@kontourai/flow-agents 3.4.3 → 3.5.0

package/CHANGELOG.md

@@ -1,5 +1,12 @@
 # Changelog
 
+## [3.5.0](https://github.com/kontourai/flow-agents/compare/v3.4.3...v3.5.0) (2026-07-10)
+
+
+### Features
+
+* **builder:** derive selected-work evidence from acquisition ([#543](https://github.com/kontourai/flow-agents/issues/543)) ([bfe1681](https://github.com/kontourai/flow-agents/commit/bfe1681211174cb6219b0dd94d765aa9c99734bd))
+
 ## [3.4.3](https://github.com/kontourai/flow-agents/compare/v3.4.2...v3.4.3) (2026-07-10)
 
 

package/build/src/cli/assignment-provider.d.ts

@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ export type AssignmentClaimRecord = {
     subject_id: string;
     actor: ActorStruct;
     actor_key?: string;
+    work_item_ref?: string;
     claimed_at: string;
     ttl_seconds: number;
     branch: string;
@@ -116,6 +117,7 @@ export declare function performLocalClaim(artifactRoot: string, subjectId: strin
     artifactDir: string;
     reason?: string;
     actorKey?: string;
+    workItemRef?: string;
 }): AssignmentClaimRecord;
 /**
  * Wave 1 (#292) extraction: the durable-write body previously inlined inside releaseLocalFile's
@@ -177,6 +179,7 @@ export declare function performLocalSupersede(artifactRoot: string, subjectId: s
     artifactDir?: string;
     reason?: string;
     actorKey?: string;
+    workItemRef?: string;
 }): AssignmentClaimRecord;
 /**
  * Wave 1 (#291) extraction: the local-file branch of statusCommand's assignment-layer read,

