@openwop/openwop-conformance 1.124.0 → 1.127.0

package/dist/lib/scenario-disposition.js

@@ -88,7 +88,9 @@ export function fileDisposition(states, gateReason, assertionCount) {
  *   - a zero-assertion "pass" ⇒ the file's noted reason (`softSkip` /
  *     `seamAbsent`: inapplicable | skipped | blocked) or a behaviorGate reason;
  *   - a zero-assertion "pass" with NO reason ⇒ `blocked` + the marker detail —
- *     an early return can never become a pass.
+ *     an early return can never become a pass;
+ *   - every test `ctx.skip()`ped ⇒ the file's noted reason if it wrote one
+ *     BEFORE skipping (`ctx.skip()` throws), else `blocked` + the marker.
  */
 export function resolveFileRecord(states, gateReason, assertionCount, noted) {
     let { disposition, detail } = fileDisposition(states, gateReason, assertionCount);
@@ -102,6 +104,17 @@ export function resolveFileRecord(states, gateReason, assertionCount, noted) {
             detail = UNCLASSIFIED_RETURN_DETAIL;
         }
     }
+    else if (noted !== null &&
+        gateReason === undefined &&
+        states.length > 0 &&
+        states.every((s) => s === 'skip')) {
+        // Every test called `ctx.skip()` (vitest reports them as skipped, not as
+        // zero-assertion passes) and the file noted why first. Note-then-skip is
+        // the required order: `ctx.skip()` throws, so a note written after it is
+        // dead code — which is how seven files carried notes the ledger never saw.
+        disposition = noted.kind;
+        detail = noted.reason;
+    }
     return detail === undefined ? { disposition } : { disposition, detail };
 }
 /**

package/package.json

@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@openwop/openwop-conformance",
-  "version": "1.124.0",
+  "version": "1.127.0",
   "description": "Production-ready black-box conformance suite for OpenWOP v1.0 compliant servers.",
   "repository": {
     "type": "git",

package/schemas/CORPUS-STAMP.json

@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 {
   "_comment": "Provenance of this vendored schemas/ copy. See conformance/README.md \u00a7\"Resolving the contract\". Compare against the stamp in your installed @openwop/openwop-conformance to detect a stale hand-copied contract.",
-  "suiteVersion": "1.124.0",
-  "corpusCommit": "7dffa37f3864f170141130aa0360765ba89b2e7e"
+  "suiteVersion": "1.127.0",
+  "corpusCommit": "5e2aefe837a81b82004c12c308cb1c3973c0233c"
 }

package/src/lib/scenario-disposition.ts

@@ -94,7 +94,9 @@ export function fileDisposition(
  *   - a zero-assertion "pass" ⇒ the file's noted reason (`softSkip` /
  *     `seamAbsent`: inapplicable | skipped | blocked) or a behaviorGate reason;
  *   - a zero-assertion "pass" with NO reason ⇒ `blocked` + the marker detail —
- *     an early return can never become a pass.
+ *     an early return can never become a pass;
+ *   - every test `ctx.skip()`ped ⇒ the file's noted reason if it wrote one
+ *     BEFORE skipping (`ctx.skip()` throws), else `blocked` + the marker.
  */
 export function resolveFileRecord(
   states: readonly FileTestState[],
@@ -111,6 +113,18 @@ export function resolveFileRecord(
       disposition = 'blocked';
       detail = UNCLASSIFIED_RETURN_DETAIL;
     }
+  } else if (
+    noted !== null &&
+    gateReason === undefined &&
+    states.length > 0 &&
+    states.every((s) => s === 'skip')
+  ) {
+    // Every test called `ctx.skip()` (vitest reports them as skipped, not as
+    // zero-assertion passes) and the file noted why first. Note-then-skip is
+    // the required order: `ctx.skip()` throws, so a note written after it is
+    // dead code — which is how seven files carried notes the ledger never saw.
+    disposition = noted.kind;
+    detail = noted.reason;
   }
   return detail === undefined ? { disposition } : { disposition, detail };
 }

package/src/scenarios/a2a-1-0-task-roundtrip.test.ts

@@ -53,7 +53,9 @@ async function claims10(): Promise<boolean> {
 async function jsonrpc10Url(): Promise<string | null> {
   const caps = await a2a();
   if (typeof caps?.agentCardUrl !== 'string') return null;
-  const res = await fetch(caps.agentCardUrl, { headers: { accept: 'application/json' } });
+  // S18 (#1028): a header-less card GET returns the 0.3 shape while `a2a-0.3-legacy`
+  // is advertised; a 1.0 client asks for the 1.0 card explicitly (a2a-integration.md §C).
+  const res = await fetch(caps.agentCardUrl, { headers: { accept: 'application/json', 'A2A-Version': '1.0' } });
   if (res.status !== 200) return null;
   const card = (await res.json()) as { supportedInterfaces?: Array<{ url?: string; protocolBinding?: string; protocolVersion?: string }> };
   const iface = (card.supportedInterfaces ?? []).find((i) => i.protocolBinding === 'JSONRPC' && i.protocolVersion === '1.0');

package/src/scenarios/capability-example-root-layout.test.ts

@@ -21,6 +21,27 @@
  * otherwise legal unknown server-emitted property, and nothing here reads a
  * host.
  *
+ * **Canonical-typo leg (RFC 0149 §B, second bullet; UQ2 decided 2026-08-16).** A
+ * root key within edit distance ONE of a canonical family, in a discovery-shaped
+ * example, that is not itself canonical and not vendor-namespaced, is a typo
+ * (`compensaton`, `interupts`) — an implementer copying it advertises nothing.
+ * UQ2 asked what rule avoids false positives on legitimate extension names; the
+ * answer was measured, not guessed. Over every fenced root object in `spec/v1` +
+ * `RFCS/` (218 on 2026-08-16), plain distance-one produced six near-misses —
+ * `ts`/`fs`, `agent`/`agents`, `secret`/`secrets`, `context`/`content`,
+ * `prompt`/`prompts`, `schemaVersion`/`schemaVersions` — every one of them a key
+ * of an EVENT or RUN object, not a discovery document. So the predicate is
+ * *discovery-shaped*: every root key is canonical, vendor-namespaced
+ * (`host-extensions.md` §"Canonical prefixes"), the legacy `capabilities`
+ * wrapper, or within distance one of a canonical family — and at least one key
+ * is canonical-or-near. That excludes events (`ts`/`type`/`payload` are none of
+ * those) while still catching a typo-only snippet whose single key is misspelt.
+ * Scope: `spec/v1` and RFCs numbered >= 0149 (the rule's own RFC); older RFCs
+ * are the dated record, on the same boundary logic as the wrapper leg's 0073.
+ * Under that predicate and scope the corpus measured 53 discovery-shaped
+ * objects and 0 findings; the one out-of-scope near-miss is RFC 0109's
+ * `{ "agent": … }` payload fragment.
+ *
  * `spec/v1/` and `RFCS/` ship in the repository, NOT in the published tarball,
  * so this self-skips under the published layout. That asymmetry has produced
  * three defects in this corpus — the `CORPUS-STAMP` gate, the link-checker's
@@ -66,6 +87,97 @@ function fencedExamples(dir: string): FencedExample[] {
   return found;
 }
 
