Merge pull request 'fix(deps): Patchwatch security floors for tqdm/idna/vitest (v0.55.1)' (#52) from fix/patchwatch-remediate-36-40 into main

Clears Patchwatch advisories #36–#40 on the OHM deployment (affecting
ohm-rfc-app + rfc-app-ppe) by forcing the vulnerable dependencies to
patched versions:

- backend/requirements.txt: floor-pin tqdm>=4.66.3 (#37/#39/#40, resolves
  4.68.2) and idna>=3.15 (#38, resolves 3.18) — both arrive transitively
  with no lockfile, so a floor-pin is the robust fix.
- frontend/package.json: vitest ^3.0.0 -> ^4.1.0 (#36, resolves 4.1.8;
  dev/test-only, GHSA-5xrq-8626-4rwp UI-server file read/exec). Lockfile
  regenerated.

No behavior change; backend (685), frontend (66), and localhost E2E (5)
suites pass. Issues are closed after the change is deployed and re-scanned,
not on merge. Patchwatch Phase 2 remediation, session ohm/0095.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.8 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>

CHANGELOG.md

@@ -23,6 +23,176 @@ skip versions are the composition of each intervening adjacent
 release's steps in order — no A-to-B path is pre-computed beyond
 that.
 
+## 0.55.1 — 2026-06-09
+
+**Patch — Patchwatch dependency security floors (no behavior change).**
+
+Clears the open Patchwatch advisories on the OHM deployment
+(`ben.stull/rfc-app` issues #36–#40, affecting `ohm-rfc-app` + `rfc-app-ppe`)
+by forcing the vulnerable dependencies up to patched versions. No application
+behavior changes; the full backend (685), frontend (66), and localhost E2E (5)
+suites pass unchanged.
+
+- **Backend transitive floors** (`backend/requirements.txt`). `tqdm` and `idna`
+  arrive transitively (no lockfile; loose `>=`), so floor-pins force the
+  resolved environment to the patched versions on the next deploy:
+  - `tqdm>=4.66.3` — GHSA-r7q7-xcjw-qx8q, GHSA-g7vv-2v7x-gj9p, PYSEC-2017-74
+    (issues #37, #39, #40). Resolves to 4.68.2.
+  - `idna>=3.15` — GHSA-65pc-fj4g-8rjx, the CVE-2024-3651 `idna.encode()`
+    bypass (issue #38). Resolves to 3.18.
+- **Frontend devDependency** (`frontend/package.json`). `vitest ^3.0.0 → ^4.1.0`
+  (resolves to 4.1.8), clearing GHSA-5xrq-8626-4rwp — the Vitest UI server
+  arbitrary file read/execute (issue #36, `node-app` layer). Dev/test-only;
+  not shipped in the runtime image. `package-lock.json` regenerated.
+
+No upgrade steps — a deployment picks up the patched versions on its next
+`flotilla-core deploy` (the backend env is reinstalled from `requirements.txt`;
+the frontend is rebuilt from the regenerated lockfile).
+
+## 0.55.0 — 2026-06-09
+
+**Minor — the registry reconcile now prunes projects the registry no longer
+declares; read the upgrade note.**
+
+The registry mirror was additive-only: it upserted the projects/collections a
+deployment's `projects.yaml` declares but never removed ones it had dropped.
+Re-pinning a deployment to a different registry (or editing `projects.yaml` to
+remove a project) therefore stranded the old project's collections and its
+cached entries in the database — dead rows that, at scale, starved writes (a
+deployment's PPE accumulated ~1,200 orphaned entry rows this way and had to be
+reset by hand).
+
+- **Prune-on-reconcile.** `registry.refresh_registry(..., prune=True)` now calls
+  `projects.prune_absent_projects`, which deletes any project absent from the
+  freshly-parsed registry together with its collections and every project-scoped
+  row (entries + their satellites, threads + messages, changes, PRs, stars,
+  watches, …) in one transaction, with FK enforcement off for the multi-table
+  delete and a `PRAGMA foreign_key_check` backstop that rolls the whole thing
+  back rather than leave a dangling reference.
+- **Whole-project granularity, and only the default-safe triggers.** A project
+  still present in the registry is never touched here (pruning individual entries
+  within a present project belongs to the best-effort content cache). The
+  deployment's **default project is never pruned**, whatever the registry says.
+  Pruning runs only on the two full-reconcile triggers — **startup** and the
+  **periodic reconciler sweep** — never on incidental refreshes (a collection
+  create, a registry webhook), so an in-app refresh can't wipe a project.
+- **Safe against a transient registry read.** The prune is reached only after a
+  successful parse of a non-empty registry: `parse_registry` rejects an empty
+  project list and the registry read raises on a missing file / transport error
+  (the reconciler keeps last-good on that error). A flaky read can't trigger a
+  wipe.
+
+**Upgrade note (no steps required for a correctly-configured deployment).** On
+the first startup after upgrading, any project that exists in the database but is
+**absent from your `projects.yaml`** will be pruned. For a deployment whose
+database was only ever populated from its current registry this is a no-op (every
+DB project is in `projects.yaml`). If you have deliberately out-of-band projects
+in the database (there is no supported way to create one — every project goes
+through `projects.yaml`), add them to the registry before upgrading. No database
+migration and no configuration change.
+
+## 0.54.1 — 2026-06-09
+
+**Patch — the Gitea-OAuth sign-in no longer 500s when an account was first
+created via OTC; no operator action required.**
+
+`auth.provision_user` (the Gitea-OAuth callback path) matched an existing
+`users` row only by `gitea_id`. A human who signed in first via the OTC
+email path owns an email-only row (`gitea_id` NULL); when they later signed
+in via Gitea OAuth with the same email, the lookup missed and the code
+INSERTed a new row — colliding on the `idx_users_email` case-insensitive
+unique index and raising `IntegrityError`, which 500-ed the callback. Now,
+when no `gitea_id` row exists, `provision_user` reconciles by email and links
+the OAuth identity (`gitea_id` / `gitea_login` / profile) onto the existing
+row — the mirror of the OTC linker, which already links an OAuth-era email row
+on first OTC sign-in. The §6.1 owner-zero bootstrap is applied on link
+(matching the fresh-insert path); the row's `permission_state` is preserved so
+linking never changes a human's admission status as a side effect.
+
+## 0.54.0 — 2026-06-09
+
+**Minor — the AI "Ask" affordance now works from an entry's canonical view
+(§8.12); no operator action required.**
+
+AI chat is an editing activity (a turn can emit proposed edits) and only runs
+on an edit branch. On an entry's canonical `main` view the right column is the
+human-discussion panel, not the chat panel — so invoking "Ask" (the selection
+tooltip or the prompt bar) from the reading view pushed a chat turn that had
+nowhere to render: it silently did nothing. Surfaced by dogfooding a non-default
+project's spec entry on a live deployment.
+
+- **Asking while reading "just works" (Option B).** When Ask is invoked from
+  the canonical view, the app transparently cuts an edit branch via the same
+  dispatch as Start Contributing (`start-edit-branch` for a super-draft,
+  `promote-to-branch` for an active RFC — idempotent, so it reuses an existing
+  edit branch rather than double-cutting), navigates onto that branch so the
+  chat panel mounts, and runs the question (text + the selected quote) there
+  once the branch's chat thread has resolved. The viewer lands in the chat with
+  the streaming answer, quote intact.
+- **Graceful degradation.** A signed-out viewer keeps the read-only path
+  (sign-in prompt; Ask disabled) and a viewer who cannot contribute has the
+  branch cut rejected server-side and the error surfaced — no silent no-op and
+  no spurious branch. Asking from a branch already, and Flag on the canonical
+  view (which still opens a human discussion thread), are unchanged.
+
+Frontend-only: the branch chat endpoints already worked on a branch. No
+database migration and no configuration change.
+
+## 0.53.0 — 2026-06-09
+
+**Minor — the branch/edit/body subsystem is now three-tier (project /
+collection) aware (gap G-15); no operator action required.**
+
+§22 migrated the READ/catalog path to the three-tier model, but the
+WRITE/branch/body subsystem still hardcoded the default project's default
+collection: it resolved every meta-resident entry to the default project's
+content repo at `rfcs/<slug>.md`, ignoring the entry's project (its own
+content repo) and its collection (a `<subfolder>/rfcs/` prefix). As a result
+an entry outside the default project's default collection rendered a **blank
+canonical body** (the git-backed `GET …/branches/main` read the wrong file)
+and every edit / PR / body-write path hit the wrong repo. Surfaced by
+dogfooding a separate project on a live deployment.
+
+- **Single resolver.** New `projects.content_repo_for_collection(cid)` and
+  `projects.entry_location(config, cid, slug) → (org, repo, md_path)` resolve
+  an entry's git location from its collection (collection → project →
+  content_repo, plus the collection subfolder), falling back to the default
+  project's repo for a legacy / unknown collection. Every write/read path now
+  shares this resolver instead of the hardcoded default.
+- **Every entry write/read path is collection-resolved:** the branch-body GET
+  and all branch write paths (`api_branches`: start-edit-branch, accept /
+  decline / reask, manual-flush, promote-to-branch, metadata, branch chat),
+  the PR family (`api_prs`: pr-draft / open-pr / merge / withdraw / review /
+  resolution-branch), graduation (`api_graduation`: graduate / claim / retire
+  / unretire and the module-level orchestrator + state-flip helpers),
+  mark-reviewed, the idea-PR merge / decline / withdraw + proposal preview,
+  and metadata edit/bulk/migrate (`api_metadata`). `bot.open_metadata_pr` and
+  `bot.mark_entry_reviewed` gained a `file_path` parameter (was hardcoded to
+  the repo root). The branch cache (`refresh_meta_branches`), the webhook
+  corpus-refresh dispatch, and the hygiene branch-delete now span **every**
+  project's content repo, not just the default.
+- **Collection-scoped body-read routes** (new, additive):
+  `GET /api/projects/{pid}/collections/{cid}/rfcs/{slug}/main` and
+  `…/rfcs/{slug}/branches/{branch}` disambiguate a slug that exists in two
+  collections (G-5) and read the entry's own repo. The slug-only routes are
+  kept and are now collection-aware via the entry's cached row, so existing
+  clients are unaffected.
+- **Frontend.** `getRFCMain` / `getBranch` take optional `projectId` +
+  `collectionId` and call the scoped routes when present (RFCView threads its
+  `pid`/`cid`, mirroring the v0.52.1 entry-detail fix); both fall back to the
+  slug-only routes otherwise.
+
+No database migration and no configuration change. Existing default-collection
+entries are unaffected (the resolver returns the default repo and a repo-root
+path for them).
+
+_Known boundary:_ the branch / thread / change / PR cache tables remain
+slug-keyed, so a slug that genuinely exists in two collections is still
+ambiguous on the slug-only *write* routes; the collection-scoped body-read
+routes resolve it for the canonical view, and the resolver makes every write
+target the correct repo via the entry's own collection. Full slug
+de-duplication across collections on the write family is tracked separately.
+
 ## 0.52.3 — 2026-06-09
 
 **Patch — unmatched routes render a 404 instead of a blank page or a

SPEC.md

@@ -1022,6 +1022,20 @@ the user on it in contribute mode. New-branch naming defaults to an
 auto-generated value (user-renamable); the exact format is an
 implementation detail.
 
+The AI chat is an editing activity — a turn can emit `<change>`
+proposals — so it runs on an edit branch, not on read-only main, whose
+right column is the human-discussion surface (§8.12 is branch-scoped).
+Invoking the AI **Ask** affordance (the selection tooltip's prompt, or
+the prompt bar) from main therefore transparently cuts an edit branch
+via the same dispatch as "Start Contributing" (promote-to-branch for an
+active RFC, start-edit-branch for a super-draft per §9.5; idempotent, so
+an existing edit branch is reused rather than a second one cut), lands
+the user on it, and runs the question — text plus any selected quote —
+as the branch's first chat turn. A viewer who cannot contribute has the
+branch cut rejected and the error surfaced (no branch is created); a
+signed-out viewer keeps the §8.7 read-only path. **Flag** from main is
+unaffected — it opens a human discussion thread on main, not a branch.
+
 Discuss vs. contribute is an *intent* affordance, not a *permission*
 affordance. A user without contribute access to a branch sees the
 toggle disabled, with a sign-in or request-access path (see §8.7).

VERSION

@@ -1 +1 @@
-0.52.3
+0.55.1

backend/app/api.py

@@ -919,14 +919,18 @@ def make_router(
             raise HTTPException(404, "Not found")
         if row["state"] != "active" or not row["unreviewed"]:
             raise HTTPException(409, "Entry is not an unreviewed active entry")
+        # §22/G-15: write to the entry's project content_repo + collection
+        # subfolder, not the deployment default.
+        org, meta_repo, md_path = projects_mod.entry_location(config, collection_id, slug)
         try:
             await bot.mark_entry_reviewed(
                 viewer.as_actor(),
-                org=config.gitea_org,
-                meta_repo=(projects_mod.default_content_repo(config) or ""),
+                org=org,
+                meta_repo=meta_repo,
                 slug=slug,
                 reviewed_by=viewer.gitea_login,
                 reviewed_at=entry_mod.today(),
+                file_path=md_path,
             )
         except GiteaError as e:
             raise HTTPException(502, f"Gitea: {e.detail}")
@@ -1031,7 +1035,19 @@ def make_router(
         # Read the proposed entry file from the head branch.
         slug = row["rfc_slug"]
         head = row["head_branch"]
-        result = await gitea.read_file(config.gitea_org, (projects_mod.default_content_repo(config) or ""), f"rfcs/{slug}.md", ref=head)
+        # §22/G-15: the proposal lives in its project's content_repo under its
+        # collection's `<subfolder>/rfcs/`. cached_prs carries project_id but not
+        # collection_id, so resolve the repo from the project and locate the file
+        # by trying each of the project's collection subfolders (default first).
+        repo = (projects_mod.content_repo(row["project_id"])
+                or projects_mod.default_content_repo(config) or "")
+        result = None
+        for col in collections_mod.list_collections(row["project_id"], include_unlisted=True):
+            sub = col["subfolder"] or ""
+            cand = f"{sub}/rfcs/{slug}.md" if sub else f"rfcs/{slug}.md"
+            result = await gitea.read_file(config.gitea_org, repo, cand, ref=head)
+            if result:
+                break
         entry_payload: dict[str, Any] | None = None
         if result:
             text, _sha = result
@@ -1245,7 +1261,9 @@ def make_router(
             await bot.merge_idea_pr(
                 user.as_actor(),
                 org=config.gitea_org,
-                meta_repo=(projects_mod.default_content_repo(config) or ""),
+                # §22/G-15: the idea PR lives in its project's content_repo.
+                meta_repo=(projects_mod.content_repo(row["project_id"])
+                           or projects_mod.default_content_repo(config) or ""),
                 pr_number=pr_number,
                 slug=row["rfc_slug"],
             )
@@ -1265,7 +1283,8 @@ def make_router(
             await bot.decline_idea_pr(
                 user.as_actor(),
                 org=config.gitea_org,
-                meta_repo=(projects_mod.default_content_repo(config) or ""),
+                meta_repo=(projects_mod.content_repo(row["project_id"])
+                           or projects_mod.default_content_repo(config) or ""),
                 pr_number=pr_number,
                 slug=row["rfc_slug"],
                 comment=body.comment,
@@ -1289,7 +1308,8 @@ def make_router(
             await bot.withdraw_idea_pr(
                 user.as_actor(),
                 org=config.gitea_org,
-                meta_repo=(projects_mod.default_content_repo(config) or ""),
+                meta_repo=(projects_mod.content_repo(row["project_id"])
+                           or projects_mod.default_content_repo(config) or ""),
                 pr_number=pr_number,
                 slug=row["rfc_slug"],
             )

backend/app/api_branches.py

@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ from fastapi import APIRouter, HTTPException, Request
 from fastapi.responses import StreamingResponse
 from pydantic import BaseModel, Field
 