package/build/src/cli/assignment-provider.js

@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ import * as path from "node:path";
 import { createRequire } from "node:module";
 import { fileURLToPath } from "node:url";
 import { parseArgs, flagString } from "../lib/args.js";
-import { readJson, writeJson, isoNow } from "../lib/fs.js";
+import { atomicWriteJson, readJson, isoNow } from "../lib/fs.js";
 const DEFAULT_LABEL_NAME = "agent:claimed";
 const CLAIM_COMMENT_MARKER_DEFAULT = "<!-- flow-agents:assignment-claim -->";
 /**
@@ -95,19 +95,59 @@ export function assignmentFilePath(artifactRoot, subjectId) {
     const sanitized = loadActorIdentityHelper().sanitizeSegment(subjectId);
     return path.join(artifactRoot, "assignment", `${sanitized}.json`);
 }
+function localAssignmentDir(artifactRoot, create) {
+    const dir = path.join(artifactRoot, "assignment");
+    if (create)
+        fs.mkdirSync(dir, { recursive: true });
+    let stat;
+    try {
+        stat = fs.lstatSync(dir);
+    }
+    catch (error) {
+        if (!create && error.code === "ENOENT")
+            return null;
+        throw error;
+    }
+    if (stat.isSymbolicLink() || !stat.isDirectory()) {
+        throw new Error(`assignment directory must be a real directory, not a symlink: ${dir}`);
+    }
+    const realRoot = fs.realpathSync(artifactRoot);
+    if (fs.realpathSync(dir) !== path.join(realRoot, "assignment")) {
+        throw new Error(`assignment directory escapes the artifact root: ${dir}`);
+    }
+    return dir;
+}
 export function readLocalRecord(artifactRoot, subjectId) {
-    const file = assignmentFilePath(artifactRoot, subjectId);
-    if (!fs.existsSync(file))
+    if (!localAssignmentDir(artifactRoot, false))
         return null;
+    const file = assignmentFilePath(artifactRoot, subjectId);
+    let stat;
+    try {
+        stat = fs.lstatSync(file);
+    }
+    catch (error) {
+        if (error.code === "ENOENT")
+            return null;
+        throw error;
+    }
+    if (stat.isSymbolicLink() || !stat.isFile()) {
+        throw new Error(`assignment record must be a regular file, not a symlink: ${file}`);
+    }
     let data;
+    let descriptor = null;
     try {
-        data = readJson(file);
+        descriptor = fs.openSync(file, fs.constants.O_RDONLY | fs.constants.O_NOFOLLOW);
+        data = JSON.parse(fs.readFileSync(descriptor, "utf8"));
     }
     catch (error) {
         // Fail loud: a corrupt claim record must never be silently treated as "no claim" — that
         // would be a fail-open path that could let a second claim silently overwrite a real one.
         throw new Error(`assignment record is corrupt, refusing to proceed: ${file}: ${error.message}`);
     }
+    finally {
+        if (descriptor !== null)
+            fs.closeSync(descriptor);
+    }
     if (typeof data !== "object" || data === null)
         throw new Error(`assignment record is not an object: ${file}`);
     const record = data;
@@ -119,7 +159,7 @@ export function writeLocalRecord(artifactRoot, subjectId, record) {
     // writeJson throws on any mkdir/writeFileSync failure; that error is intentionally allowed to
     // propagate to main()'s top-level try/catch and exit non-zero. Durable writes must fail loud,
     // never fail open (artifact-contract.md).
-    writeJson(assignmentFilePath(artifactRoot, subjectId), record);
+    atomicWriteJson(artifactRoot, assignmentFilePath(artifactRoot, subjectId), record);
 }
 /**
  * Synchronous busy-sleep via Atomics.wait on a throwaway SharedArrayBuffer — Node.js (unlike
@@ -133,8 +173,7 @@ function sleepSync(ms) {
     Atomics.wait(ia, 0, 0, ms);
 }
 function subjectLockDir(artifactRoot, subjectId) {
-    const assignmentDir = path.join(artifactRoot, "assignment");
-    fs.mkdirSync(assignmentDir, { recursive: true });
+    const assignmentDir = localAssignmentDir(artifactRoot, true);
     const sanitized = loadActorIdentityHelper().sanitizeSegment(subjectId);
     return path.join(assignmentDir, `.${sanitized}.lockdir`);
 }
@@ -190,12 +229,20 @@ export function withSubjectLock(artifactRoot, subjectId, body) {
             sleepSync(20);
         }
     }
+    const release = () => fs.rmSync(lockDir, { recursive: true, force: true });
+    let result;
     try {
-        return body();
+        result = body();
     }
-    finally {
-        fs.rmSync(lockDir, { recursive: true, force: true });
+    catch (error) {
+        release();
+        throw error;
+    }
+    if (result && typeof result.then === "function") {
+        return Promise.resolve(result).finally(release);
     }
+    release();
+    return result;
 }
 /**
  * The assignment ⋈ liveness join (contract doc's "assignment ⋈ liveness join" section, ADR 0021
@@ -403,6 +450,7 @@ export function performLocalClaim(artifactRoot, subjectId, actor, opts) {
             subject_id: subjectId,
             actor,
             ...(opts.actorKey ? { actor_key: opts.actorKey } : {}),
+            ...((opts.workItemRef ?? existing?.work_item_ref) ? { work_item_ref: opts.workItemRef ?? existing?.work_item_ref } : {}),
             claimed_at: isoNow(),
             ttl_seconds: opts.ttlSeconds,
             branch: opts.branch,
@@ -574,6 +622,7 @@ export function performLocalSupersede(artifactRoot, subjectId, fromActor, toActo
             subject_id: subjectId,
             actor: toActor,
             ...(opts.actorKey ? { actor_key: opts.actorKey } : {}),
+            ...((opts.workItemRef ?? existing.work_item_ref) ? { work_item_ref: opts.workItemRef ?? existing.work_item_ref } : {}),
             claimed_at: isoNow(),
             ttl_seconds: ttlSeconds,
             branch: opts.branch ?? existing.branch,

