privateer-agent 0.12.45 → 0.12.49

package/extensions/privateer-vision.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+// Vision delegation: when the current model can't see images, a vision model on the
+// same provider (same key) describes them, and the description is what gets sent.
+// All the policy — which delegate, why never another provider, what gets rewritten —
+// lives in src/providers/visionDelegate.ts; this file is only the Pi wiring.
+//
+// It hooks `context`, which runs before EVERY LLM call on a per-request copy of the
+// messages, rather than `input`/`tool_result`. That catches images from every source
+// (@file mentions, pasted images, `read`, media and computer tools, MCP results, and
+// history from before a /model switch) while leaving the session's own copy intact.
+// Descriptions are cached by image hash, so each image costs one delegate call per
+// process, not one per turn.
+
+import { describeImagesInMessages, pickVisionDelegate } from "../src/providers/visionDelegate.ts";
+
+export default function privateerVision(pi: any): void {
+  const announced = new Set<string>();
+
+  pi.on("context", async (event: any, ctx: any) => {
+    const model = ctx?.model;
+    const registry = ctx?.modelRegistry;
+    if (!model || !registry) return;
+    const delegate = pickVisionDelegate(model, registry);
+    if (!delegate) return;
+
+    const currentSpec = `${model.provider}/${model.id}`;
+    const delegateSpec = `${delegate.provider}/${delegate.id}`;
+    const messages = await describeImagesInMessages(event.messages, delegate, registry, {
+      currentSpec,
+      signal: ctx.signal,
+      onDescribe: () => {
+        const key = `${currentSpec}→${delegateSpec}`;
+        if (announced.has(key) || !ctx.hasUI) return;
+        announced.add(key);
+        ctx.ui.notify(`${currentSpec} can't see images — ${delegateSpec} will describe them for it.`, "info");
+      },
+    });
+    return messages ? { messages } : undefined;
+  });
+}

package/package.json

@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "privateer-agent",
-  "version": "0.12.45",
+  "version": "0.12.49",
   "description": "Privacy-first terminal coding agent — bring your own model across 20 providers (Anthropic, OpenAI, OpenRouter, Google, local Ollama…). Safe-by-default permissions, MCP, sub-agents, workflows, and verifiable TEE inference. Built on the Pi toolkit.",
   "type": "module",
   "license": "MIT",