+/** RFC 0149 introduced the typo lint; examples in earlier RFCs are historical record. */
+const TYPO_LINT_RFC = 149;
+
+const SCHEMA_PATH =
+  V1_DIR === null ? null : pathResolve(V1_DIR, '..', '..', 'schemas', 'capabilities.schema.json');
+
+/** The canonical families, read from the schema rather than hand-listed. */
+function canonicalFamilies(): Set<string> {
+  if (SCHEMA_PATH === null) return new Set();
+  const schema = JSON.parse(readFileSync(SCHEMA_PATH, 'utf8')) as { properties?: Record<string, unknown> };
+  return new Set(Object.keys(schema.properties ?? {}));
+}
+
+/** `host-extensions.md` §"Canonical prefixes". */
+function isVendorKey(key: string): boolean {
+  return /^x-host-/.test(key) || /^(vendor|private)\./.test(key);
+}
+
+/** Levenshtein distance exactly one (one substitution, insertion, or deletion). */
+export function withinOne(a: string, b: string): boolean {
+  if (a === b) return false;
+  if (Math.abs(a.length - b.length) > 1) return false;
+  if (a.length === b.length) {
+    let diff = 0;
+    for (let i = 0; i < a.length; i++) if (a[i] !== b[i] && ++diff > 1) return false;
+    return diff === 1;
+  }
+  const [short, long] = a.length < b.length ? [a, b] : [b, a];
+  let i = 0;
+  let j = 0;
+  let skipped = false;
+  while (i < short.length && j < long.length) {
+    if (short[i] === long[j]) {
+      i++;
+      j++;
+    } else if (skipped) {
+      return false;
+    } else {
+      skipped = true;
+      j++;
+    }
+  }
+  return true;
+}
+
+export interface TypoFinding {
+  readonly key: string;
+  readonly near: readonly string[];
+}
+
+/**
+ * The UQ2 rule. Returns the near-miss root keys of a DISCOVERY-SHAPED object, or
+ * `null` when the object is not discovery-shaped (and so is out of scope: an
+ * event, a run body, a manifest). Exported so the predicate is pinned below.
+ */
+export function canonicalTypos(value: unknown, families: Set<string>): TypoFinding[] | null {
+  if (value === null || typeof value !== 'object' || Array.isArray(value)) return null;
+  const keys = Object.keys(value as Record<string, unknown>);
+  if (keys.length === 0) return null;
+  const near = new Map<string, string[]>();
+  for (const k of keys) {
+    if (families.has(k) || isVendorKey(k) || k === 'capabilities') continue;
+    const n = [...families].filter((f) => withinOne(k, f));
+    if (n.length === 0) return null; // a key that is none of the four kinds ⇒ not discovery-shaped
+    near.set(k, n);
+  }
+  if (!keys.some((k) => families.has(k) || near.has(k))) return null;
+  return [...near.entries()].map(([key, n]) => ({ key, near: n }));
+}
+
+/** Every parseable fenced json/jsonc root object under `dir`, with its source line. */
+function fencedObjects(dir: string): { file: string; line: number; value: unknown }[] {
+  const out: { file: string; line: number; value: unknown }[] = [];
+  for (const name of readdirSync(dir).filter((f) => f.endsWith('.md')).sort()) {
+    const lines = readFileSync(join(dir, name), 'utf8').split('\n');
+    for (let i = 0; i < lines.length; i++) {
+      if (!/^```(json|jsonc)\s*$/.test(lines[i]!.trim())) continue;
+      const body: string[] = [];
+      let j = i + 1;
+      while (j < lines.length && lines[j]!.trim() !== '```') body.push(lines[j++]!);
+      try {
+        out.push({ file: name, line: i + 2, value: JSON.parse(body.join('\n')) });
+      } catch {
+        // Unparseable blocks are RFC 0150 §D's problem, not this gate's.
+      }
+      i = j;
+    }
+  }
+  return out;
+}
+
 describe.skipIf(V1_DIR === null)('RFC 0149 §B — discovery examples use the document-root layout', () => {
   const v1Dir = V1_DIR as string;
 
