fix(#1548): make set_status always-on regardless of tool groups

docs/conventions.md

@@ -278,7 +278,7 @@ binary flavor.
 | Group | Tools |
 |---|---|
 | `messaging` | `send`, `recv`, `ask`, `answer` |
-| `meta` | `set_status`, `get_agent_meta` |
+| `meta` | `get_agent_meta` (`set_status` is always-on, see below) |
 | `inbox` | `get_loose_ends`, `cancel_loose_end`, `remind`, `request_next_turn` |
 | `execution` | vestigial — `mcp__bash__run` / `mcp__bash__status` are always available unconditionally via `extraMcpServers`; this group's entries expand to non-existent `mcp__hyperhive__run` / `mcp__hyperhive__status` and have no effect. See `docs/tools/bash.md`. |
 | `lifecycle` | `kill`, `start`, `restart`, `update` *(privileged)* |
@@ -286,6 +286,14 @@ binary flavor.
 | `scheduling` | `request_schedule_prompt`, `fire_schedule_now`, `cancel_schedule`, `edit_schedule`, `list_schedules` *(privileged)* |
 | `diagnostics` | `get_logs` *(privileged)* |
 
+**Always-on tools** — `set_status` is exposed to every agent regardless of
+which groups it holds (`ToolGroup::ALWAYS_ON_TOOLS`). The operator dashboard
+depends on every agent being able to report its status chip, and the
+server-side `SetStatus` handler has no tool-group check (only length
+validation), so gating it would only desync the `--allowedTools` list from
+what the host actually accepts. Revoking `meta` therefore drops
+`get_agent_meta` but never `set_status`.
+
 **Config storage** — per-agent tool groups live in
 `/var/lib/hyperhive/meta/tool-groups.json` (hive-c0re-owned, committed to the
 meta repo alongside `topology.json`). Format: `{ "alice": ["messaging", "meta",

hive-ag3nt/src/mcp.rs

@@ -1847,10 +1847,14 @@ fn effective_tool_groups() -> Vec<hive_sh4re::ToolGroup> {
 #[must_use]
 pub fn allowed_mcp_tools(groups: &[hive_sh4re::ToolGroup]) -> Vec<String> {
     // Collect all tool names, deduplicating while preserving order.
+    // Always-on tools (e.g. `set_status`) come first so they're present
+    // regardless of which groups the agent is granted — a misconfigured
+    // agent still has to be able to report its dashboard status.
     let mut seen = std::collections::HashSet::new();
-    let mut out: Vec<String> = groups
+    let mut out: Vec<String> = hive_sh4re::ToolGroup::ALWAYS_ON_TOOLS
         .iter()
-        .flat_map(|g| g.tools())
+        .copied()
+        .chain(groups.iter().flat_map(|g| g.tools().iter().copied()))
         .filter(|t| seen.insert(*t))
         .map(|t| format!("mcp__{SERVER_NAME}__{t}"))
         .collect();
@@ -2076,3 +2080,44 @@ mod recv_hint_tests {
         assert_eq!(out, "(empty)");
     }
 }
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod allowed_tools_tests {
+    use super::{SERVER_NAME, allowed_mcp_tools};
+    use hive_sh4re::ToolGroup;
+
+    fn qualified(tool: &str) -> String {
+        format!("mcp__{SERVER_NAME}__{tool}")
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn set_status_present_with_no_groups() {
+        // The whole point of #1548: an agent with zero tool groups
+        // (or any group set that omits `meta`) must still be able to
+        // report its dashboard status.
+        let tools = allowed_mcp_tools(&[]);
+        assert!(
+            tools.contains(&qualified("set_status")),
+            "set_status missing from empty-group allow-list: {tools:?}"
+        );
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn set_status_present_without_meta_group() {
+        let tools = allowed_mcp_tools(&[ToolGroup::Messaging, ToolGroup::Inbox]);
+        assert!(tools.contains(&qualified("set_status")));
+        // get_agent_meta stays gated behind `meta` — only set_status is always-on.
+        assert!(!tools.contains(&qualified("get_agent_meta")));
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn no_duplicate_set_status_when_meta_granted() {
+        let tools = allowed_mcp_tools(&[ToolGroup::Meta]);
+        let count = tools
+            .iter()
+            .filter(|t| **t == qualified("set_status"))
+            .count();
+        assert_eq!(count, 1, "set_status duplicated: {tools:?}");
+        assert!(tools.contains(&qualified("get_agent_meta")));
+    }
+}

hive-sh4re/src/lib.rs

@@ -809,7 +809,7 @@ pub struct SchedulePromptPayload {
 pub enum ToolGroup {
     /// `send`, `recv`, `ask`, `answer`
     Messaging,
-    /// `set_status`, `get_agent_meta`
+    /// `get_agent_meta` (`set_status` is always-on — see `ALWAYS_ON_TOOLS`)
     Meta,
     /// `get_loose_ends`, `cancel_loose_end`, `remind`, `request_next_turn`
     Inbox,
@@ -841,7 +841,7 @@ impl ToolGroup {
     pub fn tools(self) -> &'static [&'static str] {
         match self {
             Self::Messaging => &["send", "recv", "ask", "answer"],
-            Self::Meta => &["set_status", "get_agent_meta"],
+            Self::Meta => &["get_agent_meta"],
             Self::Inbox => &[
                 "get_loose_ends",
                 "cancel_loose_end",
@@ -867,6 +867,15 @@ impl ToolGroup {
         }
     }
 
+    /// MCP tools that are always exposed regardless of which tool groups an
+    /// agent is granted. `set_status` lives here because the operator
+    /// dashboard depends on every agent being able to report its status
+    /// chip — gating it behind a group would let a misconfigured agent go
+    /// dark on the dashboard. The server-side `SetStatus` handler has no
+    /// tool-group check either (only length validation), so listing it here
+    /// keeps the `--allowedTools` list honest with that reality.
+    pub const ALWAYS_ON_TOOLS: &'static [&'static str] = &["set_status"];
+
     /// The Claude built-in tool names enabled by this group. Only
     /// `WebTools` returns a non-empty slice; all other groups return `&[]`
     /// (they control MCP tools via `tools()` instead).
@@ -932,7 +941,9 @@ impl ToolGroup {
     pub fn description(self) -> &'static str {
         match self {
             Self::Messaging => "send, recv, ask, answer — core agent communication",
-            Self::Meta => "set_status, get_agent_meta — identity and status",
+            Self::Meta => {
+                "get_agent_meta — identity introspection (set_status is always available)"
+            }
             Self::Inbox => {
                 "get_loose_ends, cancel_loose_end, remind, request_next_turn — self-scheduling"
             }