token-value-xyz789" ] || fail "G4: non-seat identity broke the service path"
-
-# G5: woodpecker ignores MOSAIC_GIT_IDENTITY entirely
-( export MOSAIC_CREDENTIALS_FILE="$CREDS"
-  export MOSAIC_GIT_IDENTITY=live-seat
-  unset WOODPECKER_URL WOODPECKER_TOKEN
-  load_credentials woodpecker >/dev/null 2>&1 || fail "G5: woodpecker load failed with identity set"
-  [ "$WOODPECKER_TOKEN" = "wp-token-1" ] || fail "G5: woodpecker token wrong"
-  [ "$WOODPECKER_URL" = "https://ci.example.test" ] || fail "G5: woodpecker url wrong" )
-
-# G6: pre-set GITEA_TOKEN env is preserved (both arms)
-( export MOSAIC_CREDENTIALS_FILE="$CREDS" MOSAIC_BRAIN_HOME="$BRAIN"
-  export MOSAIC_GIT_IDENTITY=live-seat GITEA_TOKEN=already-set-env
-  load_credentials gitea-mosaicstack >/dev/null 2>&1 || fail "G6: load failed"
-  [ "$GITEA_TOKEN" = "already-set-env" ] || fail "G6: seat path overrode existing GITEA_TOKEN" )
-
-rm -rf "$W"
-echo "credentials seat-slot regression passed"

packages/mosaic/framework/tools/_scripts/mosaic-doctor

@@ -379,8 +379,54 @@ check_fleet_transport() {
   fi
 }
 
+check_structure_anchor_provisioning() {
+  # T51 WP0b (spec §1.2a + PHASE2-MAP F7): audit the two declaration anchors.
+  # Doctor runs from operator shells and CI where the launcher exports do not
+  # exist, so this is an AUDIT ONLY — it never exports, writes, or fabricates
+  # values for consumption. Four states (charter):
+  #   both present+nonempty  PASS (values reported as paths only)
+  #   one missing/empty     WARN naming the var + the launcher as authority
+  #   neither present       INFORMATIONAL launcher-equivalent derivation,
+  #                         explicitly non-authoritative, + launcher warning;
+  #                         never an error by design (F7(b))
+  # Severity follows the doctor's existing conventions: pass/note are quiet
+  # (note unless --verbose), warn counts toward --fail-on-warn.
+  local host_root="${MOSAIC_HOST_ROOT:-}" brain_home="${MOSAIC_BRAIN_HOME:-}"
+  # T51P2WP0BRW B1: presence is tracked SEPARATELY from value — `${VAR:-}`
+  # collapses exported-empty into genuinely-unset, which mis-filed both-empty
+  # and the mixed empty/unset states as informational. Only BOTH-genuinely-
+  # absent may be informational (charter state 3); any present-but-empty or
+  # single-present state warns.
+  local host_set=0 brain_set=0
+  [[ -v MOSAIC_HOST_ROOT ]]  && host_set=1
+  [[ -v MOSAIC_BRAIN_HOME ]] && brain_set=1
+  if [[ "$host_set" -eq 1 && "$brain_set" -eq 1 && -n "$host_root" && -n "$brain_home" ]]; then
+    pass "Structure anchors provisioned: MOSAIC_HOST_ROOT=$host_root MOSAIC_BRAIN_HOME=$brain_home (paths reported only; not expanded, not consumed)"
+    return
+  fi
+  if [[ "$host_set" -eq 0 && "$brain_set" -eq 0 ]]; then
+    note "Structure anchors not provisioned in this environment. Launcher-equivalent derivation (INFORMATIONAL, NON-AUTHORITATIVE — seats receive the authoritative values from the launchers): MOSAIC_HOST_ROOT would default to the operator home; MOSAIC_BRAIN_HOME would default to the brain tree resolved at launch. Doctor does not guess values for consumption; it audits provisioning."
+    note "Provision both anchors via the seat launchers (launch-seat.sh / launch-seat-claude.sh export them; see T51 spec §1.2a)."
+    return
+  fi
+  # At least one variable is present (possibly empty), or exactly one exists:
+  # every missing/empty anchor gets its own loud WARN naming the launchers.
+  if [[ "$host_set" -eq 0 ]]; then
+    warn "MOSAIC_HOST_ROOT is not set in this environment while MOSAIC_BRAIN_HOME is — declaration consumers fail closed without it (spec §1.2a). The seat launchers are the authoritative source."
+  elif [[ -z "$host_root" ]]; then
+    warn "MOSAIC_HOST_ROOT is present but EMPTY in this environment — declaration consumers fail closed without a usable value (spec §1.2a). The seat launchers are the authoritative source."
+  fi
+  if [[ "$brain_set" -eq 0 ]]; then
+    warn "MOSAIC_BRAIN_HOME is not set in this environment while MOSAIC_HOST_ROOT is — the projects/ mirror and brain declaration resolve from it (spec §1.2a). The seat launchers are the authoritative source."
+  elif [[ -z "$brain_home" ]]; then
+    warn "MOSAIC_BRAIN_HOME is present but EMPTY in this environment — the projects/ mirror and brain declaration resolve from it (spec §1.2a). The seat launchers are the authoritative source."
+  fi
+}
+
 check_fleet_transport
 