package/patches/@earendil-works+pi-coding-agent+0.86.0.patch

@@ -1025,6 +1025,19 @@ index d101003..540b972 100644
                  return "project";
          }
          return "path";
+diff --git a/node_modules/@earendil-works/pi-coding-agent/dist/core/slash-commands.js b/node_modules/@earendil-works/pi-coding-agent/dist/core/slash-commands.js
+index 170a066..b535f72 100644
+--- a/node_modules/@earendil-works/pi-coding-agent/dist/core/slash-commands.js
++++ b/node_modules/@earendil-works/pi-coding-agent/dist/core/slash-commands.js
+@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ export const BUILTIN_SLASH_COMMANDS = [
+     { name: "export", description: "Export session (HTML default, or specify path: .html/.jsonl)" },
+     { name: "import", description: "Import and resume a session from a JSONL file" },
+     { name: "share", description: "Share session as a secret GitHub gist" },
+-    { name: "bug", description: "Report a bug to the Pi developers", argumentHint: "<description>" },
++    { name: "bug", description: "Export a bug report to email to Privateer support", argumentHint: "<description>" },
+     { name: "copy", description: "Copy last agent message to clipboard" },
+     { name: "name", description: "Set session display name" },
+     { name: "session", description: "Show session info and stats" },
 diff --git a/node_modules/@earendil-works/pi-coding-agent/dist/core/tools/output-accumulator.js b/node_modules/@earendil-works/pi-coding-agent/dist/core/tools/output-accumulator.js
 index 7241668..7b79305 100644
 --- a/node_modules/@earendil-works/pi-coding-agent/dist/core/tools/output-accumulator.js
@@ -1292,6 +1305,123 @@ index c30d6b8..ad1654a 100644
      ];
      return warnings;
  }
+diff --git a/node_modules/@earendil-works/pi-coding-agent/dist/modes/interactive/bug-report.d.ts b/node_modules/@earendil-works/pi-coding-agent/dist/modes/interactive/bug-report.d.ts
+index 7eae594..b21fae3 100644
+--- a/node_modules/@earendil-works/pi-coding-agent/dist/modes/interactive/bug-report.d.ts
++++ b/node_modules/@earendil-works/pi-coding-agent/dist/modes/interactive/bug-report.d.ts
+@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ interface BugReportContext {
+     showStatus: (message: string) => void;
+     showError: (message: string) => void;
+ }
+-/** Run the `/bug` flow: consent, optional summary, then upload or export. */
++/** Run the `/bug` flow: consent, optional summary, then export a zip to email to support. */
+ export declare function reportBug(context: BugReportContext, initialHint?: string): Promise<void>;
+ export {};
+ //# sourceMappingURL=bug-report.d.ts.map
+
+diff --git a/node_modules/@earendil-works/pi-coding-agent/dist/modes/interactive/bug-report.js b/node_modules/@earendil-works/pi-coding-agent/dist/modes/interactive/bug-report.js
+index 59ae447..68cf842 100644
+--- a/node_modules/@earendil-works/pi-coding-agent/dist/modes/interactive/bug-report.js
++++ b/node_modules/@earendil-works/pi-coding-agent/dist/modes/interactive/bug-report.js
+@@ -1,18 +1,21 @@
+ import * as path from "node:path";
+-import { getAuthCredential } from "../../cli/auth-command.js";
+ import { BUG_REPORT_CUSTOM_ENTRY_TYPE, bugReportArchiveFileName, collectBugReportDiagnostics, collectBugReportMetadata, writeBugReportArchive, } from "../../core/bug-report.js";
+-import { uploadBugReport } from "../../core/bug-report-upload.js";
+ import { clearCrashLog, readCrashLog } from "../../core/crash-log.js";
+-import { getRadiusGatewayUrl, RADIUS_PROVIDER_ID } from "../../core/radius.js";
+ import { serializeSessionBranch } from "../../core/session-export.js";
+ import { BorderedLoader } from "./components/bordered-loader.js";
+ import { ExtensionInputComponent } from "./components/extension-input.js";
+ import { ExtensionSelectorComponent } from "./components/extension-selector.js";
+ import { createShareTrailingEntries } from "./session-share.js";
+ import { theme } from "./theme/theme.js";
+-const DISCLAIMER = "This report goes to the Pi developers (Earendil) and is not shared publicly. It includes your pi version, operating system, the current model and provider configuration (without API keys), loaded extensions, settings, and provider error diagnostics from this session.";
++// Privateer patch: stock Pi's `/bug` uploads this bundle straight to Earendil's Radius
++// Gateway (session transcript, settings, environment) with no Privateer-controlled
++// endpoint in between — not acceptable for a privacy-first tool. We keep the same
++// consent/redaction flow but the only delivery is a local zip the user emails to us
++// themselves, so nothing leaves the machine without them explicitly attaching it.
++const SUPPORT_EMAIL = "support@privateer.pro";
++const DISCLAIMER = `This report is written to a zip file on your machine only — nothing is uploaded automatically. It includes your Privateer version, operating system, the current model and provider configuration (without API keys), loaded extensions, settings, and provider error diagnostics from this session. Email the file to ${SUPPORT_EMAIL} to send it to us.`;
+ const TRANSCRIPT_NOTE = "The transcript contains your messages, model output, tool calls and their results, including file contents and command output read during this session.";
+-/** Run the `/bug` flow: consent, optional summary, then upload or export. */
++/** Run the `/bug` flow: consent, optional summary, then export a zip for the user to email us. */
+ export async function reportBug(context, initialHint) {
+     const options = await promptForOptions(context, initialHint);