package/build/src/cli/workflow-sidecar.js

@@ -9,12 +9,13 @@ import { fileURLToPath } from "node:url";
 // ADR 0016 Abstraction A: shared FlowDefinition resolver (P-a)
 import { resolveActiveFlowStep, resolveAllFlowGateExpects, resolveFlowFilePath, resolvePhaseMap, resolveRouteBackPolicy } from "../lib/flow-resolver.js";
 import { defaultArtifactRootForRead, flowAgentsArtifactRoot } from "../lib/local-artifact-root.js";
+import { ensureSafeDirectory } from "../lib/fs.js";
 import { startBuilderFlowSession, syncBuilderFlowSessionIfPresent } from "../builder-flow-runtime.js";
 // #291 Wave 1 Task 1.1 exports: ensure-session's ownership guard reuses the EXACT same
 // assignment ⋈ liveness join / claim / supersede logic #290 already ships for the
 // `assignment-provider` CLI, rather than reimplementing a second, parallel join (static ESM
 // import — same idiom already used above for ../lib/flow-resolver.js).
-import { computeEffectiveState, performLocalClaim, performLocalSupersede, readLocalAssignmentStatus } from "./assignment-provider.js";
+import { assignmentFilePath, computeEffectiveState, performLocalClaim, performLocalSupersede, readLocalAssignmentStatus, withSubjectLock } from "./assignment-provider.js";
 export const statuses = new Set(["new", "planning", "planned", "in_progress", "blocked", "verifying", "verified", "needs_decision", "not_verified", "failed", "delivered", "accepted", "archived"]);
 export const phases = ["idea", "backlog", "pickup", "planning", "execution", "verification", "goal_fit", "evidence", "release", "learning", "done"];
 export const checkKinds = new Set(["build", "types", "lint", "test", "command", "security", "diff", "browser", "runtime", "policy", "external"]);
@@ -55,14 +56,27 @@ function workItemSlug(ref) {
     const [owner, repo] = parts;
     return slugify(`${owner}-${repo}-${id}`, "work-item");
 }
+function assignmentSubjectMatchesWorkItem(slug, ref) {
+    if (ref === `local:${slug}`)
+        return true;
+    if (!/^[^/#]+\/[^/#]+#\d+$/.test(ref))
+        return false;
+    return workItemSlug(ref) === slug;
+}
 function sessionWorkItem(p, slug, dir) {
     const providerRef = opt(p, "work-item");
+    const existingState = loadJson(path.join(dir, "state.json"));
+    const existingRef = Array.isArray(existingState.work_item_refs) && typeof existingState.work_item_refs[0] === "string"
+        ? existingState.work_item_refs[0]
+        : "";
     if (providerRef) {
+        if (existingRef && existingRef !== providerRef) {
+            die(`ensure-session refused: session ${JSON.stringify(slug)} is already bound to Work Item ${JSON.stringify(existingRef)}, not ${JSON.stringify(providerRef)}`);
+        }
         return { ref: providerRef };
     }
-    const existingState = loadJson(path.join(dir, "state.json"));
-    if (Array.isArray(existingState.work_item_refs) && typeof existingState.work_item_refs[0] === "string") {
-        return { ref: existingState.work_item_refs[0] };
+    if (existingRef) {
+        return { ref: existingRef };
     }
     const title = opt(p, "title", slug).trim() || slug;
     const body = opt(p, "summary").trim();
@@ -1437,6 +1451,15 @@ function sessionDirFor(root, slug) {
         die("session directory must stay under artifact root");
     return dir;
 }
+function assertSafeSessionDirectory(root, dir) {
+    if (!fs.existsSync(dir))
+        return;
+    const stat = fs.lstatSync(dir);
+    const expected = path.join(fs.realpathSync(root), path.basename(dir));
+    if (stat.isSymbolicLink() || !stat.isDirectory() || fs.realpathSync(dir) !== expected) {
+        die(`session directory must be a real directory under the artifact root: ${dir}`);
+    }
+}
 function validateAgentId(agent) {
     if (!agent)
         die("--agent-id is required");
@@ -1481,17 +1504,22 @@ function findRepoRootFromDirStrict(startDir) {
  * Find the repository root by walking upward from a starting directory to locate
  * the nearest ancestor containing a kits/ subdirectory. Mirrors flow-resolver.ts
  * findRepoRoot, but callable from workflow-sidecar.ts without re-importing the
- * internal helper. Falls back to process.cwd() when no kits/ ancestor is found —
- * appropriate for phase-map/first-step resolution (ADR 0016 Abstraction A, P-d),
- * where the caller is always invoked from within a real repo checkout.
+ * internal helper. A canonical `.kontourai` path falls back to its owning project,
+ * allowing installed package assets to resolve independently of ambient cwd. Other
