From dca613546c28176b73cf4c887fc8183308d24daf Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: yyovil <itsyyovil@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 2 Jun 2026 08:19:36 +0530
Subject: [PATCH 1/6] Add `ao spawn` and `ao project add`; resolve project
 repos for worktrees
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit

Make a registered project spawnable end-to-end from the CLI:

- DB-backed RepoResolver: the daemon resolves a project's on-disk repo
  path from the projects table (replacing the empty StaticRepoResolver
  that failed every lookup), so a session's worktree is cut from the
  right repo.
- session_manager defaults an empty spawn branch to ao/<session-id> — a
  fresh, unique branch per session, since gitworktree can't reuse a
  branch already checked out elsewhere (e.g. main).
- `ao project add --path <repo>`: register a local git repo (POST /api/v1/projects).
- `ao spawn --project <id> [--harness] [--branch] [--prompt] [--issue]`:
  spawn a worker session (POST /api/v1/sessions); harness defaults to the
  daemon's AO_AGENT.
- Shared postJSON daemon client (reads the run-file for the port, surfaces
  the API error envelope).

Stacked on #65, which lands the agent-adapter + session-manager wiring
this depends on.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.8 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>
---
 backend/internal/cli/client.go                | 80 +++++++++++++++++++
 backend/internal/cli/project.go               | 71 ++++++++++++++++
 backend/internal/cli/root.go                  |  2 +
 backend/internal/cli/spawn.go                 | 76 ++++++++++++++++++
 backend/internal/cli/spawn_test.go            | 37 +++++++++
 backend/internal/daemon/lifecycle_wiring.go   | 33 +++++++-
 backend/internal/daemon/wiring_test.go        | 28 +++++++
 backend/internal/session_manager/manager.go   |  9 ++-
 .../internal/session_manager/manager_test.go  | 23 ++++++
 9 files changed, 354 insertions(+), 5 deletions(-)
 create mode 100644 backend/internal/cli/client.go
 create mode 100644 backend/internal/cli/project.go
 create mode 100644 backend/internal/cli/spawn.go
 create mode 100644 backend/internal/cli/spawn_test.go

diff --git a/backend/internal/cli/client.go b/backend/internal/cli/client.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..acf4147d3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/internal/cli/client.go
@@ -0,0 +1,80 @@
+package cli
+
+import (
+	"bytes"
+	"context"
+	"encoding/json"
+	"fmt"
+	"net/http"
+	"time"
+
+	"github.com/aoagents/agent-orchestrator/backend/internal/config"
+	"github.com/aoagents/agent-orchestrator/backend/internal/runfile"
+)
+
+// commandTimeout bounds a mutating daemon call. Spawns do real work (git
+// worktree add, zellij launch, hook install), so it is generous compared to the
+// status probe timeout.
+const commandTimeout = 2 * time.Minute
+
+// apiError is the subset of the daemon's JSON error envelope the CLI surfaces.
+type apiError struct {
+	Message string `json:"message"`
+	Code    string `json:"code"`
+}
+
+// postJSON sends body as JSON to POST /api/v1/<path> on the running daemon and
+// decodes a 2xx response into out (out may be nil). A non-2xx response becomes
+// an error built from the API error envelope, and a missing daemon yields a
+// clear "not running" message rather than a connection-refused dump.
+func (c *commandContext) postJSON(ctx context.Context, path string, body, out any) error {
+	cfg, err := config.Load()
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	info, err := runfile.Read(cfg.RunFilePath)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	if info == nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("AO daemon is not running — start it with `ao start`")
+	}
+
+	payload, err := json.Marshal(body)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	url := fmt.Sprintf("http://%s:%d/api/v1/%s", config.LoopbackHost, info.Port, path)
+	req, err := http.NewRequestWithContext(ctx, http.MethodPost, url, bytes.NewReader(payload))
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	req.Header.Set("Content-Type", "application/json")
+
+	// A dedicated client: mutating calls need far more headroom than the 2s
+	// status-probe client in Deps.
+	resp, err := (&http.Client{Timeout: commandTimeout}).Do(req)
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("call daemon: %w", err)
+	}
+	defer func() { _ = resp.Body.Close() }()
+
+	if resp.StatusCode < 200 || resp.StatusCode >= 300 {
+		var e apiError
+		_ = json.NewDecoder(resp.Body).Decode(&e)
+		switch {
+		case e.Message != "" && e.Code != "":
+			return fmt.Errorf("%s (%s)", e.Message, e.Code)
+		case e.Message != "":
+			return fmt.Errorf("%s", e.Message)
+		default:
+			return fmt.Errorf("daemon returned HTTP %d", resp.StatusCode)
+		}
+	}
+	if out != nil {
+		if err := json.NewDecoder(resp.Body).Decode(out); err != nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf("decode response: %w", err)
+		}
+	}
+	return nil
+}
diff --git a/backend/internal/cli/project.go b/backend/internal/cli/project.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e25d29066
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/internal/cli/project.go
@@ -0,0 +1,71 @@
+package cli
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+
+	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
+)
+
+type projectAddOptions struct {
+	path string
+	id   string
+	name string
+}
+
+// addProjectRequest mirrors the daemon's project AddInput body for
+// POST /api/v1/projects. projectId and name are optional (pointers omit them).
+type addProjectRequest struct {
+	Path      string  `json:"path"`
+	ProjectID *string `json:"projectId,omitempty"`
+	Name      *string `json:"name,omitempty"`
+}
+
+type projectResult struct {
+	Project struct {
+		ID   string `json:"id"`
+		Path string `json:"path"`
+	} `json:"project"`
+}
+
+func newProjectCommand(ctx *commandContext) *cobra.Command {
+	cmd := &cobra.Command{
+		Use:   "project",
+		Short: "Manage projects",
+	}
+	cmd.AddCommand(newProjectAddCommand(ctx))
+	return cmd
+}
+
+func newProjectAddCommand(ctx *commandContext) *cobra.Command {
+	var opts projectAddOptions
+	cmd := &cobra.Command{
+		Use:   "add",
+		Short: "Register a local git repo as a project",
+		Long: "Register a local git repo as a project so sessions can be spawned in it.\n\n" +
+			"The path must be an existing git repository on disk.",
+		Args: noArgs,
+		RunE: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
+			if opts.path == "" {
+				return usageError{fmt.Errorf("--path is required")}
+			}
+			req := addProjectRequest{Path: opts.path}
+			if opts.id != "" {
+				req.ProjectID = &opts.id
+			}
+			if opts.name != "" {
+				req.Name = &opts.name
+			}
+			var res projectResult
+			if err := ctx.postJSON(cmd.Context(), "projects", req, &res); err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
+			_, err := fmt.Fprintf(cmd.OutOrStdout(), "registered project %s at %s\n", res.Project.ID, res.Project.Path)
+			return err
+		},
+	}
+	f := cmd.Flags()
+	f.StringVar(&opts.path, "path", "", "Absolute path to the local git repo (required)")
+	f.StringVar(&opts.id, "id", "", "Project id (default: derived by the daemon from the path)")
+	f.StringVar(&opts.name, "name", "", "Display name")
+	return cmd
+}
diff --git a/backend/internal/cli/root.go b/backend/internal/cli/root.go
index ce0157389..293d431fb 100644
--- a/backend/internal/cli/root.go
+++ b/backend/internal/cli/root.go
@@ -147,6 +147,8 @@ func NewRootCommand(deps Deps) *cobra.Command {
 	root.AddCommand(newStopCommand(ctx))
 	root.AddCommand(newStatusCommand(ctx))
 	root.AddCommand(newDoctorCommand(ctx))
+	root.AddCommand(newSpawnCommand(ctx))
+	root.AddCommand(newProjectCommand(ctx))
 	root.AddCommand(newCompletionCommand())
 	root.AddCommand(newVersionCommand())
 
