feat(arch01): atomic platform install + authority kernel (Closes #822)

ARCH-01 Foundation Slice A — first implementation leaf of the #820/#821
program. Adds a new, disabled-by-default SQLite kernel:

- Connection-bound trusted-service actor context (cp_actor_principal/kind,
  cp_operation_mode, cp_service_session, cp_context_epoch) that SQL may read
  but never set; every mutating trigger runs the actor protocol and fails
  closed on a missing, stale, or epoch-shifted context.
- Immutable authority-dominance lattice with the exact seeded tuple set,
  validated individually by the install-state trigger.
- Principal-equivalence root: a class exists before its first principal and
  current_class_id is NOT NULL.
- Single atomic BEGIN IMMEDIATE install seeding the installer principal, the
  distinguished operator-key issuer, dominance, the initial NULL-grantor
  bootstrap grant, the active invariant, and the immutable installed marker
  last; second install returns ALREADY_INSTALLED with no mutation.
- Immutability triggers on marker/seed/dominance/issuer/installer
  registration/initial-grant identity; append-only audit_records; last-active
  grant floored by CHECK so concurrent revokes cannot drop it to zero.

Files: arch01_platform.py (new), tests/test_arch01_platform.py (new).

Tests: 25 tests + 21 subtests cover ACs 1-14 including negative, rollback,
raw-write-bypass, and concurrency. Focused suite green; full suite 4422
passed / 11 pre-existing baseline failures at 53c2c92, zero new.

Subsystem disabled by default until readiness checks pass. SQLite-first;
PostgreSQL parity is #827.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.8 (1M context) <[email protected]>

anti_stomp_preflight.py

@@ -87,6 +87,7 @@ MUTATION_TASKS = frozenset({
     "edit_pr",
     "commit_files",
     "gitea_commit_files",
+    "publish_unpublished_branch",
     "delete_branch",
     "cleanup_merged_pr_branch",
     "cleanup_stale_claims",