+check_structure_anchor_provisioning
+
 check_brain_home
 
 # Legacy migration surfaces should no longer contain symlink trees.

packages/mosaic/framework/tools/_scripts/test-structure-anchor-check.sh

@@ -0,0 +1,131 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+# Covers the structure-anchor provisioning check in `mosaic-doctor` (T51 WP0b).
+#
+# Same discipline as test-brain-home-check.sh: functions are extracted from the
+# shipped script (exact header + closing brace), never copied — a test carrying
+# its own copy of the logic keeps passing after the shipped copy changes.
+#
+# Four contract states (charter T51P2WP0B-20260824):
+#   1. both present+nonempty      -> pass ([OK]), no warns, no notes
+#   2a. host missing, brain set   -> warn naming MOSAIC_HOST_ROOT + launchers
+#   2b. brain missing, host set   -> warn naming MOSAIC_BRAIN_HOME + launchers
+#   2c. present-but-EMPTY counts as missing (warns; NEVER informational)
+#   3. neither present            -> informational notes, NON-AUTHORITATIVE, never warn
+# Arms include genuinely-UNSET (env -u) forms, not only empty strings.
+# Red control: empty-vs-unset distinction removed in a mutated copy -> suite red.
+set -euo pipefail
+
+SCRIPT_DIR=$(cd -- "$(dirname "$0")" && pwd)
+DOCTOR="$SCRIPT_DIR/mosaic-doctor"
+
+fail() {
+  echo "FAIL: $*" >&2
+  exit 1
+}
+
+[ -f "$DOCTOR" ] || fail "missing mosaic-doctor at $DOCTOR"
+
+extract_function() {
+  local name="$1"
+  local extracted
+  extracted=$(sed -n "/^${name}() {/,/^}/p" "$DOCTOR")
+  [ -n "$extracted" ] || fail "could not extract ${name}() from mosaic-doctor — script reshaped?"
+  printf '%s\n' "$extracted"
+}
+
+for fn in check_structure_anchor_provisioning; do
+  extract_function "$fn" >/dev/null
+done
+
+# run_case LABEL EXPECT(ok|warn|note) [env assignments as args; -u VAR tokens for unset]
+run_case() {
+  local label="$1" expect="$2"
+  shift 2
+  local envs=() unsets=()
+  local a
+  for a in "$@"; do
+    case "$a" in
+      -u:*) unsets+=("${a#-u:}") ;;
+      *) envs+=("$a") ;;
+    esac
+  done
+  local out warns notes oks
+  # build the env command with proper -u flags (array expansion must not
+  # glue '-u VAR' into one word)
+  local cmd=(env)
+  local e u
+  # env(1) parses options only before the first assignment — -u flags FIRST
+  for u in "${unsets[@]:-}"; do [ -n "$u" ] && cmd+=(-u "$u"); done
+  for e in "${envs[@]:-}"; do [ -n "$e" ] && cmd+=("$e"); done
+  cmd+=(bash -c "warn() { echo \"[WARN] \$*\"; }; note() { echo \"[NOTE] \$*\"; return 0; }; pass() { echo \"[OK] \$*\"; return 0; }; $(extract_function check_structure_anchor_provisioning); check_structure_anchor_provisioning")
+  out=$("${cmd[@]}" 2>&1)
+  warns=$(printf '%s\n' "$out" | grep -c '^\[WARN\]' || true)
+  notes=$(printf '%s\n' "$out" | grep -c '^\[NOTE\]' || true)
+  oks=$(printf '%s\n' "$out" | grep -c '^\[OK\]' || true)
+  if [[ "$expect" == ok && "$oks" -gt 0 && "$warns" -eq 0 && "$notes" -eq 0 ]]; then
+    echo "ok - $label"
+  elif [[ "$expect" == warn && "$warns" -ge 1 && "$notes" -eq 0 ]]; then
+    echo "ok - $label (warned x$warns)"
+  elif [[ "$expect" == note && "$notes" -gt 0 && "$warns" -eq 0 ]]; then
+    echo "ok - $label (noted)"
+  else
+    echo "output: $out" >&2
+    fail "$label: expected $expect (oks=$oks warns=$warns notes=$notes)"
+  fi
+}
+
+ROOT=$(mktemp -d)
+trap 'rm -rf "$ROOT"' EXIT
+HOST="$ROOT/host"
+BRAIN="$ROOT/brain"
+
+# ── state 1: both present + nonempty → pass ────────────────────────────────
+run_case "both anchors present passes" ok \
+  MOSAIC_HOST_ROOT="$HOST" MOSAIC_BRAIN_HOME="$BRAIN"
+
+# ── state 2a: host missing (unset), brain set → exactly one warn ───────────
+run_case "unset host root warns" warn \
+  -u:MOSAIC_HOST_ROOT MOSAIC_BRAIN_HOME="$BRAIN"
+
+# ── state 2b: brain missing (unset), host set → exactly one warn ───────────
+run_case "unset brain home warns" warn \
+  MOSAIC_HOST_ROOT="$HOST" -u:MOSAIC_BRAIN_HOME
+
+# ── state 2c-empty: present-but-empty counts as missing ────────────────────
+run_case "empty-string host root warns (empty != set)" warn \
+  MOSAIC_HOST_ROOT= MOSAIC_BRAIN_HOME="$BRAIN"
+run_case "empty-string brain home warns (empty != set)" warn \
+  MOSAIC_HOST_ROOT="$HOST" MOSAIC_BRAIN_HOME=
+
+# ── state 3: neither present (genuinely unset) → notes, never warn ─────────
+run_case "both unset yields non-authoritative notes" note \
+  -u:MOSAIC_HOST_ROOT -u:MOSAIC_BRAIN_HOME
+run_case "both empty-string warns (empty is present, not absent)" warn \
+  MOSAIC_HOST_ROOT= MOSAIC_BRAIN_HOME=
+run_case "host empty + brain unset warns" warn \
+  MOSAIC_HOST_ROOT= -u:MOSAIC_BRAIN_HOME
+run_case "host unset + brain empty warns" warn \
+  -u:MOSAIC_HOST_ROOT MOSAIC_BRAIN_HOME=
+
+# ── red control (mutation): presence tracking removed → red ────────────────
+# Mutant regresses to the reviewed defect shape: presence derived from
+# NONEMPTINESS (the `${VAR:-}` collapse) instead of true -v tracking. Both-empty
+# then looks genuinely-absent and is mis-filed as informational; the both-empty
+# warn arm above finds no WARN and the suite reds.
+MUT="$ROOT/mosaic-doctor.mutant"
+sed 's/\[\[ -v MOSAIC_HOST_ROOT \]\]  \&\& host_set=1/[[ -n "${MOSAIC_HOST_ROOT:-}" ]] \&\& host_set=1/; s/\[\[ -v MOSAIC_BRAIN_HOME \]\] \&\& brain_set=1/[[ -n "${MOSAIC_BRAIN_HOME:-}" ]] \&\& brain_set=1/' \
+  "$DOCTOR" > "$MUT"
+if cmp -s "$DOCTOR" "$MUT"; then
+  echo "SKIP red control (mutation anchor not found — sed pattern drifted)" >&2
+else
+  mut_fn=$(sed -n "/^check_structure_anchor_provisioning() {/,/^}/p" "$MUT")
+  outm=$(env MOSAIC_HOST_ROOT= MOSAIC_BRAIN_HOME= bash -c \
+    "warn() { echo \"[WARN] \$*\"; }; note() { echo \"[NOTE] \$*\"; return 0; }; pass() { echo \"[OK] \$*\"; return 0; }; $mut_fn; check_structure_anchor_provisioning" 2>&1)
+  if printf '%s\n' "$outm" | grep -q '^\[NOTE\]'; then
+    echo "ok - red control bites (mutant collapses empty into informational; shipped does not)"
+  else
+    fail "red control did not reproduce the regression shape (mutant output unexpected)"
+  fi
+fi
+
+echo "structure anchor doctor check: all arms passed"

packages/mosaic/framework/tools/git/ci-queue-wait.sh

@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 #!/bin/bash
 # ci-queue-wait.sh - Wait until project CI queue is clear (no running/queued pipeline on branch head)
-# Usage: ci-queue-wait.sh [-B branch] [-t timeout_sec] [-i interval_sec] [--purpose push|merge] [--require-status]
+# Usage: ci-queue-wait.sh [-B branch] [-t timeout_sec] [-i interval_sec] [--purpose push|merge] [--require-status] [--no-ci-expected]
 
 set -euo pipefail
 
@@ -14,10 +14,11 @@ TIMEOUT_SEC=900
 INTERVAL_SEC=15
 PURPOSE="merge"
 REQUIRE_STATUS=0
+NO_CI_EXPECTED=0
 
 usage() {
     cat <<EOF
-Usage: $(basename "$0") [-B branch] [-R owner/repo] [--sha full-40] [-t timeout_sec] [-i interval_sec] [--purpose push|merge] [--require-status]
+Usage: $(basename "$0") [-B branch] [-R owner/repo] [--sha full-40] [-t timeout_sec] [-i interval_sec] [--purpose push|merge] [--require-status] [--no-ci-expected]
 
 Options:
   -B, --branch BRANCH      Branch head to inspect (default: current branch)
@@ -27,6 +28,7 @@ Options:
   -i, --interval SECONDS   Poll interval in seconds (default: 15)
       --purpose VALUE      Log context: push|merge (default: merge)
       --require-status     Fail if no CI status contexts are present
+      --no-ci-expected     Assert this repository has no CI configured: a merge guard on a zero-context head becomes queue-clear (requires the acting token to hold repository admin); refused with exit 78 when MOSAIC_GIT_IDENTITY is unset or empty
   -h, --help               Show this help
 