-from . import auth, cache, chat as chat_layer, db, entry as entry_mod, funder, metadata as metadata_mod, models_resolver, projects as projects_mod
+from . import auth, cache, chat as chat_layer, collections as collections_mod, db, entry as entry_mod, funder, metadata as metadata_mod, models_resolver, projects as projects_mod
 from .bot import Bot
 from .config import Config
 from .gitea import Gitea, GiteaError
@@ -170,10 +170,7 @@ def make_router(
     # open edit branches, open meta-repo body-edit and metadata PRs.
     # -------------------------------------------------------------------
 
-    @router.get("/api/rfcs/{slug}/main")
-    async def get_rfc_main(slug: str, request: Request) -> dict[str, Any]:
-        viewer = auth.current_user(request)
-        rfc = _require_rfc(slug, viewer)
+    async def _main_payload(rfc, slug: str, viewer) -> dict[str, Any]:
         if rfc["state"] not in ("active", "super-draft"):
             raise HTTPException(409, f"RFC is {rfc['state']}")
 
@@ -294,6 +291,23 @@ def make_router(
             "pre_graduation_history": pre_grad,
         }
 
+    @router.get("/api/rfcs/{slug}/main")
+    async def get_rfc_main(slug: str, request: Request) -> dict[str, Any]:
+        viewer = auth.current_user(request)
+        return await _main_payload(_require_rfc(slug, viewer), slug, viewer)
+
+    @router.get("/api/projects/{project_id}/collections/{collection_id}/rfcs/{slug}/main")
+    async def get_rfc_main_scoped(
+        project_id: str, collection_id: str, slug: str, request: Request,
+    ) -> dict[str, Any]:
+        # §22/G-15: collection-scoped canonical-body read. Disambiguates a slug
+        # that exists in two collections (G-5) and resolves the entry's own
+        # content repo / subfolder via `_repo_for`/`_file_path_for`.
+        viewer = auth.current_user(request)
+        _check_collection_in_project(project_id, collection_id)
+        rfc = _require_rfc(slug, viewer, collection_id=collection_id)
+        return await _main_payload(rfc, slug, viewer)
+
     # The bare `GET /api/rfcs/<slug>/branches/<branch>` is declared
     # at the *bottom* of this router so the more-specific deeper GET
     # routes — `branches/{branch:path}/threads` and
@@ -489,6 +503,7 @@ def make_router(
                 org=owner,
                 meta_repo=repo,
                 slug=slug,
+                file_path=path,
                 new_file_contents=new_content,
                 prior_sha=prior_sha,
                 pr_title=pr_title,
@@ -1048,10 +1063,7 @@ def make_router(
     # else, including slashed branch names like `foo/bar`.
     # -------------------------------------------------------------------
 
-    @router.get("/api/rfcs/{slug}/branches/{branch:path}")
-    async def get_branch_view(slug: str, branch: str, request: Request) -> dict[str, Any]:
-        viewer = auth.current_user(request)
-        rfc = _require_rfc_with_repo(slug, viewer)
+    async def _branch_view_payload(rfc, slug: str, branch: str, viewer) -> dict[str, Any]:
         if not _can_read_branch(slug, branch, viewer):
             raise HTTPException(403, "Branch is private")
 
@@ -1118,12 +1130,48 @@ def make_router(
             "capabilities": capabilities,
         }
 
+    @router.get("/api/rfcs/{slug}/branches/{branch:path}")
+    async def get_branch_view(slug: str, branch: str, request: Request) -> dict[str, Any]:
+        viewer = auth.current_user(request)
+        rfc = _require_rfc_with_repo(slug, viewer)
+        return await _branch_view_payload(rfc, slug, branch, viewer)
+
+    @router.get("/api/projects/{project_id}/collections/{collection_id}/rfcs/{slug}/branches/{branch:path}")
+    async def get_branch_view_scoped(
+        project_id: str, collection_id: str, slug: str, branch: str, request: Request,
+    ) -> dict[str, Any]:
+        # §22/G-15: collection-scoped branch-body read (the canonical-body GET
+        # RFCView renders). Disambiguates a slug across collections (G-5) and
+        # reads the entry's own content repo / subfolder.
+        viewer = auth.current_user(request)
+        _check_collection_in_project(project_id, collection_id)
+        rfc = _require_rfc_with_repo(slug, viewer, collection_id=collection_id)
+        return await _branch_view_payload(rfc, slug, branch, viewer)
+
     # ------------------------------------------------------------------
     # Permission + state helpers (closures, share `config` etc.)
     # ------------------------------------------------------------------
 
-    def _require_rfc(slug: str, viewer):
-        row = db.conn().execute("SELECT *, (SELECT c.project_id FROM collections c WHERE c.id = cached_rfcs.collection_id) AS project_id FROM cached_rfcs WHERE slug = ?", (slug,)).fetchone()
+    def _check_collection_in_project(project_id: str, collection_id: str) -> None:
+        """§22/G-15: a collection-scoped route 404s when the collection isn't in
+        the named project (matches api_metadata's guard)."""
+        if collections_mod.project_of_collection(collection_id) != project_id:
+            raise HTTPException(404, "Collection not in project")
+
+    def _require_rfc(slug: str, viewer, collection_id: str | None = None):
+        # §22/G-15: when a collection_id is supplied (the collection-scoped
+        # body-read routes), scope the lookup to that collection so a slug that
+        # exists in two collections resolves unambiguously (G-5); otherwise the
+        # legacy slug-only lookup picks the entry by slug alone.
+        if collection_id is not None:
+            row = db.conn().execute(
+                "SELECT *, (SELECT c.project_id FROM collections c WHERE c.id = cached_rfcs.collection_id) AS project_id "
+                "FROM cached_rfcs WHERE slug = ? AND collection_id = ?",
+                (slug, collection_id)).fetchone()
+        else:
+            row = db.conn().execute(
+                "SELECT *, (SELECT c.project_id FROM collections c WHERE c.id = cached_rfcs.collection_id) AS project_id "
+                "FROM cached_rfcs WHERE slug = ?", (slug,)).fetchone()
         if row is None:
             raise HTTPException(404, "RFC not found")
         # §22.5 visibility gate (subtractive, §22.7): a gated project's entries
@@ -1131,13 +1179,13 @@ def make_router(
         auth.require_project_readable(viewer, row["project_id"])
         return row
 
-    def _require_rfc_with_repo(slug: str, viewer):
+    def _require_rfc_with_repo(slug: str, viewer, collection_id: str | None = None):
         """Used by every branch-scoped endpoint. Under the meta-only
         topology (§1) the meta repo is the implicit target for every
         entry — super-draft and active alike — so there is no per-RFC
         repo check. The name is retained for call-site stability; a
         withdrawn entry is still rejected."""
-        row = _require_rfc(slug, viewer)
+        row = _require_rfc(slug, viewer, collection_id)
         if row["state"] == "withdrawn":
             raise HTTPException(409, "RFC is withdrawn")
         return row
@@ -1183,14 +1231,23 @@ def make_router(
         return _is_meta_branch_name(branch)
 
     def _repo_for(rfc, branch: str = "main") -> tuple[str, str]:
+        # §22/G-15: a meta-resident entry's repo is its COLLECTION's project
+        # content_repo (collection → project → content_repo), not the deployment
+        # default — so an entry in a non-default project reads/writes its own
+        # repo. `entry_location` falls back to the default repo for a legacy /
+        # unknown collection, preserving the single-corpus behaviour.
         if _is_meta_target(rfc, branch):
-            return config.gitea_org, (projects_mod.default_content_repo(config) or "")
+            org, repo, _ = projects_mod.entry_location(config, rfc["collection_id"], rfc["slug"])
+            return org, repo
         owner, repo = rfc["repo"].split("/", 1)
         return owner, repo
 
     def _file_path_for(rfc, branch: str = "main") -> str:
+        # §22/G-15: path is the collection's `<subfolder>/rfcs/<slug>.md`
+        # (repo root `rfcs/<slug>.md` for a default collection).
         if _is_meta_target(rfc, branch):
-            return f"rfcs/{rfc['slug']}.md"
+            _, _, path = projects_mod.entry_location(config, rfc["collection_id"], rfc["slug"])
+            return path
         return RFC_FILE_PATH
 
     def _extract_body(rfc, file_contents: str, branch: str = "main") -> str:

backend/app/api_graduation.py

@@ -344,12 +344,14 @@ def make_router(
         # Dual-read the meta-repo entry once (§22.4a sidecar-aware) — we need its
         # git state for the graduation commit and the body to carry through
         # unchanged (meta-only keeps the body in the entry, §13.3).
-        st = await metadata_mod.read_entry_from_git(
-            gitea, config.gitea_org,
-            (projects_mod.default_content_repo(config) or ""), f"rfcs/{slug}.md",
-        )
+        # §22/G-15: resolve the repo+path from the entry's COLLECTION, not the
+        # deployment default, so an entry in a non-default project graduates in
+        # its own content repo / collection subfolder.
+        org, meta_repo, md_path = projects_mod.entry_location(
+            config, rfc["collection_id"], slug)
+        st = await metadata_mod.read_entry_from_git(gitea, org, meta_repo, md_path)
         if st is None:
-            raise HTTPException(409, f"Meta entry rfcs/{slug}.md not found on main")
+            raise HTTPException(409, f"Meta entry {md_path} not found on main")
         super_draft_entry = st.entry
 
         arbiters = json.loads(rfc["arbiters_json"] or "[]") or owners[:1]
@@ -378,7 +380,7 @@ def make_router(
             extra=dict(super_draft_entry.extra),
         )
         graduation_files = metadata_mod.write_entry_files(
-            f"rfcs/{slug}.md", graduated_entry, st)
+            md_path, graduated_entry, st)
 
         state = _new_active(
             slug, rfc_id=rfc_id, owners=owners, arbiters=arbiters,
@@ -398,6 +400,7 @@ def make_router(
         coro = _orchestrate(
             config=config, gitea=gitea, bot=bot,
             actor=viewer.as_actor(), state=state,
+            meta_repo=meta_repo,
             graduation_files=graduation_files,
         )
         if request.query_params.get("_sync") == "1":
@@ -478,21 +481,21 @@ def make_router(
         if already:
             raise HTTPException(409, f"A claim PR is already open: #{already['pr_number']}")
 
-        st = await metadata_mod.read_entry_from_git(
-            gitea, config.gitea_org,
-            (projects_mod.default_content_repo(config) or ""), f"rfcs/{slug}.md",
-        )
+        # §22/G-15: resolve repo+path from the entry's collection, not the default.
+        org, meta_repo, md_path = projects_mod.entry_location(
+            config, rfc["collection_id"], slug)
+        st = await metadata_mod.read_entry_from_git(gitea, org, meta_repo, md_path)
         if st is None:
-            raise HTTPException(409, f"Meta entry rfcs/{slug}.md not found on main")
+            raise HTTPException(409, f"Meta entry {md_path} not found on main")
         if viewer.gitea_login in st.entry.owners:
             return {"ok": True, "noop": True}
         ent = metadata_mod.apply_values(
             st.entry, {"owners": st.entry.owners + [viewer.gitea_login]})
-        files = metadata_mod.write_entry_files(f"rfcs/{slug}.md", ent, st)
+        files = metadata_mod.write_entry_files(md_path, ent, st)
         try:
             pr = await bot.open_claim_pr(
                 viewer.as_actor(),
-                org=config.gitea_org, meta_repo=(projects_mod.default_content_repo(config) or ""),
+                org=org, meta_repo=meta_repo,
                 slug=slug,
                 files=files,
             )
@@ -521,12 +524,15 @@ def make_router(
                 403, "Only this RFC's owners or a site owner may retire it"
             )
         prior_state = rfc["state"]
-        st = await _read_meta_entry(slug)
+        # §22/G-15: resolve repo+path from the entry's collection, not the default.
+        org, meta_repo, md_path = projects_mod.entry_location(
+            config, rfc["collection_id"], slug)
+        st = await _read_meta_entry(org, meta_repo, md_path)
         entry = metadata_mod.apply_values(st.entry, {"state": "retired"})
-        files = metadata_mod.write_entry_files(f"rfcs/{slug}.md", entry, st)
+        files = metadata_mod.write_entry_files(md_path, entry, st)
         await _run_state_flip(
             config=config, gitea=gitea, bot=bot, actor=viewer.as_actor(),
-            slug=slug, files=files,
+            meta_repo=meta_repo, slug=slug, files=files,
             verb="retire", target_state="retired",
         )
         _audit(
@@ -550,14 +556,17 @@ def make_router(
         viewer = auth.require_user(request)
         if viewer.role != "owner":
             raise HTTPException(403, "Only a site owner may un-retire an RFC")
-        _require_retired(slug)
+        rfc = _require_retired(slug)
         restored = _prior_state_before_retire(slug)
-        st = await _read_meta_entry(slug)
+        # §22/G-15: resolve repo+path from the entry's collection, not the default.
+        org, meta_repo, md_path = projects_mod.entry_location(
+            config, rfc["collection_id"], slug)
+        st = await _read_meta_entry(org, meta_repo, md_path)
         entry = metadata_mod.apply_values(st.entry, {"state": restored})
-        files = metadata_mod.write_entry_files(f"rfcs/{slug}.md", entry, st)
+        files = metadata_mod.write_entry_files(md_path, entry, st)
         await _run_state_flip(
             config=config, gitea=gitea, bot=bot, actor=viewer.as_actor(),
-            slug=slug, files=files,
+            meta_repo=meta_repo, slug=slug, files=files,
             verb="unretire", target_state=restored,
         )
         _audit(
@@ -598,16 +607,14 @@ def make_router(
             raise HTTPException(409, f"RFC is {row['state']}, not retired")
         return row
 
