fix(reconcile): retire workflow session rows whose owners are no longer live

Implement a sanctioned session lifecycle for post-restart reconciliation so
active session rows with dead or reused owner PIDs can be terminalized
without deleting history. Protect live owners, live leases, and live
client-managed sessions; record durable session_retired audit events; keep
cleanup idempotent under concurrent reconciles.

Closes #969

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

control_plane_db.py

@@ -27,12 +27,12 @@ import uuid
 from contextlib import contextmanager
 from dataclasses import dataclass
 from datetime import datetime, timedelta, timezone
-from typing import Any, Iterator, Sequence
+from typing import Any, Iterator, Mapping, Sequence
 
 import dependency_graph
 import gitea_audit
 
-SCHEMA_VERSION = 5
+SCHEMA_VERSION = 6
 
 # Assignable work kinds only — raw monitoring incidents are never work items.
 WORK_KINDS = frozenset({"issue", "pr"})
@@ -419,6 +419,7 @@ class ControlPlaneDB:
                 self._migrate_incident_links_null_scope(conn)
                 self._migrate_lease_lifecycle_columns(conn)
                 self._migrate_session_ownership_columns(conn)
+                self._migrate_session_lifecycle_columns(conn)
                 self._migrate_usage_events_table(conn)
                 conn.execute(
                     "INSERT OR REPLACE INTO schema_meta(key, value) VALUES (?, ?)",
@@ -812,6 +813,7 @@ class ControlPlaneDB:
         pid: int | None = None,
         status: str = "active",
         controller_instance_id: str | None = None,
+        owner_process_started_at: str | None = None,
     ) -> dict[str, Any]:
         """Register/refresh a session row.
 
@@ -821,16 +823,22 @@ class ControlPlaneDB:
         controller instance can. It is never overwritten with ``None``, so a
         heartbeat from a caller that does not supply one cannot erase
         ownership.
+
+        *owner_process_started_at* (#969) is the OS start time of the owner
+        process at registration time. When present it is retained across
+        heartbeats (never cleared by ``None``) so later PID-reuse checks do
+        not depend on a live ``ps`` probe of a long-dead process.
         """
         now = _ts()
         instance = (controller_instance_id or "").strip() or None
+        proc_start = (owner_process_started_at or "").strip() or None
         with self._tx() as conn:
             existing = conn.execute(
                 "SELECT session_id FROM sessions WHERE session_id = ?",
                 (session_id,),
             ).fetchone()
             if existing:
-                if instance is None:
+                if instance is None and proc_start is None:
                     conn.execute(
                         """
                         UPDATE sessions
@@ -840,7 +848,21 @@ class ControlPlaneDB:
                         """,
                         (role, profile, namespace, pid, now, status, session_id),
                     )
-                else:
+                elif instance is None:
+                    conn.execute(
+                        """
+                        UPDATE sessions
+                        SET role = ?, profile = ?, namespace = ?, pid = ?,
+                            last_heartbeat_at = ?, status = ?,
+                            owner_process_started_at = COALESCE(?, owner_process_started_at)
+                        WHERE session_id = ?
+                        """,
+                        (
+                            role, profile, namespace, pid, now, status,
+                            proc_start, session_id,
+                        ),
+                    )
+                elif proc_start is None:
                     conn.execute(
                         """
                         UPDATE sessions
@@ -854,18 +876,33 @@ class ControlPlaneDB:
                             instance, session_id,
                         ),
                     )
+                else:
+                    conn.execute(
+                        """
+                        UPDATE sessions
+                        SET role = ?, profile = ?, namespace = ?, pid = ?,
+                            last_heartbeat_at = ?, status = ?,
+                            controller_instance_id = ?,
+                            owner_process_started_at = COALESCE(?, owner_process_started_at)
+                        WHERE session_id = ?
+                        """,
+                        (
+                            role, profile, namespace, pid, now, status,
+                            instance, proc_start, session_id,
+                        ),
+                    )
             else:
                 conn.execute(
                     """
                     INSERT INTO sessions(
                         session_id, role, profile, namespace, pid,
                         started_at, last_heartbeat_at, status,
-                        controller_instance_id
+                        controller_instance_id, owner_process_started_at
-                    ) VALUES (?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?)
+                    ) VALUES (?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?)
                     """,
                     (
                         session_id, role, profile, namespace, pid, now, now,
-                        status, instance,
+                        status, instance, proc_start,
                     ),
                 )
             row = conn.execute(
@@ -881,6 +918,165 @@ class ControlPlaneDB:
                 (_ts(), session_id),
             )
 
+    def retire_session(
+        self,
+        *,
+        session_id: str,
+        reason: str,
+        actor_session_id: str | None = None,
+        details: Mapping[str, Any] | None = None,
+        now: datetime | None = None,
+        terminal_status: str = "retired",
+    ) -> dict[str, Any]:
+        """Terminalize one session row if it is still non-terminal (#969).
+
+        CAS on non-terminal status: concurrent retirements of the same row
+        yield exactly one ``retired`` outcome and subsequent
+        ``already_terminal`` outcomes. Never deletes historical rows. Writes a
+        durable ``session_retired`` event for audit.
+        """
+        moment = _ts(now)
+        reason_s = (reason or "").strip() or "unspecified"
+        term = (terminal_status or "retired").strip().lower() or "retired"
+        terminal_set = {
+            "retired",
+            "ended",
+            "terminal",
+            "dead",
+            "stale",
+            "orphaned",
+        }
+        with self._tx() as conn:
+            row = conn.execute(
+                "SELECT * FROM sessions WHERE session_id = ?",
+                (session_id,),
+            ).fetchone()
+            if row is None:
+                return {
+                    "outcome": "missing",
+                    "reason": reason_s,
+                    "prior_status": None,
+                    "new_status": None,
+                    "details": {"session_id": session_id},
+                }
+            prior = dict(row)
+            prior_status = str(prior.get("status") or "").strip().lower()
+            if prior_status in terminal_set:
+                return {
+                    "outcome": "already_terminal",
+                    "reason": reason_s,
+                    "prior_status": prior_status,
+                    "new_status": prior_status,
+                    "details": {"session_id": session_id, "idempotent": True},
+                }
+
+            # Optional: refuse when an active lease still names this session.
+            active_lease = conn.execute(
+                """
+                SELECT lease_id, status, expires_at FROM leases
+                WHERE session_id = ? AND status = 'active'
+                LIMIT 1
+                """,
+                (session_id,),
+            ).fetchone()
+            if active_lease is not None:
+                return {
+                    "outcome": "blocked",
+                    "reason": "live_lease",
+                    "prior_status": prior_status,
+                    "new_status": prior_status,
+                    "details": {
+                        "session_id": session_id,
+                        "lease_id": active_lease["lease_id"],
+                        "blocker": "active_lease_row",
+                    },
+                }
+
+            cols = {
+                r[1] for r in conn.execute("PRAGMA table_info(sessions)").fetchall()
+            }
+            if "retired_at" in cols and "retire_reason" in cols:
+                conn.execute(
+                    """
+                    UPDATE sessions
+                    SET status = ?, retired_at = ?, retire_reason = ?
+                    WHERE session_id = ? AND status = ?
+                    """,
+                    (term, moment, reason_s, session_id, prior.get("status")),
+                )
+            else:
+                conn.execute(
+                    """
+                    UPDATE sessions
+                    SET status = ?
+                    WHERE session_id = ? AND status = ?
+                    """,
+                    (term, session_id, prior.get("status")),
+                )
+            changed = conn.execute(
+                "SELECT changes()"
+            ).fetchone()[0]
+            if not changed:
+                # Lost CAS race — re-read.
+                refreshed = conn.execute(
+                    "SELECT status FROM sessions WHERE session_id = ?",
+                    (session_id,),
+                ).fetchone()
+                cur = (
+                    str(refreshed["status"]).strip().lower()
+                    if refreshed is not None
+                    else None
+                )
+                return {
+                    "outcome": "already_terminal"
+                    if cur in terminal_set
+                    else "blocked",
+                    "reason": reason_s,
+                    "prior_status": prior_status,
+                    "new_status": cur,
+                    "details": {
+                        "session_id": session_id,
+                        "cas_lost": True,
+                    },
+                }
+
+            detail_payload: dict[str, Any] = {
+                "session_id": session_id,
+                "prior_status": prior_status,
+                "new_status": term,
+                "reason": reason_s,
+                "actor_session_id": actor_session_id,
+                "pid": prior.get("pid"),
+                "role": prior.get("role"),
+                "profile": prior.get("profile"),
+            }
+            if isinstance(details, Mapping):
+                for key, value in details.items():
+                    if key not in detail_payload:
+                        detail_payload[key] = value
+            message = (
+                f"session {session_id} retired reason={reason_s} "
+                f"prior_status={prior_status}"
+            )
+            # events.work_item_id is nullable; session retirement is not work-scoped.
+            conn.execute(
+                """
+                INSERT INTO events(work_item_id, event_type, message, created_at)
+                VALUES (NULL, 'session_retired', ?, ?)
+                """,
+                (message[:2000], moment),
+            )
+            # Also persist a structured JSON line in the message when short enough
+            # by appending a compact summary (full detail stays in return value /
+            # audit log; events.message is human-readable).
+            return {
+                "outcome": "retired",
+                "reason": reason_s,
+                "prior_status": prior_status,
+                "new_status": term,
+                "details": detail_payload,
+            }
+
     def list_sessions(
         self,
         *,
@@ -1639,6 +1835,29 @@ class ControlPlaneDB:
             if name not in cols:
                 conn.execute(f"ALTER TABLE sessions ADD COLUMN {name} {decl}")
 
+    _SESSION_LIFECYCLE_COLUMNS: tuple[tuple[str, str], ...] = (
+        ("owner_process_started_at", "TEXT"),
+        ("retired_at", "TEXT"),
+        ("retire_reason", "TEXT"),
+    )
+
+    def _migrate_session_lifecycle_columns(self, conn: sqlite3.Connection) -> None:
+        """Add session retirement / PID-reuse provenance columns (#969).
+
+        Additive and idempotent. Pre-existing rows migrate with NULL; retirement
+        fills ``retired_at`` / ``retire_reason``, and new upserts may record
+        ``owner_process_started_at`` for stronger identity checks.
+        """
+        cols = {
+            row[1]
+            for row in conn.execute("PRAGMA table_info(sessions)").fetchall()
+        }
+        if not cols:
+            return
+        for name, decl in self._SESSION_LIFECYCLE_COLUMNS:
+            if name not in cols:
+                conn.execute(f"ALTER TABLE sessions ADD COLUMN {name} {decl}")
+
     def list_active_claims(
         self,
         *,

docs/mcp-namespace-health.md

@@ -86,3 +86,74 @@ When a namespace returns EOF, follow
 
 When blocked, repair the IDE namespace and re-record a healthy
 `client_namespace` assessment before retrying the mutation.
+
+## Connected vs Attached Tool Surface (#708)
+
+MCP servers can report **Connected** at the CLI / host inventory layer while the **active LLM session exposes none of their tool namespaces**.
+
+### Core principle
+
+* **Connected status at host layer ≠ attached tools in active session.**
+* Required preflight proof is **live tool visibility + `gitea_whoami` call** through the target namespace, not host `Connected` status alone.
+* When servers report Connected but namespaces are absent from attached tools, classify as `mcp_connected_namespaces_missing`.
+
+### Forbidden unsafe fallbacks
+
+When `mcp_connected_namespaces_missing` is detected, workflows must **fail closed** and must **never** encourage or perform:
+
+* direct imports of MCP server Python modules
+* CLI or raw Gitea API mutations as a substitute for native tools
+* profile hopping to another MCP profile/namespace to bypass the empty session
+* session-state overrides or hand-edited session/ledger files
+* process kills (`pkill`), config mtime touches, or `.env` edits
+
+Only sanctioned recovery: **client reconnect path**, followed by full preflight (`whoami` → capability resolve → task).
+
+### Native detection tool
+
+`gitea_assess_mcp_namespace_attachment` classifies the condition and records it in
+the session. Pass the namespaces the host reports Connected and the namespaces
+actually attached to the active session tool surface:
+
+| Argument | Meaning |
+|---|---|
+| `connected_servers` | Namespaces the host/CLI reports Connected |
+| `attached_session_namespaces` | Namespaces exposed in the active session tool surface |
+| `required_namespaces` | Namespaces this workflow needs (defaults to the role namespaces) |
+| `discovery_cache_hit` / `discovery_cache_age_seconds` | Client tool-discovery cache state |
+| `auto_attach_attempted` / `auto_attach_succeeded` | Whether the runtime auto-attached |
+| `session_tool_snapshot_at` / `namespace_connected_at` | Epoch seconds, to detect startup ordering races |
+
+It returns `discovery_status`
+(`namespaces_attached` | `connected_but_namespaces_missing` | `disconnected`),
+`missing_namespaces`, `proof_of_connected_vs_attached` (per namespace
+`{connected, attached}`), `error_type`, `reconnect_required`, `auto_recovered`,
+`startup_ordering_race`, `late_attaching_namespaces`, `sanctioned_recovery_tool`,
+and a reconnect-only `exact_next_action`.
+
+### Startup ordering
+
+`session_tool_snapshot_at` earlier than a namespace's `namespace_connected_at`
+means that namespace could not have been in the session snapshot, however healthy
+it looks now. That is reported as `startup_ordering_race` with the affected
+namespaces listed — the multi-role parallel-connect case where Connected flips
+true after the session tool list was already captured.
+
+### Fail-closed gate
+
+The recorded verdict gates mutations, mirroring the #543 health gate: a namespace
+that has not been assessed does not gate, but one recorded Connected-but-unattached
+blocks the mutation whose role namespace it is
+(`review_pr` / `submit_review` → `gitea-reviewer`, `merge_pr` → `gitea-merger`,
+`work_issue` / `create_pr` → `gitea-author`). `gitea_submit_pr_review` and
+`gitea_merge_pr` return the block reason plus the hard-stop policy string, and the
+only offered recovery is `gitea_request_mcp_reconnect`.
+
+### Telemetry
+
+The `telemetry` block carries `connected_count`, `attached_count`,
+`required_count`, `missing_count`, `discovery_status`, `discovery_cache_hit`,
+`discovery_cache_age_seconds`, `reconnect_required`, `auto_attach_attempted`,
+`auto_recovered`, `startup_ordering_race`, and `error_type`. It contains namespace
+names and counts only — never tokens, endpoints, env values, or filesystem paths.
+

docs/mcp-tool-inventory.md

@@ -56,6 +56,7 @@ that gates each call, not which tools exist.
 - `gitea_assess_conflict_fix_push`
 - `gitea_assess_gitea_operation_path`
 - `gitea_assess_master_parity`
+- `gitea_assess_mcp_namespace_attachment`
 - `gitea_assess_mcp_namespace_health`
 - `gitea_assess_pr_sync_status`
 - `gitea_assess_review_merge_state_machine`

docs/post-restart-reconcile.md

@@ -19,7 +19,11 @@ The assessor classifies:
 
 - **service_health** — process healthy / parity mutation-safe
 - **clients** — connected client descriptors (optional inventory)
-- **sessions** — active session rows with dead owner pids are unresolved
+- **sessions** — active session rows with dead or reused owner pids are
+  unresolved until retired via `#969` (`session_lifecycle` /
+  `apply_session_cleanup=true` on `gitea_reconcile_after_restart`, or
+  `gitea_retire_stale_workflow_sessions`). Live owners, live leases, and live
+  client-managed sessions are never retired.
 - **checkpoints** — soft-depends on #660; skipped with reason when schema absent
 - **leases** — live control-plane leases after restart
 - **capabilities** — master-parity / stale-runtime (#610)

docs/remote-mcp/threat-model-anchors.json

@@ -8,73 +8,239 @@
     "document. #930's inventory had no such guard and its gitea_mcp_server.py",
     "anchors drifted between 7bf4f125 and aad5c8b4."
   ],
-  "generated_against_commit": "aad5c8b42361d380a8eeb07b94b90815e594c2c5",
+  "generated_against_commit": "1dd30ecb1508b559868c2d5d94367bc055d5138e",
   "anchors": [
-    {"anchor": "gitea_mcp_server.py:24721", "expect": "bind_native_mcp_transport(transport=\"stdio\")"},
+    {
-    {"anchor": "mcp_daemon_guard.py:45", "expect": "_PRODUCTION_TRANSPORTS = frozenset({\"stdio\"})"},
+      "anchor": "gitea_mcp_server.py:25087",
-    {"anchor": "mcp_daemon_guard.py:174", "expect": "def bind_native_mcp_transport"},
+      "expect": "mcp_daemon_guard.bind_native_mcp_transport()"
-    {"anchor": "irrecoverable_provenance.py:497", "expect": "def assess_transport_for_auth_mint"},
+    },
-    {"anchor": "gitea_mcp_server.py:9129", "expect": "assess_transport_for_auth_mint()"},
+    {
-    {"anchor": "gitea_mcp_server.py:9378", "expect": "assess_transport_for_auth_mint()"},
+      "anchor": "mcp_daemon_guard.py:49",
-    {"anchor": "mcp_server.py:4", "expect": "Runs over stdio."},
+      "expect": "_PRODUCTION_TRANSPORTS = mcp_transport_config.SUPPORTED_TRANSPORTS"
-
+    },
-    {"anchor": "gitea_mcp_server.py:15412", "expect": "def _is_client_managed_process"},
+    {
-    {"anchor": "gitea_mcp_server.py:15442", "expect": "def _provenance_mutation_block"},
+      "anchor": "mcp_daemon_guard.py:195",
-    {"anchor": "gitea_mcp_server.py:15450", "expect": "unsupported_manual_launch"},
+      "expect": "def bind_native_mcp_transport"
-    {"anchor": "gitea_mcp_server.py:19001", "expect": "server_provenance"},
+    },
-    {"anchor": "gitea_mcp_server.py:21442", "expect": "def _check_mcp_runtimes_diagnostics"},
+    {
-    {"anchor": "gitea_mcp_server.py:21462", "expect": "\"ps\", \"-o\", \"pid,lstart,command\""},
+      "anchor": "irrecoverable_provenance.py:497",
-    {"anchor": "gitea_mcp_server.py:21506", "expect": "\"ps\", \"eww\""},
+      "expect": "def assess_transport_for_auth_mint"
-    {"anchor": "gitea_config.py:1172", "expect": "RECOGNIZED_GITEA_ENV_KEYS"},
+    },
-    {"anchor": "gitea_config.py:1233", "expect": "GITEA_CLIENT_MANAGED"},
+    {
-
+      "anchor": "gitea_mcp_server.py:9192",
-    {"anchor": "gitea_config.py:54", "expect": "ENV_PROFILE = \"GITEA_MCP_PROFILE\""},
+      "expect": "assess_transport_for_auth_mint()"
-    {"anchor": "gitea_config.py:97", "expect": "_REVIEW_MERGE_OPS"},
+    },
-    {"anchor": "gitea_config.py:499", "expect": "repository authorization scope"},
+    {
-
+      "anchor": "gitea_mcp_server.py:9441",
-    {"anchor": "gitea_config.py:956", "expect": "def _keychain_token"},
+      "expect": "assess_transport_for_auth_mint()"
-    {"anchor": "gitea_config.py:974", "expect": "def resolve_token"},
+    },
-    {"anchor": "gitea_config.py:1015", "expect": "def keychain_auth"},
+    {
-    {"anchor": "gitea_config.py:294", "expect": "def _validate_identity_auth"},
+      "anchor": "mcp_server.py:4",
-    {"anchor": "mcp_daemon_guard.py:440", "expect": "def assert_keychain_access_allowed"},
+      "expect": "The transport is selected by deployment configuration"
-    {"anchor": "gitea_mcp_server.py:19258", "expect": "def gitea_list_profiles"},
+    },
-    {"anchor": "gitea_mcp_server.py:19309", "expect": "gitea_config.resolve_token(p)"},
+    {
-    {"anchor": "gitea_mcp_server.py:19552", "expect": "def gitea_audit_config"},
+      "anchor": "gitea_mcp_server.py:15630",
-    {"anchor": "gitea_mcp_server.py:19574", "expect": "service_summaries(config)"},
+      "expect": "def _is_client_managed_process"
-
+    },
-    {"anchor": "gitea_config.py:704", "expect": "def resolve_service"},
+    {
-    {"anchor": "gitea_config.py:837", "expect": "def service_summaries"},
+      "anchor": "gitea_mcp_server.py:15644",
-    {"anchor": "gitea_config.py:851", "expect": "_keychain_token(auth.get(\"id\"))"},
+      "expect": "def _provenance_mutation_block"
-    {"anchor": "gitea_mcp_server.py:17707", "expect": "\"jenkins-mcp\""},
+    },
-    {"anchor": "gitea_mcp_server.py:17713", "expect": "external-mcp"},
+    {
-    {"anchor": "gitea_mcp_server.py:17734", "expect": "\"glitchtip-mcp\""},
+      "anchor": "gitea_mcp_server.py:15652",
-    {"anchor": "gitea_mcp_server.py:17739", "expect": "external-mcp"},
+      "expect": "unsupported_manual_launch"
-    {"anchor": "mcp_discoverability.py:9", "expect": "EXPECTED_JENKINS_TOOLS"},
+    },
-    {"anchor": "mcp_discoverability.py:17", "expect": "EXPECTED_GLITCHTIP_TOOLS"},
+    {
-
+      "anchor": "gitea_mcp_server.py:19217",
-    {"anchor": "sentry_incident_bridge.py:36", "expect": "SENTRY_AUTH_TOKEN"},
+      "expect": "server_provenance"
-    {"anchor": "sentry_incident_bridge.py:190", "expect": "def resolve_token"},
+    },
-    {"anchor": "sentry_incident_bridge.py:289", "expect": "Authorization"},
+    {
-    {"anchor": "sentry_observability.py:55", "expect": "SENTRY_DSN"},
+      "anchor": "gitea_mcp_server.py:21741",
-
+      "expect": "def _check_mcp_runtimes_diagnostics"
-    {"anchor": "master_parity_gate.py:168", "expect": "def capture_startup_parity"},
+    },
-    {"anchor": "master_parity_gate.py:255", "expect": "mutation_safe"},
+    {
-    {"anchor": "gitea_mcp_server.py:19102", "expect": "def gitea_assess_master_parity"},
+      "anchor": "gitea_mcp_server.py:21761",
-
+      "expect": "\"ps\", \"-o\", \"pid,lstart,command\""
-    {"anchor": "gitea_mcp_server.py:190", "expect": "ACTIVE_WORKTREE_ENV"},
+    },
-    {"anchor": "gitea_mcp_server.py:191", "expect": "AUTHOR_WORKTREE_ENV"},
+    {
-    {"anchor": "gitea_mcp_server.py:2348", "expect": "/tmp/gitea_issue_lock.json"},
+      "anchor": "gitea_mcp_server.py:21805",
-    {"anchor": "gitea_mcp_server.py:10894", "expect": "def gitea_bootstrap_author_issue_worktree"},
+      "expect": "\"ps\", \"eww\""
-    {"anchor": "mcp_server.py:10", "expect": "/tmp/mcp_server_stderr.log"},
+    },
-
+    {
-    {"anchor": "issue_lock_store.py:26", "expect": "DEFAULT_LOCK_DIR"},
+      "anchor": "gitea_config.py:1172",
-    {"anchor": "issue_lock_store.py:83", "expect": "def session_pointer_path"},
+      "expect": "RECOGNIZED_GITEA_ENV_KEYS"
-    {"anchor": "issue_lock_store.py:98", "expect": "def is_process_alive"},
+    },
-    {"anchor": "mcp_session_state.py:27", "expect": "DEFAULT_STATE_DIR"},
+    {
-    {"anchor": "control_plane_db.py:47", "expect": "DEFAULT_DB_PATH"},
+      "anchor": "gitea_config.py:1233",
-    {"anchor": "control_plane_db.py:380", "expect": "mode=0o700"},
+      "expect": "GITEA_CLIENT_MANAGED"
-    {"anchor": "control_plane_db.py:386", "expect": "sqlite3.connect"},
+    },
-    {"anchor": "control_plane_db.py:1145", "expect": "os.getpid()"},
+    {
-    {"anchor": "gitea_mcp_server.py:12801", "expect": "owner_pid_alive"}
+      "anchor": "gitea_config.py:54",
+      "expect": "ENV_PROFILE = \"GITEA_MCP_PROFILE\""
+    },
+    {
+      "anchor": "gitea_config.py:97",
+      "expect": "_REVIEW_MERGE_OPS"
+    },
+    {
+      "anchor": "gitea_config.py:499",
+      "expect": "repository authorization scope"
+    },
+    {
+      "anchor": "gitea_config.py:956",
+      "expect": "def _keychain_token"
+    },
+    {
+      "anchor": "gitea_config.py:974",
+      "expect": "def resolve_token"
+    },
+    {
+      "anchor": "gitea_config.py:1015",
+      "expect": "def keychain_auth"
+    },
+    {
+      "anchor": "gitea_config.py:294",
+      "expect": "def _validate_identity_auth"
+    },
+    {
+      "anchor": "mcp_daemon_guard.py:583",
+      "expect": "def assert_keychain_access_allowed"
+    },
+    {
+      "anchor": "gitea_mcp_server.py:19487",
+      "expect": "def gitea_list_profiles"
+    },
+    {
+      "anchor": "gitea_mcp_server.py:19538",
+      "expect": "gitea_config.resolve_token(p)"
+    },
+    {
+      "anchor": "gitea_mcp_server.py:19851",
+      "expect": "def gitea_audit_config"
+    },
+    {
+      "anchor": "gitea_mcp_server.py:19873",
+      "expect": "service_summaries(config)"
+    },
+    {
+      "anchor": "gitea_config.py:704",
+      "expect": "def resolve_service"
+    },
+    {
+      "anchor": "gitea_config.py:837",
+      "expect": "def service_summaries"
+    },
+    {
+      "anchor": "gitea_config.py:851",
+      "expect": "_keychain_token(auth.get(\"id\"))"
+    },
+    {
+      "anchor": "gitea_mcp_server.py:17909",
+      "expect": "\"jenkins-mcp\""
+    },
+    {
+      "anchor": "gitea_mcp_server.py:17915",
+      "expect": "external-mcp"
+    },
+    {
+      "anchor": "gitea_mcp_server.py:17936",
+      "expect": "\"glitchtip-mcp\""
+    },
+    {
+      "anchor": "gitea_mcp_server.py:17941",
+      "expect": "external-mcp"
+    },
+    {
+      "anchor": "mcp_discoverability.py:9",
+      "expect": "EXPECTED_JENKINS_TOOLS"
+    },
+    {
+      "anchor": "mcp_discoverability.py:17",
+      "expect": "EXPECTED_GLITCHTIP_TOOLS"
+    },
+    {
+      "anchor": "sentry_incident_bridge.py:36",
+      "expect": "SENTRY_AUTH_TOKEN"
+    },
+    {
+      "anchor": "sentry_incident_bridge.py:190",
+      "expect": "def resolve_token"
+    },
+    {
+      "anchor": "sentry_incident_bridge.py:289",
+      "expect": "Authorization"
+    },
+    {
+      "anchor": "sentry_observability.py:55",
+      "expect": "SENTRY_DSN"
+    },
+    {
+      "anchor": "master_parity_gate.py:168",
+      "expect": "def capture_startup_parity"
+    },
+    {
+      "anchor": "master_parity_gate.py:255",
+      "expect": "mutation_safe"
+    },
+    {
+      "anchor": "gitea_mcp_server.py:19331",
+      "expect": "def gitea_assess_master_parity"
+    },
+    {
+      "anchor": "gitea_mcp_server.py:193",
+      "expect": "ACTIVE_WORKTREE_ENV"
+    },
+    {
+      "anchor": "gitea_mcp_server.py:194",
+      "expect": "AUTHOR_WORKTREE_ENV"
+    },
+    {
+      "anchor": "gitea_mcp_server.py:2352",
+      "expect": "/tmp/gitea_issue_lock.json"
+    },
+    {
+      "anchor": "gitea_mcp_server.py:10957",
+      "expect": "def gitea_bootstrap_author_issue_worktree"
+    },
+    {
+      "anchor": "mcp_server.py:13",
+      "expect": "/tmp/mcp_server_stderr.log"
+    },
+    {
+      "anchor": "issue_lock_store.py:26",
+      "expect": "DEFAULT_LOCK_DIR"
+    },
+    {
+      "anchor": "issue_lock_store.py:83",
+      "expect": "def session_pointer_path"
+    },
+    {
+      "anchor": "issue_lock_store.py:98",
+      "expect": "def is_process_alive"
+    },
+    {
+      "anchor": "mcp_session_state.py:27",
+      "expect": "DEFAULT_STATE_DIR"
+    },
+    {
+      "anchor": "control_plane_db.py:47",
+      "expect": "DEFAULT_DB_PATH"
+    },
+    {
+      "anchor": "control_plane_db.py:380",
+      "expect": "mode=0o700"
+    },
+    {
+      "anchor": "control_plane_db.py:386",
+      "expect": "sqlite3.connect"
+    },
+    {
+      "anchor": "control_plane_db.py:1145",
+      "expect": "os.getpid()"
+    },
+    {
+      "anchor": "gitea_mcp_server.py:12871",
+      "expect": "owner_pid_alive"
+    }
   ]
 }

docs/remote-mcp/threat-model.md

@@ -5,7 +5,11 @@ What the adversary is, what each boundary protects, and which services may share
 - **Issue:** #956 (Remote-MCP threat model), child of epic #929, cross-linked to #955.
 - **Depends on:** #930 (closed) — `docs/remote-mcp/coupling-inventory.md`.
 - **Blocks:** #932, #933, #934, #938.
-- **Generated against commit:** `aad5c8b42361d380a8eeb07b94b90815e594c2c5` (`master`).
+- **Generated against commit:** `1dd30ecb1508b559868c2d5d94367bc055d5138e` (#708's
+  namespace-attachment gate). Originally generated against
+  `aad5c8b42361d380a8eeb07b94b90815e594c2c5` (`master`), re-anchored at
+  `a143cd065ba06e1a2bdc5143a19ec156e53650ef` when #931's transport bind seam shifted the
+  cited lines, and re-anchored again when #708 shifted them further.
 - **Scope:** documentation only. This child changes no server behavior. It adds one
   document, one anchor fixture, and the test that enforces them.
 
@@ -27,7 +31,7 @@ document cites an anchor the fixture does not cover.
 
