kandev/docs/plans/idle-context-reset-dispatch-gate/plan.md

created, status, requirements, system_design, legacy_specs

created	status	requirements	system_design	legacy_specs
2026-08-31	done	REQ-TASKS-WORKFLOW-STEP-AGENT-START-OWNERSHIP-002	../../specs/tasks/system-design/workflow-step-agent-start-ownership.md

Implementation Plan: Clear the Idle Context-Reset Dispatch Gate

Overview

Clear the dispatch-only completion gate when an idle context reset removes its buffered completion signal. Cover the ACP reset path and the process-restart fallback.

Scope

In scope

• Reproduce the idle dispatch-only state in lifecycle manager tests.
• Clear dispatchedPromptPending after each successful reset path drains promptDoneCh.
• Prove that the next prompt can reach agentctl after an ACP session reset.
• Prove that the process-restart fallback also clears the old gate.

Out of scope

• Change the timeout behavior in waitForPendingDispatchedPrompt.
• Change active-turn quiescence or cancellation ownership.
• Add UI recovery for sessions that entered this state before the correction.
• Explain unrelated differences between prompt-completion log counts.

Technical approach

Update Manager.ResetAgentContext in manager_interaction.go. Clear the atomic pending flag in the same locked state update that drains the old completion signal.

Update Manager.resetAgentRestartState in the same file. Apply the same state transition to the process-restart fallback.

Add focused tests in manager_interaction_test.go. The ACP test will reset an idle execution and send a follow-up dispatch-only prompt through the real manager path.

Extend the existing restart-state test with a pending gate. The test will prove that process replacement clears the signal and its matching flag.

Tests

• AC-TASKS-WORKFLOW-STEP-AGENT-START-OWNERSHIP-002.3: TestManager_ResetAgentContext_ClearsIdleDispatchGate proves that the follow-up prompt reaches the new ACP session.
• AC-TASKS-WORKFLOW-STEP-AGENT-START-OWNERSHIP-002.3: TestManager_RestartAgentProcess_Success proves that the process-restart fallback clears the prior gate.
• AC-TASKS-WORKFLOW-STEP-AGENT-START-OWNERSHIP-002.5: Existing pending-wait tests remain unchanged because the timeout still preserves active predecessor ownership.

Work orders

• Task 01: Clear the idle reset dispatch gate

Verification results

• RED: Both focused regression tests failed because the reset paths kept dispatchedPromptPending set.
• GREEN: The focused tests passed after both reset paths cleared the flag after the signal drain.
• Final: The race-enabled verification passed 2 tests. git diff --check also passed.

Risks

• Clearing the gate before the old turn is quiescent can admit concurrent prompts. The existing orchestrator reset boundary must remain unchanged.
• Clearing only the ACP fast path leaves adapters that use process replacement exposed to the same error.