A failed first build of a root module is kept under a key the bus takes, and the real ask's test has the identity store (issue 1146)

cmd/mesh-controller/upgrades.go

@@ -424,7 +424,7 @@ func askBuilds(ctx context.Context, inv *inventory.Inventory, m link.SourceMoved
 		request := inventory.BuildRequest{ID: id, Repository: source.Repository, Seat: source.Seat, Path: path,
 			Ref: m.Base, Commit: m.Commit, For: "merge"}
 		if err != nil {
-			request.ID = fmt.Sprintf("not-asked-%s-%s", short(m.Commit), strings.ReplaceAll(dir, "/", "-"))
+			request.ID = notAskedID(m.Commit, dir)
 			request.NotAsked = err.Error()
 			recordBuildRequest(ctx, inv, request)
 			fmt.Printf("  %s is a new module in %s/%s and could not be built: %v — a hand `build` of it "+
@@ -439,6 +439,15 @@ func askBuilds(ctx context.Context, inv *inventory.Inventory, m link.SourceMoved
 	return asked
 }
 
+// notAskedID is the id a merge's build that could not be asked is kept under: a key the bus takes, so a module at the
+// repository's root (".") is kept as one in a folder is.
+func notAskedID(commit, dir string) string {
+	if dir == "." || dir == "" {
+		return "not-asked-" + short(commit)
+	}
+	return fmt.Sprintf("not-asked-%s-%s", short(commit), strings.ReplaceAll(strings.Trim(dir, "/"), "/", "-"))
+}
+
 // actingOnMerges keeps one merge acted on at a time (novox/hq issue 266).
 var actingOnMerges sync.Mutex