@@ -110,4 +222,51 @@ describe.skipIf(V1_DIR === null)('RFC 0149 §B — discovery examples use the do
         late.join('\n  '),
     ).toEqual([]);
   });
+  it('the UQ2 predicate is pinned: a typo-only snippet is flagged, an event object is out of scope, a vendor key is exempt', () => {
+    const fams = new Set(['compensation', 'interrupts', 'fs', 'agents', 'content']);
+    // A misspelt single-key discovery snippet: all keys near-canonical ⇒ in scope, flagged.
+    expect(canonicalTypos({ compensaton: { supported: true } }, fams)).toEqual([{ key: 'compensaton', near: ['compensation'] }]);
+    // Canonical + a typo ⇒ flagged.
+    expect(canonicalTypos({ compensation: {}, interupts: {} }, fams)).toEqual([{ key: 'interupts', near: ['interrupts'] }]);
+    // An event: `ts` is one from `fs` but `type`/`payload` are none of the four kinds ⇒ not discovery-shaped.
+    expect(canonicalTypos({ ts: 1, type: 'x', payload: {} }, fams)).toBeNull();
+    // Vendor-namespaced keys are exempt (RFC 0149 §B) and the legacy wrapper is the wrapper leg's business.
+    expect(canonicalTypos({ compensation: {}, 'x-host-acme-agent': {} }, fams)).toEqual([]);
+    expect(canonicalTypos({ capabilities: {} }, fams)).toBeNull();
+    // Distance exactly one, both directions.
+    expect(withinOne('agent', 'agents')).toBe(true);
+    expect(withinOne('agents', 'agent')).toBe(true);
+    expect(withinOne('agent', 'agentz')).toBe(true);
+    expect(withinOne('agent', 'agenzs')).toBe(false);
+    expect(withinOne('agents', 'agents')).toBe(false);
+  });
+
+  it('no discovery-shaped example in spec/v1 or a post-0149 RFC has a root key within one edit of a canonical family', () => {
+    const families = canonicalFamilies();
+    expect(families.size, 'capabilities.schema.json MUST declare families').toBeGreaterThan(50);
+    const findings: string[] = [];
+    let shaped = 0;
+    const scan = (dir: string, rel: string, minRfc: number | null): void => {
+      for (const { file, line, value } of fencedObjects(dir)) {
+        if (minRfc !== null) {
+          const n = Number.parseInt(file.slice(0, 4), 10);
+          if (!Number.isFinite(n) || n < minRfc) continue;
+        }
+        const typos = canonicalTypos(value, families);
+        if (typos === null) continue;
+        shaped++;
+        for (const t of typos) findings.push(`${rel}/${file}:${line} → \`${t.key}\` (did you mean ${t.near.map((x) => '`' + x + '`').join(' / ')}?)`);
+      }
+    };
+    scan(v1Dir, 'spec/v1', null);
+    if (RFCS_DIR !== null && existsSync(RFCS_DIR)) scan(RFCS_DIR, 'RFCS', TYPO_LINT_RFC);
+    expect(shaped, 'the scan MUST find discovery-shaped examples, or the leg is vacuous').toBeGreaterThan(20);
+    expect(
+      findings,
+      'RFC 0149 §B: a root key within one edit of a canonical family, in a discovery-shaped example, is a ' +
+        'typo — an implementer copying it advertises nothing. Vendor surface goes under `x-host-*` / ' +
+        '`vendor.*` / `private.*` (host-extensions.md).\n  ' +
+        findings.join('\n  '),
+    ).toEqual([]);
+  });
 });

package/src/scenarios/conformance-execution-witness.test.ts

@@ -51,6 +51,18 @@ describe('RFC 0148 §A — conformance-execution-witness: the runner record', ()
     expect(resolveFileRecord(['pass'], undefined, 0, { kind: 'skipped', reason: 'operator opt-out' })).toEqual({ disposition: 'skipped', detail: 'operator opt-out' });
   });
 
+  it('every test ctx.skip()ped takes the noted reason when one was written before the skip, else stays the blocked marker', () => {
+    // `ctx.skip()` throws — a `softSkip(...)` AFTER it is dead code. Seven files
+    // carried exactly that dead note and reported as unclassified for a suite minor.
+    expect(resolveFileRecord(['skip', 'skip'], undefined, 0, { kind: 'inapplicable', reason: 'sandbox not advertised' })).toEqual({ disposition: 'inapplicable', detail: 'sandbox not advertised' });
+    expect(resolveFileRecord(['skip'], undefined, 0, { kind: 'blocked', reason: 'simulator seam 404' })).toEqual({ disposition: 'blocked', detail: 'simulator seam 404' });
+    const bare = resolveFileRecord(['skip', 'skip'], undefined, 0, null);
+    expect(bare.disposition).toBe('blocked');
+    expect(bare.detail).toMatch(/every test skipped with no recorded reason/);
+    // A behaviorGate reason still wins over a note — the gate is the more specific record.
+    expect(resolveFileRecord(['skip'], 'inapplicable', 0, { kind: 'blocked', reason: 'x' }).disposition).toBe('inapplicable');
+  });
+
   it('a behaviorGate reason resolves a zero-assertion pass to inapplicable/skipped; a note outranks nothing but never a witnessed pass', () => {
     expect(resolveFileRecord(['pass'], 'inapplicable', 0, null).disposition).toBe('inapplicable');
     expect(resolveFileRecord(['pass'], 'skipped', 0, null).disposition).toBe('skipped');

package/src/scenarios/core-manifest-and-extension-registry.test.ts

@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@
  */
 
 import { describe, it, expect } from 'vitest';
-import { readFileSync } from 'node:fs';
+import { readFileSync, existsSync } from 'node:fs';
 import { join } from 'node:path';
 import { V1_DIR } from '../lib/paths.js';
 import { PROFILE_FLOOR_SCENARIOS } from '../lib/profiles.js';
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ type Maturity = (typeof MATURITIES)[number];
 interface Extension {
   readonly id: string;
   readonly maturity: Maturity;
-  readonly owningRfc: string;
+  readonly owningRfc: string | null;
   readonly capabilityPath: string;
   readonly dependsOn: readonly string[];
   readonly securityTier: string;
@@ -190,35 +190,61 @@ describe.skipIf(V1_DIR === null)('RFC 0155 §C — extension registry', () => {
     // either a core predicate field, covered by a record's capabilityPath, or
     // listed as uncovered — and nothing is in two buckets.
     const reg = registry as unknown as {
-      coverage?: { familiesTotal: number; coreFields: string[]; covered: string[]; uncovered: string[] };
+      coverage?: {
+        familiesTotal: number;
+        coreFields: string[];
+        metadataFields?: string[];
+        metadataRationale?: Record<string, string>;
+        covered: string[];
+        uncovered: string[];
+      };
       extensions: Extension[];
     };
     expect(reg.coverage, 'RFC 0155 §C: the registry MUST carry a derived `coverage` block').toBeDefined();
     const cov = reg.coverage as NonNullable<typeof reg.coverage>;
+    const metadata = cov.metadataFields ?? [];
     const families = Object.keys((caps().properties as Record<string, unknown>) ?? {}).sort();
     expect(cov.familiesTotal).toBe(families.length);
-    const all = [...cov.coreFields, ...cov.covered, ...cov.uncovered].sort();
-    expect(all, 'core + covered + uncovered MUST partition the family set exactly').toEqual(families);
+    const all = [...cov.coreFields, ...metadata, ...cov.covered, ...cov.uncovered].sort();
+    expect(all, 'core + metadata + covered + uncovered MUST partition the family set exactly').toEqual(families);
     expect(new Set(all).size, 'no family may sit in two buckets').toBe(all.length);
     const reached = new Set(reg.extensions.map((e) => e.capabilityPath.split('.')[0]));
     for (const f of cov.covered) expect(reached.has(f), `${f} listed as covered MUST be reached by a record`).toBe(true);
     for (const f of cov.uncovered) expect(reached.has(f), `${f} listed as uncovered MUST NOT be reached by a record`).toBe(false);
+    // Metadata is the one bucket a family can be moved INTO by hand, so it is
+    // the one that could hide an extension: every entry MUST carry a stated
+    // rationale, and no metadata key may carry a `supported` flag — a key that
+    // gates behaviour is a family, not a description of the document.
+    for (const f of metadata) {
+      expect(typeof cov.metadataRationale?.[f], `${f}: a metadata field MUST state why it is not an extension`).toBe('string');
+      const props = (caps().properties as Record<string, { properties?: Record<string, unknown> }>)[f]?.properties ?? {};
+      expect('supported' in props, `${f} is listed as metadata but carries a \`supported\` flag — that is an extension family`).toBe(false);
+    }
     // The honest number, asserted so it cannot silently shrink by deletion of the
     // uncovered list rather than by adding records.
-    expect(cov.uncovered.length + cov.covered.length + cov.coreFields.length).toBe(families.length);
+    expect(cov.uncovered.length + cov.covered.length + cov.coreFields.length + metadata.length).toBe(families.length);
   });
 
