diff --git a/apple/runner/AgentDeviceRunner/AgentDeviceRunnerUITests/RunnerTests+SnapshotCapturePlan.swift b/apple/runner/AgentDeviceRunner/AgentDeviceRunnerUITests/RunnerTests+SnapshotCapturePlan.swift
index 8ef6bc8ca7..0562d2fd14 100644
--- a/apple/runner/AgentDeviceRunner/AgentDeviceRunnerUITests/RunnerTests+SnapshotCapturePlan.swift
+++ b/apple/runner/AgentDeviceRunner/AgentDeviceRunnerUITests/RunnerTests+SnapshotCapturePlan.swift
@@ -205,6 +205,19 @@ extension RunnerTests {
     }
   }
 
+  /// The reason a capture's verdict carries. Once an XCTest-backed tier ran behind a deferred plan,
+  /// it ran on the bounded probe's short slice, so the capture reports that constraint ('budget')
+  /// whether the tier recovered it or the plan ended sparse, rather than the pre-selection
+  /// ('deferred') the plan was seeded with.
+  static func planVerdictReason(
+    xCTestTierRan: Bool,
+    state: SnapshotXCTestChannelPlanState,
+    firstFailure: (reason: String, code: String)?
+  ) -> (reason: String, code: String)? {
+    guard xCTestTierRan, state == .deferredToIndependentBackend else { return firstFailure }
+    return xcTestChannelStateFirstFailure(.boundedXCTestProbe)
+  }
+
   /// Pure gate: a capture is planned as penalized when the channel penalty is
   /// active OR the daemon pinned the private-AX backend (same-backend evidence
   /// probe) — both mean "do not enter XCTest tree work first, and stamp the
@@ -251,10 +264,14 @@ extension RunnerTests {
     let availablePlan = plan.filter { availableBackends.contains($0) }
     let recoveryPlan = availablePlan.filter { !$0.usesXCTestAccessibilityChannel }
     if !recoveryPlan.isEmpty {
+      // The independent backend reads only the app it can match as the active AX application, so
+      // an out-of-process surface over the app (the Save Password sheet) leaves it empty for the
+      // whole penalty. The tree, on the bounded probe's short slice, stays behind it; the query
+      // sweep does not, since its grind is what the penalty keeps off the main thread.
       return EffectiveSnapshotCapturePlan(
-        plan: recoveryPlan,
+        plan: recoveryPlan + availablePlan.filter { $0 == .recursiveTree },
         xCTestChannelState: .deferredToIndependentBackend,
-        treeCaptureSliceBudgetOverride: nil,
+        treeCaptureSliceBudgetOverride: Self.penalizedXCTestProbeTreeSliceBudget,
         preferredBackend: nil
       )
     }
@@ -285,6 +302,7 @@ extension RunnerTests {
     // A caller may share the pre-plan system-modal probe's deadline; otherwise own the full budget (#1244).
     let deadline = deadline ?? Date().addingTimeInterval(Self.snapshotPlanBudget)
     let suppressXCTestPenalty = snapshotXCTestPenaltyWarmupExemption.consume()
+    var xCTestTierRan = false
 
     // Reorder is iOS-only because hostile screens can make XCTest tree/query work grind while
     // the app remains visually responsive. Simulators can avoid that channel through private AX;
@@ -344,6 +362,7 @@ extension RunnerTests {
         }
         continue
       }
+      if kind.usesXCTestAccessibilityChannel { xCTestTierRan = true }
       let attempt = try captureWithBackend(
         kind,
         target: target,
@@ -391,18 +410,23 @@ extension RunnerTests {
       }
 
       let recovered = kind != effectivePlan.first || effective.xCTestChannelState != .normal
+      let verdictReason = Self.planVerdictReason(
+        xCTestTierRan: kind.usesXCTestAccessibilityChannel,
+        state: effective.xCTestChannelState,
+        firstFailure: firstFailure
+      )
       if recovered {
         NSLog(
           "AGENT_DEVICE_RUNNER_SNAPSHOT_RECOVERED backend=%@ reason=%@",
           kind.rawValue,
-          firstFailure?.reason ?? "sparse tree"
+          verdictReason?.reason ?? "sparse tree"
         )
       }
       return stampedSnapshotPayload(
         capture,
         backend: kind,
         state: recovered ? .recovered : .healthy,
-        reason: recovered || firstFailure?.code == "requested-backend" ? firstFailure : nil
+        reason: recovered || firstFailure?.code == "requested-backend" ? verdictReason : nil
       )
     }
 
