From d8e64742f42775b2fc2a204b21c2dfdde25614b1 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: damocles <damocles@hyperhive>
Date: Wed, 20 May 2026 20:29:39 +0200
Subject: [PATCH] fix question answer sender and self-cancel feedback loop

---
 hive-c0re/src/coordinator.rs | 10 +++++++++-
 hive-c0re/src/dashboard.rs   |  3 ++-
 hive-c0re/src/questions.rs   | 30 ++++++++++++++++++++----------
 3 files changed, 31 insertions(+), 12 deletions(-)

diff --git a/hive-c0re/src/coordinator.rs b/hive-c0re/src/coordinator.rs
index 3a85bf2..16af4f5 100644
--- a/hive-c0re/src/coordinator.rs
+++ b/hive-c0re/src/coordinator.rs
@@ -532,6 +532,14 @@ impl Coordinator {
     /// events back to the agent that called `ask`, `QuestionAsked`
     /// events to the target of a peer question, etc.
     pub fn notify_agent(&self, agent: &str, event: &hive_sh4re::HelperEvent) {
+        self.notify_agent_from(hive_sh4re::SYSTEM_SENDER, agent, event);
+    }
+
+    /// Same as `notify_agent` but with an explicit sender. Use this
+    /// when the event originates from a known agent or the operator
+    /// (e.g. `QuestionAnswered` — the answerer should be the `from`,
+    /// not `system`) so the recipient's terminal shows the right name.
+    pub fn notify_agent_from(&self, from: &str, agent: &str, event: &hive_sh4re::HelperEvent) {
         let body = match serde_json::to_string(event) {
             Ok(s) => s,
             Err(e) => {
@@ -540,7 +548,7 @@ impl Coordinator {
             }
         };
         if let Err(e) = self.broker.send(&hive_sh4re::Message {
-            from: hive_sh4re::SYSTEM_SENDER.to_owned(),
+            from: from.to_owned(),
             to: agent.to_owned(),
             body,
             in_reply_to: None,
diff --git a/hive-c0re/src/dashboard.rs b/hive-c0re/src/dashboard.rs
index 0f085da..599251c 100644
--- a/hive-c0re/src/dashboard.rs
+++ b/hive-c0re/src/dashboard.rs
@@ -865,7 +865,8 @@ async fn post_cancel_question(
                 true,
                 target.as_deref(),
             );
-            state.coord.notify_agent(
+            state.coord.notify_agent_from(
+                hive_sh4re::OPERATOR_RECIPIENT,
                 &asker,
                 &hive_sh4re::HelperEvent::QuestionAnswered {
                     id,
diff --git a/hive-c0re/src/questions.rs b/hive-c0re/src/questions.rs
index 5ff82a9..c2ddcb6 100644
--- a/hive-c0re/src/questions.rs
+++ b/hive-c0re/src/questions.rs
@@ -112,7 +112,10 @@ pub fn handle_answer(
         .answer(id, answer, answerer)
         .map_err(|e| format!("{e:#}"))?;
     tracing::info!(%id, %answerer, %asker, "question answered");
-    coord.notify_agent(
+    // Use answerer as the broker `from` so the asker's terminal shows
+    // the real name (agent or "operator") instead of "system".
+    coord.notify_agent_from(
+        answerer,
         &asker,
         &hive_sh4re::HelperEvent::QuestionAnswered {
             id,
@@ -149,15 +152,22 @@ pub fn handle_cancel_loose_end(
                 .map_err(|e| format!("{e:#}"))?;
             let sentinel = format!("[cancelled by {canceller}]");
             tracing::info!(%id, %canceller, %asker, "question cancelled");
-            coord.notify_agent(
-                &asker,
-                &hive_sh4re::HelperEvent::QuestionAnswered {
-                    id,
-                    question,
-                    answer: sentinel.clone(),
-                    answerer: canceller.to_owned(),
-                },
-            );
+            // Only notify the asker if they didn't cancel it themselves.
+            // Self-cancels are already known to the canceller — sending
+            // a QuestionAnswered back would cause the harness to process
+            // its own cancel as an incoming answer.
+            if asker != canceller {
+                coord.notify_agent_from(
+                    canceller,
+                    &asker,
+                    &hive_sh4re::HelperEvent::QuestionAnswered {
+                        id,
+                        question,
+                        answer: sentinel.clone(),
+                        answerer: canceller.to_owned(),
+                    },
+                );
+            }
             coord.emit_question_resolved(id, &sentinel, canceller, true, target.as_deref());
             Ok(())
         }