+     if (!options) {
+@@ -47,16 +50,6 @@ export async function reportBug(context, initialHint) {
+         context.showError(`Failed to build bug report: ${errorMessage(error)}`);
+         return;
+     }
+-    if (options.delivery === "upload") {
+-        const failure = await upload(context, bundle);
+-        if (failure === undefined)
+-            return;
+-        const fallback = await choose(context, "Upload failed", ["Export as Zip", "Cancel"], `${failure}\n\nExport the report as a zip archive instead?`);
+-        if (fallback !== "Export as Zip") {
+-            context.showStatus("Bug report cancelled");
+-            return;
+-        }
+-    }
+     await exportZip(context, bundle);
+ }
+ async function promptForOptions(context, initialHint) {
+@@ -76,14 +69,13 @@ async function promptForOptions(context, initialHint) {
+         includeSummary = summary !== "No";
+     }
+     const description = hint.trim();
+-    const delivery = await choose(context, "Bug report", ["Upload Report", "Export as Zip", "Cancel"], `Description: ${description || "none"}\nTranscript: ${includeSession ? "included" : "not included"}\nSummary: ${includeSummary ? `written by ${context.session.model?.name ?? "the current model"}` : "none"}\n\nUpload sends the report to ${new URL(getRadiusGatewayUrl()).host}. Export writes a zip archive to the current directory instead.`);
+-    if (!delivery || delivery === "Cancel")
++    const confirmed = await choose(context, "Bug report", ["Export Report", "Cancel"], `Description: ${description || "none"}\nTranscript: ${includeSession ? "included" : "not included"}\nSummary: ${includeSummary ? `written by ${context.session.model?.name ?? "the current model"}` : "none"}\n\nWrites a zip archive to the current directory. Email it to ${SUPPORT_EMAIL}.`);
++    if (!confirmed || confirmed === "Cancel")
+         return undefined;
+     return {
+         hint: description || undefined,
+         includeSession,
+         includeSummary,
+-        delivery: delivery === "Upload Report" ? "upload" : "zip",
+     };
+ }
+ function buildBundle(session, options, summary) {
+@@ -111,28 +103,6 @@ function buildBundle(session, options, summary) {
+             : undefined,
+     };
+ }
+-async function upload(context, bundle) {
+-    const loader = showLoader(context, "Uploading bug report...");
+-    try {
+-        const provider = context.session.modelRuntime.getProvider(RADIUS_PROVIDER_ID);
+-        const token = provider
+-            ? getAuthCredential(await context.session.modelRuntime.getAuth(RADIUS_PROVIDER_ID, { minOAuthValidityMs: 5 * 60_000 }))
+-            : undefined;
+-        const result = await uploadBugReport(bundle, { token, signal: loader.signal });
+-        restoreEditor(context, loader);
+-        recordInSession(context.session, bundle, { delivery: "upload" });
+-        context.showStatus(`Bug report uploaded. Report ID: ${result.id}`);
+-        return undefined;
+-    }
+-    catch (error) {
+-        restoreEditor(context, loader);
+-        if (loader.signal.aborted) {
+-            context.showStatus("Bug report cancelled");
+-            return undefined;
+-        }
+-        return errorMessage(error);
+-    }
+-}
+ async function exportZip(context, bundle) {
+     const archivePath = path.join(process.cwd(), bugReportArchiveFileName(bundle.metadata.id));
+     try {
+@@ -143,7 +113,7 @@ async function exportZip(context, bundle) {
+         return;
+     }
+     recordInSession(context.session, bundle, { delivery: "zip", path: archivePath });
+-    context.showStatus(`Bug report exported to: ${archivePath}\nReport ID: ${bundle.metadata.id}`);
++    context.showStatus(`Bug report exported to: ${archivePath}\nReport ID: ${bundle.metadata.id}\n\nEmail this file to ${SUPPORT_EMAIL} to reach support.`);
+ }
+ function recordInSession(session, bundle, delivery) {
+     session.sessionManager.appendCustomEntry(BUG_REPORT_CUSTOM_ENTRY_TYPE, {
 diff --git a/node_modules/@earendil-works/pi-coding-agent/dist/modes/interactive/components/config-selector.js b/node_modules/@earendil-works/pi-coding-agent/dist/modes/interactive/components/config-selector.js
 index 6f7ed6a..b0ed0ae 100644
 --- a/node_modules/@earendil-works/pi-coding-agent/dist/modes/interactive/components/config-selector.js
@@ -1694,7 +1824,7 @@ index 6d0356c..ca0aa98 100644
          if (content) {
              text += `\n\n${content}`;
 diff --git a/node_modules/@earendil-works/pi-coding-agent/dist/modes/interactive/interactive-mode.js b/node_modules/@earendil-works/pi-coding-agent/dist/modes/interactive/interactive-mode.js
-index d82182c..41426bc 100644
+index d82182c..08bec2d 100644
 --- a/node_modules/@earendil-works/pi-coding-agent/dist/modes/interactive/interactive-mode.js
 +++ b/node_modules/@earendil-works/pi-coding-agent/dist/modes/interactive/interactive-mode.js
 @@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ import * as TuiLayouts from "@earendil-works/pi-tui";
@@ -1720,7 +1850,7 @@ index d82182c..41426bc 100644
      if (!sessionManager.usesDefaultSessionDir()) {
          args.push("--session-dir", quoteIfNeeded(sessionManager.getSessionDir()));
      }
-@@ -192,6 +197,64 @@ function formatLoginProviderCompletionDescription(provider) {
+@@ -192,6 +197,77 @@ function formatLoginProviderCompletionDescription(provider) {
      const authTypes = provider.authTypes.map(formatAuthSelectorProviderType).join("/");
      return provider.name === provider.id ? authTypes : `${provider.name} · ${authTypes}`;
  }
@@ -1763,6 +1893,13 @@ index d82182c..41426bc 100644