 Examples:
@@ -175,6 +177,50 @@ PY
     return 0
 }
 
+# Durable audit record for an explicit no-CI assertion event (granted or
+# refused). Same JSONL sink and field shape as record_cannot_assert so one
+# reader covers all three outcomes; the outcome value distinguishes them.
+# rc 70 on an unwritable sink: a merge pass that cannot be audited must not
+# be reachable, mirroring record_cannot_assert's refusal of a degraded pass.
+record_assertion_event() {
+    local outcome="$1" reason="$2" asserted_by="$3"
+    local audit_log="${MOSAIC_CI_QUEUE_AUDIT_LOG:-${XDG_STATE_HOME:-${HOME:-}/.local/state}/mosaic/audit/ci-queue-wait.jsonl}"
+
+    if [[ -z "$audit_log" ]] || ! mkdir -p "$(dirname "$audit_log")"; then
+        echo "Error: could not write ${outcome} audit record (audit directory unavailable at ${audit_log})." >&2
+        return 70
+    fi
+
+    if ! python3 - "$audit_log" "$outcome" "$reason" "$asserted_by" "${PLATFORM:-unknown}" "$PURPOSE" "${BRANCH:-unknown}" "${OWNER:-unknown}/${REPO:-unknown}" <<'PY'
+import datetime
+import json
+import os
+import sys
+
+path, outcome, reason, asserted_by, platform, purpose, branch, repo = sys.argv[1:]
+record = {
+    "timestamp": datetime.datetime.now(datetime.timezone.utc).isoformat(),
+    "outcome": outcome,
+    "reason": reason,
+    "platform": platform,
+    "purpose": purpose,
+    "branch": branch,
+    "repo": repo,
+    "asserted_by": asserted_by,
+}
+fd = os.open(path, os.O_WRONLY | os.O_CREAT | os.O_APPEND, 0o600)
+try:
+    os.write(fd, (json.dumps(record, separators=(",", ":")) + "\n").encode())
+finally:
+    os.close(fd)
+PY
+    then
+        echo "Error: could not write ${outcome} audit record at ${audit_log}; refusing to proceed unaudited." >&2
+        return 70
+    fi
+    return 0
+}
+
 github_get_branch_head_sha() {
     local owner="$1"
     local repo="$2"
@@ -182,6 +228,24 @@ github_get_branch_head_sha() {
     gh api "repos/${owner}/${repo}/branches/${branch}" --jq '.commit.sha'
 }
 
+# Repository-admin state for the acting credential, GitHub flavor. The
+# repository object's permissions.admin is the field; read through the same
+# gh CLI the guard already authenticates with. rc 0 = admin, 1 = not admin
+# (or field absent), 2 = indeterminate (transport/API failure).
+github_repo_admin_state() {
+    local owner="$1"
+    local repo="$2"
+    local perm
+    if ! perm=$(gh api "repos/${owner}/${repo}" --jq '.permissions.admin' 2>/dev/null); then
+        return 2
+    fi
+    case "$perm" in
+        true)  return 0 ;;
+        false|null|"") return 1 ;;
+        *)     return 2 ;;
+    esac
+}
+
 github_get_commit_status_json() {
     local owner="$1"
     local repo="$2"
@@ -306,6 +370,41 @@ gitea_get_commit_status_json() {
     curl -fsSL -H "User-Agent: curl/8" -H "Authorization: token ${token}" "$url"
 }
 
+# Repository-admin state for the acting credential, Gitea flavor. The guard's
+# existing fetches (branch head, combined status) carry no permissions object
+# (measured: neither response includes one), so the elevation check reads the
+# repository object's permissions.admin, the one documented carrier of that
+# field. rc 0 = admin, 1 = not admin (or field absent), 2 = indeterminate
+# (non-200 or unparseable).
+gitea_repo_admin_state() {
+    local host="$1"
+    local repo="$2"
+    local token="$3"
+    local url="https://${host}/api/v1/repos/${repo}"
+    local resp code body
+    resp=$(curl -sS -H "User-Agent: curl/8" -H "Authorization: token ${token}" -w $'\n%{http_code}' "$url") || return 2
+    code="${resp##*$'\n'}"
+    body="${resp%$'\n'*}"
+    if [[ "$code" != "200" ]]; then
+        return 2
+    fi
+    printf '%s' "$body" | python3 -c '
+import json
+import sys
+
+try:
+    payload = json.load(sys.stdin)
+except Exception:
+    raise SystemExit(2)
+if not isinstance(payload, dict):
+    raise SystemExit(2)
+permissions = payload.get("permissions")
+if not isinstance(permissions, dict) or permissions.get("admin") is not True:
+    raise SystemExit(1)
+raise SystemExit(0)
+'
+}
+
 while [[ $# -gt 0 ]]; do
     case "$1" in
         -B|--branch)
@@ -336,6 +435,10 @@ while [[ $# -gt 0 ]]; do
             REQUIRE_STATUS=1
             shift
             ;;
+        --no-ci-expected)
+            NO_CI_EXPECTED=1
+            shift
+            ;;
         -h|--help)
             usage
             exit 0
@@ -365,6 +468,10 @@ if [[ "$PURPOSE" != "push" && "$PURPOSE" != "merge" ]]; then
     echo "Error: --purpose must be push or merge." >&2
     exit 1
 fi
+if [[ "$NO_CI_EXPECTED" -eq 1 && "$REQUIRE_STATUS" -eq 1 ]]; then
+    echo "Error: --no-ci-expected and --require-status contradict each other: one asserts the repository has no CI, the other demands status contexts. Pass at most one." >&2
+    exit 1
+fi
 
 OWNER="unknown"
 REPO="unknown"
@@ -484,6 +591,48 @@ while true; do
                 echo "[ci-queue-wait] queue-clear state=no-status purpose=push branch=${BRANCH}; no queued or running CI."
                 exit 0
             fi
+            if [[ "$NO_CI_EXPECTED" -eq 1 ]]; then
+                # Explicit, elevated, audit-visible assertion that this
+                # repository has no CI to wait on. The zero-context case is
+                # the ONLY state the flag reclassifies: a pending or failed
+                # context still holds or fails exactly as without it, and a
+                # non-admin token is refused rather than trusted.
+                # The assertion must name an asserting identity: "unknown"
+                # attributes nothing, so a caller with MOSAIC_GIT_IDENTITY
+                # unset or empty is refused (exit 78) BEFORE the permission
+                # lookup -- an unattributable caller never triggers that
+                # network call.
+                if [[ -z "${MOSAIC_GIT_IDENTITY:-}" ]]; then
+                    record_assertion_event "ASSERTION_UNATTRIBUTABLE" "actor-unattributable" "unknown" \
+                        || echo "Warning: could not write the ASSERTION_UNATTRIBUTABLE audit record; the refusal itself stands." >&2
+                    echo "Error: ASSERTION_UNATTRIBUTABLE state=no-status purpose=merge asserted-by=unknown reason=no-ci-expected branch=${BRANCH}; --no-ci-expected requires MOSAIC_GIT_IDENTITY to name the asserting identity and it is unset or empty (exit 78)." >&2
+                    exit 78
+                fi
+                ASSERTED_BY="${MOSAIC_GIT_IDENTITY}"
+                ADMIN_STATE=2
+                if [[ "$PLATFORM" == "github" ]]; then
+                    if github_repo_admin_state "$OWNER" "$REPO"; then ADMIN_STATE=0; else ADMIN_STATE=$?; fi
+                else
+                    if gitea_repo_admin_state "$HOST" "$OWNER/$REPO" "$TOKEN"; then ADMIN_STATE=0; else ADMIN_STATE=$?; fi
+                fi
+                case "$ADMIN_STATE" in
+                    0)
+                        record_assertion_event "NO_CI_ASSERTED" "no-ci-expected" "$ASSERTED_BY" || exit $?
+                        echo "[ci-queue-wait] queue-clear state=no-status purpose=merge asserted-by=${ASSERTED_BY} reason=no-ci-expected branch=${BRANCH}"
+                        exit 0
+                        ;;
+                    1)
+                        record_assertion_event "ASSERTION_REFUSED" "actor-not-repo-admin" "$ASSERTED_BY" \
+                            || echo "Warning: could not write the ASSERTION_REFUSED audit record; the refusal itself stands." >&2
+                        echo "Error: ASSERTION_REFUSED state=no-status purpose=merge asserted-by=${ASSERTED_BY} reason=no-ci-expected branch=${BRANCH}; --no-ci-expected requires repository admin and the acting token is not an admin of ${OWNER}/${REPO} (exit 77)." >&2
+                        exit 77
+                        ;;
+                    *)
+                        record_cannot_assert "repo-permissions-unavailable"
+                        exit $?
+                        ;;
+                esac
+            fi
             echo "Error: ASSERTED_NOT_READY state=no-status purpose=${PURPOSE} branch=${BRANCH}." >&2
             exit 3
             ;;

packages/mosaic/framework/tools/git/pr-create.sh

@@ -19,6 +19,41 @@ ISSUE=""
 
