From aac9b3d34b8bf64f28580b41f8e3896faffd68d5 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: haelyra <49814733+haelyra@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Fri, 9 Oct 2026 19:33:37 -0400
Subject: [PATCH] fix: preserve activity errors, asset bytes and runner
 summaries

Treat non-2xx activity responses as feed errors, preserve non-Markdown Copilot agent assets, and apply the reviewed reference escape parity correction with regenerated bindings. Allow the test runner to drain piped output on its existing success or failure exit status. Validate installed workflows and bounded real Node20/24 pipe regressions.
---
 .../docs-governance/scripts/markdown_links.py |  2 +-
 manifests/context-packs/skill-triggers@1.json |  2 +-
 .../docs-governance/scripts/markdown_links.py |  2 +-
 scripts/dashboard-web.js                      |  5 +-
 scripts/lib/install/plan.js                   |  5 +-
 .../docs-governance/scripts/markdown_links.py |  2 +-
 tests/ci/run-all.test.js                      | 37 +++++++++++
 tests/lib/copilot-install-target.test.js      | 35 +++++++++++
 tests/run-all.js                              |  2 +-
 tests/scripts/dashboard-web.test.js           | 62 +++++++++++++++++++
 tests/test_docs_governance_audit.py           | 21 +++++++
 11 files changed, 167 insertions(+), 8 deletions(-)

diff --git a/.agents/skills/docs-governance/scripts/markdown_links.py b/.agents/skills/docs-governance/scripts/markdown_links.py
index 435a21f69..bb4612469 100644
--- a/.agents/skills/docs-governance/scripts/markdown_links.py
+++ b/.agents/skills/docs-governance/scripts/markdown_links.py
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ REFERENCE_DEFINITION_RE = re.compile(
     """
 )
 REFERENCE_USAGE_RE = re.compile(
-    r"(?<![\\])\[(?P<text>[^\]\n]+)\](?:\[(?P<label>[^\]\n]*)\])?"
+    r"(?<![\\])(?:\\\\)*\[(?P<text>[^\]\n]+)\](?:\[(?P<label>[^\]\n]*)\])?"
 )
 EXTERNAL_URI_RE = re.compile(
     r"^(?:[A-Za-z][A-Za-z0-9+.-]*://|(?:data|doi|geo|irc|magnet|mailto|news|sms|tel|urn):)",
diff --git a/manifests/context-packs/skill-triggers@1.json b/manifests/context-packs/skill-triggers@1.json
index 19201b4b0..bd5dd19ec 100644
--- a/manifests/context-packs/skill-triggers@1.json
+++ b/manifests/context-packs/skill-triggers@1.json
@@ -1 +1 @@
-{"coverage":{"skills":302,"withTriggers":32},"generatedAt":"2026-09-24T23:51:22.784Z","id":"skill-triggers@1","model":{"effort":null,"id":"hand-seeded","source":"manual-curation-pending-regeneration"},"registryDigest":"949e47a1816d50ba7c378935b7497d0b8076cecd9102d46aa36f55785903a667","schemaVersion":1,"triggers":{"skill:api-connector-builder":["add api integration","new provider connector","match existing integration pattern"],"skill:api-design":["rest endpoint design","pagination api","status codes","api versioning","rate limiting api","resource naming","filtering api","api error responses","offset pagination","limit query parameter","pagination defaults"],"skill:backend-patterns":["express api","node backend architecture","nextjs api routes","server side patterns","data access layer","static file server","url path handling","file server"],"skill:browser-qa":["deployed feature test","visual regression screenshots","core web vitals check","axe accessibility audit","ship do not ship","staging verification"],"skill:canary-watch":["post deploy monitoring","smoke test url","production url check","console errors production","sse stream check","after deploy verification"],"skill:code-tour":["onboarding walkthrough","explain subsystem","architecture tour","pr walkthrough","rca tour"],"skill:coding-standards":["code review standards","naming conventions","readability review","immutability conventions","fix naming typo","export naming","consistent exports"],"skill:content-hash-cache-pattern":["cache file processing","content addressed cache","sha256 hash cache"],"skill:database-migrations":["zero downtime migration","schema change production","add column large table","backfill data","expand contract","concurrent index","migration rollback","prisma migration","django migration"],"skill:deployment-patterns":["ci cd setup","dockerize app","health checks","rollback strategy","production readiness","deploy pipeline","containerize application"],"skill:design-system":["design tokens","visual consistency audit","css custom properties","ui audit","design system bootstrap"],"skill:django-patterns":["django orm","drf api","django rest framework","django caching","django signals","django middleware"],"skill:django-security":["django authentication","csrf protection","sql injection