-    async def _read_meta_entry(slug: str):
+    async def _read_meta_entry(org: str, repo: str, md_path: str):
         """Dual-read an entry from meta-main → EntryGitState (sidecar-aware,
         §22.4a). A migrated body-only `.md` reads cleanly; never raises on bad
-        metadata (INV-3)."""
-        st = await metadata_mod.read_entry_from_git(
-            gitea, config.gitea_org,
-            (projects_mod.default_content_repo(config) or ""), f"rfcs/{slug}.md",
-        )
+        metadata (INV-3). `org`/`repo`/`md_path` are collection-resolved by the
+        caller (§22/G-15) so a non-default project's entry reads its own repo."""
+        st = await metadata_mod.read_entry_from_git(gitea, org, repo, md_path)
         if st is None:
-            raise HTTPException(409, f"Meta entry rfcs/{slug}.md not found on main")
+            raise HTTPException(409, f"Meta entry {md_path} not found on main")
         return st
 
     async def _refresh_catalog() -> None:
@@ -636,6 +643,7 @@ async def _orchestrate(
     bot: Bot,
     actor: Actor,
     state: GraduationState,
+    meta_repo: str,
     graduation_files: list[dict],
 ) -> None:
     """Open the flip PR, then merge it. Two steps, no transaction:
@@ -654,7 +662,7 @@ async def _orchestrate(
         try:
             pr = await bot.open_graduation_pr(
                 actor,
-                org=config.gitea_org, meta_repo=(projects_mod.default_content_repo(config) or ""),
+                org=config.gitea_org, meta_repo=meta_repo,
                 slug=state.slug,
                 files=graduation_files,
                 rfc_id=state.rfc_id,
@@ -673,14 +681,15 @@ async def _orchestrate(
         try:
             await bot.merge_graduation_pr(
                 actor,
-                org=config.gitea_org, meta_repo=(projects_mod.default_content_repo(config) or ""),
+                org=config.gitea_org, meta_repo=meta_repo,
                 pr_number=state.new_pr_number,
                 head_branch=state.graduation_branch or "",
                 slug=state.slug, rfc_id=state.rfc_id,
             )
         except GiteaError as e:
             await _fail(state, "merge_pr", f"Gitea: {e.detail}")
-            await _cleanup_unmerged(config=config, bot=bot, actor=actor, state=state)
+            await _cleanup_unmerged(
+                config=config, bot=bot, actor=actor, state=state, meta_repo=meta_repo)
             await _finish_failed(state, failed_at="merge_pr", on_behalf_of=actor.gitea_login)
             return
         await _done(state, "merge_pr", f"PR #{state.new_pr_number} merged")
@@ -723,7 +732,7 @@ async def _orchestrate(
 
 
 async def _cleanup_unmerged(
-    *, config: Config, bot: Bot, actor: Actor, state: GraduationState,
+    *, config: Config, bot: Bot, actor: Actor, state: GraduationState, meta_repo: str,
 ) -> None:
     """A merge failure leaves the flip PR open on its `graduate-<slug>-<hex>`
     branch. Close the PR and delete the branch so failed attempts don't
@@ -735,7 +744,7 @@ async def _cleanup_unmerged(
     try:
         await bot.close_graduation_pr(
             actor,
-            org=config.gitea_org, meta_repo=(projects_mod.default_content_repo(config) or ""),
+            org=config.gitea_org, meta_repo=meta_repo,
             pr_number=state.new_pr_number,
             head_branch=state.graduation_branch or "",
             slug=state.slug, reason="graduation merge failed",
@@ -748,7 +757,7 @@ async def _cleanup_unmerged(
             await bot.delete_branch(
                 actor,
                 owner=config.gitea_org,
-                repo=(projects_mod.default_content_repo(config) or ""),
+                repo=meta_repo,
                 branch=branch_name,
                 slug=state.slug,
                 action_kind="delete_post_merge_branch",
@@ -843,6 +852,7 @@ async def _run_state_flip(
     gitea: Gitea,
     bot: Bot,
     actor: Actor,
+    meta_repo: str,
     slug: str,
     files: list[dict],
     verb: str,
@@ -858,7 +868,7 @@ async def _run_state_flip(
     try:
         pr = await bot.open_retire_flip_pr(
             actor,
-            org=config.gitea_org, meta_repo=(projects_mod.default_content_repo(config) or ""),
+            org=config.gitea_org, meta_repo=meta_repo,
             slug=slug, files=files,
             verb=verb, target_state=target_state,
         )
@@ -869,7 +879,7 @@ async def _run_state_flip(
     try:
         await bot.merge_retire_flip_pr(
             actor,
-            org=config.gitea_org, meta_repo=(projects_mod.default_content_repo(config) or ""),
+            org=config.gitea_org, meta_repo=meta_repo,
             pr_number=pr_number, head_branch=head_branch,
             slug=slug, verb=verb,
         )
@@ -878,12 +888,12 @@ async def _run_state_flip(
         # accumulate (mirrors graduation's `_cleanup_unmerged`).
         try:
             await bot.close_graduation_pr(
-                actor, org=config.gitea_org, meta_repo=(projects_mod.default_content_repo(config) or ""),
+                actor, org=config.gitea_org, meta_repo=meta_repo,
                 pr_number=pr_number, head_branch=head_branch,
                 slug=slug, reason=f"{verb} merge failed",
             )
             await bot.delete_branch(
-                actor, owner=config.gitea_org, repo=(projects_mod.default_content_repo(config) or ""),
+                actor, owner=config.gitea_org, repo=meta_repo,
                 branch=head_branch, slug=slug,
                 action_kind="delete_post_merge_branch",
                 reason=f"{verb} merge failed",

backend/app/api_metadata.py

@@ -54,8 +54,13 @@ def _apply_op(entry: Any, op: str, field: str, value: Any) -> Any:
 def make_router(config: Config, gitea: Gitea, bot: Bot) -> APIRouter:
     router = APIRouter()
 
-    def _content_repo() -> tuple[str, str]:
-        return config.gitea_org, (projects_mod.default_content_repo(config) or "")
+    def _content_repo(collection_id: str) -> tuple[str, str]:
+        # §22/G-15: the COLLECTION's project content_repo, not the deployment
+        # default — an entry in a non-default project writes its own repo.
+        # Falls back to the default repo for an unknown collection.
+        repo = (projects_mod.content_repo_for_collection(collection_id)
+                or (projects_mod.default_content_repo(config) or ""))
+        return config.gitea_org, repo
 
     def _md_path(collection_id: str, slug: str) -> str:
         sub = collections_mod.subfolder_of(collection_id) or ""
@@ -83,7 +88,7 @@ def make_router(config: Config, gitea: Gitea, bot: Bot) -> APIRouter:
         if unknown:
             raise HTTPException(422, f"Unknown field(s): {', '.join(sorted(unknown))}")
 
-        org, repo = _content_repo()
+        org, repo = _content_repo(collection_id)
         md_path = _md_path(collection_id, slug)
         st = await metadata_mod.read_entry_from_git(gitea, org, repo, md_path)
         if st is None:
@@ -144,7 +149,7 @@ def make_router(config: Config, gitea: Gitea, bot: Bot) -> APIRouter:
         if body.op in ("add", "remove") and fields[body.field].get("type") != "tags":
             raise HTTPException(422, f"op {body.op} requires a tags field")
 
-        org, repo = _content_repo()
+        org, repo = _content_repo(collection_id)
         applied: list[str] = []
         rejected: list[dict[str, str]] = []
         all_ops: list[dict[str, Any]] = []
@@ -195,7 +200,7 @@ def make_router(config: Config, gitea: Gitea, bot: Bot) -> APIRouter:
             raise HTTPException(404, "Collection not in project")
         if not auth.is_collection_superuser(viewer, collection_id):
             raise HTTPException(403, "Owner access required to migrate a collection")
-        org, repo = _content_repo()
+        org, repo = _content_repo(collection_id)
         subfolder = collections_mod.subfolder_of(collection_id) or ""
         try:
             result = await metadata_mod.migrate_collection(

backend/app/api_prs.py

@@ -690,14 +690,20 @@ def make_router(
         return not rfc["repo"]
 
     def _owner_repo(rfc) -> tuple[str, str]:
+        # §22/G-15: a meta-resident entry's repo is its COLLECTION's project
+        # content_repo, not the deployment default (entry_location falls back to
+        # the default for a legacy/unknown collection).
         if _is_meta_resident(rfc):
-            return config.gitea_org, (projects_mod.default_content_repo(config) or "")
+            org, repo, _ = projects_mod.entry_location(config, rfc["collection_id"], rfc["slug"])
+            return org, repo
         owner, repo = rfc["repo"].split("/", 1)
         return owner, repo
 
     def _file_path_for(rfc) -> str:
+        # §22/G-15: the collection's `<subfolder>/rfcs/<slug>.md`.
         if _is_meta_resident(rfc):
-            return f"rfcs/{rfc['slug']}.md"
+            _, _, path = projects_mod.entry_location(config, rfc["collection_id"], rfc["slug"])
+            return path
         return RFC_FILE_PATH
 
     def _extract_body(rfc, file_contents: str) -> str:

backend/app/auth.py

@@ -145,6 +145,19 @@ def provision_user(config: Config, profile: dict[str, Any]) -> SessionUser:
 
     c = db.conn()
     existing = c.execute("SELECT * FROM users WHERE gitea_id = ?", (gitea_id,)).fetchone()
+    # No row for this gitea_id yet. A prior OTC sign-in (`provision_or_link_user`)
+    # may have created an email-only row with this same email and `gitea_id`
+    # NULL; `idx_users_email` is a unique index, so a blind INSERT below would
+    # raise IntegrityError and 500 the OAuth callback. Reconcile by email: link
+    # the OAuth identity onto that existing row instead. Mirror of the OTC
+    # linker, which links an OAuth-era email row on first OTC sign-in.
+    linked = False
+    if existing is None and email:
+        existing = c.execute(
+            "SELECT * FROM users WHERE email = ? COLLATE NOCASE AND gitea_id IS NULL LIMIT 1",
+            (email,),
+        ).fetchone()
+        linked = existing is not None
     if existing is None:
         role = "owner" if config.owner_gitea_login and login == config.owner_gitea_login else "contributor"
         # v0.8.0: a fresh OAuth-provisioned user is also subject to
@@ -166,15 +179,26 @@ def provision_user(config: Config, profile: dict[str, Any]) -> SessionUser:
         permission_state = "granted"
     else:
         user_id = existing["id"]
-        role = existing["role"]
+        # On a fresh link this OAuth sign-in is the row's first, so apply the
+        # §6.1 owner-zero bootstrap (matching the INSERT path). For a row already
+        # matched by gitea_id the role is settled — preserve it. `permission_state`
+        # is preserved either way: linking an OAuth identity onto an existing
+        # email row must not silently change the human's admission status.
+        if linked and config.owner_gitea_login and login == config.owner_gitea_login:
+            role = "owner"
+        else:
+            role = existing["role"]
         permission_state = existing["permission_state"] or "granted"
+        # Setting `gitea_id` matters only on the link path (it was NULL); on the
+        # gitea_id-matched path it re-writes the same value. `role` is likewise a
+        # no-op there. Always refresh the mutable profile fields + last_seen.
         c.execute(
             """
             UPDATE users
-               SET gitea_login = ?, email = ?, display_name = ?, avatar_url = ?, last_seen_at = datetime('now')
+               SET gitea_id = ?, gitea_login = ?, email = ?, display_name = ?, avatar_url = ?, role = ?, last_seen_at = datetime('now')
              WHERE id = ?
             """,
-            (login, email, display, avatar, user_id),
+            (gitea_id, login, email, display, avatar, role, user_id),
         )
 
     return SessionUser(

backend/app/bot.py

@@ -450,17 +450,19 @@ class Bot:
         org: str,
         meta_repo: str,
         slug: str,
+        file_path: str,
         new_file_contents: str,
         prior_sha: str,
         pr_title: str,
         pr_description: str,
     ) -> dict:
         """Per §9.5: a metadata-pane edit (title or tags) on a super-draft
-        opens a tiny meta-repo PR that touches only the frontmatter of
-        `rfcs/<slug>.md`. One commit, one PR, easy to triage. The branch
-        name uses the dash-separated `metadata-<slug>-<6hex>` shape — same
-        routing-friendly form Slice 4 picked for edit branches per the
-        §19.2 path-routing candidate.
+        opens a tiny meta-repo PR that touches only the frontmatter of the
+        entry's `.md`. `file_path` is the collection-resolved path (§22/G-15:
+        `<subfolder>/rfcs/<slug>.md`), not assumed to be at the repo root. One
+        commit, one PR, easy to triage. The branch name uses the dash-separated
+        `metadata-<slug>-<6hex>` shape — same routing-friendly form Slice 4
+        picked for edit branches per the §19.2 path-routing candidate.
         """
         import secrets
 
@@ -471,7 +473,7 @@ class Bot:
         result = await self._gitea.update_file(
             org,
             meta_repo,
-            f"rfcs/{slug}.md",
+            file_path,
             content=new_file_contents,
             sha=prior_sha,
             message=commit_message,
@@ -1210,13 +1212,18 @@ class Bot:
         slug: str,
         reviewed_by: str,
         reviewed_at: str,
+        file_path: str | None = None,
     ) -> None:
         """Clear §22.4c unreviewed on an active entry by writing its metadata
         sidecar on main (§22.4a). Dual-reads the entry (so a migrated body-only
         `.md` doesn't crash) and lazy-migrates a legacy `.md` to body-only in the
         same commit. Stamps the §6.5 On-behalf-of trailer and writes an
-        actions-log row, mirroring the graduation stamp's bot-write shape."""
-        path = f"rfcs/{slug}.md"
+        actions-log row, mirroring the graduation stamp's bot-write shape.
+
+        `file_path` is the collection-resolved entry path (§22/G-15:
+        `<subfolder>/rfcs/<slug>.md`); it defaults to the repo-root
+        `rfcs/<slug>.md` for the legacy single-corpus / default-collection case."""
+        path = file_path or f"rfcs/{slug}.md"
         st = await metadata_mod.read_entry_from_git(self._gitea, org, meta_repo, path)
         if st is None:
             raise GiteaError(404, f"{path} not found")

backend/app/cache.py

@@ -426,73 +426,85 @@ async def refresh_meta_branches(config: Config, gitea: Gitea) -> None:
     of slashes per the §19.2 path-routing candidate.
     """
     org = config.gitea_org
-    repo = projects_mod.default_content_repo(config)
-    if not repo:
-        log.warning("refresh_meta_branches: default project has no content_repo yet; skipping")
-        return
-    try:
-        branches = await gitea.list_branches(org, repo)
-    except GiteaError as e:
-        log.warning("refresh_meta_branches: %s", e)
+    # §22/G-15: scan EVERY project's content_repo (not just the default), so an
+    # entry in a non-default project gets its edit branches + synthesized `main`
+    # row cached and its branch dropdown / has-commits-ahead check work. Mirrors
+    # refresh_meta_pulls' per-project loop.
+    prows = db.conn().execute(
+        "SELECT id, content_repo FROM projects WHERE content_repo IS NOT NULL AND content_repo != ''"
+    ).fetchall()
+    if not prows:
+        log.warning("refresh_meta_branches: no projects with a content_repo yet; skipping")
         return
 