-  it('every record names the RFC that owns it', () => {
+  it('every record names the RFC — or, for a v1 base advertisement, the spec document — that owns it', () => {
     // Vendor extensions may not use an `openwop-*` id without an accepted RFC
-    // (§F). The owning RFC is what makes that checkable.
+    // (§F). The owning RFC is what makes that checkable. Six advertisements
+    // predate the RFC process (they shipped in the v1 base corpus: `secrets`,
+    // `webhooks`, `i18n`, `aiProviders`, `envelopeContracts`, `envelopeStrictness`);
+    // those carry `owningRfc: null` and an `owningDoc` under spec/v1/ that MUST
+    // exist — the steward's own corpus is the RFC-equivalent authority for them.
     for (const e of (registry as NonNullable<typeof registry>).extensions) {
-      expect(e.owningRfc, `${e.id} MUST name an owning RFC`).toMatch(/^\d{4}$/);
-      if (e.id.startsWith('openwop-')) {
-        expect(
-          e.owningRfc.length,
-          `${e.id}: an \`openwop-*\` id requires an accepted RFC (§F)`,
-        ).toBeGreaterThan(0);
+      const rec = e as Extension & { owningDoc?: string; securityTier?: string };
+      if (rec.owningRfc === null) {
+        expect(typeof rec.owningDoc, `${e.id}: \`owningRfc: null\` requires an \`owningDoc\``).toBe('string');
+        expect(rec.owningDoc, `${e.id}: owningDoc MUST be a spec/v1 document`).toMatch(/^spec\/v1\/[a-z0-9-]+\.md$/);
+        if (V1_DIR !== null) {
+          const file = join(V1_DIR, (rec.owningDoc as string).replace(/^spec\/v1\//, ''));
+          expect(existsSync(file), `${e.id}: owningDoc ${rec.owningDoc} MUST exist`).toBe(true);
+        }
+      } else {
+        expect(e.owningRfc, `${e.id} MUST name an owning RFC`).toMatch(/^\d{4}$/);
       }
+      expect(['high', 'medium', 'low'], `${e.id}: securityTier is a closed enum`).toContain(rec.securityTier);
     }
   });
 });

package/src/scenarios/cross-engine-append-behavior.test.ts

@@ -29,7 +29,8 @@
  */
 
 import { describe, it, expect } from 'vitest';
-import { softSkip } from '../lib/soft-skip.js';
+import { softSkip, seamAbsent } from '../lib/soft-skip.js';
+import { capabilityFamily } from '../lib/discovery-capabilities.js';
 import { driver } from '../lib/driver.js';
 
 const HTTP_SKIP = !process.env.OPENWOP_BASE_URL;
@@ -69,12 +70,29 @@ async function resetLog(): Promise<number> {
   return res.status;
 }
 
+/**
+ * The cross-engine harness seam answered 404. Whether that is `blocked` (the host
+ * advertises `eventLog.crossEngineOrdering.supported: true` and so made a claim
+ * this file cannot check) or `inapplicable` (no such advertisement) depends on
+ * discovery — record the honest one (RFC 0148 §A).
+ */
+async function noteHarnessAbsent(): Promise<void> {
+  const disco = await driver.get('/.well-known/openwop');
+  const el = capabilityFamily<{ crossEngineOrdering?: { supported?: unknown } }>(disco.json, 'eventLog');
+  if (el?.crossEngineOrdering?.supported === true) {
+    seamAbsent('host advertises `eventLog.crossEngineOrdering.supported: true` but `POST /v1/host/sample/test/cross-engine/reset` answered 404 — the ordering claim is unobservable (host-sample-test-seams.md)');
+  } else {
+    softSkip('inapplicable', 'optional advertisement — `eventLog.crossEngineOrdering` not advertised by this host, and the cross-engine harness seam is absent (RFC 0036 §B)');
+  }
+}
+
 describe.skipIf(HTTP_SKIP)('cross-engine-append-behavior: §B cross-engine ordering (RFC 0036)', () => {
   it('interleaved appends from two engines converge to a single globally-ordered sequence', async (ctx) => {
     const resetStatus = await resetLog();
     if (resetStatus === 404) {
+      await noteHarnessAbsent();
       ctx.skip(); // host doesn't expose the cross-engine harness seam
-      return softSkip('blocked', 'precondition not met — `resetStatus === 404` returned early (seam, prior step, or fixture unavailable)');
+      return;
     }
     expect(resetStatus).toBe(200);
 
@@ -125,8 +143,9 @@ describe.skipIf(HTTP_SKIP)('cross-engine-append-behavior: §B cross-engine order
   it('lamport clocks monotonically advance across engines', async (ctx) => {
     const resetStatus = await resetLog();
     if (resetStatus === 404) {
+      await noteHarnessAbsent();
       ctx.skip();
-      return softSkip('blocked', 'precondition not met — `resetStatus === 404` returned early (seam, prior step, or fixture unavailable)');
+      return;
     }
     expect(resetStatus).toBe(200);
 
@@ -153,8 +172,9 @@ describe.skipIf(HTTP_SKIP)('cross-engine-append-behavior: §B cross-engine order
   it('lamport hint from engine A advances engine B past it', async (ctx) => {
     const resetStatus = await resetLog();
     if (resetStatus === 404) {
+      await noteHarnessAbsent();
       ctx.skip();
-      return softSkip('blocked', 'precondition not met — `resetStatus === 404` returned early (seam, prior step, or fixture unavailable)');
+      return;
     }
     expect(resetStatus).toBe(200);
 