 +                message: "The provider stopped responding — the connection went idle.",
 +                hint: "No data arrived for the whole idle-timeout window, so the turn was cut off. Send it again, or run /model to switch providers (a slow model can be given longer in /settings → HTTP idle timeout).",
 +            };
++        // Privateer patch: the OpenAI SDK's whole message for a request that never got
++        // a response. Mirrors isConnectionFailureText in src/engine/errors.ts.
++        if (/^\s*(?:connection error\.?|fetch failed|other side closed|socket hang up|(?:read |connect )?(?:ECONNREFUSED|ECONNRESET|ENOTFOUND|ETIMEDOUT|EAI_AGAIN|ENETUNREACH|EHOSTUNREACH)\b)/i.test(s))
++            return {
++                message: `Couldn't reach the model provider — the request got no response ("${s.trim().slice(0, 80)}").`,
++                hint: "Check your connection and send it again. If every message fails while a fresh `privateer` works, start a new session with /new.",
++            };
 +        return null;
 +    }
 +    if (status === 429) {
@@ -1775,7 +1912,13 @@ index d82182c..41426bc 100644
 +        };
 +    }
 +    if (status === 401 || status === 403)
-+        return { message: s, hint: "Check your credentials — run /login to re-authenticate." };
++        return {
++            // "401 status code (no body)" names neither what was refused nor what to do.
++            message: /\(no body\)\s*$/i.test(s)
++                ? `The model provider ${status === 401 ? "rejected the credential" : "refused access"} this request was sent with (${status}).`
++                : s,
++            hint: "Check your credentials — run /login to re-authenticate.",
++        };
 +    if (status === 404)
 +        return { message: s, hint: "Check the model id — run /model to switch." };
 +    if (status >= 500)
@@ -1785,7 +1928,7 @@ index d82182c..41426bc 100644
  export class InteractiveMode {
      runtimeHost;
      renderer;
-@@ -404,9 +467,15 @@ export class InteractiveMode {
+@@ -404,9 +480,15 @@ export class InteractiveMode {
      }
      getBuiltInCommandConflictDiagnostics(extensionRunner) {
          const builtinNames = new Set(BUILTIN_SLASH_COMMANDS.map((command) => command.name));
@@ -1802,7 +1945,7 @@ index d82182c..41426bc 100644
              .map((command) => ({
              type: "warning",
              message: command.invocationName === command.name
-@@ -775,20 +844,18 @@ export class InteractiveMode {
+@@ -775,20 +857,18 @@ export class InteractiveMode {
                  this.showNewVersionNotification(newRelease);
              }
          });
@@ -1835,7 +1978,16 @@ index d82182c..41426bc 100644
          // Check tmux keyboard setup asynchronously
          this.checkTmuxKeyboardSetup().then((warning) => {
              if (warning) {
-@@ -2419,7 +2486,17 @@ export class InteractiveMode {
+@@ -1568,7 +1648,7 @@ export class InteractiveMode {
+         if (this.bugReportHintShown)
+             return;
+         this.bugReportHintShown = true;
+-        this.chatContainer.addChild(new Text(theme.fg("muted", `If this looks like a ${APP_NAME} bug, /bug sends a report to the developers.`), this.outputPad, 0));
++        this.chatContainer.addChild(new Text(theme.fg("muted", `If this looks like a ${APP_NAME} bug, /bug exports a report you can email to support@privateer.pro.`), this.outputPad, 0));
+         this.ui.requestRender();
+     }
+     renderCurrentSessionState() {
+@@ -2419,7 +2499,17 @@ export class InteractiveMode {
              if (text === "/model" || text.startsWith("/model ")) {
                  const searchTerm = text.startsWith("/model ") ? text.slice(7).trim() : undefined;
                  this.editor.setText("");
@@ -1854,7 +2006,7 @@ index d82182c..41426bc 100644
                  return;
              }
              if (text === "/thinking" || text.startsWith("/thinking ")) {
-@@ -2497,12 +2574,42 @@ export class InteractiveMode {
+@@ -2497,12 +2587,42 @@ export class InteractiveMode {
              if (text === "/login" || text.startsWith("/login ")) {
                  const providerRef = text.startsWith("/login ") ? text.slice(7).trim() : undefined;
                  this.editor.setText("");
@@ -1899,7 +2051,7 @@ index d82182c..41426bc 100644
                  return;
              }
              if (text === "/new") {
-@@ -2827,9 +2934,19 @@ export class InteractiveMode {
+@@ -2827,9 +2947,19 @@ export class InteractiveMode {
                      if (entries[0]?.type !== "compaction") {
                          throw new Error("Completed compaction is missing from the session context");
                      }
@@ -1922,7 +2074,7 @@ index d82182c..41426bc 100644
                      this.addMessageToChat(createCompactionSummaryMessage(event.result.summary, event.result.tokensBefore, new Date().toISOString()));
                      if (event.result.usage) {
                          this.addCompactionCostNotice({
-@@ -3253,7 +3370,7 @@ export class InteractiveMode {
+@@ -3253,7 +3383,7 @@ export class InteractiveMode {
          if (this.chatContainer.children.length > 0) {
              this.chatContainer.addChild(new Spacer(1));
          }
@@ -1931,7 +2083,7 @@ index d82182c..41426bc 100644
      }
      async getUserInput() {
          const queuedInput = this.pendingUserInputs.shift();
-@@ -3597,7 +3714,17 @@ export class InteractiveMode {
+@@ -3597,7 +3727,17 @@ export class InteractiveMode {
      }
      showError(errorMessage) {
          this.chatContainer.addChild(new Spacer(1));