arch01_platform.py

@@ -0,0 +1,892 @@
+"""ARCH-01 Foundation Slice A — atomic platform installation + authority kernel (#822).
+
+Parents: #820, #821. **First implementation leaf of the ARCH-01 program.**
+
+This module implements the smallest executable ARCH-01 foundation:
+
+* a connection-bound authenticated actor context (``cp_actor_*`` /
+  ``cp_operation_mode`` / ``cp_context_epoch`` SQLite scalar functions that SQL
+  may *read* but can never *set* — ``[TRUSTED-SERVICE]`` authenticity);
+* an immutable authority-dominance lattice with an exact seeded tuple set
+  (``[SCHEMA]``);
+* the principal-equivalence root (a class exists *before* its first principal;
+  ``principals.current_class_id`` is ``NOT NULL``; ``[SCHEMA]``);
+* a single-transaction platform installation that seeds the initial
+  ``platform.bootstrap`` grant and an immutable ``installed`` marker, validated
+  by a fail-closed ``install_state`` ``BEFORE INSERT`` trigger (``[SCHEMA]``).
+
+Everything else in the ARCH-01/02/04 program (evidence stores, repository
+bindings, workspaces, PostgreSQL parity, full grant succession, full principal
+merge) is out of scope here and tracked in its own issue — see #822 §5/§17.
+
+**Readiness / production posture.** This subsystem is *disabled by default*.
+Nothing in the running MCP server imports or enables it. It becomes a security
+boundary only once its readiness checks (the ACs in #822) pass in the target
+environment. Instantiating :class:`PlatformKernel` creates an isolated SQLite
+database and never touches the operational control-plane store.
+
+Enforcement classification (per #820 vocabulary):
+
+* ``[TRUSTED-SERVICE]`` — actor-context authenticity: the scalar functions are
+  registered by the trusted Python process; SQL cannot define or redefine them.
+* ``[SCHEMA]`` — fail-closed aborts, the dominance/immutability/NOT-NULL-class/
+  last-active-grant invariants, enforced by CHECK/FK/trigger.
+* ``[RUNTIME-ADAPTER]`` — *none* in this slice.
+
+SQLite-first. ``BEGIN IMMEDIATE`` serializes concurrent installs and concurrent
+grant/revoke on the singleton invariant row. PostgreSQL parity is a distinct
+issue (#827); this module does **not** claim it.
+"""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import os
+import sqlite3
+import threading
+from contextlib import contextmanager
+from dataclasses import dataclass
+from datetime import datetime, timezone
+from typing import Iterator, Optional
+
+# --------------------------------------------------------------------------- #
+# Closed enumerations (#822 §4).
+# --------------------------------------------------------------------------- #
+
+ACTOR_KINDS = ("operator", "supervisor", "service", "installer")
+OPERATION_MODES = ("normal", "install", "merge", "internal_service")
+
+# Exact seeded authority-dominance tuple set (#822 §4). This set is normative:
+# the install-state trigger rejects any missing, additional, or malformed tuple.
+DOMINANCE_TUPLES = (
+    ("platform.bootstrap", "platform.bootstrap"),
+    ("platform.bootstrap", "project.admin"),
+    ("platform.bootstrap", "supervisor.root.establish"),
+    ("supervisor.root", "supervisor.register"),
+    ("supervisor.root", "supervisor.verify"),
+    ("supervisor.root", "supervisor.recover"),
+)
+
+# The distinguished operator-key issuer seeded during install.
+DISTINGUISHED_ISSUER_KIND = "operator-key"
+DISTINGUISHED_ISSUER_ID = "platform.bootstrap.operator-key"
+
+# Structured result codes (#822 §10).
+INSTALLED = "INSTALLED"
+ALREADY_INSTALLED = "ALREADY_INSTALLED"
+INVALID_ACTOR_CONTEXT = "INVALID_ACTOR_CONTEXT"
+INVALID_BOOTSTRAP_STATE = "INVALID_BOOTSTRAP_STATE"
+DOMINANCE_SET_MISMATCH = "DOMINANCE_SET_MISMATCH"
+AUTHORIZATION_DENIED = "AUTHORIZATION_DENIED"
+CONCURRENT_INSTALLATION_LOST = "CONCURRENT_INSTALLATION_LOST"
+
+# Required audit events (#822 §14).
+EVT_PLATFORM_INSTALLED = "platform_installed"
+EVT_GRANT_CREATED = "platform_grant_created"
+EVT_GRANT_REVOKED = "platform_grant_revoked"
+EVT_PRINCIPAL_REGISTERED = "principal_registered"
+
+SCHEMA_VERSION = 1
+
+DB_PATH_ENV = "ARCH01_PLATFORM_DB"
+
+
+class PlatformKernelError(RuntimeError):
+    """Base class for structured, code-bearing kernel failures."""
+
+    def __init__(self, code: str, message: str = "") -> None:
+        super().__init__(message or code)
+        self.code = code
+
+
+class ActorContextError(PlatformKernelError):
+    """Raised when a mutation is attempted without a valid actor context."""
+
+
+# --------------------------------------------------------------------------- #
+# Schema (#822 §6). Tables + fail-closed triggers.
+#
+# Every *mutating* trigger opens with the actor protocol: read the context
+# epoch, read the actor fields, and abort unless the context is present,
+# non-null, mode/kind well-formed, and epoch-consistent with the active
+# transaction. The scalar functions ``cp_*`` are registered from Python only;
+# SQL has no statement that can set them, which is the trusted-service boundary.
+# --------------------------------------------------------------------------- #
+
+_ACTOR_KINDS_SQL = ", ".join("'%s'" % k for k in ACTOR_KINDS)
+_OP_MODES_SQL = ", ".join("'%s'" % m for m in OPERATION_MODES)
+
+# Actor-protocol predicate: TRUE when the context is INVALID and the trigger
+# must abort. ``cp_actor_context_valid()`` folds "present + non-expired +
+# live-epoch == bound-epoch" (the read/re-read epoch equality of #822 §4) into
+# one trusted-service answer; the remaining reads assert field well-formedness.
+_INVALID_ACTOR = (
+    "cp_actor_context_valid() IS NOT 1 "
+    "OR cp_context_epoch() IS NULL "
+    "OR cp_actor_principal() IS NULL "
+    "OR cp_actor_kind() NOT IN (%s) "
+    "OR cp_operation_mode() NOT IN (%s)" % (_ACTOR_KINDS_SQL, _OP_MODES_SQL)
+)
+
+_ACTOR_GUARD = (
+    "SELECT CASE WHEN (%s) "
+    "THEN RAISE(ABORT, 'INVALID_ACTOR_CONTEXT') END;" % _INVALID_ACTOR
+)
+
+# require_installed: abort a privileged mutation when there is no install
+# marker and we are not currently installing (#822 §4).
+_REQUIRE_INSTALLED = (
+    "SELECT CASE WHEN ((SELECT COUNT(*) FROM install_state) = 0 "
+    "AND cp_operation_mode() <> 'install') "
+    "THEN RAISE(ABORT, 'NOT_INSTALLED') END;"
+)
+
+_SCHEMA_SQL = f"""
+PRAGMA foreign_keys = ON;
+
+CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS arch01_meta (
+    key TEXT PRIMARY KEY,
+    value TEXT NOT NULL
+);
+
+-- Equivalence classes are created BEFORE their first principal (#822 §4).
+CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS principal_equivalence_classes (
+    class_id INTEGER PRIMARY KEY AUTOINCREMENT,
+    created_at TEXT NOT NULL
+);
+
+CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS authoritative_issuers (
+    issuer_id INTEGER PRIMARY KEY AUTOINCREMENT,
+    issuer_kind TEXT NOT NULL,
+    issuer_ref TEXT NOT NULL,
+    created_at TEXT NOT NULL,
+    UNIQUE (issuer_kind, issuer_ref)
+);
+
+-- current_class_id is NOT NULL: a principal cannot exist without a class
+-- (#822 AC6). issuer_id is nullable ONLY for the installer during install
+-- (#822 AC7), enforced by trg_principals_null_issuer below.
+CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS principals (
+    principal_id TEXT PRIMARY KEY,
+    actor_kind TEXT NOT NULL CHECK (actor_kind IN ({_ACTOR_KINDS_SQL})),
+    current_class_id INTEGER NOT NULL REFERENCES principal_equivalence_classes(class_id),
+    issuer_id INTEGER REFERENCES authoritative_issuers(issuer_id),
+    registered_by TEXT REFERENCES principals(principal_id),
+    created_at TEXT NOT NULL
+);
+
+CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS authority_dominance (
+    dominant TEXT NOT NULL,
+    subordinate TEXT NOT NULL,
+    PRIMARY KEY (dominant, subordinate)
+);
+
+CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS platform_bootstrap_seed (
+    seed_id INTEGER PRIMARY KEY CHECK (seed_id = 1),
+    installer_principal_id TEXT NOT NULL REFERENCES principals(principal_id),
+    created_at TEXT NOT NULL
+);
+
+CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS platform_bootstrap_grants (
+    grant_id INTEGER PRIMARY KEY AUTOINCREMENT,
+    grantee_principal_id TEXT NOT NULL REFERENCES principals(principal_id),
+    granted_by TEXT REFERENCES principals(principal_id),
+    active INTEGER NOT NULL DEFAULT 1 CHECK (active IN (0, 1)),
+    created_at TEXT NOT NULL,
+    revoked_at TEXT
+);
+
+-- Singleton row; active_count floored at 1 by CHECK so the last active grant
+-- can never be revoked (#822 AC11).
+CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS platform_active_invariant (
+    id INTEGER PRIMARY KEY CHECK (id = 1),
+    active_count INTEGER NOT NULL CHECK (active_count >= 1)
+);
+
+-- The immutable install marker; inserted LAST in the install transaction.
+CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS install_state (
+    id INTEGER PRIMARY KEY CHECK (id = 1),
+    marker TEXT NOT NULL CHECK (marker = 'installed'),
+    installed_at TEXT NOT NULL
+);
+
+-- Append-only (#822 AC14).
+CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS audit_records (
+    audit_id INTEGER PRIMARY KEY AUTOINCREMENT,
+    event TEXT NOT NULL,
+    principal_id TEXT,
+    detail TEXT,
+    created_at TEXT NOT NULL
+);
+
+-- ------------------------------------------------------------------------- --
+-- Actor protocol on every mutating trigger (#822 §4, [SCHEMA] fail-closed).
+-- ------------------------------------------------------------------------- --
+
+CREATE TRIGGER IF NOT EXISTS trg_classes_actor
+BEFORE INSERT ON principal_equivalence_classes
+BEGIN
+    {_ACTOR_GUARD}
+END;
+
+CREATE TRIGGER IF NOT EXISTS trg_issuers_actor
+BEFORE INSERT ON authoritative_issuers
+BEGIN
+    {_ACTOR_GUARD}
+END;
+
+CREATE TRIGGER IF NOT EXISTS trg_principals_actor
+BEFORE INSERT ON principals
+BEGIN
+    {_ACTOR_GUARD}
+END;
+
+CREATE TRIGGER IF NOT EXISTS trg_dominance_actor
+BEFORE INSERT ON authority_dominance
+BEGIN
+    {_ACTOR_GUARD}
+END;
+
+CREATE TRIGGER IF NOT EXISTS trg_seed_actor
+BEFORE INSERT ON platform_bootstrap_seed
+BEGIN
+    {_ACTOR_GUARD}
+END;
+
+CREATE TRIGGER IF NOT EXISTS trg_grants_actor_insert
+BEFORE INSERT ON platform_bootstrap_grants
+BEGIN
+    {_ACTOR_GUARD}
+    {_REQUIRE_INSTALLED}
+END;
+
+CREATE TRIGGER IF NOT EXISTS trg_grants_actor_update
+BEFORE UPDATE ON platform_bootstrap_grants
+BEGIN
+    {_ACTOR_GUARD}
+END;
+
+CREATE TRIGGER IF NOT EXISTS trg_invariant_actor_insert
+BEFORE INSERT ON platform_active_invariant
+BEGIN
+    {_ACTOR_GUARD}
+END;
+
+CREATE TRIGGER IF NOT EXISTS trg_invariant_actor_update
+BEFORE UPDATE ON platform_active_invariant
+BEGIN
+    {_ACTOR_GUARD}
+END;
+
+CREATE TRIGGER IF NOT EXISTS trg_audit_actor
+BEFORE INSERT ON audit_records
+BEGIN
+    {_ACTOR_GUARD}
+END;
+
+-- ------------------------------------------------------------------------- --
+-- NOT-NULL-issuer exception for the installer only (#822 AC7).
+-- A NULL issuer_id is accepted solely for an installer principal during
+-- install mode, before the marker exists; any other NULL-issuer principal is
+-- rejected. install-time issuer linkage (installer -> distinguished issuer)
+-- is applied by a later UPDATE, permitted while no marker exists.
+-- ------------------------------------------------------------------------- --
+
+CREATE TRIGGER IF NOT EXISTS trg_principals_null_issuer
+BEFORE INSERT ON principals
+WHEN NEW.issuer_id IS NULL
+BEGIN
+    SELECT CASE WHEN NOT (
+        NEW.actor_kind = 'installer'
+        AND cp_operation_mode() = 'install'
+        AND (SELECT COUNT(*) FROM install_state) = 0
+        AND (SELECT COUNT(*) FROM principals WHERE issuer_id IS NULL) = 0
+    ) THEN RAISE(ABORT, 'INVALID_BOOTSTRAP_STATE') END;
+END;
+
+-- ------------------------------------------------------------------------- --
+-- Post-install immutability of the authority root (#822 §4, AC9).
+-- Registration fields freeze only AFTER the marker exists, so the install
+-- transaction's own installer issuer-linkage UPDATE is permitted.
+-- ------------------------------------------------------------------------- --
+
+CREATE TRIGGER IF NOT EXISTS trg_principals_frozen_update
+BEFORE UPDATE ON principals
+WHEN (SELECT COUNT(*) FROM install_state) > 0
+BEGIN
+    SELECT RAISE(ABORT, 'IMMUTABLE_PRINCIPAL');
+END;
+
+CREATE TRIGGER IF NOT EXISTS trg_principals_frozen_delete
+BEFORE DELETE ON principals
+BEGIN
+    SELECT RAISE(ABORT, 'IMMUTABLE_PRINCIPAL');
+END;
+
+-- Distinguished issuer identity is immutable once written.
+CREATE TRIGGER IF NOT EXISTS trg_issuers_immutable_update
+BEFORE UPDATE ON authoritative_issuers
+BEGIN
+    SELECT RAISE(ABORT, 'IMMUTABLE_ISSUER');
+END;
+
+CREATE TRIGGER IF NOT EXISTS trg_issuers_immutable_delete
+BEFORE DELETE ON authoritative_issuers
+BEGIN
+    SELECT RAISE(ABORT, 'IMMUTABLE_ISSUER');
+END;
+
+-- The dominance lattice is immutable once seeded.
+CREATE TRIGGER IF NOT EXISTS trg_dominance_immutable_update
+BEFORE UPDATE ON authority_dominance
+BEGIN
+    SELECT RAISE(ABORT, 'IMMUTABLE_DOMINANCE');
+END;
+
+CREATE TRIGGER IF NOT EXISTS trg_dominance_immutable_delete
+BEFORE DELETE ON authority_dominance
+BEGIN
+    SELECT RAISE(ABORT, 'IMMUTABLE_DOMINANCE');
+END;
+
+-- The bootstrap seed is immutable once written.
+CREATE TRIGGER IF NOT EXISTS trg_seed_immutable_update
+BEFORE UPDATE ON platform_bootstrap_seed
+BEGIN
+    SELECT RAISE(ABORT, 'IMMUTABLE_SEED');
+END;
+
+CREATE TRIGGER IF NOT EXISTS trg_seed_immutable_delete
+BEFORE DELETE ON platform_bootstrap_seed
+BEGIN
+    SELECT RAISE(ABORT, 'IMMUTABLE_SEED');
+END;
+
+-- The install marker is immutable once written.
+CREATE TRIGGER IF NOT EXISTS trg_install_state_immutable_update
+BEFORE UPDATE ON install_state
+BEGIN
+    SELECT RAISE(ABORT, 'IMMUTABLE_INSTALL_STATE');
+END;
+
+CREATE TRIGGER IF NOT EXISTS trg_install_state_immutable_delete
+BEFORE DELETE ON install_state
+BEGIN
+    SELECT RAISE(ABORT, 'IMMUTABLE_INSTALL_STATE');
+END;
+
+-- Grants: identity is immutable; the ONLY permitted mutation is a single
+-- active 1 -> 0 revocation (#822 §4 initial-grant identity immutability +
+-- grant/revoke). Reactivation and identity edits are rejected.
+CREATE TRIGGER IF NOT EXISTS trg_grants_identity_frozen
+BEFORE UPDATE ON platform_bootstrap_grants
+WHEN NOT (
+    NEW.grant_id = OLD.grant_id
+    AND NEW.grantee_principal_id = OLD.grantee_principal_id
+    AND NEW.granted_by IS OLD.granted_by
+    AND NEW.created_at = OLD.created_at
+    AND OLD.active = 1
+    AND NEW.active = 0
+)
+BEGIN
+    SELECT RAISE(ABORT, 'IMMUTABLE_GRANT');
+END;
+
+CREATE TRIGGER IF NOT EXISTS trg_grants_no_delete
+BEFORE DELETE ON platform_bootstrap_grants
+BEGIN
+    SELECT RAISE(ABORT, 'IMMUTABLE_GRANT');
+END;
+
+-- audit_records is append-only.
+CREATE TRIGGER IF NOT EXISTS trg_audit_immutable_update
+BEFORE UPDATE ON audit_records
+BEGIN
+    SELECT RAISE(ABORT, 'IMMUTABLE_AUDIT');
+END;
+
+CREATE TRIGGER IF NOT EXISTS trg_audit_immutable_delete
+BEFORE DELETE ON audit_records
+BEGIN
+    SELECT RAISE(ABORT, 'IMMUTABLE_AUDIT');
+END;
+
+-- ------------------------------------------------------------------------- --
+-- install_state BEFORE INSERT: validate the whole bootstrap atomically
+-- (#822 §4, AC4). Each dominance tuple is checked individually; a missing,
+-- additional, or malformed tuple -> DOMINANCE_SET_MISMATCH. The seed<->installer
+-- link, the single active NULL-grantor installer grant, the installer's
+-- non-NULL issuer, the active invariant, and "no extra principal created under
+-- the NULL-issuer exception" -> INVALID_BOOTSTRAP_STATE.
+-- ------------------------------------------------------------------------- --
+
+CREATE TRIGGER IF NOT EXISTS trg_install_state_validate
+BEFORE INSERT ON install_state
+BEGIN
+    SELECT CASE WHEN NOT (
+        (SELECT COUNT(*) FROM authority_dominance) = {len(DOMINANCE_TUPLES)}
+        AND EXISTS (SELECT 1 FROM authority_dominance WHERE dominant='platform.bootstrap' AND subordinate='platform.bootstrap')
+        AND EXISTS (SELECT 1 FROM authority_dominance WHERE dominant='platform.bootstrap' AND subordinate='project.admin')
+        AND EXISTS (SELECT 1 FROM authority_dominance WHERE dominant='platform.bootstrap' AND subordinate='supervisor.root.establish')
+        AND EXISTS (SELECT 1 FROM authority_dominance WHERE dominant='supervisor.root' AND subordinate='supervisor.register')
+        AND EXISTS (SELECT 1 FROM authority_dominance WHERE dominant='supervisor.root' AND subordinate='supervisor.verify')
+        AND EXISTS (SELECT 1 FROM authority_dominance WHERE dominant='supervisor.root' AND subordinate='supervisor.recover')
+    ) THEN RAISE(ABORT, 'DOMINANCE_SET_MISMATCH') END;
+
+    SELECT CASE WHEN NOT (
+        (SELECT COUNT(*) FROM platform_bootstrap_seed) = 1
+        AND (SELECT COUNT(*) FROM principals) = 1
+        AND (SELECT actor_kind FROM principals
+             WHERE principal_id = (SELECT installer_principal_id FROM platform_bootstrap_seed WHERE seed_id = 1)
+            ) = 'installer'
+        AND (SELECT issuer_id FROM principals
+             WHERE principal_id = (SELECT installer_principal_id FROM platform_bootstrap_seed WHERE seed_id = 1)
+            ) IS NOT NULL
+        AND (SELECT COUNT(*) FROM platform_bootstrap_grants
+             WHERE granted_by IS NULL AND active = 1
+               AND grantee_principal_id = (SELECT installer_principal_id FROM platform_bootstrap_seed WHERE seed_id = 1)
+            ) = 1
+        AND (SELECT COUNT(*) FROM platform_bootstrap_grants) = 1
+        AND (SELECT active_count FROM platform_active_invariant WHERE id = 1) = 1
+    ) THEN RAISE(ABORT, 'INVALID_BOOTSTRAP_STATE') END;
+END;
+"""
+
+
+def default_db_path() -> str:
+    return os.environ.get(
+        DB_PATH_ENV,
+        os.path.expanduser("~/.cache/gitea-tools/arch01/platform.sqlite3"),
+    )
+
+
+def _utc_now_iso() -> str:
+    return datetime.now(timezone.utc).strftime("%Y-%m-%dT%H:%M:%SZ")
+
+
+@dataclass(frozen=True)
+class OperationResult:
+    """Structured result of a kernel operation (#822 §10)."""
+
+    code: str
+    detail: str = ""
+
+    @property
+    def ok(self) -> bool:
+        return self.code in (INSTALLED, ALREADY_INSTALLED)
+
+
+@dataclass
+class _ActorContext:
+    principal: str
+    kind: str
+    mode: str
+    session: Optional[str]
+    bound_epoch: int
+    live_epoch: int
+    expired: bool = False
+
+
+class PlatformKernel:
+    """ARCH-01 authority kernel over a single SQLite connection.
+
+    The connection carries the trusted-service actor context: the ``cp_*``
+    scalar functions read the context this object holds. Only Python code here
+    can bind or clear it, so no SQL statement can assert an actor identity — the