prevention","xss prevention","django deployment security","role based access control","authorization middleware","permissions checks"],"skill:docker-patterns":["dockerfile review","docker compose setup","container security","multi service orchestration"],"skill:error-handling":["error types","retry logic","circuit breaker","user facing errors","exception handling patterns","typed errors","error boundaries","go error handling","custom error class","error codes","config validation"],"skill:evm-token-decimals":["token decimals","wei conversion","erc20 balance off","bridge token precision"],"skill:frontend-a11y":["aria attributes","screen reader support","focus management","semantic html","form labeling","keyboard navigation react","a11y lint errors"],"skill:git-workflow":["merge vs rebase","commit conventions","resolve merge conflict","branching strategy","clean up commits","pull request cleanup","git history tidy"],"skill:hexagonal-architecture":["ports and adapters","dependency injection boundaries","decouple domain from io"],"skill:kubernetes-patterns":["kubernetes manifests","kubectl debugging","pod probes","k8s rbac","autoscaling config","configmap secrets"],"skill:orch-fix-defect":["fix a bug","broken behavior","regression fix","reproduce bug","defect repair"],"skill:postgres-patterns":["slow postgres query","query optimization","index design","rls policies","supabase schema","postgres indexing","database performance","schema design postgres","postgres driver","node postgres","query planner"],"skill:python-patterns":["pythonic code","pep 8","type hints python","python code review","idiomatic python"],"skill:python-testing":["pytest fixtures","mocking python","parametrized tests","coverage python","tdd python"],"skill:redis-patterns":["cache aside pattern","distributed lock","redis rate limiting","cache invalidation"],"skill:regex-vs-llm-structured-text":["parse invoice","extract receipt data","text extraction pipeline","parse form fields","cheap document parser","extract table data","parse log lines","parse access logs","common log format","log line parsing"],"skill:rust-patterns":["rust ownership","borrow checker","rust error handling","traits rust","rust concurrency","idiomatic rust"],"skill:search-first":["find existing library","npm package research","before writing custom code","evaluate existing tools","add dependency research"],"skill:security-review":["security audit","authentication review","sanitize user input","secrets handling","payment security checklist","prevent injection attacks","secure api endpoints","authn authz review","vulnerability checklist","input validation security","parameterized queries","sql injection"],"skill:security-scan":["audit claude config","claudemd security","mcp server audit","agentshield scan","hook configuration audit","settings json security"],"skill:tdd-workflow":["write test first","failing test","red green refactor","test driven development","regression test first","write a regression test"],"skill:verification-loop":["pre pr checks","verification report","quality gates","build lint test coverage","before creating a pr"]},"triggersDigest":"25b97a9e06fc336c7cf95ab854ed1a41033a54bcd6e1fb1cf69dc906332462aa"}
+{"coverage":{"skills":302,"withTriggers":32},"generatedAt":"2026-09-24T23:51:22.784Z","id":"skill-triggers@1","model":{"effort":null,"id":"hand-seeded","source":"manual-curation-pending-regeneration"},"registryDigest":"ffac257ab8a4b8e7450ddf1f933e65335542fc444034c8242dd758346417d76e","schemaVersion":1,"triggers":{"skill:api-connector-builder":["add api integration","new provider connector","match existing integration pattern"],"skill:api-design":["rest endpoint design","pagination api","status codes","api versioning","rate limiting api","resource naming","filtering api","api error responses","offset pagination","limit query parameter","pagination defaults"],"skill:backend-patterns":["express api","node backend architecture","nextjs api routes","server side patterns","data access layer","static file server","url path handling","file server"],"skill:browser-qa":["deployed feature test","visual regression screenshots","core web vitals check","axe accessibility audit","ship do not ship","staging verification"],"skill:canary-watch":["post deploy monitoring","smoke test url","production url check","console errors production","sse stream check","after deploy verification"],"skill:code-tour":["onboarding walkthrough","explain subsystem","architecture tour","pr walkthrough","rca tour"],"skill:coding-standards":["code review standards","naming conventions","readability review","immutability