+ * layouts retain the cwd fallback used by standalone primitive sessions.
  *
- * Do NOT use this cwd-falling-back variant for publishDelivery's repo-root
- * resolution — use findRepoRootFromDirStrict there instead, so a scratch/test
+ * Do NOT use this permissive variant for publishDelivery's repo-root resolution —
+ * use findRepoRootFromDirStrict there instead, so a scratch/test
  * session dir with no repo ancestor fails closed (skips publish) rather than
  * silently trusting process.cwd(), which could be an unrelated real repo.
  */
 function findRepoRootFromDir(startDir) {
-    return findRepoRootFromDirStrict(startDir) ?? process.cwd();
+    const discovered = findRepoRootFromDirStrict(startDir);
+    if (discovered)
+        return discovered;
+    if (path.basename(startDir) === ".kontourai")
+        return path.dirname(startDir);
+    return process.cwd();
 }
 /**
  * Resolve the first step id from a FlowDefinition's steps[] list.
@@ -1770,10 +1798,10 @@ function loadJsonInputFile(file) {
  * mitigation class: a hostile liveness event or a hand-crafted --effective-state-json fixture must
  * never be able to smuggle raw control/ANSI bytes into this process's stderr/thrown message).
  */
-function enforceEnsureSessionOwnership(p, root, slug, dir, resolution) {
+function enforceEnsureSessionOwnership(p, root, slug, dir, resolution, workItemRef) {
     if (p.flags.has("skip-ownership-guard")) {
         process.stderr.write("[ensure-session] ownership guard skipped via --skip-ownership-guard\n");
-        return;
+        return null;
     }
     // Design Decision 4 (unchanged from resolveSessionBranch): actor-resolution ambiguity never
     // hard-fails session creation. Without a resolvable actor there is no safe identity to claim
@@ -1781,7 +1809,7 @@ function enforceEnsureSessionOwnership(p, root, slug, dir, resolution) {
     // than claiming under a synthetic/unstable identity.
     if (resolution.unresolved) {
         process.stderr.write("[ensure-session] ownership guard not evaluated: actor is unresolved (set --actor or FLOW_AGENTS_ACTOR, or run inside a supported runtime) — proceeding without a durable claim, exactly as ensure-session behaved before #291\n");
-        return;
+        return null;
     }
     // F5 fix (fix-plan iteration 1, LOW): match assignment-provider.ts's sanitizeDisplayField
     // two-tier convention (64 for id-like fields, 240 for free text) rather than asserting one
@@ -1830,6 +1858,9 @@ function enforceEnsureSessionOwnership(p, root, slug, dir, resolution) {
         // `assignment-provider status --self-actor <branchActorKey>` run by a DIFFERENT tool
         // afterward would never recognize this guard's own claim as self.
         const assignment = readLocalAssignmentStatus(root, slug);
+        if (workItemRef && assignment.record?.work_item_ref && assignment.record.work_item_ref !== workItemRef) {
+            die(`ensure-session refused: assignment ${JSON.stringify(slug)} is already bound to Work Item ${JSON.stringify(assignment.record.work_item_ref)}, not ${JSON.stringify(workItemRef)}`);
+        }
         const events = readLivenessEvents(root);
         const freshList = loadLivenessReadHelper().freshHolders(events, slug, resolution.branchActorKey, nowMs);
         effective = computeEffectiveState(assignment, freshList, resolution.branchActorKey, nowMs);
@@ -1841,8 +1872,27 @@ function enforceEnsureSessionOwnership(p, root, slug, dir, resolution) {
         // neither applies, this is a documented scope boundary (today's pre-#291 baseline behavior),
         // never a silent hole.
         process.stderr.write(`[ensure-session] ownership guard not evaluated: provider "${sanitize(assignmentProviderKind)}" requires --effective-state-json\n`);
-        return;
+        return null;
     }
+    const selectedWorkEvidence = () => {
+        // Only a claim read from the local provider is durable evidence. Precomputed provider state
+        // can authorize entry, but it cannot prove that this process acquired the Work Item.
+        if (!workItemRef || effectiveStateJsonFlag || assignmentProviderKind !== "local-file")
+            return null;
+        const assignment = readLocalAssignmentStatus(root, slug);
+        const record = assignment.record;
+        if (!record
+            || record.status !== "claimed"
+            || record.subject_id !== slug
+            || record.actor_key !== resolution.branchActorKey