diff --git a/backend/internal/cli/spawn.go b/backend/internal/cli/spawn.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..4a054054f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/internal/cli/spawn.go
@@ -0,0 +1,76 @@
+package cli
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+
+	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
+)
+
+type spawnOptions struct {
+	project string
+	harness string
+	branch  string
+	prompt  string
+	issue   string
+	rules   string
+}
+
+// spawnRequest mirrors the daemon's SpawnSessionRequest body for
+// POST /api/v1/sessions. The CLI keeps its own copy so it need not import httpd.
+type spawnRequest struct {
+	ProjectID  string `json:"projectId"`
+	IssueID    string `json:"issueId,omitempty"`
+	Harness    string `json:"harness,omitempty"`
+	Branch     string `json:"branch,omitempty"`
+	Prompt     string `json:"prompt,omitempty"`
+	AgentRules string `json:"agentRules,omitempty"`
+}
+
+type spawnResult struct {
+	Session struct {
+		ID     string `json:"id"`
+		Status string `json:"status"`
+		Branch string `json:"branch"`
+	} `json:"session"`
+}
+
+func newSpawnCommand(ctx *commandContext) *cobra.Command {
+	var opts spawnOptions
+	cmd := &cobra.Command{
+		Use:   "spawn",
+		Short: "Spawn a worker agent session in a registered project",
+		Long: "Spawn a worker agent session in a registered project.\n\n" +
+			"The session runs the chosen agent (default: the daemon's AO_AGENT) in a\n" +
+			"fresh git worktree. Register the project first with `ao project add`.",
+		Args: noArgs,
+		RunE: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
+			if opts.project == "" {
+				return usageError{fmt.Errorf("--project is required")}
+			}
+			req := spawnRequest{
+				ProjectID:  opts.project,
+				IssueID:    opts.issue,
+				Harness:    opts.harness,
+				Branch:     opts.branch,
+				Prompt:     opts.prompt,
+				AgentRules: opts.rules,
+			}
+			var res spawnResult
+			if err := ctx.postJSON(cmd.Context(), "sessions", req, &res); err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
+			_, err := fmt.Fprintf(cmd.OutOrStdout(),
+				"spawned session %s (%s) on branch %s\nattach with: zellij attach %s   (or `zellij list-sessions`)\n",
+				res.Session.ID, res.Session.Status, res.Session.Branch, res.Session.ID)
+			return err
+		},
+	}
+	f := cmd.Flags()
+	f.StringVar(&opts.project, "project", "", "Project id to spawn the session in (required)")
+	f.StringVar(&opts.harness, "harness", "", "Agent harness: claude-code, codex, … (default: the daemon's AO_AGENT)")
+	f.StringVar(&opts.branch, "branch", "", "Branch for the session worktree (default: ao/<session-id>)")
+	f.StringVar(&opts.prompt, "prompt", "", "Initial prompt for the agent")
+	f.StringVar(&opts.issue, "issue", "", "Issue id to associate with the session")
+	f.StringVar(&opts.rules, "rules", "", "Agent rules appended to the prompt")
+	return cmd
+}
diff --git a/backend/internal/cli/spawn_test.go b/backend/internal/cli/spawn_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..baca6e3ad
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/internal/cli/spawn_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
+package cli
+
+import (
+	"bytes"
+	"strings"
+	"testing"
+)
+
+// TestSpawnCommand_RequiresProject asserts `ao spawn` rejects a missing
+// --project before touching the network, so it fails fast without a daemon.
+func TestSpawnCommand_RequiresProject(t *testing.T) {
+	var out, errb bytes.Buffer
+	root := NewRootCommand(Deps{Out: &out, Err: &errb})
+	root.SetArgs([]string{"spawn"})
+	err := root.Execute()
+	if err == nil {
+		t.Fatal("expected an error when --project is missing")
+	}
+	if !strings.Contains(err.Error(), "--project is required") {
+		t.Fatalf("error = %v, want it to mention --project is required", err)
+	}
+}
+
+// TestProjectAddCommand_RequiresPath asserts `ao project add` rejects a missing
+// --path before touching the network.
+func TestProjectAddCommand_RequiresPath(t *testing.T) {
+	var out, errb bytes.Buffer
+	root := NewRootCommand(Deps{Out: &out, Err: &errb})
+	root.SetArgs([]string{"project", "add"})
+	err := root.Execute()
+	if err == nil {
+		t.Fatal("expected an error when --path is missing")
+	}
+	if !strings.Contains(err.Error(), "--path is required") {
+		t.Fatalf("error = %v, want it to mention --path is required", err)
+	}
+}
diff --git a/backend/internal/daemon/lifecycle_wiring.go b/backend/internal/daemon/lifecycle_wiring.go
index 34685670f..3f56e01c0 100644
--- a/backend/internal/daemon/lifecycle_wiring.go
+++ b/backend/internal/daemon/lifecycle_wiring.go
@@ -63,10 +63,10 @@ func startSession(cfg config.Config, runtime ports.Runtime, store *sqlite.Store,
 		// Per-session worktrees live under the data dir, so a single AO_DATA_DIR
 		// override moves all durable per-user state together.
 		ManagedRoot: filepath.Join(cfg.DataDir, "worktrees"),
-		// An empty resolver fails every project lookup with a clear
-		// "no repo configured for project" error until the projects table feeds
-		// repo paths in — better than silently misrouting spawns.
-		RepoResolver: gitworktree.StaticRepoResolver{},
+		// Resolve each project's source repo from the projects table, so a
+		// session spawned for a registered project materialises its worktree off
+		// that repo. Unregistered projects fail loudly.
+		RepoResolver: projectRepoResolver{store: store},
 	})
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("session workspace: %w", err)
@@ -145,3 +145,28 @@ func buildAgentResolver(defaultAgent string, log *slog.Logger) (ports.AgentResol
 	log.Info("built per-session agent resolver", "default", defaultAgent, "registered", ids)
 	return resolver, nil
 }
+
+// projectRepoResolver resolves a project's on-disk repo path from the projects
+// table so gitworktree can materialise per-session worktrees off it. It replaces
+// the empty StaticRepoResolver the daemon used before (which failed every
+// lookup), turning a registered project into a spawnable one.
+type projectRepoResolver struct{ store *sqlite.Store }
+
+var _ gitworktree.RepoResolver = projectRepoResolver{}
+
+func (r projectRepoResolver) RepoPath(projectID domain.ProjectID) (string, error) {
+	rec, ok, err := r.store.GetProject(context.Background(), string(projectID))
+	if err != nil {
+		return "", fmt.Errorf("look up project %q: %w", projectID, err)
+	}
+	if !ok {
+		return "", fmt.Errorf("no project registered with id %q — add one with `ao project add`", projectID)
+	}
+	if !rec.ArchivedAt.IsZero() {
+		return "", fmt.Errorf("project %q is archived", projectID)
+	}
+	if rec.Path == "" {
+		return "", fmt.Errorf("project %q has no repo path on record", projectID)
+	}
+	return rec.Path, nil
+}
diff --git a/backend/internal/daemon/wiring_test.go b/backend/internal/daemon/wiring_test.go
index 33ba2839f..b7b242c74 100644
--- a/backend/internal/daemon/wiring_test.go
+++ b/backend/internal/daemon/wiring_test.go
@@ -132,3 +132,31 @@ func TestWiring_StartSessionBuildsSessionService(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatal("startSession returned nil session service")
 	}
 }
+
+// TestProjectRepoResolver_ResolvesRegisteredProject asserts the DB-backed repo
+// resolver turns a registered project into its on-disk repo path (so spawns
+// materialise a worktree), and fails loudly for an unregistered project.
+func TestProjectRepoResolver_ResolvesRegisteredProject(t *testing.T) {
+	store, err := sqlite.Open(t.TempDir())
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	t.Cleanup(func() { _ = store.Close() })
+
+	ctx := context.Background()
+	if err := store.UpsertProject(ctx, domain.ProjectRecord{ID: "mer", Path: "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/repo/mer", RegisteredAt: time.Now()}); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
+	r := projectRepoResolver{store: store}
+	got, err := r.RepoPath("mer")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("RepoPath(mer): %v", err)
+	}
+	if got != "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/repo/mer" {
+		t.Fatalf("RepoPath(mer) = %q, want /repo/mer", got)
+	}
+	if _, err := r.RepoPath("nope"); err == nil {
+		t.Fatal("expected an error for an unregistered project")
+	}
+}
diff --git a/backend/internal/session_manager/manager.go b/backend/internal/session_manager/manager.go
index d1cc1007a..577e5134f 100644
--- a/backend/internal/session_manager/manager.go
+++ b/backend/internal/session_manager/manager.go
@@ -101,7 +101,14 @@ func (m *Manager) Spawn(ctx context.Context, cfg ports.SpawnConfig) (domain.Sess
 	}
 	id := rec.ID
 