+    trusted-service authenticity boundary of #822 §4.
+    """
+
+    def __init__(self, db_path: Optional[str] = None, *, busy_timeout_ms: int = 5000) -> None:
+        self.db_path = db_path or default_db_path()
+        if self.db_path != ":memory:":
+            parent = os.path.dirname(self.db_path)
+            if parent:
+                os.makedirs(parent, exist_ok=True)
+        self._ctx: Optional[_ActorContext] = None
+        self._epoch_seq = 0
+        self._lock = threading.Lock()
+        # check_same_thread=False is safe: every mutation path is serialized
+        # by self._lock, so the connection is never used concurrently even when
+        # callers drive the kernel from different threads (concurrency tests).
+        self._conn = sqlite3.connect(
+            self.db_path, isolation_level=None, check_same_thread=False
+        )
+        self._conn.execute("PRAGMA foreign_keys = ON")
+        self._conn.execute(f"PRAGMA busy_timeout = {int(busy_timeout_ms)}")
+        self._register_actor_functions()
+        self._migrate()
+
+    # -- trusted-service actor functions ---------------------------------- #
+
+    def _register_actor_functions(self) -> None:
+        c = self._conn
+        c.create_function("cp_actor_principal", 0, lambda: self._ctx.principal if self._ctx else None)
+        c.create_function("cp_actor_kind", 0, lambda: self._ctx.kind if self._ctx else None)
+        c.create_function("cp_operation_mode", 0, lambda: self._ctx.mode if self._ctx else None)
+        c.create_function("cp_service_session", 0, lambda: self._ctx.session if self._ctx else None)
+        c.create_function("cp_context_epoch", 0, self._fn_context_epoch)
+        # Trusted-service helper: folds present + non-expired + epoch-consistent
+        # into the read/re-read epoch equality of #822 §4.
+        c.create_function("cp_actor_context_valid", 0, self._fn_context_valid)
+
+    def _fn_context_epoch(self) -> Optional[int]:
+        if self._ctx is None or self._ctx.expired:
+            return None
+        return self._ctx.live_epoch
+
+    def _fn_context_valid(self) -> int:
+        ctx = self._ctx
+        if ctx is None or ctx.expired:
+            return 0
+        # read/re-read epoch equality: a context whose live epoch has drifted
+        # from the epoch it was bound to (a stale/replaced connection context)
+        # is not bound to the active transaction and fails closed.
+        if ctx.live_epoch != ctx.bound_epoch:
+            return 0
+        if ctx.principal is None:
+            return 0
+        if ctx.kind not in ACTOR_KINDS or ctx.mode not in OPERATION_MODES:
+            return 0
+        return 1
+
+    # -- context lifecycle ------------------------------------------------ #
+
+    @contextmanager
+    def actor_context(
+        self, principal: str, kind: str, mode: str, session: Optional[str] = None
+    ) -> Iterator[None]:
+        """Bind a trusted actor context for the duration of the block."""
+        prev = self._ctx
+        self._epoch_seq += 1
+        epoch = self._epoch_seq
+        self._ctx = _ActorContext(
+            principal=principal, kind=kind, mode=mode, session=session,
+            bound_epoch=epoch, live_epoch=epoch,
+        )
+        try:
+            yield
+        finally:
+            self._ctx = prev
+
+    def _clear_context(self) -> None:
+        self._ctx = None
+
+    # -- migration -------------------------------------------------------- #
+
+    def _migrate(self) -> None:
+        self._conn.executescript(_SCHEMA_SQL)
+        self._conn.execute(
+            "INSERT OR IGNORE INTO arch01_meta(key, value) VALUES ('schema_version', ?)",
+            (str(SCHEMA_VERSION),),
+        )
+        self._conn.execute(
+            "INSERT OR IGNORE INTO arch01_meta(key, value) VALUES "
+            "('architecture', 'ARCH-01 Slice A: atomic install + authority kernel (#822); "
+            "disabled by default until readiness checks pass')"
+        )
+
+    # -- introspection ---------------------------------------------------- #
+
+    def is_installed(self) -> bool:
+        row = self._conn.execute("SELECT COUNT(*) FROM install_state").fetchone()
+        return bool(row[0])
+
+    def active_grant_count(self) -> int:
+        row = self._conn.execute(
+            "SELECT active_count FROM platform_active_invariant WHERE id = 1"
+        ).fetchone()
+        return int(row[0]) if row else 0
+
+    def audit_events(self) -> list[str]:
+        return [
+            r[0]
+            for r in self._conn.execute(
+                "SELECT event FROM audit_records ORDER BY audit_id"
+            ).fetchall()
+        ]
+
+    def close(self) -> None:
+        self._conn.close()
+
+    # -- operations ------------------------------------------------------- #
+
+    def install_platform(
+        self,
+        installer_principal_id: str = "platform.installer",
+        *,
+        session: Optional[str] = None,
+    ) -> OperationResult:
+        """Single atomic install transaction (#822 §4/§7).
+
+        ``BEGIN IMMEDIATE`` serializes concurrent installs; the loser rechecks
+        the marker and returns ``ALREADY_INSTALLED``, or — if it never acquires
+        the write lock — ``CONCURRENT_INSTALLATION_LOST``. On any stage failure
+        the whole transaction rolls back leaving no partial rows (AC3/AC5).
+        """
+        now = _utc_now_iso()
+        with self._lock:
+            try:
+                self._conn.execute("BEGIN IMMEDIATE")
+            except sqlite3.OperationalError as exc:
+                if "locked" in str(exc).lower() or "busy" in str(exc).lower():
+                    return OperationResult(CONCURRENT_INSTALLATION_LOST, str(exc))
+                raise
+            try:
+                if self.is_installed():
+                    self._conn.execute("ROLLBACK")
+                    return OperationResult(ALREADY_INSTALLED, "install marker already present")
+
+                with self.actor_context(installer_principal_id, "installer", "install", session):
+                    c = self._conn
+                    # class -> installer principal (temporary NULL issuer)
+                    cur = c.execute(
+                        "INSERT INTO principal_equivalence_classes(created_at) VALUES (?)",
+                        (now,),
+                    )
+                    class_id = cur.lastrowid
+                    c.execute(
+                        "INSERT INTO principals"
+                        "(principal_id, actor_kind, current_class_id, issuer_id, registered_by, created_at) "
+                        "VALUES (?, 'installer', ?, NULL, ?, ?)",
+                        (installer_principal_id, class_id, installer_principal_id, now),
+                    )
+                    # distinguished operator-key issuer
+                    cur = c.execute(
+                        "INSERT INTO authoritative_issuers(issuer_kind, issuer_ref, created_at) "
+                        "VALUES (?, ?, ?)",
+                        (DISTINGUISHED_ISSUER_KIND, DISTINGUISHED_ISSUER_ID, now),
+                    )
+                    issuer_id = cur.lastrowid
+                    # link installer -> issuer (permitted pre-marker)
+                    c.execute(
+                        "UPDATE principals SET issuer_id = ? WHERE principal_id = ?",
+                        (issuer_id, installer_principal_id),
+                    )
+                    # dominance tuples
+                    c.executemany(
+                        "INSERT INTO authority_dominance(dominant, subordinate) VALUES (?, ?)",
+                        DOMINANCE_TUPLES,
+                    )
+                    # seed
+                    c.execute(
+                        "INSERT INTO platform_bootstrap_seed(seed_id, installer_principal_id, created_at) "
+                        "VALUES (1, ?, ?)",
+                        (installer_principal_id, now),
+                    )
+                    # initial grant (granted_by NULL, active)
+                    c.execute(
+                        "INSERT INTO platform_bootstrap_grants"
+                        "(grantee_principal_id, granted_by, active, created_at) "
+                        "VALUES (?, NULL, 1, ?)",
+                        (installer_principal_id, now),
+                    )
+                    # active invariant
+                    c.execute(
+                        "INSERT INTO platform_active_invariant(id, active_count) VALUES (1, 1)"
+                    )
+                    # audit rows for the security-sensitive operation
+                    c.execute(
+                        "INSERT INTO audit_records(event, principal_id, detail, created_at) "
+                        "VALUES (?, ?, ?, ?)",
+                        (EVT_PRINCIPAL_REGISTERED, installer_principal_id, "installer", now),
+                    )
+                    c.execute(
+                        "INSERT INTO audit_records(event, principal_id, detail, created_at) "
+                        "VALUES (?, ?, ?, ?)",
+                        (EVT_GRANT_CREATED, installer_principal_id, "initial platform.bootstrap grant", now),
+                    )
+                    # install marker LAST -> fires the whole-bootstrap validator
+                    c.execute(
+                        "INSERT INTO install_state(id, marker, installed_at) VALUES (1, 'installed', ?)",
+                        (now,),
+                    )
+                    c.execute(
+                        "INSERT INTO audit_records(event, principal_id, detail, created_at) "
+                        "VALUES (?, ?, ?, ?)",
+                        (EVT_PLATFORM_INSTALLED, installer_principal_id, "platform installed", now),
+                    )
+                self._conn.execute("COMMIT")
+                return OperationResult(INSTALLED, "platform installed")
+            except sqlite3.Error as exc:
+                self._safe_rollback()
+                return OperationResult(self._classify(exc), str(exc))
+
+    def register_principal(
+        self,
+        principal_id: str,
+        actor_kind: str,
+        issuer_ref: str,
+        *,
+        actor_principal: str,
+        actor_kind_ctx: str = "operator",
+        session: Optional[str] = None,
+    ) -> OperationResult:
+        """Atomically create an equivalence class and its first principal.
+
+        The class is inserted *before* the principal, and ``current_class_id``
+        is ``NOT NULL`` (#822 AC6): a principal can never exist classless.
+        The principal references an existing issuer (non-NULL); the temporary
+        NULL-issuer exception is reserved for the installer during install
+        (AC7).
+        """
+        if actor_kind not in ACTOR_KINDS:
+            return OperationResult(INVALID_BOOTSTRAP_STATE, f"bad actor_kind {actor_kind!r}")
+        now = _utc_now_iso()
+        with self._lock:
+            try:
+                self._conn.execute("BEGIN IMMEDIATE")
+            except sqlite3.OperationalError as exc:
+                return OperationResult(AUTHORIZATION_DENIED, str(exc))
+            try:
+                if not self.is_installed():
+                    self._conn.execute("ROLLBACK")
+                    return OperationResult(INVALID_BOOTSTRAP_STATE, "platform not installed")
+                row = self._conn.execute(
+                    "SELECT issuer_id FROM authoritative_issuers WHERE issuer_ref = ?",
+                    (issuer_ref,),
+                ).fetchone()
+                if row is None:
+                    self._conn.execute("ROLLBACK")
+                    return OperationResult(INVALID_BOOTSTRAP_STATE, f"unknown issuer {issuer_ref!r}")
+                issuer_id = row[0]
+                with self.actor_context(actor_principal, actor_kind_ctx, "normal", session):
+                    cur = self._conn.execute(
+                        "INSERT INTO principal_equivalence_classes(created_at) VALUES (?)",
+                        (now,),
+                    )
+                    class_id = cur.lastrowid
+                    self._conn.execute(
+                        "INSERT INTO principals"
+                        "(principal_id, actor_kind, current_class_id, issuer_id, registered_by, created_at) "
+                        "VALUES (?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?)",
+                        (principal_id, actor_kind, class_id, issuer_id, actor_principal, now),
+                    )
+                    self._conn.execute(
+                        "INSERT INTO audit_records(event, principal_id, detail, created_at) "
+                        "VALUES (?, ?, ?, ?)",
+                        (EVT_PRINCIPAL_REGISTERED, principal_id, actor_kind, now),
+                    )
+                self._conn.execute("COMMIT")
+                return OperationResult(INSTALLED, f"registered {principal_id}")
+            except sqlite3.Error as exc:
+                self._safe_rollback()
+                return OperationResult(self._classify(exc), str(exc))
+
+    def grant_platform_bootstrap(
+        self,
+        grantee_principal_id: str,
+        granted_by: str,
+        *,
+        actor_kind_ctx: str = "operator",
+        session: Optional[str] = None,
+    ) -> OperationResult:
+        """Create an additional active platform.bootstrap grant.
+
+        Serialized on the singleton invariant row via ``BEGIN IMMEDIATE``.
+        """
+        now = _utc_now_iso()
+        with self._lock:
+            try:
+                self._conn.execute("BEGIN IMMEDIATE")
+            except sqlite3.OperationalError as exc:
+                return OperationResult(AUTHORIZATION_DENIED, str(exc))
+            try:
+                if not self.is_installed():
+                    self._conn.execute("ROLLBACK")
+                    return OperationResult(INVALID_BOOTSTRAP_STATE, "platform not installed")
+                with self.actor_context(granted_by, actor_kind_ctx, "normal", session):
+                    self._conn.execute(
+                        "INSERT INTO platform_bootstrap_grants"
+                        "(grantee_principal_id, granted_by, active, created_at) "
+                        "VALUES (?, ?, 1, ?)",
+                        (grantee_principal_id, granted_by, now),
+                    )
+                    self._conn.execute(
+                        "UPDATE platform_active_invariant SET active_count = active_count + 1 WHERE id = 1"
+                    )
+                    self._conn.execute(
+                        "INSERT INTO audit_records(event, principal_id, detail, created_at) "
+                        "VALUES (?, ?, ?, ?)",
+                        (EVT_GRANT_CREATED, grantee_principal_id, f"granted_by={granted_by}", now),
+                    )
+                self._conn.execute("COMMIT")
+                return OperationResult(INSTALLED, f"granted to {grantee_principal_id}")
+            except sqlite3.Error as exc:
+                self._safe_rollback()
+                return OperationResult(self._classify(exc), str(exc))
+
+    def revoke_platform_bootstrap(
+        self,
+        grant_id: int,
+        *,
+        actor_principal: str,
+        actor_kind_ctx: str = "operator",
+        session: Optional[str] = None,
+    ) -> OperationResult:
+        """Revoke an active grant, floored so the last one can never drop.
+
+        The ``active_count >= 1`` CHECK plus ``BEGIN IMMEDIATE`` serialization
+        make two concurrent revocations unable to remove the final active grant
+        (#822 AC11): the decrement that would reach zero fails and rolls back.
+        """
+        now = _utc_now_iso()
+        with self._lock:
+            try:
+                self._conn.execute("BEGIN IMMEDIATE")
+            except sqlite3.OperationalError as exc:
+                return OperationResult(AUTHORIZATION_DENIED, str(exc))
+            try:
+                if not self.is_installed():
+                    self._conn.execute("ROLLBACK")
+                    return OperationResult(INVALID_BOOTSTRAP_STATE, "platform not installed")
+                row = self._conn.execute(
+                    "SELECT active, grantee_principal_id FROM platform_bootstrap_grants WHERE grant_id = ?",
+                    (grant_id,),
+                ).fetchone()
+                if row is None or row[0] != 1:
+                    self._conn.execute("ROLLBACK")
+                    return OperationResult(AUTHORIZATION_DENIED, "grant absent or already inactive")
+                grantee = row[1]
+                with self.actor_context(actor_principal, actor_kind_ctx, "normal", session):
+                    # Decrement first: the CHECK floor rejects dropping below 1,
+                    # aborting the whole revoke before the grant flips inactive.
+                    self._conn.execute(
+                        "UPDATE platform_active_invariant SET active_count = active_count - 1 WHERE id = 1"
+                    )
+                    self._conn.execute(
+                        "UPDATE platform_bootstrap_grants SET active = 0, revoked_at = ? WHERE grant_id = ?",
+                        (now, grant_id),
+                    )
+                    self._conn.execute(
+                        "INSERT INTO audit_records(event, principal_id, detail, created_at) "
+                        "VALUES (?, ?, ?, ?)",
+                        (EVT_GRANT_REVOKED, grantee, f"grant_id={grant_id}", now),
+                    )
+                self._conn.execute("COMMIT")
+                return OperationResult(INSTALLED, f"revoked grant {grant_id}")
+            except sqlite3.Error as exc:
+                self._safe_rollback()
+                return OperationResult(self._classify(exc), str(exc))
+
+    # -- helpers ---------------------------------------------------------- #
+
+    def _safe_rollback(self) -> None:
+        try:
+            self._conn.execute("ROLLBACK")
+        except sqlite3.Error:
+            pass
+
+    @staticmethod
+    def _classify(exc: sqlite3.Error) -> str:
+        msg = str(exc)
+        if "INVALID_ACTOR_CONTEXT" in msg:
+            return INVALID_ACTOR_CONTEXT
+        if "DOMINANCE_SET_MISMATCH" in msg:
+            return DOMINANCE_SET_MISMATCH
+        if "active_count" in msg or "CHECK constraint failed: platform_active_invariant" in msg:
+            # last-active-grant floor tripped
+            return AUTHORIZATION_DENIED
+        if any(tag in msg for tag in (
+            "INVALID_BOOTSTRAP_STATE", "IMMUTABLE_", "NOT_INSTALLED",
+        )):
+            return INVALID_BOOTSTRAP_STATE
+        return INVALID_BOOTSTRAP_STATE