@@ -180,8 +200,9 @@ describe.skipIf(HTTP_SKIP)('cross-engine-append-behavior: §B cross-engine order
   it('linearization is deterministic — same appends → same total order', async (ctx) => {
     const resetStatus = await resetLog();
     if (resetStatus === 404) {
+      await noteHarnessAbsent();
       ctx.skip();
-      return softSkip('blocked', 'precondition not met — `resetStatus === 404` returned early (seam, prior step, or fixture unavailable)');
+      return;
     }
     expect(resetStatus).toBe(200);
 

package/src/scenarios/cross-host-ancestry-endpoint.test.ts

@@ -69,8 +69,9 @@ describe.skipIf(HTTP_SKIP)('cross-host-ancestry-endpoint: behavioral (RFC 0040
     const d = await readDiscovery();
     const chc = capabilityFamily<{ executionModel?: { [k: string]: unknown; crossHostCausation?: Record<string, unknown>; replayDeterminism?: Record<string, unknown> } }>(d, 'multiAgent')?.executionModel?.crossHostCausation;
     if (chc?.ancestryEndpointSupported !== true) {
+      softSkip('inapplicable', 'capability or profile not advertised by this host — gate `chc?.ancestryEndpointSupported !== true` returned early');
       ctx.skip();
-      return softSkip('inapplicable', 'capability or profile not advertised by this host — gate `chc?.ancestryEndpointSupported !== true` returned early');
+      return;
     }
 
     // Create a fresh top-level run via the host's conformance-dispatch-loop
@@ -78,8 +79,9 @@ describe.skipIf(HTTP_SKIP)('cross-host-ancestry-endpoint: behavioral (RFC 0040
     // depend on the specific workflow).
     const create = await driver.post('/v1/runs', { workflowId: 'conformance-dispatch-loop' });
     if (create.status !== 201) {
+      softSkip('blocked', 'precondition not met — `create.status !== 201` returned early (seam, prior step, or fixture unavailable)');
       ctx.skip();
-      return softSkip('blocked', 'precondition not met — `create.status !== 201` returned early (seam, prior step, or fixture unavailable)');
+      return;
     }
     const runId = (create.json as { runId: string }).runId;
 
@@ -116,12 +118,14 @@ describe.skipIf(HTTP_SKIP)('cross-host-ancestry-endpoint: behavioral (RFC 0040
     const d = await readDiscovery();
     const chc = capabilityFamily<{ executionModel?: { [k: string]: unknown; crossHostCausation?: Record<string, unknown>; replayDeterminism?: Record<string, unknown> } }>(d, 'multiAgent')?.executionModel?.crossHostCausation;
     if (chc?.supported !== true) {
+      softSkip('inapplicable', 'capability or profile not advertised by this host — gate `chc?.supported !== true` returned early');
       ctx.skip();
-      return softSkip('inapplicable', 'capability or profile not advertised by this host — gate `chc?.supported !== true` returned early');
+      return;
     }
     if (chc.ancestryEndpointSupported === true) {
+      softSkip('inapplicable', 'capability or profile not advertised by this host — gate `chc.ancestryEndpointSupported === true` returned early');
       ctx.skip(); // covered by the test above
-      return softSkip('inapplicable', 'capability or profile not advertised by this host — gate `chc.ancestryEndpointSupported === true` returned early');
+      return;
     }
 
     // Use any runId — even a synthetic non-existent one. The endpoint should

package/src/scenarios/cross-host-causation-shape.test.ts

@@ -62,13 +62,15 @@ describe.skipIf(HTTP_SKIP)('cross-host-causation-shape: advertisement shape (RFC
   it('crossHostCausation (when present) conforms to RFC 0040 §D', async (ctx) => {
     const d = await readDiscovery();
     if (d === null) {
+      softSkip('blocked', 'precondition not met — `d === null` returned early (seam, prior step, or fixture unavailable)');
       ctx.skip();
-      return softSkip('blocked', 'precondition not met — `d === null` returned early (seam, prior step, or fixture unavailable)');
+      return;
     }
     const chc = capabilityFamily<{ executionModel?: { [k: string]: unknown; crossHostCausation?: Record<string, unknown>; replayDeterminism?: Record<string, unknown> } }>(d, 'multiAgent')?.executionModel?.crossHostCausation;
     if (chc === undefined) {
+      softSkip('inapplicable', 'optional advertisement — `multiAgent.executionModel.crossHostCausation` not advertised by this host (RFC 0040 §D)');
       ctx.skip(); // host doesn't advertise — soft-skip
-      return softSkip('blocked', 'precondition not met — `chc === undefined` returned early (seam, prior step, or fixture unavailable)');
+      return;
     }
 
     expect(

package/src/scenarios/multi-agent-memory-lifecycle.test.ts

@@ -80,13 +80,15 @@ describe.skipIf(HTTP_SKIP)('multi-agent-memory-lifecycle: advertisement shape (R
   it('crossChildMemoryConcurrency (when advertised) MUST be one of {strict, advisory}', async (ctx) => {
     const d = await readDiscovery();
     if (d === null) {
+      softSkip('blocked', 'precondition not met — `d === null` returned early (seam, prior step, or fixture unavailable)');
       ctx.skip();
-      return softSkip('blocked', 'precondition not met — `d === null` returned early (seam, prior step, or fixture unavailable)');
+      return;
     }
     const ccmc = capabilityFamily<{ executionModel?: { [k: string]: unknown; crossHostCausation?: Record<string, unknown>; replayDeterminism?: Record<string, unknown> } }>(d, 'multiAgent')?.executionModel?.crossChildMemoryConcurrency;
     if (ccmc === undefined) {
+      softSkip('inapplicable', 'optional advertisement — `multiAgent.executionModel.crossChildMemoryConcurrency` not advertised by this host');
       ctx.skip(); // optional advertisement — host hasn't opted in
-      return softSkip('blocked', 'precondition not met — `ccmc === undefined` returned early (seam, prior step, or fixture unavailable)');
+      return;
     }
     expect(
       ccmc === 'strict' || ccmc === 'advisory',
@@ -134,16 +136,18 @@ describe.skipIf(HTTP_SKIP)('multi-agent-memory-lifecycle: behavioral (RFC 0039
   it('MAE-3 replay snapshot refusal: fork mode:replay against a past-retention runId MUST return 422 replay_memory_snapshot_unavailable with documented envelope; silent substitution is non-conformant', async (ctx) => {
     const d = await readDiscovery();
     if (d === null) {
+      softSkip('blocked', 'precondition not met — `d === null` returned early (seam, prior step, or fixture unavailable)');
       ctx.skip();
-      return softSkip('blocked', 'precondition not met — `d === null` returned early (seam, prior step, or fixture unavailable)');
+      return;
     }
     const v = capabilityFamily<{ executionModel?: { [k: string]: unknown; crossHostCausation?: Record<string, unknown>; replayDeterminism?: Record<string, unknown> } }>(d, 'multiAgent')?.executionModel?.version;
     const memorySupported = capabilityFamily<{ supported?: unknown }>(d, 'memory')?.supported;
     const phase2OrLater = typeof v === 'number' && v >= 2;
     const expiredRunId = process.env.OPENWOP_TEST_EXPIRED_REPLAY_RUN_ID;
     if (!phase2OrLater || memorySupported !== true || !expiredRunId) {
+      softSkip('inapplicable', 'capability or profile not advertised by this host — gate `!phase2OrLater || memorySupported !== true || !expiredRunId` returned early');
       ctx.skip();
-      return softSkip('inapplicable', 'capability or profile not advertised by this host — gate `!phase2OrLater || memorySupported !== true || !expiredRunId` returned early');
+      return;
     }
 