 # get_remote_host, get_gitea_token, get_repo_info, and get_gitea_repo_args are provided by detect-platform.sh
 
+gitea_default_branch() {
+    # Forge default branch for the current repo (T51-P2 WP5a / spec E4): the
+    # API fallback must not guess a base. Empty output or any lookup failure
+    # returns nonzero so the caller fails loud instead of mistargeting a PR.
+    local host repo token url body branch
+    host=$(get_remote_host) || return 1
+    repo=$(get_repo_info) || return 1
+    token=$(get_gitea_token "$host") || return 1
+    url="https://${host}/api/v1/repos/${repo}"
+    # Fetch and parse as separate steps (T51P2WP5AR B2): a piped
+    # `curl | python` reports only python's status, so an HTTP failure that
+    # still emits parseable JSON would masquerade as success. curl's own
+    # exit status is authoritative here.
+    if ! body=$(curl -fsS \
+        -H "User-Agent: curl/8" \
+        -H "Authorization: token ${token}" \
+        "$url" 2>/dev/null); then
+        return 1
+    fi
+    # A valid base is a NONBLANK JSON STRING (T51P2WP5AR B3): null, numbers,
+    # and whitespace-only values are failed resolution, never a POSTed base.
+    branch=$(printf '%s' "$body" | python3 -c '
+import json, sys
+try:
+    value = json.load(sys.stdin).get("default_branch")
+except Exception:
+    sys.exit(1)
+if not isinstance(value, str) or not value.strip():
+    sys.exit(1)
+print(value.strip())
+' 2>/dev/null) || return 1
+    [[ -n "$branch" ]] || return 1
+    printf '%s' "$branch"
+}
+
 gitea_pr_create_api() {
     local host repo token url payload
     host=$(get_remote_host) || {
@@ -38,14 +73,28 @@ gitea_pr_create_api() {
         echo "Warning: API fallback applies title/body/head/base only; labels/milestone/draft require authenticated tea setup." >&2
     fi
 
-    payload=$(TITLE="$TITLE" BODY="$BODY" HEAD_BRANCH="$HEAD_BRANCH" BASE_BRANCH="$BASE_BRANCH" python3 - <<'PY'
+    # Base resolution (spec E4): an explicit -B always wins; with none, the
+    # forge default branch is resolved from the provider API -- never the
+    # historical "main" literal, which mistargeted every fallback PR on
+    # repos whose trunk is not main (e.g. mosaicstack/stack -> next).
+    local api_base=""
+    if [[ -n "$BASE_BRANCH" ]]; then
+        api_base="$BASE_BRANCH"
+    else
+        api_base=$(gitea_default_branch) || {
+            echo "Error: could not resolve the forge default branch for the API-fallback base; pass -B <branch> explicitly" >&2
+            return 1
+        }
+    fi
+
+    payload=$(TITLE="$TITLE" BODY="$BODY" HEAD_BRANCH="$HEAD_BRANCH" API_BASE="$api_base" python3 - <<'PY'
 import json
 import os
 
 payload = {
     "title": os.environ["TITLE"],
     "head": os.environ["HEAD_BRANCH"],
-    "base": os.environ["BASE_BRANCH"] or "main",
+    "base": os.environ["API_BASE"],
 }
 body = os.environ.get("BODY", "")
 if body:
@@ -72,7 +121,7 @@ Create a pull request on the current repository (Gitea or GitHub).
 Options:
     -t, --title TITLE       PR title (required, or use --issue)
     -b, --body BODY         PR description/body
-    -B, --base BRANCH       Base branch to merge into (default: main/master)
+    -B, --base BRANCH       Base branch to merge into (default: the forge repository's default branch)
     -H, --head BRANCH       Head branch with changes (default: current branch)
     -l, --labels LABELS     Comma-separated labels
     -m, --milestone NAME    Milestone name

packages/mosaic/framework/tools/git/pr-merge.sh

@@ -1,6 +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]
+# Usage: pr-merge.sh -n PR_NUMBER [-m squash] [-d] [--expect-head SHA] [--no-ci-expected] [--co-author-trailers --escalate-to PRINCIPAL]
 
 set -euo pipefail
 
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ DRY_RUN=false
 EXPECT_HEAD=""
 CO_AUTHOR_TRAILERS=false
 ESCALATE_TO=""
+NO_CI_EXPECTED=false
 
 usage() {
     cat <<EOF
@@ -29,6 +30,7 @@ Options:
     -d, --delete-branch     Delete the head branch after merge
         --dry-run           Run metadata/login preflight without merging
         --expect-head SHA   Refuse unless the PR head matches this full commit SHA
+        --no-ci-expected    Assert the target repository has no CI: forward --no-ci-expected to the queue guard (requires repository admin)
         --co-author-trailers Build verified trailers from linked PR commit authors
         --escalate-to NAME  Named principal for an unresolved-author BLOCK
     -h, --help              Show this help message
@@ -70,6 +72,10 @@ while [[ $# -gt 0 ]]; do
             EXPECT_HEAD="$2"
             shift 2
             ;;
+        --no-ci-expected)
+            NO_CI_EXPECTED=true
+            shift
+            ;;
         --co-author-trailers)
             CO_AUTHOR_TRAILERS=true
             shift
@@ -154,13 +160,18 @@ if [[ "$DRY_RUN" != true ]]; then
     if [[ -z "$BASE_REPO" ]]; then
         BASE_REPO="$(get_repo_owner)/$(get_repo_name)"
     fi
-    "$SCRIPT_DIR/ci-queue-wait.sh" \
-        --purpose merge \
-        -B "$HEAD_BRANCH" \
-        -R "$BASE_REPO" \
-        --sha "$HEAD_SHA" \
-        -t "${MOSAIC_CI_QUEUE_TIMEOUT_SEC:-900}" \
+    guard_args=(
+        --purpose merge
+        -B "$HEAD_BRANCH"
+        -R "$BASE_REPO"
+        --sha "$HEAD_SHA"
+        -t "${MOSAIC_CI_QUEUE_TIMEOUT_SEC:-900}"
         -i "${MOSAIC_CI_QUEUE_POLL_SEC:-15}"
+    )
+    if [[ "$NO_CI_EXPECTED" == true ]]; then
+        guard_args+=(--no-ci-expected)
+    fi
+    "$SCRIPT_DIR/ci-queue-wait.sh" "${guard_args[@]}"
 fi
 
 PLATFORM=$(detect_platform)