@@ -425,13 +449,18 @@ extension RunnerTests {
       }
     }
 
+    let terminalReason = Self.planVerdictReason(
+      xCTestTierRan: xCTestTierRan,
+      state: effective.xCTestChannelState,
+      firstFailure: firstFailure
+    )
     let fallbackPayload =
-      best.map { stampedSnapshotPayload($0.capture, backend: $0.kind, state: .sparse, reason: firstFailure) }
+      best.map { stampedSnapshotPayload($0.capture, backend: $0.kind, state: .sparse, reason: terminalReason) }
       ?? stampedSnapshotPayload(
         SnapshotBackendCapture(payload: sparseTruncatedSnapshotPayload(), effectiveDepth: nil),
         backend: effectivePlan.last ?? plan.last ?? .recursiveTree,
         state: .sparse,
-        reason: firstFailure
+        reason: terminalReason
       )
     return fallbackPayload
   }
@@ -491,6 +520,11 @@ extension RunnerTests {
           }
           return (sweep.acquisition, sweep.outcome)
         case .privateAX:
+          #if AGENT_DEVICE_RUNNER_UNIT_TESTS
+          if let override = self.privateAXAcquisitionOverrideForTesting {
+            return (override(), .completed)
+          }
+          #endif
           return (
             self.privateAXSnapshotAcquisition(
               target: target,
diff --git a/apple/runner/AgentDeviceRunner/AgentDeviceRunnerUITests/RunnerTests.swift b/apple/runner/AgentDeviceRunner/AgentDeviceRunnerUITests/RunnerTests.swift
index 3140827424..ae1b41951e 100644
--- a/apple/runner/AgentDeviceRunner/AgentDeviceRunnerUITests/RunnerTests.swift
+++ b/apple/runner/AgentDeviceRunner/AgentDeviceRunnerUITests/RunnerTests.swift
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 //  Created by Michał Pierzchała on 30/01/2026.
 //
 
