# N13: nested `node --test` in two suites (#1508)

Darkwing, 2026-09-26. Filbert's note N13, put in DEFERRED by Sage as a
small reviewed item before A2. Nothing is committed, staged or pushed.

## The defect

`scripts/test-foundation.sh:76` and `scripts/test-discord.sh:142` start a
nested `node --test` without clearing `NODE_TEST_CONTEXT`. Under a parent
test runner the nested run reports to that runner and exits 0 whatever its
tests do. I reproduced it at HEAD 40a02d2b: with a failing test planted in
each suite's test directory and `NODE_TEST_CONTEXT=child-v8` set, both
suites exit 0. The check line reads `OK node --test ... (summary
missing)`. In a control run of foundation without the variable, the same
planted test fails the suite, so only a run under a parent runner is
blind. I ran that control for foundation only.

## The change

`n13.patch` (sha256 00868b2f) changes only the two suites, +20 −2 lines.
Each suite now has a `node_tests` function that runs `env -u
NODE_TEST_CONTEXT node --test`, and uses it for its test run. Each also
gets one new check. It writes a failing test into the sandbox, runs it
through `node_tests` with `NODE_TEST_CONTEXT=child-v8` set, and requires
exit 1 and `✖ planted failure` in the output. If someone drops the `env
-u`, that check fails on every run, not only under a parent runner.

| File | sha256 |
|---|---|
| `scripts/test-foundation.sh` | 60f04822 |
| `scripts/test-discord.sh` | 2ad3be74 |
| `n13-check.sh` | 6a231759 |

## The check

`n13-check.sh CLONE` runs in a scratch clone only and refuses the
canonical checkout. For each suite it plants a failing test in the real
test directory and runs the whole suite with `NODE_TEST_CONTEXT=child-v8`:

| Suite | Case | Exit |
|---|---|---|
| foundation | HEAD, planted failure | 0 (the defect) |
| foundation | fixed, planted failure | 1 |
| foundation | fixed, no planted failure | 0 |
| foundation | fixed but `env -u` removed, no planted failure | 1 |
| discord | HEAD, planted failure | 0 (the defect) |
| discord | fixed, planted failure | 1 |
| discord | fixed, no planted failure | 0 |
| discord | fixed but `env -u` removed, no planted failure | 1 |

In the fixed runs with the planted failure, the suite prints `FAIL node
--test ...` with the pass count and the planted test's name. The last row
of each is the mutation: the new check alone fails the suite.

All nine suites pass at 40a02d2b with this change and the queue A1
candidate: foundation 44 and discord 64, one more check each than before.

I found no other nested `node --test` in the suites. `test-queue.sh` and
`queue-commit.sh` already clear the variable.