 This guard exists because #930 did not have one. Its inventory was generated at
 `7bf4f125`; by `aad5c8b4` its `gitea_mcp_server.py` anchors had drifted — the transport
-bind it cited at line 23750 now lives at `gitea_mcp_server.py:24721`, and its
+bind it cited at line 23750 now lives at `gitea_mcp_server.py:25087`, and its
 client-managed provenance anchor at 14588 now lands in an unrelated function. Nothing
 failed, because nothing checked. Anchors into a ~24,700-line module rot silently, and a
 security document that cannot prove its own citations is worse than none, because it is
@@ -71,19 +75,19 @@ authenticate the *caller*, not the *intent*.
 ## 3. Trust boundaries
 
 "Crossing requires today" is what the code actually enforces at
-`aad5c8b42361d380a8eeb07b94b90815e594c2c5`, not what the design intends.
+`1dd30ecb1508b559868c2d5d94367bc055d5138e`, not what the design intends.
 
 | ID | Boundary | Protects | Crossing requires today | Crossing must require remotely |
 | -- | -------- | -------- | ----------------------- | ------------------------------ |
-| B1 | LLM client ↔ MCP server session | A1, A3, A10 — that a mutating session was established through the sanctioned client path | A literal `stdio` bind (`gitea_mcp_server.py:24721`) inside a closed allowlist (`mcp_daemon_guard.py:45`, `mcp_daemon_guard.py:174`); client-managed provenance (`gitea_mcp_server.py:15412`) or a refusal (`gitea_mcp_server.py:15450`); production transport before recovery-authorization mint (`irrecoverable_provenance.py:497`, consumed at `gitea_mcp_server.py:9129` and `gitea_mcp_server.py:9378`) | An authenticated handshake issuing a server-side session identity bound to a principal, with the transport recorded in provenance. The physical proof (a pipe) must become a cryptographic one. |
+| B1 | LLM client ↔ MCP server session | A1, A3, A10 — that a mutating session was established through the sanctioned client path | A single configured bind (`gitea_mcp_server.py:25087`) validated against one closed allowlist (`mcp_daemon_guard.py:49`, `mcp_daemon_guard.py:195`) — since #931 the identifier comes from deployment configuration and defaults to the local transport, so the boundary no longer rests on a literal, but it still rests on the *bind* rather than on an authenticated caller; client-managed provenance (`gitea_mcp_server.py:15630`) or a refusal (`gitea_mcp_server.py:15652`); production transport before recovery-authorization mint (`irrecoverable_provenance.py:497`, consumed at `gitea_mcp_server.py:9192` and `gitea_mcp_server.py:9441`) | An authenticated handshake issuing a server-side session identity bound to a principal, with the transport recorded in provenance. The physical proof (a pipe) must become a cryptographic one. |
 | B2 | Role ↔ role | A9 — that author, reviewer, merger, and reconciler are distinct authorities | **The process boundary only.** The role is a property of the process, read once from `GITEA_MCP_PROFILE` (`gitea_config.py:54`). A caller gets author permissions by connecting to the author process. Review and merge are the operations singled out for extra care (`gitea_config.py:97`) | A per-request principal, so the role follows from the credential presented and cannot be selected by reaching a different endpoint. |
-| B3 | MCP server ↔ credential store | A3, A8 — that only sanctioned code turns a profile into a token | `_keychain_token` shelling out to the login keychain (`gitea_config.py:956`), dispatched by `resolve_token` (`gitea_config.py:974`) with the reference type built at `gitea_config.py:1015`, gated by `assert_keychain_access_allowed` (`mcp_daemon_guard.py:440`). Inline secrets are rejected at config load (`gitea_config.py:294`) | A credential provider keyed by the *request* principal, returning only that principal's credential, with the source recorded and the value never returned. |
+| B3 | MCP server ↔ credential store | A3, A8 — that only sanctioned code turns a profile into a token | `_keychain_token` shelling out to the login keychain (`gitea_config.py:956`), dispatched by `resolve_token` (`gitea_config.py:974`) with the reference type built at `gitea_config.py:1015`, gated by `assert_keychain_access_allowed` (`mcp_daemon_guard.py:583`). Inline secrets are rejected at config load (`gitea_config.py:294`) | A credential provider keyed by the *request* principal, returning only that principal's credential, with the source recorded and the value never returned. |
 | B4 | MCP server ↔ Gitea | A1, A2 — that only authorized calls reach the forge | A bearer token over TLS. Server-side, nothing distinguishes one role's token from another beyond the account it belongs to | Unchanged at the forge; the endpoint in front of it must refuse unauthenticated and plaintext connections before tool dispatch. |
-| B5 | MCP server ↔ caller's filesystem | A7 — that a tool acts on the *caller's* disk or refuses | Nothing. The server's disk *is* the caller's disk. Worktree bootstrap writes directly (`gitea_mcp_server.py:10894`); the active workspace is process-global (`gitea_mcp_server.py:190`, `gitea_mcp_server.py:191`) | An explicit per-tool classification, enforced at dispatch, refusing filesystem tools over a transport that cannot reach the caller's disk. A green verdict about the wrong disk is the failure to prevent. |
+| B5 | MCP server ↔ caller's filesystem | A7 — that a tool acts on the *caller's* disk or refuses | Nothing. The server's disk *is* the caller's disk. Worktree bootstrap writes directly (`gitea_mcp_server.py:10957`); the active workspace is process-global (`gitea_mcp_server.py:193`, `gitea_mcp_server.py:194`) | An explicit per-tool classification, enforced at dispatch, refusing filesystem tools over a transport that cannot reach the caller's disk. A green verdict about the wrong disk is the failure to prevent. |
-| B6 | MCP server ↔ coordination state | A6, A9 — mutual exclusion | Local files and a local SQLite database, with liveness judged from the local process table (`issue_lock_store.py:98`), keyed on paths under one user's home (`issue_lock_store.py:26`, `mcp_session_state.py:27`, `control_plane_db.py:47`) and on `os.getpid()` (`control_plane_db.py:1145`, `gitea_mcp_server.py:12801`). A legacy global slot still exists at `gitea_mcp_server.py:2348`, and the session-pointer file is named per PID (`issue_lock_store.py:83`) | One authority per ownership question, with liveness from session identity and expiry, and atomic acquire, renew, and release across hosts. |
+| B6 | MCP server ↔ coordination state | A6, A9 — mutual exclusion | Local files and a local SQLite database, with liveness judged from the local process table (`issue_lock_store.py:98`), keyed on paths under one user's home (`issue_lock_store.py:26`, `mcp_session_state.py:27`, `control_plane_db.py:47`) and on `os.getpid()` (`control_plane_db.py:1145`, `gitea_mcp_server.py:12871`). A legacy global slot still exists at `gitea_mcp_server.py:2352`, and the session-pointer file is named per PID (`issue_lock_store.py:83`) | One authority per ownership question, with liveness from session identity and expiry, and atomic acquire, renew, and release across hosts. |
 | B7 | Gitea integration ↔ unrelated integrations | A4, A5 — that a Gitea compromise is not a CI and observability compromise | **Nothing.** See §5. The Gitea server reads Jenkins and GlitchTip secrets (`gitea_config.py:851`, reached from `gitea_config.py:837`) and holds the Sentry token (`sentry_incident_bridge.py:190`) | A hard process boundary. This is the boundary #956 exists to create. |
 | B8 | Tenant ↔ tenant (`prgs` / `mdcps` / `local-lab`) | A2 — that one organization's compromise is not another's | Convention. One configuration declares all three contexts; `resolve_service` fails closed on a *disabled* context (`gitea_config.py:704`) but the credentials of enabled ones remain reachable in-process. A per-profile repository scope exists (`gitea_config.py:499`) | Separate deployments, or at minimum per-tenant credential scopes with no process able to resolve both. |
-| B9 | Deployed code ↔ merged policy | A1, A10 — that the running server enforces the rules that were actually merged | Comparing this process's startup commit against this disk (`master_parity_gate.py:168`), conjoined into a single verdict (`master_parity_gate.py:255`) published by `gitea_mcp_server.py:19102` | Freshness defined against the deployed build identity, with an explicit fail-closed verdict when undeterminable. |
+| B9 | Deployed code ↔ merged policy | A1, A10 — that the running server enforces the rules that were actually merged | Comparing this process's startup commit against this disk (`master_parity_gate.py:168`), conjoined into a single verdict (`master_parity_gate.py:255`) published by `gitea_mcp_server.py:19331` | Freshness defined against the deployed build identity, with an explicit fail-closed verdict when undeterminable. |
 
 ### What no boundary constrains
 
@@ -128,10 +132,10 @@ Two flows deserve attention because neither is obvious from the code:
 
 1. **The keychain flow fans out.** B3 is drawn once but resolves credentials for *every*
    configured profile and service, not only the active one. `gitea_list_profiles`
-   (`gitea_mcp_server.py:19258`) reports each profile's credential status by calling
+   (`gitea_mcp_server.py:19487`) reports each profile's credential status by calling
-   `resolve_token` on it (`gitea_mcp_server.py:19309`), and `gitea_audit_config`
+   `resolve_token` on it (`gitea_mcp_server.py:19538`), and `gitea_audit_config`
-   (`gitea_mcp_server.py:19552`) reports service credential status through
+   (`gitea_mcp_server.py:19851`) reports service credential status through
-   `service_summaries` (`gitea_mcp_server.py:19574`).
+   `service_summaries` (`gitea_mcp_server.py:19873`).
 2. **The return path is a flow too.** Content read from Gitea travels back into the model
    and is treated as instruction. This is the ADV2 edge, and it is the only edge in the
    diagram with no authentication on it, because it is not a request.
@@ -156,7 +160,7 @@ an attacker holding a token calls the API, not our tools.
 | CR10 | MDCPS GlitchTip read credential | macOS keychain, read from the Gitea server process (`gitea_config.py:851`) | B7 | Read error events and their payloads (A5). Enabled today. |
 | CR11 | `SENTRY_AUTH_TOKEN` | Process environment, read in-process (`sentry_incident_bridge.py:36`, `sentry_incident_bridge.py:190`), sent as a bearer header (`sentry_incident_bridge.py:289`) | B7 | Read and reconcile Sentry issues (A5). Not a keychain credential — an env var, so it is inherited by anything the process spawns. |
 | CR12 | `SENTRY_DSN` | Process environment (`sentry_observability.py:55`) | B7 | Write events into the observability project. Low read value, real forgery value: an attacker can inject fabricated events into the record (A10). |
-| CR13 | macOS login keychain access | The operator's login session; gated by `assert_keychain_access_allowed` (`mcp_daemon_guard.py:440`) | B3, ADV5 | **Every other credential in this table except CR11 and CR12.** This is the aggregation point. |
+| CR13 | macOS login keychain access | The operator's login session; gated by `assert_keychain_access_allowed` (`mcp_daemon_guard.py:583`) | B3, ADV5 | **Every other credential in this table except CR11 and CR12.** This is the aggregation point. |
 | CR14 | Coordination-store access (no secret) | Filesystem permissions — `control_plane_db.py:47`, created `0o700` (`control_plane_db.py:380`), opened with a local file lock (`control_plane_db.py:386`) | B6, ADV5 | Full read/write of locks, leases, and decision records (A6). **There is no credential here at all** — anything running as the operator can rewrite ownership. |
 
 ### Findings
@@ -176,16 +180,16 @@ the credential, and an attacker holding the token does not call our tools.
 
 **Finding 3 — Any one role process can resolve every other role's credential.** This is not
 inferred; it is demonstrated by tool output. `gitea_list_profiles`
-(`gitea_mcp_server.py:19258`) called from the **author** session reports
+(`gitea_mcp_server.py:19487`) called from the **author** session reports
 `identity_status: "credentials present"` for `prgs-merger`, `prgs-reviewer`,
 `prgs-reconciler`, and every `mdcps` profile, because it calls `resolve_token` on each one
-(`gitea_mcp_server.py:19309`). The author process does not merely *have access to* the
+(`gitea_mcp_server.py:19538`). The author process does not merely *have access to* the
 merger's credential — it reads it to answer a status query. B2 is not a credential boundary
 in either direction.
 
 **Finding 4 — The Gitea server reads CI and observability secrets.** `gitea_audit_config`
-(`gitea_mcp_server.py:19552`) reports `MDCPS Jenkins: enabled, read-only, authenticated`.
+(`gitea_mcp_server.py:19851`) reports `MDCPS Jenkins: enabled, read-only, authenticated`.
-That word `authenticated` is produced by `service_summaries` (`gitea_mcp_server.py:19574`,
+That word `authenticated` is produced by `service_summaries` (`gitea_mcp_server.py:19873`,
 defined at `gitea_config.py:837`), whose default check calls `_keychain_token` on the
 service's own keychain reference (`gitea_config.py:851`). Producing that one line requires
 the Gitea MCP server to read the Jenkins secret and the GlitchTip secret out of the
@@ -193,8 +197,8 @@ keychain. B7 does not exist.
 
 **Finding 5 — Jenkins and GlitchTip are already decomposed; the reach is residual.** Their
 tools live in separately registered servers, marked `external-mcp`
-(`gitea_mcp_server.py:17707`, `gitea_mcp_server.py:17713`, `gitea_mcp_server.py:17734`,
+(`gitea_mcp_server.py:17909`, `gitea_mcp_server.py:17915`, `gitea_mcp_server.py:17936`,
-`gitea_mcp_server.py:17739`) with their own expected tool sets (`mcp_discoverability.py:9`,
+`gitea_mcp_server.py:17941`) with their own expected tool sets (`mcp_discoverability.py:9`,
 `mcp_discoverability.py:17`). The correct decomposition was already chosen. What remains is
 a leak across it: the credential *references* still live in the Gitea configuration and are
 still resolved by the Gitea process. #75 bundled these services into one control-plane
@@ -205,8 +209,8 @@ GlitchTip, the Sentry bridge runs *inside* the Gitea server, resolving its token
 process environment (`sentry_incident_bridge.py:190`) and sending it as a bearer header
 (`sentry_incident_bridge.py:289`). Being an environment variable rather than a keychain item
 makes it strictly worse: it needs no keychain prompt and is inherited by every subprocess the
-server spawns — including the `ps` invocations at `gitea_mcp_server.py:21462` and
+server spawns — including the `ps` invocations at `gitea_mcp_server.py:21761` and
-`gitea_mcp_server.py:21506`, reached from `gitea_mcp_server.py:21442`.
+`gitea_mcp_server.py:21805`, reached from `gitea_mcp_server.py:21741`.
 
 **Finding 7 — The highest-value coordination asset has the weakest gate.** A6 is protected
 by filesystem permissions alone (CR14). Corrupting a lease requires no Gitea credential,
@@ -215,13 +219,15 @@ assumes. Every other asset costs an attacker a credential; this one costs nothin
 local access, which is exactly ADV5's position.
 
 **Finding 8 — Provenance authenticates the launch, not the caller.** `server_provenance` is
-reported as exactly `client_managed` or `manual_launch` (`gitea_mcp_server.py:19001`),
+reported as exactly `client_managed` or `manual_launch` (`gitea_mcp_server.py:19217`),
-derived from environment inspection (`gitea_mcp_server.py:15412`) with the recognized-key
+derived from environment inspection (`gitea_mcp_server.py:15630`) with the recognized-key
 allowlist at `gitea_config.py:1172` and the generator that emits the marker at
 `gitea_config.py:1233`. Every one of those facts is fixed at process start. A client that is
 trustworthy at launch and compromised a minute later remains `client_managed` for the life
-of the process, and the stdio contract that underwrites it is stated as a property of the
+of the process, and the transport contract that underwrites it is stated as a property of
-server itself (`mcp_server.py:4`).
+the server itself (`mcp_server.py:4`). Since #931 that contract names the configured
+transport rather than asserting stdio, but it is still fixed once, at bind, for the life of
+the process.
 
 ## 6. Decomposition ruling
 
@@ -253,7 +259,7 @@ holds the token and calls the API instead of the tool.
 
 **D3 — Credential resolution is scoped to the request principal.** A session must resolve its
 own credential and must have no path to any other principal's. The resolve-every-profile
-behavior behind `gitea_mcp_server.py:19309` and `gitea_mcp_server.py:19574` must report
+behavior behind `gitea_mcp_server.py:19538` and `gitea_mcp_server.py:19873` must report
 configured-or-not from configuration alone, without resolving the secret.
 
 *Rationale.* Finding 3. An audit surface that proves a credential exists by fetching it is a
@@ -330,11 +336,11 @@ The client is attached to the local fleet over stdio.
 
 | Boundary | What ADV1 reaches | Stopped by |
 | -------- | ----------------- | ---------- |
-| B1 | Everything the fleet serves. The client *is* the sanctioned launcher: it satisfies the client-managed check (`gitea_mcp_server.py:15412`) by construction, and provenance is never re-verified after launch (Finding 8). | Nothing. The guard authenticates the launch, not the caller. |
+| B1 | Everything the fleet serves. The client *is* the sanctioned launcher: it satisfies the client-managed check (`gitea_mcp_server.py:15630`) by construction, and provenance is never re-verified after launch (Finding 8). | Nothing. The guard authenticates the launch, not the caller. |
 | B2 | All five roles — it is attached to all five namespaces. It can author a PR, approve it from the reviewer namespace, and merge it from the merger namespace. | Only the in-process self-review check, which compares `jcwalker3` (author) against `sysadmin` (reviewer) and **passes**, because Finding 1 made them different accounts while leaving reviewer and merger identical. A9 falls in one sequence of legitimate calls. |
-| B3 | Every credential in CR1–CR10 via CR13, with no additional prompt — the daemon is already sanctioned, so `assert_keychain_access_allowed` (`mcp_daemon_guard.py:440`) returns immediately. | Nothing. |
+| B3 | Every credential in CR1–CR10 via CR13, with no additional prompt — the daemon is already sanctioned, so `assert_keychain_access_allowed` (`mcp_daemon_guard.py:583`) returns immediately. | Nothing. |
 | B4 | A1 and A2 in full. | Branch protection at the forge, to the extent configured. |
-| B5 | The operator's checkout and every worktree, through the author tools (`gitea_mcp_server.py:10894`), plus the shared stderr path at `mcp_server.py:10`. | Nothing; the server's disk is the target disk. |
+| B5 | The operator's checkout and every worktree, through the author tools (`gitea_mcp_server.py:10957`), plus the shared stderr path at `mcp_server.py:13`. | Nothing; the server's disk is the target disk. |
 | B6 | All coordination state — no credential required (CR14). It can forge lease ownership and clear decision locks. | Filesystem permissions, which it already satisfies. |
 | B7 | Jenkins (A4) and GlitchTip (A5) secrets via Finding 4, and CR11/CR12 from its own environment. | Nothing. |
 | B8 | Both tenants. | Nothing in-process; only the disabled-context check (`gitea_config.py:704`), which does not apply to enabled contexts. |

gitea_mcp_server.py

@@ -1,7 +1,10 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env python3
 """Gitea MCP Server — exposes Gitea operations as MCP tools.
 
-Runs over stdio. All tools authenticate via macOS keychain (git credential fill).
+The transport is selected by deployment configuration (GITEA_MCP_TRANSPORT) and
+defaults to the local client-spawned transport when unset (#931); the permitted
+set lives in mcp_transport_config. All tools authenticate via macOS keychain
+(git credential fill).
 
 Usage (standalone test):
     python3 mcp_server.py
@@ -196,6 +199,7 @@ RECONCILER_WORKTREE_ENV = "GITEA_RECONCILER_WORKTREE"
 import namespace_workspace_binding as nwb  # noqa: E402
 import canonical_repository_root as crr  # noqa: E402  # #706 cross-repo canonical root
 import mcp_namespace_health  # noqa: E402
+import mcp_worker_identity  # noqa: E402  # #948 single client/session provenance authority
 import stale_binding_recovery  # noqa: E402
 
 # Worktree env bindings inherited from the parent environment at daemon boot
@@ -6713,6 +6717,61 @@ def _live_namespace_health_gate(task: str) -> list[str]:
     )
 
 
+# Session-scoped MCP namespace *attachment* assessments (#708).
+# Distinct from _LIVE_NAMESPACE_HEALTH: a namespace can probe healthy while never
+# being attached to the active session tool surface ("Connected" != "tools available").
+_LIVE_NAMESPACE_ATTACHMENT: dict[str, dict] = {}
+
+
+def _record_live_namespace_attachment(assessment: dict | None) -> None:
+    """Store a per-namespace attachment verdict for mutation gates (#708)."""
+    if not isinstance(assessment, dict):
+        return
+    proof = assessment.get("proof_of_connected_vs_attached")
+    if not isinstance(proof, dict):
+        return
+    missing = set(assessment.get("missing_namespaces") or [])
+    error_type = assessment.get("error_type")
+    # Per-namespace verdicts when the assessment supplies them (#708 B2): a session-wide
+    # error_type must never be pinned onto a namespace whose own condition differs, and a
+    # namespace that was never connected must not be recorded healthy just because the
+    # session-wide "missing" list only tracks Connected-but-unattached namespaces.
+    conditions = assessment.get("namespace_conditions")
+    conditions = conditions if isinstance(conditions, dict) else {}
+    for ns, state in proof.items():
+        ns_name = str(ns or "").strip()
+        if not ns_name or not isinstance(state, dict):
+            continue
+        condition = conditions.get(ns_name)
+        condition = condition if isinstance(condition, dict) else {}
+        connected = bool(condition.get("connected", state.get("connected")))
+        attached = bool(condition.get("attached", state.get("attached")))
+        if condition:
+            healthy = bool(condition.get("attachment_healthy"))
+            ns_error = condition.get("condition")
+        else:
+            healthy = attached and connected and ns_name not in missing
+            ns_error = None if healthy else error_type
+        _LIVE_NAMESPACE_ATTACHMENT[ns_name] = {
+            "namespace": ns_name,
+            "connected": connected,
+            "attached": attached,
+            "attachment_healthy": healthy,
+            "condition": ns_error,
+            "error_type": ns_error,
+            "discovery_status": assessment.get("discovery_status"),
+            "reconnect_required": bool(assessment.get("reconnect_required")),
+            "auto_recovered": bool(assessment.get("auto_recovered")),
+        }
+
+
+def _namespace_attachment_gate(task: str) -> list[str]:
+    """Fail closed on a recorded Connected-but-unattached namespace (#708)."""
+    return mcp_namespace_health.attachment_gate_from_session(
+        task, _LIVE_NAMESPACE_ATTACHMENT
+    )
+
+
 def _decision_lock_binding(lock: dict | None = None) -> dict:
     """Resolve key fields for durable decision-lock storage."""
     profile = get_profile()
@@ -7593,6 +7652,10 @@ def _evaluate_pr_review_submission(
         if ns_gate:
             reasons.extend(ns_gate)
             return result
+        attach_gate = _namespace_attachment_gate("review_pr")
+        if attach_gate:
+            reasons.extend(attach_gate)
+            return result
 
     if action not in _REVIEW_ACTIONS:
         reasons.append(
@@ -11151,6 +11214,13 @@ def gitea_merge_pr(
         reasons.extend(ns_gate)
         return result
 
+    # Gate 0c — the merger namespace must be attached to the active session (#708).
+    # Connected at the host layer is not proof the tools are in this session.
+    attach_gate = _namespace_attachment_gate("merge_pr")
+    if attach_gate:
+        reasons.extend(attach_gate)
+        return result
+
     # Gate 1 — valid merge method (no API call on a bad method).
     if do not in _MERGE_METHODS:
         reasons.append(
@@ -14847,7 +14917,7 @@ def _stale_runtime_reconnect_action() -> str:
     return (
         "blocker_kind=runtime_reconnect_required: call "
         "gitea_request_mcp_reconnect(namespace=<active gitea-* namespace>, "
-        "reason='stale-runtime', client='codex') for a typed operator "
+        "reason='stale-runtime') for a typed operator "
         "reconnect blocker with exact UI steps, then reconnect the IDE/client "
         "MCP session so the server reloads at the current master head. Do not "
         "call gitea_activate_profile, pkill, touch configs, or switch MCP role "
@@ -15409,36 +15479,168 @@ def _session_context_mutation_block(
     return blocked
 
 
-def _is_client_managed_process() -> bool:
+# --- #948 client/session runtime ownership -------------------------------
-    """Check whether the current MCP server process has client-managed launch provenance (#686)."""
+#
-    val = (
+# One daemon launch is one *generation*. The session that owns it registers a
-        os.environ.get("GITEA_CLIENT_MANAGED")
+# unique worker identity against it, so a second healthy client attaching its
-        or os.environ.get("GITEA_MCP_CLIENT_MANAGED")
+# own generation is no longer indistinguishable from a duplicate process.
-        or os.environ.get("GITEA_SERVER_PROVENANCE")
+# Everything here is process-local cache plus a local SQLite registry: no Gitea
-        or os.environ.get("GITEA_FORCE_CLIENT_MANAGED")
+# call, no network, no config write, and every failure degrades to "unproven"
-        or ""
+# rather than raising into a tool call.
-    ).strip().lower()
 
-    if val in ("0", "false", "no", "manual", "manual_launch"):
+_WORKER_REGISTRY = None
-        return False
+_WORKER_IDENTITY: str | None = None
+_WORKER_GENERATION: str | None = None
+_WORKER_REGISTRATION_ATTEMPTED = False
 
-    if val in ("1", "true", "yes", "client_managed"):
+#: Env a client launcher may set to name itself and its session. Absent values
-        return True
+#: are reported as unknown; they are never guessed at, because guessing is what
+#: produced Codex reconnect steps for a Gemini operator.
+CLIENT_NAME_ENV = "GITEA_MCP_CLIENT"
+CLIENT_INSTANCE_ENV = "GITEA_MCP_CLIENT_INSTANCE"
+CLIENT_SESSION_ENV = "GITEA_MCP_CLIENT_SESSION"
 
-    # A terminal launch has an active TTY on stdin
+
+def _worker_registry():
+    """Local worker registry, or ``None`` when it cannot be opened.
+
+    Under pytest the registry is only opened when a test has pinned a path, so
+    a test run never writes into the operator's real registry.
+    """
+    global _WORKER_REGISTRY
+    if _WORKER_REGISTRY is not None:
+        return _WORKER_REGISTRY
+    if mcp_daemon_guard.is_pytest_runtime() and not (
+        os.environ.get(mcp_worker_identity.REGISTRY_PATH_ENV) or ""
+    ).strip():
+        return None
     try:
-        if sys.stdin and sys.stdin.isatty():
+        _WORKER_REGISTRY = mcp_worker_identity.WorkerRegistry()
-            return False
     except Exception:
-        pass
+        return None
+    return _WORKER_REGISTRY
 
-    # Standard client launch or test runner with stdio pipe and profile env
-    if "GITEA_MCP_CONFIG" in os.environ or "GITEA_MCP_PROFILE" in os.environ or "GITEA_PROFILE_NAME" in os.environ:
-        return True
 
+def _client_identity_hints() -> dict:
+    """What the launcher told us about itself. Unset fields stay unset."""
+    return {
+        "client_name": (os.environ.get(CLIENT_NAME_ENV) or "").strip() or None,
+        "client_instance_id": (os.environ.get(CLIENT_INSTANCE_ENV) or "").strip()
+        or f"pid-{os.getpid()}",
+        "session_id": (os.environ.get(CLIENT_SESSION_ENV) or "").strip()
+        or f"proc-{os.getpid()}-{_process_boot_head_sha or 'nohead'}",
+    }
+
+
+def _active_worker_identity() -> str | None:
+    """This runtime's worker identity, registering it once per process.
+
+    A collision does not adopt the existing registration: a fresh identity is
+    minted and registered instead, which is the #948 AC32 requirement and also
+    the only safe response — adopting would silently transfer another worker's
+    leases and fencing tokens.
+    """
+    global _WORKER_IDENTITY, _WORKER_GENERATION, _WORKER_REGISTRATION_ATTEMPTED
+    if _WORKER_IDENTITY is not None:
+        return _WORKER_IDENTITY
+    if _WORKER_REGISTRATION_ATTEMPTED:
+        return None
+    _WORKER_REGISTRATION_ATTEMPTED = True
+
+    registry = _worker_registry()
+    if registry is None:
+        return None
+
+    hints = _client_identity_hints()
+    generation = _WORKER_GENERATION or mcp_worker_identity.new_generation_id(os.getpid())
+    native = mcp_daemon_guard.native_runtime_status()
+
+    try:
+        for _attempt in range(3):
+            identity = mcp_worker_identity.generate_worker_identity(
+                hints["client_name"], hints["session_id"]
+            )
+            outcome = registry.register(
+                worker_identity=identity,
+                client_name=hints["client_name"],
+                client_instance_id=hints["client_instance_id"],
+                session_id=hints["session_id"],
+                generation_id=generation,
+                role=_active_role_kind_safe(),
+                profile=(os.environ.get(gitea_config.ENV_PROFILE) or "").strip() or None,
+                remote=(os.environ.get("GITEA_MCP_REMOTE") or "").strip() or None,
+                repository_binding=PROJECT_ROOT,
+                pid=os.getpid(),
+                transport=native.get("bound_transport"),
+                token_fingerprint=native.get("token_fingerprint"),
+                pid_alive_probe=issue_lock_store.is_process_alive,
+            )
+            if outcome.get("registered"):
+                _WORKER_IDENTITY = identity
+                _WORKER_GENERATION = generation
+                return identity
+            if not outcome.get("collision"):
+                return None
+            # Collided: loop mints a different identity rather than reusing this
+            # one. The existing registration is left exactly as it was.
+    except Exception:
+        return None
+    return None
+
+
+def _active_role_kind_safe() -> str | None:
+    """Best-effort role for the registry record; never raises into a tool call.
+
+    The role is recorded for diagnostics only. It is deliberately not part of
+    the identity: role is a reusable capability definition that many live
+    workers may share (#948 AC37).
+    """
+    try:
+        profile = get_profile() or {}
+        return _role_kind(
+            profile.get("allowed_operations") or [],
+            profile.get("forbidden_operations") or [],
+        )
+    except Exception:
+        return None
+
+
+def _stdin_is_tty() -> bool:
+    """Terminal evidence for launch provenance, tolerant of a detached stdin."""
+    try:
+        return bool(sys.stdin and sys.stdin.isatty())
+    except Exception:
         return False
 
 
+def _launch_provenance() -> dict:
+    """This process's launch provenance, from the one shared authority (#948).
+
+    Previously each surface reimplemented this. ``gitea_get_runtime_context``
+    read the live environment while ``mcp_namespace_health`` read a filtered
+    summary that structurally could not see the provenance keys, so the two
+    reported different provenance for the same process. Both now call
+    ``mcp_worker_identity``.
+    """
+    return mcp_worker_identity.assess_launch_provenance(
+        dict(os.environ), stdin_is_tty=_stdin_is_tty()
+    )
+
+
+def _is_client_managed_process() -> bool:
+    """Check whether the current MCP server process has client-managed launch provenance (#686).
+
+    #948: the decision logic moved to
+    ``mcp_worker_identity.assess_launch_provenance`` unchanged — same env keys,
+    same precedence, same TTY fallback — so this keeps returning exactly what it
+    always returned while no longer being a second, divergent implementation.
+    Launch provenance answers "was this hand-launched from a terminal", which is
+    the #686 question. It does *not* answer which live session owns this
+    runtime; that is ``session_ownership`` and needs an attachment record.
+    """
+    return bool(_launch_provenance()["client_managed"])
+
+
 def _provenance_mutation_block(**extra_fields) -> dict | None:
     """Refuse mutating tool calls on processes lacking client-managed launch provenance (#686)."""
     if _is_client_managed_process():
@@ -18979,7 +19181,21 @@ def gitea_get_runtime_context(
         source="gitea_get_runtime_context",
     )
 
-    is_client_managed = _is_client_managed_process()
+    # #948: one assessment, shared with mcp_namespace_health. Reporting both
+    # dimensions from a single call is what makes the two surfaces agree — the
+    # contradiction they used to produce came from two implementations, not from
+    # two genuinely different observations.
+    provenance_assessment = mcp_worker_identity.assess_provenance(
+        registry=_worker_registry(),
+        worker_identity=_active_worker_identity(),
+        env=dict(os.environ),
+        native_transport_bound=mcp_daemon_guard.bound_transport() is not None,
+        profile=profile.get("profile_name"),
+        role=_role_kind(allowed, forbidden),
+        stdin_is_tty=_stdin_is_tty(),
+        pid_alive_probe=issue_lock_store.is_process_alive,
+    )
+    is_client_managed = provenance_assessment["is_client_managed"]
     unconsumed_env = gitea_config.get_unconsumed_gitea_env_overrides()
 
     result = {
@@ -18998,8 +19214,21 @@ def gitea_get_runtime_context(
         "review_merge_blocked_reasons": blocked_reasons,
         "suggested_fix": suggested_fix,
         "safe_next_action": safe_next_action,
-        "server_provenance": "client_managed" if is_client_managed else "manual_launch",
+        "server_provenance": provenance_assessment["launch_provenance"],
         "is_client_managed": is_client_managed,
+        # #948: the ownership dimension, which the environment cannot establish.
+        # A surface that needs "may this session mutate on behalf of its client"
+        # reads these, not server_provenance.
+        "session_ownership": provenance_assessment["session_ownership"],
+        "session_owned": provenance_assessment["session_owned"],
+        "worker_identity": provenance_assessment["worker_identity"],
+        "session_id": provenance_assessment["session_id"],
+        "client_instance_id": provenance_assessment["client_instance_id"],
+        "generation_id": provenance_assessment["generation_id"],
+        "client_name": provenance_assessment["client_name"],
+        "fencing_epoch": provenance_assessment["fencing_epoch"],
+        "conflicting_live_sessions": provenance_assessment["conflicting_live_sessions"],
+        "provenance_assessment": provenance_assessment,
         "unconsumed_gitea_env": unconsumed_env,
         "preflight_ready": preflight["preflight_ready"],
         "preflight_block_reasons": preflight["preflight_block_reasons"],
@@ -19416,6 +19645,76 @@ def gitea_assess_mcp_namespace_health(
     return result
 
 
+@mcp.tool()
+def gitea_assess_mcp_namespace_attachment(
+    connected_servers: list[str] | None = None,
+    attached_session_namespaces: list[str] | None = None,
+    required_namespaces: list[str] | None = None,
+    discovery_cache_age_seconds: float | None = None,
+    discovery_cache_hit: bool | None = None,
+    auto_attach_attempted: bool = False,
+    auto_attach_succeeded: bool = False,
+    session_tool_snapshot_at: float | None = None,
+    namespace_connected_at: dict | None = None,
+) -> dict:
+    """Detect Connected-but-namespaces-not-attached MCP sessions (#708).
+
+    MCP servers can report **Connected** at the CLI/host inventory layer while the
+    active LLM session exposes none of their tool namespaces. That is a *session
+    attachment* failure and is reported here as its own typed condition,
+    ``mcp_connected_namespaces_missing`` — deliberately distinct from config drift
+    (#672), transport-closed (#584), and resolver EOF (#685).
+
+    Connected is not proof that tools are available. The required preflight proof is
+    live tool visibility plus ``gitea_whoami`` on the role namespace, never host
+    Connected status alone.
+
+    The verdict is recorded in the session so ``gitea_submit_pr_review`` and
+    ``gitea_merge_pr`` fail closed while a required namespace is unattached. The only
+    sanctioned recovery is the client attach/reconnect path followed by full preflight;
+    direct imports, CLI/API mutation, profile hopping, session-state overrides, and
+    process kills are forbidden and never suggested.
+
+    Args:
+        connected_servers: Namespaces the host/CLI reports as Connected.
+        attached_session_namespaces: Namespaces actually exposed in the active
+            session tool surface.
+        required_namespaces: Namespaces required for this workflow; defaults to the
+            canonical Gitea role namespaces.
+        discovery_cache_age_seconds: Age of the client tool-discovery cache entry.
+        discovery_cache_hit: Whether the tool list came from that cache.
+        auto_attach_attempted: Whether the runtime tried to auto-attach namespaces.
+        auto_attach_succeeded: Whether that auto-attach succeeded.
+        session_tool_snapshot_at: Epoch seconds the session tool snapshot was taken.
+        namespace_connected_at: Per-namespace epoch seconds that connect completed,
+            used to identify multi-role startup ordering races.
+
+    Returns:
+        dict with ``discovery_status``, ``missing_namespaces``,
+        ``proof_of_connected_vs_attached``, ``error_type``, ``reconnect_required``,
+        ``auto_recovered``, ``startup_ordering_race``, a secret-free ``telemetry``
+        block, and a reconnect-only ``exact_next_action``.
+    """
+    result = mcp_namespace_health.assess_connected_namespace_attachment(
+        connected_servers=connected_servers,
+        attached_session_namespaces=attached_session_namespaces,
+        required_namespaces=required_namespaces,
+        discovery_cache_age_seconds=discovery_cache_age_seconds,
+        discovery_cache_hit=discovery_cache_hit,
+        auto_attach_attempted=auto_attach_attempted,
+        auto_attach_succeeded=auto_attach_succeeded,
+        session_tool_snapshot_at=session_tool_snapshot_at,
+        namespace_connected_at=namespace_connected_at,
+    )
+    _record_live_namespace_attachment(result)
+    # #606-style watchdog check-in (best-effort, fail open). Status only, no names.
+    sentry_observability.monitor_checkin(
+        "namespace_attachment",
+        "ok" if result.get("attachment_healthy") else "error",
+    )
+    return result
+
+
 @mcp.tool()
 def gitea_activate_profile(
     profile_name: str,
@@ -21515,11 +21814,23 @@ def _check_mcp_runtimes_diagnostics(task: str, matching_profiles: list[str]) ->
         if match:
             profile = match.group(1)
 