-    meta_main_sha = ""
-    meta_main_ts = None
     edit_keys_seen: set[tuple[str, str]] = set()
-    for b in branches:
-        name = b.get("name") or ""
-        head_sha = (b.get("commit") or {}).get("id") or ""
-        last_commit_at = (b.get("commit") or {}).get("timestamp")
-        if name == "main":
-            meta_main_sha = head_sha
-            meta_main_ts = last_commit_at
+    for prow in prows:
+        repo = prow["content_repo"]
+        try:
+            branches = await gitea.list_branches(org, repo)
+        except GiteaError as e:
+            log.warning("refresh_meta_branches: %s (%s)", e, repo)
             continue
-        slug = _slug_from_branch_name(name)
-        if not slug:
-            continue
-        rfc = db.conn().execute(
-            "SELECT state, repo FROM cached_rfcs WHERE slug = ?", (slug,)
-        ).fetchone()
-        # Meta-only topology (§1): edit branches live on the meta repo for
-        # every meta-resident entry — super-drafts and active RFCs alike
-        # (active RFCs are graduated in place and keep editing here, §13).
-        # A legacy per-RFC repo (repo set) is the only thing excluded.
-        if not rfc or rfc["repo"] or rfc["state"] not in ("super-draft", "active"):
-            continue
-        edit_keys_seen.add((slug, name))
-        db.conn().execute(
-            """
-            INSERT INTO cached_branches (rfc_slug, branch_name, head_sha, state, last_commit_at)
-            VALUES (?, ?, ?, 'open', ?)
-            ON CONFLICT(collection_id, rfc_slug, branch_name) DO UPDATE SET
-                head_sha = excluded.head_sha,
-                state = CASE WHEN cached_branches.state = 'closed' THEN 'closed' ELSE 'open' END,
-                last_commit_at = excluded.last_commit_at
-            """,
-            (slug, name, head_sha, last_commit_at),
-        )
 
-    # Synthesize a per-slug `main` row for every super-draft entry, so the
-    # §10.1 has-commits-ahead check in api_prs.py works uniformly. The
-    # head_sha is the meta-repo main's tip — every super-draft edit branch
-    # diverges from this single point.
-    if meta_main_sha:
-        super_drafts = db.conn().execute(
-            "SELECT slug FROM cached_rfcs "
-            "WHERE repo IS NULL AND state IN ('super-draft', 'active')"
-        ).fetchall()
-        for r in super_drafts:
+        meta_main_sha = ""
+        meta_main_ts = None
+        for b in branches:
+            name = b.get("name") or ""
+            head_sha = (b.get("commit") or {}).get("id") or ""
+            last_commit_at = (b.get("commit") or {}).get("timestamp")
+            if name == "main":
+                meta_main_sha = head_sha
+                meta_main_ts = last_commit_at
+                continue
+            slug = _slug_from_branch_name(name)
+            if not slug:
+                continue
+            rfc = db.conn().execute(
+                "SELECT state, repo FROM cached_rfcs WHERE slug = ?", (slug,)
+            ).fetchone()
+            # Meta-only topology (§1): edit branches live on the content repo for
+            # every meta-resident entry — super-drafts and active RFCs alike
+            # (active RFCs are graduated in place and keep editing here, §13).
+            # A legacy per-RFC repo (repo set) is the only thing excluded.
+            if not rfc or rfc["repo"] or rfc["state"] not in ("super-draft", "active"):
+                continue
+            edit_keys_seen.add((slug, name))
             db.conn().execute(
                 """
                 INSERT INTO cached_branches (rfc_slug, branch_name, head_sha, state, last_commit_at)
-                VALUES (?, 'main', ?, 'open', ?)
+                VALUES (?, ?, ?, 'open', ?)
                 ON CONFLICT(collection_id, rfc_slug, branch_name) DO UPDATE SET
                     head_sha = excluded.head_sha,
+                    state = CASE WHEN cached_branches.state = 'closed' THEN 'closed' ELSE 'open' END,
                     last_commit_at = excluded.last_commit_at
                 """,
-                (r["slug"], meta_main_sha, meta_main_ts),
+                (slug, name, head_sha, last_commit_at),
             )
 
+        # Synthesize a per-slug `main` row for this project's super-draft/active
+        # entries, so the §10.1 has-commits-ahead check works uniformly. The
+        # head_sha is this content repo's main tip — every edit branch in the
+        # project diverges from that single point.
+        if meta_main_sha:
+            super_drafts = db.conn().execute(
+                "SELECT r.slug AS slug FROM cached_rfcs r "
+                "JOIN collections c ON c.id = r.collection_id "
+                "WHERE r.repo IS NULL AND r.state IN ('super-draft', 'active') "
+                "  AND c.project_id = ?",
+                (prow["id"],),
+            ).fetchall()
+            for r in super_drafts:
+                db.conn().execute(
+                    """
+                    INSERT INTO cached_branches (rfc_slug, branch_name, head_sha, state, last_commit_at)
+                    VALUES (?, 'main', ?, 'open', ?)
+                    ON CONFLICT(collection_id, rfc_slug, branch_name) DO UPDATE SET
+                        head_sha = excluded.head_sha,
+                        last_commit_at = excluded.last_commit_at
+                    """,
+                    (r["slug"], meta_main_sha, meta_main_ts),
+                )
+
     # Mark previously-known edit branches that disappeared as deleted per
     # §11.5 / §12. Keep the row so chat history survives the branch's
     # deletion in Gitea.
@@ -786,7 +798,7 @@ class Reconciler:
         log.info("reconciler: starting sweep")
         try:
             try:
-                await registry_mod.refresh_registry(self._config, self._gitea)
+                await registry_mod.refresh_registry(self._config, self._gitea, prune=True)
             except Exception:
                 log.exception("reconciler: registry refresh failed; keeping last-good projects")
             await refresh_meta_repo(self._config, self._gitea)

backend/app/hygiene.py

@@ -293,20 +293,21 @@ async def _delete_branch_via_bot(
     (we leave the branch row in place — a subsequent reconciler sweep
     will reconcile or the operator can intervene)."""
     rfc = db.conn().execute(
-        "SELECT state, repo FROM cached_rfcs WHERE slug = ?", (slug,)
+        "SELECT state, repo, collection_id FROM cached_rfcs WHERE slug = ?", (slug,)
     ).fetchone()
     if rfc is None:
         log.warning("hygiene: cannot delete %s/%s — slug missing from cache", slug, branch)
         return False
     if not rfc["repo"]:
-        repo = projects_mod.default_content_repo(config)
+        # §22/G-15: the edit/graduation branch lives on the entry's COLLECTION's
+        # project content_repo, not the deployment default.
+        owner, repo, _ = projects_mod.entry_location(config, rfc["collection_id"], slug)
         if not repo:
             log.warning(
-                "hygiene: default project has no content_repo; skipping branch delete for %s/%s",
+                "hygiene: no content_repo resolved; skipping branch delete for %s/%s",
                 slug, branch,
             )
             return False
-        owner = config.gitea_org
     elif "/" in rfc["repo"]:
         owner, repo = rfc["repo"].split("/", 1)
     else:

backend/app/main.py

@@ -133,7 +133,7 @@ async def lifespan(app: FastAPI):
     # (loud-fail per separation-of-concerns); the reconciler sweep keeps it
     # fresh thereafter and tolerates a later bad PR.
     try:
-        await registry_mod.refresh_registry(config, gitea)
+        await registry_mod.refresh_registry(config, gitea, prune=True)
     except Exception as e:
         raise RuntimeError(
             f"registry mirror failed at startup ({config.registry_repo_full}/projects.yaml): {e}"

backend/app/projects.py

@@ -181,6 +181,98 @@ def reconcile_default_collection_id(config: Config) -> None:
     )
 
 
+def prune_absent_projects(config: Config, present_ids: set[str]) -> list[str]:
+    """Delete projects the registry no longer declares, plus their collections
+    and every project-scoped row. Whole-project granularity only.
+
+    `present_ids` is the authoritative set of project ids from the just-parsed
+    registry. Safety is structural: the only caller (`registry.refresh_registry`)
+    raises on a read/transport error, and `parse_registry` rejects an empty
+    project list — so this is reached ONLY after a real, non-empty registry has
+    been parsed. A transient registry-read failure therefore can't trigger a wipe.
+    The default project is never pruned regardless of what the registry says.
+
+    Whole-project, not per-collection/entry: a project still present keeps all its
+    rows here. Pruning individual entries within a present project belongs to the
+    best-effort content cache (whose list can transiently fail), not to this.
+
+    Mirrors `restamp_default_project`'s FK-off + `foreign_key_check` pattern. After
+    029 the entry-corpus tables key on `collection_id` (not `project_id`), so the
+    delete spans three discovered sets — project_id-keyed tables, collection_id-
+    keyed tables (keyed to the stale projects' collections), and the lone non-keyed
+    descendant `thread_messages` (FK→threads) — in one transaction with FK
+    enforcement off and a `foreign_key_check` backstop that rolls back on any
+    dangling reference (so an incomplete delete fails loudly rather than corrupts).
+    Returns the pruned project ids (empty when nothing is stale).
+    """
+    keep = set(present_ids)
+    keep.add(resolved_default_id(config))
+    keep.add(DEFAULT_PROJECT_ID)
+    conn = db.conn()
+    stale = [
+        r["id"] for r in conn.execute("SELECT id FROM projects").fetchall()
+        if r["id"] not in keep
+    ]
+    if not stale:
+        return []
+
+    stale_collections = [
+        r["id"] for r in conn.execute(
+            f"SELECT id FROM collections WHERE project_id IN ({','.join('?' * len(stale))})",
+            stale,
+        ).fetchall()
+    ]
+    tables = [r["name"] for r in conn.execute("SELECT name FROM sqlite_master WHERE type='table'")]
+
+    def _has(table: str, col: str) -> bool:
+        return any(c["name"] == col for c in conn.execute(f"PRAGMA table_info({table})"))
+
+    pid_tables = [t for t in tables if t != "projects" and _has(t, "project_id")]
+    cid_tables = [t for t in tables if _has(t, "collection_id")]
+    p_ph = ",".join("?" * len(stale))
+    c_ph = ",".join("?" * len(stale_collections)) if stale_collections else ""
+
+    conn.execute("PRAGMA foreign_keys = OFF")
+    try:
+        conn.execute("BEGIN")
+        # Non-keyed descendant: thread_messages hangs off threads(id), which is
+        # project_id-keyed below. Clear it first by thread lineage.
+        conn.execute(
+            f"DELETE FROM thread_messages WHERE thread_id IN "
+            f"(SELECT id FROM threads WHERE project_id IN ({p_ph}))",
+            stale,
+        )
+        if stale_collections:
+            for t in cid_tables:
+                conn.execute(
+                    f"DELETE FROM {t} WHERE collection_id IN ({c_ph})", stale_collections
+                )
+        for t in pid_tables:  # includes collections + cached_prs + threads/changes/…
+            conn.execute(f"DELETE FROM {t} WHERE project_id IN ({p_ph})", stale)
+        conn.execute(f"DELETE FROM projects WHERE id IN ({p_ph})", stale)
+        violations = conn.execute("PRAGMA foreign_key_check").fetchall()
+        if violations:
+            conn.execute("ROLLBACK")
+            raise RuntimeError(
+                f"prune left foreign-key violations: {[tuple(v) for v in violations]}"
+            )
+        conn.execute("COMMIT")
+    except Exception:
+        try:
+            conn.execute("ROLLBACK")
+        except Exception:
+            pass
+        raise
+    finally:
+        conn.execute("PRAGMA foreign_keys = ON")
+    log.warning(
+        "prune: removed %d project(s) absent from the registry: %s "
+        "(%d collection(s), across %d project- + %d collection-keyed tables)",
+        len(stale), stale, len(stale_collections), len(pid_tables), len(cid_tables),
+    )
+    return stale
+
+
 def default_content_repo(config: Config) -> str | None:
     """The content repo the single-corpus mirror reads, from the default
     project's row (filled by the registry mirror). Replaces the retired
@@ -201,6 +293,37 @@ def content_repo(project_id: str) -> str | None:
     return row["content_repo"] if row and row["content_repo"] else None
 
 
+def content_repo_for_collection(collection_id: str) -> str | None:
+    """The content repo a collection's entries live in (§22 three-tier write
+    path, G-15): collection → project → content_repo. None if the collection or
+    its project is unknown/unset. The per-collection successor to
+    `default_content_repo` for the WRITE path — an entry in a non-default
+    project must read/write that project's repo, not the deployment default."""
+    from . import collections as collections_mod
+    pid = collections_mod.project_of_collection(collection_id)
+    return content_repo(pid) if pid else None
+
+
+def entry_location(config: Config, collection_id: str, slug: str) -> tuple[str, str, str]:
+    """The git location `(gitea_org, content_repo, md_path)` of an entry, resolved
+    from its collection (§22 three-tier, G-15).
+
+    Repo: the collection's project content_repo, falling back to the deployment
+    default project's repo when the collection (or its project) is unknown — so a
+    legacy/single-corpus entry still resolves to a usable location rather than an
+    empty repo. Path: `<subfolder>/rfcs/<slug>.md`, or `rfcs/<slug>.md` at the
+    repo root for a default (subfolder-less) collection.
+
+    This is the single resolver the branch/edit/body/metadata/graduation write
+    paths share, replacing the hardcoded `default_content_repo` + `rfcs/<slug>.md`.
+    """
+    from . import collections as collections_mod
+    repo = content_repo_for_collection(collection_id) or (default_content_repo(config) or "")
+    sub = collections_mod.subfolder_of(collection_id)
+    rfcs_dir = f"{sub}/rfcs" if sub else "rfcs"
+    return config.gitea_org, repo, f"{rfcs_dir}/{slug}.md"
+
+
 def project_initial_state(project_id: str) -> str:
     """§22.4b landing state for new entries in a project's default collection
     (the per-corpus field moved down to the collection in migration 029).

backend/app/registry.py

@@ -333,11 +333,18 @@ async def _mirror_named_collections(config: Config, gitea: Gitea, doc: RegistryD
             _upsert_named_collection(proj, subdir, ce, sha)
 
 
-async def refresh_registry(config: Config, gitea: Gitea) -> None:
+async def refresh_registry(config: Config, gitea: Gitea, *, prune: bool = False) -> None:
     """Mirror REGISTRY_REPO/projects.yaml into projects + deployment.
 