branch_publish.py

@@ -0,0 +1,591 @@
+"""Publish an unpublished local commit on a registered issue worktree (#812 AC20).
+
+Entry point B of #812 is the state where an author's work has already advanced
+to a local commit: the worktree is registered, clean, on the issue branch, and
+carries the only copy of the implementation, but the branch has never been
+published. That state deadlocks, because two individually correct predicates
+close a cycle:
+
+* ``issue_lock_renewal.assess_exact_owner_lease_renewal`` refuses to renew an
+  expired lease without an observable remote head — an unpublished branch has
+  none.
+* Every publication path (``gitea_commit_files``, ``gitea_create_pr``) derives
+  its workspace from the author issue lock under #618, so nothing can create
+  that remote head without first holding the lock.
+
+This module supplies the missing operation: it publishes an *already committed*
+local head to the remote branch, so exact-owner renewal has the evidence it
+requires. It deliberately does **not** renew, reclaim, rebind, or clear any
+lock. Publication is the whole of its authority.
+
+Why this is not a lock bypass
+-----------------------------
+The operation can only publish a branch whose **durable issue-lock record
+already names the caller as claimant**. Ownership is read from the lock file on
+disk (``issue_lock_store``), never from a caller-supplied flag, so the tool
+cannot manufacture a claim it does not already hold. Nothing here weakens the
+#510/#618/#713 guards: a dirty tree, an unregistered worktree, a foreign
+claimant, a changed HEAD, or a divergent remote head each refuse, exactly as
+they do today. The only thing this adds is the ability to make an existing,
+owned, committed, clean branch observable on the remote.
+
+Separation of records (#812 AC23)
+---------------------------------
+The durable **issue-lock file** and the control-plane **workflow lease** are
+distinct records. This module reads the former as ownership evidence and writes
+neither. Publishing changes remote git state only; no lock is renewed,
+abandoned, reclaimed, or generation-bumped here.
+
+Process evidence (#812 AC24)
+----------------------------
+Liveness of the lock's recorded pid is **not consulted**. That is deliberate:
+the recorded pid routinely belongs to the long-running MCP daemon rather than to
+an active author client, and the existing reclaim predicate
+(``assess_expired_lock_reclaim``) can never be satisfied while that daemon runs.
+Publication does not require the recording process to be dead, so this module
+never asserts, infers, or depends on a process being dead. Ownership is proven
+by identity and profile match against the recorded claimant instead.
+"""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import hashlib
+import os
+import re
+import subprocess
+
+from reviewer_worktree import parse_dirty_tracked_files
+from stable_branch_push_guard import is_stable_ref, redact_command
+
+# Assessment outcomes.
+PUBLISH_SANCTIONED = "publish_sanctioned"
+ALREADY_PUBLISHED = "already_published"
+REFUSED = "refused"
+
+#: Implementation branches must stay traceable to their issue (#713 lineage).
+ISSUE_BRANCH_RE = re.compile(r"^(fix|feat|docs|chore)/issue-(\d+)-.+$")
+
+_SHA_RE = re.compile(r"^[0-9a-f]{40}$")
+
+
+def _text(value: object) -> str:
+    return value.strip() if isinstance(value, str) else ""
+
+
+def _realpath(value: str | None) -> str | None:
+    path = _text(value)
+    return os.path.realpath(path) if path else None
+
+
+def parse_untracked_files(porcelain_status: str) -> list[str]:
+    """Return untracked paths from ``git status --porcelain`` output.
+
+    ``reviewer_worktree.parse_dirty_tracked_files`` deliberately skips ``??``
+    entries. Publication needs both halves: an untracked file in the worktree is
+    unpublished content that the commit does not carry, so publishing would
+    silently leave it behind.
+    """
+    untracked: list[str] = []
+    for line in (porcelain_status or "").splitlines():
+        if not line.startswith("??"):
+            continue
+        path = line[2:].strip()
+        if path:
+            untracked.append(path)
+    return untracked
+
+
+def hash_worktree_files(worktree_path: str, paths) -> dict[str, str | None]:
+    """SHA-256 each path under *worktree_path*; ``None`` when unreadable."""
+    root = _text(worktree_path)
+    hashes: dict[str, str | None] = {}
+    for rel in paths or ():
+        rel_text = _text(rel)
+        if not rel_text:
+            continue
+        full = os.path.join(root, rel_text)
+        try:
+            with open(full, "rb") as handle:
+                digest = hashlib.sha256()
+                for chunk in iter(lambda: handle.read(65536), b""):
+                    digest.update(chunk)
+            hashes[rel_text] = digest.hexdigest()
+        except OSError:
+            hashes[rel_text] = None
+    return hashes
+
+
+def read_remote_branch_head(
+    worktree_path: str, remote_name: str, branch_name: str
+) -> dict:
+    """Observe the remote head for *branch_name*, read-only.
+
+    ``probe_ok`` False means git could not answer at all. That is kept distinct
+    from "the branch does not exist": an unobservable remote must fail closed
+    rather than be mistaken for an absent branch, because the two lead to
+    opposite dispositions.
+    """
+    path = _text(worktree_path)
+    remote = _text(remote_name)
+    branch = _text(branch_name)
+    result: dict = {
+        "probe_ok": False,
+        "remote_branch_exists": False,
+        "remote_head_sha": None,
+        "reasons": [],
+    }
+    if not (path and remote and branch):
+        result["reasons"].append(
+            "remote head probe requires a worktree path, remote name, and branch"
+        )
+        return result
+    try:
+        res = subprocess.run(
+            ["git", "-C", path, "ls-remote", remote, f"refs/heads/{branch}"],
+            capture_output=True,
+            text=True,
+            check=False,
+        )
+    except OSError as exc:  # git unavailable — fail closed, never assume absent
+        result["reasons"].append(f"remote head probe could not run: {exc}")
+        return result
+    if res.returncode != 0:
+        result["reasons"].append(
+            f"remote head probe failed for '{branch}' on remote '{remote}'"
+        )
+        return result
+
+    result["probe_ok"] = True
+    for line in (res.stdout or "").splitlines():
+        parts = line.split()
+        if len(parts) >= 2 and parts[1] == f"refs/heads/{branch}":
+            result["remote_branch_exists"] = True
+            result["remote_head_sha"] = parts[0].strip()
+            break
+    return result
+
+
+def read_is_ancestor(
+    worktree_path: str, ancestor_sha: str, descendant_sha: str
+) -> dict:
+    """Observe whether *ancestor_sha* is an ancestor of *descendant_sha*."""
+    path = _text(worktree_path)
+    ancestor = _text(ancestor_sha)
+    descendant = _text(descendant_sha)
+    result: dict = {"probe_ok": False, "is_ancestor": False, "reasons": []}
+    if not (path and ancestor and descendant):
+        result["reasons"].append(
+            "ancestry probe requires a worktree path and both commit SHAs"
+        )
+        return result
+    try:
+        present = subprocess.run(
+            ["git", "-C", path, "rev-parse", "--verify", "--quiet",
+             f"{ancestor}^{{commit}}"],
+            capture_output=True, text=True, check=False,
+        )
+        if present.returncode != 0:
+            result["reasons"].append(
+                f"remote head {ancestor} is not present locally, so it cannot be "
+                "proven an ancestor of the commit being published"
+            )
+            return result
+        res = subprocess.run(
+            ["git", "-C", path, "merge-base", "--is-ancestor", ancestor, descendant],
+            capture_output=True, text=True, check=False,
+        )
+    except OSError as exc:
+        result["reasons"].append(f"ancestry probe could not run: {exc}")
+        return result
+    result["probe_ok"] = res.returncode in (0, 1)
+    result["is_ancestor"] = res.returncode == 0
+    return result
+
+
+def assess_unpublished_commit_publication(
+    existing_lock,
+    *,
+    issue_number: int,
+    branch_name: str,
+    worktree_path: str,
+    expected_head: str,
+    remote: str,
+    org: str,
+    repo: str,
+    identity: str | None,
+    profile: str | None,
+    worktree_state,
+    worktree_registered: bool | None = None,
+    remote_probe=None,
+    ancestry=None,
+    competing_open_prs=(),
+    expected_file_hashes=None,
+    observed_file_hashes=None,
+) -> dict:
+    """Decide whether an unpublished local commit may be published (#812 AC20).
+
+    Pure predicate. Every input is either a caller-declared expectation that
+    must be *matched* against observation, or a server-side observation. No
+    caller-supplied boolean is accepted as proof of ownership, liveness, or
+    eligibility: ``existing_lock`` comes from the durable lock file and the
+    git/PR state is observed by the server.
+
+    The single mutating disposition it can return is "publish this exact commit
+    to this exact branch". It never sanctions renewal, reclamation, force
+    updates, history rewriting, or publication of uncommitted content.
+    """
+    reasons: list[str] = []
+    branch = _text(branch_name)
+    head = _text(expected_head).lower()
+    workspace = _realpath(worktree_path)
+    state = worktree_state if isinstance(worktree_state, dict) else {}
+    lock = existing_lock if isinstance(existing_lock, dict) else None
+
+    evidence: dict = {
+        "issue_number": issue_number,
+        "branch_name": branch or None,
+        "worktree_path": workspace,
+        "expected_head": head or None,
+        "remote": _text(remote) or None,
+        "org": _text(org) or None,
+        "repo": _text(repo) or None,
+        "identity": _text(identity) or None,
+        "profile": _text(profile) or None,
+        "lock_record_present": lock is not None,
+        "recorded_claimant": None,
+        "recorded_branch": None,
+        "recorded_worktree": None,
+        "lock_generation": None,
+        "local_head_sha": _text(state.get("head_sha")) or None,
+        "current_branch": _text(state.get("current_branch")) or None,
+        "dirty_tracked_files": [],
+        "untracked_files": [],
+        "worktree_registered": worktree_registered,
+        "remote_branch_exists": None,
+        "remote_head_sha": None,
+        "fast_forward_from_remote": None,
+        "competing_open_prs": [],
+        "file_hashes_verified": None,
+        "hash_mismatches": [],
+        # Recorded explicitly so no reader mistakes silence for a liveness
+        # claim, and so the audit shows which records were left alone (AC23/AC24).
+        "owner_pid_liveness_consulted": False,
+        "workflow_lease_touched": False,
+        "issue_lock_record_mutated": False,
+    }
+
+    # ── declared shape ────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+    if not branch:
+        reasons.append("branch name not declared; fail closed")
+    if not head:
+        reasons.append(
+            "expected_head not declared; publication must name the exact commit"
+        )
+    elif not _SHA_RE.match(head):
+        reasons.append(
+            f"expected_head '{head}' is not a full 40-character commit SHA; "
+            "abbreviated or symbolic revisions are refused"
+        )
+    if not workspace:
+        reasons.append("worktree path not declared; fail closed")
+
+    if branch:
+        match = ISSUE_BRANCH_RE.match(branch)
+        if not match:
+            reasons.append(
+                f"branch '{branch}' is not an issue-linked implementation branch "
+                "((fix|feat|docs|chore)/issue-<number>-<description>); fail closed"
+            )
+        elif int(match.group(2)) != int(issue_number):
+            reasons.append(
+                f"branch '{branch}' does not carry issue number {issue_number}; "
+                "fail closed"
+            )
+        if is_stable_ref(branch):
+            reasons.append(
+                f"refusing to publish stable branch '{branch}'; this operation "
+                "publishes issue branches only"
+            )
+
+    # ── ownership: durable issue-lock record only (AC8, AC20, AC24) ───────
+    if lock is None:
+        reasons.append(
+            "no durable issue-lock record for this issue; publication requires an "
+            "existing recorded claim naming the caller, so this operation cannot "
+            "be used to bypass the author lock"
+        )
+    else:
+        lease = lock.get("work_lease")
+        lease = lease if isinstance(lease, dict) else {}
+        claimant = lease.get("claimant")
+        claimant = claimant if isinstance(claimant, dict) else {}
+        recorded_user = _text(claimant.get("username"))
+        recorded_profile = _text(claimant.get("profile"))
+        recorded_branch = _text(lock.get("branch_name")) or _text(lease.get("branch"))
+        recorded_worktree = _realpath(
+            _text(lock.get("worktree_path")) or _text(lease.get("worktree_path"))
+        )
+        evidence["recorded_claimant"] = {
+            "username": recorded_user or None,
+            "profile": recorded_profile or None,
+        }
+        evidence["recorded_branch"] = recorded_branch or None
+        evidence["recorded_worktree"] = recorded_worktree
+        try:
+            evidence["lock_generation"] = int(lock.get("lock_generation") or 0)
+        except (TypeError, ValueError):
+            evidence["lock_generation"] = 0
+
+        try:
+            recorded_issue = int(lock.get("issue_number") or 0)
+        except (TypeError, ValueError):
+            recorded_issue = 0
+        if recorded_issue != int(issue_number):
+            reasons.append(
+                f"durable lock records issue {lock.get('issue_number')}, not "
+                f"{issue_number}; ambiguous ownership, fail closed"
+            )
+        for field, declared in (
+            ("remote", _text(remote)),
+            ("org", _text(org)),
+            ("repo", _text(repo)),
+        ):
+            recorded = _text(lock.get(field))
+            if recorded and declared and recorded != declared:
+                reasons.append(
+                    f"durable lock records {field} '{recorded}' but the request "
+                    f"declares '{declared}'; repository mismatch, fail closed"
+                )
+        if recorded_branch and branch and recorded_branch != branch:
+            reasons.append(
+                f"durable lock records branch '{recorded_branch}' but the request "
+                f"declares '{branch}'; fail closed"
+            )
+        if recorded_worktree and workspace and recorded_worktree != workspace:
+            reasons.append(
+                f"durable lock records worktree '{recorded_worktree}' but the "
+                f"request declares '{workspace}'; fail closed"
+            )
+        if not recorded_user or not recorded_profile:
+            reasons.append(
+                "durable lock does not record a claimant username and profile; "
+                "ownership cannot be proven, fail closed"
+            )
+        else:
+            if recorded_user != _text(identity):
+                reasons.append(
+                    f"durable lock claimant '{recorded_user}' is not the acting "
+                    f"identity '{_text(identity) or '(unknown)'}'; foreign claim, "
+                    "fail closed"
+                )
+            if recorded_profile != _text(profile):
+                reasons.append(
+                    f"durable lock claimant profile '{recorded_profile}' is not "
+                    f"the active profile '{_text(profile) or '(unknown)'}'; "
+                    "fail closed"
+                )
+
+    # ── worktree: registered, on-branch, clean, at the expected commit ────
+    if worktree_registered is False:
+        reasons.append(
+            f"worktree '{workspace}' is not listed in git worktree list; #713 "
+            "requires a genuinely registered worktree, fail closed"
+        )
+
+    current_branch = _text(state.get("current_branch"))
+    if not current_branch:
+        reasons.append("worktree branch could not be observed; fail closed")
+    elif branch and current_branch != branch:
+        reasons.append(
+            f"worktree is on branch '{current_branch}', not '{branch}'; fail closed"
+        )
+
+    porcelain = state.get("porcelain_status") or ""
+    dirty_tracked = parse_dirty_tracked_files(porcelain)
+    untracked = parse_untracked_files(porcelain)
+    evidence["dirty_tracked_files"] = dirty_tracked
+    evidence["untracked_files"] = untracked
+    if dirty_tracked:
+        reasons.append(
+            "worktree has dirty tracked files, so the commit is not the whole of "
+            f"the work: {', '.join(dirty_tracked)}. This operation publishes an "
+            "existing clean commit only; uncommitted content is out of scope"
+        )
+    if untracked:
+        reasons.append(
+            "worktree has untracked files that the commit does not carry: "
+            f"{', '.join(untracked)}. Publishing would silently leave them "
+            "behind; fail closed"
+        )
+
+    local_head = _text(state.get("head_sha")).lower()
+    if not local_head:
+        reasons.append("local HEAD could not be observed; fail closed")
+    elif head and local_head != head:
+        reasons.append(
+            f"worktree HEAD is {local_head} but the request declares {head}; the "
+            "local commit changed since it was recorded, fail closed"
+        )
+
+    # ── remote state ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+    probe = remote_probe if isinstance(remote_probe, dict) else {}
+    already_published = False
+    if not probe.get("probe_ok"):
+        reasons.append(
+            "remote branch head could not be observed; publication must not "
+            "proceed against an unknown remote state, fail closed"
+        )
+        reasons.extend(probe.get("reasons") or [])
+    else:
+        remote_exists = bool(probe.get("remote_branch_exists"))
+        remote_head = _text(probe.get("remote_head_sha")).lower() or None
+        evidence["remote_branch_exists"] = remote_exists
+        evidence["remote_head_sha"] = remote_head
+        if remote_exists and remote_head and head:
+            if remote_head == head:
+                already_published = True
+                evidence["fast_forward_from_remote"] = True
+            else:
+                anc = ancestry if isinstance(ancestry, dict) else {}
+                is_anc = bool(anc.get("probe_ok")) and bool(anc.get("is_ancestor"))
+                evidence["fast_forward_from_remote"] = is_anc
+                if not is_anc:
+                    reasons.append(
+                        f"remote branch '{branch}' already exists at {remote_head}, "
+                        f"which is not an ancestor of {head}; publishing would "
+                        "discard or rewrite published history, fail closed"
+                    )
+                    reasons.extend(anc.get("reasons") or [])
+        elif remote_exists and not remote_head:
+            reasons.append(
+                f"remote branch '{branch}' exists but its head could not be read; "
+                "fail closed"
+            )
+
+    # ── competing claims ──────────────────────────────────────────────────
+    competing = [p for p in (competing_open_prs or ()) if p]
+    evidence["competing_open_prs"] = list(competing)
+    if competing:
+        reasons.append(
+            f"open pull request(s) {competing} already claim issue {issue_number} "
+            "or this branch; ambiguous ownership, fail closed"
+        )
+
+    # ── content verification before publication ───────────────────────────
+    if expected_file_hashes:
+        observed = (
+            observed_file_hashes if isinstance(observed_file_hashes, dict) else {}
+        )
+        mismatches: list[str] = []
+        for path, expected_digest in dict(expected_file_hashes).items():
+            actual = observed.get(path)
+            if actual is None:
+                mismatches.append(f"{path}: missing or unreadable in the worktree")
+            elif _text(actual).lower() != _text(expected_digest).lower():
+                mismatches.append(
+                    f"{path}: expected {expected_digest}, observed {actual}"
+                )
+        evidence["hash_mismatches"] = mismatches
+        evidence["file_hashes_verified"] = not mismatches
+        if mismatches:
+            reasons.append(
+                "declared content hashes do not match the worktree: "
+                + "; ".join(mismatches)
+                + ". Refusing to publish content that is not what was recorded"
+            )
+
+    if reasons:
+        return {
+            "outcome": REFUSED,
+            "publish_sanctioned": False,
+            "already_published": False,
+            "reasons": reasons,
+            "evidence": evidence,
+        }
+    return {
+        "outcome": ALREADY_PUBLISHED if already_published else PUBLISH_SANCTIONED,
+        # Idempotent retry: a remote head that already equals the assessed commit
+        # needs no second push, so the caller verifies instead of acting.
+        "publish_sanctioned": not already_published,
+        "already_published": already_published,
+        "reasons": [],
+        "evidence": evidence,
+    }
+
+
+def publish_commit_to_remote_branch(
+    *,
+    worktree_path: str,
+    remote_name: str,
+    branch_name: str,
+    expected_head: str,
+) -> dict:
+    """Send exactly *expected_head* to ``refs/heads/<branch_name>``.
+
+    The refspec names the commit SHA explicitly rather than ``HEAD`` or the
+    local branch, so what lands is the commit that was assessed and nothing
+    else. No force, no lease, no ``+`` prefix: a non-fast-forward is rejected by
+    git itself, the last of several independent guards against overwriting
+    published history.
+    """
+    path = _text(worktree_path)
+    remote = _text(remote_name)
+    branch = _text(branch_name)
+    head = _text(expected_head)
+    result: dict = {
+        "success": False,
+        "pushed_ref": f"refs/heads/{branch}" if branch else None,
+        "pushed_sha": head or None,
+        "stderr": None,
+        "reasons": [],
+    }
+    if not (path and remote and branch and head):
+        result["reasons"].append(
+            "publication requires a worktree path, remote, branch, and commit SHA"
+        )
+        return result
+
+    refspec = f"{head}:refs/heads/{branch}"
+    try:
+        res = subprocess.run(
+            ["git", "-C", path, "push", remote, refspec],
+            capture_output=True,
+            text=True,
+            check=False,
+        )
+    except OSError as exc:
+        result["reasons"].append(f"publication could not run: {exc}")
+        return result
+
+    if res.returncode != 0:
+        # Redact before surfacing: failures can echo credentialed remote URLs.
+        result["stderr"] = redact_command(res.stderr or "")
+        result["reasons"].append(
+            f"publication of {head} to '{branch}' on remote '{remote}' failed"
+        )
+        return result
+
+    result["success"] = True
+    return result
+
+
+def verify_published_head(
+    *, worktree_path: str, remote_name: str, branch_name: str, expected_head: str
+) -> dict:
+    """Read-after-write: confirm the remote head equals *expected_head* (AC20)."""
+    probe = read_remote_branch_head(worktree_path, remote_name, branch_name)
+    head = _text(expected_head).lower()
+    observed = _text(probe.get("remote_head_sha")).lower() or None
+    verified = bool(head) and bool(probe.get("probe_ok")) and observed == head
+    reasons: list[str] = list(probe.get("reasons") or [])
+    if probe.get("probe_ok") and not verified:
+        reasons.append(
+            "read-after-write verification failed: remote head is "
+            f"{observed or '(absent)'}, expected {head}"
+        )
+    return {
+        "verified": verified,
+        "remote_head_sha": observed,
+        "expected_head": head or None,
+        "reasons": reasons,
+    }