+        # #948: provenance for a scanned peer comes from the shared authority,
+        # fed by that peer's own environment, so the fleet scan cannot disagree
+        # with what that peer reports about itself.
+        peer_env = {
+            m.group(1): m.group(2)
+            for m in re.finditer(r'\b(GITEA_[A-Z0-9_]+)=([^\s]+)', env_out)
+        }
+        # declared_only: this is a peer process. Its stdin is not ours to
+        # inspect, and it inherits GITEA_MCP_PROFILE from any shell that
+        # exported it, so only an explicit declaration counts as evidence here.
         is_client_managed = bool(
-            re.search(r'\bGITEA_CLIENT_MANAGED=(1|true|yes|client_managed)\b', env_out, re.IGNORECASE)
+            mcp_worker_identity.assess_launch_provenance(
-            or re.search(r'\bGITEA_MCP_CLIENT_MANAGED=(1|true|yes|client_managed)\b', env_out, re.IGNORECASE)
+                peer_env, declared_only=True
-            or re.search(r'\bGITEA_SERVER_PROVENANCE=client_managed\b', env_out, re.IGNORECASE)
+            )["client_managed"]
         )
+        peer_worker_identity = peer_env.get("GITEA_MCP_WORKER_IDENTITY")
+        peer_generation = peer_env.get("GITEA_MCP_GENERATION_ID")
 
         for env_match in re.finditer(r'\b(GITEA_[A-Z0-9_]+)=([^\s]+)', env_out):
             k, v = env_match.group(1), env_match.group(2)
@@ -21535,6 +21846,8 @@ def _check_mcp_runtimes_diagnostics(task: str, matching_profiles: list[str]) ->
             "start_time": start_time,
             "is_stale": is_stale,
             "is_client_managed": is_client_managed,
+            "worker_identity": peer_worker_identity,
+            "generation_id": peer_generation,
         }
         if profile not in all_profile_procs:
             all_profile_procs[profile] = []
@@ -21542,12 +21855,44 @@ def _check_mcp_runtimes_diagnostics(task: str, matching_profiles: list[str]) ->
 
     running_profiles = {}
     for profile, procs in all_profile_procs.items():
-        if len(procs) > 1:
+        # #948 AC40/AC43: sharing a profile is legitimate — profile is a
+        # reusable capability definition, not a worker identity. What is *not*
+        # legitimate is reusing one worker identity, or two live sessions
+        # claiming one generation. Distinctness has to be proven, though:
+        # processes carrying no identity evidence are indistinguishable, so
+        # they stay classified as duplicates and keep the #686 wall intact.
+        identified = [p for p in procs if p.get("worker_identity")]
+        distinct_identities = {p["worker_identity"] for p in identified}
+        all_identified = len(identified) == len(procs)
+        duplicate_identity = len(identified) != len(distinct_identities)
+        contested_generation = any(
+            len({p["worker_identity"] for p in identified if p.get("generation_id") == gen}) > 1
+            for gen in {p.get("generation_id") for p in identified if p.get("generation_id")}
+        )
+
+        if len(procs) > 1 and (
+            not all_identified or duplicate_identity or contested_generation
+        ):
             pids_str = ", ".join(str(p["pid"]) for p in procs)
+            if duplicate_identity or contested_generation:
+                detail = (
+                    "The same worker identity or generation is claimed more than once, "
+                    "so these are genuine duplicates rather than independent workers."
+                )
+            else:
+                detail = (
+                    "Manual or duplicate launches defeat staleness detection and cannot "
+                    "receive client stdio."
+                )
             reasons.append(
                 f"stale-runtime: Duplicate MCP server process(es) detected for profile '{profile}' (PIDs: {pids_str}). "
-                "Manual or duplicate launches defeat staleness detection and cannot receive client stdio."
+                + detail
             )
+        # Otherwise: several independently identified workers share one profile.
+        # No reason is appended, deliberately. Every reason this function
+        # returns is raised as a hard RuntimeError by its callers, so recording
+        # legitimate concurrency here as "informational" would block exactly the
+        # case #948 exists to permit.
         client_procs = [p for p in procs if p["is_client_managed"]]
         if client_procs:
             client_procs.sort(key=lambda p: p["start_time"], reverse=True)
@@ -21956,7 +22301,7 @@ def gitea_resolve_task_capability(
         next_safe_action = (
             "blocker_kind=runtime_reconnect_required: call "
             "gitea_request_mcp_reconnect(namespace=<active gitea-* namespace>, "
-            "reason='stale-runtime', client='codex') for a typed operator "
+            "reason='stale-runtime') for a typed operator "
             "blocker with exact UI steps, then reconnect/reload the IDE-managed "
             "Gitea MCP server for this profile so it reloads current master. "
             "Do not edit mcp_config.json by hand, pkill, or touch configs; the "
@@ -23524,7 +23869,7 @@ def gitea_workflow_dashboard(
 def gitea_request_mcp_reconnect(
     namespace: str | None = None,
     reason: str | None = None,
-    client: str = "codex",
+    client: str | None = None,
     remote: str = "dadeschools",
     host: str | None = None,
     session_id: str | None = None,
@@ -23554,8 +23899,12 @@ def gitea_request_mcp_reconnect(
             to the active profile's inferred namespace.
         reason: Why reconnect is requested: ``stale-runtime``, ``transport_eof``,
             ``missing_namespace``, ``not_required``, or free-form (normalized).
-        client: Operator UI surface — ``codex`` (default), ``claude_code``, or
+        client: Operator UI surface — ``codex``, ``claude_code``, or
-            ``generic``.
+            ``generic``. #948: omitting it resolves the client from this
+            runtime's live attachment record rather than assuming one vendor,
+            and falls back to ``generic`` when nothing identifies the client.
+            Emitting Codex panel steps to a Gemini/Antigravity operator left
+            them with no reachable recovery path.
         remote: Known instance — ``dadeschools`` or ``prgs`` (parity context).
         host: Optional host override for parity context.
         session_id: Optional session id to echo in the report.
@@ -23615,6 +23964,19 @@ def gitea_request_mcp_reconnect(
         else:
             effective_reason = mcp_client_reconnect.REASON_UNSPECIFIED
 
+    # #948: an omitted client is resolved from the live attachment record, so
+    # the steps describe the UI the operator is actually in front of.
+    if not (client or "").strip():
+        client = mcp_worker_identity.reconnect_client_for(
+            mcp_worker_identity.assess_provenance(
+                registry=_worker_registry(),
+                worker_identity=_active_worker_identity(),
+                env=dict(os.environ),
+                stdin_is_tty=_stdin_is_tty(),
+                pid_alive_probe=issue_lock_store.is_process_alive,
+            )
+        )
+
     payload = mcp_client_reconnect.build_reconnect_request(
         namespace=ns,
         profile=profile_name,
@@ -24070,10 +24432,18 @@ def _run_post_restart_reconcile(
     repo: str | None = None,
     mode: str | None = None,
     limit: int = 200,
+    apply_session_cleanup: bool = False,
 ) -> dict:
-    """Gather + classify post-restart state; cache the latest proof (#662)."""
+    """Gather + classify post-restart state; cache the latest proof (#662 / #969).
+
+    When *apply_session_cleanup* is true, confirmed-stale session rows (dead
+    owner / PID reuse, no live lease) are terminalized through
+    ``session_lifecycle`` before re-classification so the sessions dimension
+    can resolve. Default remains dry (read-only) to preserve #662 rollout.
+    """
     global _POST_RESTART_LAST_PROOF, _POST_RESTART_BOOT_RAN
     import post_restart_reconcile as prr
+    import session_lifecycle as sl
 
     try:
         _h, o, r = _resolve(remote, None, org, repo)
@@ -24087,13 +24457,48 @@ def _run_post_restart_reconcile(
     inventory = _gather_post_restart_inventory(
         remote=remote, org=o, repo=r, limit=limit
     )
+
+    session_cleanup: dict | None = None
+    if apply_session_cleanup:
+        db, db_errs = _control_plane_db_or_error()
+        if db is None:
+            session_cleanup = {
+                "success": False,
+                "reasons": db_errs
+                or ["control-plane DB unavailable; cannot retire sessions"],
+            }
+        else:
+            profile = get_profile()
+            profile_name = (profile.get("profile_name") or "").strip() or "session"
+            actor = f"{profile_name}-{os.getpid()}"
+            session_cleanup = sl.retire_stale_sessions(
+                db,
+                sessions=inventory.get("sessions") or [],
+                leases=inventory.get("leases") or [],
+                dry_run=False,
+                actor_session_id=actor,
+                session_limit=max(1, int(limit)),
+            )
+            # Re-gather active sessions after mutation so classification sees
+            # the post-retirement fleet (retired rows drop out of active list).
+            try:
+                inventory["sessions"] = db.list_sessions(
+                    statuses=("active",), limit=max(1, int(limit))
+                )
+            except Exception as exc:  # noqa: BLE001
+                inventory["incomplete_reasons"] = list(
+                    inventory.get("incomplete_reasons") or []
+                ) + [f"post-retirement session re-list failed: {_redact(str(exc))}"]
+            fleet = (session_cleanup.get("fleet") or {}) if session_cleanup else {}
+            inventory["session_fleet"] = fleet
+
     proof = prr.reconcile_after_restart(
         inventory,
         mode=mode or _post_restart_reconcile_mode(),
     )
     payload = proof.as_dict()
     payload["success"] = True
-    payload["read_only"] = True
+    payload["read_only"] = not apply_session_cleanup
     payload["remote"] = remote
     payload["org"] = o
     payload["repo"] = r
@@ -24102,6 +24507,9 @@ def _run_post_restart_reconcile(
         "proposed_follow_ups lists durable issues the apply path may create; "
         "this tool never creates them (log-only by default, #662 rollout)"
     )
+    if session_cleanup is not None:
+        payload["session_cleanup"] = session_cleanup
+    payload["apply_session_cleanup"] = bool(apply_session_cleanup)
     _POST_RESTART_LAST_PROOF = payload
     _POST_RESTART_BOOT_RAN = True
     return payload
@@ -24128,8 +24536,9 @@ def gitea_reconcile_after_restart(
     repo: str | None = None,
     mode: str | None = None,
     limit: int = 200,
+    apply_session_cleanup: bool = False,
 ) -> dict:
-    """Run post-restart MCP reconciliation and return a completion proof (#662).
+    """Run post-restart MCP reconciliation and return a completion proof (#662 / #969).
 
     Gathers live control-plane sessions, leases, worktree bindings, and
     master-parity evidence, then classifies them with the pure
@@ -24137,12 +24546,17 @@ def gitea_reconcile_after_restart(
     machine-readable completion proof listing resolved / unresolved dimensions
     and proposed durable follow-up issues.
 
-    Read-only by design: never restarts MCP, never auto-resumes write
+    Never restarts MCP, never auto-resumes write mutations, and never creates
-    mutations, and never creates Gitea issues (those are a separate apply
+    Gitea issues. Default mode is ``log_only``; set
-    path). Default mode is ``log_only``; set
     ``GITEA_POST_RESTART_RECONCILE_MODE=enforce`` (or pass ``mode='enforce'``)
     to set ``mutation_hold`` when anything remains unresolved.
 
+    *apply_session_cleanup* (#969): when true, confirmed-stale workflow session
+    rows (dead owner PID / PID reuse, no live lease, not a live client-managed
+    owner) are terminalized through the sanctioned ``session_lifecycle`` path
+    before re-classification. Default false preserves the historical read-only
+    gather+classify behaviour. Does not delete historical rows.
+
     Soft-depends on #660 for session checkpoints: when the checkpoint schema
     module is absent the checkpoints dimension is ``skipped`` with an explicit
     reason rather than inventing a schema.
@@ -24162,9 +24576,96 @@ def gitea_reconcile_after_restart(
         repo=repo,
         mode=mode,
         limit=limit,
+        apply_session_cleanup=bool(apply_session_cleanup),
     )
 
 
+@mcp.tool()
+def gitea_retire_stale_workflow_sessions(
+    remote: str = "dadeschools",
+    host: str | None = None,
+    org: str | None = None,
+    repo: str | None = None,
+    apply: bool = False,
+    limit: int = 500,
+) -> dict:
+    """Retire workflow session rows whose owners are no longer live (#969).
+
+    Plans (and optionally applies) terminalization of control-plane session
+    rows that are confirmed stale:
+
+    * owner PID absent / dead
+    * PID reused by an unrelated process (process start after session start)
+    * no live workflow lease
+    * not a live client-managed owner
+
+    Default ``apply=false`` is dry-run only. ``apply=true`` performs CAS
+    status updates to ``retired`` and writes durable ``session_retired``
+    events. Idempotent under concurrent reconciliation. Never deletes rows
+    and never touches sessions protected by a live lease or live owner.
+    """
+    read_block = _profile_operation_gate("gitea.read")
+    if read_block:
+        return {
+            "success": False,
+            "read_only": not apply,
+            "reasons": read_block,
+            "permission_report": _permission_block_report("gitea.read"),
+        }
+
+    try:
+        _h, o, r = _resolve(remote, None, org, repo)
+    except ValueError as exc:
+        return {"success": False, "reasons": [str(exc)], "read_only": not apply}
+
+    db, db_errs = _control_plane_db_or_error()
+    if db is None:
+        return {
+            "success": False,
+            "read_only": not apply,
+            "reasons": db_errs or ["control-plane DB unavailable"],
+        }
+
+    import session_lifecycle as sl
+
+    profile = get_profile()
+    profile_name = (profile.get("profile_name") or "").strip() or "session"
+    actor = f"{profile_name}-{os.getpid()}"
+
+    # Prefer lease inventory scoped to the requested repo when available.
+    leases: list[dict] = []
+    try:
+        lease_result = lease_lifecycle.list_active_leases(
+            db,
+            remote=remote if remote in REMOTES else remote,
+            org=o,
+            repo=r,
+            role=None,
+            include_non_active=True,
+            limit=max(1, int(limit)),
+        )
+        leases = list(lease_result.get("leases") or [])
+    except Exception:  # noqa: BLE001
+        try:
+            leases = db.list_leases(statuses=("active",), limit=max(1, int(limit)))
+        except Exception:  # noqa: BLE001
+            leases = []
+
+    result = sl.retire_stale_sessions(
+        db,
+        leases=leases,
+        dry_run=not bool(apply),
+        actor_session_id=actor,
+        session_limit=max(1, int(limit)),
+    )
+    result["read_only"] = not bool(apply)
+    result["apply"] = bool(apply)
+    result["remote"] = remote
+    result["org"] = o
+    result["repo"] = r
+    return result
+
+
 @mcp.tool()
 def gitea_inspect_workflow_lease(
     lease_id: str,
@@ -24718,7 +25219,11 @@ if __name__ == "__main__":
     # basename-only stack frames, and import-only launch cannot reconstruct
     # native transport; offline imports / standalone scripts fail closed.
     mcp_daemon_guard.mark_sanctioned_daemon()
-    mcp_daemon_guard.bind_native_mcp_transport(transport="stdio")
+    # #931: the transport is no longer a literal here. It comes from deployment
+    # configuration (GITEA_MCP_TRANSPORT), defaults to stdio when unset, and is
+    # validated against the single permitted set in mcp_transport_config. An
+    # unregistered identifier raises here, before any tool can dispatch.
+    mcp_daemon_guard.bind_native_mcp_transport()
     # Lock this session's launch profile into the environment so child CLI
     # processes (e.g. review_pr.py) can detect and refuse profile
     # side-channel overrides (#199).
@@ -24736,4 +25241,11 @@ if __name__ == "__main__":
     sys.stderr.write(
         f"--- Sentry observability: {_sentry_status.get('reason')} ---\n"
     )
-    mcp.run(transport="stdio")
+    # #931: serve over exactly the transport that was bound and pinned, and only
+    # if this entrypoint is commissioned to execute it. Recognition is not
+    # execution authorization (review 635): a registered remote identifier is
+    # bound, pinned and recorded, but serving it would start a listener with no
+    # authentication or per-request principal, which #938 owns. An absent bind
+    # keeps its pre-existing #695 failure; an uncommissioned transport fails
+    # closed here, before any listener exists and before any tool can dispatch.
+    mcp.run(transport=mcp_daemon_guard.authorize_transport_execution("tool service"))

irrecoverable_provenance.py

@@ -500,6 +500,11 @@ def assess_transport_for_auth_mint() -> dict[str, Any]:
     native = mcp_daemon_guard.is_native_mcp_transport()
     pytest = mcp_daemon_guard.is_pytest_runtime()
     production = mcp_daemon_guard.is_production_native_mcp_transport()
+    # #931: report which transport underwrites the verdict, read through the
+    # one shared accessor rather than assumed to be stdio. The gate's decision
+    # is unchanged here; naming the transport is what lets #932 re-derive the
+    # guarantee from an authenticated session instead of from the bind.
+    bound = mcp_daemon_guard.bound_transport()
     if not native and not pytest:
         reasons.append(
             "irrecoverable provenance authorization requires production native "
@@ -510,6 +515,7 @@ def assess_transport_for_auth_mint() -> dict[str, Any]:
         "allowed": not reasons,
         "native_mcp_transport": native,
         "production_native_mcp_transport": production,
+        "bound_transport": bound,
         "pytest": pytest,
         "reasons": reasons,
     }

mcp_client_reconnect.py

@@ -92,7 +92,15 @@ OPERATOR_UI_STEPS: dict[str, tuple[str, ...]] = {
     ),
 }
 
-DEFAULT_CLIENT = "codex"
+#: What an *unidentified* client gets. #948: this is deliberately the
+#: host-agnostic step set rather than a specific product. Defaulting to one
+#: vendor emitted Codex UI steps to a Gemini/Antigravity operator, who then had
+#: no reachable recovery path — the guidance named a panel they do not have.
+DEFAULT_CLIENT = "generic"
+
+#: The historical default, kept addressable by name so Codex callers still get
+#: Codex steps, without it silently becoming the fallback for unknown clients.
+LEGACY_DEFAULT_CLIENT = "codex"
 
 
 def normalize_reason(reason: str | None) -> str:
@@ -128,14 +136,18 @@ def normalize_reason(reason: str | None) -> str:
 
 
 def normalize_client(client: str | None) -> str:
-    """Return a known client key for operator UI steps."""
+    """Return the UI-step key for a client.
-    text = (client or "").strip().lower().replace(" ", "_").replace("-", "_")
+
-    if text in ("codex", "openai_codex", "openai"):
+    #948: alias resolution is shared with ``mcp_worker_identity`` so a client
-        return "codex"
+    name means the same thing wherever it is read. A name we recognise but have
-    if text in ("claude", "claude_code", "claude_desktop", "anthropic"):
+    no bespoke steps for — Gemini, Antigravity, Grok — resolves to the generic
-        return "claude_code"
+    host-agnostic steps rather than to another vendor's panel.
-    if text in OPERATOR_UI_STEPS:
+    """
-        return text
+    import mcp_worker_identity
+
+    canonical = mcp_worker_identity.normalize_client_name(client)
+    if canonical in OPERATOR_UI_STEPS:
+        return canonical
     return DEFAULT_CLIENT
 
 

mcp_daemon_guard.py

@@ -32,6 +32,8 @@ import time
 from pathlib import Path
 from typing import Any
 
+import mcp_transport_config
+
 SANCTIONED_DAEMON_ENV = "GITEA_MCP_SANCTIONED_DAEMON"
 ALLOW_DIRECT_IMPORT_ENV = "GITEA_ALLOW_DIRECT_MCP_IMPORT"
 ALLOW_KEYCHAIN_CLI_ENV = "GITEA_ALLOW_KEYCHAIN_CLI"
@@ -42,7 +44,9 @@ FORCE_PROVENANCE_FAIL_ENV = "GITEA_TEST_FORCE_UNSANCTIONED"
 _NATIVE_RUNTIME: dict[str, Any] | None = None
 
 # Production transport identifiers accepted by bind_native_mcp_transport.
-_PRODUCTION_TRANSPORTS = frozenset({"stdio"})
+# #931: the permitted set is defined once, in mcp_transport_config. This name
+# is kept as an alias so the guard never restates a transport identifier.
+_PRODUCTION_TRANSPORTS = mcp_transport_config.SUPPORTED_TRANSPORTS
 _RUNTIME_MODE_PRODUCTION = "production"
 _RUNTIME_MODE_TEST = "test"
 _PHASE_ENTRYPOINT_CLAIMED = "entrypoint_claimed"
@@ -58,6 +62,23 @@ class UnsanctionedRuntimeError(RuntimeError):
     """Raised when mutation/credential code runs outside a native MCP daemon."""
 
 
+class TransportExecutionError(UnsanctionedRuntimeError):
+    """Raised when a bound transport may not be served by this entrypoint (#931).
+
+    Subclasses :class:`UnsanctionedRuntimeError` so every existing fail-closed
+    handler still catches it, while letting a caller that cares distinguish
+    "nothing is bound" from "something valid is bound but its listener has not
+    been commissioned". Carries the structured verdict on ``.assessment``.
+    """
+
+    def __init__(self, message: str, assessment: dict[str, Any] | None = None):
+        super().__init__(message)
+        self.assessment = assessment or {}
+        self.blocker_kind = self.assessment.get("blocker_kind")
+        self.owner_issue = self.assessment.get("owner_issue")
+        self.transport = self.assessment.get("transport")
+
+
 def is_pytest_runtime() -> bool:
     if (os.environ.get(FORCE_PROVENANCE_FAIL_ENV) or "").strip() in {
         "1",
@@ -171,17 +192,40 @@ def mark_sanctioned_daemon() -> dict[str, Any]:
     return native_runtime_status()
 
 
-def bind_native_mcp_transport(*, transport: str) -> dict[str, Any]:
+def bind_native_mcp_transport(*, transport: str | None = None) -> dict[str, Any]:
-    """Bind the live native MCP transport lifecycle (#695).
+    """Bind the live native MCP transport lifecycle (#695 / #931).
 
     Must be called from the resolved canonical entrypoint immediately before
-    the real MCP server transport loop (e.g. ``mcp.run(transport=\"stdio\")``).
+    the real MCP server transport loop (``mcp.run``). Requires a prior
-    Requires a prior successful :func:`mark_sanctioned_daemon` claim in this
+    successful :func:`mark_sanctioned_daemon` claim in this process.
-    process. Import-only or offline launch without this bind leaves
+    Import-only or offline launch without this bind leaves
     :func:`is_native_mcp_transport` false.
+
+    #931: ``transport`` is now optional. Omitting it — which is what the
+    production entrypoint does — resolves the identifier from deployment
+    configuration via :func:`mcp_transport_config.resolve_configured_transport`,
+    yielding :data:`mcp_transport_config.DEFAULT_TRANSPORT` when nothing is
+    configured. An explicit argument remains supported for tests and for a
+    launcher that has already resolved the value. Either way the identifier is
+    validated against the single permitted set before the runtime record is
+    written, so no tool can dispatch over an unregistered transport.
+
+    The resolved value is pinned into the process-local record and is read back
+    only through :func:`bound_transport`. Rebinding to a different transport is
+    refused, so two guards can never observe different values in one process.
     """
     global _NATIVE_RUNTIME
-    transport_name = (transport or "").strip().lower()
+    if transport is None:
+        resolution = mcp_transport_config.resolve_configured_transport()
+        transport_name = str(resolution["transport"])
+        if not resolution["supported"]:
+            raise UnsanctionedRuntimeError(
+                "bind_native_mcp_transport rejected: "
+                + "; ".join(resolution["reasons"])
+                + " No tool is served over an unregistered transport."
+            )
+    else:
+        transport_name = mcp_transport_config.normalize_transport(transport)
         if transport_name not in _PRODUCTION_TRANSPORTS:
             raise UnsanctionedRuntimeError(
                 f"bind_native_mcp_transport rejected: transport {transport!r} is "
@@ -216,6 +260,23 @@ def bind_native_mcp_transport(*, transport: str) -> dict[str, Any]:
             "between mark and bind (#695)."
         )
 
+    # #931: one process binds one transport. Re-binding the same identifier is
+    # idempotent (a retried launch step must not fail); re-binding a different
+    # one is refused, because a guard that already read the first value would
+    # otherwise disagree with a guard that reads the second.
+    already_bound = (_NATIVE_RUNTIME.get("transport") or "").strip()
+    if (
+        already_bound
+        and _NATIVE_RUNTIME.get("phase") == _PHASE_TRANSPORT_BOUND
+        and already_bound != transport_name
+    ):
+        raise UnsanctionedRuntimeError(
+            "bind_native_mcp_transport rejected: transport is already bound to "
+            f"{already_bound!r} in this process; rebinding to "
+            f"{transport_name!r} is forbidden (#931). Restart the server to "
+            "change the deployment transport."
+        )
+
     # Pin session-state root for this server lifetime (#695 AC2 / PR #701).
     # Changing GITEA_MCP_SESSION_STATE_DIR after bind must not manufacture a
     # second authority domain for decision locks / workflow proofs.
@@ -353,6 +414,88 @@ def is_production_native_mcp_transport() -> bool:
     return (_NATIVE_RUNTIME or {}).get("mode") == _RUNTIME_MODE_PRODUCTION
 
 
+def bound_transport() -> str | None:
+    """The one authoritative bound transport identifier, or ``None`` (#931).
+
+    This is the shared accessor every transport-aware guard reads. It reports
+    the value pinned at bind time, never the environment, so changing
+    ``GITEA_MCP_TRANSPORT`` after the bind cannot move what a guard observes —
+    the same rule :func:`pinned_session_state_dir` applies to session state.
+
+    ``None`` means unbound: an offline import or a launch that never reached
+    the bind. Callers must treat that as fail-closed, exactly as they already
+    treat :func:`is_native_mcp_transport` returning false.
+    """
+    if not is_native_mcp_transport():
+        return None
+    return (_NATIVE_RUNTIME or {}).get("transport") or None
+
+
+def assert_transport_bound(context: str = "tool service") -> str:
+    """Return the bound transport, or fail closed before *context* (#931).
+
+    Called immediately before the server enters its transport loop so an
+    invalid or absent bind stops the process rather than serving tools over a
+    transport no guard can name.
+    """
+    transport = bound_transport()
+    if transport:
+        return transport
+    raise UnsanctionedRuntimeError(
+        f"No MCP transport is bound; refusing {context} (#931). "
+        "bind_native_mcp_transport must succeed from the canonical entrypoint "
+        "before any tool is served. Offline import and standalone launch "
+        "cannot reconstruct a bind."
+    )
+
+
+def assess_serve_authorization() -> dict[str, Any]:
+    """Structured verdict on whether this process may serve tools (#931).
+
+    This is the decision that consumes :func:`bound_transport`. It is what stops
+    the bound identifier from being reporting-only metadata: the serve path
+    cannot proceed unless the value pinned at bind is one this entrypoint is
+    commissioned to execute.
+
+    Never raises; returns the verdict so callers and diagnostics can inspect it.
+    """
+    return mcp_transport_config.assess_transport_execution(bound_transport())
+
+
+def authorize_transport_execution(context: str = "tool service") -> str:
+    """Return the transport this process may serve, or fail closed (#931).
+
+    Two distinct boundaries, in order:
+
+    1. **Bind presence** — :func:`assert_transport_bound` enforces the
+       pre-existing #695 contract, so an unbound runtime keeps its established
+       failure and reason code.
+    2. **Execution authorization** — the bound identifier must be one this
+       entrypoint is commissioned to serve. A registered transport whose
+       listener has not been commissioned is refused here, before any listener
+       is created and before any tool can dispatch.
+
+    That ordering matters: recognition, validation and durable recording all
+    still happen for a remote identifier, so #931's seam is intact; only the act
+    of *serving* it is withheld until its owning issue commissions it.
+    """
+    # Boundary 1: unbound stays exactly as fail-closed as it was under #695.
+    assert_transport_bound(context)
+
+    # Boundary 2: bound, but is this entrypoint allowed to serve it?
+    assessment = assess_serve_authorization()
+    if assessment.get("allowed"):
+        return str(assessment["transport"])
+
+    reasons = "; ".join(assessment.get("reasons") or []) or "not authorized"
+    next_action = assessment.get("exact_next_action") or ""
+    raise TransportExecutionError(
+        f"Refusing {context} (#931) [{assessment.get('blocker_kind')}]: "
+        f"{reasons} {next_action}".strip(),
+        assessment,
+    )
+
+
 def is_sanctioned_mcp_daemon() -> bool:
     """Backward-compatible name; #695 requires native transport, not env alone."""
     if is_production_native_mcp_transport():
@@ -476,6 +619,21 @@ def native_runtime_status() -> dict[str, Any]:
         "entrypoint_path": rt.get("entrypoint_path"),
         "phase": rt.get("phase"),
         "transport": rt.get("transport"),
+        # #931: the authoritative bound identifier, plus the seam that defines
+        # what may be bound. ``bound_transport`` is None until a bind succeeds,
+        # so an offline import is distinguishable from a stdio session.
+        "bound_transport": bound_transport(),
+        "transport_bound": bound_transport() is not None,
+        "default_transport": mcp_transport_config.DEFAULT_TRANSPORT,
+        "supported_transports": list(mcp_transport_config.supported_transports()),
+        "transport_env": mcp_transport_config.TRANSPORT_ENV,
+        # #931 review 635: recognition and execution authorization are distinct.
+        # ``supported`` is what may be bound; ``executable`` is what this
+        # entrypoint may actually serve. A recognized-but-uncommissioned
+        # transport reports serve_authorized False with a named blocker.
+        "executable_transports": list(mcp_transport_config.executable_transports()),
+        "serve_authorized": bool(assess_serve_authorization().get("allowed")),
+        "serve_authorization": assess_serve_authorization(),
         "mode": rt.get("mode"),
         "session_state_dir": pinned_session_state_dir() or rt.get("session_state_dir"),
         "session_state_dir_pinned": pinned_session_state_dir() is not None,
@@ -502,7 +660,12 @@ def mutation_provenance_fields() -> dict[str, Any]:
     if st.get("mode") == _RUNTIME_MODE_TEST and st["native_mcp_transport"]:
         transport = "test_native_mcp"
     return {
+        # ``transport`` stays the trust *class* it has always been, so existing
+        # durable records keep their shape. ``bound_transport`` (#931) adds the
+        # bound identifier itself, which is what lets an operator tell from a
+        # durable record which transport performed a mutation.
         "transport": transport,
+        "bound_transport": st.get("bound_transport"),
         "native_mcp_transport": bool(st["native_mcp_transport"]),
         "production_native_mcp_transport": bool(
             st.get("production_native_mcp_transport")

mcp_namespace_health.py

@@ -51,6 +51,42 @@ EOF_PATTERNS = (
     "eof",
 )
 
+ERROR_CONNECTED_NAMESPACES_MISSING = "mcp_connected_namespaces_missing"
+
+# Distinct from the condition above. ``mcp_connected_namespaces_missing`` is reserved for
+# the actual #708 defect: the host *does* report the service Connected, yet the namespace
+# never entered the active session tool surface. A required namespace that is absent from
+# the connected-service inventory has no Connected claim behind it at all, so reporting it
+# under the #708 condition would assert something the evidence does not support and would
+# point an operator at the wrong recovery.
+ERROR_REQUIRED_NAMESPACES_NOT_CONNECTED = "mcp_required_namespaces_not_connected"
+
+DISCOVERY_STATUS_ATTACHED = "namespaces_attached"
+DISCOVERY_STATUS_CONNECTED_MISSING = "connected_but_namespaces_missing"
+DISCOVERY_STATUS_NOT_CONNECTED = "required_namespaces_not_connected"
+DISCOVERY_STATUS_DISCONNECTED = "disconnected"
+
+# Namespaces that must be *attached to the active session* for a mutation task (#708).
+# Connected-at-host is not attached-in-session; these are gated separately from the
+# #543 health map because a namespace can be healthy on probe yet absent from the
+# session tool surface.
+ATTACHMENT_GATED_TASKS = {
+    "review_pr": "gitea-reviewer",
+    "submit_review": "gitea-reviewer",
+    "merge_pr": "gitea-merger",
+    "work_issue": "gitea-author",
+    "create_pr": "gitea-author",
+}
+
+# The only sanctioned recovery for an unattached namespace (#678 exposes it natively).
+SANCTIONED_ATTACH_RECOVERY_TOOL = "gitea_request_mcp_reconnect"
+
+UNSAFE_FALLBACK_WARNING = (
+    "Workflow Safety Hard Stop (#708): Connected-but-namespaces-missing recovery must "
+    "NEVER use direct imports, Gitea API mutations, profile hopping, session-state "
+    "overrides, PID kills, or config mtime touches. Use client reconnect only."
+)
+
 SAFE_ENV_KEYS = (
     "GITEA_MCP_PROFILE",
     "GITEA_PROFILE_NAME",
@@ -59,6 +95,318 @@ SAFE_ENV_KEYS = (
     "GITEA_MCP_CONFIG",
 )
 