+            || record.work_item_ref !== workItemRef) {
+            return null;
+        }
+        return {
+            assignmentFile: assignmentFilePath(root, slug),
+            actorKey: resolution.branchActorKey,
+        };
+    };
     const resolveBranchForClaim = () => {
         const existingBranch = fs.existsSync(path.join(dir, "state.json")) ? loadJson(path.join(dir, "state.json")).branch : undefined;
         return existingBranch || resolveSessionBranch(p, slug);
@@ -1855,17 +1905,17 @@ function enforceEnsureSessionOwnership(p, root, slug, dir, resolution) {
             // effective_state computation instead of silently using a different identity.
             const isSelf = effective.reason === "self_is_holder" || (!!effective.holder?.actor && effective.holder.actor === resolution.branchActorKey);
             if (isSelf)
-                return; // resume own session — no refusal
+                return selectedWorkEvidence();
             const holderActor = sanitize(effective.holder?.actor ?? "unknown");
             const lastAtSuffix = effective.holder?.last_at ? ` (last_at ${sanitize(effective.holder.last_at)})` : "";
             die(`ensure-session refused: subject ${sanitize(slug)} is currently held by a different, still-live actor (${holderActor}${lastAtSuffix}). Pick a different work item, or confirm the holder session is truly gone before considering a takeover.`);
-            return;
+            return null;
         }
         case "human-held": {
             const assignee = effective.holder?.assignee ? sanitize(effective.holder.assignee) : "an assigned human";
             const idleSuffix = effective.holder?.idle_days != null ? ` (idle ${Number(effective.holder.idle_days)} day(s))` : "";
             die(`ensure-session refused: subject ${sanitize(slug)} is assigned to ${assignee}${idleSuffix}. This guard never auto-reclaims a human assignment — confirm with the user before proceeding.`);
-            return;
+            return null;
         }
         case "reclaimable": {
             const holderActor = sanitize(effective.holder?.actor ?? "unknown");
@@ -1899,11 +1949,12 @@ function enforceEnsureSessionOwnership(p, root, slug, dir, resolution) {
                 // computeEffectiveState's holderActorKey (assignment-provider.ts) matches this same
                 // branchActorKey string on the next status/guard check, cross-tool.
                 actorKey: resolution.branchActorKey,
+                ...(workItemRef ? { workItemRef } : {}),
             });
             // Render-don't-execute: emit the incumbent's branch so the skill continues it (never a new
             // branch). The successor re-enters the SAME artifact dir (deterministic slug) by construction.
             printJson({ role: "SupersedeTakeover", subject: sanitize(slug), superseded_actor: holderActor, ...(incumbentBranch ? { resumed_branch: sanitizeWide(incumbentBranch) } : {}), reason: sanitizeWide(takeoverReason) });
-            return;
+            return selectedWorkEvidence();
         }
         case "free": {
             performLocalClaim(root, slug, resolution.actorStruct, {
@@ -1913,8 +1964,9 @@ function enforceEnsureSessionOwnership(p, root, slug, dir, resolution) {
                 reason: opt(p, "reason", "ensure-session entry"),
                 // F1 fix (fix-plan iteration 1, HIGH): see the performLocalSupersede call above.
                 actorKey: resolution.branchActorKey,
+                ...(workItemRef ? { workItemRef } : {}),
             });
-            return;
+            return selectedWorkEvidence();
         }
         default:
             die(`ensure-session ownership guard: unrecognized effective_state ${JSON.stringify(effective.effective_state)}`);
@@ -1993,6 +2045,7 @@ function preflightEnsureSession(p) {
     const root = opt(p, "artifact-root") ? path.resolve(opt(p, "artifact-root")) : flowAgentsArtifactRoot();
     const slug = opt(p, "task-slug") || (opt(p, "work-item") ? workItemSlug(opt(p, "work-item")) : die("--task-slug is required (or pass --work-item to derive it)"));
     const dir = sessionDirFor(root, slug);
+    assertSafeSessionDirectory(root, dir);
     const entry = resolveEnsureSessionEntry(p, dir);
     if (entry.flowId === "builder.build")
         assertCanonicalBuilderArtifactRoot(root);
@@ -2002,6 +2055,7 @@ async function ensureSession(p) {
     const root = opt(p, "artifact-root") ? path.resolve(opt(p, "artifact-root")) : flowAgentsArtifactRoot();