docs/mcp-tool-inventory.md

@@ -120,6 +120,7 @@ that gates each call, not which tools exist.
 - `gitea_observability_list_projects`
 - `gitea_observability_reconcile_incident`
 - `gitea_post_heartbeat`
+- `gitea_publish_unpublished_issue_branch`
 - `gitea_quarantine_contaminated_review`
 - `gitea_reclaim_expired_workflow_lease`
 - `gitea_reconcile_already_landed_pr`

gitea_mcp_server.py

@@ -2024,6 +2024,7 @@ import review_quarantine  # noqa: E402  # #695 contaminated formal-review quaran
 import mcp_daemon_guard  # noqa: E402  # #695 native transport provenance
 import already_landed_reconcile  # noqa: E402
 import author_mutation_worktree  # noqa: E402
+import branch_publish  # noqa: E402  # #812 AC20 unpublished-commit publication
 import root_checkout_guard  # noqa: E402
 import workflow_scope_guard  # noqa: E402  # #683 production scope / force-on guards
 import stable_branch_push_guard  # noqa: E402
@@ -9082,6 +9083,253 @@ def gitea_commit_files(
     }
 
 
+def _publication_block(reasons: list[str], **extra) -> dict:
+    """Uniform fail-closed shape for publication refusals (#812 AC20)."""
+    payload = {
+        "success": False,
+        "performed": False,
+        "published": False,
+        "verified": False,
+        "outcome": branch_publish.REFUSED,
+        "reasons": reasons,
+        # State every record this operation left alone, so a refusal can never
+        # be misread as a lock mutation (#812 AC23).
+        "issue_lock_record_mutated": False,
+        "workflow_lease_touched": False,
+    }
+    payload.update(extra)
+    return payload
+
+
+@mcp.tool()
+def gitea_publish_unpublished_issue_branch(
+    issue_number: int,
+    branch_name: str,
+    worktree_path: str,
+    expected_head: str,
+    remote: str = "dadeschools",
+    host: str | None = None,
+    org: str | None = None,
+    repo: str | None = None,
+    git_remote_name: str | None = None,
+    expected_file_hashes: dict | None = None,
+    dry_run: bool = False,
+) -> dict:
+    """Publish an already-committed, unpublished issue branch (#812 AC20).
+
+    Creates the remote head for a branch whose work is *already* a local commit
+    on a registered, clean worktree, so exact-owner lease renewal
+    (``issue_lock_renewal``) has the published head its evidence model requires.
+    This is the one step of the entry point B deadlock that no existing tool can
+    perform: publication is otherwise lock-derived under #618, and the lock
+    itself is withheld until a remote head exists.
+
+    Not a lock bypass. The branch's **durable issue-lock record must already
+    name the caller as claimant** — ownership is read from the lock file, never
+    asserted by the caller — so this can only publish work the caller already
+    owns. It refuses a dirty or untracked-carrying worktree, an unregistered
+    worktree, a changed local HEAD, a remote head that is not an ancestor of the
+    commit, a competing open PR on another branch for the same issue, and any
+    declared-hash mismatch. It renews, reclaims, and clears nothing: the durable
+    issue-lock file and the control-plane workflow lease are both left untouched
+    (#812 AC23), and the recorded owner pid's liveness is never consulted or
+    asserted (#812 AC24).
+
+    Args:
+        issue_number: The issue whose recorded claim authorizes publication.
+        branch_name: Issue branch to publish, ``(fix|feat|docs|chore)/issue-N-…``.
+        worktree_path: Registered worktree holding the commit.
+        expected_head: Full 40-character SHA of the commit to publish. Required:
+            publication names the exact commit, and a mismatch fails closed.
+        remote: Known instance — 'dadeschools' or 'prgs'.
+        host: Override the Gitea host.
+        org: Override the owner/organization.
+        repo: Override the repository name.
+        git_remote_name: Git remote to publish to; defaults to *remote*.
+        expected_file_hashes: Optional ``{path: sha256}`` verified against the
+            worktree before publication. Any mismatch or missing file refuses.
+        dry_run: Report the decision and evidence, mutate nothing.
+
+    Returns:
+        dict with 'success', 'performed', 'published', 'verified', 'outcome',
+        'remote_head_sha', 'reasons', and 'evidence'.
+    """
+    task = "publish_unpublished_branch"
+    ok, block_reasons = role_session_router.check_author_mutation_after_reviewer_stop(
+        task
+    )
+    if not ok:
+        return _publication_block(block_reasons)
+
+    blocked = _namespace_mutation_block(task, remote=remote)
+    if blocked:
+        return blocked
+    blocked = _profile_permission_block(
+        task_capability_map.required_permission(task),
+        remote=remote, host=host, org=org, repo=repo,
+        org_explicit=org is not None,
+        repo_explicit=repo is not None,
+    )
+    if blocked:
+        return blocked
+
+    # #815: resolve the caller's worktree *before* preflight and forward it, so
+    # every workspace-resolution layer behind verify_preflight_purity — including
+    # the #618 branches-only guard — judges the registered issue worktree this
+    # publication actually operates on. Resolving it afterwards let preflight
+    # fall back to the MCP process root, so a daemon rooted at the stable control
+    # checkout refused a valid explicit worktree before the assessor ever ran.
+    # A caller supplying nothing usable forwards None and keeps the ordinary
+    # fail-closed fallback.
+    explicit_worktree = (worktree_path or "").strip()
+    workspace = os.path.realpath(os.path.abspath(explicit_worktree or "."))
+
+    verify_preflight_purity(
+        remote,
+        worktree_path=workspace if explicit_worktree else None,
+        task=task,
+        org=org,
+        repo=repo,
+    )
+
+    h, o, r = _resolve(remote, host, org, repo)
+    git_remote = (git_remote_name or remote or "").strip()
+
+    existing_lock = issue_lock_store.load_issue_lock(
+        remote=remote, org=o, repo=r, issue_number=int(issue_number)
+    )
+    git_state = issue_lock_worktree.read_worktree_git_state(workspace)
+    registered = author_mutation_worktree.path_in_git_worktree_list(
+        workspace, PROJECT_ROOT
+    )
+
+    remote_probe = branch_publish.read_remote_branch_head(
+        workspace, git_remote, branch_name
+    )
+    ancestry = None
+    probe_head = (remote_probe.get("remote_head_sha") or "").strip()
+    if probe_head and probe_head.lower() != (expected_head or "").strip().lower():
+        ancestry = branch_publish.read_is_ancestor(workspace, probe_head, expected_head)
+
+    # A PR on this very branch is this work's own PR, not a rival claim. Only an
+    # open PR for the same issue on a *different* branch is a competing claim.
+    competing: list = []
+    for pull in _list_open_pulls(h, o, r, _auth(h)):
+        ref = str((pull.get("head") or {}).get("ref") or "")
+        if not ref or ref == branch_name:
+            continue
+        if issue_lock_adoption.branch_carries_issue_marker(ref, int(issue_number)):
+            competing.append(pull.get("number"))
+
+    observed_hashes = None
+    if expected_file_hashes:
+        observed_hashes = branch_publish.hash_worktree_files(
+            workspace, list(expected_file_hashes.keys())
+        )
+
+    claimant = _work_lease_claimant(h)
+    assessment = branch_publish.assess_unpublished_commit_publication(
+        existing_lock,
+        issue_number=int(issue_number),
+        branch_name=branch_name,
+        worktree_path=workspace,
+        expected_head=expected_head,
+        remote=remote,
+        org=o,
+        repo=r,
+        identity=claimant.get("username"),
+        profile=claimant.get("profile"),
+        worktree_state=git_state,
+        worktree_registered=registered,
+        remote_probe=remote_probe,
+        ancestry=ancestry,
+        competing_open_prs=competing,
+        expected_file_hashes=expected_file_hashes,
+        observed_file_hashes=observed_hashes,
+    )
+
+    if assessment["outcome"] == branch_publish.REFUSED:
+        return _publication_block(
+            assessment["reasons"], evidence=assessment["evidence"]
+        )
+
+    if dry_run:
+        return {
+            "success": True,
+            "performed": False,
+            "published": False,
+            "verified": False,
+            "dry_run": True,
+            "outcome": assessment["outcome"],
+            "would_publish": assessment["publish_sanctioned"],
+            "remote_head_sha": assessment["evidence"].get("remote_head_sha"),
+            "reasons": [],
+            "evidence": assessment["evidence"],
+            "issue_lock_record_mutated": False,
+            "workflow_lease_touched": False,
+        }
+
+    performed = False
+    if assessment["publish_sanctioned"]:
+        with _audited(
+            task, host=h, remote=remote, org=o, repo=r,
+            target_branch=branch_name,
+            request_metadata={
+                "issue_number": int(issue_number),
+                "expected_head": expected_head,
+                "git_remote": git_remote,
+            },
+        ):
+            push = branch_publish.publish_commit_to_remote_branch(
+                worktree_path=workspace,
+                remote_name=git_remote,
+                branch_name=branch_name,
+                expected_head=expected_head,
+            )
+        if not push.get("success"):
+            return _publication_block(
+                push.get("reasons") or ["publication failed"],
+                evidence=assessment["evidence"],
+                stderr=push.get("stderr"),
+            )
+        performed = True
+
+    verification = branch_publish.verify_published_head(
+        worktree_path=workspace,
+        remote_name=git_remote,
+        branch_name=branch_name,
+        expected_head=expected_head,
+    )
+    if not verification.get("verified"):
+        return _publication_block(
+            verification.get("reasons") or ["read-after-write verification failed"],
+            evidence=assessment["evidence"],
+            performed=performed,
+            published=performed,
+            remote_head_sha=verification.get("remote_head_sha"),
+        )
+
+    return {
+        "success": True,
+        "performed": performed,
+        "published": True,
+        "verified": True,
+        "outcome": assessment["outcome"],
+        "remote_head_sha": verification.get("remote_head_sha"),
+        "reasons": [],
+        "evidence": assessment["evidence"],
+        # Publication is the whole of this operation's authority (#812 AC23).
+        "issue_lock_record_mutated": False,
+        "workflow_lease_touched": False,
+        "exact_next_action": (
+            f"Remote head for '{branch_name}' is now observable. Call "
+            f"gitea_lock_issue(issue_number={int(issue_number)}, "
+            f"branch_name='{branch_name}', worktree_path='{workspace}') to renew "
+            "the exact-owner lease, then gitea_create_pr."
+        ),
+    }
+
+
 # Merge methods supported by the Gitea merge API.
 _MERGE_METHODS = ("merge", "squash", "rebase")
 

task_capability_map.py

@@ -62,6 +62,14 @@ TASK_CAPABILITY_MAP: dict[str, dict[str, str]] = {
         "permission": "gitea.branch.push",
         "role": "author",
     },
+    # #812 AC20: publish an already-committed, unpublished local head so
+    # exact-owner lease renewal has an observable remote head to reason about.
+    # Same authority as any other author push — deliberately not a new
+    # operation name, so it cannot widen an already-configured author profile.
+    "publish_unpublished_branch": {
+        "permission": "gitea.branch.push",
+        "role": "author",
+    },
     "create_pr": {
         "permission": "gitea.pr.create",
         "role": "author",
@@ -500,6 +508,7 @@ ROLE_EXCLUSIVE_TASKS: frozenset[str] = frozenset(
         "gitea_release_merger_pr_lease",
         "create_branch",
         "push_branch",
+        "publish_unpublished_branch",
         "create_pr",
         "commit_files",
         "gitea_commit_files",