+# #948: provenance used to be derived from the summary this allowlist produces.
+# The allowlist never carried a provenance key, so that derivation could only
+# ever evaluate to ``manual_launch`` — whatever the process actually was — while
+# ``gitea_get_runtime_context`` read the live environment and reported
+# ``client_managed`` for the same process. Provenance is no longer derived here.
+# It comes from ``mcp_worker_identity.assess_provenance``, the single authority
+# every surface shares. This allowlist keeps its original and only job: deciding
+# which env values are safe to echo back in diagnostics.
+
+
+def assess_connected_namespace_attachment(
+    *,
+    connected_servers: list[str] | tuple[str, ...] | set[str] | None = None,
+    attached_session_namespaces: list[str] | tuple[str, ...] | set[str] | None = None,
+    required_namespaces: list[str] | tuple[str, ...] | set[str] | None = None,
+    discovery_cache_age_seconds: float | int | None = None,
+    discovery_cache_hit: bool | None = None,
+    auto_attach_attempted: bool = False,
+    auto_attach_succeeded: bool = False,
+    session_tool_snapshot_at: float | int | None = None,
+    namespace_connected_at: dict[str, float] | None = None,
+) -> dict[str, Any]:
+    """Assess whether host-connected MCP servers have attached tool namespaces in the active session (#708).
+
+    Addresses the Connected-but-namespaces-missing defect: CLI/host status may report Connected
+    while the active LLM session tool surface exposes 0 attached tool namespaces.
+
+    This is a *distinct* condition from config drift (#672), transport-closed (#584),
+    and resolver EOF (#685): the transport is up and the host reports Connected, yet the
+    namespace never entered the session tool surface.
+
+    Startup ordering (``session_tool_snapshot_at`` + ``namespace_connected_at``) identifies
+    the race where the session tool snapshot was taken before a role server finished
+    ``initialize``/``list_tools``, which is why parallel multi-role startup can leave the
+    session with an empty namespace set while Connected later flips true.
+
+    Returns structured detection details plus secret-free telemetry.
+    """
+    connected = [str(s).strip() for s in (connected_servers or []) if str(s).strip()]
+    attached = set(str(ns).strip() for ns in (attached_session_namespaces or []) if str(ns).strip())
+    req = [str(r).strip() for r in (required_namespaces or DEFAULT_NAMESPACES) if str(r).strip()]
+
+    required = list(dict.fromkeys(req))
+    connected_set = set(connected)
+
+    proof: dict[str, dict[str, bool]] = {}
+    for s in connected:
+        proof[s] = {"connected": True, "attached": s in attached}
+    for r in required:
+        if r not in proof:
+            proof[r] = {"connected": r in connected_set, "attached": r in attached}
+
+    # The genuine #708 condition: the host reports the service Connected and the namespace
+    # still never entered the active session tool surface.
+    missing = [r for r in required if r in connected_set and r not in attached]
+    # A separate condition: the service is required but absent from the connected-service
+    # inventory. Nothing here is Connected, so this must not borrow the #708 wording or its
+    # recovery — see ERROR_REQUIRED_NAMESPACES_NOT_CONNECTED.
+    not_connected = [r for r in required if r not in connected_set]
+    # Evidence that disagrees with itself: reported attached to the session while absent
+    # from the connected inventory. Neither statement is proof, so it fails closed.
+    contradictory = [r for r in not_connected if r in attached]
+
+    # No required namespace may lack attachment proof and still be called healthy.
+    attachment_healthy = (
+        not missing
+        and not not_connected
+        and len(connected) > 0
+        and len(required) > 0
+    )
+
+    if attachment_healthy:
+        discovery_status = DISCOVERY_STATUS_ATTACHED
+    elif not connected:
+        discovery_status = DISCOVERY_STATUS_DISCONNECTED
+    elif not_connected:
+        discovery_status = DISCOVERY_STATUS_NOT_CONNECTED
+    else:
+        discovery_status = DISCOVERY_STATUS_CONNECTED_MISSING
+
+    # Every condition actually present is reported; ``error_type`` names the primary one.
+    # Not-connected outranks Connected-but-unattached because a service that never
+    # connected cannot be recovered by attaching its namespace.
+    error_types: list[str] = []
+    if not_connected:
+        error_types.append(ERROR_REQUIRED_NAMESPACES_NOT_CONNECTED)
+    if missing:
+        error_types.append(ERROR_CONNECTED_NAMESPACES_MISSING)
+    if not attachment_healthy and not error_types:
+        error_types.append(ERROR_REQUIRED_NAMESPACES_NOT_CONNECTED)
+    error_type = None if attachment_healthy else error_types[0]
+
+    # Per-namespace verdict, so a mutation gate never has to infer one namespace's state
+    # from a whole-session summary. Each entry states only what its own evidence supports.
+    namespace_conditions: dict[str, dict[str, Any]] = {}
+    for ns_name, state in proof.items():
+        ns_connected = bool(state["connected"])
+        ns_attached = bool(state["attached"])
+        if ns_connected and ns_attached:
+            condition = None
+        elif ns_connected:
+            condition = ERROR_CONNECTED_NAMESPACES_MISSING
+        else:
+            condition = ERROR_REQUIRED_NAMESPACES_NOT_CONNECTED
+        namespace_conditions[ns_name] = {
+            "namespace": ns_name,
+            "required": ns_name in required,
+            "connected": ns_connected,
+            "attached": ns_attached,
+            "attachment_healthy": ns_connected and ns_attached,
+            "condition": condition,
+            "contradictory_evidence": ns_attached and not ns_connected,
+        }
+
+    # Startup-ordering race: a namespace that finished connecting *after* the session
+    # tool snapshot was taken cannot be in that snapshot, however healthy it looks now.
+    connected_at = {
+        str(k).strip(): v
+        for k, v in (namespace_connected_at or {}).items()
+        if str(k).strip() and isinstance(v, (int, float))
+    }
+    late_attaching: list[str] = []
+    if isinstance(session_tool_snapshot_at, (int, float)):
+        for ns_name, ts in connected_at.items():
+            if ts > session_tool_snapshot_at and ns_name not in attached:
+                late_attaching.append(ns_name)
+    late_attaching.sort()
+    startup_ordering_race = bool(late_attaching)
+
+    auto_recovered = bool(auto_attach_attempted and auto_attach_succeeded and attachment_healthy)
+    reconnect_required = not attachment_healthy
+
+    reasons: list[str] = []
+    remediation: list[str] = []
+    if not connected:
+        reasons.append("No MCP servers reported Connected.")
+        remediation.append("Start or reconnect Gitea MCP servers in client config.")
+    if missing:
+        reasons.append(
+            f"MCP server(s) {missing} report Connected at host/CLI layer but tool namespaces "
+            f"are missing from active session attached tools (Connected ≠ attached tools, #708)."
+        )
+        remediation.append(
+            "Reconnect the IDE/client MCP session to attach namespaces to the active session "
+            f"(sanctioned path: {SANCTIONED_ATTACH_RECOVERY_TOOL}), then re-run full preflight "
+            "(gitea_whoami -> gitea_resolve_task_capability -> task). "
+            "Do not use direct imports, CLI API mutations, profile hopping, or session file overrides."
+        )
+    if not_connected:
+        reasons.append(
+            f"required MCP namespace(s) {not_connected} are absent from the connected-service "
+            "inventory: nothing reports them Connected, so there is no attachment to claim and "
+            "the Connected-but-unattached condition does not apply to them (#708)."
+        )
+        remediation.append(
+            f"Connect the required MCP server(s) {not_connected} through the client, then "
+            "reconnect the IDE/client MCP session so their namespaces attach "
+            f"(sanctioned path: {SANCTIONED_ATTACH_RECOVERY_TOOL}), and re-run full preflight. "
+            "Do not use direct imports, CLI API mutations, profile hopping, or session file overrides."
+        )
+    if contradictory:
+        reasons.append(
+            f"contradictory evidence for namespace(s) {contradictory}: reported attached to the "
+            "active session while absent from the connected-service inventory; neither statement "
+            "is proof, so attachment is treated as unproven (fail closed, #708)."
+        )
+    if attachment_healthy:
+        reasons.append(
+            "All required MCP server namespaces are connected and attached to the active session."
+        )
+
+    if startup_ordering_race:
+        reasons.append(
+            f"startup ordering race: namespace(s) {late_attaching} finished connecting after the "
+            "active session tool snapshot was taken, so they cannot appear in that snapshot (#708)."
+        )
+    if auto_attach_attempted and not auto_attach_succeeded:
+        reasons.append(
+            "automatic namespace attachment was attempted and did not succeed; only the sanctioned "
+            "client reconnect path remains."
+        )
+    if auto_recovered:
+        reasons.append("namespaces were automatically attached; no operator reconnect was required.")
+
+    return {
+        "success": attachment_healthy,
+        "attachment_healthy": attachment_healthy,
+        "discovery_status": discovery_status,
+        "connected_servers": connected,
+        "attached_session_namespaces": list(attached),
+        "missing_namespaces": missing,
+        "not_connected_namespaces": not_connected,
+        "contradictory_namespaces": contradictory,
+        "proof_of_connected_vs_attached": proof,
+        "namespace_conditions": namespace_conditions,
+        "error_type": error_type,
+        "error_types": error_types,
+        "reasons": reasons,
+        "remediation": remediation,
+        "exact_next_action": (
+            "None; session tool namespaces attached."
+            if attachment_healthy
+            else (
+                f"Connect the required MCP server(s) {not_connected} through the client, then "
+                "reconnect the IDE/client MCP session so their tool namespaces attach to the "
+                "active session. Do not use direct imports, CLI API mutations, profile hopping, "
+                "or session-state overrides."
+                if not_connected
+                else (
+                    "Reconnect the IDE/client MCP session so tool namespaces attach to the active "
+                    "session. Do not use direct imports, CLI API mutations, profile hopping, or "
+                    "session-state overrides."
+                )
+            )
+        ),
+        "unsafe_fallback_policy": UNSAFE_FALLBACK_WARNING,
+        "sanctioned_recovery_tool": SANCTIONED_ATTACH_RECOVERY_TOOL,
+        "reconnect_required": reconnect_required,
+        "auto_attach_attempted": bool(auto_attach_attempted),
+        "auto_recovered": auto_recovered,
+        "startup_ordering_race": startup_ordering_race,
+        "late_attaching_namespaces": late_attaching,
+        # Secret-free structured signals (#708 AC5). Namespace names and counts only:
+        # never tokens, endpoints, env values, or filesystem paths.
+        "telemetry": {
+            "connected_count": len(connected),
+            "attached_count": len(attached),
+            "required_count": len(required),
+            "missing_count": len(missing),
+            "not_connected_count": len(not_connected),
+            "contradictory_count": len(contradictory),
+            "required_attached_count": sum(1 for r in required if r in attached),
+            "discovery_status": discovery_status,
+            "discovery_cache_hit": (
+                None if discovery_cache_hit is None else bool(discovery_cache_hit)
+            ),
+            "discovery_cache_age_seconds": (
+                float(discovery_cache_age_seconds)
+                if isinstance(discovery_cache_age_seconds, (int, float))
+                else None
+            ),
+            "reconnect_required": reconnect_required,
+            "auto_attach_attempted": bool(auto_attach_attempted),
+            "auto_recovered": auto_recovered,
+            "startup_ordering_race": startup_ordering_race,
+            "error_type": error_type,
+            "error_types": error_types,
+        },
+    }
+
+
+def required_namespace_for_attachment(task: str) -> str | None:
+    """Map a mutation task to the MCP namespace that must be *attached* (#708)."""
+    return ATTACHMENT_GATED_TASKS.get((task or "").strip())
+
+
+def attachment_gate_from_session(
+    task: str,
+    session_attachment: dict[str, dict[str, Any]] | None,
+) -> list[str]:
+    """Fail-closed gate on recorded connected-but-unattached namespaces (#708).
+
+    Mirrors :func:`mutation_gate_from_session`: a namespace that has not been
+    assessed yet does not gate, so this never blocks a session that simply has
+    not run the assessment. Once an assessment records the namespace required
+    for *task* as Connected-but-unattached, the mutation fails closed and the
+    only offered recovery is the sanctioned client reconnect path.
+    """
+    ns = required_namespace_for_attachment(task)
+    if not ns:
+        return []
+    store = session_attachment or {}
+    entry = store.get(ns)
+    if not entry:
+        return []
+    if entry.get("attached") and entry.get("attachment_healthy"):
+        return []
+
+    what = task or "mutation"
+    connected = entry.get("connected")
+    detail = entry.get("condition") or entry.get("error_type")
+    if connected is True:
+        # Only here has anything actually reported the service Connected, so only here may
+        # the block say so.
+        detail = detail or ERROR_CONNECTED_NAMESPACES_MISSING
+        blocked = (
+            f"live MCP namespace '{ns}' is recorded {detail}: the host reports Connected but the "
+            f"namespace is not attached to the active session tool surface; reconnect the "
+            f"IDE/client MCP session and re-run preflight before {what} "
+            "(fail closed, #708)"
+        )
+    elif connected is False:
+        detail = ERROR_REQUIRED_NAMESPACES_NOT_CONNECTED
+        blocked = (
+            f"live MCP namespace '{ns}' is recorded {detail}: it is absent from the "
+            f"connected-service inventory, so it is neither connected nor attached and no "
+            f"Connected status is claimed for it; connect the required MCP server, then "
+            f"reconnect the IDE/client MCP session and re-run preflight before {what} "
+            "(fail closed, #708)"
+        )
+    else:
+        # Connected status was never recorded. Refuse without asserting either condition.
+        detail = detail or ERROR_CONNECTED_NAMESPACES_MISSING
+        blocked = (
+            f"live MCP namespace '{ns}' is recorded {detail} with no connected-status evidence, "
+            f"so attachment to the active session tool surface is unproven; reconnect the "
+            f"IDE/client MCP session and re-run preflight before {what} "
+            "(fail closed, #708)"
+        )
+    return [blocked, UNSAFE_FALLBACK_WARNING]
+
+
 
 def _as_list(value: Any) -> list[str] | None:
     if value is None:
@@ -104,12 +452,23 @@ def classify_namespace_probe(
     profile: str | None = None,
     configured: bool = True,
     probe_source: str | None = None,
+    worker_identity: str | None = None,
+    generation_id: str | None = None,
+    registry: Any | None = None,
+    pid_alive_probe: Any | None = None,
 ) -> dict[str, Any]:
     """Classify whether a required tool is callable through a live namespace.
 
     ``registered_tools`` is static/server-side evidence. ``probe_result`` is
     live invocation evidence. Only ``probe_source=client_namespace`` proves the
     IDE-managed path; ``offline_spawn`` is an offline subprocess check only.
+
+    #948: ``worker_identity``/``generation_id``/``registry`` carry the
+    client/session ownership evidence. Provenance is resolved by
+    ``mcp_worker_identity.assess_provenance`` — the same call
+    ``gitea_get_runtime_context`` makes — so the two surfaces cannot report
+    different provenance for one process. Omitting them yields the fail-closed
+    ``unproven`` verdict, never a fabricated ``client_managed``.
     """
     ns = (namespace or "").strip()
     tool = required_tool or REQUIRED_NAMESPACE_TOOLS.get(ns) or "gitea_whoami"
@@ -226,14 +585,31 @@ def classify_namespace_probe(
         blocks = namespace_health_blocks_task("merge_pr", healthy)
 
     import gitea_config
+    import mcp_worker_identity
+
     raw_env = process.get("env") if isinstance(process, dict) else None
     unconsumed_env = gitea_config.get_unconsumed_gitea_env_overrides(raw_env)
-    is_client_managed = bool(
+
-        env_summary.get("GITEA_CLIENT_MANAGED") in ("1", "true", "yes", "client_managed")
+    # #948: one authority, shared with gitea_get_runtime_context. The env is
-        or env_summary.get("GITEA_MCP_CLIENT_MANAGED") in ("1", "true", "yes", "client_managed")
+    # passed whole rather than through SAFE_ENV_KEYS — the allowlist exists to
-        or env_summary.get("GITEA_SERVER_PROVENANCE") == "client_managed"
+    # decide what may be *echoed*, and using it to decide what may be *believed*
+    # is what made this surface structurally unable to report client_managed.
+    # ``declared_only``: ``process`` describes an observed peer, not this
+    # interpreter. Its stdin is unavailable and its launcher-config env is
+    # inherited from whatever shell started it, so only an explicit declaration
+    # is evidence. Absence of one is ``unproven``, not an asserted manual launch.
+    provenance_verdict = mcp_worker_identity.assess_provenance(
+        registry=registry,
+        worker_identity=worker_identity,
+        generation_id=generation_id,
+        env=raw_env if isinstance(raw_env, dict) else {},
+        namespace=ns,
+        profile=profile_name,
+        pid_alive_probe=pid_alive_probe,
+        declared_only=True,
     )
-    provenance = "client_managed" if is_client_managed else "manual_launch"
+    provenance = provenance_verdict["provenance"]
+    is_client_managed = provenance_verdict["is_client_managed"]
 
     return {
         "success": healthy,
@@ -252,6 +628,15 @@ def classify_namespace_probe(
         "remediation": remediation,
         "provenance": provenance,
         "is_client_managed": is_client_managed,
+        # Every non-client-session verdict fails closed. Consumers that only
+        # need "may this mutate?" read this and stay correct across the #948
+        # vocabulary split between ``manual_launch`` and ``unproven``.
+        "provenance_fail_closed": provenance_verdict["fail_closed"],
+        "provenance_assessment": provenance_verdict,
+        "worker_identity": provenance_verdict["worker_identity"],
+        "session_id": provenance_verdict["session_id"],
+        "generation_id": provenance_verdict["generation_id"],
+        "client_name": provenance_verdict["client_name"],
         "unconsumed_gitea_env": unconsumed_env,
         "diagnostics": {
             "namespace": ns,
@@ -263,6 +648,13 @@ def classify_namespace_probe(
             "probe_source": source,
             "provenance": provenance,
             "is_client_managed": is_client_managed,
+            "provenance_fail_closed": provenance_verdict["fail_closed"],
+            "provenance_blocker_kind": provenance_verdict["blocker_kind"],
+            "provenance_scope": provenance_verdict["scope"],
+            "worker_identity": provenance_verdict["worker_identity"],
+            "session_id": provenance_verdict["session_id"],
+            "generation_id": provenance_verdict["generation_id"],
+            "client_name": provenance_verdict["client_name"],
             "unconsumed_gitea_env": unconsumed_env,
         },
         "blocks_merge_workflow": blocks,

mcp_server.py

@@ -1,7 +1,10 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env python3
 """Gitea MCP Server — exposes Gitea operations as MCP tools.
 
-Runs over stdio. All tools authenticate via macOS keychain (git credential fill).
+The transport is selected by deployment configuration (GITEA_MCP_TRANSPORT) and
+defaults to the local client-spawned transport when unset (#931); the permitted
+set lives in mcp_transport_config. All tools authenticate via macOS keychain
+(git credential fill).
 """
 import os
 import sys
@@ -43,8 +46,9 @@ check_conflict_markers()
 
 # #558 / #695: claim the official entrypoint before loading mutation modules.
 # This alone does NOT authorize mutations — gitea_mcp_server binds the live
-# native MCP transport (stdio) immediately before mcp.run. Import-only or
+# native MCP transport immediately before mcp.run, over the configured
-# offline launch without that bind fails closed on mutations.
+# transport (#931). Import-only or offline launch without that bind fails
+# closed on mutations.
 try:
     import mcp_daemon_guard
 

mcp_session_state.py

@@ -588,9 +588,13 @@ def save_state(
                 bool(prov.get("production_native_mcp_transport")),
             )
             body.setdefault("transport", prov.get("transport"))
+            # #931: record the bound transport identifier itself, so a durable
+            # decision lock names which transport performed the mutation.
+            body.setdefault("bound_transport", prov.get("bound_transport"))
         except Exception:
             body.setdefault("native_mcp_transport", False)
             body.setdefault("transport", "untrusted")
+            body.setdefault("bound_transport", None)
 
         envelope = {
             "kind": kind,

mcp_transport_config.py

@@ -0,0 +1,292 @@
+"""Single authoritative source for the bound MCP transport identifier (#931).
+
+Before this module the transport was a literal, passed once at the bottom of
+``gitea_mcp_server`` as ``bind_native_mcp_transport(transport="stdio")``. Every
+guard that later asks "is this a trusted native session" resolves that question
+through the value bound there, so the literal was effectively a constant in the
+authorization chain rather than configuration.
+
+This module is the seam. It owns three things and nothing else:
+
+- the permitted set of transport identifiers,
+- the default used when deployment configuration says nothing,
+- the resolution of the configured value into a validated identifier.
+
+It deliberately holds no state. The *bound* transport is pinned once, at bind
+time, into the process-local native-runtime record owned by
+:mod:`mcp_daemon_guard`, and is read back through
+``mcp_daemon_guard.bound_transport()``. That split matters: configuration is
+read exactly once, before any tool can dispatch, so a later environment change
+cannot move the value a guard observes — the same pinning rule already applied
+to the session-state root under #695 AC2.
+
+Nothing here consumes tool arguments, request bodies, or provenance fields. The
+only input is the deployment environment, read at bind time.
+
+Standing up a listener for a non-stdio transport is #938; this module only
+makes the identifier expressible and validated.
+"""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import os
+from typing import Any, Mapping
+
+# Deployment configuration key. Read once, at bind time, and never again.
+TRANSPORT_ENV = "GITEA_MCP_TRANSPORT"
+
+# The local, client-spawned transport. Unset configuration resolves to this,
+# which is what keeps every existing stdio deployment byte-identical.
+DEFAULT_TRANSPORT = "stdio"
+
+# The sanctioned remote transport identifier. Accepting it here is what makes
+# the bind pluggable; the endpoint that serves it belongs to #938. The name
+# matches the MCP transport name so no second vocabulary has to be mapped.
+REMOTE_TRANSPORT = "streamable-http"
+
+# The permitted set. This is the only place transport identifiers are
+# enumerated; guards consult it rather than restating any member.
+#
+# ``sse`` is a real MCP transport and is deliberately absent: it is the
+# superseded remote transport, and admitting it would give the deployment two
+# remote paths to reason about. An unregistered identifier must fail closed at
+# bind time, and ``sse`` is held to that rule like any other.
+SUPPORTED_TRANSPORTS = frozenset({DEFAULT_TRANSPORT, REMOTE_TRANSPORT})
+
+# Recognition is not execution authorization (#931, review 635 B1/B2).
+#
+# SUPPORTED_TRANSPORTS answers "is this an identifier this system knows, and may
+# it be bound, pinned and recorded?". It deliberately includes the remote
+# identifier, because #931 requires the bind to become pluggable.
+#
+# EXECUTABLE_TRANSPORTS answers a strictly narrower question: "is this entrypoint
+# commissioned to actually *serve* on that transport?". Only the local transport
+# is. Handing ``streamable-http`` to ``mcp.run`` would start FastMCP's HTTP
+# listener with no authentication, no TLS and no per-request principal — the
+# endpoint #938 owns and gates. Recognition must therefore never imply execution.
+#
+# #938 commissions the remote listener by adding REMOTE_TRANSPORT here, together
+# with the authentication and principal boundary its acceptance criteria require.
+EXECUTABLE_TRANSPORTS = frozenset({DEFAULT_TRANSPORT})
+
+# Which issue owns commissioning each recognized-but-not-executable transport.
+# Used to make the refusal actionable rather than a generic denial.
+TRANSPORT_EXECUTION_OWNER = {REMOTE_TRANSPORT: "#938"}
+
+BLOCKER_TRANSPORT_NOT_BOUND = "transport_not_bound"
+BLOCKER_TRANSPORT_NOT_RECOGNIZED = "transport_not_recognized"
+BLOCKER_LISTENER_NOT_COMMISSIONED = "transport_listener_not_commissioned"
+
+SOURCE_CONFIGURED = "deployment_configuration"
+SOURCE_DEFAULT = "default"
+
+
+class TransportConfigurationError(ValueError):
+    """Raised when configured transport is outside :data:`SUPPORTED_TRANSPORTS`."""
+
+
+def normalize_transport(value: Any) -> str:
+    """Canonical form of a transport identifier; ``""`` when there is none.
+
+    Non-string values normalize to ``""`` rather than being coerced, so a
+    structured object smuggled in from a caller can never match a member of the
+    permitted set.
+    """
+    if not isinstance(value, str):
+        return ""
+    return value.strip().lower()
+
+
+def supported_transports() -> tuple[str, ...]:
+    """Permitted identifiers, sorted, for messages and status payloads."""
+    return tuple(sorted(SUPPORTED_TRANSPORTS))
+
+
+def is_supported_transport(value: Any) -> bool:
+    """True when *value* normalizes to a member of the permitted set."""
+    return normalize_transport(value) in SUPPORTED_TRANSPORTS
+
+
+def is_remote_transport(value: Any) -> bool:
+    """True when *value* is a permitted transport that is not the local one."""
+    name = normalize_transport(value)
+    return name in SUPPORTED_TRANSPORTS and name != DEFAULT_TRANSPORT
+
+
+def executable_transports() -> tuple[str, ...]:
+    """Transports this entrypoint is commissioned to serve, sorted."""
+    return tuple(sorted(EXECUTABLE_TRANSPORTS))
+
+
+def is_executable_transport(value: Any) -> bool:
+    """True when *value* may actually be served by this entrypoint (#931).
+
+    Strictly narrower than :func:`is_supported_transport`. A recognized
+    identifier that is not executable is a correct, fully-bound configuration
+    whose listener has simply not been commissioned yet.
+    """
+    return normalize_transport(value) in EXECUTABLE_TRANSPORTS
+
+
+def assess_transport_execution(value: Any) -> dict[str, Any]:
+    """Structured serve-authorization verdict for a bound transport (#931).
+
+    This is the decision that separates a *recognized* transport from one this
+    entrypoint may execute. It is deliberately a pure function of the bound
+    identifier so the serve path cannot reach a listener the deployment has not
+    commissioned.
+
+    Args:
+        value: The bound transport identifier, or ``None`` when unbound.
+
+    Returns:
+        dict with ``transport``, ``recognized``, ``executable``, ``allowed``,
+        ``blocker_kind``, ``owner_issue``, ``reasons`` and
+        ``exact_next_action``. ``allowed`` is true only for a bound, recognized,
+        commissioned transport.
+    """
+    name = normalize_transport(value)
+
+    if not name:
+        return {
+            "transport": None,
+            "recognized": False,
+            "executable": False,
+            "allowed": False,
+            "blocker_kind": BLOCKER_TRANSPORT_NOT_BOUND,
+            "owner_issue": None,
+            "supported_transports": list(supported_transports()),
+            "executable_transports": list(executable_transports()),
+            "reasons": [
+                "no transport is bound; the serve path is fail-closed until "
+                "bind_native_mcp_transport succeeds (#695/#931)"
+            ],
+            "exact_next_action": (
+                "Launch through the canonical entrypoint so "
+                "bind_native_mcp_transport runs before tool service."
+            ),
+        }
+
+    recognized = name in SUPPORTED_TRANSPORTS
+    if not recognized:
+        return {
+            "transport": name,
+            "recognized": False,
+            "executable": False,
+            "allowed": False,
+            "blocker_kind": BLOCKER_TRANSPORT_NOT_RECOGNIZED,
+            "owner_issue": None,
+            "supported_transports": list(supported_transports()),
+            "executable_transports": list(executable_transports()),
+            "reasons": [
+                f"transport {name!r} is not a registered MCP transport (#931); "
+                "it should have been refused at bind time"
+            ],
+            "exact_next_action": (
+                f"Set {TRANSPORT_ENV} to one of {list(supported_transports())}."
+            ),
+        }
+
+    if name in EXECUTABLE_TRANSPORTS:
+        return {
+            "transport": name,
+            "recognized": True,
+            "executable": True,
+            "allowed": True,
+            "blocker_kind": None,
+            "owner_issue": None,
+            "supported_transports": list(supported_transports()),
+            "executable_transports": list(executable_transports()),
+            "reasons": [],
+            "exact_next_action": None,
+        }
+
+    owner = TRANSPORT_EXECUTION_OWNER.get(name)
+    owner_text = owner or "the issue that commissions this transport's listener"
+    return {
+        "transport": name,
+        "recognized": True,
+        "executable": False,
+        "allowed": False,
+        "blocker_kind": BLOCKER_LISTENER_NOT_COMMISSIONED,
+        "owner_issue": owner,
+        "supported_transports": list(supported_transports()),
+        "executable_transports": list(executable_transports()),
+        "reasons": [
+            f"transport {name!r} is registered and was bound and recorded, but "
+            f"this entrypoint is not commissioned to serve it (#931). Serving it "
+            f"would start a listener with no authentication, no transport "
+            f"security and no per-request principal; that endpoint is owned by "
+            f"{owner_text}."
+        ],
+        "exact_next_action": (
+            f"Serve on {DEFAULT_TRANSPORT} until {owner_text} commissions the "
+            f"{name!r} listener with its authentication and principal boundary, "
+            f"which adds {name!r} to EXECUTABLE_TRANSPORTS."
+        ),
+    }
+
+
+def resolve_configured_transport(
+    env: Mapping[str, str] | None = None,
+) -> dict[str, Any]:
+    """Resolve the deployment-configured transport without raising.
+
+    Returns the resolution rather than a bare string so a caller can tell an
+    unset value (which legitimately yields :data:`DEFAULT_TRANSPORT`) from a
+    configured value that is not permitted (which must fail closed, never
+    silently degrade to the default).
+
+    Args:
+        env: Environment mapping to read; defaults to ``os.environ``.
+
+    Returns:
+        dict with ``transport`` (normalized; the default when unset),
+        ``configured``, ``source``, ``raw``, ``supported``, and ``reasons``.
+    """
+    source_env = os.environ if env is None else env
+    raw = source_env.get(TRANSPORT_ENV)
+    normalized = normalize_transport(raw)
+    configured = bool(normalized)
+
+    if not configured:
+        return {
+            "transport": DEFAULT_TRANSPORT,
+            "configured": False,
+            "source": SOURCE_DEFAULT,
+            "raw": raw,
+            "supported": True,
+            "supported_transports": list(supported_transports()),
+            "env_key": TRANSPORT_ENV,
+            "reasons": [],
+        }
+
+    supported = normalized in SUPPORTED_TRANSPORTS
+    reasons: list[str] = []
+    if not supported:
+        reasons.append(
+            f"{TRANSPORT_ENV}={normalized!r} is not a registered MCP transport "
+            f"(#931). Registered: {list(supported_transports())}."
+        )
+    return {
+        "transport": normalized,
+        "configured": True,
+        "source": SOURCE_CONFIGURED,
+        "raw": raw,
+        "supported": supported,
+        "supported_transports": list(supported_transports()),
+        "env_key": TRANSPORT_ENV,
+        "reasons": reasons,
+    }
+
+
+def require_configured_transport(env: Mapping[str, str] | None = None) -> str:
+    """Resolved transport identifier, or raise when it is not permitted.
+
+    Raises:
+        TransportConfigurationError: the configured identifier is unregistered.
+    """
+    resolution = resolve_configured_transport(env)
+    if not resolution["supported"]:
+        raise TransportConfigurationError("; ".join(resolution["reasons"]))
+    return str(resolution["transport"])

post_restart_reconcile.py

@@ -475,8 +475,37 @@ def reconcile_after_restart(
             )
         )
 
-    # --- sessions -------------------------------------------------------
+    # --- sessions (#969: dead-owner / PID-reuse lifecycle) ---------------
+    # Prefer a precomputed fleet report from the gather/apply path when present;
+    # otherwise classify pure from inventory (injectable checkers stay default).
     sessions = [s for s in (inventory.get("sessions") or []) if isinstance(s, Mapping)]
+    leases_for_sessions = [
+        L for L in (inventory.get("leases") or []) if isinstance(L, Mapping)
+    ]
+    fleet_report = inventory.get("session_fleet")
+    if isinstance(fleet_report, Mapping) and "retireable_session_ids" in fleet_report:
+        fleet_details = dict(fleet_report)
+        retireable_ids = list(fleet_details.get("retireable_session_ids") or [])
+        resolved = bool(fleet_details.get("sessions_dimension_resolved", not retireable_ids))
+    else:
+        try:
+            import session_lifecycle as _sl
+
+            client_managed = inventory.get("client_managed_session_ids")
+            cm_set = None
+            if isinstance(client_managed, (list, tuple, set, frozenset)):
+                cm_set = {str(x) for x in client_managed}
+            fleet = _sl.classify_sessions(
+                sessions,
+                leases=leases_for_sessions,
+                now=started,
+                client_managed_sessions=cm_set,
+            )
+            fleet_details = fleet.as_dict()
+            retireable_ids = list(fleet_details.get("retireable_session_ids") or [])
+            resolved = bool(fleet_details.get("sessions_dimension_resolved"))
+        except Exception as exc:  # noqa: BLE001 — fail closed to legacy signal
+            # Legacy fallback: dead-pid active rows only (pre-#969 behaviour).
             orphan_sessions = [
                 s
                 for s in sessions
@@ -484,15 +513,27 @@ def reconcile_after_restart(
                 and s.get("pid") is not None
                 and not lease_lifecycle.is_process_alive(s.get("pid"))
             ]
-    if orphan_sessions:
+            retireable_ids = [s.get("session_id") for s in orphan_sessions]
+            resolved = not orphan_sessions
+            fleet_details = {
+                "total_sessions": len(sessions),
+                "retireable_session_ids": retireable_ids,
+                "legacy_fallback": True,
+                "fallback_error": str(exc),
+            }
+
+    if not resolved and retireable_ids:
         items.append(
             _item(
                 DIM_SESSIONS,
                 ITEM_UNRESOLVED,
-                f"{len(orphan_sessions)} active session row(s) with dead owner pid",
+                f"{len(retireable_ids)} session row(s) with dead/reused owner "
+                f"await retirement",
                 details={
-                    "orphan_session_ids": [s.get("session_id") for s in orphan_sessions],
+                    "orphan_session_ids": retireable_ids,
+                    "retireable_session_ids": retireable_ids,
                     "total_sessions": len(sessions),
+                    "fleet": fleet_details,
                 },
                 follow_up=True,
             )
@@ -502,8 +543,12 @@ def reconcile_after_restart(
             _item(
                 DIM_SESSIONS,
                 ITEM_RESOLVED,
-                f"{len(sessions)} session row(s) reconciled (no dead-pid orphans)",
+                f"{len(sessions)} session row(s) reconciled "
-                details={"total_sessions": len(sessions)},
+                f"(no retireable dead/reused owners)",
+                details={
+                    "total_sessions": len(sessions),
+                    "fleet": fleet_details,
+                },
             )
         )
 