+import AgentDeviceSnapshotPresentation
 import XCTest
 import Network
 #if canImport(UIKit)
@@ -199,6 +200,9 @@ final class RunnerTests: XCTestCase {
   // live SpringBoard alert. Production never compiles this property. Stored here (rather than in
   // the extension that reads it) because Swift extensions cannot hold stored properties.
   var systemModalProbeOverrideForTesting: (@MainActor (Date) -> DataPayload?)?
+  /// Stands in for the private AX tier's acquisition in unit-test builds, so a plan can meet the
+  /// out-of-process sheet the tier cannot read. Production builds compile none of this.
+  var privateAXAcquisitionOverrideForTesting: (() -> SnapshotAcquisition?)?
   var blockingSystemModalPresenceOverrideForTesting: Bool?
   var alertResolutionOverrideForTesting: (@MainActor (Date) -> RunnerAlert?)?
   var alertButtonHittabilityProbeOverrideForTesting: (@MainActor (Date) -> Bool)?
diff --git a/apple/runner/AgentDeviceRunner/AgentDeviceRunnerUITests/UnitTests/RunnerTests+SnapshotCapturePlanOccupancyTests.swift b/apple/runner/AgentDeviceRunner/AgentDeviceRunnerUITests/UnitTests/RunnerTests+SnapshotCapturePlanOccupancyTests.swift
index 285e1fd461..f3e9c5c234 100644
--- a/apple/runner/AgentDeviceRunner/AgentDeviceRunnerUITests/UnitTests/RunnerTests+SnapshotCapturePlanOccupancyTests.swift
+++ b/apple/runner/AgentDeviceRunner/AgentDeviceRunnerUITests/UnitTests/RunnerTests+SnapshotCapturePlanOccupancyTests.swift
@@ -380,5 +380,127 @@ extension RunnerTests {
     )
     XCTAssertFalse(hasAbandonedMainThreadWork())
   }
+
+  /// The Save Password sheet shape: the channel is penalized and private AX cannot match the app
+  /// behind the out-of-process sheet. The deferred plan recovers through the bounded tree and
+  /// reports the bounded slice as its reason. That the sweep stays off the plan is the plan's own
+  /// contract (`effectiveSnapshotCapturePlan`).
+  func testPenalizedPlanRecoversThroughTheBoundedTreeWhenPrivateAXReadsNothing() throws {
+    let captureTarget = try launchPenalizedPrivateAXBlindTarget(
+      bundleId: "com.callstack.agentdevice.runner.penalized-tree-recovery-test"
+    )
+    defer { tearDownPenalizedPrivateAXBlindTarget() }
+
+    let payload = try runDeferredPlanOffMain(target: captureTarget)
+
+    let quality = try XCTUnwrap(payload.snapshotQuality)
+    XCTAssertEqual(quality.reasonCode, "budget")
+    if quality.state == .sparse {
+      throw XCTSkip("the bounded tree did not answer within its slice on this host")
+    }
+    XCTAssertEqual(quality.state, .recovered)
+    XCTAssertEqual(quality.backend, SnapshotBackendKind.recursiveTree.rawValue)
+    XCTAssertGreaterThan(payload.nodes?.count ?? 0, 1, "the bounded tree answers with a real tree")
+  }
+
+  /// When the bounded tree also grinds past its slice, the plan ends sparse, and the verdict still
+  /// names the bounded slice the capture ran on rather than the seeded pre-selection.
+  func testPenalizedPlanThatEndsSparseAfterTheBoundedTreeReportsTheBudget() throws {
+    guard
+      let snapshotMethod = class_getInstanceMethod(
+        XCUIApplication.self,
+        #selector(XCUIElement.snapshot)
+      ),
+      let stubMethod = class_getInstanceMethod(
+        RunnerBlockingSnapshotStub.self,
+        #selector(RunnerBlockingSnapshotStub.snapshot)
+      )
+    else {
+      XCTFail("unable to install the blocking snapshot stub")
+      return
+    }
+    let captureTarget = try launchPenalizedPrivateAXBlindTarget(
+      bundleId: "com.callstack.agentdevice.runner.penalized-tree-timeout-test"
+    )
+    RunnerBlockingSnapshotGate.release = DispatchSemaphore(value: 0)
+    RunnerBlockingSnapshotGate.entered = DispatchSemaphore(value: 0)
+    let originalImplementation = method_getImplementation(snapshotMethod)
+    method_setImplementation(snapshotMethod, method_getImplementation(stubMethod))
+    defer {
+      RunnerBlockingSnapshotGate.release.signal()
+      method_setImplementation(snapshotMethod, originalImplementation)
+      let drainDeadline = Date().addingTimeInterval(3)
+      while hasAbandonedMainThreadWork(), Date() < drainDeadline {
+        RunLoop.current.run(until: Date().addingTimeInterval(0.05))
+      }
+      tearDownPenalizedPrivateAXBlindTarget()
+    }
+
+    let payload = try runDeferredPlanOffMain(target: captureTarget) {
+      RunnerBlockingSnapshotGate.release.signal()
+    }
+
+    let quality = try XCTUnwrap(payload.snapshotQuality)
+    XCTAssertEqual(quality.state, .sparse)
+    XCTAssertEqual(quality.reasonCode, "budget")
+  }
+
+  private func launchPenalizedPrivateAXBlindTarget(bundleId: String) throws -> SnapshotCaptureTarget {
+    app.launchArguments = ["--agent-device-selector-read-regression"]
+    app.launch()
+    XCTAssertTrue(app.wait(for: .runningForeground, timeout: 10))
+    XCTAssertFalse(app.frame.isEmpty)
+    MainActor.assumeIsolated {
+      mainOwned.app = app
+      mainOwned.bundleId = bundleId
+    }
+    snapshotXCTestPenaltyWarmupExemption.isPending = false
+    let captureTarget = MainActor.assumeIsolated { takeSnapshotCaptureTarget(app: app) }
+    penalizeSnapshotXCTestChannel(bundleId: captureTarget.bundleId, reason: "test-setup")
+    privateAXAcquisitionOverrideForTesting = { nil }
+    return captureTarget
+  }
+
+  private func tearDownPenalizedPrivateAXBlindTarget() {
+    privateAXAcquisitionOverrideForTesting = nil
+    clearSnapshotXCTestChannelPenalty(reason: "test-cleanup")
+    clearPrivateAXAcceptedDepth(reason: "test-cleanup")
+    MainActor.assumeIsolated {
+      invalidateCachedTarget(reason: "unit_test_cleanup")
+    }
+    app.terminate()
+  }
+
+  /// Runs the regular plan for `target` off the main thread, as the command queue does, and
+  /// returns its payload; `afterPlan` runs on that queue once the plan has answered.
+  private func runDeferredPlanOffMain(
+    target: SnapshotCaptureTarget,
+    afterPlan: @escaping () -> Void = {}
+  ) throws -> DataPayload {
+    final class ResultBox {
+      var payload: DataPayload?
+      var error: Error?
+    }
+    let box = ResultBox()
+    let planned = expectation(description: "deferred plan answered")
+    DispatchQueue(label: "agent-device.runner.tests.deferred-plan").async {
+      do {
+        box.payload = try self.runSnapshotCapturePlan(
+          Self.regularVisiblePlan,
+          target: target,
+          options: PresentationOptions(interactiveOnly: false, depth: nil, scope: nil, raw: false),
+          terminal: .sparseWithFatalOnAXFailure,
+          deadline: Date().addingTimeInterval(20)
+        )
+      } catch {
+        box.error = error
+      }
+      afterPlan()
+      planned.fulfill()
+    }
+    wait(for: [planned], timeout: 60)
+    if let error = box.error { throw error }
+    return try XCTUnwrap(box.payload)
+  }
 }
 #endif
diff --git a/apple/runner/AgentDeviceRunner/AgentDeviceRunnerUITests/UnitTests/RunnerTests+SnapshotCapturePlanTests.swift b/apple/runner/AgentDeviceRunner/AgentDeviceRunnerUITests/UnitTests/RunnerTests+SnapshotCapturePlanTests.swift
index 96d5eb1a3f..806db679f1 100644
--- a/apple/runner/AgentDeviceRunner/AgentDeviceRunnerUITests/UnitTests/RunnerTests+SnapshotCapturePlanTests.swift
+++ b/apple/runner/AgentDeviceRunner/AgentDeviceRunnerUITests/UnitTests/RunnerTests+SnapshotCapturePlanTests.swift
@@ -403,14 +403,14 @@ extension RunnerTests {
     XCTAssertEqual(pinned.xCTestChannelState, .deferredToIndependentBackend)
   }
 