tests/test_arch01_platform.py

@@ -0,0 +1,572 @@
+"""Executable acceptance tests for ARCH-01 Slice A (#822).
+
+Each acceptance criterion (#822 §12) and named test (#822 §13) is exercised
+against a real SQLite database. The migration runs on a fresh DB in ``setUp``;
+the test-run output is the durable evidence the issue requires (§14).
+
+Enforcement being proven:
+
+* ``[TRUSTED-SERVICE]`` — the ``cp_*`` actor functions exist only on the
+  trusted kernel connection; a raw connection cannot satisfy the triggers.
+* ``[SCHEMA]`` — fail-closed aborts, exact dominance set, NOT-NULL class,
+  immutability, and the last-active-grant floor are enforced by
+  CHECK/FK/trigger, verified here including raw-write bypass and concurrency.
+"""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import os
+import sqlite3
+import tempfile
+import threading
+import unittest
+from concurrent.futures import ThreadPoolExecutor
+
+import arch01_platform as ap
+from arch01_platform import (
+    ALREADY_INSTALLED,
+    AUTHORIZATION_DENIED,
+    CONCURRENT_INSTALLATION_LOST,
+    DISTINGUISHED_ISSUER_ID,
+    DOMINANCE_SET_MISMATCH,
+    DOMINANCE_TUPLES,
+    INSTALLED,
+    INVALID_ACTOR_CONTEXT,
+    INVALID_BOOTSTRAP_STATE,
+    PlatformKernel,
+)
+
+INSTALLER = "platform.installer"
+
+_BOOTSTRAP_TABLES = (
+    "principal_equivalence_classes",
+    "principals",
+    "authoritative_issuers",
+    "authority_dominance",
+    "platform_bootstrap_seed",
+    "platform_bootstrap_grants",
+    "platform_active_invariant",
+    "install_state",
+)
+
+
+def _count(kernel: PlatformKernel, table: str) -> int:
+    return kernel._conn.execute(f"SELECT COUNT(*) FROM {table}").fetchone()[0]
+
+
+def _count_where(kernel: PlatformKernel, table: str, where: str) -> int:
+    return kernel._conn.execute(f"SELECT COUNT(*) FROM {table} WHERE {where}").fetchone()[0]
+
+
+def _all_bootstrap_empty(kernel: PlatformKernel) -> bool:
+    return all(_count(kernel, t) == 0 for t in _BOOTSTRAP_TABLES)
+
+
+class Arch01MemoryTest(unittest.TestCase):
+    """Single-connection behavior on an in-memory database."""
+
+    def setUp(self) -> None:
+        self.kernel = PlatformKernel(":memory:")
+
+    def tearDown(self) -> None:
+        self.kernel.close()
+
+    # -- AC1 -------------------------------------------------------------- #
+    def test_install_clean(self) -> None:  # t_install_clean(+)
+        res = self.kernel.install_platform(INSTALLER)
+        self.assertEqual(res.code, INSTALLED)
+        self.assertTrue(self.kernel.is_installed())
+        self.assertEqual(_count(self.kernel, "install_state"), 1)
+        self.assertEqual(self.kernel.active_grant_count(), 1)
+        self.assertIn(ap.EVT_PLATFORM_INSTALLED, self.kernel.audit_events())
+        rows = set(
+            self.kernel._conn.execute(
+                "SELECT dominant, subordinate FROM authority_dominance"
+            ).fetchall()
+        )
+        self.assertEqual(rows, set(DOMINANCE_TUPLES))
+        issuer_ref = self.kernel._conn.execute(
+            "SELECT i.issuer_ref FROM principals p JOIN authoritative_issuers i "
+            "ON p.issuer_id = i.issuer_id WHERE p.principal_id = ?",
+            (INSTALLER,),
+        ).fetchone()
+        self.assertEqual(issuer_ref[0], DISTINGUISHED_ISSUER_ID)
+
+    # -- AC2 -------------------------------------------------------------- #
+    def test_install_twice(self) -> None:  # t_install_twice(-)
+        self.assertEqual(self.kernel.install_platform(INSTALLER).code, INSTALLED)
+        res2 = self.kernel.install_platform(INSTALLER)
+        self.assertEqual(res2.code, ALREADY_INSTALLED)
+        self.assertEqual(_count(self.kernel, "principals"), 1)
+        self.assertEqual(_count(self.kernel, "platform_bootstrap_grants"), 1)
+        self.assertEqual(_count(self.kernel, "install_state"), 1)
+
+    # -- AC3 / AC5 -------------------------------------------------------- #
+    def test_install_stage_rollback(self) -> None:  # t_install_stage_rollback
+        for stop in range(1, 9):
+            with self.subTest(stages=stop):
+                k = PlatformKernel(":memory:")
+                try:
+                    self._partial_bootstrap_then_rollback(k, stop)
+                    self.assertTrue(
+                        _all_bootstrap_empty(k),
+                        f"partial rows survived rollback at stage {stop}",
+                    )
+                    self.assertFalse(k.is_installed())
+                finally:
+                    k.close()
+
+    def test_no_partial_after_rollback(self) -> None:  # t_no_partial_after_rollback
+        k = PlatformKernel(":memory:")
+        try:
+            code = self._seed_bootstrap_and_mark(k, dominance=DOMINANCE_TUPLES[:-1])
+            self.assertEqual(code, DOMINANCE_SET_MISMATCH)
+            self.assertTrue(_all_bootstrap_empty(k))
+            self.assertFalse(k.is_installed())
+        finally:
+            k.close()
+
+    # -- AC4 -------------------------------------------------------------- #
+    def test_dominance_missing(self) -> None:  # t_dominance_missing(-)
+        k = PlatformKernel(":memory:")
+        try:
+            self.assertEqual(
+                self._seed_bootstrap_and_mark(k, dominance=DOMINANCE_TUPLES[:-1]),
+                DOMINANCE_SET_MISMATCH,
+            )
+            self.assertFalse(k.is_installed())
+        finally:
+            k.close()
+
+    def test_dominance_extra(self) -> None:  # t_dominance_extra(-)
+        k = PlatformKernel(":memory:")
+        try:
+            extra = DOMINANCE_TUPLES + (("platform.bootstrap", "rogue.extra"),)
+            self.assertEqual(
+                self._seed_bootstrap_and_mark(k, dominance=extra),
+                DOMINANCE_SET_MISMATCH,
+            )
+            self.assertFalse(k.is_installed())
+        finally:
+            k.close()
+
+    def test_dominance_malformed(self) -> None:  # t_dominance_malformed(-)
+        k = PlatformKernel(":memory:")
+        try:
+            malformed = DOMINANCE_TUPLES[:-1] + (("supervisor.root", "WRONG.subordinate"),)
+            self.assertEqual(
+                self._seed_bootstrap_and_mark(k, dominance=malformed),
+                DOMINANCE_SET_MISMATCH,
+            )
+            self.assertFalse(k.is_installed())
+        finally:
+            k.close()
+
+    # -- AC6 -------------------------------------------------------------- #
+    def test_principal_no_class(self) -> None:  # t_principal_no_class(-)
+        with self.kernel.actor_context("op", "operator", "install"):
+            with self.assertRaises(sqlite3.IntegrityError):
+                self.kernel._conn.execute(
+                    "INSERT INTO principals"
+                    "(principal_id, actor_kind, current_class_id, issuer_id, registered_by, created_at) "
+                    "VALUES ('x', 'operator', NULL, NULL, NULL, '2026-01-01T00:00:00Z')"
+                )
+
+    # -- AC7 -------------------------------------------------------------- #
+    def test_noninstaller_null_issuer(self) -> None:  # t_nonobstaller_null_issuer(-)
+        self.assertEqual(self.kernel.install_platform(INSTALLER).code, INSTALLED)
+        with self.kernel.actor_context("op", "operator", "normal"):
+            cur = self.kernel._conn.execute(
+                "INSERT INTO principal_equivalence_classes(created_at) VALUES ('2026-01-01T00:00:00Z')"
+            )
+            class_id = cur.lastrowid
+            with self.assertRaises(sqlite3.IntegrityError) as ctx:
+                self.kernel._conn.execute(
+                    "INSERT INTO principals"
+                    "(principal_id, actor_kind, current_class_id, issuer_id, registered_by, created_at) "
+                    "VALUES ('rogue', 'operator', ?, NULL, NULL, '2026-01-01T00:00:00Z')",
+                    (class_id,),
+                )
+            self.assertIn("INVALID_BOOTSTRAP_STATE", str(ctx.exception))
+
+    def test_installer_null_issuer_only_during_install(self) -> None:
+        self.assertEqual(self.kernel.install_platform(INSTALLER).code, INSTALLED)
+        with self.kernel.actor_context("i2", "installer", "install"):
+            cur = self.kernel._conn.execute(
+                "INSERT INTO principal_equivalence_classes(created_at) VALUES ('2026-01-01T00:00:00Z')"
+            )
+            class_id = cur.lastrowid
+            with self.assertRaises(sqlite3.IntegrityError):
+                self.kernel._conn.execute(
+                    "INSERT INTO principals"
+                    "(principal_id, actor_kind, current_class_id, issuer_id, registered_by, created_at) "
+                    "VALUES ('i2', 'installer', ?, NULL, NULL, '2026-01-01T00:00:00Z')",
+                    (class_id,),
+                )
+
+    # -- AC8 -------------------------------------------------------------- #
+    def test_context_missing(self) -> None:  # t_context_missing(-)
+        self.assertIsNone(self.kernel._ctx)
+        with self.assertRaises(sqlite3.IntegrityError) as ctx:
+            self.kernel._conn.execute(
+                "INSERT INTO principal_equivalence_classes(created_at) VALUES ('2026-01-01T00:00:00Z')"
+            )
+        self.assertIn("INVALID_ACTOR_CONTEXT", str(ctx.exception))
+
+    def test_context_stale(self) -> None:  # t_context_stale(-)
+        with self.kernel.actor_context("op", "operator", "normal"):
+            self.kernel._ctx.expired = True
+            with self.assertRaises(sqlite3.IntegrityError) as ctx:
+                self.kernel._conn.execute(
+                    "INSERT INTO principal_equivalence_classes(created_at) VALUES ('2026-01-01T00:00:00Z')"
+                )
+            self.assertIn("INVALID_ACTOR_CONTEXT", str(ctx.exception))
+
+    def test_context_epoch_shift(self) -> None:  # t_context_epoch_shift(-)
+        with self.kernel.actor_context("op", "operator", "normal"):
+            self.kernel._ctx.live_epoch = self.kernel._ctx.bound_epoch + 99
+            with self.assertRaises(sqlite3.IntegrityError) as ctx:
+                self.kernel._conn.execute(
+                    "INSERT INTO principal_equivalence_classes(created_at) VALUES ('2026-01-01T00:00:00Z')"
+                )
+            self.assertIn("INVALID_ACTOR_CONTEXT", str(ctx.exception))
+
+    def test_bad_actor_kind_or_mode_rejected(self) -> None:
+        for kind, mode in (("intruder", "normal"), ("operator", "sabotage")):
+            with self.subTest(kind=kind, mode=mode):
+                with self.kernel.actor_context("op", kind, mode):
+                    with self.assertRaises(sqlite3.IntegrityError):
+                        self.kernel._conn.execute(
+                            "INSERT INTO principal_equivalence_classes(created_at) "
+                            "VALUES ('2026-01-01T00:00:00Z')"
+                        )
+
+    # -- AC9 -------------------------------------------------------------- #
+    def test_bootstrap_immutable_update(self) -> None:  # t_bootstrap_immutable_{update}
+        self.assertEqual(self.kernel.install_platform(INSTALLER).code, INSTALLED)
+        cases = [
+            ("UPDATE install_state SET installed_at = 'x' WHERE id = 1", "IMMUTABLE_INSTALL_STATE"),
+            ("UPDATE platform_bootstrap_seed SET created_at = 'x' WHERE seed_id = 1", "IMMUTABLE_SEED"),
+            ("UPDATE authority_dominance SET subordinate = 'x' WHERE dominant = 'supervisor.root'", "IMMUTABLE_DOMINANCE"),
+            (f"UPDATE authoritative_issuers SET issuer_ref = 'x' WHERE issuer_ref = '{DISTINGUISHED_ISSUER_ID}'", "IMMUTABLE_ISSUER"),
+            (f"UPDATE principals SET actor_kind = 'operator' WHERE principal_id = '{INSTALLER}'", "IMMUTABLE_PRINCIPAL"),
+        ]
+        for sql, tag in cases:
+            with self.subTest(sql=sql):
+                with self.kernel.actor_context("op", "operator", "normal"):
+                    with self.assertRaises(sqlite3.IntegrityError) as ctx:
+                        self.kernel._conn.execute(sql)
+                    self.assertIn(tag, str(ctx.exception))
+
+    def test_bootstrap_immutable_delete(self) -> None:  # t_bootstrap_immutable_{delete}
+        self.assertEqual(self.kernel.install_platform(INSTALLER).code, INSTALLED)
+        cases = [
+            ("DELETE FROM install_state WHERE id = 1", "IMMUTABLE_INSTALL_STATE"),
+            ("DELETE FROM platform_bootstrap_seed WHERE seed_id = 1", "IMMUTABLE_SEED"),
+            ("DELETE FROM authority_dominance", "IMMUTABLE_DOMINANCE"),
+            ("DELETE FROM authoritative_issuers", "IMMUTABLE_ISSUER"),
+            (f"DELETE FROM principals WHERE principal_id = '{INSTALLER}'", "IMMUTABLE_PRINCIPAL"),
+            ("DELETE FROM platform_bootstrap_grants", "IMMUTABLE_GRANT"),
+        ]
+        for sql, tag in cases:
+            with self.subTest(sql=sql):
+                with self.kernel.actor_context("op", "operator", "normal"):
+                    with self.assertRaises(sqlite3.IntegrityError) as ctx:
+                        self.kernel._conn.execute(sql)
+                    self.assertIn(tag, str(ctx.exception))
+
+    def test_grant_reactivation_rejected(self) -> None:
+        self.assertEqual(self.kernel.install_platform(INSTALLER).code, INSTALLED)
+        self.kernel.register_principal(
+            "op1", "operator", DISTINGUISHED_ISSUER_ID, actor_principal=INSTALLER
+        )
+        self.assertEqual(
+            self.kernel.grant_platform_bootstrap("op1", INSTALLER).code, INSTALLED
+        )
+        gid = self.kernel._conn.execute(
+            "SELECT grant_id FROM platform_bootstrap_grants WHERE grantee_principal_id = 'op1'"
+        ).fetchone()[0]
+        self.assertEqual(
+            self.kernel.revoke_platform_bootstrap(gid, actor_principal=INSTALLER).code,
+            INSTALLED,
+        )
+        with self.kernel.actor_context("op", "operator", "normal"):
+            with self.assertRaises(sqlite3.IntegrityError) as ctx:
+                self.kernel._conn.execute(
+                    "UPDATE platform_bootstrap_grants SET active = 1 WHERE grant_id = ?",
+                    (gid,),
+                )
+            self.assertIn("IMMUTABLE_GRANT", str(ctx.exception))
+
+    # -- AC12 ------------------------------------------------------------- #
+    def test_raw_write_bypass(self) -> None:  # t_raw_write_bypass(raw-bypass)
+        with tempfile.TemporaryDirectory() as tmp:
+            path = os.path.join(tmp, "p.sqlite3")
+            k = PlatformKernel(path)
+            self.assertEqual(k.install_platform(INSTALLER).code, INSTALLED)
+            k.close()
+            raw = sqlite3.connect(path)
+            raw.execute("PRAGMA foreign_keys = ON")
+            try:
+                with self.assertRaises(sqlite3.Error):
+                    raw.execute(
+                        "INSERT INTO audit_records(event, created_at) "
+                        "VALUES ('forged', '2026-01-01T00:00:00Z')"
+                    )
+                    raw.commit()
+                with self.assertRaises(sqlite3.Error):
+                    raw.execute("UPDATE install_state SET installed_at = 'x' WHERE id = 1")
+                    raw.commit()
+                with self.assertRaises(sqlite3.Error):
+                    raw.execute("DELETE FROM platform_bootstrap_grants")
+                    raw.commit()
+            finally:
+                raw.close()
+
+    # -- AC13 ------------------------------------------------------------- #
+    def test_audit_created(self) -> None:  # t_audit_created(+)
+        self.assertEqual(self.kernel.install_platform(INSTALLER).code, INSTALLED)
+        self.kernel.register_principal(
+            "op1", "operator", DISTINGUISHED_ISSUER_ID, actor_principal=INSTALLER
+        )
+        self.assertEqual(
+            self.kernel.grant_platform_bootstrap("op1", INSTALLER).code, INSTALLED
+        )
+        gid = self.kernel._conn.execute(
+            "SELECT grant_id FROM platform_bootstrap_grants WHERE grantee_principal_id = 'op1'"
+        ).fetchone()[0]
+        self.assertEqual(
+            self.kernel.revoke_platform_bootstrap(gid, actor_principal=INSTALLER).code,
+            INSTALLED,
+        )
+        events = self.kernel.audit_events()
+        for evt in (
+            ap.EVT_PLATFORM_INSTALLED,
+            ap.EVT_GRANT_CREATED,
+            ap.EVT_GRANT_REVOKED,
+            ap.EVT_PRINCIPAL_REGISTERED,
+        ):
+            self.assertIn(evt, events)
+
+    # -- AC14 ------------------------------------------------------------- #
+    def test_audit_immutable(self) -> None:  # t_audit_immutable(raw-bypass)
+        self.assertEqual(self.kernel.install_platform(INSTALLER).code, INSTALLED)
+        with self.kernel.actor_context("op", "operator", "normal"):
+            with self.assertRaises(sqlite3.IntegrityError) as up:
+                self.kernel._conn.execute("UPDATE audit_records SET event = 'x' WHERE audit_id = 1")
+            self.assertIn("IMMUTABLE_AUDIT", str(up.exception))
+            with self.assertRaises(sqlite3.IntegrityError) as dl:
+                self.kernel._conn.execute("DELETE FROM audit_records WHERE audit_id = 1")
+            self.assertIn("IMMUTABLE_AUDIT", str(dl.exception))
+
+    # -- meta ------------------------------------------------------------- #
+    def test_schema_meta(self) -> None:
+        rows = dict(self.kernel._conn.execute("SELECT key, value FROM arch01_meta").fetchall())
+        self.assertEqual(rows["schema_version"], str(ap.SCHEMA_VERSION))
+        self.assertIn("disabled by default", rows["architecture"])
+
+    def test_register_principal_creates_class_first(self) -> None:
+        self.assertEqual(self.kernel.install_platform(INSTALLER).code, INSTALLED)
+        res = self.kernel.register_principal(
+            "svc1", "service", DISTINGUISHED_ISSUER_ID, actor_principal=INSTALLER
+        )
+        self.assertEqual(res.code, INSTALLED)
+        row = self.kernel._conn.execute(
+            "SELECT current_class_id FROM principals WHERE principal_id = 'svc1'"
+        ).fetchone()
+        self.assertIsNotNone(row[0])
+
+    # -- helpers ---------------------------------------------------------- #
+    def _partial_bootstrap_then_rollback(self, k: PlatformKernel, stop: int) -> None:
+        """Execute the first ``stop`` bootstrap statements, then ROLLBACK."""
+        now = "2026-01-01T00:00:00Z"
+        k._conn.execute("BEGIN IMMEDIATE")
+        class_id = None
+        issuer_id = None
+        try:
+            with k.actor_context(INSTALLER, "installer", "install"):
+                c = k._conn
+                if stop >= 1:
+                    class_id = c.execute(
+                        "INSERT INTO principal_equivalence_classes(created_at) VALUES (?)", (now,)
+                    ).lastrowid
+                if stop >= 2:
+                    c.execute(
+                        "INSERT INTO principals(principal_id, actor_kind, current_class_id, issuer_id, registered_by, created_at) "
+                        "VALUES (?, 'installer', ?, NULL, ?, ?)",
+                        (INSTALLER, class_id, INSTALLER, now),
+                    )
+                if stop >= 3:
+                    issuer_id = c.execute(
+                        "INSERT INTO authoritative_issuers(issuer_kind, issuer_ref, created_at) VALUES ('operator-key', ?, ?)",
+                        (DISTINGUISHED_ISSUER_ID, now),
+                    ).lastrowid
+                if stop >= 4:
+                    c.execute(
+                        "UPDATE principals SET issuer_id = ? WHERE principal_id = ?",
+                        (issuer_id, INSTALLER),
+                    )
+                if stop >= 5:
+                    c.executemany(
+                        "INSERT INTO authority_dominance(dominant, subordinate) VALUES (?, ?)",
+                        DOMINANCE_TUPLES,
+                    )
+                if stop >= 6:
+                    c.execute(
+                        "INSERT INTO platform_bootstrap_seed(seed_id, installer_principal_id, created_at) VALUES (1, ?, ?)",
+                        (INSTALLER, now),
+                    )
+                if stop >= 7:
+                    c.execute(
+                        "INSERT INTO platform_bootstrap_grants(grantee_principal_id, granted_by, active, created_at) VALUES (?, NULL, 1, ?)",
+                        (INSTALLER, now),
+                    )
+                if stop >= 8:
+                    c.execute("INSERT INTO platform_active_invariant(id, active_count) VALUES (1, 1)")
+        finally:
+            k._conn.execute("ROLLBACK")
+
+    def _seed_bootstrap_and_mark(self, k: PlatformKernel, dominance) -> str:
+        """Seed a full bootstrap with a caller-supplied dominance set, then
+        attempt the marker insert. Returns the classified failure code (or
+        INSTALLED). Rolls back on failure so no partial rows remain."""
+        now = "2026-01-01T00:00:00Z"
+        k._conn.execute("BEGIN IMMEDIATE")
+        try:
+            with k.actor_context(INSTALLER, "installer", "install"):
+                c = k._conn
+                class_id = c.execute(
+                    "INSERT INTO principal_equivalence_classes(created_at) VALUES (?)", (now,)
+                ).lastrowid
+                c.execute(
+                    "INSERT INTO principals(principal_id, actor_kind, current_class_id, issuer_id, registered_by, created_at) "
+                    "VALUES (?, 'installer', ?, NULL, ?, ?)",
+                    (INSTALLER, class_id, INSTALLER, now),
+                )
+                issuer_id = c.execute(
+                    "INSERT INTO authoritative_issuers(issuer_kind, issuer_ref, created_at) VALUES ('operator-key', ?, ?)",
+                    (DISTINGUISHED_ISSUER_ID, now),
+                ).lastrowid
+                c.execute(
+                    "UPDATE principals SET issuer_id = ? WHERE principal_id = ?",
+                    (issuer_id, INSTALLER),
+                )
+                c.executemany(
+                    "INSERT INTO authority_dominance(dominant, subordinate) VALUES (?, ?)",
+                    dominance,
+                )
+                c.execute(
+                    "INSERT INTO platform_bootstrap_seed(seed_id, installer_principal_id, created_at) VALUES (1, ?, ?)",
+                    (INSTALLER, now),
+                )
+                c.execute(
+                    "INSERT INTO platform_bootstrap_grants(grantee_principal_id, granted_by, active, created_at) VALUES (?, NULL, 1, ?)",
+                    (INSTALLER, now),
+                )
+                c.execute("INSERT INTO platform_active_invariant(id, active_count) VALUES (1, 1)")
+                c.execute(
+                    "INSERT INTO install_state(id, marker, installed_at) VALUES (1, 'installed', ?)",
+                    (now,),
+                )
+            k._conn.execute("COMMIT")
+            return INSTALLED
+        except sqlite3.Error as exc:
+            k._safe_rollback()
+            return PlatformKernel._classify(exc)
+
+
+class Arch01ConcurrencyTest(unittest.TestCase):
+    """Concurrency invariants require file-backed DBs and independent connections."""
+
+    def setUp(self) -> None:
+        self._tmp = tempfile.TemporaryDirectory()
+        self.path = os.path.join(self._tmp.name, "p.sqlite3")
+
+    def tearDown(self) -> None:
+        self._tmp.cleanup()
+
+    # -- AC10 ------------------------------------------------------------- #
+    def test_concurrent_install(self) -> None:  # t_concurrent_install(concurrency)
+        k1 = PlatformKernel(self.path, busy_timeout_ms=0)
+        k2 = PlatformKernel(self.path, busy_timeout_ms=0)
+        barrier = threading.Barrier(2)
+        results = {}
+
+        def _install(name, kernel):
+            barrier.wait()
+            results[name] = kernel.install_platform(INSTALLER).code
+
+        try:
+            with ThreadPoolExecutor(max_workers=2) as ex:
+                f1 = ex.submit(_install, "a", k1)
+                f2 = ex.submit(_install, "b", k2)
+                f1.result()
+                f2.result()
+            codes = sorted(results.values())
+            self.assertEqual(codes.count(INSTALLED), 1, f"exactly one install expected: {results}")
+            other = [c for c in results.values() if c != INSTALLED][0]
+            self.assertIn(other, (ALREADY_INSTALLED, CONCURRENT_INSTALLATION_LOST))
+            self.assertTrue(k1.is_installed())
+            self.assertEqual(_count(k1, "install_state"), 1)
+            self.assertEqual(_count(k1, "principals"), 1)
+        finally:
+            k1.close()
+            k2.close()
+
+    # -- AC11 ------------------------------------------------------------- #
+    def test_concurrent_last_grant_revoke(self) -> None:  # t_concurrent_last_grant_revoke
+        setup = PlatformKernel(self.path)
+        self.assertEqual(setup.install_platform(INSTALLER).code, INSTALLED)
+        setup.register_principal("op1", "operator", DISTINGUISHED_ISSUER_ID, actor_principal=INSTALLER)
+        self.assertEqual(setup.grant_platform_bootstrap("op1", INSTALLER).code, INSTALLED)
+        self.assertEqual(setup.active_grant_count(), 2)
+        gids = [
+            r[0]
+            for r in setup._conn.execute(
+                "SELECT grant_id FROM platform_bootstrap_grants WHERE active = 1 ORDER BY grant_id"
+            ).fetchall()
+        ]
+        setup.close()
+        self.assertEqual(len(gids), 2)
+
+        k1 = PlatformKernel(self.path, busy_timeout_ms=3000)
+        k2 = PlatformKernel(self.path, busy_timeout_ms=3000)
+        barrier = threading.Barrier(2)
+        results = {}
+
+        def _revoke(name, kernel, gid):
+            barrier.wait()
+            results[name] = kernel.revoke_platform_bootstrap(gid, actor_principal=INSTALLER).code
+
+        try:
+            with ThreadPoolExecutor(max_workers=2) as ex:
+                f1 = ex.submit(_revoke, "a", k1, gids[0])
+                f2 = ex.submit(_revoke, "b", k2, gids[1])
+                f1.result()
+                f2.result()
+            codes = list(results.values())
+            self.assertEqual(codes.count(INSTALLED), 1, f"exactly one revoke should win: {results}")
+            self.assertEqual(codes.count(AUTHORIZATION_DENIED), 1, f"one revoke must be denied: {results}")
+            self.assertEqual(k1.active_grant_count(), 1)
+            self.assertEqual(_count_where(k1, "platform_bootstrap_grants", "active = 1"), 1)
+        finally:
+            k1.close()
+            k2.close()
+
+    def test_revoke_final_grant_denied(self) -> None:
+        k = PlatformKernel(self.path)
+        try:
+            self.assertEqual(k.install_platform(INSTALLER).code, INSTALLED)
+            gid = k._conn.execute(
+                "SELECT grant_id FROM platform_bootstrap_grants WHERE active = 1"
+            ).fetchone()[0]
+            res = k.revoke_platform_bootstrap(gid, actor_principal=INSTALLER)
+            self.assertEqual(res.code, AUTHORIZATION_DENIED)
+            self.assertEqual(k.active_grant_count(), 1)
+            self.assertEqual(_count_where(k, "platform_bootstrap_grants", "active = 1"), 1)
+        finally:
+            k.close()
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    unittest.main()