conventions","fix naming typo","export naming","consistent exports"],"skill:content-hash-cache-pattern":["cache file processing","content addressed cache","sha256 hash cache"],"skill:database-migrations":["zero downtime migration","schema change production","add column large table","backfill data","expand contract","concurrent index","migration rollback","prisma migration","django migration"],"skill:deployment-patterns":["ci cd setup","dockerize app","health checks","rollback strategy","production readiness","deploy pipeline","containerize application"],"skill:design-system":["design tokens","visual consistency audit","css custom properties","ui audit","design system bootstrap"],"skill:django-patterns":["django orm","drf api","django rest framework","django caching","django signals","django middleware"],"skill:django-security":["django authentication","csrf protection","sql injection prevention","xss prevention","django deployment security","role based access control","authorization middleware","permissions checks"],"skill:docker-patterns":["dockerfile review","docker compose setup","container security","multi service orchestration"],"skill:error-handling":["error types","retry logic","circuit breaker","user facing errors","exception handling patterns","typed errors","error boundaries","go error handling","custom error class","error codes","config validation"],"skill:evm-token-decimals":["token decimals","wei conversion","erc20 balance off","bridge token precision"],"skill:frontend-a11y":["aria attributes","screen reader support","focus management","semantic html","form labeling","keyboard navigation react","a11y lint errors"],"skill:git-workflow":["merge vs rebase","commit conventions","resolve merge conflict","branching strategy","clean up commits","pull request cleanup","git history tidy"],"skill:hexagonal-architecture":["ports and adapters","dependency injection boundaries","decouple domain from io"],"skill:kubernetes-patterns":["kubernetes manifests","kubectl debugging","pod probes","k8s rbac","autoscaling config","configmap secrets"],"skill:orch-fix-defect":["fix a bug","broken behavior","regression fix","reproduce bug","defect repair"],"skill:postgres-patterns":["slow postgres query","query optimization","index design","rls policies","supabase schema","postgres indexing","database performance","schema design postgres","postgres driver","node postgres","query planner"],"skill:python-patterns":["pythonic code","pep 8","type hints python","python code review","idiomatic python"],"skill:python-testing":["pytest fixtures","mocking python","parametrized tests","coverage python","tdd python"],"skill:redis-patterns":["cache aside pattern","distributed lock","redis rate limiting","cache invalidation"],"skill:regex-vs-llm-structured-text":["parse invoice","extract receipt data","text extraction pipeline","parse form fields","cheap document parser","extract table data","parse log lines","parse access logs","common log format","log line parsing"],"skill:rust-patterns":["rust ownership","borrow checker","rust error handling","traits rust","rust concurrency","idiomatic rust"],"skill:search-first":["find existing library","npm package research","before writing custom code","evaluate existing tools","add dependency research"],"skill:security-review":["security audit","authentication review","sanitize user input","secrets handling","payment security checklist","prevent injection attacks","secure api endpoints","authn authz review","vulnerability checklist","input validation security","parameterized queries","sql injection"],"skill:security-scan":["audit claude config","claudemd security","mcp server audit","agentshield scan","hook configuration audit","settings json security"],"skill:tdd-workflow":["write test first","failing test","red green refactor","test driven development","regression test first","write a regression test"],"skill:verification-loop":["pre pr checks","verification report","quality gates","build lint test coverage","before creating a pr"]},"triggersDigest":"25b97a9e06fc336c7cf95ab854ed1a41033a54bcd6e1fb1cf69dc906332462aa"}
diff --git a/pi/core/skills/docs-governance/scripts/markdown_links.py b/pi/core/skills/docs-governance/scripts/markdown_links.py
index 435a21f69..bb4612469 100644
--- a/pi/core/skills/docs-governance/scripts/markdown_links.py
+++ b/pi/core/skills/docs-governance/scripts/markdown_links.py
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ REFERENCE_DEFINITION_RE = re.compile(
     """
 )
 REFERENCE_USAGE_RE = re.compile(
-    r"(?<![\\])\[(?P<text>[^\]\n]+)\](?:\[(?P<label>[^\]\n]*)\])?"