     Idempotent. Raises RegistryError on a missing/invalid file and GiteaError
     on transport failure; the caller chooses fatal-vs-tolerated.
+
+    `prune=True` additionally removes projects the registry no longer declares
+    (and their collections + entries) — see `projects.prune_absent_projects`.
+    It is OFF by default and enabled only on the full-reconcile triggers
+    (startup + the periodic sweep), never on incidental refreshes (a collection
+    create, a webhook) that don't change the project set — keeping the
+    destructive sweep on the few code paths that mean "reconcile to the registry."
     """
     item = await gitea.get_contents(
         config.gitea_org, config.registry_repo, "projects.yaml", ref="main"
@@ -355,4 +362,18 @@ async def refresh_registry(config: Config, gitea: Gitea) -> None:
     apply_registry(doc, sha, projects_mod.resolved_default_id(config))
     # §22 S2: discover + upsert named collections from each content repo.
     await _mirror_named_collections(config, gitea, doc, sha)
-    log.info("registry: mirrored %d project(s) at %s", len(doc.projects), sha)
+    # Prune projects the registry no longer declares (additive-only was a §9
+    # fragility — a re-pin to a new registry stranded the old projects' entries,
+    # starving writes). Safe here: we only reach this line after a successful
+    # parse of a non-empty registry (parse_registry rejects an empty project list
+    # and the read above raises on transport failure), so a transient failure
+    # never prunes. Whole-project granularity; the default project is never pruned.
+    pruned = (
+        projects_mod.prune_absent_projects(config, {e.id for e in doc.projects})
+        if prune else []
+    )
+    log.info(
+        "registry: mirrored %d project(s) at %s%s",
+        len(doc.projects), sha,
+        f"; pruned {len(pruned)} absent: {pruned}" if pruned else "",
+    )

backend/app/webhooks.py

@@ -80,10 +80,17 @@ def make_router(config: Config, gitea: Gitea) -> APIRouter:
             payload = {}
         repo_full = (payload.get("repository") or {}).get("full_name") or ""
         registry_full = f"{config.gitea_org}/{config.registry_repo}"
-        content_repo = projects_mod.default_content_repo(config)
-        if not content_repo:
-            log.warning("webhook: default project content_repo is unknown; corpus refresh skipped")
-        content_full = f"{config.gitea_org}/{content_repo}" if content_repo else None
+        # §22/G-15: a corpus push can land on ANY project's content_repo, not
+        # just the default — recognise the full set so a non-default project's
+        # push triggers the (multi-project) corpus/branch/PR refresh.
+        content_fulls = {
+            f"{config.gitea_org}/{r['content_repo']}"
+            for r in db.conn().execute(
+                "SELECT content_repo FROM projects "
+                "WHERE content_repo IS NOT NULL AND content_repo != ''")
+        }
+        if not content_fulls:
+            log.warning("webhook: no project content_repo is known; corpus refresh skipped")
         try:
             if repo_full == registry_full:
                 # §22.2: a registry-repo push re-mirrors the projects table.
@@ -94,7 +101,7 @@ def make_router(config: Config, gitea: Gitea) -> APIRouter:
                     await registry_mod.refresh_registry(config, gitea)
                 except registry_mod.RegistryError:
                     log.exception("registry webhook: invalid projects.yaml; keeping last-good")
-            elif content_full and (repo_full == content_full or not repo_full):
+            elif content_fulls and (repo_full in content_fulls or not repo_full):
                 await cache.refresh_meta_repo(config, gitea)
                 await cache.refresh_meta_branches(config, gitea)
                 await cache.refresh_meta_pulls(config, gitea)

backend/requirements.txt

@@ -9,3 +9,11 @@ google-generativeai>=0.8
 openai>=1.50
 PyYAML>=6.0
 bcrypt>=4.2
+
+# Transitive-dependency security floors (Patchwatch #37/#38/#39/#40).
+# tqdm and idna arrive transitively; these floor-pins force resolution to
+# the patched versions so the deployed environment clears the advisories.
+# tqdm>=4.66.3 covers GHSA-r7q7-xcjw-qx8q, GHSA-g7vv-2v7x-gj9p, PYSEC-2017-74.
+# idna>=3.15 covers GHSA-65pc-fj4g-8rjx (CVE-2024-3651 bypass).
+tqdm>=4.66.3
+idna>=3.15

backend/tests/test_g15_branch_collection_scoped.py

@@ -0,0 +1,192 @@
+"""G-15 — the branch/body subsystem is three-tier (project/collection) aware.
+
+Before G-15 the branch-body GET resolved every meta-resident entry to the
+default project's content repo at `rfcs/<slug>.md`, so an entry in a named
+collection (subfolder) or a non-default project's repo rendered a BLANK
+canonical body and its edit/PR/body-write paths hit the wrong file. These tests
+seed entries outside the default collection and assert the collection-scoped
+body-read routes (and the now-collection-aware slug-only routes) read the
+correct repo + subfolder.
+"""
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import asyncio
+
+from app import cache as cache_mod, db, gitea as gitea_mod
+from app.config import load_config
+
+from fastapi.testclient import TestClient  # noqa: E402
+from test_propose_vertical import (  # noqa: E402,F401
+    app_with_fake_gitea, tmp_env, provision_user_row, sign_in_as,
+)
+
+
+def _entry_md(slug, title, state="active"):
+    return f"---\nslug: {slug}\ntitle: {title}\nstate: {state}\n---\nthe canonical body\n"
+
+
+def _add_features_collection():
+    """A named 'features' collection (subfolder 'features') under the seeded
+    default project — same content repo ('meta'), distinct subfolder."""
+    db.conn().execute(
+        "INSERT OR REPLACE INTO collections (id, project_id, type, subfolder, "
+        "initial_state, visibility, name, created_at, updated_at) VALUES "
+        "('features','default','document','features','super-draft','public','Features', "
+        "datetime('now'), datetime('now'))")
+
+
+def _add_distinct_project():
+    """A second project with its OWN content repo + a default (root) collection
+    — the live OHM dogfood shape (rfc-app project at rfc-app-content)."""
+    db.conn().execute(
+        "INSERT OR REPLACE INTO projects (id, name, content_repo, visibility, updated_at) "
+        "VALUES ('rfc-app','RFC App','rfc-app-content','public', datetime('now'))")
+    db.conn().execute(
+        "INSERT OR REPLACE INTO collections (id, project_id, type, subfolder, "
+        "initial_state, visibility, name, created_at, updated_at) VALUES "
+        "('rfc-app','rfc-app','document','','super-draft','public','RFC App', "
+        "datetime('now'), datetime('now'))")
+
+
+def _mirror():
+    cfg = load_config()
+    asyncio.run(cache_mod.refresh_meta_repo(cfg, gitea_mod.Gitea(cfg)))
+
+
+# --- named collection (subfolder) under the default project -------------------
+
+def test_branch_view_named_collection_reads_subfolder(app_with_fake_gitea):
+    app, fake = app_with_fake_gitea
+    with TestClient(app) as client:
+        _add_features_collection()
+        fake.files[("wiggleverse", "meta", "main", "features/rfcs/feat.md")] = {
+            "content": _entry_md("feat", "Feature Entry"), "sha": "sf"}
+        _mirror()
+        # cached_rfcs is keyed by the named collection.
+        assert db.conn().execute(
+            "SELECT collection_id FROM cached_rfcs WHERE slug='feat'"
+        ).fetchone()["collection_id"] == "features"
+
+        # Collection-scoped branch view renders the body (was blank pre-G-15).
+        r = client.get(
+            "/api/projects/default/collections/features/rfcs/feat/branches/main")
+        assert r.status_code == 200, r.text
+        assert r.json()["body"] == "the canonical body\n"
+
+        # The slug-only legacy route is now collection-aware too: it resolves
+        # the entry's own subfolder via the cached row, so it also renders.
+        r2 = client.get("/api/rfcs/feat/branches/main")
+        assert r2.status_code == 200, r2.text
+        assert r2.json()["body"] == "the canonical body\n"
+
+
+def test_main_view_named_collection_scoped_route(app_with_fake_gitea):
+    app, fake = app_with_fake_gitea
+    with TestClient(app) as client:
+        _add_features_collection()
+        fake.files[("wiggleverse", "meta", "main", "features/rfcs/feat.md")] = {
+            "content": _entry_md("feat", "Feature Entry"), "sha": "sf"}
+        _mirror()
+        r = client.get("/api/projects/default/collections/features/rfcs/feat/main")
+        assert r.status_code == 200, r.text
+        assert r.json()["title"] == "Feature Entry"
+
+
+# --- non-default project with a DISTINCT content repo (the OHM dogfood) -------
+
+def test_branch_view_distinct_project_repo(app_with_fake_gitea):
+    app, fake = app_with_fake_gitea
+    with TestClient(app) as client:
+        _add_distinct_project()
+        fake.files[("wiggleverse", "rfc-app-content", "main", "rfcs/scoped.md")] = {
+            "content": _entry_md("scoped", "Scoped Admin IA"), "sha": "s1"}
+        _mirror()
+        assert db.conn().execute(
+            "SELECT collection_id FROM cached_rfcs WHERE slug='scoped'"
+        ).fetchone()["collection_id"] == "rfc-app"
+
+        # Scoped read resolves the entry's OWN content repo (rfc-app-content).
+        r = client.get(
+            "/api/projects/rfc-app/collections/rfc-app/rfcs/scoped/branches/main")
+        assert r.status_code == 200, r.text
+        assert r.json()["body"] == "the canonical body\n"
+
+        # And the slug-only route resolves the right repo via the cached row.
+        r2 = client.get("/api/rfcs/scoped/branches/main")
+        assert r2.status_code == 200, r2.text
+        assert r2.json()["body"] == "the canonical body\n"
+
+
+# --- guards + regression ------------------------------------------------------
+
+def test_scoped_branch_route_404_for_collection_outside_project(app_with_fake_gitea):
+    app, _ = app_with_fake_gitea
+    with TestClient(app) as client:
+        r = client.get(
+            "/api/projects/default/collections/nope/rfcs/x/branches/main")
+        assert r.status_code == 404
+
+
+def _seed_super_draft_in_collection(fake, *, slug, collection_id, subfolder, owners):
+    import json as _json
+
+    import yaml
+    md_path = f"{subfolder}/rfcs/{slug}.md" if subfolder else f"rfcs/{slug}.md"
+    fm = {"slug": slug, "title": slug.title(), "state": "super-draft", "id": None,
+          "repo": None, "proposed_by": owners[0], "proposed_at": "2026-05-23",
+          "graduated_at": None, "graduated_by": None,
+          "owners": owners, "arbiters": owners[:1], "tags": []}
+    body = "the body\n"
+    text = f"---\n{yaml.safe_dump(fm, sort_keys=False).rstrip()}\n---\n\n{body}"
+    sha = fake._next_sha()
+    fake.files[("wiggleverse", "meta", "main", md_path)] = {"content": text, "sha": sha}
+    db.conn().execute(
+        "INSERT OR REPLACE INTO cached_rfcs (slug, title, state, rfc_id, repo, "
+        "proposed_by, proposed_at, owners_json, arbiters_json, tags_json, body, "
+        "body_sha, collection_id, last_main_commit_at, last_entry_commit_at) "
+        "VALUES (?,?, 'super-draft', NULL, NULL, ?, '2026-05-23', ?, ?, '[]', ?, ?, ?, "
+        "datetime('now'), datetime('now'))",
+        (slug, slug.title(), owners[0], _json.dumps(owners), _json.dumps(owners[:1]),
+         body, sha, collection_id))
+
+
+def test_graduate_in_named_collection_writes_to_subfolder(app_with_fake_gitea):
+    """G-15 write path: graduating a super-draft that lives in a named
+    collection flips the entry in that collection's `<subfolder>/rfcs/<slug>.md`,
+    not the default `rfcs/<slug>.md`."""
+    app, fake = app_with_fake_gitea
+    with TestClient(app) as client:
+        _add_features_collection()
+        provision_user_row(user_id=1, login="ben", role="owner")
+        _seed_super_draft_in_collection(
+            fake, slug="gradme", collection_id="features", subfolder="features",
+            owners=["ben"])
+        sign_in_as(client, user_id=1, gitea_login="ben", display_name="Ben",
+                   role="owner", email="ben@x")
+        r = client.post("/api/rfcs/gradme/graduate?_sync=1",
+                        json={"rfc_id": "RFC-0007", "owners": ["ben"]})
+        assert r.status_code == 200, r.text
+        # The flip landed in the collection's subfolder, not the repo root.
+        sc = fake.files.get(
+            ("wiggleverse", "meta", "main", "features/rfcs/gradme.meta.yaml"))
+        assert sc is not None, "sidecar not written under the collection subfolder"
+        import yaml as _yaml
+        assert _yaml.safe_load(sc["content"])["state"] == "active"
+        # Nothing was written to the default repo-root path.
+        assert ("wiggleverse", "meta", "main", "rfcs/gradme.meta.yaml") not in fake.files
+
+
+def test_default_collection_entry_still_renders(app_with_fake_gitea):
+    """Regression: the default-collection path (repo root `rfcs/<slug>.md` in
+    the default content repo) is unchanged by the G-15 resolution."""
+    app, fake = app_with_fake_gitea
+    with TestClient(app) as client:
+        fake.files[("wiggleverse", "meta", "main", "rfcs/base.md")] = {
+            "content": _entry_md("base", "Baseline"), "sha": "sb"}
+        _mirror()
+        r = client.get("/api/rfcs/base/branches/main")
+        assert r.status_code == 200, r.text
+        assert r.json()["body"] == "the canonical body\n"
+        r2 = client.get("/api/projects/default/collections/default/rfcs/base/branches/main")
+        assert r2.status_code == 200, r2.text
+        assert r2.json()["body"] == "the canonical body\n"

