fix(groomer): keep ready issues in a claimable lane (#492)

src/lib/groomer/enum-config.ts

@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ export interface ResolutionEvent {
   /** The canonical value after alias resolution */
   resolvedValue: string;
   /** How this resolution happened */
-  source: "alias";
+  source: "alias" | "invariant";
 }
 
 /**

src/lib/groomer/llm.ts

@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import type { GroomerOutput } from "./schema";
-import { getConfiguredLanes } from "@/lib/lane-config";
+import { getConfiguredLanes, getClaimableLanes, getBacklogLane } from "@/lib/lane-config";
 import { STATUS_LABELS, PRIORITY_LABELS } from "@/types";
 
 export interface CallLlmOptions {
@@ -14,6 +14,8 @@ const VALID_TYPE_LABELS = ["type/bug", "type/feature", "type/chore", "type/resea
 
 function buildSystemPrompt(): string {
   const laneIds = getConfiguredLanes().map((lane) => lane.id).join("|");
+  const claimableIds = getClaimableLanes().map((lane) => lane.id).join("|");
+  const backlogLane = getBacklogLane();
   const statusLabels = STATUS_LABELS.join(", ");
   const priorityLabels = PRIORITY_LABELS.join(", ");
   const typeLabels = VALID_TYPE_LABELS.join(", ");
@@ -42,6 +44,7 @@ Rules:
 - Valid type labels: ${typeLabels}
 - Never remove agent/* labels
 - Lane must be one of the configured lane ids
+- When actionability is "ready", lane.id MUST be a claimable worker lane (${claimableIds})${backlogLane ? `, NEVER "${backlogLane.id}"` : ""}${backlogLane ? `. The "${backlogLane.id}" lane is non-claimable — use it only when actionability is not "ready" (needs_info/blocked/backlog/already_done). Priority (P2/P3/low) does NOT mean backlog: a low-priority but ready issue still goes to a claimable lane.` : ""}
 - Be concise in summary and reason fields
 
 Title rewriting rules:

src/lib/groomer/schema.test.ts

@@ -179,6 +179,41 @@ describe("groomer schema validation", () => {
     expect(result.valid).toBe(true);
   });
 
+  // ── dispatch#492: a "ready" issue must never land in the non-claimable backlog lane.
+  it("coerces a ready issue out of the non-claimable backlog lane (dispatch#492)", () => {
+    const result = validateGroomerOutput({
+      ...validOutput,
+      actionability: "ready",
+      lane: { id: "backlog", confidence: "high", reason: "P2 but low priority" },
+    });
+    expect(result.valid).toBe(true);
+    expect(result.parsed?.lane.id).toBe("local"); // default claimable lane
+    const invariant = result.resolutions?.find((r) => r.source === "invariant");
+    expect(invariant).toMatchObject({ field: "lane.id", rawValue: "backlog", resolvedValue: "local" });
+  });
+
+  it("leaves a ready issue already in a claimable lane untouched", () => {
+    const result = validateGroomerOutput({
+      ...validOutput,
+      actionability: "ready",
+      lane: { id: "cloud", confidence: "high", reason: "ci work" },
+    });
+    expect(result.valid).toBe(true);
+    expect(result.parsed?.lane.id).toBe("cloud");
+    expect(result.resolutions?.some((r) => r.source === "invariant")).toBe(false);
+  });
+
+  it("leaves a non-ready issue in the backlog lane", () => {
+    const result = validateGroomerOutput({
+      ...validOutput,
+      actionability: "needs_info",
+      lane: { id: "backlog", confidence: "medium", reason: "missing acceptance criteria" },
+    });
+    expect(result.valid).toBe(true);
+    expect(result.parsed?.lane.id).toBe("backlog");
+    expect(result.resolutions?.some((r) => r.source === "invariant")).toBe(false);
+  });
+
   it("accepts valid frontier lane", () => {
     const result = validateGroomerOutput({
       ...validOutput,

src/lib/groomer/schema.ts

@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ import { STATUS_LABELS, PRIORITY_LABELS, type GroomAction } from "@/types";
 import { resolveEnumConfig, type ResolutionEvent } from "./enum-config";
 import type { EnumConfig } from "./enum-config";
 import { GROOMER_ENUM_CONFIGS } from "./enum-configs";
+import { isClaimableLane, getDefaultClaimableLane } from "@/lib/lane-config";
 
 // ─── Public Types ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 
@@ -349,5 +350,27 @@ export function validateGroomerOutput(data: unknown): ValidationResult {
     }
   }
 
+  // ── Cross-field invariant: a "ready" issue must land in a claimable worker
+  // lane, never the non-claimable backlog lane (dispatch#492). The groomer LLM
+  // sometimes conflates "backlog" (low priority) with the non-claimable backlog
+  // lane, stranding ready issues where no worker queue can see them. Coerce to
+  // the default claimable lane and record it as an invariant resolution.
+  if (parsed.actionability === "ready" && !isClaimableLane(parsed.lane.id)) {
+    const target = getDefaultClaimableLane();
+    if (target) {
+      resolutions.push({
+        field: "lane.id",
+        rawValue: parsed.lane.id,
+        resolvedValue: target.id,
+        source: "invariant",
+      });
+      parsed.lane = {
+        ...parsed.lane,
+        id: target.id,
+        reason: `${parsed.lane.reason} [auto: ready issue reassigned from non-claimable "${parsed.lane.id}" to "${target.id}"]`,
+      };
+    }
+  }
+
   return { valid: true, parsed, resolutions };
 }