tests/test_issue_812_publish_unpublished_commit.py

@@ -0,0 +1,650 @@
+"""Publication of an unpublished local commit (#812 AC20).
+
+Entry point B of #812: a registered worktree, clean, on its issue branch,
+holding a local commit that has never been published. Exact-owner lease renewal
+refuses such a claim for want of an observable remote head, and every existing
+publication path is lock-derived, so the two predicates close a cycle around
+work that is otherwise complete.
+
+These tests exercise the disposition through its *evidence*, never through any
+particular issue number: every case uses an arbitrary issue number against a
+synthetic repository, and the same assertions hold for any other. Nothing here
+reads, writes, or references the live protected worktree named in #812 AC17 —
+that content is preserved evidence for the duration of this work, so the
+fixtures below build their own repositories from scratch.
+
+The remote is a local bare repository, so publication and read-after-write
+verification are genuinely executed rather than mocked.
+"""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import os
+import subprocess
+import sys
+import tempfile
+import unittest
+from datetime import datetime, timedelta, timezone
+from unittest.mock import patch
+
+sys.path.insert(0, os.path.dirname(os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__))))
+sys.path.insert(0, os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__)))
+
+import branch_publish  # noqa: E402
+import issue_lock_provenance  # noqa: E402
+import issue_lock_renewal  # noqa: E402
+import issue_lock_store  # noqa: E402
+import mcp_server  # noqa: E402
+from mutation_profile_fixture import shared_mutation_env  # noqa: E402
+
+ISSUE = 9812
+BRANCH = f"feat/issue-{ISSUE}-publish-fixture"
+IDENTITY = "example-user"
+PROFILE = "test-author-prgs"
+ORG = "Scaled-Tech-Consulting"
+REPO = "Gitea-Tools"
+GIT_REMOTE = "prgs"
+
+
+def _ts(hours: int) -> str:
+    return (
+        (datetime.now(timezone.utc) + timedelta(hours=hours))
+        .isoformat()
+        .replace("+00:00", "Z")
+    )
+
+
+class _PublishBase(unittest.TestCase):
+    """Real git repo + real bare remote + durable lock naming the caller.
+
+    The recorded owner pid is deliberately **this live process**. That mirrors
+    the production shape #812 documents, where the pid belongs to a long-running
+    MCP daemon rather than to a dead author client, and it proves publication
+    never depends on a dead process (#812 AC24).
+    """
+
+    def setUp(self):
+        self.lock_dir = tempfile.TemporaryDirectory()
+        self.addCleanup(self.lock_dir.cleanup)
+        self.origin = tempfile.mkdtemp(prefix="issue812-origin-")
+        self.repo = tempfile.mkdtemp(prefix="issue812-work-")
+        for path in (self.origin, self.repo):
+            self.addCleanup(
+                lambda p=path: subprocess.run(["rm", "-rf", p], check=False)
+            )
+        self._init_repos()
+        self.remotes = patch.dict(
+            mcp_server.REMOTES,
+            {"prgs": {"host": "gitea.prgs.cc", "org": ORG, "repo": REPO}},
+        )
+        self.remotes.start()
+        self.addCleanup(patch.stopall)
+        mcp_server._IDENTITY_CACHE.clear()
+
+    # ── fixture construction ─────────────────────────────────────────────
+    def _git(self, *args, cwd=None):
+        return subprocess.run(
+            ["git", "-C", cwd or self.repo, *args],
+            capture_output=True,
+            text=True,
+            check=True,
+        )
+
+    def _init_repos(self):
+        subprocess.run(
+            ["git", "init", "-q", "--bare", "-b", "master", self.origin], check=True
+        )
+        self._git("init", "-q", "-b", "master")
+        self._git("config", "user.email", "[email protected]")
+        self._git("config", "user.name", "Test")
+        self._git("remote", "add", GIT_REMOTE, self.origin)
+
+        with open(os.path.join(self.repo, "seed.txt"), "w") as fh:
+            fh.write("seed\n")
+        self._git("add", "seed.txt")
+        self._git("commit", "-q", "-m", "seed")
+        self.base_sha = self._git("rev-parse", "HEAD").stdout.strip()
+        self._git("push", "-q", GIT_REMOTE, "master")
+
+        self._git("checkout", "-q", "-b", BRANCH)
+        with open(os.path.join(self.repo, "work.txt"), "w") as fh:
+            fh.write("unpublished implementation\n")
+        self._git("add", "work.txt")
+        self._git("commit", "-q", "-m", "unpublished implementation")
+        self.head_sha = self._git("rev-parse", "HEAD").stdout.strip()
+        self.worktree = os.path.realpath(self.repo)
+
+    def lock_path(self):
+        return issue_lock_store.lock_file_path(
+            remote="prgs", org=ORG, repo=REPO, issue_number=ISSUE,
+            lock_dir=self.lock_dir.name,
+        )
+
+    def write_lock(self, **overrides):
+        path = self.lock_path()
+        claimant = overrides.pop(
+            "claimant", {"username": IDENTITY, "profile": PROFILE}
+        )
+        pid = overrides.pop("session_pid", os.getpid())
+        lease = {
+            "operation_type": issue_lock_store.AUTHOR_ISSUE_WORK_LEASE,
+            "issue_number": ISSUE,
+            "pr_number": None,
+            "branch": overrides.get("branch_name", BRANCH),
+            "worktree_path": overrides.get("worktree_path", self.worktree),
+            "claimant": claimant,
+            "created_at": _ts(-2),
+            "last_heartbeat_at": _ts(-2),
+            # Expired: entry point B's lease has lapsed, which is precisely why
+            # renewal — and therefore a published head — is needed.
+            "expires_at": _ts(-1),
+        }
+        lease.update(overrides.pop("work_lease", {}))
+        data = {
+            "issue_number": ISSUE,
+            "branch_name": BRANCH,
+            "remote": "prgs",
+            "org": ORG,
+            "repo": REPO,
+            "worktree_path": self.worktree,
+            "session_pid": pid,
+            "pid": pid,
+            "lock_generation": 1,
+            "work_lease": lease,
+            "lock_provenance": issue_lock_provenance.build_sanctioned_lock_provenance(
+                tool="gitea_lock_issue", claimant=claimant
+            ),
+        }
+        data.update(overrides)
+        data["lock_file_path"] = path
+        issue_lock_store.save_lock_file(path, data)
+        return path
+
+    def _tool_env(self):
+        env = shared_mutation_env(
+            PROFILE, include_example_repo=True,
+            GITEA_ISSUE_LOCK_DIR=self.lock_dir.name,
+        )
+        env["GITEA_ISSUE_LOCK_DIR"] = self.lock_dir.name
+        # These tests repoint PROJECT_ROOT at a synthetic repository so the
+        # registered-worktree proof runs for real. Pin the parity gate to the
+        # server's own startup head so that repointing does not read as a stale
+        # daemon; the gate itself stays live and enforced.
+        startup_head = mcp_server._STARTUP_PARITY.get("startup_head") or ""
+        env["GITEA_TEST_CURRENT_HEAD"] = startup_head
+        env["GITEA_TEST_LIVE_REMOTE_HEAD"] = startup_head
+        return env
+
+    # ── tool driver ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+    def run_publish(self, *, open_prs=None, expected_head=None, **kwargs):
+        """Drive the public publication tool against the synthetic fixture."""
+        env = self._tool_env()
+        with patch(
+            "mcp_server._list_open_pulls", return_value=list(open_prs or [])
+        ), patch(
+            "mcp_server._auth", return_value="token x"
+        ), patch(
+            "mcp_server.get_auth_header", return_value="token x"
+        ), patch(
+            "mcp_server._work_lease_claimant",
+            return_value={"username": IDENTITY, "profile": PROFILE},
+        ), patch.object(
+            mcp_server, "PROJECT_ROOT", self.repo
+        ), patch.dict(os.environ, env, clear=True):
+            os.environ["GITEA_ISSUE_LOCK_DIR"] = self.lock_dir.name
+            return mcp_server.gitea_publish_unpublished_issue_branch(
+                issue_number=kwargs.pop("issue_number", ISSUE),
+                branch_name=kwargs.pop("branch_name", BRANCH),
+                worktree_path=kwargs.pop("worktree_path", self.worktree),
+                expected_head=expected_head or self.head_sha,
+                remote="prgs",
+                git_remote_name=kwargs.pop("git_remote_name", GIT_REMOTE),
+                **kwargs,
+            )
+
+    def remote_head(self, branch=BRANCH):
+        res = subprocess.run(
+            ["git", "-C", self.origin, "rev-parse", "--verify", "--quiet", branch],
+            capture_output=True, text=True, check=False,
+        )
+        return (res.stdout or "").strip() or None
+
+
+class TestSuccessfulPublication(_PublishBase):
+    """AC20 — the branch becomes observable and is verified after the write."""
+
+    def test_publishes_clean_unpublished_commit(self):
+        self.write_lock()
+        self.assertIsNone(self.remote_head(), "fixture must start unpublished")
+
+        result = self.run_publish()
+
+        self.assertTrue(result["success"], result.get("reasons"))
+        self.assertTrue(result["performed"])
+        self.assertTrue(result["published"])
+        self.assertTrue(result["verified"], "read-after-write must be proven")
+        self.assertEqual(result["remote_head_sha"], self.head_sha)
+        self.assertEqual(self.remote_head(), self.head_sha)
+
+    def test_publication_does_not_rewrite_the_commit(self):
+        self.write_lock()
+        self.run_publish()
+        # The published object is the same commit, not a copy or a rewrite.
+        self.assertEqual(self.remote_head(), self.head_sha)
+        self.assertEqual(
+            self._git("rev-parse", "HEAD").stdout.strip(), self.head_sha
+        )
+
+    def test_exact_next_action_names_the_lock_call(self):
+        self.write_lock()
+        result = self.run_publish()
+        self.assertIn("gitea_lock_issue", result["exact_next_action"])
+
+
+class TestFailsClosed(_PublishBase):
+    """AC20/AC9 — each refusal reason, exercised independently."""
+
+    def test_changed_local_head_refuses(self):
+        self.write_lock()
+        stale = self.base_sha  # a real commit, but not the declared head
+        result = self.run_publish(expected_head=stale)
+        self.assertFalse(result["success"])
+        self.assertTrue(
+            any("local commit changed" in r for r in result["reasons"]),
+            result["reasons"],
+        )
+        self.assertIsNone(self.remote_head(), "refusal must not publish")
+
+    def test_abbreviated_sha_refuses(self):
+        self.write_lock()
+        result = self.run_publish(expected_head=self.head_sha[:8])
+        self.assertFalse(result["success"])
+        self.assertTrue(
+            any("40-character" in r for r in result["reasons"]), result["reasons"]
+        )
+
+    def test_dirty_tracked_worktree_refuses(self):
+        self.write_lock()
+        with open(os.path.join(self.repo, "work.txt"), "a") as fh:
+            fh.write("uncommitted edit\n")
+
+        result = self.run_publish()
+
+        self.assertFalse(result["success"])
+        self.assertTrue(
+            any("dirty tracked files" in r for r in result["reasons"]),
+            result["reasons"],
+        )
+        self.assertIn("work.txt", result["evidence"]["dirty_tracked_files"])
+        self.assertIsNone(self.remote_head())
+
+    def test_untracked_file_refuses(self):
+        self.write_lock()
+        with open(os.path.join(self.repo, "stray.txt"), "w") as fh:
+            fh.write("not committed\n")
+
+        result = self.run_publish()
+
+        self.assertFalse(result["success"])
+        self.assertTrue(
+            any("untracked files" in r for r in result["reasons"]), result["reasons"]
+        )
+        self.assertIn("stray.txt", result["evidence"]["untracked_files"])
+        self.assertIsNone(self.remote_head())
+
+    def test_unexpected_remote_head_refuses(self):
+        """A remote head that is not an ancestor must never be overwritten."""
+        self.write_lock()
+        # Publish a divergent commit to the branch from a separate line.
+        self._git("checkout", "-q", "-b", "divergent", self.base_sha)
+        with open(os.path.join(self.repo, "other.txt"), "w") as fh:
+            fh.write("someone else's work\n")
+        self._git("add", "other.txt")
+        self._git("commit", "-q", "-m", "divergent")
+        divergent = self._git("rev-parse", "HEAD").stdout.strip()
+        self._git("push", "-q", GIT_REMOTE, f"{divergent}:refs/heads/{BRANCH}")
+        self._git("checkout", "-q", BRANCH)
+
+        result = self.run_publish()
+
+        self.assertFalse(result["success"])
+        self.assertTrue(
+            any("not an ancestor" in r for r in result["reasons"]), result["reasons"]
+        )
+        self.assertEqual(
+            self.remote_head(), divergent, "the other head must survive intact"
+        )
+
+    def test_fast_forward_remote_head_is_allowed(self):
+        """An ancestor head is an honest fast-forward, not a conflict."""
+        self.write_lock()
+        self._git("push", "-q", GIT_REMOTE, f"{self.base_sha}:refs/heads/{BRANCH}")
+
+        result = self.run_publish()
+
+        self.assertTrue(result["success"], result.get("reasons"))
+        self.assertTrue(result["evidence"]["fast_forward_from_remote"])
+        self.assertEqual(self.remote_head(), self.head_sha)
+
+    def test_content_hash_mismatch_refuses(self):
+        self.write_lock()
+        wrong = {"work.txt": "0" * 64}
+
+        result = self.run_publish(expected_file_hashes=wrong)
+
+        self.assertFalse(result["success"])
+        self.assertTrue(
+            any("declared content hashes" in r for r in result["reasons"]),
+            result["reasons"],
+        )
+        self.assertFalse(result["evidence"]["file_hashes_verified"])
+        self.assertIsNone(self.remote_head())
+
+    def test_matching_content_hashes_publish(self):
+        self.write_lock()
+        digests = branch_publish.hash_worktree_files(self.worktree, ["work.txt"])
+
+        result = self.run_publish(expected_file_hashes=digests)
+
+        self.assertTrue(result["success"], result.get("reasons"))
+        self.assertTrue(result["evidence"]["file_hashes_verified"])
+
+    def test_missing_declared_file_refuses(self):
+        self.write_lock()
+        result = self.run_publish(expected_file_hashes={"absent.txt": "0" * 64})
+        self.assertFalse(result["success"])
+        self.assertTrue(
+            any("missing or unreadable" in r for r in result["reasons"]),
+            result["reasons"],
+        )
+
+    def test_foreign_claimant_refuses(self):
+        """Ownership comes from the durable record, not from the caller."""
+        self.write_lock(claimant={"username": "someone-else", "profile": PROFILE})
+
+        result = self.run_publish()
+
+        self.assertFalse(result["success"])
+        self.assertTrue(
+            any("foreign claim" in r for r in result["reasons"]), result["reasons"]
+        )
+        self.assertIsNone(self.remote_head())
+
+    def test_foreign_profile_refuses(self):
+        self.write_lock(
+            claimant={"username": IDENTITY, "profile": "test-reviewer-prgs"}
+        )
+        result = self.run_publish()
+        self.assertFalse(result["success"])
+        self.assertTrue(
+            any("claimant profile" in r for r in result["reasons"]), result["reasons"]
+        )
+
+    def test_absent_lock_record_refuses(self):
+        """No recorded claim means this cannot be used to bypass the lock."""
+        result = self.run_publish()  # no write_lock()
+
+        self.assertFalse(result["success"])
+        self.assertTrue(
+            any("no durable issue-lock record" in r for r in result["reasons"]),
+            result["reasons"],
+        )
+        self.assertIsNone(self.remote_head())
+
+    def test_branch_mismatch_against_lock_refuses(self):
+        self.write_lock(branch_name=f"feat/issue-{ISSUE}-different")
+        result = self.run_publish()
+        self.assertFalse(result["success"])
+        self.assertTrue(
+            any("records branch" in r for r in result["reasons"]), result["reasons"]
+        )
+
+    def test_worktree_mismatch_against_lock_refuses(self):
+        self.write_lock(worktree_path="/tmp/some/other/worktree")
+        result = self.run_publish()
+        self.assertFalse(result["success"])
+        self.assertTrue(
+            any("records worktree" in r for r in result["reasons"]), result["reasons"]
+        )
+
+    def test_competing_open_pr_on_another_branch_refuses(self):
+        self.write_lock()
+        competing = [{"number": 4242, "head": {"ref": f"fix/issue-{ISSUE}-rival"}}]
+
+        result = self.run_publish(open_prs=competing)
+
+        self.assertFalse(result["success"])
+        self.assertTrue(
+            any("already claim issue" in r for r in result["reasons"]),
+            result["reasons"],
+        )
+        self.assertIsNone(self.remote_head())
+
+    def test_open_pr_on_the_same_branch_is_not_competing(self):
+        """This branch's own PR is not a rival claim against itself."""
+        self.write_lock()
+        own = [{"number": 77, "head": {"ref": BRANCH}}]
+
+        result = self.run_publish(open_prs=own)
+
+        self.assertTrue(result["success"], result.get("reasons"))
+
+
+class TestGuardStrictnessPreserved(_PublishBase):
+    """AC15 — publication is an operation, never a weakening of the guards."""
+
+    def test_non_issue_branch_refuses(self):
+        self._git("checkout", "-q", "-b", "scratch/not-issue-linked")
+        self.write_lock(branch_name="scratch/not-issue-linked")
+
+        result = self.run_publish(branch_name="scratch/not-issue-linked")
+
+        self.assertFalse(result["success"])
+        self.assertTrue(
+            any("issue-linked" in r for r in result["reasons"]), result["reasons"]
+        )
+
+    def test_stable_branch_refuses(self):
+        self.write_lock(branch_name="master")
+        result = self.run_publish(branch_name="master")
+        self.assertFalse(result["success"])
+        self.assertTrue(
+            any("issue-linked" in r or "stable branch" in r for r in result["reasons"]),
+            result["reasons"],
+        )
+
+    def test_branch_number_must_match_the_issue(self):
+        other = "feat/issue-7777-mismatched"
+        self._git("checkout", "-q", "-b", other)
+        self.write_lock(branch_name=other)
+        result = self.run_publish(branch_name=other)
+        self.assertFalse(result["success"])
+        self.assertTrue(
+            any("does not carry issue number" in r for r in result["reasons"]),
+            result["reasons"],
+        )
+
+    def test_unregistered_worktree_refuses(self):
+        """#713 — an improvised directory is not a registered worktree."""
+        path = self.write_lock()
+        assessment = branch_publish.assess_unpublished_commit_publication(
+            issue_lock_store.read_lock_file(path),
+            issue_number=ISSUE, branch_name=BRANCH, worktree_path=self.worktree,
+            expected_head=self.head_sha, remote="prgs", org=ORG, repo=REPO,
+            identity=IDENTITY, profile=PROFILE,
+            worktree_state={
+                "current_branch": BRANCH, "porcelain_status": "",
+                "head_sha": self.head_sha,
+            },
+            worktree_registered=False,
+            remote_probe={"probe_ok": True, "remote_branch_exists": False},
+        )
+        self.assertEqual(assessment["outcome"], branch_publish.REFUSED)
+        self.assertTrue(
+            any("not listed in git worktree list" in r
+                for r in assessment["reasons"]),
+            assessment["reasons"],
+        )
+
+    def test_unobservable_remote_refuses(self):
+        """An unknown remote state must not be mistaken for an absent branch."""
+        self.write_lock()
+        result = self.run_publish(git_remote_name="no-such-remote")
+        self.assertFalse(result["success"])
+        self.assertTrue(
+            any("could not be observed" in r for r in result["reasons"]),
+            result["reasons"],
+        )
+
+
+class TestRecordSeparation(_PublishBase):
+    """AC23 — the durable issue lock and the workflow lease are distinct."""
+
+    def test_publication_leaves_the_issue_lock_byte_identical(self):
+        path = self.write_lock()
+        with open(path, "rb") as fh:
+            before = fh.read()
+
+        result = self.run_publish()
+
+        self.assertTrue(result["success"], result.get("reasons"))
+        with open(path, "rb") as fh:
+            after = fh.read()
+        self.assertEqual(before, after, "publication must not mutate the lock record")
+        self.assertFalse(result["issue_lock_record_mutated"])
+        self.assertFalse(result["workflow_lease_touched"])
+
+    def test_refusal_also_reports_untouched_records(self):
+        result = self.run_publish()  # refuses: no lock record
+        self.assertFalse(result["issue_lock_record_mutated"])
+        self.assertFalse(result["workflow_lease_touched"])
+
+    def test_lock_generation_is_not_advanced(self):
+        path = self.write_lock()
+        self.run_publish()
+        lock = issue_lock_store.read_lock_file(path)
+        self.assertEqual(lock["lock_generation"], 1)
+
+
+class TestTruthfulProcessEvidence(_PublishBase):
+    """AC24 — a live daemon pid is never represented as a dead process."""
+
+    def test_live_recorded_pid_does_not_block_publication(self):
+        # The recorded pid is this live process, standing in for the live MCP
+        # daemon. Reclaim would refuse here; publication legitimately does not.
+        path = self.write_lock(session_pid=os.getpid())
+        lock = issue_lock_store.read_lock_file(path)
+        self.assertEqual(lock["pid"], os.getpid())
+
+        result = self.run_publish()
+
+        self.assertTrue(result["success"], result.get("reasons"))
+        self.assertEqual(self.remote_head(), self.head_sha)
+
+    def test_liveness_is_not_consulted_as_evidence(self):
+        self.write_lock(session_pid=os.getpid())
+        result = self.run_publish()
+        self.assertFalse(result["evidence"]["owner_pid_liveness_consulted"])
+
+    def test_reclaim_still_refuses_for_the_same_live_pid(self):
+        """Publication does not soften the reclaim predicate it routes around."""
+        path = self.write_lock(session_pid=os.getpid())
+        lock = issue_lock_store.read_lock_file(path)
+        reclaim = issue_lock_store.assess_expired_lock_reclaim(lock)
+        self.assertFalse(reclaim["reclaim_allowed"])
+
+
+class TestIdempotentRetry(_PublishBase):
+    """AC20 — retry is safe and read-after-write is proven every time."""
+
+    def test_second_publication_reports_already_published(self):
+        self.write_lock()
+        first = self.run_publish()
+        self.assertTrue(first["performed"])
+
+        second = self.run_publish()
+
+        self.assertTrue(second["success"], second.get("reasons"))
+        self.assertFalse(second["performed"], "no second push is needed")
+        self.assertTrue(second["published"])
+        self.assertTrue(second["verified"])
+        self.assertEqual(second["outcome"], branch_publish.ALREADY_PUBLISHED)
+        self.assertEqual(self.remote_head(), self.head_sha)
+
+
+class TestDryRun(_PublishBase):
+    """AC12 — dry run reports the decision and mutates nothing."""
+
+    def test_dry_run_reports_intent_without_publishing(self):
+        self.write_lock()
+
+        result = self.run_publish(dry_run=True)
+
+        self.assertTrue(result["success"])
+        self.assertTrue(result["dry_run"])
+        self.assertTrue(result["would_publish"])
+        self.assertFalse(result["performed"])
+        self.assertIsNone(self.remote_head(), "dry run must not publish")
+
+    def test_dry_run_and_apply_agree_on_a_refusal(self):
+        """AC11 — the reported decision does not depend on which mode ran."""
+        self.write_lock(claimant={"username": "someone-else", "profile": PROFILE})
+
+        dry = self.run_publish(dry_run=True)
+        applied = self.run_publish()
+
+        self.assertFalse(dry["success"])
+        self.assertFalse(applied["success"])
+        self.assertEqual(dry["reasons"], applied["reasons"])
+
+
+class TestRenewalUnblocked(_PublishBase):
+    """AC20/AC21 — renewal is permitted only after verified publication."""
+
+    def _renewal(self, remote_head):
+        return issue_lock_renewal.assess_exact_owner_lease_renewal(
+            issue_lock_store.read_lock_file(self.lock_path()),
+            issue_number=ISSUE, branch_name=BRANCH, worktree_path=self.worktree,
+            remote="prgs", org=ORG, repo=REPO,
+            identity=IDENTITY, profile=PROFILE,
+            current_branch=BRANCH, porcelain_status="", worktree_exists=True,
+            head_sha=self.head_sha, remote_head_sha=remote_head,
+        )
+
+    def test_renewal_refuses_before_publication(self):
+        self.write_lock()
+        decision = self._renewal(None)
+        self.assertFalse(decision["renewal_sanctioned"])
+        self.assertTrue(
+            any("unpublished branch" in r for r in decision["reasons"]),
+            decision["reasons"],
+        )
+
+    def test_renewal_is_sanctioned_after_publication(self):
+        self.write_lock()
+        result = self.run_publish()
+        self.assertTrue(result["verified"], result.get("reasons"))
+
+        decision = self._renewal(self.remote_head())
+
+        self.assertTrue(decision["renewal_sanctioned"], decision["reasons"])
+
+
+class TestProtectedAssetUntouched(unittest.TestCase):
+    """AC17 — no test or fixture may reference the protected worktree."""
+
+    def test_no_reference_to_the_protected_worktree(self):
+        here = os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__))
+        root = os.path.dirname(here)
+        needle = "issue-635-project-registry" + "-api"
+        for path in (
+            os.path.join(here, "test_issue_812_publish_unpublished_commit.py"),
+            os.path.join(root, "branch_publish.py"),
+        ):
+            with open(path, "r", encoding="utf-8") as fh:
+                body = fh.read()
+            self.assertNotIn(needle, body)
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":  # pragma: no cover
+    unittest.main()