-	ws, err := m.workspace.Create(ctx, ports.WorkspaceConfig{ProjectID: cfg.ProjectID, SessionID: id, Branch: cfg.Branch})
+	branch := cfg.Branch
+	if branch == "" {
+		// A fresh, unique branch per session: gitworktree can't add a worktree on
+		// a branch already checked out elsewhere (e.g. main), so default to one
+		// derived from the assigned session id.
+		branch = "ao/" + string(id)
+	}
+	ws, err := m.workspace.Create(ctx, ports.WorkspaceConfig{ProjectID: cfg.ProjectID, SessionID: id, Branch: branch})
 	if err != nil {
 		m.markSpawnFailedTerminated(ctx, id)
 		return domain.SessionRecord{}, fmt.Errorf("spawn %s: workspace: %w", id, err)
diff --git a/backend/internal/session_manager/manager_test.go b/backend/internal/session_manager/manager_test.go
index 74bf7bbcf..78900d473 100644
--- a/backend/internal/session_manager/manager_test.go
+++ b/backend/internal/session_manager/manager_test.go
@@ -245,3 +245,26 @@ func TestCleanup_ReclaimsTerminalWorkspaces(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatal("live workspace must not be destroyed")
 	}
 }
+
+func TestSpawn_DefaultsBranchFromSessionID(t *testing.T) {
+	m, st, _, _ := newManager()
+	s, err := m.Spawn(ctx, ports.SpawnConfig{ProjectID: "mer", Kind: domain.KindWorker})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	// An empty SpawnConfig.Branch defaults to a unique per-session branch.
+	if got := st.sessions[s.ID].Metadata.Branch; got != "ao/mer-1" {
+		t.Fatalf("default branch = %q, want ao/mer-1", got)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestSpawn_KeepsExplicitBranch(t *testing.T) {
+	m, st, _, _ := newManager()
+	s, err := m.Spawn(ctx, ports.SpawnConfig{ProjectID: "mer", Kind: domain.KindWorker, Branch: "feature/x"})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if got := st.sessions[s.ID].Metadata.Branch; got != "feature/x" {
+		t.Fatalf("explicit branch = %q, want feature/x", got)
+	}
+}

From 5b242b4930a90a3c99cbe9991e6337f4a9cf1f0d Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: yyovil <itsyyovil@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 2 Jun 2026 08:56:20 +0530
Subject: [PATCH 2/6] Address Copilot review on #77

- `ao spawn` no longer prints a branch the sessions API doesn't return
  (session metadata is json:"-"), so the output is no longer misleading.
- Unregistered/archived/no-path projects now surface a 400
  PROJECT_NOT_RESOLVABLE with an actionable message instead of a generic
  500: a new sessionmanager.ErrProjectNotResolvable sentinel the resolver
  wraps and writeSessionError maps.
- postJSON reuses the injected Deps.HTTPClient (cloned, with a longer
  timeout) instead of a fresh client, keeping HTTP behaviour stubbable.
- postJSON treats a stale run-file (dead PID) as "not running" via
  ProcessAlive, matching its docstring.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.8 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>
---
 backend/internal/cli/client.go                 | 16 +++++++++++-----
 backend/internal/cli/spawn.go                  |  5 ++---
 backend/internal/daemon/lifecycle_wiring.go    |  6 +++---
 backend/internal/httpd/controllers/sessions.go |  2 ++
 backend/internal/session_manager/manager.go    |  3 +++
 5 files changed, 21 insertions(+), 11 deletions(-)

diff --git a/backend/internal/cli/client.go b/backend/internal/cli/client.go
index acf4147d3..628428044 100644
--- a/backend/internal/cli/client.go
+++ b/backend/internal/cli/client.go
@@ -25,8 +25,9 @@ type apiError struct {
 
 // postJSON sends body as JSON to POST /api/v1/<path> on the running daemon and
 // decodes a 2xx response into out (out may be nil). A non-2xx response becomes
-// an error built from the API error envelope, and a missing daemon yields a
-// clear "not running" message rather than a connection-refused dump.
+// an error built from the API error envelope. A missing run-file or a stale one
+// (dead PID) yields a clear "not running" message rather than a
+// connection-refused dump.
 func (c *commandContext) postJSON(ctx context.Context, path string, body, out any) error {
 	cfg, err := config.Load()
 	if err != nil {
@@ -39,6 +40,9 @@ func (c *commandContext) postJSON(ctx context.Context, path string, body, out an
 	if info == nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("AO daemon is not running — start it with `ao start`")
 	}
+	if !c.deps.ProcessAlive(info.PID) {
+		return fmt.Errorf("AO daemon is not running (stale run-file at %s) — start it with `ao start`", cfg.RunFilePath)
+	}
 
 	payload, err := json.Marshal(body)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -51,9 +55,11 @@ func (c *commandContext) postJSON(ctx context.Context, path string, body, out an
 	}
 	req.Header.Set("Content-Type", "application/json")
 