+    r"(?<![\\])(?:\\\\)*\[(?P<text>[^\]\n]+)\](?:\[(?P<label>[^\]\n]*)\])?"
 )
 EXTERNAL_URI_RE = re.compile(
     r"^(?:[A-Za-z][A-Za-z0-9+.-]*://|(?:data|doi|geo|irc|magnet|mailto|news|sms|tel|urn):)",
diff --git a/scripts/dashboard-web.js b/scripts/dashboard-web.js
index 75b97823a..4f8b7363d 100644
--- a/scripts/dashboard-web.js
+++ b/scripts/dashboard-web.js
@@ -856,7 +856,10 @@ handleRoute();
     var panel = document.getElementById('panel-activity');
     if (!panel) return;
     fetch('/api/activity')
-      .then(function (r) { return r.json(); })
+      .then(function (r) {
+        if (!r.ok) throw new Error('Activity request failed');
+        return r.json();
+      })
       .then(function (data) {
         var entries = (data && data.entries) || [];
         var skillCount = entries.filter(function (e) { return e.tool_name === 'Skill'; }).length;
diff --git a/scripts/lib/install/plan.js b/scripts/lib/install/plan.js
index 26601b63d..ca3ba47b6 100644
--- a/scripts/lib/install/plan.js
+++ b/scripts/lib/install/plan.js
@@ -104,9 +104,10 @@ function buildCopyFileOperation({
   strategy,
   contentTransform,
 }) {
-  // Copilot's workflow reference transform is textual. Skill directories may
+  // Copilot's agent and workflow transforms are textual. Their directories may
   // also contain binary assets and executable helpers, which must keep bytes.
-  const applicableTransform = contentTransform === 'copilot-workflow-paths'
+  const applicableTransform = (contentTransform === 'copilot-workflow-paths'
+    || contentTransform === 'copilot-agent-frontmatter')
     && !/\.md$/i.test(sourceRelativePath) ? undefined : contentTransform;
   return {
     kind: 'copy-file',
diff --git a/skills/docs-governance/scripts/markdown_links.py b/skills/docs-governance/scripts/markdown_links.py
index 435a21f69..bb4612469 100644
--- a/skills/docs-governance/scripts/markdown_links.py
+++ b/skills/docs-governance/scripts/markdown_links.py
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ REFERENCE_DEFINITION_RE = re.compile(
     """
 )
 REFERENCE_USAGE_RE = re.compile(
-    r"(?<![\\])\[(?P<text>[^\]\n]+)\](?:\[(?P<label>[^\]\n]*)\])?"
+    r"(?<![\\])(?:\\\\)*\[(?P<text>[^\]\n]+)\](?:\[(?P<label>[^\]\n]*)\])?"