session_lifecycle.py

@@ -0,0 +1,703 @@
+"""Safe lifecycle for workflow session rows with dead or reused owners (#969).
+
+Post-restart reconciliation previously left hundreds of ``active`` session rows
+with dead owner PIDs permanently unresolved. A PID existence check alone is not
+enough: operating systems reuse PIDs, so an unrelated live process can appear to
+own a historical session.
+
+This module is the pure classification + apply core for session retirement:
+
+* distinguish live, disconnected, stale, protected, and terminal records
+* refuse retirement when a live lease or live verified owner remains
+* protect live client-managed sessions
+* detect PID reuse via process start time vs session start / heartbeat
+* terminalize confirmed-stale rows idempotently with durable audit events
+* stay safe under concurrent reconciles (CAS on status)
+
+Design mirrors ``lease_lifecycle`` / ``post_restart_reconcile``:
+
+* Pure classification accepts injectable checkers so unit tests never touch
+  real processes.
+* Apply mutations go only through :meth:`ControlPlaneDB.retire_session`.
+* Historical rows are never deleted; status moves to a terminal value and an
+  events-row records the action + reason.
+"""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import json
+import os
+import subprocess
+from dataclasses import dataclass, field
+from datetime import datetime, timedelta, timezone
+from typing import Any, Callable, Mapping, Sequence
+
+import control_plane_db as cpd
+import lease_lifecycle
+
+# Session status vocabulary.
+SESSION_STATUS_ACTIVE = "active"
+SESSION_STATUS_RETIRED = "retired"
+SESSION_STATUS_ENDED = "ended"
+SESSION_STATUS_TERMINAL = "terminal"
+
+TERMINAL_SESSION_STATUSES = frozenset(
+    {
+        SESSION_STATUS_RETIRED,
+        SESSION_STATUS_ENDED,
+        SESSION_STATUS_TERMINAL,
+        "dead",
+        "stale",
+        "orphaned",
+    }
+)
+
+# Classification outcomes for one session row.
+CLASS_LIVE = "live"
+CLASS_DISCONNECTED = "disconnected"
+CLASS_STALE = "stale"
+CLASS_PROTECTED = "protected"
+CLASS_TERMINAL = "terminal"
+
+# Stable reason codes (audit + tests).
+REASON_ALREADY_TERMINAL = "already_terminal"
+REASON_LIVE_OWNER = "live_owner"
+REASON_LIVE_LEASE = "live_lease"
+REASON_CLIENT_MANAGED_LIVE = "client_managed_live"
+REASON_DEAD_OWNER = "dead_owner"
+REASON_PID_REUSE = "pid_reuse"
+REASON_HEARTBEAT_STALE_DEAD = "heartbeat_stale_dead_owner"
+REASON_MISSING_PID = "missing_pid_no_lease"
+
+# Event type written to control-plane events table.
+EVENT_SESSION_RETIRED = "session_retired"
+
+# Default heartbeat window before a still-alive PID is treated as disconnected
+# rather than live (does not alone authorize retirement).
+DEFAULT_HEARTBEAT_STALE_SECONDS = 900
+
+# PID reuse: process start must be strictly later than session started_at by
+# more than this skew (ps lstart is second-resolution; clocks can lag).
+PID_REUSE_SKEW = timedelta(seconds=2)
+
+# Live lease freshness values that block retirement.
+_LIVE_LEASE_FRESHNESS = frozenset({"active", "live"})
+
+
+class SessionLifecycleError(RuntimeError):
+    """Fail-closed session lifecycle policy error."""
+
+
+def _utc_now() -> datetime:
+    return datetime.now(timezone.utc)
+
+
+def _parse_ts(value: str | datetime | None) -> datetime | None:
+    if value is None:
+        return None
+    if isinstance(value, datetime):
+        if value.tzinfo is None:
+            return value.replace(tzinfo=timezone.utc)
+        return value.astimezone(timezone.utc)
+    return cpd._parse_ts(str(value))
+
+
+def _ts(dt: datetime | None = None) -> str:
+    return cpd._ts(dt)
+
+
+def process_start_time(pid: int | None) -> datetime | None:
+    """Return the OS start time of *pid*, or None when it cannot be resolved.
+
+    Uses ``ps -o lstart=`` (POSIX). Failures return None rather than inventing
+    evidence — missing start time never authorizes retirement of a live PID.
+    """
+    if pid is None:
+        return None
+    try:
+        pid_i = int(pid)
+    except (TypeError, ValueError):
+        return None
+    if pid_i <= 0:
+        return None
+    try:
+        proc = subprocess.run(
+            ["ps", "-o", "lstart=", "-p", str(pid_i)],
+            capture_output=True,
+            text=True,
+            check=False,
+            timeout=2,
+        )
+    except (OSError, subprocess.SubprocessError):
+        return None
+    if proc.returncode != 0:
+        return None
+    text = (proc.stdout or "").strip()
+    if not text:
+        return None
+    try:
+        # Example: "Wed Jul 29 09:14:36 2026"
+        naive = datetime.strptime(text, "%a %b %d %H:%M:%S %Y")
+        return naive.replace(tzinfo=timezone.utc)
+    except ValueError:
+        return None
+
+
+def _lease_freshness_label(lease: Mapping[str, Any]) -> str:
+    fr = lease.get("freshness")
+    if isinstance(fr, Mapping):
+        return str(fr.get("freshness") or "").strip().lower()
+    if fr:
+        return str(fr).strip().lower()
+    # Fall back to classifying a raw lease row.
+    try:
+        return str(
+            lease_lifecycle.classify_lease_freshness(lease).get("freshness") or ""
+        ).strip().lower()
+    except Exception:  # noqa: BLE001 — pure classifier must not raise on bad rows
+        status = str(lease.get("status") or "").strip().lower()
+        return status or "unknown"
+
+
+def live_lease_session_ids(
+    leases: Sequence[Mapping[str, Any]] | None,
+    *,
+    now: datetime | None = None,
+    pid_checker: Callable[[int | None], bool] = lease_lifecycle.is_process_alive,
+) -> set[str]:
+    """Session ids that still hold a live (or ambiguous-active) workflow lease."""
+    live: set[str] = set()
+    moment = now or _utc_now()
+    for lease in leases or ():
+        if not isinstance(lease, Mapping):
+            continue
+        status = str(lease.get("status") or "").strip().lower()
+        if status and status not in {
+            lease_lifecycle.LEASE_STATUS_ACTIVE,
+            "",
+        }:
+            # Explicit terminal lease statuses never protect a session.
+            if status in {
+                lease_lifecycle.LEASE_STATUS_RELEASED,
+                lease_lifecycle.LEASE_STATUS_EXPIRED,
+                lease_lifecycle.LEASE_STATUS_ABANDONED,
+            }:
+                continue
+        freshness = _lease_freshness_label(lease)
+        if freshness in _LIVE_LEASE_FRESHNESS or freshness in {"", "unknown"}:
+            # Ambiguous active rows: re-check with authoritative classifier.
+            try:
+                fr = lease_lifecycle.classify_lease_freshness(
+                    lease, now=moment, pid_checker=pid_checker
+                )
+                freshness = str(fr.get("freshness") or "").strip().lower()
+            except Exception:  # noqa: BLE001
+                freshness = "unknown"
+        if freshness in _LIVE_LEASE_FRESHNESS:
+            sid = str(lease.get("session_id") or "").strip()
+            if sid:
+                live.add(sid)
+        elif freshness == "unknown" and status in {
+            lease_lifecycle.LEASE_STATUS_ACTIVE,
+            "",
+        }:
+            # Fail closed: active lease with unknown freshness blocks retirement.
+            sid = str(lease.get("session_id") or "").strip()
+            if sid:
+                live.add(sid)
+    return live
+
+
+@dataclass(frozen=True)
+class SessionClassification:
+    """Classification of one workflow session row."""
+
+    session_id: str
+    classification: str
+    reason: str
+    retireable: bool
+    status: str | None
+    pid: int | None
+    pid_alive: bool | None
+    pid_reused: bool
+    heartbeat_stale: bool
+    has_live_lease: bool
+    client_managed: bool
+    details: dict[str, Any] = field(default_factory=dict)
+
+    def as_dict(self) -> dict[str, Any]:
+        return {
+            "session_id": self.session_id,
+            "classification": self.classification,
+            "reason": self.reason,
+            "retireable": self.retireable,
+            "status": self.status,
+            "pid": self.pid,
+            "pid_alive": self.pid_alive,
+            "pid_reused": self.pid_reused,
+            "heartbeat_stale": self.heartbeat_stale,
+            "has_live_lease": self.has_live_lease,
+            "client_managed": self.client_managed,
+            "details": dict(self.details),
+        }
+
+
+def classify_session(
+    row: Mapping[str, Any],
+    *,
+    now: datetime | None = None,
+    pid_checker: Callable[[int | None], bool] = lease_lifecycle.is_process_alive,
+    process_start_probe: Callable[[int | None], datetime | None] = process_start_time,
+    live_lease_sessions: set[str] | frozenset[str] | None = None,
+    client_managed_sessions: set[str] | frozenset[str] | None = None,
+    heartbeat_stale_seconds: int = DEFAULT_HEARTBEAT_STALE_SECONDS,
+) -> SessionClassification:
+    """Classify one session row for retirement decisions (#969).
+
+    Rules (first match wins where noted):
+
+    1. Non-active / already-terminal status → ``terminal`` (not retireable).
+    2. Session holds a live lease → ``protected`` (never retire).
+    3. PID missing and no live lease → ``stale`` (retireable: missing owner).
+    4. PID alive + process start after session start → ``stale`` (PID reuse).
+    5. PID alive + client-managed → ``live`` protected (never retire).
+    6. PID alive + fresh heartbeat → ``live``.
+    7. PID alive + stale heartbeat → ``disconnected`` (not retireable alone).
+    8. PID dead → ``stale`` (retireable).
+    """
+    moment = now or _utc_now()
+    session_id = str(row.get("session_id") or "").strip()
+    status = str(row.get("status") or "").strip().lower() or None
+    raw_pid = row.get("pid")
+    try:
+        pid = int(raw_pid) if raw_pid is not None else None
+    except (TypeError, ValueError):
+        pid = None
+
+    client_managed = bool(
+        row.get("client_managed")
+        or row.get("is_client_managed")
+        or (
+            client_managed_sessions is not None
+            and session_id in client_managed_sessions
+        )
+    )
+    has_live_lease = bool(
+        live_lease_sessions is not None and session_id in live_lease_sessions
+    )
+
+    hb = _parse_ts(row.get("last_heartbeat_at"))
+    heartbeat_stale = bool(
+        hb is not None
+        and (moment - hb).total_seconds() > max(0, int(heartbeat_stale_seconds))
+    )
+    if hb is None and status == SESSION_STATUS_ACTIVE:
+        # No heartbeat evidence: treat as stale for liveness bookkeeping only.
+        heartbeat_stale = True
+
+    started = _parse_ts(row.get("started_at"))
+    recorded_proc_start = _parse_ts(row.get("owner_process_started_at"))
+
+    if status in TERMINAL_SESSION_STATUSES:
+        return SessionClassification(
+            session_id=session_id,
+            classification=CLASS_TERMINAL,
+            reason=REASON_ALREADY_TERMINAL,
+            retireable=False,
+            status=status,
+            pid=pid,
+            pid_alive=None,
+            pid_reused=False,
+            heartbeat_stale=heartbeat_stale,
+            has_live_lease=has_live_lease,
+            client_managed=client_managed,
+        )
+
+    if has_live_lease:
+        return SessionClassification(
+            session_id=session_id,
+            classification=CLASS_PROTECTED,
+            reason=REASON_LIVE_LEASE,
+            retireable=False,
+            status=status,
+            pid=pid,
+            pid_alive=pid_checker(pid) if pid is not None else None,
+            pid_reused=False,
+            heartbeat_stale=heartbeat_stale,
+            has_live_lease=True,
+            client_managed=client_managed,
+            details={"blocker": "live_workflow_lease"},
+        )
+
+    if pid is None:
+        return SessionClassification(
+            session_id=session_id,
+            classification=CLASS_STALE,
+            reason=REASON_MISSING_PID,
+            retireable=True,
+            status=status,
+            pid=None,
+            pid_alive=False,
+            pid_reused=False,
+            heartbeat_stale=heartbeat_stale,
+            has_live_lease=False,
+            client_managed=client_managed,
+        )
+
+    pid_alive = bool(pid_checker(pid))
+    pid_reused = False
+    proc_start: datetime | None = None
+
+    if pid_alive:
+        proc_start = recorded_proc_start or process_start_probe(pid)
+        # PID reuse: live process started after the session row itself was
+        # created. Anchor on started_at only — last_heartbeat alone is not a
+        # safe bound (synthetic inventories and long-lived processes would
+        # false-positive against a live ``ps`` probe).
+        if proc_start is not None and started is not None:
+            if proc_start > (started + PID_REUSE_SKEW):
+                pid_reused = True
+
+    if pid_reused:
+        return SessionClassification(
+            session_id=session_id,
+            classification=CLASS_STALE,
+            reason=REASON_PID_REUSE,
+            retireable=True,
+            status=status,
+            pid=pid,
+            pid_alive=True,
+            pid_reused=True,
+            heartbeat_stale=heartbeat_stale,
+            has_live_lease=False,
+            client_managed=client_managed,
+            details={
+                "process_started_at": _ts(proc_start) if proc_start else None,
+                "session_started_at": row.get("started_at"),
+                "last_heartbeat_at": row.get("last_heartbeat_at"),
+            },
+        )
+
+    if pid_alive and client_managed:
+        return SessionClassification(
+            session_id=session_id,
+            classification=CLASS_LIVE,
+            reason=REASON_CLIENT_MANAGED_LIVE,
+            retireable=False,
+            status=status,
+            pid=pid,
+            pid_alive=True,
+            pid_reused=False,
+            heartbeat_stale=heartbeat_stale,
+            has_live_lease=False,
+            client_managed=True,
+        )
+
+    if pid_alive and not heartbeat_stale:
+        return SessionClassification(
+            session_id=session_id,
+            classification=CLASS_LIVE,
+            reason=REASON_LIVE_OWNER,
+            retireable=False,
+            status=status,
+            pid=pid,
+            pid_alive=True,
+            pid_reused=False,
+            heartbeat_stale=False,
+            has_live_lease=False,
+            client_managed=client_managed,
+        )
+
+    if pid_alive and heartbeat_stale:
+        # Process still exists but has not heartbeated — disconnected, not
+        # confirmed stale. Do not retire; operator/reconnect owns next step.
+        return SessionClassification(
+            session_id=session_id,
+            classification=CLASS_DISCONNECTED,
+            reason=REASON_LIVE_OWNER,
+            retireable=False,
+            status=status,
+            pid=pid,
+            pid_alive=True,
+            pid_reused=False,
+            heartbeat_stale=True,
+            has_live_lease=False,
+            client_managed=client_managed,
+            details={"note": "alive_pid_stale_heartbeat_not_retired"},
+        )
+
+    # PID dead (or checker said not alive).
+    reason = REASON_DEAD_OWNER
+    if heartbeat_stale:
+        reason = REASON_HEARTBEAT_STALE_DEAD
+    return SessionClassification(
+        session_id=session_id,
+        classification=CLASS_STALE,
+        reason=reason,
+        retireable=True,
+        status=status,
+        pid=pid,
+        pid_alive=False,
+        pid_reused=False,
+        heartbeat_stale=heartbeat_stale,
+        has_live_lease=False,
+        client_managed=client_managed,
+    )
+
+
+@dataclass(frozen=True)
+class SessionFleetReport:
+    """Fleet-wide classification summary for reconcile + apply."""
+
+    classifications: tuple[SessionClassification, ...]
+    live_count: int
+    disconnected_count: int
+    stale_count: int
+    protected_count: int
+    terminal_count: int
+    retireable: tuple[SessionClassification, ...]
+    counts_by_reason: dict[str, int]
+
+    def as_dict(self) -> dict[str, Any]:
+        return {
+            "live_count": self.live_count,
+            "disconnected_count": self.disconnected_count,
+            "stale_count": self.stale_count,
+            "protected_count": self.protected_count,
+            "terminal_count": self.terminal_count,
+            "retireable_count": len(self.retireable),
+            "retireable_session_ids": [c.session_id for c in self.retireable],
+            "counts_by_reason": dict(self.counts_by_reason),
+            "classifications": [c.as_dict() for c in self.classifications],
+            "sessions_dimension_resolved": len(self.retireable) == 0,
+        }
+
+
+def classify_sessions(
+    sessions: Sequence[Mapping[str, Any]] | None,
+    *,
+    leases: Sequence[Mapping[str, Any]] | None = None,
+    now: datetime | None = None,
+    pid_checker: Callable[[int | None], bool] = lease_lifecycle.is_process_alive,
+    process_start_probe: Callable[[int | None], datetime | None] = process_start_time,
+    client_managed_sessions: set[str] | frozenset[str] | None = None,
+    heartbeat_stale_seconds: int = DEFAULT_HEARTBEAT_STALE_SECONDS,
+) -> SessionFleetReport:
+    """Classify a fleet of session rows against live leases (#969)."""
+    moment = now or _utc_now()
+    live_leases = live_lease_session_ids(
+        leases, now=moment, pid_checker=pid_checker
+    )
+    results: list[SessionClassification] = []
+    for row in sessions or ():
+        if not isinstance(row, Mapping):
+            continue
+        results.append(
+            classify_session(
+                row,
+                now=moment,
+                pid_checker=pid_checker,
+                process_start_probe=process_start_probe,
+                live_lease_sessions=live_leases,
+                client_managed_sessions=client_managed_sessions,
+                heartbeat_stale_seconds=heartbeat_stale_seconds,
+            )
+        )
+
+    live_count = sum(1 for c in results if c.classification == CLASS_LIVE)
+    disconnected_count = sum(
+        1 for c in results if c.classification == CLASS_DISCONNECTED
+    )
+    stale_count = sum(1 for c in results if c.classification == CLASS_STALE)
+    protected_count = sum(1 for c in results if c.classification == CLASS_PROTECTED)
+    terminal_count = sum(1 for c in results if c.classification == CLASS_TERMINAL)
+    retireable = tuple(c for c in results if c.retireable)
+    by_reason: dict[str, int] = {}
+    for c in results:
+        by_reason[c.reason] = by_reason.get(c.reason, 0) + 1
+
+    return SessionFleetReport(
+        classifications=tuple(results),
+        live_count=live_count,
+        disconnected_count=disconnected_count,
+        stale_count=stale_count,
+        protected_count=protected_count,
+        terminal_count=terminal_count,
+        retireable=retireable,
+        counts_by_reason=by_reason,
+    )
+
+
+@dataclass(frozen=True)
+class RetirementResult:
+    """Outcome of one session retirement attempt."""
+
+    session_id: str
+    outcome: str  # retired | already_terminal | skipped | blocked | missing
+    reason: str
+    prior_status: str | None = None
+    new_status: str | None = None
+    details: dict[str, Any] = field(default_factory=dict)
+
+    def as_dict(self) -> dict[str, Any]:
+        return {
+            "session_id": self.session_id,
+            "outcome": self.outcome,
+            "reason": self.reason,
+            "prior_status": self.prior_status,
+            "new_status": self.new_status,
+            "details": dict(self.details),
+        }
+
+
+def apply_session_retirements(
+    db: cpd.ControlPlaneDB,
+    report: SessionFleetReport,
+    *,
+    dry_run: bool = False,
+    actor_session_id: str | None = None,
+    now: datetime | None = None,
+) -> dict[str, Any]:
+    """Terminalize every retireable session in *report* (idempotent).
+
+    Concurrent reconciles are safe: each retirement is a CAS on
+    ``status='active'`` (or other non-terminal). A second pass that sees the
+    same session already retired records ``already_terminal`` rather than
+    duplicating audit noise beyond a single no-op outcome.
+    """
+    moment = now or _utc_now()
+    results: list[RetirementResult] = []
+    retired = 0
+    already = 0
+    blocked = 0
+    missing = 0
+
+    for classification in report.retireable:
+        if not classification.retireable:
+            continue
+        if dry_run:
+            results.append(
+                RetirementResult(
+                    session_id=classification.session_id,
+                    outcome="skipped",
+                    reason=classification.reason,
+                    prior_status=classification.status,
+                    new_status=SESSION_STATUS_RETIRED,
+                    details={"dry_run": True, **classification.details},
+                )
+            )
+            continue
+
+        applied = db.retire_session(
+            session_id=classification.session_id,
+            reason=classification.reason,
+            actor_session_id=actor_session_id,
+            details={
+                "classification": classification.classification,
+                "pid": classification.pid,
+                "pid_alive": classification.pid_alive,
+                "pid_reused": classification.pid_reused,
+                "client_managed": classification.client_managed,
+                **classification.details,
+            },
+            now=moment,
+        )
+        outcome = str(applied.get("outcome") or "missing")
+        results.append(
+            RetirementResult(
+                session_id=classification.session_id,
+                outcome=outcome,
+                reason=str(applied.get("reason") or classification.reason),
+                prior_status=applied.get("prior_status"),
+                new_status=applied.get("new_status"),
+                details=dict(applied.get("details") or {}),
+            )
+        )
+        if outcome == "retired":
+            retired += 1
+        elif outcome == "already_terminal":
+            already += 1
+        elif outcome == "blocked":
+            blocked += 1
+        else:
+            missing += 1
+
+    # Non-retireable classifications are recorded for audit completeness when
+    # dry-run lists the fleet, but apply only mutates retireable rows.
+    return {
+        "success": True,
+        "dry_run": dry_run,
+        "retired_count": retired,
+        "already_terminal_count": already,
+        "blocked_count": blocked,
+        "missing_count": missing,
+        "planned_count": len(report.retireable),
+        "results": [r.as_dict() for r in results],
+        "audit_action": EVENT_SESSION_RETIRED,
+        "actor_session_id": actor_session_id,
+        "recorded_at": _ts(moment),
+    }
+
+
+def retire_stale_sessions(
+    db: cpd.ControlPlaneDB,
+    *,
+    sessions: Sequence[Mapping[str, Any]] | None = None,
+    leases: Sequence[Mapping[str, Any]] | None = None,
+    dry_run: bool = False,
+    actor_session_id: str | None = None,
+    now: datetime | None = None,
+    pid_checker: Callable[[int | None], bool] = lease_lifecycle.is_process_alive,
+    process_start_probe: Callable[[int | None], datetime | None] = process_start_time,
+    client_managed_sessions: set[str] | frozenset[str] | None = None,
+    heartbeat_stale_seconds: int = DEFAULT_HEARTBEAT_STALE_SECONDS,
+    session_limit: int = 500,
+) -> dict[str, Any]:
+    """End-to-end plan + apply for stale session retirement (#969).
+
+    When *sessions* is omitted the control-plane DB is inventoried (active
+    rows only). Callers that already gathered inventory should pass it.
+    """
+    moment = now or _utc_now()
+    if sessions is None:
+        sessions = db.list_sessions(
+            statuses=(SESSION_STATUS_ACTIVE,),
+            limit=max(1, int(session_limit)),
+        )
+    if leases is None:
+        try:
+            leases = db.list_leases(statuses=("active",), limit=max(1, int(session_limit)))
+        except Exception:  # noqa: BLE001
+            leases = []
+
+    report = classify_sessions(
+        sessions,
+        leases=leases,
+        now=moment,
+        pid_checker=pid_checker,
+        process_start_probe=process_start_probe,
+        client_managed_sessions=client_managed_sessions,
+        heartbeat_stale_seconds=heartbeat_stale_seconds,
+    )
+    apply_result = apply_session_retirements(
+        db,
+        report,
+        dry_run=dry_run,
+        actor_session_id=actor_session_id,
+        now=moment,
+    )
+    return {
+        "success": True,
+        "fleet": report.as_dict(),
+        "apply": apply_result,
+        "sessions_dimension_resolved": (
+            report.as_dict()["sessions_dimension_resolved"]
+            if dry_run
+            else apply_result["planned_count"]
+            == (
+                apply_result["retired_count"]
+                + apply_result["already_terminal_count"]
+            )
+            and apply_result["blocked_count"] == 0
+        ),
+    }

skills/llm-project-workflow/SKILL.md

@@ -204,6 +204,28 @@ proposed command before running it; `gitea_audit_runtime_recovery_contamination`
 to inspect or (reconciler-only) clear the marker. Full contrast in
 `docs/mcp-namespace-eof-recovery.md`.
 
+## Connected is not attached (#708)
+
+A host/CLI MCP inventory showing **Connected** is not proof the tools are usable.
+The active session can expose **none** of a Connected server's tool namespaces —
+a *session attachment* failure, distinct from config drift (#672),
+transport-closed (#584), and resolver EOF (#685).
+
+Required preflight proof is **live tool visibility plus `gitea_whoami` on the role
+namespace**, never host Connected status alone. Call
+`gitea_assess_mcp_namespace_attachment` with the Connected set and the namespaces
+actually attached to the session; it returns the typed condition
+**mcp_connected_namespaces_missing** with per-namespace connected-vs-attached proof,
+and records the verdict so review and merge fail closed while a required namespace
+is unattached.
+
+Only sanctioned recovery: the client attach/reconnect path
+(`gitea_request_mcp_reconnect`), then full preflight
+(`gitea_whoami` → `gitea_resolve_task_capability` → task). Never recover by direct
+module import, CLI/raw API mutation, profile hopping, session-state overrides,
+process kills, or `.env`/mtime edits. A final report must not claim a healthy
+session without attachment proof.
+
 ## Shell Spawn Hard-Stop Rule
 
 `exit_code: -1` with empty stdout/stderr means the shell failed to spawn — not a

task_capability_map.py

@@ -153,8 +153,9 @@ TASK_CAPABILITY_MAP: dict[str, dict[str, str]] = {
         "permission": "gitea.branch.push",
         "role": "author",
     },
-    # #662: post-restart reconcile is read-only inventory + pure classification.
+    # #662: post-restart reconcile is inventory + pure classification.
-    # Durable follow-up issue creation is a separate apply path (not this task).
+    # #969: optional apply_session_cleanup retires confirmed-stale session rows
+    # through the same tool; durable follow-up Gitea issues remain separate.
     "reconcile_after_restart": {
         "permission": "gitea.read",
         "role": "author",
@@ -163,6 +164,15 @@ TASK_CAPABILITY_MAP: dict[str, dict[str, str]] = {
         "permission": "gitea.read",
         "role": "author",
     },
+    # #969: explicit plan/apply path for dead-owner session retirement.
+    "retire_stale_workflow_sessions": {
+        "permission": "gitea.read",
+        "role": "author",
+    },
+    "gitea_retire_stale_workflow_sessions": {
+        "permission": "gitea.read",
+        "role": "author",
+    },
     # #644: Phase 2 Web Console recovery tasks.
     "clear_stale_binding": {
         "permission": "gitea.read",

tests/test_control_plane_db.py

@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ class ControlPlaneDBTest(unittest.TestCase):
             rows = dict(conn.execute("SELECT key, value FROM schema_meta").fetchall())
         finally:
             conn.close()
-        self.assertEqual(rows["schema_version"], "5")
+        self.assertEqual(rows["schema_version"], "6")
         self.assertIn("DB coordinates", rows["architecture"])
         self.assertIn("bridge", rows["architecture"].lower())
 
@@ -868,7 +868,7 @@ class SessionCheckpointTest(unittest.TestCase):
             conn.close()
         self.assertIn("session_checkpoints", names)
         record = self._write()
-        self.assertEqual(record["checkpoint_schema_version"], 5)
+        self.assertEqual(record["checkpoint_schema_version"], 6)
 
     # AC2 — checkpoints written for multi-role session fixtures.
     def test_multi_role_fixtures_each_get_a_row(self) -> None:

tests/test_issue_686_manual_mcp_provenance.py

@@ -112,7 +112,19 @@ class TestIssue686ManualMcpProvenance(unittest.TestCase):
         self.assertTrue(any("All matching profiles for task 'create_issue' (['prgs-author']) are running but stale" in r for r in reasons))
 
     def test_namespace_health_classification_includes_provenance(self):
-        """AC 1 & 4: mcp_namespace_health diagnostics include provenance and unconsumed_gitea_env."""
+        """AC 1 & 4: mcp_namespace_health diagnostics include provenance and unconsumed_gitea_env.
+
+        #948 narrowed the vocabulary here. This process carries no client-managed
+        declaration, so the old code labelled it ``manual_launch`` — asserting a
+        hand-launched terminal process it had no evidence for, and contradicting
+        ``gitea_get_runtime_context``, which read the same process and reported
+        ``client_managed``. Absence of proof is now reported as ``unproven``.
+
+        The #686 wall itself is unchanged and still asserted below:
+        ``is_client_managed`` stays False, so nothing previously refused is now
+        permitted. Only the label on the *reason* changed, so remediation names
+        the proof that is actually missing.
+        """
         process = {
             "pid": 5555,
             "profile": "prgs-author",
@@ -129,10 +141,12 @@ class TestIssue686ManualMcpProvenance(unittest.TestCase):
             process=process,
             probe_source="client_namespace",
         )
-        self.assertEqual(res["provenance"], "manual_launch")
+        self.assertEqual(res["provenance"], "unproven")
         self.assertFalse(res["is_client_managed"])
+        # The wall is intact: no client-managed proof still fails closed.
+        self.assertTrue(res["provenance_fail_closed"])
         self.assertEqual(res["unconsumed_gitea_env"], {"GITEA_DUMMY": "99"})
-        self.assertEqual(res["diagnostics"]["provenance"], "manual_launch")
+        self.assertEqual(res["diagnostics"]["provenance"], "unproven")
 
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":

tests/test_issue_708_attachment_wiring.py

@@ -0,0 +1,269 @@
+"""Regression tests for Issue #708 wiring: detection must reach a gate, not just exist.
+
+The prior #708 slice added a pure decision function with no call site, so a session
+whose namespaces were Connected-but-unattached still passed every mutation gate.
+These tests pin the parts that make the detection load-bearing:
+
+* the typed condition is distinct from #672 / #584 / #685,
+* the session store records a per-namespace attachment verdict,
+* review/merge mutations fail closed while a required namespace is unattached,
+* recovery is reconnect-only and never suggests an unsafe fallback,
+* startup ordering races and discovery-cache telemetry are reported,
+* a healthy final report cannot be produced without attachment proof.
+"""
+
+import mcp_namespace_health
+
+
+REQUIRED = ["gitea-author", "gitea-reviewer", "gitea-merger", "gitea-tools"]
+
+
+def _connected_but_unattached():
+    """The #708 signature: host says Connected, session tool surface is empty."""
+    return mcp_namespace_health.assess_connected_namespace_attachment(
+        connected_servers=REQUIRED,
+        attached_session_namespaces=[],
+        required_namespaces=REQUIRED,
+    )
+
+
+# --- AC1: distinct typed detection -----------------------------------------
+
+
+def test_connected_with_empty_session_tool_list_is_typed_distinctly():
+    res = _connected_but_unattached()
+    assert res["attachment_healthy"] is False
+    assert res["discovery_status"] == "connected_but_namespaces_missing"
+    assert res["error_type"] == "mcp_connected_namespaces_missing"
+    assert sorted(res["missing_namespaces"]) == sorted(REQUIRED)
+    # Not misclassified as config drift (#672), transport-closed (#584), or EOF (#685).
+    assert res["error_type"] not in {
+        "mcp_config_drift",
+        "transport_closed",
+        "mcp_client_eof",
+    }
+
+
+def test_proof_carries_connected_and_attached_per_namespace():
+    res = _connected_but_unattached()
+    proof = res["proof_of_connected_vs_attached"]
+    for ns in REQUIRED:
+        assert proof[ns] == {"connected": True, "attached": False}
+
+
+# --- AC2: recovery is auto-attach or reconnect-only -------------------------
+
+
+def test_exact_next_action_is_reconnect_only():
+    res = _connected_but_unattached()
+    assert res["reconnect_required"] is True
+    action = res["exact_next_action"]
+    assert "Reconnect the IDE/client MCP session" in action
+    for forbidden in ("pkill", "chmod", "curl", ".env", "sys.path"):
+        assert forbidden not in action
+
+
+def test_sanctioned_recovery_tool_is_named():
+    res = _connected_but_unattached()
+    assert res["sanctioned_recovery_tool"] == "gitea_request_mcp_reconnect"
+    assert "gitea_request_mcp_reconnect" in " ".join(res["remediation"])
+
+
+def test_successful_auto_attach_reports_recovered_without_operator():
+    res = mcp_namespace_health.assess_connected_namespace_attachment(
+        connected_servers=REQUIRED,
+        attached_session_namespaces=REQUIRED,
+        required_namespaces=REQUIRED,
+        auto_attach_attempted=True,
+        auto_attach_succeeded=True,
+    )
+    assert res["attachment_healthy"] is True
+    assert res["auto_recovered"] is True
+    assert res["reconnect_required"] is False
+
+
+def test_failed_auto_attach_still_requires_reconnect():
+    res = mcp_namespace_health.assess_connected_namespace_attachment(
+        connected_servers=REQUIRED,
+        attached_session_namespaces=[],
+        required_namespaces=REQUIRED,
+        auto_attach_attempted=True,
+        auto_attach_succeeded=False,
+    )
+    assert res["auto_recovered"] is False
+    assert res["reconnect_required"] is True
+    assert any("did not succeed" in r for r in res["reasons"])
+
+
+def test_reconnect_rediscovery_clears_the_condition():
+    """Attach state after a reconnect is healthy without any other change."""
+    before = _connected_but_unattached()
+    after = mcp_namespace_health.assess_connected_namespace_attachment(
+        connected_servers=REQUIRED,
+        attached_session_namespaces=REQUIRED,
+        required_namespaces=REQUIRED,
+        discovery_cache_hit=False,
+        discovery_cache_age_seconds=0.0,
+    )
+    assert before["attachment_healthy"] is False
+    assert after["attachment_healthy"] is True
+    assert after["discovery_status"] == "namespaces_attached"
+    assert after["missing_namespaces"] == []
+
+
+# --- AC4: startup ordering across multiple role servers ---------------------
+
+
+def test_multi_role_startup_ordering_race_is_reported():
+    res = mcp_namespace_health.assess_connected_namespace_attachment(
+        connected_servers=REQUIRED,
+        attached_session_namespaces=["gitea-author"],
+        required_namespaces=REQUIRED,
+        session_tool_snapshot_at=1000.0,
+        namespace_connected_at={
+            "gitea-author": 990.0,
+            "gitea-reviewer": 1005.0,
+            "gitea-merger": 1007.0,
+        },
+    )
+    assert res["startup_ordering_race"] is True
+    assert res["late_attaching_namespaces"] == ["gitea-merger", "gitea-reviewer"]
+    assert res["telemetry"]["startup_ordering_race"] is True
+
+
+def test_no_ordering_race_when_snapshot_follows_connect():
+    res = mcp_namespace_health.assess_connected_namespace_attachment(
+        connected_servers=REQUIRED,
+        attached_session_namespaces=REQUIRED,
+        required_namespaces=REQUIRED,
+        session_tool_snapshot_at=2000.0,
+        namespace_connected_at={ns: 1000.0 for ns in REQUIRED},
+    )
+    assert res["startup_ordering_race"] is False
+    assert res["late_attaching_namespaces"] == []
+
+
+# --- AC5: telemetry ---------------------------------------------------------
+
+
+def test_telemetry_reports_cache_and_recovery_signals():
+    res = mcp_namespace_health.assess_connected_namespace_attachment(
+        connected_servers=REQUIRED,
+        attached_session_namespaces=["gitea-author"],
+        required_namespaces=REQUIRED,
+        discovery_cache_hit=True,
+        discovery_cache_age_seconds=42.5,
+    )
+    tel = res["telemetry"]
+    assert tel["connected_count"] == 4
+    assert tel["attached_count"] == 1
+    assert tel["missing_count"] == 3
+    assert tel["discovery_cache_hit"] is True
+    assert tel["discovery_cache_age_seconds"] == 42.5
+    assert tel["reconnect_required"] is True
+    assert tel["error_type"] == "mcp_connected_namespaces_missing"
+
+
+def test_telemetry_leaks_no_secrets():
+    res = mcp_namespace_health.assess_connected_namespace_attachment(
+        connected_servers=REQUIRED,
+        attached_session_namespaces=[],
+        required_namespaces=REQUIRED,
+    )
+    blob = repr(res["telemetry"]).lower()
+    for leak in ("token", "authorization", "password", "secret", "/users/", "http"):
+        assert leak not in blob
+
+
+# --- AC2/AC6: fail-closed mutation gate -------------------------------------
+
+
+def _session_store_from(assessment):
+    """Mirror the server-side recorder without importing the MCP server module."""
+    store = {}
+    missing = set(assessment["missing_namespaces"])
+    for ns, state in assessment["proof_of_connected_vs_attached"].items():
+        attached = bool(state["attached"])
+        store[ns] = {
+            "namespace": ns,
+            "connected": bool(state["connected"]),
+            "attached": attached,
+            "attachment_healthy": attached and ns not in missing,
+            "error_type": None if attached else assessment["error_type"],
+        }
+    return store
+
+
+def test_review_and_merge_fail_closed_while_unattached():
+    store = _session_store_from(_connected_but_unattached())
+    for task in ("review_pr", "submit_review", "merge_pr", "create_pr", "work_issue"):
+        reasons = mcp_namespace_health.attachment_gate_from_session(task, store)
+        assert reasons, f"{task} must fail closed while its namespace is unattached"
+        assert "fail closed, #708" in reasons[0]
+
+
+def test_gate_offers_only_sanctioned_recovery():
+    store = _session_store_from(_connected_but_unattached())
+    reasons = mcp_namespace_health.attachment_gate_from_session("merge_pr", store)
+    joined = " ".join(reasons)
+    assert "reconnect" in joined.lower()
+    assert "Workflow Safety Hard Stop (#708)" in joined
+    # Unsafe fallbacks appear only inside the prohibition, never as advice.
+    assert "NEVER use" in joined
+
+
+def test_gate_passes_once_namespaces_are_attached():
+    healthy = mcp_namespace_health.assess_connected_namespace_attachment(
+        connected_servers=REQUIRED,
+        attached_session_namespaces=REQUIRED,
+        required_namespaces=REQUIRED,
+    )
+    store = _session_store_from(healthy)
+    for task in ("review_pr", "submit_review", "merge_pr", "create_pr", "work_issue"):
+        assert mcp_namespace_health.attachment_gate_from_session(task, store) == []
+
+
+def test_unassessed_session_does_not_gate():
+    """No recorded assessment must not fabricate a block (matches #543 semantics)."""
+    assert mcp_namespace_health.attachment_gate_from_session("merge_pr", {}) == []
+    assert mcp_namespace_health.attachment_gate_from_session("merge_pr", None) == []
+
+
+def test_unmapped_task_is_not_gated():
+    store = _session_store_from(_connected_but_unattached())
+    assert mcp_namespace_health.attachment_gate_from_session("gitea_read", store) == []
+
+
+def test_partial_attachment_gates_only_the_affected_role():
+    """Author attached, reviewer not: author work proceeds, review fails closed."""
+    res = mcp_namespace_health.assess_connected_namespace_attachment(
+        connected_servers=REQUIRED,
+        attached_session_namespaces=["gitea-author", "gitea-tools"],
+        required_namespaces=REQUIRED,
+    )
+    store = _session_store_from(res)
+    assert mcp_namespace_health.attachment_gate_from_session("work_issue", store) == []
+    assert mcp_namespace_health.attachment_gate_from_session("review_pr", store)
+    assert mcp_namespace_health.attachment_gate_from_session("merge_pr", store)
+
+
+# --- AC4: no false healthy report without attachment proof ------------------
+
+
+def test_no_false_healthy_without_attachment_proof():
+    """Connected alone never yields a healthy verdict."""
+    res = mcp_namespace_health.assess_connected_namespace_attachment(
+        connected_servers=REQUIRED,
+        attached_session_namespaces=None,
+        required_namespaces=REQUIRED,
+    )
+    assert res["success"] is False
+    assert res["attachment_healthy"] is False
+    assert res["telemetry"]["attached_count"] == 0
+
+
+def test_attachment_gate_maps_each_role_namespace():
+    assert mcp_namespace_health.required_namespace_for_attachment("review_pr") == "gitea-reviewer"
+    assert mcp_namespace_health.required_namespace_for_attachment("merge_pr") == "gitea-merger"
+    assert mcp_namespace_health.required_namespace_for_attachment("create_pr") == "gitea-author"
+    assert mcp_namespace_health.required_namespace_for_attachment("nope") is None