-	// A dedicated client: mutating calls need far more headroom than the 2s
-	// status-probe client in Deps.
-	resp, err := (&http.Client{Timeout: commandTimeout}).Do(req)
+	// Reuse the injected client's transport (keeps it stubbable in tests) but
+	// give mutating calls far more headroom than the 2s status-probe timeout.
+	client := *c.deps.HTTPClient
+	client.Timeout = commandTimeout
+	resp, err := client.Do(req)
 	if err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("call daemon: %w", err)
 	}
diff --git a/backend/internal/cli/spawn.go b/backend/internal/cli/spawn.go
index 4a054054f..ba0fef621 100644
--- a/backend/internal/cli/spawn.go
+++ b/backend/internal/cli/spawn.go
@@ -30,7 +30,6 @@ type spawnResult struct {
 	Session struct {
 		ID     string `json:"id"`
 		Status string `json:"status"`
-		Branch string `json:"branch"`
 	} `json:"session"`
 }
 
@@ -60,8 +59,8 @@ func newSpawnCommand(ctx *commandContext) *cobra.Command {
 				return err
 			}
 			_, err := fmt.Fprintf(cmd.OutOrStdout(),
-				"spawned session %s (%s) on branch %s\nattach with: zellij attach %s   (or `zellij list-sessions`)\n",
-				res.Session.ID, res.Session.Status, res.Session.Branch, res.Session.ID)
+				"spawned session %s (%s)\nattach with: zellij attach %s   (or `zellij list-sessions`)\n",
+				res.Session.ID, res.Session.Status, res.Session.ID)
 			return err
 		},
 	}
diff --git a/backend/internal/daemon/lifecycle_wiring.go b/backend/internal/daemon/lifecycle_wiring.go
index 3f56e01c0..51232299d 100644
--- a/backend/internal/daemon/lifecycle_wiring.go
+++ b/backend/internal/daemon/lifecycle_wiring.go
@@ -160,13 +160,13 @@ func (r projectRepoResolver) RepoPath(projectID domain.ProjectID) (string, error
 		return "", fmt.Errorf("look up project %q: %w", projectID, err)
 	}
 	if !ok {
-		return "", fmt.Errorf("no project registered with id %q — add one with `ao project add`", projectID)
+		return "", fmt.Errorf("no project registered with id %q — add one with `ao project add`: %w", projectID, sessionmanager.ErrProjectNotResolvable)
 	}
 	if !rec.ArchivedAt.IsZero() {
-		return "", fmt.Errorf("project %q is archived", projectID)
+		return "", fmt.Errorf("project %q is archived: %w", projectID, sessionmanager.ErrProjectNotResolvable)
 	}
 	if rec.Path == "" {
-		return "", fmt.Errorf("project %q has no repo path on record", projectID)
+		return "", fmt.Errorf("project %q has no repo path on record: %w", projectID, sessionmanager.ErrProjectNotResolvable)
 	}
 	return rec.Path, nil
 }
diff --git a/backend/internal/httpd/controllers/sessions.go b/backend/internal/httpd/controllers/sessions.go
index c97f388ad..bc88fd721 100644
--- a/backend/internal/httpd/controllers/sessions.go
+++ b/backend/internal/httpd/controllers/sessions.go
@@ -253,6 +253,8 @@ func writeSessionError(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request, err error) {
 		envelope.WriteAPIError(w, r, http.StatusConflict, "conflict", "SESSION_NOT_RESTORABLE", "Session is not restorable", nil)
 	case errors.Is(err, sessionmanager.ErrIncompleteHandle):
 		envelope.WriteAPIError(w, r, http.StatusConflict, "conflict", "SESSION_INCOMPLETE_HANDLE", "Session is missing runtime or workspace handles", nil)
+	case errors.Is(err, sessionmanager.ErrProjectNotResolvable):
+		envelope.WriteAPIError(w, r, http.StatusBadRequest, "bad_request", "PROJECT_NOT_RESOLVABLE", "Project is not registered or has no repo — register it with `ao project add`", nil)
 	default:
 		envelope.WriteAPIError(w, r, http.StatusInternalServerError, "internal", "SESSION_OPERATION_FAILED", "Session operation failed", nil)
 	}
diff --git a/backend/internal/session_manager/manager.go b/backend/internal/session_manager/manager.go
index 577e5134f..fcf4277f7 100644
--- a/backend/internal/session_manager/manager.go
+++ b/backend/internal/session_manager/manager.go
@@ -17,6 +17,9 @@ var (
 	ErrNotFound         = errors.New("session: not found")
 	ErrNotRestorable    = errors.New("session: not restorable (not terminal)")
 	ErrIncompleteHandle = errors.New("session: incomplete teardown handle")
+	// ErrProjectNotResolvable means the spawn's project has no usable repo
+	// (unregistered, archived, or missing a path). The API maps it to a 400.
+	ErrProjectNotResolvable = errors.New("session: project repo not resolvable")
 )
 
 // Env vars a spawned process reads to learn who it is.

From 798a4e544cba1da0fc7abc83dd1a7291ed39b335 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: yyovil <itsyyovil@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 2 Jun 2026 09:06:41 +0530
Subject: [PATCH 3/6] Assert the project-not-resolvable sentinel in the
 resolver test

Greptile review: harden TestProjectRepoResolver to verify the unregistered
-project error wraps ErrProjectNotResolvable, so a future regression in the
sentinel wrapping (which the HTTP 400 mapping relies on) is caught.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.8 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>
---
 backend/internal/daemon/wiring_test.go | 9 ++++++++-
 1 file changed, 8 insertions(+), 1 deletion(-)

diff --git a/backend/internal/daemon/wiring_test.go b/backend/internal/daemon/wiring_test.go
index b7b242c74..bf2083b41 100644
--- a/backend/internal/daemon/wiring_test.go
+++ b/backend/internal/daemon/wiring_test.go
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package daemon
 
 import (
 	"context"
+	"errors"
 	"io"
 	"log/slog"
 	"sync"
@@ -15,6 +16,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/aoagents/agent-orchestrator/backend/internal/domain"
 	"github.com/aoagents/agent-orchestrator/backend/internal/lifecycle"
 	"github.com/aoagents/agent-orchestrator/backend/internal/ports"
+	sessionmanager "github.com/aoagents/agent-orchestrator/backend/internal/session_manager"
 	"github.com/aoagents/agent-orchestrator/backend/internal/storage/sqlite"
 )
 
@@ -156,7 +158,12 @@ func TestProjectRepoResolver_ResolvesRegisteredProject(t *testing.T) {
 	if got != "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/repo/mer" {
 		t.Fatalf("RepoPath(mer) = %q, want /repo/mer", got)
 	}
-	if _, err := r.RepoPath("nope"); err == nil {
+	_, err = r.RepoPath("nope")
+	if err == nil {
 		t.Fatal("expected an error for an unregistered project")
 	}
+	// Guard the sentinel wrapping so the HTTP 400 mapping can't silently regress.
+	if !errors.Is(err, sessionmanager.ErrProjectNotResolvable) {
+		t.Fatalf("unregistered-project error should wrap ErrProjectNotResolvable, got %v", err)
+	}
 }

From cb77df55f2fcecac0d4af939311df1ef6a0a8001 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: yyovil <itsyyovil@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 2 Jun 2026 10:15:47 +0530
Subject: [PATCH 4/6] Fix ao spawn 500 on long session ids (zellij socket-path
 overflow)

Root cause: the daemon built the zellij runtime with an empty SocketDir,
so zellij fell back to its $TMPDIR-based default (long on macOS). That
left almost none of the ~103-byte unix-socket-path budget for the session
name, so a long session id (e.g. "aoagents-agent-orchestrator-1", derived
from a long project id) was rejected by zellij with "session name must be
less than 0 characters". runtime.Create failed, the spawn 500'd, and the
worktree was rolled back (leaving an orphan ao/ branch).