packages/mosaic/framework/tools/git/test-ci-queue-wait-no-ci-expected.sh

@@ -0,0 +1,323 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+# Regression harness for ci-queue-wait.sh's --no-ci-expected assertion:
+# the sanctioned merge path for a repository with no CI configured at all.
+#
+# Zero status contexts ("no-status") stays fail-closed for --purpose merge
+# by default, because at merge time no-status can also mean "CI has not
+# reported yet". --no-ci-expected reclassifies ONLY that zero-context case
+# as queue-clear, and only for a caller whose acting token holds repository
+# admin. This harness pins:
+#   (a) merge + no-status + flag + admin     -> exit 0, audit line + JSONL.
+#   (b) merge + no-status, no flag           -> exit 3, existing text (unchanged).
+#   (c) merge + no-status + flag + non-admin -> exit 77 ASSERTION_REFUSED
+#       (distinct text, exit code NOT 3) + JSONL refusal record.
+#   (c2) flag + admin payload without the admin field -> fail closed as (c).
+#   (d) flag + --require-status              -> usage error, before any network.
+#   (e) flag + a real pending context        -> still holds (timeout 124),
+#       and the admin endpoint is never consulted.
+#   (f) push + no-status, with and without the flag -> push queue-clear
+#       unchanged; no admin consultation on push.
+#   (g) flag + admin lookup unreachable      -> CANNOT_ASSERT hold (75),
+#       not a silent pass and not a refusal.
+#   (h) flag + admin stub + NO MOSAIC_GIT_IDENTITY -> refusal BEFORE
+#       queue-clear and BEFORE the admin lookup: exit 78, no queue-clear
+#       line, an ASSERTION_UNATTRIBUTABLE JSONL record, no repos/ call.
+
+set -u
+
+SCRIPT_DIR="$(cd "$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")" && pwd)"
+WORK_DIR="${MOSAIC_TEST_WORK_DIR:-$PWD/.mosaic-test-work/ci-queue-wait-no-ci-expected}"
+REPO_DIR="$WORK_DIR/repo"
+STUB_DIR="$WORK_DIR/stubs"
+URL_LOG="$WORK_DIR/urls.log"
+
+rm -rf "$WORK_DIR"
+mkdir -p "$REPO_DIR" "$STUB_DIR"
+
+git -C "$REPO_DIR" init -q
+git -C "$REPO_DIR" remote add origin https://git.example.test/acme/widgets.git
+
+# Same stub conventions as test-ci-queue-wait-no-status.sh; adds the
+# repository-object endpoint (admin state) selected by MOSAIC_STUB_ADMIN_MODE.
+cat > "$STUB_DIR/curl" <<'SH'
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+set -euo pipefail
+
+has_w=0
+url=""
+for arg in "$@"; do
+    case "$arg" in
+        -w) has_w=1 ;;
+        http://*|https://*) url="$arg" ;;
+    esac
+done
+printf '%s\n' "$url" >> "${MOSAIC_STUB_URL_LOG:?}"
+
+case "$url" in
+    */branches/*)
+        body='{"commit":{"id":"deadbeefcafef00d0123456789abcdef01234567"}}'
+        if [[ "$has_w" == 1 ]]; then
+            printf '%s\n200' "$body"
+        else
+            printf '%s' "$body"
+        fi
+        exit 0
+        ;;
+    */status)
+        mode="${MOSAIC_STUB_STATUS_MODE:?MOSAIC_STUB_STATUS_MODE not set}"
+        case "$mode" in
+            no-status)   body='{"state":"","statuses":[]}' ;;
+            real-pending) body='{"state":"pending","statuses":[{"context":"ci/woodpecker","status":"running","target_url":""}]}' ;;
+            *) echo "curl stub: unknown status mode=$mode" >&2; exit 2 ;;
+        esac
+        printf '%s' "$body"
+        exit 0
+        ;;
+    */repos/*)
+        mode="${MOSAIC_STUB_ADMIN_MODE:?MOSAIC_STUB_ADMIN_MODE not set}"
+        case "$mode" in
+            admin)          body='{"permissions":{"admin":true,"push":true,"pull":true}}' ;;
+            non-admin)      body='{"permissions":{"admin":false,"push":true,"pull":true}}' ;;
+            no-admin-field) body='{"permissions":{}}' ;;
+            unreachable)    exit 7 ;;
+            *) echo "curl stub: unknown admin mode=$mode" >&2; exit 2 ;;
+        esac
+        if [[ "$has_w" == 1 ]]; then
+            printf '%s\n200' "$body"
+        else
+            printf '%s' "$body"
+        fi
+        exit 0
+        ;;
+    *)
+        echo "curl stub: unrecognized URL: $url" >&2
+        exit 2
+        ;;
+esac
+SH
+chmod +x "$STUB_DIR/curl"
+
+failures=0
+
+run_guard() {
+    local name="$1"; shift
+    (
+        cd "$REPO_DIR" || exit
+        export PATH="$STUB_DIR:$PATH"
+        export MOSAIC_CREDENTIALS_FILE="$WORK_DIR/no-credentials.json"
+        export MOSAIC_CI_QUEUE_AUDIT_LOG="$WORK_DIR/audit-$name.jsonl"
+        export MOSAIC_STUB_URL_LOG="$URL_LOG"
+        export GITEA_TOKEN="stub-token"
+        export GITEA_URL="https://git.example.test"
+        export MOSAIC_GIT_IDENTITY="test-identity"
+        "$SCRIPT_DIR/ci-queue-wait.sh" -B main -t 3 -i 1 "$@"
+    )
+}
+
+# The suite exports test-identity globally, so the unattributable-caller
+# case must strip it from the child environment at invocation with env -u,
+# not rely on the export order.
+run_guard_no_identity() {
+    local name="$1"; shift
+    (
+        cd "$REPO_DIR" || exit
+        export PATH="$STUB_DIR:$PATH"
+        export MOSAIC_CREDENTIALS_FILE="$WORK_DIR/no-credentials.json"
+        export MOSAIC_CI_QUEUE_AUDIT_LOG="$WORK_DIR/audit-$name.jsonl"
+        export MOSAIC_STUB_URL_LOG="$URL_LOG"
+        export GITEA_TOKEN="stub-token"
+        export GITEA_URL="https://git.example.test"
+        export MOSAIC_GIT_IDENTITY="test-identity"
+        env -u MOSAIC_GIT_IDENTITY \
+            "$SCRIPT_DIR/ci-queue-wait.sh" -B main -t 3 -i 1 "$@"
+    )
+}
+
+expect_rc() {
+    local name="$1" want="$2" got="$3"
+    if [[ "$want" == "not3" ]]; then
+        if [[ "$got" -eq 0 || "$got" -eq 3 ]]; then
+            echo "FAIL $name: expected a refusal rc (nonzero, not 3), got $got" >&2
+            failures=$((failures + 1))
+            return 1
+        fi
+    elif [[ "$got" -ne "$want" ]]; then
+        echo "FAIL $name: expected rc=$want, got rc=$got" >&2
+        failures=$((failures + 1))
+        return 1
+    fi
+    return 0
+}
+
+expect_text() {
+    local name="$1" want="$2" output="$3" polarity="${4:-present}"
+    if [[ "$polarity" == "present" && "$output" != *"$want"* ]]; then
+        echo "FAIL $name: output missing '$want'" >&2
+        printf '%s\n' "$output" >&2
+        failures=$((failures + 1))
+    elif [[ "$polarity" == "absent" && "$output" == *"$want"* ]]; then
+        echo "FAIL $name: output unexpectedly contains '$want'" >&2
+        printf '%s\n' "$output" >&2
+        failures=$((failures + 1))
+    fi
+}
+
+repo_root_fetched() {
+    grep -q 'repos/acme/widgets$' "$URL_LOG"
+}
+
+# (a) merge + no-status + flag + admin -> exit 0, assertion line, JSONL record.
+: > "$URL_LOG"
+set +e
+out_a=$(MOSAIC_STUB_STATUS_MODE=no-status MOSAIC_STUB_ADMIN_MODE=admin run_guard a --purpose merge --no-ci-expected 2>&1)
+rc_a=$?
+set -u
+if expect_rc a 0 "$rc_a"; then
+    expect_text a "queue-clear state=no-status purpose=merge asserted-by=test-identity reason=no-ci-expected branch=main" "$out_a"
+    expect_text a "ASSERTED_NOT_READY" "$out_a" absent
+    if ! grep -q '"outcome":"NO_CI_ASSERTED"' "$WORK_DIR/audit-a.jsonl" 2>/dev/null; then
+        echo "FAIL a: expected a NO_CI_ASSERTED JSONL audit record" >&2
+        failures=$((failures + 1))
+    elif ! grep -q '"asserted_by":"test-identity"' "$WORK_DIR/audit-a.jsonl"; then
+        echo "FAIL a: audit record does not name the asserting identity" >&2
+        failures=$((failures + 1))
+    fi
+fi
+
+# (b) merge + no-status, no flag -> exit 3, existing error text unchanged.
+: > "$URL_LOG"
+set +e
+out_b=$(MOSAIC_STUB_STATUS_MODE=no-status run_guard b --purpose merge 2>&1)
+rc_b=$?
+set -u
+if expect_rc b 3 "$rc_b"; then
+    expect_text b "Error: ASSERTED_NOT_READY state=no-status purpose=merge branch=main." "$out_b"
+    expect_text b "asserted-by" "$out_b" absent
+fi
+if repo_root_fetched; then
+    echo "FAIL b: admin endpoint consulted without the flag" >&2
+    failures=$((failures + 1))
+fi
+
+# (c) merge + no-status + flag + non-admin -> distinct refusal, rc NOT 3.
+: > "$URL_LOG"
+set +e
+out_c=$(MOSAIC_STUB_STATUS_MODE=no-status MOSAIC_STUB_ADMIN_MODE=non-admin run_guard c --purpose merge --no-ci-expected 2>&1)
+rc_c=$?
+set -u
+if expect_rc c not3 "$rc_c"; then
+    if [[ "$rc_c" -ne 77 ]]; then
+        echo "FAIL c: expected the documented refusal rc=77, got $rc_c" >&2
+        failures=$((failures + 1))
+    fi
+    expect_text c "ASSERTION_REFUSED state=no-status purpose=merge asserted-by=test-identity reason=no-ci-expected branch=main" "$out_c"
+    expect_text c "ASSERTED_NOT_READY" "$out_c" absent
+    if ! grep -q '"outcome":"ASSERTION_REFUSED"' "$WORK_DIR/audit-c.jsonl" 2>/dev/null; then
+        echo "FAIL c: expected an ASSERTION_REFUSED JSONL audit record" >&2
+        failures=$((failures + 1))
+    fi
+fi
+
+# (c2) admin payload with no admin field -> fail closed as non-admin.
+: > "$URL_LOG"
+set +e
+out_c2=$(MOSAIC_STUB_STATUS_MODE=no-status MOSAIC_STUB_ADMIN_MODE=no-admin-field run_guard c2 --purpose merge --no-ci-expected 2>&1)
+rc_c2=$?
+set -u
+if expect_rc c2 77 "$rc_c2"; then
+    expect_text c2 "ASSERTION_REFUSED" "$out_c2"
+fi
+
+# (d) flag + --require-status -> usage error before any network I/O.
+: > "$URL_LOG"
+set +e
+out_d=$(MOSAIC_STUB_STATUS_MODE=no-status MOSAIC_STUB_ADMIN_MODE=admin run_guard d --purpose merge --no-ci-expected --require-status 2>&1)
+rc_d=$?
+set -u
+if expect_rc d 1 "$rc_d"; then
+    expect_text d "--no-ci-expected and --require-status contradict" "$out_d"
+fi
+if [[ -s "$URL_LOG" ]]; then
+    echo "FAIL d: usage error must precede every network call" >&2
+    failures=$((failures + 1))
+fi
+
+# (e) flag + a real pending context -> still holds; admin endpoint never asked.
+: > "$URL_LOG"
+set +e
+out_e=$(MOSAIC_STUB_STATUS_MODE=real-pending MOSAIC_STUB_ADMIN_MODE=admin run_guard e --purpose merge --no-ci-expected 2>&1)
+rc_e=$?
+set -u
+if expect_rc e 124 "$rc_e"; then
+    expect_text e "ASSERTED_NOT_READY" "$out_e"
+    expect_text e "ci/woodpecker=running" "$out_e"
+fi
+if repo_root_fetched; then
+    echo "FAIL e: a pending context must not trigger the admin assertion" >&2
+    failures=$((failures + 1))
+fi
+
+# (f) push + no-status stays queue-clear, with and without the flag.
+: > "$URL_LOG"
+set +e
+out_f=$(MOSAIC_STUB_STATUS_MODE=no-status MOSAIC_STUB_ADMIN_MODE=non-admin run_guard f --purpose push 2>&1)
+rc_f=$?
+set -u
+if expect_rc f 0 "$rc_f"; then
+    expect_text f "queue-clear state=no-status purpose=push branch=main; no queued or running CI." "$out_f"
+fi
+: > "$URL_LOG"
+set +e
+out_f2=$(MOSAIC_STUB_STATUS_MODE=no-status MOSAIC_STUB_ADMIN_MODE=non-admin run_guard f2 --purpose push --no-ci-expected 2>&1)
+rc_f2=$?
+set -u
+if expect_rc f2 0 "$rc_f2"; then
+    expect_text f2 "queue-clear state=no-status purpose=push branch=main; no queued or running CI." "$out_f2"
+    expect_text f2 "asserted-by" "$out_f2" absent
+fi
+if repo_root_fetched; then
+    echo "FAIL f: push must not consult the admin endpoint" >&2
+    failures=$((failures + 1))
+fi
+
+# (g) flag + admin lookup unreachable -> CANNOT_ASSERT hold (75), not a pass.
+: > "$URL_LOG"
+set +e
+out_g=$(MOSAIC_STUB_STATUS_MODE=no-status MOSAIC_STUB_ADMIN_MODE=unreachable run_guard g --purpose merge --no-ci-expected 2>&1)
+rc_g=$?
+set -u
+if expect_rc g 75 "$rc_g"; then
+    expect_text g "CANNOT_ASSERT reason=repo-permissions-unavailable" "$out_g"
+fi
+if ! grep -q '"outcome":"CANNOT_ASSERT"' "$WORK_DIR/audit-g.jsonl" 2>/dev/null; then
+    echo "FAIL g: expected a CANNOT_ASSERT JSONL audit record" >&2
+    failures=$((failures + 1))
+fi
+
+# (h) flag + admin stub + no asserting identity -> refusal before queue-clear
+# and before the admin lookup: rc 78, no queue-clear line, an
+# ASSERTION_UNATTRIBUTABLE JSONL record, and zero repos/ network calls.
+: > "$URL_LOG"
+set +e
+out_h=$(MOSAIC_STUB_STATUS_MODE=no-status MOSAIC_STUB_ADMIN_MODE=admin run_guard_no_identity h --purpose merge --no-ci-expected 2>&1)
+rc_h=$?
+set -u
+if expect_rc h 78 "$rc_h"; then
+    expect_text h "ASSERTION_UNATTRIBUTABLE state=no-status purpose=merge asserted-by=unknown reason=no-ci-expected branch=main" "$out_h"
+    expect_text h "queue-clear" "$out_h" absent
+    if ! grep -q '"outcome":"ASSERTION_UNATTRIBUTABLE"' "$WORK_DIR/audit-h.jsonl" 2>/dev/null; then
+        echo "FAIL h: expected an ASSERTION_UNATTRIBUTABLE JSONL audit record" >&2
+        failures=$((failures + 1))
+    fi
+fi
+if repo_root_fetched; then
+    echo "FAIL h: an unattributable caller must not trigger the permission lookup" >&2
+    failures=$((failures + 1))
+fi
+
+if [[ "$failures" -ne 0 ]]; then
+    echo "ci-queue-wait no-ci-expected regression failed ($failures assertions)" >&2
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+echo "ci-queue-wait no-ci-expected regression passed (all outcome classes)"