backend/tests/test_g15_entry_location.py

@@ -0,0 +1,108 @@
+"""G-15 — the §22 three-tier write-path resolver.
+
+`projects.content_repo_for_collection` and `projects.entry_location` resolve an
+entry's git location (org, content_repo, md_path) from its *collection*
+(collection → project → content_repo, plus the collection subfolder) instead of
+the deployment default. This is the keystone the branch/edit/body/graduation
+write paths share so an entry outside the default project's default collection
+reads/writes the correct file.
+"""
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import tempfile
+from pathlib import Path
+
+from app import collections as collections_mod, db, projects as projects_mod
+from app.config import Config
+
+
+def _db() -> Config:
+    cfg = Config(
+        gitea_url="x", gitea_bot_user="x", gitea_bot_token="x", gitea_org="wiggleverse",
+        registry_repo="registry", oauth_client_id="x",
+        oauth_client_secret="x", app_url="x", secret_key="x",
+        database_path=Path(tempfile.mkdtemp(prefix="g15loc-")) / "t.db",
+        owner_gitea_login="x", webhook_secret="x",
+    )
+    db.run_migrations(cfg)
+    if db._CONN is not None:
+        db._CONN.close()
+        db._CONN = None
+    db.init(cfg)
+    return cfg
+
+
+def _seed():
+    # Default project (its content_repo is the deployment default) + a second
+    # project with a DISTINCT content_repo, each with a default + a named
+    # (subfolder) collection.
+    db.conn().execute(
+        "INSERT OR REPLACE INTO projects (id, name, content_repo, visibility, updated_at) "
+        "VALUES ('default','Default','meta','public', datetime('now'))")
+    db.conn().execute(
+        "INSERT OR REPLACE INTO projects (id, name, content_repo, visibility, updated_at) "
+        "VALUES ('rfc-app','RFC App','rfc-app-content','public', datetime('now'))")
+    rows = [
+        ("default", "default", ""),
+        ("features", "default", "features"),
+        ("rfc-app", "rfc-app", ""),
+        ("specs", "rfc-app", "specs"),
+    ]
+    for cid, pid, sub in rows:
+        db.conn().execute(
+            "INSERT OR REPLACE INTO collections (id, project_id, type, subfolder, "
+            "initial_state, visibility, created_at, updated_at) VALUES "
+            "(?,?, 'document', ?, 'super-draft','public', datetime('now'), datetime('now'))",
+            (cid, pid, sub))
+
+
+def test_content_repo_for_collection_resolves_per_project():
+    _db()
+    _seed()
+    # Default project's collections → the default content repo.
+    assert projects_mod.content_repo_for_collection("default") == "meta"
+    assert projects_mod.content_repo_for_collection("features") == "meta"
+    # The second project's collections → its own content repo.
+    assert projects_mod.content_repo_for_collection("rfc-app") == "rfc-app-content"
+    assert projects_mod.content_repo_for_collection("specs") == "rfc-app-content"
+
+
+def test_content_repo_for_collection_unknown_is_none():
+    _db()
+    _seed()
+    assert projects_mod.content_repo_for_collection("nope") is None
+
+
+def test_entry_location_default_collection_repo_root():
+    cfg = _db()
+    _seed()
+    org, repo, path = projects_mod.entry_location(cfg, "default", "alpha")
+    assert (org, repo, path) == ("wiggleverse", "meta", "rfcs/alpha.md")
+
+
+def test_entry_location_named_collection_uses_subfolder():
+    cfg = _db()
+    _seed()
+    org, repo, path = projects_mod.entry_location(cfg, "features", "beta")
+    assert (org, repo, path) == ("wiggleverse", "meta", "features/rfcs/beta.md")
+
+
+def test_entry_location_other_project_distinct_repo():
+    cfg = _db()
+    _seed()
+    # Named collection in a non-default project: distinct repo AND subfolder.
+    org, repo, path = projects_mod.entry_location(cfg, "specs", "gamma")
+    assert (org, repo, path) == ("wiggleverse", "rfc-app-content", "specs/rfcs/gamma.md")
+    # Default collection of the non-default project: distinct repo, repo root.
+    org, repo, path = projects_mod.entry_location(cfg, "rfc-app", "delta")
+    assert (org, repo, path) == ("wiggleverse", "rfc-app-content", "rfcs/delta.md")
+
+
+def test_entry_location_unknown_collection_falls_back_to_default_repo():
+    cfg = _db()
+    _seed()
+    # An entry whose collection_id is missing/unknown must still resolve to a
+    # usable location (the deployment default repo, repo root) rather than an
+    # empty repo — the legacy single-corpus behaviour.
+    org, repo, path = projects_mod.entry_location(cfg, "nope", "epsilon")
+    assert (org, repo, path) == ("wiggleverse", "meta", "rfcs/epsilon.md")

backend/tests/test_provision_user_email_link.py

@@ -0,0 +1,107 @@
+"""§6 hardening — the Gitea-OAuth `auth.provision_user` reconciles by email.
+
+Regression cover for a §9-surfaced fragility: a human who signed in first via
+OTC owns an email-only `users` row (`gitea_id` NULL). When they later sign in
+via Gitea OAuth with the SAME email, `provision_user` used to match only by
+`gitea_id`, miss the OTC row, and INSERT a new row — colliding on the
+`idx_users_email` unique index and 500-ing the callback. The fix links the OAuth
+identity onto the existing email row (the mirror of the OTC linker).
+"""
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+from test_propose_vertical import (  # noqa: F401
+    FakeGitea,
+    app_with_fake_gitea,
+    provision_user_row,
+    tmp_env,
+)
+
+
+def _cfg():
+    from app.config import load_config
+    return load_config()
+
+
+def test_oauth_links_onto_existing_otc_email_row(app_with_fake_gitea):
+    from fastapi.testclient import TestClient
+    from app import auth, db
+
+    app, _fake = app_with_fake_gitea
+    with TestClient(app):
+        # An OTC-first user: email-only row, gitea_id NULL, still 'pending'.
+        db.conn().execute(
+            """
+            INSERT INTO users (gitea_id, gitea_login, email, display_name, avatar_url, role, permission_state)
+            VALUES (NULL, NULL, ?, ?, '', 'contributor', 'pending')
+            """,
+            ("dual@example.com", "dual"),
+        )
+        otc_id = db.conn().execute(
+            "SELECT id FROM users WHERE email = ? COLLATE NOCASE", ("dual@example.com",)
+        ).fetchone()["id"]
+
+        # Now the same human signs in via Gitea OAuth (new gitea_id, same email).
+        # Case-different email proves the NOCASE match.
+        user = auth.provision_user(
+            _cfg(),
+            {"id": 9001, "login": "dualgitea", "email": "Dual@Example.com",
+             "full_name": "Dual User", "avatar_url": "http://x/a.png"},
+        )
+
+        # Linked onto the SAME row — no second row, no 500.
+        assert user.user_id == otc_id
+        rows = db.conn().execute(
+            "SELECT id, gitea_id, gitea_login, permission_state, role FROM users WHERE email = ? COLLATE NOCASE",
+            ("dual@example.com",),
+        ).fetchall()
+        assert len(rows) == 1
+        assert rows[0]["id"] == otc_id
+        assert rows[0]["gitea_id"] == 9001           # OAuth identity attached
+        assert rows[0]["gitea_login"] == "dualgitea"
+        assert rows[0]["permission_state"] == "pending"  # admission state preserved
+        assert rows[0]["role"] == "contributor"
+
+
+def test_oauth_provisions_fresh_user_when_email_matches_no_one(app_with_fake_gitea):
+    from fastapi.testclient import TestClient
+    from app import auth, db
+
+    app, _fake = app_with_fake_gitea
+    with TestClient(app):
+        user = auth.provision_user(
+            _cfg(),
+            {"id": 9100, "login": "freshoauth", "email": "fresh@example.com",
+             "full_name": "Fresh", "avatar_url": ""},
+        )
+        row = db.conn().execute(
+            "SELECT gitea_id, gitea_login, role, permission_state FROM users WHERE id = ?",
+            (user.user_id,),
+        ).fetchone()
+        assert row["gitea_id"] == 9100
+        assert row["gitea_login"] == "freshoauth"
+        # Reaching provision_user means admission passed → granted (unchanged).
+        assert row["permission_state"] == "granted"
+
+
+def test_returning_oauth_user_matched_by_gitea_id_not_duplicated(app_with_fake_gitea):
+    from fastapi.testclient import TestClient
+    from app import auth, db
+
+    app, _fake = app_with_fake_gitea
+    with TestClient(app):
+        provision_user_row(user_id=55, login="returning", role="contributor")
+        before = db.conn().execute("SELECT COUNT(*) AS n FROM users").fetchone()["n"]
+
+        user = auth.provision_user(
+            _cfg(),
+            {"id": 55, "login": "returning-renamed", "email": "returning@test",
+             "full_name": "Returning", "avatar_url": ""},
+        )
+        after = db.conn().execute("SELECT COUNT(*) AS n FROM users").fetchone()["n"]
+
+        assert user.user_id == 55
+        assert after == before  # matched by gitea_id; no new row
+        row = db.conn().execute(
+            "SELECT gitea_login FROM users WHERE id = ?", (55,)
+        ).fetchone()
+        assert row["gitea_login"] == "returning-renamed"  # profile refreshed

backend/tests/test_prune_absent_projects.py

@@ -0,0 +1,163 @@
+"""§9 hardening — the registry reconcile prunes projects the registry no longer
+declares (was additive-only).
+
+A re-pin to a new registry used to strand the old projects' rows (PPE's
+stale-ecomm 1238-row entry cache starving writes). `prune_absent_projects` now
+deletes a removed project together with its collections and every project-scoped
+row, at whole-project granularity, with a `foreign_key_check` backstop. The
+safety guard is structural: `refresh_registry` raises on a read/transport error
+and `parse_registry` rejects an empty project list, so the prune is reached only
+after a real, non-empty registry parse — a transient failure can't wipe data.
+"""
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import tempfile
+from pathlib import Path
+
+import pytest
+
+import app.db as db
+from app import projects, registry
+
+
+class _Cfg:
+    def __init__(self, path, default_id):
+        self.database_path = path
+        self.default_project_id = default_id
+
+
+def _two_project_db(monkeypatch, default_id="ohm"):
+    """A multi-project DB: default project 'ohm' (collection 'default') + a second
+    project 'ecomm' (collection 'ecomm'), each with a rich set of project- and
+    collection-keyed rows, plus the non-keyed `thread_messages` descendant."""
+    path = str(Path(tempfile.mkdtemp()) / "t.db")
+    cfg = _Cfg(path, default_id)
+    db.run_migrations(cfg)
+    monkeypatch.setattr(db, "_CONN", db.connect(path))
+    conn = db.conn()
+    conn.execute("DELETE FROM collections")
+    conn.execute("DELETE FROM projects")
+    conn.execute("INSERT INTO projects (id,name,content_repo,visibility) VALUES ('ohm','OHM','ohm-content','public')")
+    conn.execute("INSERT INTO projects (id,name,content_repo,visibility) VALUES ('ecomm','Ecomm','ecomm-content','public')")
+    conn.execute("INSERT INTO collections (id,project_id,type,subfolder,initial_state,visibility,name) "
+                 "VALUES ('default','ohm','document','','super-draft','public','OHM')")
+    conn.execute("INSERT INTO collections (id,project_id,type,subfolder,initial_state,visibility,name) "
+                 "VALUES ('ecomm','ecomm','bdd','ecomm','super-draft','public','Ecomm')")
+    conn.execute("INSERT INTO users (id,gitea_login,display_name,role) VALUES (1,'a','A','contributor')")
+
+    def seed(proj, coll, slug):
+        conn.execute("INSERT INTO cached_rfcs (slug,title,state,collection_id) VALUES (?,?,'active',?)",
+                     (slug, slug.title(), coll))
+        conn.execute("INSERT INTO cached_branches (rfc_slug,branch_name,collection_id) VALUES (?, 'main', ?)",
+                     (slug, coll))
+        conn.execute("INSERT INTO cached_prs (rfc_slug,pr_kind,repo,pr_number,title,state,project_id) "
+                     "VALUES (?, 'rfc_branch', ?, 1, 't', 'open', ?)", (slug, proj, proj))
+        conn.execute("INSERT INTO stars (user_id,rfc_slug,collection_id) VALUES (1,?,?)", (slug, coll))
+        conn.execute("INSERT INTO watches (user_id,rfc_slug,state,set_by,collection_id) VALUES (1,?,'watching','explicit',?)",
+                     (slug, coll))
+        conn.execute("INSERT INTO changes (rfc_slug,branch_name,kind,original,proposed,project_id) "
+                     "VALUES (?, 'main', 'ai', 'o', 'p', ?)", (slug, proj))
+        conn.execute("INSERT INTO notifications (recipient_user_id,event_kind,project_id) VALUES (1,'x',?)", (proj,))
+        cur = conn.execute("INSERT INTO threads (rfc_slug,anchor_kind,thread_kind,project_id) "
+                           "VALUES (?, 'whole-doc', 'chat', ?)", (slug, proj))
+        conn.execute("INSERT INTO thread_messages (thread_id,role,text) VALUES (?, 'user', 'hi')", (cur.lastrowid,))
+
+    seed("ohm", "default", "human")
+    seed("ecomm", "ecomm", "cart")
+    assert conn.execute("PRAGMA foreign_key_check").fetchall() == []  # seed is FK-clean
+    return cfg, conn
+
+
+_PRUNED_TABLES = [
+    "cached_rfcs", "cached_branches", "cached_prs", "stars", "watches",
+    "changes", "notifications", "threads",
+]
+
+
+def test_prune_removes_absent_project_and_all_its_data(monkeypatch):
+    cfg, conn = _two_project_db(monkeypatch, default_id="ohm")
+    pruned = projects.prune_absent_projects(cfg, {"ohm"})  # ecomm absent
+    assert pruned == ["ecomm"]
+
+    # ecomm: project, collection, and every keyed row gone.
+    assert conn.execute("SELECT 1 FROM projects WHERE id='ecomm'").fetchone() is None
+    assert conn.execute("SELECT 1 FROM collections WHERE id='ecomm'").fetchone() is None
+    for t in _PRUNED_TABLES:
+        col = "collection_id" if t in ("cached_rfcs", "cached_branches", "stars", "watches") else None
+        if col:
+            assert conn.execute(f"SELECT COUNT(*) n FROM {t} WHERE collection_id='ecomm'").fetchone()["n"] == 0, t
+        else:
+            assert conn.execute(f"SELECT COUNT(*) n FROM {t} WHERE project_id='ecomm'").fetchone()["n"] == 0, t
+    # The non-keyed descendant (thread_messages on ecomm's thread) is gone too.
+    assert conn.execute("SELECT COUNT(*) n FROM thread_messages").fetchone()["n"] == 1  # only ohm's remains
+
+    # ohm (the default) is fully intact.
+    assert conn.execute("SELECT 1 FROM projects WHERE id='ohm'").fetchone() is not None
+    assert conn.execute("SELECT 1 FROM collections WHERE id='default'").fetchone() is not None
+    assert conn.execute("SELECT COUNT(*) n FROM cached_rfcs WHERE slug='human'").fetchone()["n"] == 1
+    assert conn.execute("SELECT COUNT(*) n FROM threads WHERE rfc_slug='human'").fetchone()["n"] == 1
+
+    # FK integrity intact after the prune.
+    assert conn.execute("PRAGMA foreign_key_check").fetchall() == []
+
+
+def test_prune_is_noop_when_all_projects_present(monkeypatch):
+    cfg, conn = _two_project_db(monkeypatch, default_id="ohm")
+    assert projects.prune_absent_projects(cfg, {"ohm", "ecomm"}) == []
+    assert conn.execute("SELECT COUNT(*) n FROM projects").fetchone()["n"] == 2
+    assert conn.execute("SELECT COUNT(*) n FROM cached_rfcs").fetchone()["n"] == 2
+
+
+def test_prune_never_removes_the_default_project(monkeypatch):
+    # Even with an EMPTY present set (which the real caller can't produce —
+    # parse_registry rejects an empty registry), the default project survives.
+    cfg, conn = _two_project_db(monkeypatch, default_id="ohm")
+    pruned = projects.prune_absent_projects(cfg, set())
+    assert "ohm" not in pruned and "ecomm" in pruned
+    assert conn.execute("SELECT 1 FROM projects WHERE id='ohm'").fetchone() is not None
+    assert conn.execute("SELECT 1 FROM collections WHERE id='default'").fetchone() is not None
+    assert conn.execute("PRAGMA foreign_key_check").fetchall() == []
+
+
+def test_empty_registry_is_rejected_so_prune_is_never_reached():
+    # The structural safety guard: a parse that would yield no projects raises,
+    # so refresh_registry never reaches the prune with an empty present set.
+    with pytest.raises(registry.RegistryError):
+        registry.parse_registry("deployment:\n  name: x\nprojects: []\n")
+
+
+def test_incidental_refresh_does_not_prune(app_with_fake_gitea):  # noqa: F811
+    """An incidental re-mirror (the registry webhook, prune=False) must NOT prune
+    a project absent from projects.yaml — only the full-reconcile triggers
+    (startup + periodic sweep) prune. Guards the scoping decision so an in-app
+    refresh can't wipe a project."""
+    import hashlib
+    import hmac
+    import json as _json
+
+    from fastapi.testclient import TestClient
+    from app import db
+
+    app, _fake = app_with_fake_gitea
+    with TestClient(app) as client:
+        # A project present in the DB but not in the fake registry's projects.yaml.
+        db.conn().execute(
+            "INSERT INTO projects (id,name,content_repo,visibility) "
+            "VALUES ('ghost','Ghost','ghost-content','public')"
+        )
+        body = _json.dumps({"repository": {"full_name": "wiggleverse/registry"}}).encode()
+        secret = "test-webhook-secret-for-signature-verification"
+        sig = hmac.new(secret.encode(), body, hashlib.sha256).hexdigest()
+        r = client.post(
+            "/api/webhooks/gitea",
+            content=body,
+            headers={"X-Gitea-Event": "push", "X-Gitea-Signature": sig,
+                     "Content-Type": "application/json"},
+        )
+        assert r.status_code == 200
+        # The incidental re-mirror left the ghost in place (prune is off here).
+        assert db.conn().execute("SELECT 1 FROM projects WHERE id='ghost'").fetchone() is not None
+
+
+# app_with_fake_gitea fixture import for the integration test above.
+from test_propose_vertical import app_with_fake_gitea, tmp_env  # noqa: E402,F401