- New zellij.DefaultSocketDir(): a short, stable per-user socket dir
  (/tmp/ao-zellij-<uid>); the daemon uses it (and MkdirAll's it).
- ao spawn's attach hint now prefixes ZELLIJ_SOCKET_DIR so it stays
  copy-pasteable against the daemon's socket dir.
- Regression test guards that the socket dir leaves >= 48 bytes for the
  session name within the 103-byte limit.

Verified: ao spawn against a long-id project now succeeds (session live,
worktree created) where it previously 500'd.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.8 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>
---
 .../adapters/runtime/zellij/zellij.go         | 13 ++++++++++++
 backend/internal/cli/spawn.go                 | 17 +++++++++++++---
 backend/internal/daemon/daemon.go             |  8 +++++++-
 backend/internal/daemon/wiring_test.go        | 20 +++++++++++++++++++
 4 files changed, 54 insertions(+), 4 deletions(-)

diff --git a/backend/internal/adapters/runtime/zellij/zellij.go b/backend/internal/adapters/runtime/zellij/zellij.go
index f30a21ecf..391a72200 100644
--- a/backend/internal/adapters/runtime/zellij/zellij.go
+++ b/backend/internal/adapters/runtime/zellij/zellij.go
@@ -58,6 +58,19 @@ type Runtime struct {
 
 var _ ports.Runtime = (*Runtime)(nil)
 
+// DefaultSocketDir returns a short, stable ZELLIJ_SOCKET_DIR for AO's daemon.
+// zellij's own default lives under $TMPDIR (long on macOS), which leaves almost
+// none of the ~103-byte unix-socket-path budget for the session name — a long
+// session id then fails with "session name must be less than 0 characters". A
+// short dir restores ample budget. Empty on Windows, where zellij is not used.
+// Pure: callers that run zellij should MkdirAll the result.
+func DefaultSocketDir() string {
+	if runtime.GOOS == "windows" {
+		return ""
+	}
+	return "/tmp/ao-zellij-" + strconv.Itoa(os.Getuid())
+}
+
 type runner interface {
 	Run(ctx context.Context, env []string, name string, args ...string) ([]byte, error)
 }
diff --git a/backend/internal/cli/spawn.go b/backend/internal/cli/spawn.go
index ba0fef621..ca1ba38d4 100644
--- a/backend/internal/cli/spawn.go
+++ b/backend/internal/cli/spawn.go
@@ -4,6 +4,8 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 
 	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
+
+	"github.com/aoagents/agent-orchestrator/backend/internal/adapters/runtime/zellij"
 )
 
 type spawnOptions struct {
@@ -58,9 +60,18 @@ func newSpawnCommand(ctx *commandContext) *cobra.Command {
 			if err := ctx.postJSON(cmd.Context(), "sessions", req, &res); err != nil {
 				return err
 			}
-			_, err := fmt.Fprintf(cmd.OutOrStdout(),
-				"spawned session %s (%s)\nattach with: zellij attach %s   (or `zellij list-sessions`)\n",
-				res.Session.ID, res.Session.Status, res.Session.ID)
+			out := cmd.OutOrStdout()
+			if _, err := fmt.Fprintf(out, "spawned session %s (%s)\n", res.Session.ID, res.Session.Status); err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
+			// The daemon runs zellij under a short, non-default socket dir (see
+			// zellij.DefaultSocketDir), so a plain `zellij attach` wouldn't find
+			// the session — prefix the env so the hint is copy-pasteable.
+			attach := fmt.Sprintf("zellij attach %s", res.Session.ID)
+			if dir := zellij.DefaultSocketDir(); dir != "" {
+				attach = fmt.Sprintf("ZELLIJ_SOCKET_DIR=%s %s", dir, attach)
+			}
+			_, err := fmt.Fprintf(out, "attach with: %s\n", attach)
 			return err
 		},
 	}
diff --git a/backend/internal/daemon/daemon.go b/backend/internal/daemon/daemon.go
index 3b75e4fb0..597f26349 100644
--- a/backend/internal/daemon/daemon.go
+++ b/backend/internal/daemon/daemon.go
@@ -62,7 +62,13 @@ func Run() error {
 	// liveness; the CDC broadcaster feeds the session-state channel. The manager
 	// is handed to httpd, which mounts it at /mux. Raw PTY bytes never flow
 	// through the CDC change_log — only session-state events do.
-	runtimeAdapter := zellij.New(zellij.Options{})
+	// zellij's default socket dir is too long on macOS for long session ids
+	// (see zellij.DefaultSocketDir); use a short, stable one and ensure it exists.
+	zellijSocketDir := zellij.DefaultSocketDir()
+	if zellijSocketDir != "" {
+		_ = os.MkdirAll(zellijSocketDir, 0o700)
+	}
+	runtimeAdapter := zellij.New(zellij.Options{SocketDir: zellijSocketDir})
 	termMgr := terminal.NewManager(runtimeAdapter, cdcPipe.Broadcaster, log)
 	defer termMgr.Close()
 
diff --git a/backend/internal/daemon/wiring_test.go b/backend/internal/daemon/wiring_test.go
index bf2083b41..d15f9deef 100644
--- a/backend/internal/daemon/wiring_test.go
+++ b/backend/internal/daemon/wiring_test.go
@@ -167,3 +167,23 @@ func TestProjectRepoResolver_ResolvesRegisteredProject(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatalf("unregistered-project error should wrap ErrProjectNotResolvable, got %v", err)
 	}
 }
+
+// TestDaemonZellijSocketDir_LeavesBudgetForSessionNames guards the fix for the
+// zellij "session name must be less than 0 characters" spawn failure: the
+// daemon's socket dir must be short enough that a max-length (48-char) session
+// name still fits the ~103-byte unix-domain-socket-path budget. zellij's long
+// $TMPDIR default (the bug) would fail this.
+func TestDaemonZellijSocketDir_LeavesBudgetForSessionNames(t *testing.T) {
+	dir := zellij.DefaultSocketDir()
+	if dir == "" {
+		t.Skip("zellij not used on this platform")
+	}
+	const (
+		unixSocketPathMax = 103 // sun_path budget zellij enforces on macOS
+		zellijOverhead    = 24  // zellij's version subdir + separators (generous)
+		maxSessionName    = 48  // zellijSessionName's cap
+	)
+	if budget := unixSocketPathMax - len(dir) - zellijOverhead; budget < maxSessionName {
+		t.Fatalf("zellij socket dir %q too long: %d bytes left for the session name, need >= %d", dir, budget, maxSessionName)
+	}
+}

From 9a5e9405f30d0f927194507398286655e9db0871 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: harshitsinghbhandari <24b4506@iitb.ac.in>
Date: Tue, 2 Jun 2026 17:27:37 +0530
Subject: [PATCH 5/6] test(cli): guard CLI/daemon DTO drift with an e2e
 round-trip

The CLI keeps its own request structs (spawnRequest, addProjectRequest)
separate from the daemon's canonical DTOs (controllers.SpawnSessionRequest,
project.AddInput). Nothing verified the JSON field names agreed, so a renamed
tag on either side would compile but break at runtime.