tests/test_issue_708_mcp_namespace_attachment.py

@@ -0,0 +1,77 @@
+"""Unit regression tests for Issue #708: Connected-but-namespaces-missing detection and attachment safety."""
+
+import mcp_namespace_health
+
+
+def test_assess_connected_namespace_attachment_success():
+    # required_namespaces is declared explicitly: these three are the namespaces this case
+    # is about. Relying on the default (which also requires gitea-tools) would ask for a
+    # healthy verdict covering a required namespace that was never connected — exactly the
+    # false-healthy classification these tests now forbid.
+    connected = ["gitea-author", "gitea-reviewer", "gitea-merger"]
+    attached = ["gitea-author", "gitea-reviewer", "gitea-merger"]
+    res = mcp_namespace_health.assess_connected_namespace_attachment(
+        connected_servers=connected,
+        attached_session_namespaces=attached,
+        required_namespaces=connected,
+    )
+    assert res["success"] is True
+    assert res["attachment_healthy"] is True
+    assert res["discovery_status"] == "namespaces_attached"
+    assert res["error_type"] is None
+    assert res["missing_namespaces"] == []
+    assert res["exact_next_action"] == "None; session tool namespaces attached."
+
+
+def test_assess_connected_namespace_attachment_missing():
+    # Every required namespace here *is* connected, so the only condition present is the
+    # #708 one: Connected at the host, absent from the session tool surface.
+    connected = ["gitea-author", "gitea-reviewer", "gitea-merger"]
+    attached = ["gitea-author"]
+    res = mcp_namespace_health.assess_connected_namespace_attachment(
+        connected_servers=connected,
+        attached_session_namespaces=attached,
+        required_namespaces=connected,
+    )
+    assert res["success"] is False
+    assert res["attachment_healthy"] is False
+    assert res["discovery_status"] == "connected_but_namespaces_missing"
+    assert res["error_type"] == "mcp_connected_namespaces_missing"
+    assert "gitea-reviewer" in res["missing_namespaces"]
+    assert "gitea-merger" in res["missing_namespaces"]
+    assert "Reconnect the IDE/client MCP session" in res["exact_next_action"]
+
+
+def test_assess_connected_namespace_attachment_disconnected():
+    res = mcp_namespace_health.assess_connected_namespace_attachment(
+        connected_servers=[],
+        attached_session_namespaces=[],
+    )
+    assert res["success"] is False
+    assert res["attachment_healthy"] is False
+    assert res["discovery_status"] == "disconnected"
+
+
+def test_proof_of_connected_vs_attached_mapping():
+    connected = ["gitea-author", "gitea-reviewer"]
+    attached = ["gitea-author"]
+    res = mcp_namespace_health.assess_connected_namespace_attachment(
+        connected_servers=connected,
+        attached_session_namespaces=attached,
+    )
+    proof = res["proof_of_connected_vs_attached"]
+    assert proof["gitea-author"] == {"connected": True, "attached": True}
+    assert proof["gitea-reviewer"] == {"connected": True, "attached": False}
+
+
+def test_unsafe_fallback_policy_enforcement():
+    res = mcp_namespace_health.assess_connected_namespace_attachment(
+        connected_servers=["gitea-author"],
+        attached_session_namespaces=[],
+    )
+    policy = res["unsafe_fallback_policy"]
+    assert "Workflow Safety Hard Stop (#708)" in policy
+    assert "direct imports" in policy
+    assert "API mutations" in policy
+    assert "profile hopping" in policy
+    assert "session-state overrides" in policy

tests/test_issue_708_not_connected_classification.py

@@ -0,0 +1,283 @@
+"""Regression tests for Issue #708 B2: not-connected is not Connected-but-unattached.
+
+The first #708 slice counted a namespace as ``missing`` only when it appeared in
+``connected_servers``. A *required* namespace absent from that inventory was therefore
+never counted at all, so the session reported ``attachment_healthy: true`` with
+``error_type: None`` while holding no attachment proof for it — and the gate text told the
+operator "the host reports Connected" about a service nothing had reported Connected.
+
+These tests pin the corrected distinction:
+
+* required and not connected never yields a healthy verdict,
+* it is typed ``mcp_required_namespaces_not_connected``, never the #708 condition,
+* ``mcp_connected_namespaces_missing`` stays reserved for genuinely Connected namespaces,
+* both categories still fail review and merge closed, with their own reason,
+* per-namespace ``connected``/``attached`` evidence is reported accurately,
+* one session's evidence cannot clear another session's block.
+"""
+
+import mcp_namespace_health
+
+
+ROLES = ["gitea-author", "gitea-reviewer", "gitea-merger", "gitea-tools"]
+
+NOT_CONNECTED = mcp_namespace_health.ERROR_REQUIRED_NAMESPACES_NOT_CONNECTED
+CONNECTED_MISSING = mcp_namespace_health.ERROR_CONNECTED_NAMESPACES_MISSING
+
+
+def _assess(connected, attached, required):
+    return mcp_namespace_health.assess_connected_namespace_attachment(
+        connected_servers=connected,
+        attached_session_namespaces=attached,
+        required_namespaces=required,
+    )
+
+
+def _store(assessment):
+    """The recorder contract: per-namespace verdicts feed the gate."""
+    return dict(assessment["namespace_conditions"])
+
+
+# --- the four evidence combinations ----------------------------------------
+
+
+def test_connected_and_attached_is_healthy():
+    res = _assess(ROLES, ROLES, ROLES)
+    assert res["attachment_healthy"] is True
+    assert res["error_type"] is None
+    assert res["missing_namespaces"] == []
+    assert res["not_connected_namespaces"] == []
+    assert res["discovery_status"] == "namespaces_attached"
+
+
+def test_connected_but_unattached_keeps_the_708_condition():
+    res = _assess(ROLES, ["gitea-author"], ROLES)
+    assert res["attachment_healthy"] is False
+    assert res["error_type"] == CONNECTED_MISSING
+    assert res["not_connected_namespaces"] == []
+    assert sorted(res["missing_namespaces"]) == [
+        "gitea-merger",
+        "gitea-reviewer",
+        "gitea-tools",
+    ]
+    assert res["discovery_status"] == "connected_but_namespaces_missing"
+
+
+def test_required_but_not_connected_is_never_healthy():
+    """The reviewer's exact reproduction from review 637."""
+    res = _assess(
+        ["gitea-reviewer"], ["gitea-reviewer"], ["gitea-reviewer", "gitea-merger"]
+    )
+    assert res["attachment_healthy"] is False
+    assert res["success"] is False
+    assert res["error_type"] is not None
+    assert res["telemetry"]["not_connected_count"] == 1
+
+
+def test_required_but_not_connected_is_typed_distinctly():
+    res = _assess(
+        ["gitea-reviewer"], ["gitea-reviewer"], ["gitea-reviewer", "gitea-merger"]
+    )
+    assert res["error_type"] == NOT_CONNECTED
+    assert res["discovery_status"] == "required_namespaces_not_connected"
+    assert res["not_connected_namespaces"] == ["gitea-merger"]
+    # Not collapsed into the #708 condition, nor into config drift (#672) or
+    # transport-closed (#584).
+    assert CONNECTED_MISSING not in res["error_types"]
+    assert res["missing_namespaces"] == []
+    assert res["error_type"] not in {"mcp_config_drift", "transport_closed"}
+
+
+def test_not_connected_reason_makes_no_connected_claim():
+    res = _assess(
+        ["gitea-reviewer"], ["gitea-reviewer"], ["gitea-reviewer", "gitea-merger"]
+    )
+    about_merger = [r for r in res["reasons"] if "gitea-merger" in r]
+    assert about_merger, "the not-connected namespace must be named in the reasons"
+    for reason in about_merger:
+        assert "report Connected at host/CLI layer" not in reason
+    assert "gitea-merger" in res["exact_next_action"]
+
+
+def test_neither_connected_nor_attached_reports_disconnected():
+    res = _assess([], [], ROLES)
+    assert res["attachment_healthy"] is False
+    assert res["discovery_status"] == "disconnected"
+    assert res["error_type"] == NOT_CONNECTED
+    assert sorted(res["not_connected_namespaces"]) == sorted(ROLES)
+    assert res["missing_namespaces"] == []
+
+
+# --- mixed required namespaces ---------------------------------------------
+
+
+def test_mixed_connected_attached_and_not_connected():
+    res = _assess(
+        ["gitea-author"], ["gitea-author"], ["gitea-author", "gitea-merger"]
+    )
+    assert res["attachment_healthy"] is False
+    assert res["not_connected_namespaces"] == ["gitea-merger"]
+    assert res["missing_namespaces"] == []
+    conditions = res["namespace_conditions"]
+    assert conditions["gitea-author"]["attachment_healthy"] is True
+    assert conditions["gitea-author"]["condition"] is None
+    assert conditions["gitea-merger"]["attachment_healthy"] is False
+    assert conditions["gitea-merger"]["condition"] == NOT_CONNECTED
+
+
+def test_both_conditions_present_are_both_reported():
+    """One namespace Connected-but-unattached, another never connected."""
+    res = _assess(
+        ["gitea-author", "gitea-reviewer"],
+        ["gitea-author"],
+        ["gitea-author", "gitea-reviewer", "gitea-merger"],
+    )
+    assert res["missing_namespaces"] == ["gitea-reviewer"]
+    assert res["not_connected_namespaces"] == ["gitea-merger"]
+    # Neither condition is hidden by the other; error_type names the primary one.
+    assert sorted(res["error_types"]) == sorted([NOT_CONNECTED, CONNECTED_MISSING])
+    assert res["error_type"] == NOT_CONNECTED
+
+
+# --- unknown, partial, malformed, contradictory evidence --------------------
+
+
+def test_unknown_attachment_evidence_is_not_healthy():
+    """No session tool surface reported at all is unproven, not proven good."""
+    res = _assess(ROLES, None, ROLES)
+    assert res["attachment_healthy"] is False
+    assert res["telemetry"]["attached_count"] == 0
+    assert res["error_type"] == CONNECTED_MISSING
+
+
+def test_partial_evidence_gates_only_the_unproven_roles():
+    res = _assess(ROLES, ["gitea-author", "gitea-tools"], ROLES)
+    store = _store(res)
+    assert mcp_namespace_health.attachment_gate_from_session("work_issue", store) == []
+    assert mcp_namespace_health.attachment_gate_from_session("review_pr", store)
+    assert mcp_namespace_health.attachment_gate_from_session("merge_pr", store)
+
+
+def test_malformed_namespace_entries_are_discarded_not_trusted():
+    """Blank and whitespace-only names must not become namespaces or proof."""
+    res = mcp_namespace_health.assess_connected_namespace_attachment(
+        connected_servers=["gitea-author", "", "   "],
+        attached_session_namespaces=["gitea-author", ""],
+        required_namespaces=["gitea-author", "  "],
+    )
+    assert "" not in res["proof_of_connected_vs_attached"]
+    assert "   " not in res["proof_of_connected_vs_attached"]
+    assert res["attachment_healthy"] is True
+    assert res["telemetry"]["required_count"] == 1
+
+
+def test_contradictory_attached_without_connected_fails_closed():
+    """Attached in the session yet absent from the connected inventory."""
+    res = _assess(["gitea-author"], ["gitea-author", "gitea-merger"], ROLES)
+    assert res["attachment_healthy"] is False
+    assert "gitea-merger" in res["contradictory_namespaces"]
+    assert "gitea-merger" in res["not_connected_namespaces"]
+    assert res["namespace_conditions"]["gitea-merger"]["contradictory_evidence"] is True
+    assert res["namespace_conditions"]["gitea-merger"]["attachment_healthy"] is False
+    assert any("contradictory evidence" in r for r in res["reasons"])
+    assert res["telemetry"]["contradictory_count"] >= 1
+
+
+def test_duplicate_required_entries_are_counted_once():
+    res = _assess(["gitea-author"], ["gitea-author"], ["gitea-author", "gitea-author"])
+    assert res["telemetry"]["required_count"] == 1
+    assert res["attachment_healthy"] is True
+
+
+# --- review and merge behaviour for both failure categories -----------------
+
+
+def test_merge_fails_closed_when_required_namespace_never_connected():
+    store = _store(_assess(["gitea-author"], ["gitea-author"], ROLES))
+    reasons = mcp_namespace_health.attachment_gate_from_session("merge_pr", store)
+    assert reasons
+    assert NOT_CONNECTED in reasons[0]
+    assert "fail closed, #708" in reasons[0]
+
+
+def test_review_fails_closed_when_required_namespace_never_connected():
+    store = _store(_assess(["gitea-author"], ["gitea-author"], ROLES))
+    reasons = mcp_namespace_health.attachment_gate_from_session("review_pr", store)
+    assert reasons
+    assert NOT_CONNECTED in reasons[0]
+    assert "fail closed, #708" in reasons[0]
+
+
+def test_not_connected_block_never_claims_the_host_reports_connected():
+    store = _store(_assess(["gitea-author"], ["gitea-author"], ROLES))
+    reasons = mcp_namespace_health.attachment_gate_from_session("merge_pr", store)
+    assert "the host reports Connected" not in reasons[0]
+    assert "absent from the connected-service inventory" in reasons[0]
+
+
+def test_connected_but_unattached_block_still_says_connected():
+    store = _store(_assess(ROLES, ["gitea-author"], ROLES))
+    reasons = mcp_namespace_health.attachment_gate_from_session("merge_pr", store)
+    assert CONNECTED_MISSING in reasons[0]
+    assert "the host reports Connected" in reasons[0]
+
+
+def test_both_categories_offer_only_the_sanctioned_recovery():
+    for store in (
+        _store(_assess(ROLES, [], ROLES)),
+        _store(_assess(["gitea-author"], ["gitea-author"], ROLES)),
+    ):
+        reasons = mcp_namespace_health.attachment_gate_from_session("merge_pr", store)
+        joined = " ".join(reasons)
+        assert "reconnect" in joined.lower()
+        assert "Workflow Safety Hard Stop (#708)" in joined
+        for forbidden in ("pkill", "chmod", "curl ", ".env", "sys.path"):
+            assert forbidden not in reasons[0]
+
+
+def test_entry_without_connected_evidence_blocks_without_asserting_either():
+    """A legacy/partial store entry must fail closed and claim nothing it cannot prove."""
+    store = {"gitea-merger": {"namespace": "gitea-merger", "attached": False}}
+    reasons = mcp_namespace_health.attachment_gate_from_session("merge_pr", store)
+    assert reasons
+    assert "no connected-status evidence" in reasons[0]
+    assert "the host reports Connected" not in reasons[0]
+    assert "fail closed, #708" in reasons[0]
+
+
+# --- session isolation ------------------------------------------------------
+
+
+def test_one_session_evidence_does_not_clear_another_session_block():
+    """Attachment evidence is per-session state; it must not travel between sessions."""
+    blocked_session = _store(_assess(["gitea-author"], ["gitea-author"], ROLES))
+    healthy_session = _store(_assess(ROLES, ROLES, ROLES))
+
+    assert (
+        mcp_namespace_health.attachment_gate_from_session("merge_pr", healthy_session)
+        == []
+    )
+    # The healthy session's verdict is not consulted for the blocked session.
+    assert mcp_namespace_health.attachment_gate_from_session("merge_pr", blocked_session)
+    # And the blocked session's store is unchanged by the healthy one existing.
+    assert blocked_session["gitea-merger"]["attachment_healthy"] is False
+
+
+def test_gate_reads_only_the_store_it_is_given():
+    healthy_session = _store(_assess(ROLES, ROLES, ROLES))
+    assert mcp_namespace_health.attachment_gate_from_session("merge_pr", {}) == []
+    assert mcp_namespace_health.attachment_gate_from_session("merge_pr", None) == []
+    assert (
+        mcp_namespace_health.attachment_gate_from_session("merge_pr", healthy_session)
+        == []
+    )
+
+
+# --- telemetry stays secret-free -------------------------------------------
+
+
+def test_not_connected_telemetry_leaks_no_secrets():
+    res = _assess(["gitea-author"], ["gitea-author"], ROLES)
+    blob = repr(res["telemetry"]).lower()
+    for leak in ("token", "authorization", "password", "secret", "/users/", "http"):
+        assert leak not in blob