     const fromSeq = 0;

package/src/scenarios/multi-region-idempotency-behavior.test.ts

@@ -31,7 +31,8 @@
  */
 
 import { describe, it, expect } from 'vitest';
-import { softSkip } from '../lib/soft-skip.js';
+import { softSkip, seamAbsent } from '../lib/soft-skip.js';
+import { capabilityFamily } from '../lib/discovery-capabilities.js';
 import { driver } from '../lib/driver.js';
 
 const HTTP_SKIP = !process.env.OPENWOP_BASE_URL;
@@ -56,6 +57,21 @@ async function simulatePartition(claims: ConflictClaim[]): Promise<{ status: num
   return { status: res.status, body: (res.json as ConvergenceResult) ?? {} };
 }
 
+/**
+ * The multi-region simulator seam answered 404. `blocked` when the host advertises
+ * a cross-region posture (`idempotency.crossRegion` present) it has made
+ * unobservable, `inapplicable` when it advertises none (RFC 0148 §A).
+ */
+async function noteSimulatorAbsent(): Promise<void> {
+  const disco = await driver.get('/.well-known/openwop');
+  const idem = capabilityFamily<{ crossRegion?: unknown }>(disco.json, 'idempotency');
+  if (idem?.crossRegion !== undefined) {
+    seamAbsent(`host advertises \`idempotency.crossRegion: ${String(idem.crossRegion)}\` but \`POST /v1/host/sample/test/multi-region/simulate-partition\` answered 404 — the convergence rule is unobservable (host-sample-test-seams.md §6)`);
+  } else {
+    softSkip('inapplicable', 'optional advertisement — `idempotency.crossRegion` not advertised by this host, and the multi-region simulator seam is absent (RFC 0036 §C)');
+  }
+}
+
 describe.skipIf(HTTP_SKIP)('multi-region-idempotency-behavior: convergence rule (RFC 0036 §C)', () => {
   it('two-region conflict resolves to the lex-min runId per annex §"Convergence rule"', async (ctx) => {
     const probe = await simulatePartition([
@@ -63,8 +79,9 @@ describe.skipIf(HTTP_SKIP)('multi-region-idempotency-behavior: convergence rule
       { runId: 'run-a-west', tenantId: 't1', endpoint: 'POST /v1/runs', key: 'idem-1', region: 'eu-west-1' },
     ]);
     if (probe.status === 404) {
+      await noteSimulatorAbsent();
       ctx.skip(); // host doesn't expose the simulator seam
-      return softSkip('blocked', 'precondition not met — `probe.status === 404` returned early (seam, prior step, or fixture unavailable)');
+      return;
     }
     expect(
       probe.status,
@@ -89,8 +106,9 @@ describe.skipIf(HTTP_SKIP)('multi-region-idempotency-behavior: convergence rule
       { runId: 'mmm-2', tenantId: 't1', endpoint: 'POST /v1/runs', key: 'idem-2', region: 'r3' },
     ]);
     if (probe.status === 404) {
+      await noteSimulatorAbsent();
       ctx.skip();
-      return softSkip('blocked', 'precondition not met — `probe.status === 404` returned early (seam, prior step, or fixture unavailable)');
+      return;
     }
     expect(probe.status).toBe(200);
     expect(
@@ -115,8 +133,9 @@ describe.skipIf(HTTP_SKIP)('multi-region-idempotency-behavior: convergence rule
       { runId: 'run-a', tenantId: 't1', endpoint: 'POST /v1/runs', key: 'idem-3', region: 'r2' },
     ]);
     if (probe.status === 404) {
+      await noteSimulatorAbsent();
       ctx.skip();
-      return softSkip('blocked', 'precondition not met — `probe.status === 404` returned early (seam, prior step, or fixture unavailable)');
+      return;
     }
     expect(probe.status).toBe(200);
     const redirects = probe.body.cacheRedirects ?? [];
@@ -144,8 +163,9 @@ describe.skipIf(HTTP_SKIP)('multi-region-idempotency-behavior: convergence rule
       { runId: 'run-a', tenantId: 't1', endpoint: 'POST /v1/runs', key: 'idem-4', region: 'r2' },
     ]);
     if (probe.status === 404) {
+      await noteSimulatorAbsent();
       ctx.skip();
-      return softSkip('blocked', 'precondition not met — `probe.status === 404` returned early (seam, prior step, or fixture unavailable)');
+      return;
     }
     expect(probe.status).toBe(200);
     expect(
@@ -165,8 +185,9 @@ describe.skipIf(HTTP_SKIP)('multi-region-idempotency-behavior: convergence rule
     ];
     const p1 = await simulatePartition(claims);
     if (p1.status === 404) {
+      await noteSimulatorAbsent();
       ctx.skip();
-      return softSkip('blocked', 'precondition not met — `p1.status === 404` returned early (seam, prior step, or fixture unavailable)');
+      return;
     }
     expect(p1.status).toBe(200);
     const p2 = await simulatePartition([claims[2]!, claims[0]!, claims[1]!]);
@@ -190,8 +211,9 @@ describe.skipIf(HTTP_SKIP)('multi-region-idempotency-behavior: convergence rule
       { runId: 'r2', tenantId: 't2', endpoint: 'POST /v1/runs', key: 'idem-6', region: 'r2' },
     ]);
     if (probe.status === 404) {
+      await noteSimulatorAbsent();
       ctx.skip();
-      return softSkip('blocked', 'precondition not met — `probe.status === 404` returned early (seam, prior step, or fixture unavailable)');
+      return;
     }
     expect(
       probe.status,