package/src/acp/run.ts

@@ -304,7 +304,9 @@ export async function runAcp(): Promise<void> {
     session.subscribe((ev: any) => {
       for (const ee of adapter.toEngineEvents(ev)) {
         if (ee.type === "text") holder.events.onText(ee.text);
-        else if (ee.type === "error") holder.error = ee.error;
+        // With the hint: the host shows this string and nothing else, and "Connection
+        // error." alone says neither what failed nor what to do (engine/errors.ts).
+        else if (ee.type === "error") holder.error = (ee as { hint?: string }).hint ? `${ee.error} ${(ee as { hint?: string }).hint}` : ee.error;
         // Tool activity goes BOTH to the host (rendered as live progress — without
         // it a minute of tool work looks like a hang) and to stderr, where it is
         // the only way to tell a gate denial apart from the model simply choosing

package/src/bridge/engineAdapter.ts

@@ -145,7 +145,7 @@ export function createEngineEventAdapter() {
         // until retries/overflow recovery are exhausted, but never hide it.
         if (msg?.stopReason === "error") {
           const raw = typeof msg.errorMessage === "string" ? msg.errorMessage : "";
-          const described = describeErrorText(raw);
+          const described = describeErrorText(raw, { provider: typeof msg.provider === "string" ? msg.provider : undefined });
           return [{
             type: "error",
             error: described?.message ?? redactText(raw || "The model call failed."),

package/src/cli/chat.ts

@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ import "../boot.ts"; // env + attestation dispatcher, before any Pi import
 import { fileURLToPath } from "node:url"; // builtin, safe pre-boot
 import { cliPalette } from "../ui/palette.ts"; // no Pi deps → safe pre-boot
 import { noQuarterActive, setNoQuarter } from "../permissions/noQuarter.ts"; // no Pi deps → safe pre-boot
+import { privacyDisabled } from "../config/privacyDisabled.ts"; // no Pi deps → safe pre-boot
 import type { GateController } from "../ext/permissionGate.ts"; // type-only → erased, safe pre-boot
 import { createUIContext } from "../ext/headlessUi.ts"; // no Pi deps → safe pre-boot
 import { canOpenBrowser, openInBrowser } from "../util/openBrowser.ts"; // node:child_process only → safe pre-boot
@@ -419,14 +420,17 @@ async function main() {
   // same key; takes effect from the next gated action, so an approval already on
   // screen still needs an answer.
   function applyNoQuarter(on: boolean): void {
-    setNoQuarter(on);
+    const privacyWasOff = privacyDisabled();
+    setNoQuarter(on); // also `/privacy off` on the way down (src/permissions/noQuarter.ts)
+    const privacyMoved = privacyDisabled() !== privacyWasOff;
     flushOut(); // land streamed output above the notice
     console.log(
       on
         ? `\n${RED}⚑ No quarter — the permission gate is OFF for this session.${RESET}\n` +
           `${DIM}  Every action (shell, edits, destructive tools, out-of-cwd, protected files) runs without asking.\n` +
+          (privacyMoved ? `  The privacy filter is off too: outbound requests are not scanned for PII.\n` : "") +
           `  shift+tab (or /no-quarter off) raises the moat again.${RESET}`
-        : `\n${GREEN}⚓ Moat raised — the permission gate is back on.${RESET}`,
+        : `\n${GREEN}⚓ Moat raised — the permission gate is back on${privacyMoved ? ", and so is the privacy filter" : ""}.${RESET}`,
     );
   }
 