tests/test_issue_815_preflight_worktree_forwarding.py

@@ -0,0 +1,622 @@
+"""Publication preflight must receive the caller's worktree (#815).
+
+``gitea_publish_unpublished_issue_branch`` takes a **required** ``worktree_path``
+but resolved it only *after* ``verify_preflight_purity`` had already run. Every
+workspace-resolution layer behind that preflight — canonical root, root checkout,
+create-issue bootstrap, the #618 branches-only guard, issue scope, and anti-stomp
+— therefore received ``None`` and fell back to the MCP process root. A daemon
+rooted at the stable control checkout refused a valid registered issue worktree
+that the caller had explicitly supplied, before the publication assessor ever ran.
+
+The #812 suite could not see this. Its fixture sets ``self.worktree =
+os.path.realpath(self.repo)`` and patches ``PROJECT_ROOT`` to that same path, so
+the fallback resolved to the very worktree the argument named. The production
+topology — control checkout on a stable branch, issue worktree somewhere else —
+was never constructed, and preflight additionally no-ops under pytest unless
+production guards are forced on.
+
+These tests build that topology honestly:
+
+* ``PROJECT_ROOT`` is a control checkout sitting on ``master``;
+* the registered issue worktree is a genuinely separate path under ``branches/``;
+* ``GITEA_TEST_FORCE_PRODUCTION_GUARDS`` is set so the #618 guard really runs;
+* no patch makes the issue worktree appear to be ``PROJECT_ROOT``.
+
+Nothing here reads, writes, or references the protected worktree named in #812
+AC17 and #815 AC9. Every fixture is built from scratch against a local bare
+remote, so publication and read-after-write verification genuinely execute.
+"""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import os
+import subprocess
+import sys
+import tempfile
+import unittest
+from datetime import datetime, timedelta, timezone
+from unittest.mock import patch
+
+sys.path.insert(0, os.path.dirname(os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__))))
+sys.path.insert(0, os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__)))
+
+import issue_lock_provenance  # noqa: E402
+import issue_lock_store  # noqa: E402
+import mcp_server  # noqa: E402
+from mutation_profile_fixture import shared_mutation_env  # noqa: E402
+
+ISSUE = 9815
+BRANCH = f"feat/issue-{ISSUE}-forwarding-fixture"
+WORKTREE_DIRNAME = BRANCH.replace("/", "-")
+IDENTITY = "example-user"
+PROFILE = "test-author-prgs"
+ORG = "Scaled-Tech-Consulting"
+REPO = "Gitea-Tools"
+GIT_REMOTE = "prgs"
+
+AUTHOR_PROFILE = {
+    "profile_name": "prgs-author",
+    "role": "author",
+    "allowed_operations": [
+        "gitea.read", "gitea.issue.create", "gitea.issue.comment",
+        "gitea.pr.create", "gitea.repo.commit", "gitea.branch.push",
+    ],
+    "forbidden_operations": [],
+    "audit_label": "prgs-author",
+}
+
+
+def _ts(hours: int) -> str:
+    return (
+        (datetime.now(timezone.utc) + timedelta(hours=hours))
+        .isoformat()
+        .replace("+00:00", "Z")
+    )
+
+
+class TestPreflightReceivesTheWorktree(unittest.TestCase):
+    """AC1 — the supplied path reaches ``verify_preflight_purity`` itself.
+
+    Follows the #735 capture pattern: replace preflight with a recorder that
+    raises, so the argument can be proven forwarded without performing the
+    mutation. This is the direct unit-level statement of the defect.
+    """
+
+    def _capture_preflight(self, **kwargs):
+        captured: dict = {}
+
+        def _capture(*a, **kw):
+            captured.update(kw)
+            captured["_args"] = a
+            raise RuntimeError("capture-only")
+
+        with patch.object(
+            mcp_server, "verify_preflight_purity", side_effect=_capture
+        ), patch.object(
+            mcp_server, "get_profile", return_value=AUTHOR_PROFILE
+        ), patch.object(
+            mcp_server, "_resolve",
+            return_value=("gitea.prgs.cc", ORG, REPO),
+        ), patch.object(
+            mcp_server, "_auth", return_value="token fake",
+        ), patch.object(
+            mcp_server.role_session_router,
+            "check_author_mutation_after_reviewer_stop",
+            return_value=(True, []),
+        ), patch.object(
+            mcp_server, "_namespace_mutation_block", return_value=None
+        ), patch.object(
+            mcp_server, "_profile_permission_block", return_value=None
+        ):
+            try:
+                mcp_server.gitea_publish_unpublished_issue_branch(**kwargs)
+            except RuntimeError as exc:
+                if "capture-only" not in str(exc) and not captured:
+                    raise
+        self.assertTrue(
+            captured,
+            "gitea_publish_unpublished_issue_branch never called "
+            "verify_preflight_purity",
+        )
+        return captured
+
+    def _base_kwargs(self, **overrides):
+        kwargs = {
+            "issue_number": ISSUE,
+            "branch_name": BRANCH,
+            "worktree_path": "/tmp/issue-815-explicit-worktree",
+            "expected_head": "a" * 40,
+            "remote": "prgs",
+            "org": ORG,
+            "repo": REPO,
+            "git_remote_name": GIT_REMOTE,
+        }
+        kwargs.update(overrides)
+        return kwargs
+
+    def test_explicit_worktree_path_reaches_preflight(self):
+        captured = self._capture_preflight(**self._base_kwargs())
+        self.assertEqual(
+            captured.get("worktree_path"),
+            os.path.realpath(os.path.abspath("/tmp/issue-815-explicit-worktree")),
+            "the authoritative worktree_path must be forwarded into preflight",
+        )
+
+    def test_forwarded_path_is_the_one_publication_uses(self):
+        """AC4 — preflight and publication must judge the same resolved path."""
+        raw = "/tmp/issue-815-explicit-worktree/./"
+        captured = self._capture_preflight(**self._base_kwargs(worktree_path=raw))
+        expected = os.path.realpath(os.path.abspath(raw.strip()))
+        self.assertEqual(captured.get("worktree_path"), expected)
+
+    def test_blank_worktree_path_forwards_none(self):
+        """AC5/AC8 — nothing usable supplied keeps the fail-closed fallback."""
+        for blank in ("", "   "):
+            with self.subTest(blank=repr(blank)):
+                captured = self._capture_preflight(
+                    **self._base_kwargs(worktree_path=blank)
+                )
+                self.assertIsNone(
+                    captured.get("worktree_path"),
+                    "a blank worktree must not resolve to the process cwd",
+                )
+
+    def test_org_repo_and_task_forwarding_are_not_regressed(self):
+        """AC6 — #735's org/repo forwarding and the task name still hold."""
+        captured = self._capture_preflight(**self._base_kwargs())
+        self.assertEqual(captured.get("org"), ORG)
+        self.assertEqual(captured.get("repo"), REPO)
+        self.assertEqual(captured.get("task"), "publish_unpublished_branch")
+
+
+class _ProductionTopologyBase(unittest.TestCase):
+    """Control checkout on master + a distinct registered issue worktree.
+
+    This is the shape the production daemon runs in and the shape the #812
+    fixture never built. ``PROJECT_ROOT`` is the control checkout; the issue
+    worktree is a real registered worktree at a different path; production
+    guards are forced on so the #618 branches-only guard genuinely evaluates.
+    """
+
+    def setUp(self):
+        self.lock_dir = tempfile.TemporaryDirectory()
+        self.addCleanup(self.lock_dir.cleanup)
+        self.origin = tempfile.mkdtemp(prefix="issue815-origin-")
+        self.control = tempfile.mkdtemp(prefix="issue815-control-")
+        for path in (self.origin, self.control):
+            self.addCleanup(
+                lambda p=path: subprocess.run(["rm", "-rf", p], check=False)
+            )
+        self._init_repos()
+        self.remotes = patch.dict(
+            mcp_server.REMOTES,
+            {"prgs": {"host": "gitea.prgs.cc", "org": ORG, "repo": REPO}},
+        )
+        self.remotes.start()
+        self.addCleanup(patch.stopall)
+        mcp_server._IDENTITY_CACHE.clear()
+
+    def _git(self, *args, cwd=None):
+        return subprocess.run(
+            ["git", "-C", cwd or self.control, *args],
+            capture_output=True, text=True, check=True,
+        )
+
+    def _init_repos(self):
+        subprocess.run(
+            ["git", "init", "-q", "--bare", "-b", "master", self.origin], check=True
+        )
+        self._git("init", "-q", "-b", "master")
+        self._git("config", "user.email", "[email protected]")
+        self._git("config", "user.name", "Test")
+        self._git("remote", "add", GIT_REMOTE, self.origin)
+
+        with open(os.path.join(self.control, "seed.txt"), "w") as fh:
+            fh.write("seed\n")
+        # The real repository gitignores branches/, so a registered worktree
+        # living there does not dirty the stable control checkout. Mirror that,
+        # or the #615 dirty-runtime block fires on the worktree we just created.
+        with open(os.path.join(self.control, ".gitignore"), "w") as fh:
+            fh.write("branches/\n")
+        self._git("add", "seed.txt", ".gitignore")
+        self._git("commit", "-q", "-m", "seed")
+        self.base_sha = self._git("rev-parse", "HEAD").stdout.strip()
+        self._git("push", "-q", GIT_REMOTE, "master")
+
+        # The control checkout STAYS on master. This is the whole point: the
+        # daemon's process root is the stable control checkout, never the
+        # worktree the publication targets.
+        self.worktree = os.path.realpath(
+            os.path.join(self.control, "branches", WORKTREE_DIRNAME)
+        )
+        self._git("worktree", "add", "-q", "-b", BRANCH, self.worktree, "master")
+
+        with open(os.path.join(self.worktree, "work.txt"), "w") as fh:
+            fh.write("unpublished implementation\n")
+        self._git("add", "work.txt", cwd=self.worktree)
+        self._git("commit", "-q", "-m", "unpublished implementation", cwd=self.worktree)
+        self.head_sha = self._git("rev-parse", "HEAD", cwd=self.worktree).stdout.strip()
+
+        self.control_branch = self._git(
+            "rev-parse", "--abbrev-ref", "HEAD"
+        ).stdout.strip()
+
+    # ── durable lock naming the caller and the issue worktree ────────────
+    def lock_path(self):
+        return issue_lock_store.lock_file_path(
+            remote="prgs", org=ORG, repo=REPO, issue_number=ISSUE,
+            lock_dir=self.lock_dir.name,
+        )
+
+    def write_lock(self, *, bind_session=True, **overrides):
+        path = self.lock_path()
+        claimant = overrides.pop(
+            "claimant", {"username": IDENTITY, "profile": PROFILE}
+        )
+        pid = overrides.pop("session_pid", os.getpid())
+        lease = {
+            "operation_type": issue_lock_store.AUTHOR_ISSUE_WORK_LEASE,
+            "issue_number": ISSUE,
+            "pr_number": None,
+            "branch": overrides.get("branch_name", BRANCH),
+            "worktree_path": overrides.get("worktree_path", self.worktree),
+            "claimant": claimant,
+            "created_at": _ts(-2),
+            "last_heartbeat_at": _ts(-2),
+            "expires_at": _ts(-1),
+        }
+        lease.update(overrides.pop("work_lease", {}))
+        data = {
+            "issue_number": ISSUE,
+            "branch_name": BRANCH,
+            "remote": "prgs",
+            "org": ORG,
+            "repo": REPO,
+            "worktree_path": self.worktree,
+            "session_pid": pid,
+            "pid": pid,
+            "lock_generation": 1,
+            "work_lease": lease,
+            "lock_provenance": issue_lock_provenance.build_sanctioned_lock_provenance(
+                tool="gitea_lock_issue", claimant=claimant
+            ),
+        }
+        data.update(overrides)
+        data["lock_file_path"] = path
+        issue_lock_store.save_lock_file(path, data)
+        # Bind the session pointer so the #683 issue-scope guard resolves an
+        # owning issue for this author session. In real production the publish
+        # task does not require a session lock — require_author_lock is keyed on
+        # the test-only production_guards_forced() flag, which this suite must
+        # set to make preflight run at all — so this pointer is fixture
+        # scaffolding to clear a guard production would not apply here, never a
+        # softening of the worktree-forwarding behaviour under test. The
+        # preflight-negative cases below leave it unbound precisely so the #618
+        # guard is reached with no session fallback to rescue a bad worktree.
+        if bind_session:
+            pointer = {
+                "pid": os.getpid(),
+                "lock_file_path": path,
+                "issue_number": ISSUE,
+                "branch_name": data["branch_name"],
+                "remote": "prgs",
+                "org": ORG,
+                "repo": REPO,
+            }
+            issue_lock_store.save_lock_file(
+                issue_lock_store.session_pointer_path(self.lock_dir.name), pointer
+            )
+        return path
+
+    def _tool_env(self):
+        env = shared_mutation_env(
+            PROFILE, include_example_repo=True,
+            GITEA_ISSUE_LOCK_DIR=self.lock_dir.name,
+        )
+        env["GITEA_ISSUE_LOCK_DIR"] = self.lock_dir.name
+        # The defect only exists where preflight actually runs. Under pytest the
+        # production root/branches/scope guards are skipped unless forced on, so
+        # force them: this test exists to exercise the #618 guard, not to bypass
+        # it. Parity is pinned to the server's own startup head so repointing
+        # PROJECT_ROOT does not read as a stale daemon.
+        env["GITEA_TEST_FORCE_PRODUCTION_GUARDS"] = "1"
+        # Production is a promoted stable-control runtime. The pytest process
+        # itself runs from a branches/ worktree, which the #615 runtime-mode
+        # gate correctly classifies as dev-test; declaring the sanctioned mode
+        # models the production daemon rather than defeating the gate. Without
+        # this, forcing production guards on would trip the *runtime-mode* block
+        # for a reason unrelated to the #815 worktree-forwarding defect.
+        env["GITEA_MCP_RUNTIME_MODE"] = "stable-control"
+        startup_head = mcp_server._STARTUP_PARITY.get("startup_head") or ""
+        env["GITEA_TEST_CURRENT_HEAD"] = startup_head
+        env["GITEA_TEST_LIVE_REMOTE_HEAD"] = startup_head
+        return env
+
+    def run_publish(self, *, open_prs=None, expected_head=None, **kwargs):
+        """Drive the public tool with PROJECT_ROOT pinned to the CONTROL checkout."""
+        env = self._tool_env()
+        with patch(
+            "mcp_server._list_open_pulls", return_value=list(open_prs or [])
+        ), patch(
+            "mcp_server._auth", return_value="token x"
+        ), patch(
+            "mcp_server.get_auth_header", return_value="token x"
+        ), patch(
+            "mcp_server._work_lease_claimant",
+            return_value={"username": IDENTITY, "profile": PROFILE},
+        ), patch.object(
+            # NOTE: the control checkout — deliberately NOT self.worktree.
+            mcp_server, "PROJECT_ROOT", self.control
+        ), patch.dict(os.environ, env, clear=True):
+            os.environ["GITEA_ISSUE_LOCK_DIR"] = self.lock_dir.name
+            return mcp_server.gitea_publish_unpublished_issue_branch(
+                issue_number=kwargs.pop("issue_number", ISSUE),
+                branch_name=kwargs.pop("branch_name", BRANCH),
+                worktree_path=kwargs.pop("worktree_path", self.worktree),
+                expected_head=expected_head or self.head_sha,
+                remote="prgs",
+                git_remote_name=kwargs.pop("git_remote_name", GIT_REMOTE),
+                **kwargs,
+            )
+
+    def remote_head(self, branch=BRANCH):
+        res = subprocess.run(
+            ["git", "-C", self.origin, "rev-parse", "--verify", "--quiet", branch],
+            capture_output=True, text=True, check=False,
+        )
+        return (res.stdout or "").strip() or None
+
+
+class TestForwardingClearsThe618Guard(_ProductionTopologyBase):
+    """AC2 — the faithful production reproduction, and the sharpest fix proof.
+
+    The production recovery worker had **no** session issue lock — acquiring one
+    was the very thing the deadlock prevented — so preflight had nothing but the
+    explicit ``worktree_path`` argument to resolve the workspace from. This class
+    reproduces exactly that: no session pointer is bound, so there is no
+    author-lock fallback to rescue a dropped argument.
+
+    With the argument forwarded (fixed source) the #618 branches-only guard
+    accepts the registered issue worktree and the call advances to the next
+    guard. With the argument dropped (the buggy source this issue reports)
+    preflight falls back to ``PROJECT_ROOT`` — the stable control checkout — and
+    the #618 guard traps the call there. The two outcomes are told apart by the
+    guard that fired, on its own error text.
+
+    This test therefore *fails* against the unpatched source (the call is trapped
+    at #618 instead of clearing it), which is what makes it a regression rather
+    than a smoke test.
+    """
+
+    _CONTROL_CHECKOUT_MARKERS = ("stable control checkout", "#618")
+
+    def test_explicit_worktree_clears_618_without_a_session_lock(self):
+        # No write_lock(): the session is deliberately unbound, as in production.
+        with self.assertRaises(RuntimeError) as ctx:
+            self.run_publish()
+        message = str(ctx.exception)
+        # The workspace guard is satisfied — the failure is the *later* scope
+        # guard (no owning issue), never the control-checkout refusal. If the
+        # argument were dropped, this call would be trapped at #618 instead.
+        for marker in self._CONTROL_CHECKOUT_MARKERS:
+            self.assertNotIn(
+                marker, message,
+                f"the explicit worktree must clear #618; got a control-checkout "
+                f"refusal instead: {message}",
+            )
+        self.assertIn(
+            "owning issue", message,
+            f"expected the downstream scope guard to fire, got: {message}",
+        )
+        self.assertIsNone(self.remote_head())
+
+    def test_dropped_argument_would_be_trapped_at_618(self):
+        # Simulate the buggy call shape directly: no session lock, and preflight
+        # given no worktree, exactly as the unpatched source left it. This pins
+        # the control-checkout refusal that the fix eliminates, so the pair of
+        # tests brackets the defect from both sides regardless of which source
+        # version is loaded.
+        env = self._tool_env()
+        with patch(
+            "mcp_server._list_open_pulls", return_value=[]
+        ), patch(
+            "mcp_server._auth", return_value="token x"
+        ), patch(
+            "mcp_server.get_auth_header", return_value="token x"
+        ), patch(
+            "mcp_server._work_lease_claimant",
+            return_value={"username": IDENTITY, "profile": PROFILE},
+        ), patch.object(
+            mcp_server, "PROJECT_ROOT", self.control
+        ), patch.dict(os.environ, env, clear=True):
+            os.environ["GITEA_ISSUE_LOCK_DIR"] = self.lock_dir.name
+            with self.assertRaises(RuntimeError) as ctx:
+                # Drive verify_preflight_purity the way the buggy body did:
+                # no worktree_path forwarded at all.
+                mcp_server.verify_preflight_purity(
+                    "prgs",
+                    task="publish_unpublished_branch",
+                    org=ORG,
+                    repo=REPO,
+                )
+        message = str(ctx.exception)
+        self.assertTrue(
+            any(m in message for m in self._CONTROL_CHECKOUT_MARKERS),
+            f"a dropped worktree must trap at the control checkout: {message}",
+        )
+        self.assertIsNone(self.remote_head())
+
+
+class TestProductionTopologyPublishes(_ProductionTopologyBase):
+    """AC2/AC4/AC7 — the explicit registered worktree is what preflight validates."""
+
+    def test_fixture_is_genuinely_the_production_topology(self):
+        """Guard the guard: if this drifts, the regression stops meaning anything."""
+        self.assertNotEqual(
+            os.path.realpath(self.control), self.worktree,
+            "the issue worktree must not be PROJECT_ROOT",
+        )
+        self.assertEqual(
+            self.control_branch, "master",
+            "the control checkout must sit on a stable branch",
+        )
+        self.assertTrue(
+            os.path.realpath(self.worktree).startswith(
+                os.path.realpath(os.path.join(self.control, "branches")) + os.sep
+            ),
+            "the issue worktree must live under branches/",
+        )
+        listed = subprocess.run(
+            ["git", "-C", self.control, "worktree", "list"],
+            capture_output=True, text=True, check=True,
+        ).stdout
+        self.assertIn(
+            self.worktree, listed, "the issue worktree must be genuinely registered"
+        )
+
+    def test_publishes_from_a_control_rooted_daemon(self):
+        """The exact production failure: this refused with #618 before the fix."""
+        self.write_lock()
+        self.assertIsNone(self.remote_head(), "fixture must start unpublished")
+        res = self.run_publish()
+        self.assertTrue(res.get("success"), res)
+        self.assertTrue(res.get("performed"), res)
+        self.assertEqual(self.remote_head(), self.head_sha)
+
+    def test_dry_run_uses_the_explicit_worktree(self):
+        """AC4 — dry-run reaches the same decision without publishing."""
+        self.write_lock()
+        res = self.run_publish(dry_run=True)
+        self.assertTrue(res.get("success"), res)
+        self.assertFalse(res.get("performed"), res)
+        self.assertTrue(res.get("would_publish"), res)
+        self.assertIsNone(self.remote_head(), "dry-run must not publish")
+
+    def test_dry_run_and_apply_agree_on_the_same_worktree(self):
+        """AC4 — both paths resolve the same workspace, so both succeed."""
+        self.write_lock()
+        dry = self.run_publish(dry_run=True)
+        self.assertTrue(dry.get("would_publish"), dry)
+        applied = self.run_publish()
+        self.assertTrue(applied.get("performed"), applied)
+        self.assertEqual(self.remote_head(), self.head_sha)
+
+    def test_read_after_write_verification_still_runs(self):
+        """AC6 — PR #814's post-publication verification is unchanged."""
+        self.write_lock()
+        res = self.run_publish()
+        self.assertTrue(res.get("verified"), res)
+        self.assertEqual(res.get("remote_head_sha"), self.head_sha)
+
+
+class TestProductionTopologyFailsClosed(_ProductionTopologyBase):
+    """AC3/AC5/AC8 — the fix does not weaken any refusal.
+
+    A refusal reaches the caller by one of two mechanisms, and this class holds
+    them apart deliberately. A bad *workspace* is caught by the #618 preflight
+    guard, which raises before the assessor is built. A bad *content/ownership*
+    fact passes preflight (the worktree itself is fine) and is then refused by
+    the publication assessor, which returns ``success: False``. Both are
+    fail-closed; asserting the wrong mechanism would hide a regression.
+    """
+
+    # ── #618 preflight refusals: no session lock, so nothing rescues a bad
+    #    workspace and the guard fires exactly as it does in production ──────
+    def _assert_preflight_raises(self, **kwargs):
+        with self.assertRaises(RuntimeError) as ctx:
+            self.run_publish(**kwargs)
+        self.assertIsNone(
+            self.remote_head(), "a blocked publication must not reach the remote"
+        )
+        return str(ctx.exception)
+
+    def test_blank_worktree_path_fails_closed_via_618(self):
+        """AC5 — a blank path forwards None, so preflight sees the control root."""
+        for blank in ("", "   "):
+            with self.subTest(blank=repr(blank)):
+                message = self._assert_preflight_raises(worktree_path=blank)
+                self.assertIn("618", message)
+
+    def test_control_checkout_as_worktree_fails_closed_via_618(self):
+        """AC5 — naming the stable control checkout explicitly is still refused."""
+        message = self._assert_preflight_raises(worktree_path=self.control)
+        self.assertIn("618", message)
+
+    def test_unregistered_directory_fails_closed(self):
+        """AC3 — a plain directory under branches/ is not a registered worktree."""
+        bogus = os.path.join(self.control, "branches", "not-a-worktree")
+        os.makedirs(bogus, exist_ok=True)
+        self._assert_preflight_raises(worktree_path=bogus)
+
+    def test_missing_worktree_path_fails_closed(self):
+        """AC3 — a path that does not exist is refused, not silently replaced."""
+        missing = os.path.join(self.control, "branches", "absent-worktree")
+        self._assert_preflight_raises(worktree_path=missing)
+
+    # ── assessor refusals: preflight passes on a valid worktree, then the
+    #    publication assessor refuses on content/ownership evidence ──────────
+    def _assert_assessor_refuses(self, **kwargs):
+        res = self.run_publish(**kwargs)
+        self.assertFalse(res.get("success"), res)
+        self.assertFalse(res.get("performed"), res)
+        self.assertIsNone(self.remote_head())
+        return res
+
+    def test_changed_local_head_still_refuses(self):
+        """AC6 — the declared expected_head remains authoritative."""
+        self.write_lock()
+        self._assert_assessor_refuses(expected_head="b" * 40)
+
+    def test_foreign_claimant_still_refuses(self):
+        """AC6 — ownership still comes from the durable lock record."""
+        self.write_lock(claimant={"username": "someone-else", "profile": PROFILE})
+        self._assert_assessor_refuses()
+
+    def test_dirty_worktree_still_refuses(self):
+        """AC6 — cleanliness enforcement survives the forwarding change."""
+        self.write_lock()
+        with open(os.path.join(self.worktree, "work.txt"), "a") as fh:
+            fh.write("uncommitted drift\n")
+        self._assert_assessor_refuses()
+
+    def test_competing_open_pr_still_refuses(self):
+        """AC6 — a rival claim on another branch still blocks."""
+        self.write_lock()
+        self._assert_assessor_refuses(
+            open_prs=[{"number": 4242, "head": {"ref": f"fix/issue-{ISSUE}-rival"}}]
+        )
+
+    def test_issue_lock_record_is_not_mutated_by_a_refusal(self):
+        """AC6 — record separation (#812 AC23) is unaffected by this change."""
+        path = self.write_lock()
+        with open(path, "rb") as fh:
+            before = fh.read()
+        self._assert_assessor_refuses(expected_head="c" * 40)
+        with open(path, "rb") as fh:
+            self.assertEqual(before, fh.read())
+
+
+class TestProtectedFixtureNotReferenced(unittest.TestCase):
+    """AC9 — this regression never names the protected #635 fixture.
+
+    The forbidden tokens are reconstructed from fragments so this assertion
+    file does not itself contain them and produce a false positive.
+    """
+
+    def test_no_reference_to_the_protected_worktree(self):
+        forbidden = [
+            "issue-635-" + "project-registry-api",
+            "b2f6e9a6dc40e9651ef8" + "76f322dd0a68bddebfd8",
+        ]
+        here = os.path.abspath(__file__)
+        with open(here, "r", encoding="utf-8") as fh:
+            text = fh.read()
+        for token in forbidden:
+            self.assertNotIn(
+                token, text,
+                f"the protected #635 fixture must not be referenced: {token}",
+            )
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    unittest.main()

tests/test_task_capability_role_invariants.py

@@ -139,6 +139,9 @@ EXPECTED_ROLE_EXCLUSIVE_TASKS = frozenset(
         "gitea_release_merger_pr_lease",
         "create_branch",
         "push_branch",
+        # #812 AC20: publishing an unpublished local head is author-only for the
+        # same reason every other push is — it writes a branch to the remote.
+        "publish_unpublished_branch",
         "create_pr",
         "commit_files",
         "gitea_commit_files",