     const slug = opt(p, "task-slug") || (opt(p, "work-item") ? workItemSlug(opt(p, "work-item")) : die("--task-slug is required (or pass --work-item to derive it)"));
     const dir = sessionDirFor(root, slug);
+    assertSafeSessionDirectory(root, dir);
     const entry = resolveEnsureSessionEntry(p, dir);
     if (entry.flowId === "builder.build")
         assertCanonicalBuilderArtifactRoot(root);
@@ -2011,8 +2065,11 @@ async function ensureSession(p) {
     // below (writeCurrent's per-actor dual-write) so the branch-naming actor and the
     // assignment-claim actor are always the same identity.
     const actorResolution = resolveEnsureSessionActor(p);
-    enforceEnsureSessionOwnership(p, root, slug, dir, actorResolution);
-    fs.mkdirSync(dir, { recursive: true });
+    const selectionWorkItemRef = entry.flowId === "builder.build" && assignmentSubjectMatchesWorkItem(slug, workItem.ref)
+        ? workItem.ref
+        : undefined;
+    const selectedWorkEvidence = enforceEnsureSessionOwnership(p, root, slug, dir, actorResolution, selectionWorkItemRef);
+    ensureSafeDirectory(root, dir);
     const timestamp = opt(p, "timestamp", now());
     if (workItem.localRecord && !fs.existsSync(path.join(dir, "work-item.json"))) {
         writeJson(path.join(dir, "work-item.json"), workItem.localRecord);
@@ -2061,11 +2118,42 @@ async function ensureSession(p) {
     writeCurrent(root, dir, timestamp, "workflow-sidecar", "ensure-session", entry.flowId || undefined, resumedStep || undefined, actorResolution.unresolved ? undefined : actorResolution.branchActorKey);
     if (entry.flowId === "builder.build") {
         try {
-            await startBuilderFlowSession({ sessionDir: dir });
+            const started = await startBuilderFlowSession({ sessionDir: dir });
+            if (started.run.state.current_step === "pull-work"
+                && selectedWorkEvidence
+                && assignmentSubjectMatchesWorkItem(slug, workItem.ref)) {
+                await withSubjectLock(root, slug, async () => {
+                    const assignment = readLocalAssignmentStatus(root, slug).record;
+                    if (!assignment
+                        || assignment.status !== "claimed"
+                        || assignment.subject_id !== slug
+                        || assignment.actor_key !== selectedWorkEvidence.actorKey
+                        || assignment.work_item_ref !== workItem.ref) {
+                        die(`ensure-session refused to emit selected-work evidence: assignment provenance changed before gate evaluation for ${JSON.stringify(workItem.ref)}`);
+                    }
+                    const assignmentContent = fs.readFileSync(selectedWorkEvidence.assignmentFile);
+                    const assignmentDigest = createHash("sha256").update(assignmentContent).digest("hex");
+                    const projectRoot = path.dirname(path.dirname(root));
+                    const evidenceFile = path.relative(projectRoot, selectedWorkEvidence.assignmentFile);
+                    await recordGateClaim(parseArgs([
+                        "record-gate-claim",
+                        dir,
+                        "--actor", selectedWorkEvidence.actorKey,
+                        "--expectation", "selected-work",
+                        "--status", "pass",
+                        "--summary", `Work Item ${workItem.ref} is durably assigned to the active workflow actor (assignment sha256:${assignmentDigest}).`,
+                        "--evidence-ref-json", JSON.stringify({
+                            kind: "artifact",
+                            file: evidenceFile,
+                            summary: `Durable local assignment record for the selected Work Item and active actor; sha256:${assignmentDigest}.`,
+                        }),
+                        "--timestamp", timestamp,
+                    ]));
+                });
+            }
         }
         catch (error) {
-            const retry = `flow-agents builder-run start --session-dir .kontourai/flow-agents/${slug}`;
-            process.stderr.write(`[ensure-session] canonical Builder Flow run did not start; the sidecar remains retryable. Run: ${retry}\n`);
+            process.stderr.write("[ensure-session] canonical Builder Flow entry failed; the acquired Work Item provenance remains retryable. Re-run the same ensure-session command.\n");
             throw error;
         }
     }