Drive `ao spawn` and `ao project add` through the real httpd router and
controllers (fakes only at the service layer) over a real loopback round trip
via postJSON, asserting each field decodes into the right SpawnConfig/AddInput
field. Runs in the normal test lane (no extra ports/processes).

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.7 <noreply@anthropic.com>
---
 backend/internal/cli/dto_drift_e2e_test.go | 215 +++++++++++++++++++++
 1 file changed, 215 insertions(+)
 create mode 100644 backend/internal/cli/dto_drift_e2e_test.go

diff --git a/backend/internal/cli/dto_drift_e2e_test.go b/backend/internal/cli/dto_drift_e2e_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..07c10a656
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/internal/cli/dto_drift_e2e_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,215 @@
+package cli
+
+// dto_drift_e2e_test.go is the DTO-drift guard for the `ao spawn` and
+// `ao project add` commands. The CLI defines its OWN request structs
+// (spawnRequest in spawn.go, addProjectRequest in project.go) that are separate
+// copies of the daemon's canonical request DTOs (controllers.SpawnSessionRequest
+// and project.AddInput). Nothing else verifies the two sides agree on JSON field
+// names — a renamed `json:"..."` tag on either side compiles fine but silently
+// breaks at runtime.
+//
+// This test stands up the REAL daemon HTTP router + REAL controllers (with fakes
+// only BELOW the controller, at the service layer) and drives the actual CLI
+// commands through the actual postJSON client over a real loopback HTTP round
+// trip. If the CLI's JSON field names diverge from what the controllers decode,
+// the captured values are wrong/empty and the subtests fail.
+//
+// (This lives in a separate file from the build-tagged e2e_test.go so it runs in
+// the normal `go test ./...` lane — it binds no extra ports beyond httptest and
+// spawns no processes.)
+
+import (
+	"bytes"
+	"context"
+	"io"
+	"log/slog"
+	"net"
+	"net/http"
+	"net/http/httptest"
+	"os"
+	"path/filepath"
+	"testing"
+	"time"
+
+	"github.com/aoagents/agent-orchestrator/backend/internal/config"
+	"github.com/aoagents/agent-orchestrator/backend/internal/domain"
+	"github.com/aoagents/agent-orchestrator/backend/internal/httpd"
+	"github.com/aoagents/agent-orchestrator/backend/internal/httpd/controllers"
+	"github.com/aoagents/agent-orchestrator/backend/internal/ports"
+	"github.com/aoagents/agent-orchestrator/backend/internal/runfile"
+	projectsvc "github.com/aoagents/agent-orchestrator/backend/internal/service/project"
+	sessionsvc "github.com/aoagents/agent-orchestrator/backend/internal/service/session"
+)
+
+// fakeSessionService captures the ports.SpawnConfig the controller decodes from
+// the CLI's request body. Every other method is a no-op so it satisfies the
+// controllers.SessionService interface.
+type fakeSessionService struct {
+	spawned ports.SpawnConfig
+}
+
+var _ controllers.SessionService = (*fakeSessionService)(nil)
+
+func (f *fakeSessionService) List(context.Context, sessionsvc.ListFilter) ([]domain.Session, error) {
+	return nil, nil
+}
+
+func (f *fakeSessionService) Spawn(_ context.Context, cfg ports.SpawnConfig) (domain.Session, error) {
+	f.spawned = cfg
+	return domain.Session{
+		SessionRecord: domain.SessionRecord{ID: domain.SessionID(string(cfg.ProjectID) + "-1")},
+		Status:        domain.StatusIdle,
+	}, nil
+}
+
+func (f *fakeSessionService) Get(context.Context, domain.SessionID) (domain.Session, error) {
+	return domain.Session{}, nil
+}
+
+func (f *fakeSessionService) Restore(context.Context, domain.SessionID) (domain.Session, error) {
+	return domain.Session{}, nil
+}
+
+func (f *fakeSessionService) Kill(context.Context, domain.SessionID) (bool, error) {
+	return false, nil
+}
+
+func (f *fakeSessionService) Send(context.Context, domain.SessionID, string) error {
+	return nil
+}
+
+// fakeProjectManager captures the project.AddInput the controller decodes from
+// the CLI's request body. Every other method is a no-op so it satisfies the
+// projectsvc.Manager interface.
+type fakeProjectManager struct {
+	added projectsvc.AddInput
+}
+
+var _ projectsvc.Manager = (*fakeProjectManager)(nil)
+
+func (f *fakeProjectManager) List(context.Context) ([]projectsvc.Summary, error) {
+	return nil, nil
+}
+
+func (f *fakeProjectManager) Get(context.Context, domain.ProjectID) (projectsvc.GetResult, error) {
+	return projectsvc.GetResult{}, nil
+}
+
+func (f *fakeProjectManager) Add(_ context.Context, in projectsvc.AddInput) (projectsvc.Project, error) {
+	f.added = in
+	id := domain.ProjectID("demo")
+	if in.ProjectID != nil {
+		id = domain.ProjectID(*in.ProjectID)
+	}
+	return projectsvc.Project{ID: id, Path: in.Path}, nil
+}
+
+func (f *fakeProjectManager) Remove(context.Context, domain.ProjectID) (projectsvc.RemoveResult, error) {
+	return projectsvc.RemoveResult{}, nil
+}
+
+// startDriftTestDaemon stands up the real router+controllers backed by the
+// supplied fakes and points the CLI's run-file at it. The CLI discovers the
+// server purely via AO_RUN_FILE + the run-file port, so this is a genuine
+// loopback round trip through postJSON.
+func startDriftTestDaemon(t *testing.T, sessions controllers.SessionService, projects projectsvc.Manager) {
+	t.Helper()
+
+	log := slog.New(slog.NewTextHandler(io.Discard, nil))
+	router := httpd.NewRouterWithAPI(config.Config{}, log, nil, httpd.APIDeps{
+		Sessions: sessions,
+		Projects: projects,
+	})
+	srv := httptest.NewServer(router)
+	t.Cleanup(srv.Close)
+
+	port := srv.Listener.Addr().(*net.TCPAddr).Port
+
+	rfPath := filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "running.json")
+	t.Setenv("AO_RUN_FILE", rfPath)
+	if err := runfile.Write(rfPath, runfile.Info{PID: os.Getpid(), Port: port, StartedAt: time.Now()}); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("write run-file: %v", err)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestE2E_SpawnAndProjectAddDTORoundTrip(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Run("spawn", func(t *testing.T) {
+		sessions := &fakeSessionService{}
+		startDriftTestDaemon(t, sessions, &fakeProjectManager{})
+
+		var out bytes.Buffer
+		root := NewRootCommand(Deps{
+			Out:          &out,
+			Err:          &out,
+			HTTPClient:   &http.Client{},
+			ProcessAlive: func(int) bool { return true },
+		})
+		root.SetArgs([]string{
+			"spawn",
+			"--project", "mer",
+			"--harness", "codex",
+			"--branch", "feat/x",
+			"--prompt", "hi",
+			"--issue", "ISS-1",
+		})
+		if err := root.Execute(); err != nil {
+			t.Fatalf("spawn execute: %v\noutput: %s", err, out.String())
+		}
+
+		got := sessions.spawned
+		if got.ProjectID != "mer" {
+			t.Errorf("ProjectID = %q, want %q (CLI json:\"projectId\" vs SpawnSessionRequest)", got.ProjectID, "mer")
+		}
+		if got.Harness != "codex" {
+			t.Errorf("Harness = %q, want %q", got.Harness, "codex")
+		}
+		if got.Branch != "feat/x" {
+			t.Errorf("Branch = %q, want %q", got.Branch, "feat/x")
+		}
+		if got.Prompt != "hi" {
+			t.Errorf("Prompt = %q, want %q", got.Prompt, "hi")
+		}
+		if got.IssueID != "ISS-1" {
+			t.Errorf("IssueID = %q, want %q", got.IssueID, "ISS-1")
+		}
+		if !bytes.Contains(out.Bytes(), []byte("spawned session")) {
+			t.Errorf("output missing %q; got: %s", "spawned session", out.String())
+		}
+	})
+
+	t.Run("project add", func(t *testing.T) {
+		projects := &fakeProjectManager{}
+		startDriftTestDaemon(t, &fakeSessionService{}, projects)
+
+		var out bytes.Buffer
+		root := NewRootCommand(Deps{
+			Out:          &out,
+			Err:          &out,
+			HTTPClient:   &http.Client{},
+			ProcessAlive: func(int) bool { return true },
+		})
+		root.SetArgs([]string{
+			"project", "add",
+			"--path", "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/repo/mer",
+			"--id", "demo",
+			"--name", "Demo",
+		})
+		if err := root.Execute(); err != nil {
+			t.Fatalf("project add execute: %v\noutput: %s", err, out.String())
+		}
+
+		got := projects.added
+		if got.Path != "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/repo/mer" {
+			t.Errorf("Path = %q, want %q", got.Path, "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/repo/mer")
+		}
+		if got.ProjectID == nil || *got.ProjectID != "demo" {
+			t.Errorf("ProjectID = %v, want %q (CLI json:\"projectId\" vs AddInput)", got.ProjectID, "demo")
+		}
+		if got.Name == nil || *got.Name != "Demo" {
+			t.Errorf("Name = %v, want %q", got.Name, "Demo")
+		}
+		if !bytes.Contains(out.Bytes(), []byte("registered project")) {
+			t.Errorf("output missing %q; got: %s", "registered project", out.String())
+		}
+	})
+}