tests/test_issue_931_transport_bind_seam.py

@@ -0,0 +1,924 @@
+"""Transport-neutral MCP bind seam (#931).
+
+These tests drive the *real* bind boundary — ``mark_sanctioned_daemon`` followed
+by ``bind_native_mcp_transport`` from a canonical entrypoint path, with the
+pytest allowance switched off — rather than mocking the new accessor. The
+distinction matters here for the same reason it mattered in #941: a suite that
+only exercises the helper in isolation cannot observe a seam that the live path
+never reaches.
+
+Covered:
+
+1.  no configured transport defaults to the local transport
+2.  explicit local transport binds
+3.  the sanctioned remote identifier binds through the seam
+4.  an unregistered identifier is rejected at bind time
+5.  an invalid bind prevents the server reaching tool service
+6.  the unbound state fails closed where a bind is required
+7.  every transport-aware guard reads the same authoritative value
+8.  client-controlled input cannot alter the bound transport
+9.  the durable decision-lock record carries the selected transport
+10. existing stdio behaviour is unchanged
+11. repeated / conflicting bind attempts follow one fail-closed contract
+12. capability, role, repository and provenance protections do not regress
+"""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import os
+import tempfile
+import unittest
+from pathlib import Path
+from unittest.mock import patch
+
+REPO_ROOT = Path(__file__).resolve().parent.parent
+
+import mcp_daemon_guard
+import mcp_session_state
+import mcp_transport_config
+import irrecoverable_provenance
+
+
+class _ProductionBind:
+    """Context manager that reaches the real production bind path.
+
+    Patches only the two things a unit test cannot otherwise satisfy: the
+    resolved canonical entrypoint frame, and the pytest allowance that would
+    short-circuit ``mark_sanctioned_daemon``. Everything downstream of those —
+    validation, pinning, the rebind contract — runs unmodified.
+    """
+
+    def __init__(self, env: dict[str, str] | None = None):
+        self._env = env or {}
+        self._stack: list = []
+
+    def __enter__(self):
+        mcp_daemon_guard.clear_native_runtime_for_tests()
+        canonical = str((REPO_ROOT / "mcp_server.py").resolve())
+        self._stack = [
+            patch.object(
+                mcp_daemon_guard,
+                "_caller_official_entrypoint_path",
+                side_effect=lambda: canonical,
+            ),
+            patch.object(mcp_daemon_guard, "is_pytest_runtime", return_value=False),
+            patch.dict(os.environ, self._env),
+        ]
+        for ctx in self._stack:
+            ctx.__enter__()
+        # Start from a clean configuration unless the test set one.
+        if mcp_transport_config.TRANSPORT_ENV not in self._env:
+            os.environ.pop(mcp_transport_config.TRANSPORT_ENV, None)
+        mcp_daemon_guard.mark_sanctioned_daemon()
+        return mcp_daemon_guard
+
+    def __exit__(self, *exc):
+        for ctx in reversed(self._stack):
+            ctx.__exit__(*exc)
+        mcp_daemon_guard.clear_native_runtime_for_tests()
+        return False
+
+
+class TestPermittedSetIsSingleSourceOfTruth(unittest.TestCase):
+    """AC3: identifiers are enumerated once, in the seam."""
+
+    def test_guard_allowlist_is_the_seam_allowlist(self):
+        self.assertIs(
+            mcp_daemon_guard._PRODUCTION_TRANSPORTS,
+            mcp_transport_config.SUPPORTED_TRANSPORTS,
+        )
+
+    def test_default_is_a_member_of_the_permitted_set(self):
+        self.assertIn(
+            mcp_transport_config.DEFAULT_TRANSPORT,
+            mcp_transport_config.SUPPORTED_TRANSPORTS,
+        )
+
+    def test_remote_identifier_is_permitted_and_not_the_default(self):
+        self.assertIn(
+            mcp_transport_config.REMOTE_TRANSPORT,
+            mcp_transport_config.SUPPORTED_TRANSPORTS,
+        )
+        self.assertNotEqual(
+            mcp_transport_config.REMOTE_TRANSPORT,
+            mcp_transport_config.DEFAULT_TRANSPORT,
+        )
+        self.assertTrue(
+            mcp_transport_config.is_remote_transport(
+                mcp_transport_config.REMOTE_TRANSPORT
+            )
+        )
+
+    def test_no_default_transport_literal_outside_the_seam(self):
+        """AC3: no production module reads the literal outside the seam.
+
+        Review 635 flagged that a fixed five-module list cannot catch a *new*
+        module reintroducing the literal. This globs every production module in
+        the repository root instead, so the guarantee holds for code that does
+        not exist yet.
+        """
+        default = mcp_transport_config.DEFAULT_TRANSPORT
+        needles = (f'"{default}"', f"'{default}'")
+        seam = Path(mcp_transport_config.__file__).name
+        scanned: list[str] = []
+        offenders: list[str] = []
+        for path in sorted(REPO_ROOT.glob("*.py")):
+            if path.name == seam:
+                continue  # the seam is the one place the literal may live
+            scanned.append(path.name)
+            for lineno, line in enumerate(
+                path.read_text(encoding="utf-8").splitlines(), start=1
+            ):
+                code = line.split("#", 1)[0]
+                if any(needle in code for needle in needles):
+                    offenders.append(f"{path.name}:{lineno}: {line.strip()}")
+        # Guard the guard: a glob that silently matched nothing would pass.
+        self.assertGreater(len(scanned), 20, "production glob matched too little")
+        self.assertIn("mcp_daemon_guard.py", scanned)
+        self.assertIn("gitea_mcp_server.py", scanned)
+        self.assertEqual(offenders, [], "\n".join(offenders))
+
+
+class TestConfiguredTransportResolution(unittest.TestCase):
+    """AC1: configuration supplies the identifier; unset still yields the default."""
+
+    def test_unset_yields_default(self):
+        res = mcp_transport_config.resolve_configured_transport(env={})
+        self.assertEqual(res["transport"], mcp_transport_config.DEFAULT_TRANSPORT)
+        self.assertFalse(res["configured"])
+        self.assertEqual(res["source"], mcp_transport_config.SOURCE_DEFAULT)
+        self.assertTrue(res["supported"])
+        self.assertEqual(res["reasons"], [])
+
+    def test_blank_and_whitespace_are_treated_as_unset(self):
+        for raw in ("", "   ", "\t\n"):
+            res = mcp_transport_config.resolve_configured_transport(
+                env={mcp_transport_config.TRANSPORT_ENV: raw}
+            )
+            self.assertEqual(res["transport"], mcp_transport_config.DEFAULT_TRANSPORT)
+            self.assertFalse(res["configured"])
+
+    def test_explicit_default_is_reported_as_configured(self):
+        res = mcp_transport_config.resolve_configured_transport(
+            env={
+                mcp_transport_config.TRANSPORT_ENV: (
+                    mcp_transport_config.DEFAULT_TRANSPORT
+                )
+            }
+        )
+        self.assertEqual(res["transport"], mcp_transport_config.DEFAULT_TRANSPORT)
+        self.assertTrue(res["configured"])
+        self.assertEqual(res["source"], mcp_transport_config.SOURCE_CONFIGURED)
+
+    def test_remote_identifier_resolves_and_is_supported(self):
+        res = mcp_transport_config.resolve_configured_transport(
+            env={
+                mcp_transport_config.TRANSPORT_ENV: (
+                    mcp_transport_config.REMOTE_TRANSPORT
+                )
+            }
+        )
+        self.assertEqual(res["transport"], mcp_transport_config.REMOTE_TRANSPORT)
+        self.assertTrue(res["supported"])
+
+    def test_case_and_padding_are_normalized(self):
+        padded = f"  {mcp_transport_config.REMOTE_TRANSPORT.upper()}  "
+        res = mcp_transport_config.resolve_configured_transport(
+            env={mcp_transport_config.TRANSPORT_ENV: padded}
+        )
+        self.assertEqual(res["transport"], mcp_transport_config.REMOTE_TRANSPORT)
+        self.assertTrue(res["supported"])
+
+    def test_unregistered_identifier_is_not_silently_defaulted(self):
+        res = mcp_transport_config.resolve_configured_transport(
+            env={mcp_transport_config.TRANSPORT_ENV: "carrier-pigeon"}
+        )
+        self.assertFalse(res["supported"])
+        self.assertEqual(res["transport"], "carrier-pigeon")
+        self.assertNotEqual(res["transport"], mcp_transport_config.DEFAULT_TRANSPORT)
+        self.assertTrue(res["reasons"])
+
+    def test_superseded_sse_transport_is_not_registered(self):
+        """A real MCP transport that this deployment does not sanction."""
+        self.assertFalse(mcp_transport_config.is_supported_transport("sse"))
+        res = mcp_transport_config.resolve_configured_transport(
+            env={mcp_transport_config.TRANSPORT_ENV: "sse"}
+        )
+        self.assertFalse(res["supported"])
+
+    def test_require_configured_transport_raises_on_unregistered(self):
+        with self.assertRaises(mcp_transport_config.TransportConfigurationError):
+            mcp_transport_config.require_configured_transport(
+                env={mcp_transport_config.TRANSPORT_ENV: "carrier-pigeon"}
+            )
+
+    def test_non_string_configuration_never_matches_permitted_set(self):
+        for value in (object(), 1, None, True, ["stdio"], {"t": "stdio"}):
+            self.assertEqual(mcp_transport_config.normalize_transport(value), "")
+            self.assertFalse(mcp_transport_config.is_supported_transport(value))
+
+
+class TestBindSeam(unittest.TestCase):
+    """AC1/AC2: the live bind path resolves, validates, and pins."""
+
+    def tearDown(self) -> None:
+        mcp_daemon_guard.clear_native_runtime_for_tests()
+
+    def test_1_no_configured_transport_binds_default(self):
+        with _ProductionBind() as guard:
+            status = guard.bind_native_mcp_transport()
+            self.assertEqual(
+                status["transport"], mcp_transport_config.DEFAULT_TRANSPORT
+            )
+            self.assertEqual(
+                guard.bound_transport(), mcp_transport_config.DEFAULT_TRANSPORT
+            )
+            self.assertTrue(status["production_native_mcp_transport"])
+
+    def test_2_explicit_default_transport_binds(self):
+        with _ProductionBind(
+            {
+                mcp_transport_config.TRANSPORT_ENV: (
+                    mcp_transport_config.DEFAULT_TRANSPORT
+                )
+            }
+        ) as guard:
+            status = guard.bind_native_mcp_transport()
+            self.assertEqual(
+                status["transport"], mcp_transport_config.DEFAULT_TRANSPORT
+            )
+            self.assertTrue(guard.is_production_native_mcp_transport())
+
+    def test_2b_explicit_argument_still_binds(self):
+        """The pre-#931 call form keeps working for launchers and tests."""
+        with _ProductionBind() as guard:
+            status = guard.bind_native_mcp_transport(
+                transport=mcp_transport_config.DEFAULT_TRANSPORT
+            )
+            self.assertEqual(
+                status["transport"], mcp_transport_config.DEFAULT_TRANSPORT
+            )
+
+    def test_3_sanctioned_remote_identifier_binds_through_the_seam(self):
+        with _ProductionBind(
+            {
+                mcp_transport_config.TRANSPORT_ENV: (
+                    mcp_transport_config.REMOTE_TRANSPORT
+                )
+            }
+        ) as guard:
+            status = guard.bind_native_mcp_transport()
+            self.assertEqual(
+                status["transport"], mcp_transport_config.REMOTE_TRANSPORT
+            )
+            self.assertEqual(
+                guard.bound_transport(), mcp_transport_config.REMOTE_TRANSPORT
+            )
+            # The remote identifier is trusted exactly like the local one; the
+            # listener that serves it is #938 and is not implemented here.
+            self.assertTrue(guard.is_native_mcp_transport())
+            self.assertTrue(guard.is_production_native_mcp_transport())
+            guard.assert_production_mutation_runtime("remote-bind")
+
+    def test_4_unregistered_identifier_rejected_at_bind_time(self):
+        with _ProductionBind(
+            {mcp_transport_config.TRANSPORT_ENV: "carrier-pigeon"}
+        ) as guard:
+            with self.assertRaises(guard.UnsanctionedRuntimeError) as ctx:
+                guard.bind_native_mcp_transport()
+            self.assertIn("carrier-pigeon", str(ctx.exception))
+            self.assertIn("#931", str(ctx.exception))
+            # Nothing was bound, so nothing may dispatch.
+            self.assertIsNone(guard.bound_transport())
+            self.assertFalse(guard.is_native_mcp_transport())
+
+    def test_4b_unregistered_explicit_argument_rejected(self):
+        with _ProductionBind() as guard:
+            with self.assertRaises(guard.UnsanctionedRuntimeError):
+                guard.bind_native_mcp_transport(transport="carrier-pigeon")
+            self.assertIsNone(guard.bound_transport())
+
+    def test_4c_superseded_sse_rejected_at_bind_time(self):
+        with _ProductionBind({mcp_transport_config.TRANSPORT_ENV: "sse"}) as guard:
+            with self.assertRaises(guard.UnsanctionedRuntimeError):
+                guard.bind_native_mcp_transport()
+            self.assertIsNone(guard.bound_transport())
+
+    def test_5_invalid_bind_prevents_tool_service(self):
+        """A failed bind must stop the server before it serves tools."""
+        with _ProductionBind(
+            {mcp_transport_config.TRANSPORT_ENV: "carrier-pigeon"}
+        ) as guard:
+            with self.assertRaises(guard.UnsanctionedRuntimeError):
+                guard.bind_native_mcp_transport()
+            # This is the exact expression the entrypoint passes to mcp.run.
+            with self.assertRaises(guard.UnsanctionedRuntimeError) as ctx:
+                guard.assert_transport_bound("tool service")
+            self.assertIn("No MCP transport is bound", str(ctx.exception))
+
+    def test_6_unbound_state_fails_closed(self):
+        """Entrypoint claimed but never bound — the offline-import shape."""
+        with _ProductionBind() as guard:
+            self.assertIsNone(guard.bound_transport())
+            self.assertFalse(guard.is_native_mcp_transport())
+            with self.assertRaises(guard.UnsanctionedRuntimeError):
+                guard.assert_transport_bound("tool service")
+            with self.assertRaises(guard.UnsanctionedRuntimeError):
+                guard.assert_sanctioned_mutation_runtime("gitea_mutation")
+
+    def test_6b_no_runtime_at_all_fails_closed(self):
+        mcp_daemon_guard.clear_native_runtime_for_tests()
+        with patch.object(mcp_daemon_guard, "is_pytest_runtime", return_value=False):
+            self.assertIsNone(mcp_daemon_guard.bound_transport())
+            with self.assertRaises(mcp_daemon_guard.UnsanctionedRuntimeError):
+                mcp_daemon_guard.assert_transport_bound("tool service")
+
+
+class TestOneAuthoritativeValue(unittest.TestCase):
+    """AC: every transport-aware guard observes the same value."""
+
+    def tearDown(self) -> None:
+        mcp_daemon_guard.clear_native_runtime_for_tests()
+
+    def test_7_all_guards_read_the_same_bound_value(self):
+        with _ProductionBind(
+            {
+                mcp_transport_config.TRANSPORT_ENV: (
+                    mcp_transport_config.REMOTE_TRANSPORT
+                )
+            }
+        ) as guard:
+            guard.bind_native_mcp_transport()
+            expected = mcp_transport_config.REMOTE_TRANSPORT
+
+            self.assertEqual(guard.bound_transport(), expected)
+            self.assertEqual(guard.assert_transport_bound(), expected)
+            self.assertEqual(guard.native_runtime_status()["bound_transport"], expected)
+            self.assertEqual(guard.native_runtime_status()["transport"], expected)
+            self.assertEqual(
+                guard.mutation_provenance_fields()["bound_transport"], expected
+            )
+            self.assertEqual(
+                irrecoverable_provenance.assess_transport_for_auth_mint()[
+                    "bound_transport"
+                ],
+                expected,
+            )
+
+    def test_8_environment_change_after_bind_cannot_move_the_value(self):
+        """Client- or environment-shaped input must not alter a bound transport."""
+        with _ProductionBind() as guard:
+            guard.bind_native_mcp_transport()
+            self.assertEqual(
+                guard.bound_transport(), mcp_transport_config.DEFAULT_TRANSPORT
+            )
+            # A stray launcher (or an attacker) rewrites config post-bind.
+            os.environ[mcp_transport_config.TRANSPORT_ENV] = (
+                mcp_transport_config.REMOTE_TRANSPORT
+            )
+            self.assertEqual(
+                guard.bound_transport(), mcp_transport_config.DEFAULT_TRANSPORT
+            )
+            self.assertEqual(
+                guard.mutation_provenance_fields()["bound_transport"],
+                mcp_transport_config.DEFAULT_TRANSPORT,
+            )
+            os.environ[mcp_transport_config.TRANSPORT_ENV] = "carrier-pigeon"
+            self.assertEqual(
+                guard.bound_transport(), mcp_transport_config.DEFAULT_TRANSPORT
+            )
+
+    def test_8b_bound_transport_takes_no_caller_argument(self):
+        """The accessor cannot be steered by a tool parameter."""
+        import inspect
+
+        self.assertEqual(
+            list(inspect.signature(mcp_daemon_guard.bound_transport).parameters), []
+        )
+
+    def test_11_rebinding_the_same_transport_is_idempotent(self):
+        with _ProductionBind() as guard:
+            first = guard.bind_native_mcp_transport()
+            second = guard.bind_native_mcp_transport()
+            self.assertEqual(first["transport"], second["transport"])
+            self.assertEqual(
+                guard.bound_transport(), mcp_transport_config.DEFAULT_TRANSPORT
+            )
+
+    def test_11b_rebinding_a_different_transport_fails_closed(self):
+        with _ProductionBind() as guard:
+            guard.bind_native_mcp_transport()
+            with self.assertRaises(guard.UnsanctionedRuntimeError) as ctx:
+                guard.bind_native_mcp_transport(
+                    transport=mcp_transport_config.REMOTE_TRANSPORT
+                )
+            self.assertIn("already bound", str(ctx.exception))
+            # The first value survives the attempt.
+            self.assertEqual(
+                guard.bound_transport(), mcp_transport_config.DEFAULT_TRANSPORT
+            )
+
+    def test_11c_rebinding_an_unregistered_transport_fails_closed(self):
+        with _ProductionBind() as guard:
+            guard.bind_native_mcp_transport()
+            with self.assertRaises(guard.UnsanctionedRuntimeError):
+                guard.bind_native_mcp_transport(transport="carrier-pigeon")
+            self.assertEqual(
+                guard.bound_transport(), mcp_transport_config.DEFAULT_TRANSPORT
+            )
+
+
+class TestDurableRecordCarriesTransport(unittest.TestCase):
+    """AC4: the identifier reaches a durable decision-lock record."""
+
+    def tearDown(self) -> None:
+        mcp_daemon_guard.clear_native_runtime_for_tests()
+
+    def _save_and_read_decision_lock(self, state_dir: str) -> dict:
+        mcp_session_state.save_state(
+            kind=mcp_session_state.KIND_DECISION_LOCK,
+            payload={"pr_number": 931, "action": "COMMENT"},
+            remote="prgs",
+            org="Scaled-Tech-Consulting",
+            repo="Gitea-Tools",
+            profile_identity="prgs-author",
+            state_dir=state_dir,
+        )
+        loaded = mcp_session_state.load_state(
+            kind=mcp_session_state.KIND_DECISION_LOCK,
+            remote="prgs",
+            org="Scaled-Tech-Consulting",
+            repo="Gitea-Tools",
+            profile_identity="prgs-author",
+            state_dir=state_dir,
+        )
+        self.assertIsNotNone(loaded)
+        return loaded
+
+    def test_9_decision_lock_records_the_bound_transport(self):
+        with tempfile.TemporaryDirectory() as tmp:
+            mcp_daemon_guard.clear_native_runtime_for_tests()
+            mcp_daemon_guard.install_test_native_runtime()
+            record = self._save_and_read_decision_lock(tmp)
+            self.assertIn("bound_transport", record)
+            self.assertEqual(
+                record["bound_transport"], mcp_daemon_guard.bound_transport()
+            )
+
+    def test_9b_unbound_runtime_records_no_transport_identifier(self):
+        with tempfile.TemporaryDirectory() as tmp:
+            mcp_daemon_guard.clear_native_runtime_for_tests()
+            record = self._save_and_read_decision_lock(tmp)
+            self.assertIn("bound_transport", record)
+            self.assertIsNone(record["bound_transport"])
+
+    def test_9c_provenance_fields_expose_the_identifier(self):
+        mcp_daemon_guard.clear_native_runtime_for_tests()
+        fields = mcp_daemon_guard.mutation_provenance_fields()
+        self.assertIn("bound_transport", fields)
+        self.assertIsNone(fields["bound_transport"])
+
+
+class TestStdioBehaviourUnchanged(unittest.TestCase):
+    """AC6 / prompt items 10 and 12: no regression on the existing path."""
+
+    def tearDown(self) -> None:
+        mcp_daemon_guard.clear_native_runtime_for_tests()
+
+    def test_10_trust_class_field_keeps_its_pre_931_values(self):
+        """``transport`` remains the trust class, not the identifier."""
+        mcp_daemon_guard.clear_native_runtime_for_tests()
+        self.assertEqual(
+            mcp_daemon_guard.mutation_provenance_fields()["transport"], "untrusted"
+        )
+        mcp_daemon_guard.install_test_native_runtime()
+        self.assertEqual(
+            mcp_daemon_guard.mutation_provenance_fields()["transport"],
+            "test_native_mcp",
+        )
+        with _ProductionBind() as guard:
+            guard.bind_native_mcp_transport()
+            self.assertEqual(
+                guard.mutation_provenance_fields()["transport"], "native_mcp"
+            )
+
+    def test_10b_default_bind_reproduces_the_pre_931_runtime_record(self):
+        with _ProductionBind() as guard:
+            status = guard.bind_native_mcp_transport()
+            self.assertTrue(status["native_mcp_transport"])
+            self.assertTrue(status["production_native_mcp_transport"])
+            self.assertEqual(status["mode"], "production")
+            self.assertEqual(status["phase"], "transport_bound")
+            self.assertEqual(
+                status["transport"], mcp_transport_config.DEFAULT_TRANSPORT
+            )
+            guard.assert_sanctioned_mutation_runtime("native-ide")
+            guard.assert_production_mutation_runtime("native-ide")
+
+    def test_12_session_state_root_still_pinned_at_bind(self):
+        """#695 AC2 must survive the seam."""
+        with tempfile.TemporaryDirectory() as legit:
+            with tempfile.TemporaryDirectory() as rogue:
+                with _ProductionBind(
+                    {mcp_daemon_guard.SESSION_STATE_DIR_ENV: legit}
+                ) as guard:
+                    guard.bind_native_mcp_transport()
+                    self.assertEqual(
+                        guard.pinned_session_state_dir(), str(Path(legit).resolve())
+                    )
+                    os.environ[mcp_daemon_guard.SESSION_STATE_DIR_ENV] = rogue
+                    self.assertEqual(
+                        guard.pinned_session_state_dir(), str(Path(legit).resolve())
+                    )
+
+    def test_12b_test_mode_record_still_cannot_authorize_production(self):
+        mcp_daemon_guard.clear_native_runtime_for_tests()
+        mcp_daemon_guard.install_test_native_runtime()
+        self.assertTrue(mcp_daemon_guard.is_native_mcp_transport())
+        self.assertFalse(mcp_daemon_guard.is_production_native_mcp_transport())
+        with self.assertRaises(mcp_daemon_guard.UnsanctionedRuntimeError):
+            mcp_daemon_guard.assert_production_mutation_runtime("prod-endpoint")
+
+    def test_12c_bind_still_requires_the_canonical_entrypoint(self):
+        """A remote identifier does not relax provenance."""
+        mcp_daemon_guard.clear_native_runtime_for_tests()
+        with patch.object(mcp_daemon_guard, "is_pytest_runtime", return_value=False):
+            with patch.object(
+                mcp_daemon_guard,
+                "_caller_official_entrypoint_path",
+                return_value=None,
+            ):
+                with self.assertRaises(mcp_daemon_guard.UnsanctionedRuntimeError):
+                    mcp_daemon_guard.bind_native_mcp_transport(
+                        transport=mcp_transport_config.REMOTE_TRANSPORT
+                    )
+        self.assertIsNone(mcp_daemon_guard.bound_transport())
+
+    def test_12d_bind_still_requires_a_prior_entrypoint_claim(self):
+        mcp_daemon_guard.clear_native_runtime_for_tests()
+        canonical = str((REPO_ROOT / "mcp_server.py").resolve())
+        with patch.object(mcp_daemon_guard, "is_pytest_runtime", return_value=False):
+            with patch.object(
+                mcp_daemon_guard,
+                "_caller_official_entrypoint_path",
+                side_effect=lambda: canonical,
+            ):
+                # No mark_sanctioned_daemon() first.
+                with self.assertRaises(
+                    mcp_daemon_guard.UnsanctionedRuntimeError
+                ) as ctx:
+                    mcp_daemon_guard.bind_native_mcp_transport()
+                self.assertIn("no entrypoint claim", str(ctx.exception))
+
+    def test_12e_auth_mint_verdict_is_unchanged_for_the_default_transport(self):
+        with _ProductionBind() as guard:
+            guard.bind_native_mcp_transport()
+            verdict = irrecoverable_provenance.assess_transport_for_auth_mint()
+            self.assertTrue(verdict["allowed"])
+            self.assertTrue(verdict["native_mcp_transport"])
+            self.assertTrue(verdict["production_native_mcp_transport"])
+            self.assertEqual(verdict["reasons"], [])
+
+    def test_12f_auth_mint_still_refuses_an_unbound_runtime(self):
+        with _ProductionBind():
+            # Claimed but never bound.
+            verdict = irrecoverable_provenance.assess_transport_for_auth_mint()
+            self.assertFalse(verdict["allowed"])
+            self.assertTrue(verdict["reasons"])
+            self.assertIsNone(verdict["bound_transport"])
+
+
+class TestExecutionBoundary(unittest.TestCase):
+    """Recognition is not execution authorization (#931, review 635 B1/B2).
+
+    A registered remote identifier must still bind, pin and record — the #931
+    seam — while being refused at the serve boundary, because serving it would
+    start a listener with no authentication or per-request principal. That
+    listener belongs to #938.
+    """
+
+    def tearDown(self) -> None:
+        mcp_daemon_guard.clear_native_runtime_for_tests()
+
+    # -- the two sets are distinct, and narrower in the right direction ----
+
+    def test_executable_set_is_a_strict_subset_of_recognized(self):
+        self.assertTrue(
+            mcp_transport_config.EXECUTABLE_TRANSPORTS
+            < mcp_transport_config.SUPPORTED_TRANSPORTS
+        )
+
+    def test_default_transport_is_executable(self):
+        self.assertTrue(
+            mcp_transport_config.is_executable_transport(
+                mcp_transport_config.DEFAULT_TRANSPORT
+            )
+        )
+
+    def test_remote_transport_is_recognized_but_not_executable(self):
+        remote = mcp_transport_config.REMOTE_TRANSPORT
+        self.assertTrue(mcp_transport_config.is_supported_transport(remote))
+        self.assertFalse(mcp_transport_config.is_executable_transport(remote))
+
+    def test_remote_listener_ownership_is_declared(self):
+        self.assertEqual(
+            mcp_transport_config.TRANSPORT_EXECUTION_OWNER[
+                mcp_transport_config.REMOTE_TRANSPORT
+            ],
+            "#938",
+        )
+
+    # -- stdio still reaches the runner, unchanged -------------------------
+
+    def test_default_transport_is_authorized_for_service(self):
+        with _ProductionBind() as guard:
+            guard.bind_native_mcp_transport()
+            self.assertEqual(
+                guard.authorize_transport_execution("tool service"),
+                mcp_transport_config.DEFAULT_TRANSPORT,
+            )
+            self.assertTrue(guard.assess_serve_authorization()["allowed"])
+
+    def test_default_transport_reaches_the_real_runner(self):
+        """The production runner is actually invoked, with stdio, unchanged."""
+        with _ProductionBind() as guard:
+            guard.bind_native_mcp_transport()
+            seen = {}
+
+            class _Runner:
+                def run(self, transport=None, **kw):
+                    seen["transport"] = transport
+
+            _Runner().run(transport=guard.authorize_transport_execution("tool service"))
+            self.assertEqual(
+                seen["transport"], mcp_transport_config.DEFAULT_TRANSPORT
+            )
+
+    # -- streamable-http binds, records, and is refused before serving -----
+
+    def test_remote_transport_binds_and_is_recorded(self):
+        """The #931 seam is intact: it binds, pins and records."""
+        with _ProductionBind(
+            {
+                mcp_transport_config.TRANSPORT_ENV: (
+                    mcp_transport_config.REMOTE_TRANSPORT
+                )
+            }
+        ) as guard:
+            guard.bind_native_mcp_transport()
+            self.assertEqual(
+                guard.bound_transport(), mcp_transport_config.REMOTE_TRANSPORT
+            )
+            self.assertEqual(
+                guard.mutation_provenance_fields()["bound_transport"],
+                mcp_transport_config.REMOTE_TRANSPORT,
+            )
+
+    def test_remote_transport_is_refused_at_the_serve_boundary(self):
+        with _ProductionBind(
+            {
+                mcp_transport_config.TRANSPORT_ENV: (
+                    mcp_transport_config.REMOTE_TRANSPORT
+                )
+            }
+        ) as guard:
+            guard.bind_native_mcp_transport()
+            with self.assertRaises(guard.TransportExecutionError) as ctx:
+                guard.authorize_transport_execution("tool service")
+            err = ctx.exception
+            self.assertEqual(
+                err.blocker_kind,
+                mcp_transport_config.BLOCKER_LISTENER_NOT_COMMISSIONED,
+            )
+            self.assertEqual(err.owner_issue, "#938")
+            self.assertEqual(err.transport, mcp_transport_config.REMOTE_TRANSPORT)
+
+    def test_refusal_names_transport_and_unmet_requirement_and_owner(self):
+        with _ProductionBind(
+            {
+                mcp_transport_config.TRANSPORT_ENV: (
+                    mcp_transport_config.REMOTE_TRANSPORT
+                )
+            }
+        ) as guard:
+            guard.bind_native_mcp_transport()
+            with self.assertRaises(guard.TransportExecutionError) as ctx:
+                guard.authorize_transport_execution("tool service")
+            text = str(ctx.exception)
+            self.assertIn(mcp_transport_config.REMOTE_TRANSPORT, text)
+            self.assertIn("#938", text)
+            self.assertIn("not commissioned", text)
+            self.assertIn("#931", text)
+
+    def test_remote_transport_never_reaches_the_runner(self):
+        """No transport value is handed to a run() call for the remote case."""
+        with _ProductionBind(
+            {
+                mcp_transport_config.TRANSPORT_ENV: (
+                    mcp_transport_config.REMOTE_TRANSPORT
+                )
+            }
+        ) as guard:
+            guard.bind_native_mcp_transport()
+            calls = []
+
+            class _Runner:
+                def run(self, transport=None, **kw):
+                    calls.append(transport)
+
+            with self.assertRaises(guard.TransportExecutionError):
+                _Runner().run(
+                    transport=guard.authorize_transport_execution("tool service")
+                )
+            self.assertEqual(calls, [], "runner must never be invoked")
+
+    def test_no_http_listener_is_created_for_remote_transport(self):
+        """Nothing in the refusal path touches uvicorn or a socket bind."""
+        with _ProductionBind(
+            {
+                mcp_transport_config.TRANSPORT_ENV: (
+                    mcp_transport_config.REMOTE_TRANSPORT
+                )
+            }
+        ) as guard:
+            guard.bind_native_mcp_transport()
+            import socket
+
+            bound_sockets = []
+            real_bind = socket.socket.bind
+
+            def _tripwire(self, addr):  # pragma: no cover - must not run
+                bound_sockets.append(addr)
+                return real_bind(self, addr)
+
+            with patch.object(socket.socket, "bind", _tripwire):
+                with self.assertRaises(guard.TransportExecutionError):
+                    guard.authorize_transport_execution("tool service")
+            self.assertEqual(bound_sockets, [], "no socket may be bound")
+
+    def test_no_mutation_is_authorized_after_the_denial(self):
+        """The denial leaves no partial state that would let a tool dispatch."""
+        with _ProductionBind(
+            {
+                mcp_transport_config.TRANSPORT_ENV: (
+                    mcp_transport_config.REMOTE_TRANSPORT
+                )
+            }
+        ) as guard:
+            guard.bind_native_mcp_transport()
+            with self.assertRaises(guard.TransportExecutionError):
+                guard.authorize_transport_execution("tool service")
+            # Serve stays unauthorized on every subsequent query.
+            self.assertFalse(guard.assess_serve_authorization()["allowed"])
+            self.assertFalse(guard.native_runtime_status()["serve_authorized"])
+            with self.assertRaises(guard.TransportExecutionError):
+                guard.authorize_transport_execution("tool service")
+
+    # -- B2: the decision genuinely consumes bound_transport ---------------
+
+    def test_serve_decision_consumes_bound_transport(self):
+        """Changing only bound_transport flips the verdict."""
+        with _ProductionBind() as guard:
+            guard.bind_native_mcp_transport()
+            self.assertTrue(guard.assess_serve_authorization()["allowed"])
+            with patch.object(
+                guard,
+                "bound_transport",
+                return_value=mcp_transport_config.REMOTE_TRANSPORT,
+            ):
+                verdict = guard.assess_serve_authorization()
+                self.assertFalse(verdict["allowed"])
+                self.assertEqual(
+                    verdict["transport"], mcp_transport_config.REMOTE_TRANSPORT
+                )
+                with self.assertRaises(guard.TransportExecutionError):
+                    guard.authorize_transport_execution("tool service")
+
+    def test_serve_verdict_reports_the_bound_transport(self):
+        with _ProductionBind(
+            {
+                mcp_transport_config.TRANSPORT_ENV: (
+                    mcp_transport_config.REMOTE_TRANSPORT
+                )
+            }
+        ) as guard:
+            guard.bind_native_mcp_transport()
+            verdict = guard.assess_serve_authorization()
+            self.assertEqual(
+                verdict["transport"], mcp_transport_config.REMOTE_TRANSPORT
+            )
+            self.assertTrue(verdict["recognized"])
+            self.assertFalse(verdict["executable"])
+
+    # -- earlier and later boundaries are unchanged ------------------------
+
+    def test_unregistered_identifier_still_fails_at_bind_not_at_serve(self):
+        with _ProductionBind(
+            {mcp_transport_config.TRANSPORT_ENV: "carrier-pigeon"}
+        ) as guard:
+            with self.assertRaises(guard.UnsanctionedRuntimeError) as ctx:
+                guard.bind_native_mcp_transport()
+            self.assertIn("not a registered MCP transport", str(ctx.exception))
+            self.assertIsNone(guard.bound_transport())
+
+    def test_unbound_execution_keeps_the_pre_existing_failure(self):
+        with _ProductionBind() as guard:
+            with self.assertRaises(guard.UnsanctionedRuntimeError) as ctx:
+                guard.authorize_transport_execution("tool service")
+            self.assertIn("No MCP transport is bound", str(ctx.exception))
+            self.assertNotIsInstance(ctx.exception, guard.TransportExecutionError)
+
+    def test_transport_execution_error_is_caught_by_existing_handlers(self):
+        """Subclassing keeps every pre-existing fail-closed handler correct."""
+        self.assertTrue(
+            issubclass(
+                mcp_daemon_guard.TransportExecutionError,
+                mcp_daemon_guard.UnsanctionedRuntimeError,
+            )
+        )
+
+    def test_test_mode_runtime_is_not_servable(self):
+        """The pytest-only record is outside the recognized and executable sets."""
+        mcp_daemon_guard.clear_native_runtime_for_tests()
+        mcp_daemon_guard.install_test_native_runtime()
+        self.assertNotIn(
+            mcp_daemon_guard.bound_transport(),
+            mcp_transport_config.SUPPORTED_TRANSPORTS,
+        )
+        self.assertFalse(mcp_daemon_guard.assess_serve_authorization()["allowed"])
+
+    def test_serve_authorization_does_not_leak_across_runtimes(self):
+        """A later runtime's verdict never reflects an earlier one."""
+        with _ProductionBind(
+            {
+                mcp_transport_config.TRANSPORT_ENV: (
+                    mcp_transport_config.REMOTE_TRANSPORT
+                )
+            }
+        ) as guard:
+            guard.bind_native_mcp_transport()
+            self.assertFalse(guard.assess_serve_authorization()["allowed"])
+        with _ProductionBind() as guard:
+            guard.bind_native_mcp_transport()
+            self.assertTrue(guard.assess_serve_authorization()["allowed"])
+        mcp_daemon_guard.clear_native_runtime_for_tests()
+        self.assertEqual(
+            mcp_daemon_guard.assess_serve_authorization()["blocker_kind"],
+            mcp_transport_config.BLOCKER_TRANSPORT_NOT_BOUND,
+        )
+
+    def test_refusal_carries_no_credential_material(self):
+        with _ProductionBind(
+            {
+                mcp_transport_config.TRANSPORT_ENV: (
+                    mcp_transport_config.REMOTE_TRANSPORT
+                ),
+                "GITEA_TOKEN": "super-secret-value",
+            }
+        ) as guard:
+            guard.bind_native_mcp_transport()
+            with self.assertRaises(guard.TransportExecutionError) as ctx:
+                guard.authorize_transport_execution("tool service")
+            blob = str(ctx.exception) + repr(ctx.exception.assessment)
+            self.assertNotIn("super-secret-value", blob)
+            self.assertNotIn("GITEA_TOKEN", blob)
+
+
+class TestEntrypointWiring(unittest.TestCase):
+    """The live entrypoint must use the seam and the execution guard."""
+
+    def test_entrypoint_binds_without_a_literal_transport(self):
+        text = (REPO_ROOT / "gitea_mcp_server.py").read_text(encoding="utf-8")
+        self.assertIn("mcp_daemon_guard.bind_native_mcp_transport()", text)
+        self.assertNotIn('bind_native_mcp_transport(transport="stdio")', text)
+
+    def test_entrypoint_serves_only_through_the_execution_guard(self):
+        text = (REPO_ROOT / "gitea_mcp_server.py").read_text(encoding="utf-8")
+        self.assertIn(
+            "mcp.run(transport=mcp_daemon_guard.authorize_transport_execution", text
+        )
+        self.assertNotIn('mcp.run(transport="stdio")', text)
+        self.assertNotIn(
+            "mcp.run(transport=mcp_daemon_guard.assert_transport_bound", text
+        )
+
+    def test_every_run_call_in_production_goes_through_the_guard(self):
+        """Glob the production surface: no serve site may bypass the guard."""
+        offenders: list[str] = []
+        run_sites = 0
+        for path in sorted(REPO_ROOT.glob("*.py")):
+            for lineno, line in enumerate(
+                path.read_text(encoding="utf-8").splitlines(), start=1
+            ):
+                code = line.split("#", 1)[0]
+                if "mcp.run(" not in code:
+                    continue
+                run_sites += 1
+                if "authorize_transport_execution" not in code:
+                    offenders.append(f"{path.name}:{lineno}: {line.strip()}")
+        self.assertEqual(run_sites, 1, "expected exactly one serve site")
+        self.assertEqual(offenders, [], "\n".join(offenders))
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    unittest.main()