e2e/main-view-ask.spec.js

@@ -0,0 +1,53 @@
+import { test, expect } from './lib/fixtures.js'
+import { signIn, OWNER_EMAIL } from './lib/auth.js'
+import { dismissCookies } from './lib/ui.js'
+
+// §8.12 Option B — asking-while-reading on the canonical `main` view.
+//
+// Before this fix, the AI "Ask" affordance had no chat surface on main (the
+// human-discussion panel renders there, not the chat panel), so asking from the
+// reading view silently did nothing. Option B transparently cuts an edit branch,
+// navigates to it, and runs the question there.
+//
+// This spec asserts the model-independent core: the branch cut + navigation
+// (old code did NOTHING here — the silent no-op), and that the question turn
+// actually FIRED against the branch. The turn's outcome is environment-specific
+// — PPE/prod (a model is configured) streams an answer and the optimistic
+// question persists; the Tier-1 stack has no AI provider, so the turn errors
+// with "Chat failed". Either outcome proves the turn fired; we match both so the
+// one spec passes in both environments. The quote-passthrough + answer rendering
+// are covered deterministically by the RFCView unit tests (model mocked).
+//
+// Driven through the prompt bar, which shares handlePrompt → handleMainAsk with
+// the selection tooltip's onAsk. Runs against the faceted `bdd` collection entry
+// (collection-scoped — the same three-tier path G-15 hardened).
+const ENTRY = '/p/ohm/c/bdd/e/checkout-returning'
+
+test('Ask from the canonical view cuts an edit branch and lands the question in chat', async ({ page }) => {
+  await signIn(page, OWNER_EMAIL)
+  await page.goto(ENTRY)
+  await dismissCookies(page)
+
+  // We start on the canonical (main) view: read-only, no chat surface — the
+  // discuss-mode banner is the canonical-view tell, and the URL has no branch.
+  await expect(page.locator('.discuss-mode-banner')).toContainText('read-only')
+  expect(new URL(page.url()).searchParams.get('branch')).toBeNull()
+
+  // Ask a question from the prompt bar.
+  const question = `What problem does this entry solve? (${Date.now()})`
+  await page.locator('.prompt-input').fill(question)
+  await page.getByRole('button', { name: 'Ask', exact: true }).click()
+
+  // Option B: an edit branch is cut and we navigate onto it (no silent no-op).
+  await expect(async () => {
+    expect(new URL(page.url()).searchParams.get('branch')).toMatch(/^edit/)
+  }).toPass({ timeout: 30_000 })
+
+  // The question turn fired against the new branch: either the optimistic
+  // question is showing (model answered / answering) or the turn surfaced a
+  // chat error (no AI provider in Tier-1). Both prove it ran — the pre-fix
+  // silent no-op showed neither.
+  await expect(
+    page.getByText(question).or(page.getByText(/Chat failed|No AI providers/i)),
+  ).toBeVisible({ timeout: 30_000 })
+})

frontend/package.json

@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 {
   "name": "rfc-app-frontend",
   "private": true,
-  "version": "0.52.3",
+  "version": "0.55.1",
   "type": "module",
   "scripts": {
     "dev": "vite",
@@ -36,6 +36,6 @@
     "@vitejs/plugin-react": "^6.0.1",
     "jsdom": "^25.0.0",
     "vite": "^8.0.12",
-    "vitest": "^3.0.0"
+    "vitest": "^4.1.0"
   }
 }

frontend/src/api.branchbody.test.js

@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+// §22/G-15 — getRFCMain/getBranch build collection-scoped URLs when a project +
+// collection are supplied (so an entry outside the default collection reads its
+// own content repo / subfolder), and fall back to the slug-only routes otherwise.
+import { describe, it, expect, vi, afterEach } from 'vitest'
+import { getRFCMain, getBranch } from './api.js'
+
+function mockFetch() {
+  const fn = vi.fn(async () => ({ ok: true, status: 200, json: async () => ({}) }))
+  global.fetch = fn
+  return fn
+}
+
+afterEach(() => { vi.restoreAllMocks() })
+
+describe('G-15 collection-scoped branch/body URLs', () => {
+  it('getRFCMain scopes to project+collection when both are given', async () => {
+    const f = mockFetch()
+    await getRFCMain('login', 'rfc-app', 'specs')
+    expect(f).toHaveBeenCalledWith('/api/projects/rfc-app/collections/specs/rfcs/login/main')
+  })
+
+  it('getRFCMain falls back to the slug-only route without a collection', async () => {
+    const f = mockFetch()
+    await getRFCMain('login')
+    expect(f).toHaveBeenCalledWith('/api/rfcs/login/main')
+  })
+
+  it('getBranch scopes to project+collection and encodes the branch', async () => {
+    const f = mockFetch()
+    await getBranch('login', 'edit/foo', 'rfc-app', 'specs')
+    expect(f).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+      '/api/projects/rfc-app/collections/specs/rfcs/login/branches/edit%2Ffoo')
+  })
+
+  it('getBranch falls back to the slug-only route without a collection', async () => {
+    const f = mockFetch()
+    await getBranch('login', 'main')
+    expect(f).toHaveBeenCalledWith('/api/rfcs/login/branches/main')
+  })
+})

frontend/src/api.js

@@ -448,11 +448,27 @@ export async function listModels(slug) {
   return jsonOrThrow(await fetch(`/api/rfcs/${slug}/models`))
 }
 
-export async function getRFCMain(slug) {
+export async function getRFCMain(slug, projectId, collectionId) {
+  // §22/G-15: when the caller knows the entry's project + collection, read the
+  // collection-scoped route so a slug that exists in two collections resolves
+  // unambiguously and the entry's own content repo / subfolder is used. The
+  // bare-slug form stays for back-compat (default-collection callers).
+  if (projectId && collectionId) {
+    return jsonOrThrow(await fetch(
+      `/api/projects/${projectId}/collections/${collectionId}/rfcs/${slug}/main`
+    ))
+  }
   return jsonOrThrow(await fetch(`/api/rfcs/${slug}/main`))
 }
 
-export async function getBranch(slug, branch) {
+export async function getBranch(slug, branch, projectId, collectionId) {
+  // §22/G-15: collection-scoped branch-body read (the canonical-body GET); see
+  // getRFCMain for the rationale. Falls back to the slug-only route.
+  if (projectId && collectionId) {
+    return jsonOrThrow(await fetch(
+      `/api/projects/${projectId}/collections/${collectionId}/rfcs/${slug}/branches/${encodeURIComponent(branch)}`
+    ))
+  }
   return jsonOrThrow(await fetch(
     `/api/rfcs/${slug}/branches/${encodeURIComponent(branch)}`
   ))

frontend/src/components/RFCView.jsx

@@ -93,6 +93,15 @@ export default function RFCView({ viewer }) {
   // surface to expose.
   const editorRef = useRef(null)
   const originalSourceLinesRef = useRef([])
+  // §8.12 Option B — asking-while-reading on `main`. When Ask is invoked from
+  // the canonical view we transparently cut an edit branch, navigate to it, and
+  // run the question there once its view (and main_thread_id) loads. The pending
+  // question is stashed here and fired by the pending-ask effect below — we
+  // can't push optimistic chat messages before branchView.main_thread_id exists.
+  const pendingAskRef = useRef(null)   // { text, quote, branch } | null
+  // Live ref to submitChatTurn so the (intentionally narrow-dep) message-load
+  // effect can fire the stashed §8.12 main-view ask with the latest closure.
+  const submitChatTurnRef = useRef(null)
   const [editorContent, setEditorContent] = useState('')
   // Mirror of the live CM6 doc for the Contribute-mode preview pane,
   // debounced so the preview doesn't re-render on every keystroke.
@@ -221,8 +230,8 @@ export default function RFCView({ viewer }) {
     setSelection(null)
     setMode('discuss')
 
-    getRFCMain(slug).then(setMainView).catch(err => setError(err.message))
-    getBranch(slug, branchParam)
+    getRFCMain(slug, pid, cid).then(setMainView).catch(err => setError(err.message))
+    getBranch(slug, branchParam, pid, cid)
       .then(view => {
         setBranchView(view)
         setEditorContent(view.body || '')
@@ -231,13 +240,27 @@ export default function RFCView({ viewer }) {
         setChanges(view.changes || [])
       })
       .catch(err => setError(err.message))
-  }, [slug, branchParam, entry])
+    // §22/G-15: pid+cid scope the body reads; re-run if the collection changes.
+  }, [slug, branchParam, entry, pid, cid])
 
   // Load chat messages whenever the branch's main thread id resolves.
   useEffect(() => {
     if (!branchView?.main_thread_id) return
-    loadAllMessages(slug, branchParam, branchView.threads).then(setMessages)
-  }, [branchView?.main_thread_id, slug, branchParam])
+    loadAllMessages(slug, branchParam, branchView.threads).then(loaded => {
+      setMessages(loaded)
+      // §8.12 Option B — run the stashed main-view question now that the freshly
+      // cut branch's messages have loaded. Firing here (rather than in a parallel
+      // effect) appends the turn AFTER the loaded set, so this late message load
+      // can't clobber the optimistic chat turn. Land in contribute mode to
+      // surface any edits the turn proposes (AI chat is an editing activity).
+      const pending = pendingAskRef.current
+      if (pending && pending.branch === branchView.branch_name && pending.branch === branchParam) {
+        pendingAskRef.current = null
+        setMode('contribute')
+        submitChatTurnRef.current?.(pending.text, pending.quote)
+      }
+    })
+  }, [branchView?.main_thread_id, branchView?.branch_name, slug, branchParam])
 
   // Selection wiring (§8.12). MarkdownPreview reports {text, coords}
   // sourced from window.getSelection(); the SelectionTooltip
@@ -266,7 +289,7 @@ export default function RFCView({ viewer }) {
         paragraphCount: manualPending?.paragraphCount || 1,
       })
       if (!res.noop) {
-        const fresh = await getBranch(slug, branchParam)
+        const fresh = await getBranch(slug, branchParam, pid, cid)
         setBranchView(fresh)
         setChanges(fresh.changes || [])
         setPreviewContent(fresh.body || '')
@@ -334,8 +357,12 @@ export default function RFCView({ viewer }) {
   }, [manualCountdown, flushManualBuffer])
 
   // ── Start contributing ─────────────────────────────────────────────────
+  // Returns the branch the viewer should now be on (the freshly cut branch on
+  // main, or the current branch on a mode-flip), or null if no branch was cut
+  // (signed-out → login redirect, or the server rejected the cut). §8.12's
+  // main-view Ask reuses this dispatch and consumes the returned branch name.
   const handleStartContributing = useCallback(async () => {
-    if (!viewer) { window.location.href = '/auth/login'; return }
+    if (!viewer) { window.location.href = '/auth/login'; return null }
     if (branchParam === 'main') {
       try {
         // §9.5 dispatch: super-drafts cut a meta-repo edit branch via
@@ -344,18 +371,34 @@ export default function RFCView({ viewer }) {
           ? await startEditBranch(slug)
           : await promoteToBranch(slug)
         setSearchParams({ branch: branch_name })
+        return branch_name
       } catch (err) {
         setError(err.message)
+        return null
       }
-      return
     }
     // Non-main: pure mode flip per §8.14.
     if (pendingDiscussChanges.length > 0) {
       setPendingDiscussChanges([])
     }
     setMode('contribute')
+    return branchParam
   }, [viewer, slug, branchParam, pendingDiscussChanges, setSearchParams, isSuperDraft])
 
+  // ── §8.12 Option B — Ask invoked from the canonical `main` view ─────────
+  // AI chat is an editing activity and only runs on an edit branch, so asking
+  // while reading transparently cuts one (same dispatch as Start Contributing),
+  // navigates to it, and stashes the question; the pending-ask effect fires it
+  // once the new branch's view (and its main_thread_id) has resolved. Degrades
+  // gracefully: signed-out → login; a viewer who can't contribute has the cut
+  // rejected server-side → the error surfaces and we neither navigate nor chat.
+  const handleMainAsk = useCallback(async (text, quote) => {
+    if (!viewer) { window.location.href = '/auth/login'; return }
+    const branch = await handleStartContributing()
+    if (!branch || branch === 'main') return   // cut failed → setError already ran
+    pendingAskRef.current = { text, quote: quote || null, branch }
+  }, [viewer, handleStartContributing])
+
   // ── Submit a chat turn (prompt bar or selection tooltip) ───────────────
   const submitChatTurn = useCallback(async (text, quote) => {
     if (!branchView?.main_thread_id || isStreaming) return
@@ -408,7 +451,7 @@ export default function RFCView({ viewer }) {
         ))
       }
       // Re-pull authoritative state: changes have been materialized server-side.
-      const fresh = await getBranch(slug, branchParam)
+      const fresh = await getBranch(slug, branchParam, pid, cid)
       setChanges(fresh.changes || [])
       // If we're in discuss mode and the new turn produced pending AI changes,
       // surface them as discuss-mode buffered count.
@@ -426,16 +469,24 @@ export default function RFCView({ viewer }) {
     }
   }, [slug, branchParam, branchView?.main_thread_id, isStreaming, viewer, selectedModel, mode])
 