From 5deafde8e3378c91ad73d702cf27a72007635b6a Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: harshitsinghbhandari <24b4506@iitb.ac.in>
Date: Tue, 2 Jun 2026 17:48:59 +0530
Subject: [PATCH 6/6] fix(cli,daemon): address review findings on ao spawn
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit

- spawn: print the sanitised zellij session name (zellij.SessionName) in the
  attach hint; a long/non-conforming session id is registered under a different
  name, so the raw id sent users to a missing session.
- client: surface the daemon error envelope's requestId so a failed command can
  be correlated with daemon logs.
- daemon: don't swallow the zellij socket-dir MkdirAll error — log it, since a
  failure otherwise surfaces later as an opaque socket-bind error on every spawn.
- project: reject an embedded ".." in a project id up front; it passed the id
  pattern but yielded an invalid branch (ao/a..b-1) and an opaque 500 at spawn.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.7 <noreply@anthropic.com>
---
 .../adapters/runtime/zellij/zellij.go         | 14 +++++++---
 .../adapters/runtime/zellij/zellij_test.go    | 25 +++++++++++++++++
 backend/internal/cli/client.go                | 27 +++++++++++++------
 backend/internal/cli/client_test.go           | 25 +++++++++++++++++
 backend/internal/cli/spawn.go                 |  6 +++--
 backend/internal/daemon/daemon.go             |  6 ++++-
 backend/internal/service/project/service.go   |  5 +++-
 .../internal/service/project/service_test.go  |  5 ++++
 8 files changed, 98 insertions(+), 15 deletions(-)
 create mode 100644 backend/internal/cli/client_test.go

diff --git a/backend/internal/adapters/runtime/zellij/zellij.go b/backend/internal/adapters/runtime/zellij/zellij.go
index 391a72200..536ad28a7 100644
--- a/backend/internal/adapters/runtime/zellij/zellij.go
+++ b/backend/internal/adapters/runtime/zellij/zellij.go
@@ -343,10 +343,18 @@ func zellijSessionName(id domain.SessionID) (string, error) {
 	if raw == "" {
 		return "", errors.New("zellij runtime: session id is required")
 	}
-	if sessionIDPattern.MatchString(raw) && len(raw) <= 48 {
-		return raw, nil
+	return SessionName(raw), nil
+}
+
+// SessionName returns the zellij session name the runtime registers for a given
+// session id — applying the same sanitisation Create does. Callers that print an
+// attach hint (e.g. `ao spawn`) must use this rather than the raw id, since a
+// long or non-conforming id maps to a different, sanitised session name.
+func SessionName(id string) string {
+	if sessionIDPattern.MatchString(id) && len(id) <= 48 {
+		return id
 	}
-	return sanitizedSessionName(raw), nil
+	return sanitizedSessionName(id)
 }
 
 func sanitizedSessionName(raw string) string {
diff --git a/backend/internal/adapters/runtime/zellij/zellij_test.go b/backend/internal/adapters/runtime/zellij/zellij_test.go
index c5ef9b1c1..22e2e5092 100644
--- a/backend/internal/adapters/runtime/zellij/zellij_test.go
+++ b/backend/internal/adapters/runtime/zellij/zellij_test.go
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ import (
 	"testing"
 	"time"
 
+	"github.com/aoagents/agent-orchestrator/backend/internal/domain"
 	"github.com/aoagents/agent-orchestrator/backend/internal/ports"
 )
 
@@ -59,6 +60,30 @@ func TestZellijSessionNameSanitizesIssueRefs(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+// SessionName must return the exact name Create registers a session under, so
+// callers that print an attach hint (e.g. `ao spawn`) reference the real
+// session. A short, conforming id passes through; a long one is sanitised to a
+// different name — printing the raw id there would send users to a missing
+// session.
+func TestSessionNameMatchesCreateNaming(t *testing.T) {
+	short := "myproj-1"
+	if got := SessionName(short); got != short {
+		t.Fatalf("SessionName(%q) = %q, want it unchanged", short, got)
+	}
+
+	long := domain.SessionID(strings.Repeat("x", 60) + "-1")
+	viaCreate, err := zellijSessionName(long)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("zellijSessionName: %v", err)
+	}
+	if got := SessionName(string(long)); got != viaCreate {
+		t.Fatalf("SessionName = %q, but Create uses %q", got, viaCreate)
+	}
+	if SessionName(string(long)) == string(long) {
+		t.Fatal("expected a long id to be sanitised to a different name")
+	}
+}
+
 func TestValidateSessionAndPaneID(t *testing.T) {
 	for _, id := range []string{"sess-1", "S_2", "abc123"} {
 		if err := validateSessionID(id); err != nil {
diff --git a/backend/internal/cli/client.go b/backend/internal/cli/client.go
index 628428044..e6de41fe6 100644
--- a/backend/internal/cli/client.go
+++ b/backend/internal/cli/client.go
@@ -18,9 +18,24 @@ import (
 const commandTimeout = 2 * time.Minute
 