package/src/scenarios/replay-divergence-at-refusal.test.ts

@@ -78,13 +78,15 @@ describe.skipIf(HTTP_SKIP)('replay-divergence-at-refusal: advertisement shape (R
   it('replayDeterminism (when present) conforms to RFC 0041 §D', async (ctx) => {
     const d = await readDiscovery();
     if (d === null) {
+      softSkip('blocked', 'precondition not met — `d === null` returned early (seam, prior step, or fixture unavailable)');
       ctx.skip();
-      return softSkip('blocked', 'precondition not met — `d === null` returned early (seam, prior step, or fixture unavailable)');
+      return;
     }
     const rd = capabilityFamily<{ executionModel?: { [k: string]: unknown; crossHostCausation?: Record<string, unknown>; replayDeterminism?: Record<string, unknown> } }>(d, 'multiAgent')?.executionModel?.replayDeterminism;
     if (rd === undefined) {
+      softSkip('inapplicable', 'optional advertisement — `multiAgent.executionModel.replayDeterminism` not advertised by this host (RFC 0041 §D)');
       ctx.skip(); // optional advertisement — host hasn't opted in
-      return softSkip('blocked', 'precondition not met — `rd === undefined` returned early (seam, prior step, or fixture unavailable)');
+      return;
     }
 
     expect(
@@ -192,8 +194,9 @@ describe.skipIf(HTTP_SKIP)('replay-divergence-at-refusal: behavioral (RFC 0041
       { content: validEnv, stopReason: 'end_turn' as const },
     ]);
     if (programStatus === 404) {
+      softSkip('blocked', 'precondition not met — `programStatus === 404` returned early (seam, prior step, or fixture unavailable)');
       ctx.skip(); // mock-AI program seam not exposed — soft-skip
-      return softSkip('blocked', 'precondition not met — `programStatus === 404` returned early (seam, prior step, or fixture unavailable)');
+      return;
     }
     expect(programStatus).toBe(200);
 
@@ -201,8 +204,9 @@ describe.skipIf(HTTP_SKIP)('replay-divergence-at-refusal: behavioral (RFC 0041
       workflowId: 'conformance-phase4-replay-divergence',
     });
     if (createRes.status === 404 || createRes.status === 422) {
+      softSkip('blocked', 'precondition not met — `createRes.status === 404 || createRes.status === 422` returned early (seam, prior step, or fixture unavailable)');
       ctx.skip(); // fixture not advertised
-      return softSkip('blocked', 'precondition not met — `createRes.status === 404 || createRes.status === 422` returned early (seam, prior step, or fixture unavailable)');
+      return;
     }
     expect(createRes.status).toBe(201);
     const sourceRunId = (createRes.json as { runId: string }).runId;
@@ -273,8 +277,9 @@ describe.skipIf(HTTP_SKIP)('replay-divergence-at-refusal: behavioral (RFC 0041
       { content: 'safety-refused-for-conformance', stopReason: 'safety' as const, refusalText: 'safety-refused-for-conformance' },
     ]);
     if (programStatus === 404) {
+      softSkip('blocked', 'precondition not met — `programStatus === 404` returned early (seam, prior step, or fixture unavailable)');
       ctx.skip();
-      return softSkip('blocked', 'precondition not met — `programStatus === 404` returned early (seam, prior step, or fixture unavailable)');
+      return;
     }
     expect(programStatus).toBe(200);
 
@@ -282,8 +287,9 @@ describe.skipIf(HTTP_SKIP)('replay-divergence-at-refusal: behavioral (RFC 0041
       workflowId: 'conformance-phase4-replay-divergence',
     });
     if (createRes.status === 404 || createRes.status === 422) {
+      softSkip('blocked', 'precondition not met — `createRes.status === 404 || createRes.status === 422` returned early (seam, prior step, or fixture unavailable)');
       ctx.skip();
-      return softSkip('blocked', 'precondition not met — `createRes.status === 404 || createRes.status === 422` returned early (seam, prior step, or fixture unavailable)');
+      return;
     }
     expect(createRes.status).toBe(201);
     const sourceRunId = (createRes.json as { runId: string }).runId;

package/src/scenarios/replay-observable-sequence-determinism.test.ts

@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@
  */
 
 import { describe, it, expect } from 'vitest';
-import { softSkip } from '../lib/soft-skip.js';
+import { softSkip, seamAbsent } from '../lib/soft-skip.js';
 import { driver } from '../lib/driver.js';
 import { capabilityFamily } from '../lib/discovery-capabilities.js';
 
@@ -85,6 +85,7 @@ async function gateOnPhase4(ctx: { skip: () => void }): Promise<boolean> {
   const em = capabilityFamily<{ executionModel?: ExecutionModelCaps }>(d, 'multiAgent')?.executionModel;
   const version = typeof em?.version === 'number' ? em.version : 0;
   if (em?.replayDeterminism?.supported !== true || version < 4) {
+    softSkip('inapplicable', 'optional advertisement — `multiAgent.executionModel.replayDeterminism.supported` with `version >= 4` not advertised by this host (RFC 0041 §C)');
     ctx.skip();
     return false;
   }
@@ -152,7 +153,8 @@ function stripVolatile(ev: RunEventDoc): unknown {
 async function startFixtureRun(ctx: { skip: () => void }): Promise<string | null> {
   const create = await driver.post('/v1/runs', { workflowId: FIXTURE });
   if (create.status === 404 || create.status === 422) {
-    ctx.skip(); // fixture not advertised by this host
+    seamAbsent(`fixture \`${FIXTURE}\` not registered on this host (POST /v1/runs → ${create.status}) while replayDeterminism is advertised`);
+    ctx.skip();
     return null;
   }
   expect(create.status).toBe(201);

package/src/scenarios/sandbox-mvp-behavior.test.ts

@@ -82,8 +82,9 @@ async function invoke(typeId: string, args: Record<string, unknown> = {}, allowe
 describe.skipIf(HTTP_SKIP)('sandbox-mvp-behavior: RFC 0035 §B failure-mode invariants (node:vm MVP)', () => {
   it('host-fs-escape — fs access from sandboxed code fails closed', async (ctx) => {
     if (!(await isSandboxAdvertised())) {
+      softSkip('inapplicable', 'capability or profile not advertised by this host — gate `!(await isSandboxAdvertised())` returned early');
       ctx.skip();
-      return softSkip('inapplicable', 'capability or profile not advertised by this host — gate `!(await isSandboxAdvertised())` returned early');
+      return;
     }
     const probe = await invoke('misbehave.fs-escape-read');
     expect(probe.status).toBe(200);
@@ -105,8 +106,9 @@ describe.skipIf(HTTP_SKIP)('sandbox-mvp-behavior: RFC 0035 §B failure-mode inva
 
