fix: pre-claim context-file check must accept AGENTS.md (dossier-era repos without the legacy symlink are refused) #493

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opened 2026-08-09 15:26:38 +00:00 by igor · 0 comments

igor commented

2026-08-09 15:26:38 +00:00

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The worker's pre-claim context-file check (bin/tick.sh:~4596) hard-requires root CLAUDE.md and blocks the ticket when it's absent. That check predates the AGENTS.md dossier spec (docs/agents-md-spec.md): converted repos satisfy it only via their compatibility symlink, and a NEW-era repo with a root AGENTS.md and no symlink gets refused outright -- which just happened on joshtronic/distillery#1 (the brain repo itself, blocked for lacking the legacy filename).

Deliverables

In bin/tick.sh's pre-claim check: accept root AGENTS.md OR root CLAUDE.md as the repo context file. Prefer AGENTS.md in the block message's wording ("AGENTS.md (or legacy CLAUDE.md) is missing"). The check's purpose -- refuse to work a repo with no conventions file -- is unchanged.
Sweep bin/tick.sh + bin/site-work-block.sh for other hard references to CLAUDE.md as a filename (grep CLAUDE.md) and apply the same either/or treatment to any that gate work or feed prompts. Report ones deliberately left (e.g. advisory check_claude_md in validation can stay as-is -- it's advisory).
Tests: extend the relevant bin/test-*.sh -- repo with only AGENTS.md -> claimable; repo with only CLAUDE.md -> claimable; repo with neither -> blocked with the updated message.

Out of scope

The worker-contract skill's prose mentions of CLAUDE.md (that's a Distillery-side edit, tracked separately).
Validation's advisory check_claude_md.
Un-blocking distillery#1 (the operator or a re-queue handles that once this merges, or sooner via a symlink).

Verification

make test green including the new cases; the grep in deliverable 2's report is in the PR body.

The worker's pre-claim context-file check (`bin/tick.sh:~4596`) hard-requires root `CLAUDE.md` and blocks the ticket when it's absent. That check predates the AGENTS.md dossier spec (`docs/agents-md-spec.md`): converted repos satisfy it only via their compatibility symlink, and a NEW-era repo with a root `AGENTS.md` and no symlink gets refused outright -- which just happened on joshtronic/distillery#1 (the brain repo itself, blocked for lacking the legacy filename). ## Deliverables 1. In `bin/tick.sh`'s pre-claim check: accept root `AGENTS.md` OR root `CLAUDE.md` as the repo context file. Prefer `AGENTS.md` in the block message's wording ("`AGENTS.md` (or legacy `CLAUDE.md`) is missing"). The check's purpose -- refuse to work a repo with no conventions file -- is unchanged. 2. Sweep `bin/tick.sh` + `bin/site-work-block.sh` for other hard references to `CLAUDE.md` as a filename (grep `CLAUDE.md`) and apply the same either/or treatment to any that gate work or feed prompts. Report ones deliberately left (e.g. advisory `check_claude_md` in validation can stay as-is -- it's advisory). 3. Tests: extend the relevant `bin/test-*.sh` -- repo with only AGENTS.md -> claimable; repo with only CLAUDE.md -> claimable; repo with neither -> blocked with the updated message. ## Out of scope - The worker-contract skill's prose mentions of CLAUDE.md (that's a Distillery-side edit, tracked separately). - Validation's advisory `check_claude_md`. - Un-blocking distillery#1 (the operator or a re-queue handles that once this merges, or sooner via a symlink). ## Verification - `make test` green including the new cases; the grep in deliverable 2's report is in the PR body.

igor added the

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2026-08-09 15:26:38 +00:00

igor self-assigned this

2026-08-09 16:12:24 +00:00

igor referenced this issue from a pull request that will close it,

2026-08-09 16:22:44 +00:00

fix: accept AGENTS.md or legacy CLAUDE.md in the pre-claim preflight check #495

igor added spent time

2026-08-09 16:22:45 +00:00

10 minutes 2 seconds