 )
 EXTERNAL_URI_RE = re.compile(
     r"^(?:[A-Za-z][A-Za-z0-9+.-]*://|(?:data|doi|geo|irc|magnet|mailto|news|sms|tel|urn):)",
diff --git a/tests/ci/run-all.test.js b/tests/ci/run-all.test.js
index 4ee89e400..32e016977 100644
--- a/tests/ci/run-all.test.js
+++ b/tests/ci/run-all.test.js
@@ -2,8 +2,10 @@
 
 const assert = require('assert');
 const fs = require('fs');
+const os = require('os');
 const path = require('path');
 const vm = require('vm');
+const { spawnSync } = require('child_process');
 
 const source = fs.readFileSync(path.join(__dirname, '..', 'run-all.js'), 'utf8');
 
@@ -15,6 +17,7 @@ function run(result, filename = 'sample.test.js', actions = true) {
   const fakeProcess = {
     env: actions ? { GITHUB_ACTIONS: 'true' } : {},
     exit(code) { status = code; throw exit; },
+    set exitCode(code) { status = code; },
   };
   const fakeFs = {
     readdirSync: () => [{
@@ -140,6 +143,40 @@ const tests = [
     assert.deepStrictEqual(result.annotations, []);
     assert.ok(result.logs.includes('Error: local failure'));
   }],
+  ...[0, 1].map(fixtureFailures => [`piped runner flushes the full tail and summary with exit ${fixtureFailures}`, () => {
+    const root = fs.mkdtempSync(path.join(os.tmpdir(), 'ecc-runner-pipe-'));
+    try {
+      const testsDir = path.join(root, 'tests');
+      fs.mkdirSync(testsDir);
+      const runner = path.join(testsDir, 'run-all.js');
+      fs.writeFileSync(runner, source);
+      // Keep fixture stdout below the runner's default 1 MiB spawnSync ceiling,
+      // but above a pipe buffer so the runner must drain pending async writes.
+      const payloadBytes = 256 * 1024;
+      fs.writeFileSync(path.join(testsDir, 'large.test.js'), [
+        `console.log('x'.repeat(${payloadBytes}));`,
+        "console.log('FIXTURE_FULL_TAIL');",
+        `console.log('Passed: 1, Failed: ${fixtureFailures}');`,
+        `process.exitCode = ${fixtureFailures};`,
+      ].join('\n'));
+      const env = { ...process.env, PATH: `${path.dirname(process.execPath)}${path.delimiter}${process.env.PATH || ''}` };
+      delete env.ECC_TEST_SKIP;
+      delete env.ECC_TEST_ALLOW_FAILURES;
+      const result = spawnSync(process.execPath, [runner], {
+        encoding: 'utf8', stdio: ['pipe', 'pipe', 'pipe'], env,
+        maxBuffer: 512 * 1024, timeout: 15000,
+      });
+      assert.ifError(result.error);
+      assert.strictEqual(result.status, fixtureFailures, result.stderr);
+      assert.ok(result.stdout.includes('x'.repeat(payloadBytes)), 'full bounded fixture payload must reach the pipe');
+      assert.match(result.stdout, /FIXTURE_FULL_TAIL/);
+      assert.match(result.stdout, /Final Results/);
+      assert.ok(result.stdout.trimEnd().endsWith(`Passed: 1, Failed: ${fixtureFailures}`));
+      assert.match(result.stdout, new RegExp(`Files: ${fixtureFailures ? '0 passed, 1 failed' : '1 passed, 0 failed'}`));
+    } finally {
+      fs.rmSync(root, { recursive: true, force: true });
+    }
+  }]),
 ];
 
 let failed = 0;
diff --git a/tests/lib/copilot-install-target.test.js b/tests/lib/copilot-install-target.test.js
index 37d08e90f..553d8eafd 100644
--- a/tests/lib/copilot-install-target.test.js
+++ b/tests/lib/copilot-install-target.test.js
@@ -289,5 +289,40 @@ test('Copilot rewrites Markdown commands while preserving binary skill assets an
   }
 });
 
+test('Copilot installs non-Markdown agent assets byte-for-byte while adapting Markdown agents', () => {
+  const fs = require('fs');
+  const os = require('os');
+  const { createManifestInstallPlan, applyInstallPlan } = require('../../scripts/lib/install-executor');
+  const temp = fs.mkdtempSync(path.join(os.tmpdir(), 'ecc-copilot-agent-assets-'));
+  try {
+    const sourceRoot = path.join(temp, 'source');
+    fs.mkdirSync(path.join(sourceRoot, 'manifests'), { recursive: true });
+    fs.writeFileSync(path.join(sourceRoot, 'manifests', 'install-modules.json'), JSON.stringify({ version: 1, modules: [{
+      id: 'fixture', kind: 'agents', paths: ['agents'], targets: ['copilot'], dependencies: [],
+    }] }));
+    fs.writeFileSync(path.join(sourceRoot, 'manifests', 'install-profiles.json'), JSON.stringify({ version: 1, profiles: {} }));
+    const agentRoot = path.join(sourceRoot, 'agents');
+    fs.mkdirSync(path.join(agentRoot, 'assets'), { recursive: true });