packages/mosaic/framework/tools/git/test-gitea-login-resolution.sh

@@ -100,6 +100,15 @@ case "$url" in
     */commits/*/status)
         printf '{"state":"success","statuses":[{"context":"ci/mock","status":"success"}]}'
         ;;
+    # Repo roots: the pr-create API fallback resolves its base from the forge
+    # default_branch (T51-P2 WP5a). Exact-suffix matches so the /pulls POST
+    # endpoint (no trailing path) still falls through to the catch-all.
+    */api/v1/repos/USC/uconnect)
+        printf '{"default_branch":"main"}'
+        ;;
+    */api/v1/repos/mosaicstack/stack)
+        printf '{"default_branch":"next"}'
+        ;;
     *)
         printf '{}'
         ;;

packages/mosaic/framework/tools/git/test-issue-create-interactive-auth.sh

@@ -67,7 +67,18 @@ cat > "$BIN_DIR/curl" <<'SH'
 #!/usr/bin/env bash
 set -euo pipefail
 printf 'curl %s\n' "$*" >> "$MOSAIC_TEST_LOG"
-printf '%s\n' '{"number":703}'
+# Repo roots: the pr-create API fallback resolves its base from the forge
+# default_branch (T51-P2 WP5a). Exact-suffix so every other endpoint keeps
+# the historical answer below.
+url="${*: -1}"
+case "$url" in
+    */api/v1/repos/mosaicstack/stack)
+        printf '%s\n' '{"default_branch":"next"}'
+        ;;
+    *)
+        printf '%s\n' '{"number":703}'
+        ;;
+esac
 SH
 chmod +x "$BIN_DIR/tea" "$BIN_DIR/curl"
 