-  func testEffectiveSnapshotCapturePlanDefersXCTestBackedTiersOnlyWhenPenalizedRegularPlan() {
+  func testEffectiveSnapshotCapturePlanPutsXCTestBackedTiersBehindPrivateAXOnlyWhenPenalizedRegularPlan() {
     let regular = Self.effectiveSnapshotCapturePlan(
       Self.regularVisiblePlan,
       xCTestChannelPenalized: true
     )
-    XCTAssertEqual(regular.plan, [.privateAX])
+    XCTAssertEqual(regular.plan, [.privateAX, .recursiveTree])
     XCTAssertEqual(regular.xCTestChannelState, .deferredToIndependentBackend)
-    XCTAssertNil(regular.treeCaptureSliceBudgetOverride)
+    XCTAssertEqual(regular.treeCaptureSliceBudgetOverride, Self.penalizedXCTestProbeTreeSliceBudget)
 
     let unpenalized = Self.effectiveSnapshotCapturePlan(
       Self.regularVisiblePlan,
@@ -430,6 +430,23 @@ extension RunnerTests {
     XCTAssertNil(raw.treeCaptureSliceBudgetOverride)
   }
 
+  func testPlanVerdictReasonNamesTheBoundedProbeOnceAnXCTestTierRanBehindPrivateAX() {
+    let deferred = Self.xcTestChannelStateFirstFailure(.deferredToIndependentBackend)
+    XCTAssertEqual(
+      Self.planVerdictReason(
+        xCTestTierRan: true, state: .deferredToIndependentBackend, firstFailure: deferred
+      )?.code,
+      "budget"
+    )
+    XCTAssertEqual(
+      Self.planVerdictReason(
+        xCTestTierRan: false, state: .deferredToIndependentBackend, firstFailure: deferred
+      )?.code,
+      "deferred"
+    )
+    XCTAssertNil(Self.planVerdictReason(xCTestTierRan: true, state: .normal, firstFailure: nil))
+  }
+
   func testEffectiveSnapshotCapturePlanUsesBoundedXCTestProbeWhenNoIndependentBackendRuns() {
     let physicalDevicePlan = Self.effectiveSnapshotCapturePlan(
       Self.regularVisiblePlan,