+    const binary = Buffer.from([0, 255, 254, 128, 42]);
+    const helper = 'Run node scripts/setup-package-manager.js --detect\n';
+    fs.writeFileSync(path.join(agentRoot, 'assets', 'icon.png'), binary);
+    fs.writeFileSync(path.join(agentRoot, 'assets', 'helper.txt'), helper);
+    fs.writeFileSync(path.join(agentRoot, 'architect.MD'), CLAUDE_AGENT);
+    const plan = createManifestInstallPlan({ sourceRoot, target: 'copilot', moduleIds: ['fixture'], projectRoot: path.join(temp, 'project'), homeDir: path.join(temp, 'home'), env: {} });
+    applyInstallPlan(plan);
+    const installed = path.join(plan.targetRoot, 'agents');
+    assert.deepStrictEqual(fs.readFileSync(path.join(installed, 'assets', 'icon.png')), binary);
+    assert.strictEqual(fs.readFileSync(path.join(installed, 'assets', 'helper.txt'), 'utf8'), helper);
+    assert.strictEqual(fs.readFileSync(path.join(installed, 'architect.MD'), 'utf8'), adaptCopilotAgent(CLAUDE_AGENT, 'agents/architect.MD'));
+    for (const operation of plan.operations.filter(operation => operation.sourceRelativePath.includes('/assets/'))) {
+      assert.ok(!operation.contentTransform, operation.sourceRelativePath);
+    }
+    assert.strictEqual(fs.readFileSync(path.join(agentRoot, 'architect.MD'), 'utf8'), CLAUDE_AGENT);
+    assert.deepStrictEqual(fs.readFileSync(path.join(agentRoot, 'assets', 'icon.png')), binary);
+  } finally {
+    fs.rmSync(temp, { recursive: true, force: true });
+  }
+});
+
 console.log(`\nResults: Passed: ${passed}, Failed: ${failed}`);
 process.exit(failed === 0 ? 0 : 1);
diff --git a/tests/run-all.js b/tests/run-all.js
index 2af669152..d03efc67c 100644
--- a/tests/run-all.js
+++ b/tests/run-all.js
@@ -209,4 +209,4 @@ if (failedFiles.length > 0) {
 console.log('╚' + '═'.repeat(BOX_W) + '╝');
 console.log(`\nPassed: ${totalPassed}, Failed: ${totalFailed}`);
 
-process.exit(totalFailed > 0 ? 1 : 0);
+process.exitCode = totalFailed > 0 ? 1 : 0;
diff --git a/tests/scripts/dashboard-web.test.js b/tests/scripts/dashboard-web.test.js
index cc686eae6..8c67f3ed5 100644
--- a/tests/scripts/dashboard-web.test.js
+++ b/tests/scripts/dashboard-web.test.js
@@ -58,6 +58,68 @@ test('renderHTML emits executable scripts without syntax errors', () => {
   for (const script of scripts) new vm.Script(script[1]);
 });
 
+asyncTest('served activity UI shows HTTP failures as errors and preserves healthy empty and populated feeds', async () => {
+  const dir = createTempDir('ecc-activity-response-');
+  const savedDataHome = process.env.ECC_AGENT_DATA_HOME;
+  const originalClose = fs.closeSync;
+  try {
+    process.env.ECC_AGENT_DATA_HOME = dir;
+    const log = path.join(dir, 'metrics', 'tool-usage.jsonl');
+    writeFile(dir, 'metrics/tool-usage.jsonl', '');
+    const reported = [];
+    await withDashboardServer(async port => {
+      const page = await requestDashboard(port);
+      assert.strictEqual(page.statusCode, 200);
+      const script = [...page.body.matchAll(/<script>([\s\S]*?)<\/script>/g)]
+        .find(match => match[1].includes('function renderActivity()'))[1];
+      async function renderFeed() {
+        let status;
+        let jsonReads = 0;
+        const html = await new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
+          const timeout = setTimeout(() => reject(new Error('Activity UI did not render')), REQUEST_TIMEOUT_MS);
+          const panel = { set innerHTML(value) { clearTimeout(timeout); resolve(value); } };
+          const context = vm.createContext({
+            document: { getElementById: () => panel, createElement: () => ({}), head: { appendChild() {} } },
+            window: { showTab() {} }, setInterval() {}, clearInterval() {},
+            fetch: async url => {
+              const response = await fetch(`http://127.0.0.1:${port}${url}`);
+              status = response.status;
+              return { ok: response.ok, json() { jsonReads++; return response.json(); } };
+            },
+          });
+          new vm.Script(script).runInContext(context);
+          context.window.showTab('activity');
+        });
+        return { html, status, jsonReads };
+      }
+      // A descriptor-close failure escapes loadActivity's read catch and drives
+      // the real server's generic HTTP 500 response without leaking its detail.