@@ -449,7 +453,7 @@ async function main() {
   // Shown once per distinct non-vision spec (visionWarningAcknowledged), not on every
   // launch — a user who keeps a deliberate non-vision pick already knows the tradeoff.
   if (!acceptsImages(spec) && !visionWarningAcknowledged(spec)) {
-    console.log(`${YELLOW}⚠ ${provider}/${modelId} can't see images — @file/read on a picture or video frame will be dropped silently. Run /model to switch.${RESET}`);
+    console.log(`${YELLOW}⚠ ${provider}/${modelId} can't see images — a vision model on the same key will describe them for it (none available → they're dropped). Run /model to switch.${RESET}`);
     acknowledgeVisionWarning(spec);
   }
   if (noQuarterActive()) applyNoQuarter(true); // launched with --no-quarter: say so up front

package/src/config/moat.ts

@@ -284,6 +284,11 @@ export async function buildMoat(opts: MoatOptions): Promise<ExtensionFactory[]>
   }
   factories.push(makeAccountProvider()); // must follow pi-privacy — see header
 
+  // Every kind: a text-only model gets image descriptions from a vision model on the
+  // same key instead of silently losing the image. See providers/visionDelegate.ts.
+  const { default: privateerVision } = await import("../../extensions/privateer-vision.ts");
+  factories.push(privateerVision);
+
   if (caps.context) {
     const { default: privateerContext } = await import("../../extensions/privateer-context.ts");
     factories.push(privateerContext);

package/src/config/moatManifest.json

@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
     { "entry": "extensions/privateer-tools.ts", "name": "privateer-tools", "note": "Privateer tool pack" },
     { "entry": "extensions/privateer-privacy.ts", "name": "privateer-privacy", "note": "pi-privacy + account tier resolver" },
     { "entry": "extensions/privateer-connect.ts", "name": "privateer-connect", "note": "/connect — MCP connector manager" },
+    { "entry": "extensions/privateer-vision.ts", "name": "privateer-vision", "note": "a vision model on the same key describes images for a text-only model" },
     { "entry": "extensions/privateer-media.ts", "name": "privateer-media", "note": "image/video/speech/music + ffmpeg compose" },
     { "entry": "extensions/privateer-computer.ts", "name": "privateer-computer", "note": "screen control — screenshots, mouse and keyboard (off unless armed with --allow-computer-control)" },
     { "entry": "extensions/privateer-desktop.ts", "name": "privateer-desktop", "note": "/desktop — open the Privateer desktop app" },

package/src/config/privacyDisabled.ts

@@ -19,6 +19,9 @@
 const ENV = "PRIVATEER_PRIVACY_OFF";
 const ALT_ENV = "PI_PRIVACY_OFF";
 
+/** Set while the filter is off BECAUSE no quarter took it down (src/permissions/noQuarter.ts). */
+export const NO_QUARTER_PRIVACY_MARK = "PRIVATEER_PRIVACY_OFF_BY_NO_QUARTER";
+
 /** True while pi-privacy is completely disabled for this session. Read live, never cached. */
 export function privacyDisabled(): boolean {
   return process.env[ENV] === "1" || process.env[ALT_ENV] === "1";
@@ -41,10 +44,12 @@ export function onPrivacyDisabledChange(fn: (disabled: boolean) => void): () =>
 