   it('host-env-leak — process.env access from sandboxed code fails closed', async (ctx) => {
     if (!(await isSandboxAdvertised())) {
+      softSkip('inapplicable', 'capability or profile not advertised by this host — gate `!(await isSandboxAdvertised())` returned early');
       ctx.skip();
-      return softSkip('inapplicable', 'capability or profile not advertised by this host — gate `!(await isSandboxAdvertised())` returned early');
+      return;
     }
     const probe = await invoke('misbehave.env-leak');
     expect(probe.status).toBe(200);
@@ -122,8 +124,9 @@ describe.skipIf(HTTP_SKIP)('sandbox-mvp-behavior: RFC 0035 §B failure-mode inva
 
   it('network-escape — http/net access from sandboxed code fails closed', async (ctx) => {
     if (!(await isSandboxAdvertised())) {
+      softSkip('inapplicable', 'capability or profile not advertised by this host — gate `!(await isSandboxAdvertised())` returned early');
       ctx.skip();
-      return softSkip('inapplicable', 'capability or profile not advertised by this host — gate `!(await isSandboxAdvertised())` returned early');
+      return;
     }
     const probe = await invoke('misbehave.network-escape');
     expect(probe.status).toBe(200);
@@ -139,8 +142,9 @@ describe.skipIf(HTTP_SKIP)('sandbox-mvp-behavior: RFC 0035 §B failure-mode inva
 
   it('host-process-escape — child_process access from sandboxed code fails closed', async (ctx) => {
     if (!(await isSandboxAdvertised())) {
+      softSkip('inapplicable', 'capability or profile not advertised by this host — gate `!(await isSandboxAdvertised())` returned early');
       ctx.skip();
-      return softSkip('inapplicable', 'capability or profile not advertised by this host — gate `!(await isSandboxAdvertised())` returned early');
+      return;
     }
     const probe = await invoke('misbehave.process-escape');
     expect(probe.status).toBe(200);
@@ -153,8 +157,9 @@ describe.skipIf(HTTP_SKIP)('sandbox-mvp-behavior: RFC 0035 §B failure-mode inva
 
   it('sandbox-timeout — runaway loop terminated by wallClockLimitMs', async (ctx) => {
     if (!(await isSandboxAdvertised())) {
+      softSkip('inapplicable', 'capability or profile not advertised by this host — gate `!(await isSandboxAdvertised())` returned early');
       ctx.skip();
-      return softSkip('inapplicable', 'capability or profile not advertised by this host — gate `!(await isSandboxAdvertised())` returned early');
+      return;
     }
     const start = Date.now();
     const probe = await invoke('misbehave.timeout');
@@ -179,8 +184,9 @@ describe.skipIf(HTTP_SKIP)('sandbox-mvp-behavior: RFC 0035 §B failure-mode inva
 
   it('cross-pack-mutation — fresh vm context per invocation, no state leaks', async (ctx) => {
     if (!(await isSandboxAdvertised())) {
+      softSkip('inapplicable', 'capability or profile not advertised by this host — gate `!(await isSandboxAdvertised())` returned early');
       ctx.skip();
-      return softSkip('inapplicable', 'capability or profile not advertised by this host — gate `!(await isSandboxAdvertised())` returned early');
+      return;
     }
     const r1 = await invoke('misbehave.cross-pack-mutate');
     const r2 = await invoke('misbehave.cross-pack-mutate');
@@ -205,8 +211,9 @@ describe.skipIf(HTTP_SKIP)('sandbox-mvp-behavior: RFC 0035 §B failure-mode inva
 
   it('capability-gate-respected — host call NOT in allowedHostCalls fails with sandbox_capability_denied', async (ctx) => {
     if (!(await isSandboxAdvertised())) {
+      softSkip('inapplicable', 'capability or profile not advertised by this host — gate `!(await isSandboxAdvertised())` returned early');
       ctx.skip();
-      return softSkip('inapplicable', 'capability or profile not advertised by this host — gate `!(await isSandboxAdvertised())` returned early');
+      return;
     }
     const probe = await invoke('misbehave.capability-gate-violation', {}, []);
     expect(probe.status).toBe(200);
@@ -228,8 +235,9 @@ describe.skipIf(HTTP_SKIP)('sandbox-mvp-behavior: RFC 0035 §B failure-mode inva
 
   it('memory-exceeded — runaway allocation fails with sandbox_memory_exceeded', async (ctx) => {
     if (!(await isSandboxAdvertised())) {
+      softSkip('inapplicable', 'capability or profile not advertised by this host — gate `!(await isSandboxAdvertised())` returned early');
       ctx.skip();
-      return softSkip('inapplicable', 'capability or profile not advertised by this host — gate `!(await isSandboxAdvertised())` returned early');
+      return;
     }
     const probe = await invoke('misbehave.memory-bomb');
     expect(probe.status).toBe(200);
@@ -255,8 +263,9 @@ describe.skipIf(HTTP_SKIP)('sandbox-mvp-behavior: RFC 0035 §B failure-mode inva
 
   it('well-behaved.host-fetch — allowedHostCalls=[fetch] permits the host call', async (ctx) => {
     if (!(await isSandboxAdvertised())) {
+      softSkip('inapplicable', 'capability or profile not advertised by this host — gate `!(await isSandboxAdvertised())` returned early');
       ctx.skip();
-      return softSkip('inapplicable', 'capability or profile not advertised by this host — gate `!(await isSandboxAdvertised())` returned early');
+      return;
     }
     const probe = await invoke('well-behaved.host-fetch', {}, ['fetch']);
     expect(probe.status).toBe(200);
@@ -271,8 +280,9 @@ describe.skipIf(HTTP_SKIP)('sandbox-mvp-behavior: RFC 0035 §B failure-mode inva
 
   it('well-behaved.echo — sandboxed code returns args round-trip when no escape attempt', async (ctx) => {
     if (!(await isSandboxAdvertised())) {
+      softSkip('inapplicable', 'capability or profile not advertised by this host — gate `!(await isSandboxAdvertised())` returned early');
       ctx.skip();
-      return softSkip('inapplicable', 'capability or profile not advertised by this host — gate `!(await isSandboxAdvertised())` returned early');
+      return;
     }
     const probe = await invoke('well-behaved.echo', { input: 'hello-sandbox' });
     expect(probe.status).toBe(200);