packages/mosaic/framework/tools/git/test-pr-create-fallback-default-base.sh

@@ -0,0 +1,178 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+# test-pr-create-fallback-default-base.sh — hermetic test for the API-fallback
+# base resolution in pr-create.sh (T51-P2 WP5a / spec E4).
+#
+# The API-fallback payload historically hardcoded "base": "main", mistargeting
+# every fallback PR on repos whose trunk is not main (e.g. mosaicstack/stack,
+# default branch "next"). The fix: an explicit -B always wins; with none, the
+# base is resolved from the provider API default_branch, and a failed
+# resolution fails loud instead of guessing.
+#
+# Hermetic by construction: every curl invocation is a PATH-first stub; the
+# fixture repo's remote is git.example.test (never dialed); HOME is a sandbox
+# with no tea config (so the wrapper takes the API fallback path); GITEA_TOKEN
+# comes from the environment. No real forge is contacted.
+
+# shellcheck disable=SC2317
+set -uo pipefail
+
+SCRIPT_DIR="$(cd "$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")" && pwd)"
+WORK_DIR="${MOSAIC_TEST_WORK_DIR:-$PWD/.mosaic-test-work/pr-create-fallback-base}"
+
+PASS=0 FAIL=0 FAILED_CASES=""
+
+ok()  { PASS=$((PASS + 1)); }
+bad() { FAIL=$((FAIL + 1)); FAILED_CASES="$FAILED_CASES $1"; printf 'FAIL: %s\n' "$1" >&2; }
+
+assert_rc()    { local d="$1" e="$2" a="$3"; [ "$e" = "$a" ] && ok || bad "$d (expected rc=$e got rc=$a)"; }
+assert_eq()    { local d="$1" e="$2" a="$3"; [ "$e" = "$a" ] && ok || bad "$d (expected [$e] got [$a])"; }
+assert_contains() { local d="$1" h="$2" n="$3"; case "$h" in *"$n"*) ok ;; *) bad "$d (missing [$n])" ;; esac; }
+
+json_field() { # $1 payload file, $2 field
+    python3 -c 'import json,sys; print(json.load(open(sys.argv[1])).get(sys.argv[2], ""))' "$1" "$2"
+}
+
+rm -rf "$WORK_DIR"
+
+# ---- fixture -----------------------------------------------------------------
+ROOT="$WORK_DIR/fixture"
+TOOLS="$ROOT/tools/git"
+mkdir -p "$TOOLS" "$ROOT/repo" "$ROOT/home" "$ROOT/stub"
+cp "$SCRIPT_DIR/pr-create.sh" "$TOOLS/pr-create.sh"
+cp "$SCRIPT_DIR/detect-platform.sh" "$TOOLS/detect-platform.sh"
+
+git -C "$ROOT/repo" init -q -b fix/e4
+git -C "$ROOT/repo" -c user.name=fixture -c user.email=fixture@test commit -q --allow-empty -m base
+git -C "$ROOT/repo" remote add origin https://git.example.test/acme/widgets.git
+
+# curl stub: GET repo -> default_branch JSON (or failure mode); POST pulls ->
+# capture payload, answer with a minimal PR JSON. Every call is logged.
+cat > "$ROOT/stub/curl" <<STUB
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+set -u
+mode="\${CURL_STUB_GET_MODE:-ok}"
+printf '%s\n' "\$*" >> "$ROOT/curl-calls.log"
+url="\${!#}"
+if [[ "\$url" == */api/v1/repos/acme/widgets ]]; then
+    # repo GET (default-branch resolution). Modes cover the value shapes the
+    # resolver must accept or refuse (T51P2WP5AR B2/B3).
+    case "\$mode" in
+        ok)         printf '%s\n' '{"id":1,"default_branch":"next","full_name":"acme/widgets"}' ;;
+        fail)       echo "curl stub: simulated repo lookup failure" >&2; exit 1 ;;
+        fail-json)  printf '%s\n' '{"default_branch":"next"}'; exit 22 ;;
+        null)       printf '%s\n' '{"default_branch":null}' ;;
+        numeric)    printf '%s\n' '{"default_branch":7}' ;;
+        blank)      printf '%s\n' '{"default_branch":"   "}' ;;
+        *)          echo "curl stub: unknown GET mode \$mode" >&2; exit 1 ;;
+    esac
+    exit 0
+fi
+if [[ "\$url" == */api/v1/repos/acme/widgets/pulls ]]; then
+    # PR POST: capture the payload, emit a PR-shaped answer
+    while [[ \$# -gt 0 ]]; do
+        case "\$1" in
+            -d) printf '%s' "\$2" > "$ROOT/payload.json"; shift 2 ;;
+            *) shift ;;
+        esac
+    done
+    printf '%s\n' '{"number":42,"html_url":"https://git.example.test/acme/widgets/pulls/42"}'
+    exit 0
+fi
+echo "curl stub: unexpected URL \$url" >&2
+exit 1
+STUB
+chmod +x "$ROOT/stub/curl"
+
+run_pr_create() { # args... -> sets RC/OUT/ERR
+    RC=0
+    OUT=$(cd "$ROOT/repo" && env -i \
+        PATH="$ROOT/stub:/usr/bin:/bin" \
+        HOME="$ROOT/home" \
+        GITEA_TOKEN=stub-token \
+        bash "$TOOLS/pr-create.sh" "$@" 2>"$ROOT/err.txt")
+    RC=$?
+    ERR="$(cat "$ROOT/err.txt")"
+}
+
+calls_matching() { grep -c -- "$1" "$ROOT/curl-calls.log" 2>/dev/null || true; }
+
+echo "== (1) no -B: fallback base resolves to the forge default branch, not main =="
+: > "$ROOT/curl-calls.log"; rm -f "$ROOT/payload.json"
+run_pr_create -t "fix thing"
+assert_rc "rc" 0 "$RC"
+assert_contains "API fallback path taken (tea login unresolvable in fixture)" "$ERR" "trying Gitea API fallback"
+assert_eq "repo GET performed" 1 "$(calls_matching '/api/v1/repos/acme/widgets$')"
+assert_eq "POST performed" 1 "$(calls_matching '/pulls$')"
+assert_eq "payload base is forge default (next)" "next" "$(json_field "$ROOT/payload.json" base)"
+assert_eq "payload head" "fix/e4" "$(json_field "$ROOT/payload.json" head)"
+assert_eq "payload title" "fix thing" "$(json_field "$ROOT/payload.json" title)"
+
+echo "== (2) explicit -B wins; the default branch is not consulted =="
+: > "$ROOT/curl-calls.log"; rm -f "$ROOT/payload.json"
+run_pr_create -t "fix thing" -B release/1.x
+assert_rc "rc" 0 "$RC"
+assert_eq "repo GET not consulted for explicit base" 0 "$(calls_matching '/api/v1/repos/acme/widgets$')"
+assert_eq "payload base is the explicit -B" "release/1.x" "$(json_field "$ROOT/payload.json" base)"
+
+echo "== (3) default-branch lookup failure: loud refusal, no POST =="
+: > "$ROOT/curl-calls.log"; rm -f "$ROOT/payload.json"
+RC=0
+OUT=$(cd "$ROOT/repo" && env -i \
+    PATH="$ROOT/stub:/usr/bin:/bin" \
+    HOME="$ROOT/home" \
+    GITEA_TOKEN=stub-token \
+    CURL_STUB_GET_MODE=fail \
+    bash "$TOOLS/pr-create.sh" -t "fix thing" 2>"$ROOT/err.txt")
+RC=$?
+ERR="$(cat "$ROOT/err.txt")"
+assert_rc "nonzero rc on unresolvable base" 1 "$RC"
+assert_contains "loud error names -B" "$ERR" "could not resolve the forge default branch"
+assert_contains "error names the remedy" "$ERR" "pass -B <branch> explicitly"
+assert_eq "no POST issued" 0 "$(calls_matching '/pulls$')"
+
+echo "== (4) payload never contains the literal fallback main =="
+: > "$ROOT/curl-calls.log"; rm -f "$ROOT/payload.json"
+run_pr_create -t "fix thing"
+assert_rc "rc" 0 "$RC"
+assert_eq "base field is next, never main" "next" "$(json_field "$ROOT/payload.json" base)"
+
+echo "== (5) B2: HTTP failure with parseable JSON on stdout is a FAILED resolution =="
+: > "$ROOT/curl-calls.log"; rm -f "$ROOT/payload.json"
+RC=0
+OUT=$(cd "$ROOT/repo" && env -i \
+    PATH="$ROOT/stub:/usr/bin:/bin" \
+    HOME="$ROOT/home" \
+    GITEA_TOKEN=stub-token \
+    CURL_STUB_GET_MODE=fail-json \
+    bash "$TOOLS/pr-create.sh" -t "fix thing" 2>"$ROOT/err.txt")
+RC=$?
+ERR="$(cat "$ROOT/err.txt")"
+assert_rc "nonzero rc on HTTP failure despite valid JSON" 1 "$RC"
+assert_contains "loud error names -B" "$ERR" "could not resolve the forge default branch"
+assert_contains "error names the remedy" "$ERR" "pass -B <branch> explicitly"
+assert_eq "no POST issued" 0 "$(calls_matching '/pulls$')"
+
+echo "== (6) B3: null / numeric / blank default_branch are failed resolutions =="
+for bad in null numeric blank; do
+    : > "$ROOT/curl-calls.log"; rm -f "$ROOT/payload.json"
+    RC=0
+    OUT=$(cd "$ROOT/repo" && env -i \
+        PATH="$ROOT/stub:/usr/bin:/bin" \
+        HOME="$ROOT/home" \
+        GITEA_TOKEN=stub-token \
+        CURL_STUB_GET_MODE="$bad" \
+        bash "$TOOLS/pr-create.sh" -t "fix thing" 2>"$ROOT/err.txt")
+    RC=$?
+    ERR="$(cat "$ROOT/err.txt")"
+    assert_rc "B3 $bad: nonzero rc" 1 "$RC"
+    assert_contains "B3 $bad: loud error" "$ERR" "could not resolve the forge default branch"
+    assert_eq "B3 $bad: no POST issued" 0 "$(calls_matching '/pulls$')"
+done
+
+echo
+echo "pass=$PASS fail=$FAIL"
+if [ "$FAIL" -gt 0 ]; then
+    echo "FAILED CASES:$FAILED_CASES"
+    exit 1
+fi
+echo "ALL GREEN"