 /**
  * Set the disabled state. Modifies process.env so every module copy and child process agrees.
- * Returns the new state.
+ * Returns the new state. Clears the no-quarter mark: an explicit set is the operator's call,
+ * so raising the moat later won't flip it back (noQuarter.ts re-sets the mark after its own call).
  */
 export function setPrivacyDisabled(disabled: boolean): boolean {
   const before = privacyDisabled();
+  delete process.env[NO_QUARTER_PRIVACY_MARK];
   if (disabled) {
     process.env[ENV] = "1";
     process.env[ALT_ENV] = "1";

package/src/config/privacyPolicy.ts

@@ -89,7 +89,9 @@ export function sharedPrivacyOptions() {
     // ZDR-channel models stay at their honest floor. The live verdict still comes from
     // resolveTier above on select — this only lifts the label.
     privateerVerifiedTee: (m: any) => hasCredentials() && privateerChannel(m.id ?? "") === "tee",
-    // No quarter = unattended. The PII send-or-redact question would stall a session the
+    // No quarter = unattended. No quarter also takes the whole filter down (noQuarter.ts),
+    // so this only answers when the operator has run `/privacy on` with the moat down.
+    // The PII send-or-redact question would stall a session the
     // operator explicitly stepped away from, so pi-privacy swallows it the SAFE way —
     // redact, then send — and reports what it masked as output instead of asking. A live
     // function, not a boolean: shift+tab / `/no-quarter` flips this mid-session and the

package/src/engine/errors.ts

@@ -359,8 +359,11 @@ export function describeError(err: unknown): DescribedError {
     });
   }
   if (status === 429) {
+    // Never name the upstream provider here — OpenRouter is an implementation
+    // detail behind the Privateer account channel, and a plain "rate limited"
+    // is all a user needs to know regardless of who's actually throttling us.
     return out({
-      message: `Rate limited${forProvider} (429).`,
+      message: `Rate limited (429).`,
       hint: "Wait a moment and try again.",
       retryable: true,
     });
@@ -502,6 +505,36 @@ export function retryDelayMs(
   return Math.round(backoff * (1 - rand() * 0.25));
 }
 
+/** What the caller of describeErrorText knows about the failing request, if anything. */
+export interface ErrorTextContext {
+  /** Pi's provider id for the model that failed (e.g. "privateer", "openrouter"). */
+  provider?: string;
+}
+
+const PROVIDER_LABELS: Record<string, string> = {
+  privateer: "Privateer",
+  anthropic: "Anthropic",
+  openai: "OpenAI",
+  openrouter: "OpenRouter",
+  google: "Google",
+  tinfoil: "Tinfoil",
+  ollama: "Ollama",
+};
+
+function providerLabel(provider: string | undefined): string {
+  if (!provider) return "the model provider";
+  return PROVIDER_LABELS[provider] ?? provider;
+}
+
+// A request that never got an HTTP response, in the words the SDKs actually use:
+// OpenAI's APIConnectionError is the bare "Connection error.", undici's is "fetch
+// failed" / "other side closed", Node's are the errno names.
+const CONNECTION_FAILURE = /^\s*(?:connection error\.?|fetch failed|other side closed|socket hang up|(?:read |connect )?(?:ECONNREFUSED|ECONNRESET|ENOTFOUND|ETIMEDOUT|EAI_AGAIN|ENETUNREACH|EHOSTUNREACH)\b)/i;
+
+export function isConnectionFailureText(text: string | null | undefined): boolean {
+  return CONNECTION_FAILURE.test(typeof text === "string" ? text : "");
+}
+
 /**
  * Describe an error we only have the TEXT of, for the one place that has nothing else.
  *
@@ -512,9 +545,14 @@ export function retryDelayMs(
  * and say the same thing `describeError` would. Returns null when there is no leading
  * status to read, so ordinary messages print unchanged.
  */
-export function describeErrorText(text: string | null | undefined): DescribedError | null {
+export function describeErrorText(
+  text: string | null | undefined,
+  context: ErrorTextContext = {},
+): DescribedError | null {
   const s = typeof text === "string" ? text : "";
   const status = Number(/^\s*(\d{3})\b/.exec(s)?.[1] ?? NaN);
+  const account = context.provider === "privateer";
+  const who = providerLabel(context.provider);
   if (!Number.isFinite(status)) {
     // No leading status: the one message we can still describe with certainty is a
     // transport idle timeout, which undici names exactly. Everything else is printed
@@ -525,6 +563,17 @@ export function describeErrorText(text: string | null | undefined): DescribedErr
         hint: IDLE_TIMEOUT_DESCRIPTION.hint,
       };
     }
+    // The OpenAI SDK's whole message for a request that never got a response. It
+    // says nothing about WHERE, so name the endpoint and the next step.
+    if (isConnectionFailureText(s)) {
+      return {
+        message: redactText(`Couldn't reach ${who} — the request got no response ("${s.trim().slice(0, 80)}").`),
+        hint: account
+          ? "Check this machine's connection. If it started around a sign-in, the session reconnects on your next message; if every message fails while a fresh `privateer` works, start a new session with /new."
+          : "Check your connection and the provider's base URL, then send it again — or run /model to switch providers.",
+        retryable: true,
+      };
+    }
     return null;
   }
 