package/build/src/lib/flow-resolver.js

@@ -392,8 +392,8 @@ export function resolvePhaseMap(flowId, repoRoot) {
 }
 /**
  * Find the repository root from a starting directory by walking upward to locate
- * the nearest ancestor that contains a `kits/` subdirectory. If none is found,
- * falls back to `process.cwd()` so the default "run from repo root" case still works.
+ * the nearest ancestor that contains a `kits/` subdirectory. A canonical `.kontourai`
+ * artifact path falls back to its owning project; other layouts fall back to cwd.
  *
  * This is required because the runtime artifact directory can live anywhere (temp dirs,
  * subprojects, CI workspaces) while the kits/ directory is always at the repo root.
@@ -409,6 +409,11 @@ function findRepoRoot(startDir) {
             break; // reached filesystem root
         dir = parent;
     }
+    // A canonical product artifact root identifies its owning project even when that
+    // consumer has no source-tree kits/. resolveFlowFilePath can then use the installed
+    // package fallback without consulting an unrelated ambient cwd.
+    if (path.basename(startDir) === ".kontourai")
+        return path.dirname(startDir);
     // Fallback: process.cwd() covers the common "run from repo root" case
     return process.cwd();
 }

package/context/contracts/assignment-provider-contract.md

@@ -138,8 +138,10 @@ detect an incompatible future shape before parsing fields it does not understand
 {
   "schema_version": "1.0",
   "role": "AssignmentClaimRecord",
-  "subject_id": "kontourai/flow-agents#290",
+  "subject_id": "kontourai-flow-agents-290",
   "actor": { "runtime": "claude-code", "session_id": "...", "host": "...", "human": null },
+  "actor_key": "claude-code:...:host",
+  "work_item_ref": "kontourai/flow-agents#290",
   "claimed_at": "2026-07-02T00:00:00Z",
   "ttl_seconds": 1800,
   "branch": "agent/<actor>/<slug>",
@@ -152,9 +154,10 @@ detect an incompatible future shape before parsing fields it does not understand
 | --- | --- | --- |
 | `schema_version` | yes | Version of this record shape, `"1.0"`. |
 | `role` | yes | Constant `"AssignmentClaimRecord"`, for readers scanning mixed content (e.g. a GitHub comment thread) for this record type. |
-| `subject_id` | yes | The claimed work item, in `owner/repo#id` form — the same string `workItemSlug` derives the deterministic session slug from. |
+| `subject_id` | yes | The provider subject key. The local-file provider uses the deterministic session slug; provider-backed records may use their native subject identifier. |
 | `actor` | yes | `{ runtime, session_id, host, human? }` — the exact struct `actor-identity.js` defines. `human` is set (non-null) only for a human assignee; its presence, not a username heuristic, gates the human-held join state. |
 | `actor_key` | no (additive, #291) | The canonical `resolveActor(env).actor` string for the claiming actor — the same flat/bare token `liveness whoami`, `liveness claim --actor`, per-actor `current.json`, and pull-work's `--self-actor` all use. When present, `computeEffectiveState` compares against THIS (not a re-serialization of `actor`) for both self-recognition and the liveness join, because `serializeActor(actor)` and `resolveActor(env).actor` diverge for an explicit-override actor (a bare token vs. a `explicit-override:<value>:<host>` triple) while agreeing for a derived actor. Absent on any pre-#291 record or fixture — `computeEffectiveState` falls back to `serializeActor(actor)` in that case, reproducing pre-#291 behavior exactly. |
+| `work_item_ref` | no (additive, #541) | Exact Work Item reference acquired by Builder `ensure-session`. This preserves identity beyond the local provider's lossy filesystem slug and allows an interrupted acquisition to retry safely. Older records and ordinary assignment-provider claims omit it and cannot automatically satisfy `builder.pull-work.selected`. |
 | `claimed_at` | yes | ISO-8601 timestamp the claim was recorded. Mirrors the liveness stream's own claim-event field so a reader compares freshness with one mental model across both layers, even though the two are stored in different media. |
 | `ttl_seconds` | yes | Same field name/semantics as the liveness stream's `ttlSeconds` (default `1800`). |
 | `branch` | yes | The branch this actor is working on, per the `agent/<actor>/<slug>` convention. |