packages/mosaic/framework/tools/git/test-pr-merge-no-ci-expected.sh

@@ -0,0 +1,84 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+# pr-merge must forward --no-ci-expected to the queue guard, and only then.
+# The flag is the sanctioned merge path for a repository with no CI configured
+# (see test-ci-queue-wait-no-ci-expected.sh for the guard-side semantics);
+# this harness pins only the pass-through: present when requested, absent when
+# not, with the rest of the guard invocation unchanged.
+
+set -euo pipefail
+
+SCRIPT_DIR="$(cd "$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")" && pwd)"
+WORK_DIR="${MOSAIC_TEST_WORK_DIR:-$PWD/.mosaic-test-work/pr-merge-no-ci-expected}"
+FIXTURE_DIR="$WORK_DIR/tools/git"
+CALL_LOG="$WORK_DIR/queue-call.log"
+
+rm -rf "$WORK_DIR"
+mkdir -p "$FIXTURE_DIR"
+cp "$SCRIPT_DIR/pr-merge.sh" "$FIXTURE_DIR/pr-merge.sh"
+cp "$SCRIPT_DIR/detect-platform.sh" "$FIXTURE_DIR/detect-platform.sh"
+
+cat > "$FIXTURE_DIR/pr-metadata.sh" <<'SH'
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+printf '%s\n' '{"baseRefName":"main","baseRepository":"mosaicstack/stack","headRefName":"fix/no-ci-fixture","headRefOid":"0123456789abcdef0123456789abcdef01234567","headRepository":"mosaicstack/stack"}'
+SH
+
+cat > "$FIXTURE_DIR/ci-queue-wait.sh" <<'SH'
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+printf '%s\n' "$*" > "${MOSAIC_QUEUE_CALL_LOG:?}"
+exit 42
+SH
+chmod +x "$FIXTURE_DIR"/*.sh
+
+run_merge() {
+    (
+        cd "$WORK_DIR"
+        export MOSAIC_QUEUE_CALL_LOG="$CALL_LOG"
+        "$FIXTURE_DIR/pr-merge.sh" -n 123 "$@"
+    ) >/dev/null 2>&1
+}
+
+fail=0
+
+# With the flag: it must reach the guard invocation.
+: > "$CALL_LOG"
+set +e
+run_merge --no-ci-expected
+rc_with=$?
+set -e
+if [[ "$rc_with" -ne 42 ]]; then
+    echo "FAIL(with): expected queue stub rc=42 to propagate, got $rc_with" >&2
+    fail=1
+elif ! grep -q -- '--no-ci-expected' "$CALL_LOG"; then
+    echo "FAIL(with): --no-ci-expected did not reach the queue guard" >&2
+    cat "$CALL_LOG" >&2
+    fail=1
+fi
+# The rest of the guard invocation is unchanged by the flag.
+for required in '--purpose merge' '-B fix/no-ci-fixture' '-R mosaicstack/stack' \
+    '--sha 0123456789abcdef0123456789abcdef01234567'; do
+    if ! grep -qF -- "$required" "$CALL_LOG"; then
+        echo "FAIL(with): guard invocation lost '$required'" >&2
+        cat "$CALL_LOG" >&2
+        fail=1
+    fi
+done
+
+# Without the flag: it must NOT appear in the guard invocation.
+: > "$CALL_LOG"
+set +e
+run_merge
+rc_without=$?
+set -e
+if [[ "$rc_without" -ne 42 ]]; then
+    echo "FAIL(without): expected queue stub rc=42 to propagate, got $rc_without" >&2
+    fail=1
+elif grep -q -- '--no-ci-expected' "$CALL_LOG"; then
+    echo "FAIL(without): --no-ci-expected reached the guard without being requested" >&2
+    cat "$CALL_LOG" >&2
+    fail=1
+fi
+
+if [[ "$fail" -eq 0 ]]; then
+    echo "pr-merge no-ci-expected pass-through regression passed"
+fi
+exit "$fail"

packages/mosaic/package.json

@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
     "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 framework/tools/quality/scripts/test-framework-drift-check.py && bash framework/tools/quality/scripts/test-framework-drift-doctor.sh && bash framework/systemd/user/test-fleet-units.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/lease-broker/revoke_noop_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-edit.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-no-status.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-fork-ci-status.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-explain-diagnostic-status-neutral.sh && bash framework/tools/git/test-detect-platform-outside-repo.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/_lib/test-credentials-gitea-seats.sh && bash framework/tools/_scripts/test-fleet-transport-check.sh && bash framework/tools/_scripts/test-brain-home-check.sh && bash framework/tools/fleet/test-agent-session-broker-preflight.sh"
+    "test:framework-shell": "bash framework/tools/quality/scripts/check-test-enumeration.sh && bash framework/tools/quality/scripts/test-check-test-enumeration.sh && python3 framework/tools/quality/scripts/test-framework-drift-check.py && bash framework/tools/quality/scripts/test-framework-drift-doctor.sh && bash framework/systemd/user/test-fleet-units.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/lease-broker/revoke_noop_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-edit.sh && bash framework/tools/git/test-pr-create-fallback-default-base.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-no-status.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-ci-queue-wait-no-ci-expected.sh && bash framework/tools/git/test-pr-merge-queue-branch.sh && bash framework/tools/git/test-pr-merge-no-ci-expected.sh && bash framework/tools/git/test-pr-merge-fork-ci-status.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-explain-diagnostic-status-neutral.sh && bash framework/tools/git/test-detect-platform-outside-repo.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 && bash framework/tools/_scripts/test-brain-home-check.sh && bash framework/tools/_scripts/test-structure-anchor-check.sh && bash framework/tools/fleet/test-agent-session-broker-preflight.sh"
   },
   "dependencies": {
     "@mosaicstack/brain": "workspace:*",