@@ -539,9 +588,17 @@ export function describeErrorText(text: string | null | undefined): DescribedErr
     };
   }
   if (status === 401 || status === 403) {
+    // "401 status code (no body)" names neither what was refused nor what to do. The
+    // status is enough to say both.
+    const bare = /\(no body\)\s*$/i.test(s) || s.trim() === String(status);
+    const refused = status === 401 ? "rejected the credential" : "refused access";
     return {
-      message: redactText(compactProviderError(s)),
-      hint: "Check your credentials — run /login to re-authenticate.",
+      message: redactText(
+        bare ? `${who} ${refused} this request was sent with (${status}).` : compactProviderError(s),
+      ),
+      hint: account
+        ? "This terminal's Privateer session was refused. It is renewed automatically on your next message; if it keeps failing, run /login (or `privateer auth status` to see whether this machine is signed in)."
+        : `Check the API key for ${who} — run /login, or set the provider's API key env var.`,
     };
   }
   if (status === 404) {

package/src/ext/permissionGate.ts

@@ -57,7 +57,13 @@ export interface GateController {
   // session can spend what it was told it may spend instead of denying every media
   // call for want of a human. Lifts `alwaysAsk` and nothing else — see
   // ModeGate.isSpendPreauthorized for the guards.
-  isSpendPreauthorized?(req: PermissionRequest): boolean;
+  // `input` and `signal` are the call's own, for a grant that prices the call before
+  // answering (the `--max-spend` ledger, permissions/cliSpend.ts).
+  isSpendPreauthorized?(req: PermissionRequest, input?: unknown, signal?: AbortSignal): boolean | Promise<boolean>;
+  // Extra words for the model when the gate denies `req` — WHY, and what would allow it
+  // (e.g. a headless run explaining --allow-spend). Appended to the denial; absent ⇒ the
+  // generic denial text alone.
+  explainDenial?(req: PermissionRequest): string | undefined;
   // Block a tool outright while the turn is remote-driven (only consulted when
   // getRemote() is true). For tools whose own prompts render on the host terminal
   // rather than the relay — e.g. pi-subagents — so a driven turn can't wedge on an
@@ -174,9 +180,22 @@ export async function decideToolCall(
     getNoQuarter: ctrl.getNoQuarter,
     getAutoApprove: ctrl.getAutoApprove,
     getSkipAllPermissions: ctrl.getSkipAllPermissions,
-    isSpendPreauthorized: ctrl.isSpendPreauthorized,
+    isSpendPreauthorized: ctrl.isSpendPreauthorized
+      ? (r: PermissionRequest) => ctrl.isSpendPreauthorized!(r, input, ctx.signal)
+      : undefined,
   });
 
+  // Why, when there is more to say than "denied" — read at denial time, so it reflects
+  // what the ask learned (a spend ledger's refusal reason, say).
+  const why = (): string => {
+    try {
+      const extra = ctrl.explainDenial?.(req);
+      return extra ? ` ${extra}` : "";
+    } catch {
+      return "";
+    }
+  };
+
   let decision: "allow" | "deny";
   try {
     decision = await withTimeout(gate.request(req), ctrl.approvalTimeoutMs, ctx.signal);
@@ -186,13 +205,13 @@ export async function decideToolCall(
     // tell the model to stop retrying and take a different path (or ask the user).
     return {
       block: true,
-      reason: `Approval unavailable (${(err as Error)?.message ?? "error"}) — blocked by default. Do not retry the same command; it will be blocked again. Try a different approach or ask the user to run it.`,
+      reason: `Approval unavailable (${(err as Error)?.message ?? "error"}) — blocked by default. Do not retry the same command; it will be blocked again. Try a different approach or ask the user to run it.${why()}`,
     };
   }
   if (decision === "deny") {
     return {
       block: true,
-      reason: `${req.title} was denied by the permission gate. Do not retry the same command; it will be denied again. Take a different approach or ask the user to run it themselves.`,
+      reason: `${req.title} was denied by the permission gate. Do not retry the same command; it will be denied again. Take a different approach or ask the user to run it themselves.${why()}`,
     };
   }
   return undefined;