+      fs.closeSync = fd => { originalClose(fd); throw new Error('private close detail'); };
+      const failed = await renderFeed();
+      fs.closeSync = originalClose;
+      assert.strictEqual(failed.status, 500);
+      assert.match(failed.html, /Could not load activity feed/);
+      assert.doesNotMatch(failed.html, /No recorded tool calls|private close detail/);
+      assert.strictEqual(failed.jsonReads, 0);
+      assert.strictEqual(reported.length, 1);
+      const empty = await renderFeed();
+      assert.strictEqual(empty.status, 200);
+      assert.match(empty.html, /No recorded tool calls yet/);
+      assert.strictEqual(empty.jsonReads, 1);
+      fs.writeFileSync(log, JSON.stringify({ session_id: 'response-fixture', tool_name: 'Read', input_summary: 'visible activity' }) + '\n');
+      const populated = await renderFeed();
+      assert.strictEqual(populated.status, 200);
+      assert.match(populated.html, /visible activity/);
+      assert.doesNotMatch(populated.html, /Could not load activity feed|No recorded tool calls/);
+    }, { reportError: (message, error) => reported.push({ message, error }) });
+  } finally {
+    fs.closeSync = originalClose;
+    if (savedDataHome === undefined) delete process.env.ECC_AGENT_DATA_HOME;
+    else process.env.ECC_AGENT_DATA_HOME = savedDataHome;
+    cleanup(dir);
+  }
+});
+
 test('activity loading bounds large logs and ignores malformed rows', () => {
   const { loadActivity } = require(SCRIPT);
   withTempDir('ecc-activity-', dir => {
diff --git a/tests/test_docs_governance_audit.py b/tests/test_docs_governance_audit.py
index 02a528573..04c39dd73 100644
--- a/tests/test_docs_governance_audit.py
+++ b/tests/test_docs_governance_audit.py
@@ -882,3 +882,24 @@ def test_artifact_scope_resolves_escaped_bracket_and_apostrophe_filenames(
     (project / "index.md").write_text(link + "\n", encoding="utf-8")
     result = run_audit(project, "artifacts")
     assert result.returncode == 0, result.stdout + result.stderr
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("backslashes", range(5))
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("usage", ("[diagram]", "[diagram][]"))
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("scope", ("artifacts", "full"))
+def test_audit_checks_reference_usage_after_even_backslash_runs(
+    project: Path, backslashes: int, usage: str, scope: str
+) -> None:
+    (project / "index.md").write_text(
+        "\\" * backslashes + usage + "\n\n[diagram]: missing.png\n",
+        encoding="utf-8",
+    )
+    before = {path: path.read_bytes() for path in project.rglob("*") if path.is_file()}
+    result = run_audit(project, scope)
+    expected = 1 if backslashes % 2 == 0 else 0
+    assert result.returncode == expected, result.stdout + result.stderr
+    diagnostic = "Broken Markdown link: 'index.md' -> 'missing.png'"
+    assert (diagnostic in result.stdout) == (expected == 1), result.stdout
+    assert "Traceback" not in result.stderr
+    after = {path: path.read_bytes() for path in project.rglob("*") if path.is_file()}
+    assert after == before, "the actual audit CLI must not modify project files"