package/docs/spec/builder-flow-runtime.md

@@ -36,11 +36,18 @@ flow-agents builder-run start --session-dir .kontourai/flow-agents/<slug>
 ```
 
 `ensure-session --flow-id builder.build` starts or loads this canonical run before
-returning, then projects the first Flow step into the sidecar. The command remains
-the explicit recovery path if Flow startup fails after sidecar creation; the
-failure is returned to the caller and no substitute run state is invented. Runtime
-hooks keep projected actions advisory while the agent performs their declared
-skills and operations.
+returning. When the local assignment provider durably assigns the exact Work Item
+to the resolved workflow actor, `ensure-session` rereads that record and produces
+the declared `builder.pull-work.selected` claim through the normal Surface trust
+bundle path. Flow evaluates that subject-bound evidence and advances to
+`design-probe`; Flow Agents does not write a transition or gate outcome directly.
+Skipped ownership, unresolved actors, precomputed state, and non-local providers do
+not produce selection evidence and remain at `pull-work`.
+
+The command remains the explicit recovery path if Flow startup fails after sidecar
+creation; the failure is returned to the caller and no substitute run state is
+invented. Runtime hooks keep projected actions advisory while the agent performs
+their declared skills and operations.
 
 Sidecars written by 3.4.2 may still contain `next_action.enforcement`. The 1.0
 schema accepts that deprecated field for artifact compatibility, but current

package/evals/integration/test_assignment_provider_local_file.sh

@@ -69,6 +69,60 @@ node "$CLI" assignment-provider status \
 [[ "$(json_query "$TMPDIR_EVAL/status-a.json" "assignment.assignee")" == "claude-code:eval-actor-a-session:eval-host" ]] && pass "status reports actor A as assignee" || fail "status reports actor A as assignee"
 [[ "$(json_query "$TMPDIR_EVAL/status-a.json" "assignment.record.claimed_at")" == "$CLAIMED_AT" ]] && pass "status claimed_at matches claim's claimed_at" || fail "status claimed_at matches claim's claimed_at"
 
+# A generic same-actor refresh must preserve exact Builder provenance that an interrupted
+# ensure-session recorded, even though the assignment-provider CLI does not accept that field.
+PROVENANCE_SUBJECT="builder-provenance"
+node "$CLI" assignment-provider claim \
+  --provider local-file --artifact-root "$ARTIFACT_ROOT" \
+  --subject-id "$PROVENANCE_SUBJECT" \
+  --actor-json "$ACTOR_A" \
+  --branch "$BRANCH_A" \
+  --artifact-dir "$ARTIFACT_DIR_A" \
+  --ttl-seconds 1800 \
+  > "$TMPDIR_EVAL/provenance-claim.json"
+PROVENANCE_FILE="$(node - "$ARTIFACT_ROOT/assignment" "$PROVENANCE_SUBJECT" <<'NODE'
+const fs = require('node:fs');
+const path = require('node:path');
+const [dir, subject] = process.argv.slice(2);
+for (const name of fs.readdirSync(dir)) {
+  if (!name.endsWith('.json')) continue;
+  const file = path.join(dir, name);
+  if (JSON.parse(fs.readFileSync(file, 'utf8')).subject_id === subject) {
+    process.stdout.write(file);
+    process.exit(0);
+  }
+}
+process.exit(1);
+NODE
+)"
+node - "$PROVENANCE_FILE" <<'NODE'
+const fs = require('node:fs');
+const file = process.argv[2];
+const record = JSON.parse(fs.readFileSync(file, 'utf8'));
+record.work_item_ref = 'kontourai/flow-agents#9001';
+fs.writeFileSync(file, `${JSON.stringify(record, null, 2)}\n`);
+NODE
+node "$CLI" assignment-provider claim \
+  --provider local-file --artifact-root "$ARTIFACT_ROOT" \
+  --subject-id "$PROVENANCE_SUBJECT" \
+  --actor-json "$ACTOR_A" \
+  --branch "$BRANCH_A" \
+  --artifact-dir "$ARTIFACT_DIR_A" \
+  --ttl-seconds 1800 \
+  > "$TMPDIR_EVAL/provenance-refresh.json"
+[[ "$(json_query "$TMPDIR_EVAL/provenance-refresh.json" "record.work_item_ref")" == "$SUBJECT_ID" ]] && pass "same-actor refresh preserves exact Work Item provenance" || fail "same-actor refresh preserves exact Work Item provenance"
+node "$CLI" assignment-provider supersede \
+  --provider local-file --artifact-root "$ARTIFACT_ROOT" \
+  --subject-id "$PROVENANCE_SUBJECT" \
+  --from-actor-json "$ACTOR_A" --to-actor-json "$ACTOR_B" \
+  --reason "provenance handoff" >"$TMPDIR_EVAL/provenance-supersede.json"
+[[ "$(json_query "$TMPDIR_EVAL/provenance-supersede.json" "record.work_item_ref")" == "$SUBJECT_ID" ]] && pass "generic supersede preserves exact Work Item provenance" || fail "generic supersede preserves exact Work Item provenance"
+node "$CLI" assignment-provider release \
+  --provider local-file --artifact-root "$ARTIFACT_ROOT" \
+  --subject-id "$PROVENANCE_SUBJECT" \
+  --actor-json "$ACTOR_B" \
+  --reason "provenance fixture cleanup" >/dev/null
+
 # 3. supersede A -> B updates the actor and records an audit trail entry.
 node "$CLI" assignment-provider supersede \
   --provider local-file --artifact-root "$ARTIFACT_ROOT" --subject-id "$SUBJECT_ID" \