+  // Keep submitChatTurnRef pointed at the latest submitChatTurn so the
+  // message-load effect's §8.12 main-view ask uses the current branch closure.
+  useEffect(() => { submitChatTurnRef.current = submitChatTurn }, [submitChatTurn])
+
   const handlePrompt = useCallback((text, sel) => {
     const quote = sel?.text || null
+    // On the canonical view there is no chat surface; Ask cuts an edit branch
+    // and runs the question there (§8.12 Option B). On a branch, ask directly.
+    if (branchParam === 'main') { handleMainAsk(text, quote); return }
     submitChatTurn(text, quote)
-  }, [submitChatTurn])
+  }, [branchParam, handleMainAsk, submitChatTurn])
 
   const handleTooltipAsk = useCallback(async (textOrNull, quote) => {
     if (textOrNull === null) { setSelection(null); return }
     setSelection(null)
+    if (branchParam === 'main') { await handleMainAsk(textOrNull, quote); return }
     await submitChatTurn(textOrNull, quote)
-  }, [submitChatTurn])
+  }, [branchParam, handleMainAsk, submitChatTurn])
 
   const handleTooltipFlag = useCallback(async (label, quote) => {
     if (!viewer) { window.location.href = '/auth/login'; return }
@@ -447,7 +498,7 @@ export default function RFCView({ viewer }) {
         anchor_payload: { quote },
         label,
       })
-      const fresh = await getBranch(slug, branchParam)
+      const fresh = await getBranch(slug, branchParam, pid, cid)
       setBranchView(fresh)
       loadAllMessages(slug, branchParam, fresh.threads).then(setMessages)
     } catch (err) {
@@ -463,7 +514,7 @@ export default function RFCView({ viewer }) {
       // body. The proper tracked-changes overlay lives in Phase 3's
       // preview pane; with CM6 as the source editor there is no HTML
       // surface to inject `<span class="tracked-*">` into.
-      const fresh = await getBranch(slug, branchParam)
+      const fresh = await getBranch(slug, branchParam, pid, cid)
       setBranchView(fresh)
       setChanges(fresh.changes || [])
       setEditorContent(fresh.body || '')
@@ -477,7 +528,7 @@ export default function RFCView({ viewer }) {
   const handleDecline = useCallback(async (changeId) => {
     try {
       await apiDecline(slug, branchParam, changeId)
-      const fresh = await getBranch(slug, branchParam)
+      const fresh = await getBranch(slug, branchParam, pid, cid)
       setChanges(fresh.changes || [])
     } catch (err) {
       setError(err.message)
@@ -487,7 +538,7 @@ export default function RFCView({ viewer }) {
   const handleReask = useCallback(async (changeId) => {
     try {
       await reaskChange(slug, branchParam, changeId)
-      const fresh = await getBranch(slug, branchParam)
+      const fresh = await getBranch(slug, branchParam, pid, cid)
       setBranchView(fresh)
       setChanges(fresh.changes || [])
       loadAllMessages(slug, branchParam, fresh.threads).then(setMessages)
@@ -499,7 +550,7 @@ export default function RFCView({ viewer }) {
   const handleResolveThread = useCallback(async (threadId) => {
     try {
       await resolveThread(slug, branchParam, threadId)
-      const fresh = await getBranch(slug, branchParam)
+      const fresh = await getBranch(slug, branchParam, pid, cid)
       setBranchView(fresh)
       loadAllMessages(slug, branchParam, fresh.threads).then(setMessages)
     } catch (err) {
@@ -977,7 +1028,7 @@ export default function RFCView({ viewer }) {
           current={branchView.visibility}
           onClose={() => setShowVisibility(false)}
           onSaved={async () => {
-            const fresh = await getBranch(slug, branchParam)
+            const fresh = await getBranch(slug, branchParam, pid, cid)
             setBranchView(fresh)
             setShowVisibility(false)
           }}
@@ -993,7 +1044,7 @@ export default function RFCView({ viewer }) {
             setShowGraduateDialog(false)
             // The catalog row and the RFC view now reflect `active`.
             getRFC(pid, slug, cid).then(setEntry).catch(() => {})
-            getRFCMain(slug).then(setMainView).catch(() => {})
+            getRFCMain(slug, pid, cid).then(setMainView).catch(() => {})
           }}
         />
       )}
@@ -1016,7 +1067,7 @@ export default function RFCView({ viewer }) {
             setShowMetadataPane(false)
             // Refresh main view so the new open PR surfaces in the
             // breadcrumb meta count immediately.
-            getRFCMain(slug).then(setMainView).catch(() => {})
+            getRFCMain(slug, pid, cid).then(setMainView).catch(() => {})
             navigate(entryPrPath(pid, slug, prNumber))
           }}
         />

frontend/src/components/RFCView.test.jsx

@@ -0,0 +1,220 @@
+import React from 'react'
+import { describe, it, expect, vi, beforeEach } from 'vitest'
+import { render, screen, fireEvent, waitFor } from '@testing-library/react'
+import { MemoryRouter, Routes, Route } from 'react-router-dom'
+
+// §8.12 Option B — asking-while-reading on the canonical `main` view. The AI
+// "Ask" affordance (selection tooltip + prompt bar) has no chat surface on
+// main (RFCDiscussionPanel renders there, not ChatPanel). These tests cover the
+// transparent branch-cut: Ask on main cuts an edit branch, navigates to it, and
+// runs the question there; Ask on a branch is unchanged; a rejected cut degrades
+// gracefully; Flag on main still opens a discussion thread.
+
+const getRFC = vi.fn()
+const getRFCMain = vi.fn()
+const getBranch = vi.fn()
+const listModels = vi.fn()
+const getCollection = vi.fn()
+const getThreadMessages = vi.fn()
+const promoteToBranch = vi.fn()
+const startEditBranch = vi.fn()
+const streamChatTurn = vi.fn()
+const createThread = vi.fn()
+
+vi.mock('../api', () => ({
+  getRFC: (...a) => getRFC(...a),
+  getRFCMain: (...a) => getRFCMain(...a),
+  getBranch: (...a) => getBranch(...a),
+  listModels: (...a) => listModels(...a),
+  getCollection: (...a) => getCollection(...a),
+  getThreadMessages: (...a) => getThreadMessages(...a),
+  promoteToBranch: (...a) => promoteToBranch(...a),
+  startEditBranch: (...a) => startEditBranch(...a),
+  streamChatTurn: (...a) => streamChatTurn(...a),
+  createThread: (...a) => createThread(...a),
+  acceptChange: vi.fn(), declineChange: vi.fn(), editMetadata: vi.fn(),
+  manualFlush: vi.fn(), reaskChange: vi.fn(), resolveThread: vi.fn(),
+  setBranchVisibility: vi.fn(), claimOwnership: vi.fn(),
+  retireRFC: vi.fn(), unretireRFC: vi.fn(),
+}))
+
+vi.mock('../lib/entryPaths', () => ({
+  entryPath: () => '/p/ohm/c/rfc-app/e/the-entry',
+  entryPrPath: () => '/pr',
+  useProjectId: () => 'ohm',
+  useCollectionId: () => 'rfc-app',
+}))
+vi.mock('../lib/analytics', () => ({ EVENTS: { RFC_VIEWED: 'rfc_viewed' }, track: vi.fn() }))
+
+// Stub the heavy children; expose just the callbacks/data the flow needs.
+vi.mock('./MarkdownSourceEditor.jsx', () => ({ default: () => null }))
+vi.mock('./MarkdownPreview.jsx', () => ({ default: () => <div data-testid="preview" /> }))
+vi.mock('./RFCDiscussionPanel.jsx', () => ({ default: () => <div data-testid="discussion-panel" /> }))
+vi.mock('./ChatPanel.jsx', () => ({
+  default: ({ messages }) => (
+    <div data-testid="chat-panel">
+      {(messages || []).map((m, i) => (
+        <div key={i} data-role={m.role}>{m.text}</div>
+      ))}
+    </div>
+  ),
+}))
+vi.mock('./SelectionTooltip.jsx', () => ({
+  default: ({ onAsk, onFlag, disabled }) => (
+    <div data-testid="tooltip">
+      <button data-testid="tooltip-ask" disabled={disabled}
+        onClick={() => onAsk('Why this approach?', 'the selected quote')}>ask</button>
+      <button data-testid="tooltip-flag"
+        onClick={() => onFlag('confusing', 'the selected quote')}>flag</button>
+    </div>
+  ),
+}))
+vi.mock('./PromptBar.jsx', () => ({
+  default: ({ onSubmit, disabled }) => (
+    <button data-testid="prompt-submit" disabled={disabled}
+      onClick={() => onSubmit('Why this approach?', { text: 'the selected quote' })}>send</button>
+  ),
+}))
+vi.mock('./ChangePanel.jsx', () => ({ default: () => null, diffWords: () => [] }))
+vi.mock('./PRModal.jsx', () => ({ default: () => null }))
+vi.mock('./GraduateDialog.jsx', () => ({ default: () => null }))
+vi.mock('./InvitationsModal.jsx', () => ({ default: () => null }))
+vi.mock('./MetadataFieldsPanel.jsx', () => ({ default: () => null }))
+
+import RFCView from './RFCView.jsx'
+
+const ACTIVE_ENTRY = {
+  id: 'RFC-0001', title: 'The Entry', state: 'active',
+  owners: [], meta: {}, proposed_use_case: '', tags: [],
+}
+const MAIN_VIEW = { slug: 'the-entry', branches: [], open_prs: [] }
+
+function branchPayload(branch, { main_thread_id = 't-1' } = {}) {
+  return {
+    slug: 'the-entry', title: 'The Entry', branch_name: branch, body: '# Body\n',
+    body_sha: 'abc', main_thread_id, threads: [], changes: [],
+    visibility: {}, grants: [], creator: 'me',
+    capabilities: { can_contribute: true, can_change_branch_settings: true },
+  }
+}
+
+const VIEWER = { gitea_login: 'me', role: 'contributor' }
+
+function renderView(viewer = VIEWER, initialBranch = null) {
+  const path = initialBranch ? `/e/the-entry?branch=${initialBranch}` : '/e/the-entry'
+  return render(
+    <MemoryRouter initialEntries={[path]}>
+      <Routes>
+        <Route path="/e/:slug" element={<RFCView viewer={viewer} />} />
+      </Routes>
+    </MemoryRouter>,
+  )
+}
+
+describe('RFCView — §8.12 main-view Ask (Option B)', () => {
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    vi.clearAllMocks()
+    getRFC.mockResolvedValue(ACTIVE_ENTRY)
+    getRFCMain.mockResolvedValue(MAIN_VIEW)
+    listModels.mockResolvedValue({ models: [{ id: 'claude' }], default: 'claude' })
+    getCollection.mockResolvedValue({ fields: null })
+    getThreadMessages.mockResolvedValue({ messages: [] })
+    getBranch.mockImplementation((_slug, branch) => Promise.resolve(branchPayload(branch)))
+    promoteToBranch.mockResolvedValue({ branch_name: 'edit-me-1' })
+    startEditBranch.mockResolvedValue({ branch_name: 'edit-the-entry' })
+    createThread.mockResolvedValue({ thread_id: 1, message_id: 1 })
+    streamChatTurn.mockImplementation(async (_slug, _branch, _threadId, { text, quote }, cb) => {
+      cb.onChunk?.('Here is the answer.')
+      cb.onChanges?.({ message_id: 42 })
+      cb.onDone?.()
+      return { assistantId: 42, userMsgId: 41 }
+    })
+  })
+
+  it('cuts an edit branch and runs the question (with the quote) there', async () => {
+    renderView()
+    await screen.findByTestId('discussion-panel')   // we start on main
+
+    fireEvent.click(screen.getByTestId('prompt-submit'))
+
+    // The active-RFC dispatch is promote-to-branch.
+    await waitFor(() => expect(promoteToBranch).toHaveBeenCalledWith('the-entry'))
+
+    // Once the new branch view loads, the turn runs there — not on main —
+    // with the selected quote intact.
+    await waitFor(() => expect(streamChatTurn).toHaveBeenCalled())
+    const [slug, branch, threadId, payload] = streamChatTurn.mock.calls[0]
+    expect(slug).toBe('the-entry')
+    expect(branch).toBe('edit-me-1')
+    expect(threadId).toBe('t-1')
+    expect(payload).toMatchObject({ text: 'Why this approach?', quote: 'the selected quote' })
+
+    // The chat panel is now mounted (we left main) and shows the streamed answer.
+    const panel = await screen.findByTestId('chat-panel')
+    await waitFor(() => expect(panel).toHaveTextContent('Here is the answer.'))
+  })
+
+  it('uses start-edit-branch for a super-draft entry', async () => {
+    getRFC.mockResolvedValue({ ...ACTIVE_ENTRY, state: 'super-draft' })
+    getBranch.mockImplementation((_slug, branch) =>
+      Promise.resolve(branchPayload(branch === 'main' ? 'main' : 'edit-the-entry')))
+    renderView()
+    await screen.findByTestId('discussion-panel')
+
+    fireEvent.click(screen.getByTestId('tooltip-ask'))
+
+    await waitFor(() => expect(startEditBranch).toHaveBeenCalledWith('the-entry'))
+    expect(promoteToBranch).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
+    await waitFor(() => expect(streamChatTurn).toHaveBeenCalled())
+    expect(streamChatTurn.mock.calls[0][1]).toBe('edit-the-entry')
+  })
+
+  it('asking from an existing branch runs directly, without cutting a new one', async () => {
+    renderView(VIEWER, 'edit-me-1')
+    await screen.findByTestId('chat-panel')
+
+    fireEvent.click(screen.getByTestId('prompt-submit'))
+
+    await waitFor(() => expect(streamChatTurn).toHaveBeenCalled())
+    expect(promoteToBranch).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
+    expect(startEditBranch).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
+    expect(streamChatTurn.mock.calls[0][1]).toBe('edit-me-1')
+  })
+
+  it('surfaces an error and does not chat when the branch cut is rejected', async () => {
+    promoteToBranch.mockRejectedValue(new Error('not a contributor'))
+    renderView()
+    await screen.findByTestId('discussion-panel')
+
+    fireEvent.click(screen.getByTestId('prompt-submit'))
+
+    await waitFor(() => expect(promoteToBranch).toHaveBeenCalled())
+    // Explicit error path — not a silent no-op — and no spurious chat turn.
+    expect(await screen.findByText(/not a contributor/)).toBeInTheDocument()
+    expect(streamChatTurn).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
+  })
+
+  it('Flag on the canonical view still creates a discussion thread (no branch cut)', async () => {
+    renderView()
+    await screen.findByTestId('discussion-panel')
+
+    fireEvent.click(screen.getByTestId('tooltip-flag'))
+
+    await waitFor(() => expect(createThread).toHaveBeenCalled())
+    const [, branch, body] = createThread.mock.calls[0]
+    expect(branch).toBe('main')
+    expect(body).toMatchObject({ thread_kind: 'flag' })
+    expect(promoteToBranch).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
+    expect(streamChatTurn).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
+  })
+
+  it('signed-out viewer gets a read-only path on main — no prompt bar, Ask disabled, no cut', async () => {
+    renderView(null)
+    await screen.findByTestId('discussion-panel')
+
+    expect(screen.queryByTestId('prompt-submit')).toBeNull()
+    expect(screen.getByTestId('tooltip-ask')).toBeDisabled()
+    expect(promoteToBranch).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
+    expect(startEditBranch).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
+  })
+})