 // apiError is the subset of the daemon's JSON error envelope the CLI surfaces.
+// RequestID is surfaced so a failed command can be correlated with daemon logs.
 type apiError struct {
-	Message string `json:"message"`
-	Code    string `json:"code"`
+	Message   string `json:"message"`
+	Code      string `json:"code"`
+	RequestID string `json:"requestId"`
+}
+
+// String renders the envelope for the user: "<message> (<code>) [request <id>]",
+// omitting whichever parts the daemon left empty.
+func (e apiError) String() string {
+	msg := e.Message
+	if e.Code != "" {
+		msg = fmt.Sprintf("%s (%s)", msg, e.Code)
+	}
+	if e.RequestID != "" {
+		msg = fmt.Sprintf("%s [request %s]", msg, e.RequestID)
+	}
+	return msg
 }
 
 // postJSON sends body as JSON to POST /api/v1/<path> on the running daemon and
@@ -68,14 +83,10 @@ func (c *commandContext) postJSON(ctx context.Context, path string, body, out an
 	if resp.StatusCode < 200 || resp.StatusCode >= 300 {
 		var e apiError
 		_ = json.NewDecoder(resp.Body).Decode(&e)
-		switch {
-		case e.Message != "" && e.Code != "":
-			return fmt.Errorf("%s (%s)", e.Message, e.Code)
-		case e.Message != "":
-			return fmt.Errorf("%s", e.Message)
-		default:
+		if e.Message == "" {
 			return fmt.Errorf("daemon returned HTTP %d", resp.StatusCode)
 		}
+		return fmt.Errorf("%s", e.String())
 	}
 	if out != nil {
 		if err := json.NewDecoder(resp.Body).Decode(out); err != nil {
diff --git a/backend/internal/cli/client_test.go b/backend/internal/cli/client_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..eb07dee34
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/internal/cli/client_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+package cli
+
+import "testing"
+
+// TestAPIErrorString covers how the CLI renders the daemon's error envelope,
+// including the requestId it now surfaces for log correlation.
+func TestAPIErrorString(t *testing.T) {
+	cases := []struct {
+		name string
+		in   apiError
+		want string
+	}{
+		{"message only", apiError{Message: "boom"}, "boom"},
+		{"message and code", apiError{Message: "boom", Code: "X"}, "boom (X)"},
+		{"with request id", apiError{Message: "boom", Code: "X", RequestID: "req-1"}, "boom (X) [request req-1]"},
+		{"message and request id", apiError{Message: "boom", RequestID: "req-1"}, "boom [request req-1]"},
+	}
+	for _, tc := range cases {
+		t.Run(tc.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			if got := tc.in.String(); got != tc.want {
+				t.Fatalf("String() = %q, want %q", got, tc.want)
+			}
+		})
+	}
+}
diff --git a/backend/internal/cli/spawn.go b/backend/internal/cli/spawn.go
index ca1ba38d4..534fff78f 100644
--- a/backend/internal/cli/spawn.go
+++ b/backend/internal/cli/spawn.go
@@ -66,8 +66,10 @@ func newSpawnCommand(ctx *commandContext) *cobra.Command {
 			}
 			// The daemon runs zellij under a short, non-default socket dir (see
 			// zellij.DefaultSocketDir), so a plain `zellij attach` wouldn't find
-			// the session — prefix the env so the hint is copy-pasteable.
-			attach := fmt.Sprintf("zellij attach %s", res.Session.ID)
+			// the session — prefix the env so the hint is copy-pasteable. Use the
+			// sanitised name zellij actually registers (zellij.SessionName): a long
+			// session id maps to a different name than the raw id.
+			attach := fmt.Sprintf("zellij attach %s", zellij.SessionName(res.Session.ID))
 			if dir := zellij.DefaultSocketDir(); dir != "" {
 				attach = fmt.Sprintf("ZELLIJ_SOCKET_DIR=%s %s", dir, attach)
 			}
diff --git a/backend/internal/daemon/daemon.go b/backend/internal/daemon/daemon.go
index 597f26349..d38fa4ea1 100644
--- a/backend/internal/daemon/daemon.go
+++ b/backend/internal/daemon/daemon.go
@@ -66,7 +66,11 @@ func Run() error {
 	// (see zellij.DefaultSocketDir); use a short, stable one and ensure it exists.
 	zellijSocketDir := zellij.DefaultSocketDir()
 	if zellijSocketDir != "" {
-		_ = os.MkdirAll(zellijSocketDir, 0o700)
+		if err := os.MkdirAll(zellijSocketDir, 0o700); err != nil {
+			// Don't abort startup, but surface it: every spawn's zellij session
+			// would otherwise fail later with an opaque socket-bind error.
+			log.Warn("could not create zellij socket dir; spawns may fail", "dir", zellijSocketDir, "error", err)
+		}
 	}
 	runtimeAdapter := zellij.New(zellij.Options{SocketDir: zellijSocketDir})
 	termMgr := terminal.NewManager(runtimeAdapter, cdcPipe.Broadcaster, log)
diff --git a/backend/internal/service/project/service.go b/backend/internal/service/project/service.go
index 0eb213abe..89cf5a10b 100644
--- a/backend/internal/service/project/service.go
+++ b/backend/internal/service/project/service.go
@@ -228,7 +228,10 @@ var projectIDPattern = regexp.MustCompile(`^[A-Za-z0-9][A-Za-z0-9._-]*$`)
 
 func validateProjectID(id domain.ProjectID) error {
 	raw := string(id)
-	if raw == "" || raw == "." || raw == ".." || strings.ContainsAny(raw, `/\`) || !projectIDPattern.MatchString(raw) {
+	// Reject any "." run: a "." prefix fails the pattern, but an embedded ".."
+	// (e.g. "a..b") passes it yet yields a branch like "ao/a..b-1" that git's
+	// check-ref-format rejects — surfacing as an opaque 500 at spawn time.
+	if raw == "" || raw == "." || strings.Contains(raw, "..") || strings.ContainsAny(raw, `/\`) || !projectIDPattern.MatchString(raw) {
 		return badRequest("INVALID_PROJECT_ID", "Project id failed storage-path validation", nil)
 	}
 	return nil
diff --git a/backend/internal/service/project/service_test.go b/backend/internal/service/project/service_test.go
index d8ae22ec5..03dedfad8 100644
--- a/backend/internal/service/project/service_test.go
+++ b/backend/internal/service/project/service_test.go
@@ -125,6 +125,11 @@ func TestManager_AddValidationAndConflicts(t *testing.T) {
 	_, err = m.Add(ctx, project.AddInput{Path: t.TempDir()}) // exists but not a git repo
 	wantCode(t, err, "NOT_A_GIT_REPO")
 
+	// An embedded ".." passes the id pattern but would yield an invalid git
+	// branch (ao/a..b-1) at spawn time; reject it up front as a clear 400.
+	_, err = m.Add(ctx, project.AddInput{Path: gitRepo(t), ProjectID: ptr("a..b")})
+	wantCode(t, err, "INVALID_PROJECT_ID")
+
 	repoA, repoB := gitRepo(t), gitRepo(t)
 	if _, err := m.Add(ctx, project.AddInput{Path: repoA, ProjectID: ptr("shared")}); err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("seed add: %v", err)