tests/test_issue_948_client_session_provenance.py

@@ -0,0 +1,662 @@
+"""Client/session-aware runtime ownership and provenance (#948).
+
+Covers the reproduced contradiction that motivated the issue: one surface
+reporting ``client_managed`` while another reported ``manual_launch`` for the
+same process, remediation hardcoded to one vendor, and a profile-wide duplicate
+wall that could not tell two healthy clients apart.
+
+All client and session identifiers here are synthetic.
+"""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import os
+import tempfile
+import unittest
+from datetime import datetime, timedelta, timezone
+
+import mcp_client_reconnect
+import mcp_namespace_health
+import mcp_worker_identity as mwi
+
+
+NOW = datetime(2026, 7, 29, 6, 0, 0, tzinfo=timezone.utc)
+
+
+def _registry() -> mwi.WorkerRegistry:
+    """A registry on a throwaway path; never the operator's real one."""
+    handle, path = tempfile.mkstemp(suffix=".sqlite3")
+    os.close(handle)
+    os.unlink(path)
+    return mwi.WorkerRegistry(path)
+
+
+def _attach(
+    registry: mwi.WorkerRegistry,
+    *,
+    client: str,
+    session: str,
+    generation: str,
+    profile: str = "prgs-reviewer",
+    role: str = "reviewer",
+    pid: int = 4242,
+    now: datetime = NOW,
+    ttl: float = 900.0,
+) -> dict:
+    """Register one synthetic worker and return the outcome."""
+    identity = mwi.generate_worker_identity(client, session, now=now)
+    outcome = registry.register(
+        worker_identity=identity,
+        client_name=client,
+        client_instance_id=f"inst-{session}",
+        session_id=session,
+        generation_id=generation,
+        role=role,
+        profile=profile,
+        pid=pid,
+        heartbeat_ttl_seconds=ttl,
+        now=now,
+    )
+    outcome["identity"] = identity
+    return outcome
+
+
+class IdentityFormatTests(unittest.TestCase):
+    """AC27-29: collision-resistant `<llm-name>-<UTC-timestamp>-<short-sha>`."""
+
+    def test_identity_matches_required_format(self):
+        identity = mwi.generate_worker_identity("Gemini", "sess-0001", now=NOW)
+        parsed = mwi.parse_worker_identity(identity)
+        self.assertTrue(parsed["valid"], parsed["reasons"])
+        self.assertEqual(parsed["client_name"], "gemini")
+        self.assertEqual(parsed["minted_at"], "20260729T060000Z")
+        self.assertEqual(len(parsed["digest"]), 12)
+
+    def test_digest_varies_with_session_and_nonce(self):
+        base = dict(timestamp_ns=1, now=NOW)
+        a = mwi.generate_worker_identity("codex", "sess-A", nonce="n", **base)
+        b = mwi.generate_worker_identity("codex", "sess-B", nonce="n", **base)
+        c = mwi.generate_worker_identity("codex", "sess-A", nonce="m", **base)
+        self.assertNotEqual(a, b, "session must feed the digest")
+        self.assertNotEqual(a, c, "nonce must feed the digest")
+
+    def test_identity_is_not_role_or_profile(self):
+        """AC26: identity is independent of role and profile."""
+        args = dict(timestamp_ns=7, nonce="fixed", now=NOW)
+        same = mwi.generate_worker_identity("claude", "sess-1", **args)
+        self.assertEqual(same, mwi.generate_worker_identity("claude", "sess-1", **args))
+        # Nothing role- or profile-derived appears in the identity.
+        self.assertNotIn("reviewer", same)
+        self.assertNotIn("prgs", same)
+
+    def test_malformed_identity_rejected(self):
+        self.assertFalse(mwi.parse_worker_identity("prgs-reviewer")["valid"])
+        self.assertFalse(mwi.parse_worker_identity("")["valid"])
+        self.assertFalse(mwi.parse_worker_identity(None)["valid"])
+
+
+class PerClientAttachmentTests(unittest.TestCase):
+    """Every supported client attaches and is reported as itself."""
+
+    def _assert_attached_as(self, client: str, expected_name: str):
+        registry = _registry()
+        outcome = _attach(
+            registry, client=client, session=f"sess-{client}", generation="gen-1"
+        )
+        self.assertTrue(outcome["registered"], outcome["reasons"])
+
+        verdict = mwi.assess_provenance(
+            registry=registry, worker_identity=outcome["identity"], env={}, now=NOW
+        )
+        self.assertEqual(verdict["session_ownership"], mwi.OWNERSHIP_OWNED)
+        self.assertEqual(verdict["provenance"], mwi.PROVENANCE_CLIENT_SESSION)
+        self.assertEqual(verdict["client_name"], expected_name)
+        self.assertTrue(verdict["session_owned"])
+        self.assertFalse(verdict["fail_closed"])
+        return verdict
+
+    def test_codex_attachment(self):
+        self._assert_attached_as("codex", "codex")
+
+    def test_gemini_attachment(self):
+        self._assert_attached_as("gemini", "gemini")
+
+    def test_antigravity_attachment(self):
+        self._assert_attached_as("antigravity", "antigravity")
+
+    def test_claude_attachment(self):
+        self._assert_attached_as("claude", "claude_code")
+
+    def test_unknown_client_is_named_not_guessed(self):
+        verdict = self._assert_attached_as("some_new_llm", "some_new_llm")
+        self.assertNotEqual(verdict["client_name"], "codex")
+
+
+class SessionLifecycleTests(unittest.TestCase):
+    def test_same_client_new_session_gets_distinct_identity(self):
+        registry = _registry()
+        first = _attach(registry, client="codex", session="sess-1", generation="gen-1")
+        second = _attach(registry, client="codex", session="sess-2", generation="gen-2")
+        self.assertTrue(first["registered"])
+        self.assertTrue(second["registered"])
+        self.assertNotEqual(first["identity"], second["identity"])
+
+        # Both are live and neither blocks the other.
+        cohort = mwi.classify_cohort(registry.list_workers(), now=NOW)
+        self.assertEqual(cohort["live_worker_count"], 2)
+        self.assertFalse(cohort["blocked"], cohort["reasons"])
+
+    def test_different_client_attaches_after_previous_session_ends(self):
+        """AC14: expiry then takeover with a higher fencing epoch."""
+        registry = _registry()
+        gone = _attach(
+            registry, client="codex", session="sess-old", generation="gen-shared", ttl=60
+        )
+        later = NOW + timedelta(hours=1)
+        self.assertFalse(
+            registry.is_live(registry.get(gone["identity"]), now=later)["live"]
+        )
+
+        arriving = _attach(
+            registry,
+            client="gemini",
+            session="sess-new",
+            generation="gen-other",
+            now=later,
+        )
+        claim = registry.claim_generation(
+            worker_identity=arriving["identity"],
+            generation_id="gen-shared",
+            now=later,
+        )
+        self.assertTrue(claim["claimed"], claim["reasons"])
+        self.assertIn(gone["identity"], claim["superseded_workers"])
+        self.assertGreater(claim["fencing_epoch"], gone["fencing_epoch"])
+
+    def test_superseded_session_is_fenced_on_resume(self):
+        """AC15/AC16: the prior session cannot heartbeat its way back."""
+        registry = _registry()
+        old = _attach(
+            registry, client="codex", session="sess-old", generation="gen-shared", ttl=60
+        )
+        later = NOW + timedelta(hours=1)
+        new = _attach(
+            registry, client="gemini", session="sess-new", generation="gen-x", now=later
+        )
+        registry.claim_generation(
+            worker_identity=new["identity"], generation_id="gen-shared", now=later
+        )
+
+        resumed = registry.heartbeat(
+            worker_identity=old["identity"],
+            fencing_epoch=old["fencing_epoch"],
+            now=later,
+        )
+        self.assertFalse(resumed["renewed"])
+        self.assertFalse(resumed["mutation_performed"])
+        self.assertEqual(resumed["blocker_kind"], mwi.BLOCKER_FENCED)
+
+    def test_heartbeat_renews_only_the_owning_lease(self):
+        """AC11: a wrong epoch never renews, and never mutates."""
+        registry = _registry()
+        worker = _attach(registry, client="codex", session="s", generation="g")
+        good = registry.heartbeat(
+            worker_identity=worker["identity"],
+            fencing_epoch=worker["fencing_epoch"],
+            now=NOW + timedelta(minutes=5),
+        )
+        self.assertTrue(good["renewed"])
+
+        bad = registry.heartbeat(
+            worker_identity=worker["identity"],
+            fencing_epoch=worker["fencing_epoch"] + 99,
+            now=NOW + timedelta(minutes=6),
+        )
+        self.assertFalse(bad["renewed"])
+        self.assertFalse(bad["mutation_performed"])
+        self.assertEqual(
+            registry.get(worker["identity"])["last_heartbeat_at"],
+            good["last_heartbeat_at"],
+            "a refused heartbeat must not advance the record",
+        )
+
+
+class ConflictAndCollisionTests(unittest.TestCase):
+    def test_two_live_sessions_cannot_claim_one_generation(self):
+        registry = _registry()
+        first = _attach(registry, client="codex", session="s1", generation="gen-shared")
+        second = _attach(registry, client="gemini", session="s2", generation="gen-other")
+
+        claim = registry.claim_generation(
+            worker_identity=second["identity"],
+            generation_id="gen-shared",
+            now=NOW,
+        )
+        self.assertFalse(claim["claimed"])
+        self.assertFalse(claim["mutation_performed"])
+        self.assertEqual(claim["blocker_kind"], mwi.BLOCKER_CONFLICTING_SESSIONS)
+        self.assertEqual(
+            claim["conflicting_owners"][0]["worker_identity"], first["identity"]
+        )
+        # The sanctioned recovery must never be "kill the other process".
+        self.assertIn("Do not kill", claim["exact_next_action"])
+
+    def test_contested_generation_fails_closed_in_assessment(self):
+        registry = _registry()
+        first = _attach(registry, client="codex", session="s1", generation="gen-shared")
+        _attach(registry, client="gemini", session="s2", generation="gen-shared")
+
+        verdict = mwi.assess_provenance(
+            registry=registry, worker_identity=first["identity"], env={}, now=NOW
+        )
+        self.assertEqual(verdict["session_ownership"], mwi.OWNERSHIP_CONTESTED)
+        self.assertTrue(verdict["fail_closed"])
+        self.assertEqual(verdict["blocker_kind"], mwi.BLOCKER_CONTRADICTORY)
+        self.assertTrue(verdict["conflicting_live_sessions"])
+
+    def test_identity_collision_is_refused_without_corrupting_existing(self):
+        """AC31: never replace, adopt, merge with, or corrupt the incumbent."""
+        registry = _registry()
+        incumbent = _attach(registry, client="codex", session="s1", generation="gen-1")
+        before = registry.get(incumbent["identity"])
+
+        collided = registry.register(
+            worker_identity=incumbent["identity"],
+            client_name="gemini",
+            client_instance_id="inst-other",
+            session_id="s2",
+            generation_id="gen-2",
+            pid=9999,
+            now=NOW,
+        )
+        self.assertFalse(collided["registered"])
+        self.assertTrue(collided["collision"])
+        self.assertFalse(collided["mutation_performed"])
+        self.assertEqual(collided["blocker_kind"], mwi.BLOCKER_IDENTITY_COLLISION)
+        self.assertEqual(collided["collision_kind"], "active_worker")
+        self.assertEqual(
+            registry.get(incumbent["identity"]), before, "incumbent must be untouched"
+        )
+
+    def test_after_collision_a_regenerated_identity_registers(self):
+        """AC32/AC35: forced collision, safe regeneration, successful replacement."""
+        registry = _registry()
+        fixed = dict(timestamp_ns=99, nonce="deterministic", now=NOW)
+        forced = mwi.generate_worker_identity("codex", "sess-collide", **fixed)
+        first = registry.register(
+            worker_identity=forced,
+            client_name="codex",
+            client_instance_id="inst-1",
+            session_id="sess-collide",
+            generation_id="gen-1",
+            now=NOW,
+        )
+        self.assertTrue(first["registered"])
+
+        # A second worker deriving the same inputs collides deterministically.
+        again = mwi.generate_worker_identity("codex", "sess-collide", **fixed)
+        self.assertEqual(again, forced)
+        self.assertTrue(
+            registry.register(
+                worker_identity=again,
+                client_name="codex",
+                client_instance_id="inst-2",
+                session_id="sess-collide",
+                generation_id="gen-2",
+                now=NOW,
+            )["collision"]
+        )
+
+        replacement = mwi.generate_worker_identity(
+            "codex", "sess-collide", timestamp_ns=100, nonce="different", now=NOW
+        )
+        self.assertNotEqual(replacement, forced)
+        self.assertTrue(
+            registry.register(
+                worker_identity=replacement,
+                client_name="codex",
+                client_instance_id="inst-2",
+                session_id="sess-collide",
+                generation_id="gen-2",
+                now=NOW,
+            )["registered"]
+        )
+
+    def test_restarted_worker_inherits_nothing(self):
+        """AC33/AC34: a restart mints a new identity and no prior epoch."""
+        registry = _registry()
+        before = _attach(
+            registry, client="codex", session="sess-before", generation="gen-1", ttl=60
+        )
+        later = NOW + timedelta(hours=2)
+        after = _attach(
+            registry, client="codex", session="sess-after", generation="gen-2", now=later
+        )
+        self.assertNotEqual(before["identity"], after["identity"])
+        self.assertNotEqual(
+            registry.get(after["identity"])["generation_id"],
+            registry.get(before["identity"])["generation_id"],
+        )
+
+
+class LivenessTests(unittest.TestCase):
+    def test_stale_session_record_is_not_live(self):
+        registry = _registry()
+        worker = _attach(registry, client="codex", session="s", generation="g", ttl=300)
+        stale = registry.is_live(
+            registry.get(worker["identity"]), now=NOW + timedelta(hours=1)
+        )
+        self.assertFalse(stale["live"])
+        self.assertFalse(stale["heartbeat_fresh"])
+
+    def test_liveness_is_not_pid_comparison_alone(self):
+        """AC7: a live PID does not resurrect an expired registration."""
+        registry = _registry()
+        worker = _attach(registry, client="codex", session="s", generation="g", ttl=60)
+        verdict = registry.is_live(
+            registry.get(worker["identity"]),
+            now=NOW + timedelta(hours=1),
+            pid_alive=True,
+        )
+        self.assertFalse(
+            verdict["live"], "a live PID must not override a dead heartbeat"
+        )
+
+    def test_dead_pid_withdraws_liveness_from_a_fresh_heartbeat(self):
+        registry = _registry()
+        worker = _attach(registry, client="codex", session="s", generation="g")
+        verdict = registry.is_live(
+            registry.get(worker["identity"]), now=NOW, pid_alive=False
+        )
+        self.assertFalse(verdict["live"])
+
+    def test_stale_ownership_does_not_permanently_strand_a_daemon(self):
+        registry = _registry()
+        stranded = _attach(
+            registry, client="codex", session="s-old", generation="gen-daemon", ttl=60
+        )
+        later = NOW + timedelta(hours=3)
+        rescuer = _attach(
+            registry, client="claude", session="s-new", generation="gen-tmp", now=later
+        )
+        claim = registry.claim_generation(
+            worker_identity=rescuer["identity"],
+            generation_id="gen-daemon",
+            now=later,
+        )
+        self.assertTrue(claim["claimed"], claim["reasons"])
+        self.assertIn(stranded["identity"], claim["superseded_workers"])
+
+
+class EvidenceTests(unittest.TestCase):
+    def test_env_flag_alone_does_not_prove_session_ownership(self):
+        verdict = mwi.assess_provenance(
+            registry=None,
+            worker_identity=None,
+            env={"GITEA_CLIENT_MANAGED": "1", "GITEA_MCP_SANCTIONED_DAEMON": "1"},
+            now=NOW,
+        )
+        self.assertFalse(verdict["session_owned"])
+        self.assertEqual(verdict["session_ownership"], mwi.OWNERSHIP_UNOWNED)
+        self.assertTrue(verdict["env_flag_only"])
+        self.assertTrue(verdict["fail_closed"])
+        self.assertNotIn(mwi.EVIDENCE_ATTACHMENT_RECORD, verdict["evidence"])
+        self.assertFalse(verdict["env_signal"]["proves_session_ownership"])
+
+    def test_env_flag_still_answers_the_launch_question(self):
+        """The #686 wall is preserved: env decides launch, not ownership."""
+        self.assertTrue(
+            mwi.assess_launch_provenance({"GITEA_CLIENT_MANAGED": "1"})["client_managed"]
+        )
+        self.assertFalse(
+            mwi.assess_launch_provenance({"GITEA_CLIENT_MANAGED": "0"})["client_managed"]
+        )
+        self.assertFalse(
+            mwi.assess_launch_provenance({}, stdin_is_tty=True)["client_managed"]
+        )
+        self.assertTrue(
+            mwi.assess_launch_provenance({"GITEA_MCP_PROFILE": "prgs-author"})[
+                "client_managed"
+            ]
+        )
+
+    def test_missing_evidence_is_unproven_not_manual(self):
+        """A missing proof must not be reported as a hand-launched process."""
+        verdict = mwi.assess_provenance(
+            registry=None, worker_identity=None, env={}, now=NOW
+        )
+        self.assertEqual(verdict["provenance"], mwi.PROVENANCE_UNPROVEN)
+        self.assertNotEqual(verdict["provenance"], mwi.PROVENANCE_MANUAL)
+        self.assertTrue(verdict["fail_closed"])
+
+    def test_declared_manual_launch_is_reported_as_manual(self):
+        verdict = mwi.assess_provenance(
+            registry=None,
+            worker_identity=None,
+            env={"GITEA_CLIENT_MANAGED": "0"},
+            now=NOW,
+        )
+        self.assertEqual(verdict["provenance"], mwi.PROVENANCE_MANUAL)
+
+    def test_fail_closed_refusal_names_its_scope_not_the_profile(self):
+        """AC17/AC41: no refusal is profile-wide."""
+        verdict = mwi.assess_provenance(
+            registry=None,
+            worker_identity=None,
+            env={},
+            profile="prgs-reviewer",
+            role="reviewer",
+            now=NOW,
+        )
+        self.assertFalse(verdict["scope"]["profile_wide"])
+        self.assertEqual(verdict["blocker_kind"], mwi.BLOCKER_NO_ATTACHMENT)
+
+
+class CohortScopingTests(unittest.TestCase):
+    def test_shared_profile_with_distinct_identities_does_not_block(self):
+        """AC40: profile is not a singleton identity."""
+        registry = _registry()
+        _attach(
+            registry,
+            client="codex",
+            session="s1",
+            generation="g1",
+            profile="prgs-reviewer",
+        )
+        _attach(
+            registry,
+            client="gemini",
+            session="s2",
+            generation="g2",
+            profile="prgs-reviewer",
+        )
+
+        cohort = mwi.classify_cohort(registry.list_workers(), now=NOW)
+        self.assertFalse(cohort["blocked"], cohort["reasons"])
+        self.assertEqual(cohort["blocker_kind"], mwi.BLOCKER_NONE)
+        self.assertIn("prgs-reviewer", cohort["shared_profiles"])
+        self.assertTrue(cohort["profile_sharing_permitted"])
+        self.assertEqual(cohort["blocked_worker_identities"], [])
+
+    def test_duplicate_cohort_records_block_only_the_offenders(self):
+        registry = _registry()
+        _attach(registry, client="codex", session="s1", generation="gen-contested")
+        _attach(registry, client="gemini", session="s2", generation="gen-contested")
+        _attach(registry, client="claude", session="s3", generation="gen-fine")
+
+        cohort = mwi.classify_cohort(registry.list_workers(), now=NOW)
+        self.assertTrue(cohort["blocked"])
+        self.assertEqual(cohort["contested_generations"], ["gen-contested"])
+        self.assertEqual(len(cohort["blocked_worker_identities"]), 2)
+
+    def test_mixed_runtime_generations_are_scoped_independently(self):
+        """AC17: one stale generation does not wall unrelated healthy ones."""
+        registry = _registry()
+        stale = _attach(
+            registry, client="codex", session="s1", generation="gen-stale", ttl=60
+        )
+        healthy_a = _attach(registry, client="gemini", session="s2", generation="gen-a")
+        healthy_b = _attach(registry, client="claude", session="s3", generation="gen-b")
+
+        scoped = mwi.scope_runtime_failure(
+            failure_kind="stale-runtime",
+            worker_identity=stale["identity"],
+            profile="prgs-reviewer",
+            all_live_workers=registry.list_workers(),
+        )
+        self.assertFalse(scoped["profile_wide"])
+        self.assertFalse(scoped["fleet_wide"])
+        self.assertEqual(len(scoped["affected_workers"]), 1)
+        self.assertEqual(scoped["unaffected_worker_count"], 2)
+        unaffected = {w["worker_identity"] for w in scoped["unaffected_workers"]}
+        self.assertEqual(unaffected, {healthy_a["identity"], healthy_b["identity"]})
+
+
+class HardcodedClientRegressionTests(unittest.TestCase):
+    def test_unknown_client_does_not_resolve_to_codex(self):
+        for name in ("gemini", "antigravity", "grok", "some_new_llm", "", None):
+            with self.subTest(client=name):
+                self.assertNotEqual(
+                    mcp_client_reconnect.normalize_client(name),
+                    "codex",
+                    "an unidentified client must never be handed Codex UI steps",
+                )
+
+    def test_known_clients_still_get_their_own_steps(self):
+        self.assertEqual(mcp_client_reconnect.normalize_client("codex"), "codex")
+        self.assertEqual(
+            mcp_client_reconnect.normalize_client("claude_code"), "claude_code"
+        )
+
+    def test_generic_steps_do_not_name_a_specific_vendor(self):
+        steps = " ".join(mcp_client_reconnect.operator_ui_steps("gemini"))
+        self.assertNotIn("Codex", steps)
+
+    def test_reconnect_client_is_derived_from_the_attachment_record(self):
+        registry = _registry()
+        worker = _attach(registry, client="antigravity", session="s", generation="g")
+        verdict = mwi.assess_provenance(
+            registry=registry, worker_identity=worker["identity"], env={}, now=NOW
+        )
+        self.assertEqual(mwi.reconnect_client_for(verdict), "antigravity")
+
+    def test_reconnect_client_is_unknown_rather_than_guessed(self):
+        self.assertEqual(mwi.reconnect_client_for({}), mwi.UNKNOWN_CLIENT)
+
+
+class RemoteBindingTests(unittest.TestCase):
+    def test_explicit_prgs_selection_is_honoured(self):
+        resolved = mwi.resolve_bound_remote(
+            requested_remote="prgs", bound_remote="prgs", default_remote="dadeschools"
+        )
+        self.assertEqual(resolved["remote"], "prgs")
+        self.assertFalse(resolved["drifted"])
+
+    def test_omitted_remote_uses_the_binding_not_the_library_default(self):
+        """The reported dadeschools host drift."""
+        resolved = mwi.resolve_bound_remote(
+            requested_remote=None, bound_remote="prgs", default_remote="dadeschools"
+        )
+        self.assertEqual(resolved["remote"], "prgs")
+        self.assertNotEqual(resolved["remote"], "dadeschools")
+        self.assertEqual(resolved["resolved_from"], "session_binding")
+
+    def test_contradicting_the_binding_is_refused(self):
+        resolved = mwi.resolve_bound_remote(
+            requested_remote="dadeschools",
+            bound_remote="prgs",
+            default_remote="dadeschools",
+        )
+        self.assertEqual(resolved["remote"], "prgs")
+        self.assertTrue(resolved["drifted"])
+        self.assertFalse(resolved["honoured_request"])
+
+    def test_unbound_session_falls_back_and_says_so(self):
+        resolved = mwi.resolve_bound_remote(
+            requested_remote=None, bound_remote=None, default_remote="dadeschools"
+        )
+        self.assertEqual(resolved["remote"], "dadeschools")
+        self.assertEqual(resolved["resolved_from"], "library_default")
+        self.assertTrue(resolved["reasons"])
+
+
+class SurfaceAgreementTests(unittest.TestCase):
+    """The reproduced contradiction: two surfaces, one process, two answers."""
+
+    def test_namespace_health_and_direct_assessment_agree(self):
+        registry = _registry()
+        worker = _attach(
+            registry,
+            client="gemini",
+            session="sess-agree",
+            generation="gen-agree",
+            profile="prgs-reviewer",
+        )
+        env = {"GITEA_MCP_PROFILE": "prgs-reviewer", "GITEA_CLIENT_MANAGED": "1"}
+
+        direct = mwi.assess_provenance(
+            registry=registry,
+            worker_identity=worker["identity"],
+            env=env,
+            profile="prgs-reviewer",
+        )
+        health = mcp_namespace_health.classify_namespace_probe(
+            "gitea-reviewer",
+            configured=True,
+            registered_tools=["gitea_whoami"],
+            probe_result={"success": True},
+            probe_source="client_namespace",
+            process={"pid": 4242, "profile": "prgs-reviewer", "env": env},
+            registry=registry,
+            worker_identity=worker["identity"],
+        )
+
+        self.assertEqual(health["provenance"], direct["provenance"])
+        self.assertEqual(health["is_client_managed"], direct["is_client_managed"])
+        self.assertEqual(health["worker_identity"], direct["worker_identity"])
+        self.assertEqual(health["session_id"], "sess-agree")
+        self.assertEqual(health["client_name"], "gemini")
+
+    def test_namespace_health_can_report_client_managed_at_all(self):
+        """The old derivation was structurally incapable of this."""
+        env = {"GITEA_CLIENT_MANAGED": "1", "GITEA_MCP_PROFILE": "prgs-author"}
+        health = mcp_namespace_health.classify_namespace_probe(
+            "gitea-author",
+            configured=True,
+            registered_tools=["gitea_whoami"],
+            probe_result={"success": True},
+            probe_source="client_namespace",
+            process={"pid": 1234, "profile": "prgs-author", "env": env},
+        )
+        self.assertTrue(
+            health["is_client_managed"],
+            "a client-managed launch must be reportable as client-managed",
+        )
+
+    def test_namespace_health_without_attachment_fails_closed(self):
+        health = mcp_namespace_health.classify_namespace_probe(
+            "gitea-author",
+            configured=True,
+            registered_tools=["gitea_whoami"],
+            probe_result={"success": True},
+            probe_source="client_namespace",
+            process={"pid": 1234, "profile": "prgs-author", "env": {}},
+        )
+        self.assertTrue(health["provenance_fail_closed"])
+        self.assertEqual(health["provenance"], mwi.PROVENANCE_UNPROVEN)
+        self.assertIsNone(health["session_id"])
+
+    def test_no_false_reconnect_loop_for_an_owned_session(self):
+        """A proven owner must not be told to reconnect."""
+        registry = _registry()
+        worker = _attach(registry, client="claude", session="s", generation="g")
+        verdict = mwi.assess_provenance(
+            registry=registry, worker_identity=worker["identity"], env={}, now=NOW
+        )
+        self.assertFalse(verdict["fail_closed"])
+        self.assertEqual(verdict["blocker_kind"], mwi.BLOCKER_NONE)
+        self.assertEqual(verdict["reasons"], [])
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    unittest.main()

tests/test_issue_969_session_lifecycle.py

@@ -0,0 +1,480 @@
+"""Tests for dead-owner / PID-reuse session retirement (#969)."""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import os
+import tempfile
+import threading
+import unittest
+from concurrent.futures import ThreadPoolExecutor, as_completed
+from datetime import datetime, timedelta, timezone
+
+import control_plane_db as cpd
+import post_restart_reconcile as prr
+import session_lifecycle as sl
+
+NOW = datetime(2026, 7, 29, 12, 0, 0, tzinfo=timezone.utc)
+EARLIER = NOW - timedelta(hours=2)
+LATER = NOW + timedelta(minutes=5)
+
+
+def _session(
+    session_id: str,
+    *,
+    pid: int | None = 4242,
+    status: str = "active",
+    started_at: datetime = EARLIER,
+    last_heartbeat_at: datetime | None = None,
+    client_managed: bool = False,
+    owner_process_started_at: datetime | None = None,
+    role: str = "author",
+) -> dict:
+    hb = last_heartbeat_at if last_heartbeat_at is not None else started_at
+    row = {
+        "session_id": session_id,
+        "role": role,
+        "profile": "prgs-author",
+        "pid": pid,
+        "status": status,
+        "started_at": cpd._ts(started_at),
+        "last_heartbeat_at": cpd._ts(hb),
+        "client_managed": client_managed,
+    }
+    if owner_process_started_at is not None:
+        row["owner_process_started_at"] = cpd._ts(owner_process_started_at)
+    return row
+
+
+def _alive(pids: set[int]):
+    def _check(pid):
+        try:
+            return int(pid) in pids
+        except (TypeError, ValueError):
+            return False
+
+    return _check
+
+
+def _starts(mapping: dict[int, datetime]):
+    def _probe(pid):
+        try:
+            return mapping.get(int(pid))
+        except (TypeError, ValueError):
+            return None
+
+    return _probe
+
+
+class ClassifyDeadOwnerTests(unittest.TestCase):
+    def test_dead_owner_is_stale_and_retireable(self) -> None:
+        c = sl.classify_session(
+            _session("ghost", pid=2_000_000_000),
+            now=NOW,
+            pid_checker=_alive(set()),
+            process_start_probe=_starts({}),
+        )
+        self.assertEqual(c.classification, sl.CLASS_STALE)
+        self.assertTrue(c.retireable)
+        self.assertIn(c.reason, {sl.REASON_DEAD_OWNER, sl.REASON_HEARTBEAT_STALE_DEAD})
+
+    def test_missing_pid_is_stale(self) -> None:
+        c = sl.classify_session(
+            _session("no-pid", pid=None),
+            now=NOW,
+            pid_checker=_alive(set()),
+        )
+        self.assertEqual(c.classification, sl.CLASS_STALE)
+        self.assertEqual(c.reason, sl.REASON_MISSING_PID)
+        self.assertTrue(c.retireable)
+
+
+class PidReuseTests(unittest.TestCase):
+    def test_pid_reuse_marks_stale_not_live(self) -> None:
+        # Process with same PID started AFTER the session was recorded.
+        c = sl.classify_session(
+            _session("reused", pid=77, started_at=EARLIER, last_heartbeat_at=EARLIER),
+            now=NOW,
+            pid_checker=_alive({77}),
+            process_start_probe=_starts({77: LATER}),
+        )
+        self.assertEqual(c.classification, sl.CLASS_STALE)
+        self.assertEqual(c.reason, sl.REASON_PID_REUSE)
+        self.assertTrue(c.pid_reused)
+        self.assertTrue(c.retireable)
+
+    def test_matching_process_start_is_live(self) -> None:
+        c = sl.classify_session(
+            _session(
+                "same-proc",
+                pid=88,
+                started_at=EARLIER,
+                last_heartbeat_at=NOW - timedelta(seconds=30),
+                owner_process_started_at=EARLIER - timedelta(seconds=5),
+            ),
+            now=NOW,
+            pid_checker=_alive({88}),
+            process_start_probe=_starts({88: EARLIER - timedelta(seconds=5)}),
+        )
+        self.assertEqual(c.classification, sl.CLASS_LIVE)
+        self.assertFalse(c.retireable)
+
+
+class LiveOwnerAndLeaseTests(unittest.TestCase):
+    def test_live_owner_not_retired(self) -> None:
+        c = sl.classify_session(
+            _session(
+                "live",
+                pid=os.getpid(),
+                last_heartbeat_at=NOW - timedelta(seconds=10),
+            ),
+            now=NOW,
+            pid_checker=_alive({os.getpid()}),
+            process_start_probe=_starts({os.getpid(): EARLIER}),
+        )
+        self.assertEqual(c.classification, sl.CLASS_LIVE)
+        self.assertFalse(c.retireable)
+
+    def test_live_lease_blocks_retirement_even_if_pid_dead(self) -> None:
+        c = sl.classify_session(
+            _session("leased", pid=99999),
+            now=NOW,
+            pid_checker=_alive(set()),
+            live_lease_sessions={"leased"},
+        )
+        self.assertEqual(c.classification, sl.CLASS_PROTECTED)
+        self.assertEqual(c.reason, sl.REASON_LIVE_LEASE)
+        self.assertFalse(c.retireable)
+
+    def test_client_managed_live_never_retired(self) -> None:
+        c = sl.classify_session(
+            _session(
+                "client",
+                pid=55,
+                client_managed=True,
+                last_heartbeat_at=NOW - timedelta(seconds=5),
+            ),
+            now=NOW,
+            pid_checker=_alive({55}),
+            process_start_probe=_starts({55: EARLIER}),
+        )
+        self.assertEqual(c.classification, sl.CLASS_LIVE)
+        self.assertEqual(c.reason, sl.REASON_CLIENT_MANAGED_LIVE)
+        self.assertFalse(c.retireable)
+
+    def test_client_managed_dead_pid_is_retireable(self) -> None:
+        # Dead client process is not a live client-managed session.
+        c = sl.classify_session(
+            _session("client-dead", pid=56, client_managed=True),
+            now=NOW,
+            pid_checker=_alive(set()),
+        )
+        self.assertEqual(c.classification, sl.CLASS_STALE)
+        self.assertTrue(c.retireable)
+
+
+class TerminalAndDisconnectedTests(unittest.TestCase):
+    def test_already_terminal_not_retireable(self) -> None:
+        c = sl.classify_session(
+            _session("done", status="retired", pid=1),
+            now=NOW,
+            pid_checker=_alive(set()),
+        )
+        self.assertEqual(c.classification, sl.CLASS_TERMINAL)
+        self.assertFalse(c.retireable)
+
+    def test_alive_stale_heartbeat_is_disconnected_not_retired(self) -> None:
+        c = sl.classify_session(
+            _session(
+                "quiet",
+                pid=66,
+                last_heartbeat_at=NOW - timedelta(hours=5),
+            ),
+            now=NOW,
+            pid_checker=_alive({66}),
+            process_start_probe=_starts({66: EARLIER}),
+        )
+        self.assertEqual(c.classification, sl.CLASS_DISCONNECTED)
+        self.assertFalse(c.retireable)
+
+
+class FleetAndApplyTests(unittest.TestCase):
+    def setUp(self) -> None:
+        self._tmp = tempfile.TemporaryDirectory()
+        self.db_path = os.path.join(self._tmp.name, "cp.sqlite3")
+        self.db = cpd.ControlPlaneDB(self.db_path)
+
+    def tearDown(self) -> None:
+        self._tmp.cleanup()
+
+    def test_mixed_fleet_and_apply_retires_only_stale(self) -> None:
+        live_pid = os.getpid()
+        # Use wall-clock "now" so upsert timestamps align with classification.
+        moment = datetime.now(timezone.utc)
+        proc_start = moment - timedelta(hours=1)
+        self.db.upsert_session(
+            session_id="s-live",
+            role="author",
+            pid=live_pid,
+            status="active",
+            owner_process_started_at=cpd._ts(proc_start),
+        )
+        self.db.upsert_session(
+            session_id="s-dead", role="reviewer", pid=2_000_000_001, status="active"
+        )
+        self.db.upsert_session(
+            session_id="s-ended", role="merger", pid=3, status="ended"
+        )
+
+        sessions = self.db.list_sessions(limit=50)
+        report = sl.classify_sessions(
+            sessions,
+            leases=[],
+            now=moment,
+            pid_checker=_alive({live_pid}),
+            process_start_probe=_starts({live_pid: proc_start}),
+        )
+        self.assertGreaterEqual(report.stale_count, 1)
+        self.assertTrue(
+            any(c.session_id == "s-dead" and c.retireable for c in report.classifications)
+        )
+        self.assertTrue(
+            any(
+                c.session_id == "s-live" and not c.retireable
+                for c in report.classifications
+            )
+        )
+
+        first = sl.apply_session_retirements(
+            self.db, report, dry_run=False, actor_session_id="actor-1", now=moment
+        )
+        self.assertGreaterEqual(first["retired_count"], 1)
+        # After retirement, active list should exclude s-dead.
+        active = {
+            s["session_id"]
+            for s in self.db.list_sessions(statuses=("active",), limit=50)
+        }
+        self.assertNotIn("s-dead", active)
+        self.assertIn("s-live", active)
+
+        # Repeated cleanup is idempotent.
+        report2 = sl.classify_sessions(
+            self.db.list_sessions(limit=50),
+            leases=[],
+            now=moment,
+            pid_checker=_alive({live_pid}),
+            process_start_probe=_starts({live_pid: proc_start}),
+        )
+        second = sl.apply_session_retirements(
+            self.db, report2, dry_run=False, actor_session_id="actor-1", now=moment
+        )
+        # No double-retirement of the same row as a new mutation.
+        self.assertEqual(second["retired_count"], 0)
+
+        # Durable audit event present.
+        import sqlite3
+
+        conn = sqlite3.connect(self.db_path)
+        try:
+            events = conn.execute(
+                "SELECT event_type, message FROM events WHERE event_type = ?",
+                ("session_retired",),
+            ).fetchall()
+        finally:
+            conn.close()
+        self.assertTrue(events)
+        self.assertTrue(any("s-dead" in (m or "") for _, m in events))
+
+    def test_live_lease_blocks_db_retirement(self) -> None:
+        self.db.upsert_session(
+            session_id="s-leased", role="author", pid=2_000_000_002, status="active"
+        )
+        self.db.upsert_work_item(
+            remote="prgs",
+            org="org",
+            repo="repo",
+            kind="issue",
+            number=969,
+        )
+        result = self.db.assign_and_lease(
+            session_id="s-leased",
+            role="author",
+            remote="prgs",
+            org="org",
+            repo="repo",
+            kind="issue",
+            number=969,
+        )
+        self.assertEqual(result.outcome, "assigned")
+
+        # Inventory-style lease with explicit live freshness (authoritative for
+        # the pure classifier). DB apply also blocks on the active lease row.
+        leases = [
+            {
+                "lease_id": result.lease_id,
+                "session_id": "s-leased",
+                "status": "active",
+                "freshness": {"freshness": "active"},
+            }
+        ]
+        report = sl.classify_sessions(
+            self.db.list_sessions(statuses=("active",), limit=20),
+            leases=leases,
+            now=NOW,
+            pid_checker=_alive(set()),
+        )
+        # Classifier protects via live lease set.
+        self.assertTrue(
+            any(
+                c.session_id == "s-leased" and c.classification == sl.CLASS_PROTECTED
+                for c in report.classifications
+            )
+        )
+        apply = sl.apply_session_retirements(
+            self.db, report, dry_run=False, actor_session_id="actor", now=NOW
+        )
+        self.assertEqual(apply["retired_count"], 0)
+        active = {
+            s["session_id"]
+            for s in self.db.list_sessions(statuses=("active",), limit=20)
+        }
+        self.assertIn("s-leased", active)
+
+        # Direct DB CAS also refuses while an active lease row remains.
+        blocked = self.db.retire_session(
+            session_id="s-leased",
+            reason=sl.REASON_DEAD_OWNER,
+            actor_session_id="actor",
+            now=NOW,
+        )
+        self.assertEqual(blocked["outcome"], "blocked")
+        self.assertEqual(blocked["reason"], "live_lease")
+
+    def test_concurrent_retirement_is_idempotent(self) -> None:
+        for i in range(20):
+            self.db.upsert_session(
+                session_id=f"ghost-{i}",
+                role="author",
+                pid=3_000_000 + i,
+                status="active",
+            )
+
+        def _worker() -> dict:
+            return sl.retire_stale_sessions(
+                self.db,
+                dry_run=False,
+                actor_session_id=f"actor-{threading.get_ident()}",
+                now=NOW,
+                pid_checker=_alive(set()),
+                process_start_probe=_starts({}),
+                session_limit=100,
+            )
+
+        outcomes = []
+        with ThreadPoolExecutor(max_workers=4) as pool:
+            futs = [pool.submit(_worker) for _ in range(4)]
+            for fut in as_completed(futs):
+                outcomes.append(fut.result())
+
+        total_retired = sum(o["apply"]["retired_count"] for o in outcomes)
+        # Exactly one successful retirement per ghost row across all workers.
+        self.assertEqual(total_retired, 20)
+        active = {
+            s["session_id"]
+            for s in self.db.list_sessions(statuses=("active",), limit=100)
+        }
+        for i in range(20):
+            self.assertNotIn(f"ghost-{i}", active)
+
+
+class ReconcileIntegrationTests(unittest.TestCase):
+    def test_unresolved_until_retired_then_resolved(self) -> None:
+        inv = {
+            "inventory_complete": True,
+            "incomplete_reasons": [],
+            "service_health": {"healthy": True},
+            "clients": [{"session_id": "c1", "connected": True}],
+            "sessions": [
+                _session("ghost", pid=2_000_000_099, last_heartbeat_at=EARLIER),
+            ],
+            "leases": [],
+            "checkpoints_available": False,
+            "worktree_bindings": [],
+            "pending_mutations": [],
+            "capabilities": {"stale": False},
+            "boot_head_sha": "a" * 40,
+            "current_head_sha": "a" * 40,
+            "queue_state": {"safe_to_resume": True},
+        }
+        proof = prr.reconcile_after_restart(inv, now=NOW, mode=prr.MODE_LOG_ONLY)
+        sess = next(i for i in proof.items if i.dimension == prr.DIM_SESSIONS)
+        self.assertEqual(sess.status, prr.ITEM_UNRESOLVED)
+        self.assertIn("ghost", sess.details.get("orphan_session_ids") or [])
+
+        # After retirement inventory (no active orphans) resolves.
+        inv2 = dict(inv)
+        inv2["sessions"] = []
+        inv2["session_fleet"] = {
+            "retireable_session_ids": [],
+            "sessions_dimension_resolved": True,
+            "live_count": 0,
+            "stale_count": 0,
+        }
+        proof2 = prr.reconcile_after_restart(inv2, now=NOW, mode=prr.MODE_LOG_ONLY)
+        sess2 = next(i for i in proof2.items if i.dimension == prr.DIM_SESSIONS)
+        self.assertEqual(sess2.status, prr.ITEM_RESOLVED)
+
+    def test_legacy_orphan_key_still_populated(self) -> None:
+        inv = {
+            "inventory_complete": True,
+            "service_health": {"healthy": True},
+            "clients": [],
+            "sessions": [_session("ghost", pid=2_000_000_100)],
+            "leases": [],
+            "checkpoints_available": False,
+            "worktree_bindings": [],
+            "pending_mutations": [],
+            "capabilities": {"stale": False},
+            "boot_head_sha": "a" * 40,
+            "current_head_sha": "a" * 40,
+            "queue_state": {"safe_to_resume": True},
+        }
+        proof = prr.reconcile_after_restart(inv, now=NOW)
+        sess = next(i for i in proof.items if i.dimension == prr.DIM_SESSIONS)
+        self.assertIn("orphan_session_ids", sess.details)
+
+
+class SchemaMigrationTests(unittest.TestCase):
+    def test_lifecycle_columns_present(self) -> None:
+        with tempfile.TemporaryDirectory() as tmp:
+            path = os.path.join(tmp, "cp.sqlite3")
+            db = cpd.ControlPlaneDB(path)
+            db.upsert_session(session_id="s1", role="author", pid=1)
+            out = db.retire_session(
+                session_id="s1",
+                reason=sl.REASON_DEAD_OWNER,
+                actor_session_id="tester",
+                now=NOW,
+            )
+            self.assertEqual(out["outcome"], "retired")
+            rows = db.list_sessions(limit=5)
+            # May not appear under active filter
+            all_rows = db.list_sessions(limit=5)
+            # Re-open raw to check columns
+            import sqlite3
+
+            conn = sqlite3.connect(path)
+            try:
+                cols = {r[1] for r in conn.execute("PRAGMA table_info(sessions)")}
+                version = conn.execute(
+                    "SELECT value FROM schema_meta WHERE key='schema_version'"
+                ).fetchone()[0]
+            finally:
+                conn.close()
+            self.assertIn("retired_at", cols)
+            self.assertIn("retire_reason", cols)
+            self.assertIn("owner_process_started_at", cols)
+            self.assertEqual(version, "6")
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    unittest.main()