Name the hold a waiting walk waits on in plans (issue 529)

A walk whose delivery was held for a person said only that it waits for
mesh-delivery's word and that plans go starts it by hand, pointing the
reader at a hand start instead of the person's decision. Ask mesh-delivery
what holds each waiting walk and say the held delivery, its reason and
mesh-delivery.release, or the delivery not at its turn.

cmd/mesh-controller/delivery.go

@@ -82,6 +82,29 @@ func waitingNote(p inventory.Plan) string {
 		p.Delivery.Awaits, p.ID)
 }
 
+// waitingSaid is what a walk waiting for its word says when the delivery's owner said what holds it (novox/hq
+// issue 529): a delivery held for a person, its reason and the verb that releases it — the person's decision, not
+// a hand start — or the deliveries not at their turn. Told nothing, it is waitingNote.
+func waitingSaid(p inventory.Plan, lines []stalledLine) string {
+	if len(lines) == 0 {
+		return waitingNote(p)
+	}
+	var held, other []string
+	for _, l := range lines {
+		if l.State == "held" {
+			held = append(held, l.Says)
+		} else {
+			other = append(other, l.Says)
+		}
+	}
+	if len(held) > 0 {
+		return fmt.Sprintf("published; its walk waits for %s's word, and a delivery it carries is held for a person: %s",
+			p.Delivery.Awaits, strings.Join(held, "; "))
+	}
+	return fmt.Sprintf("published; its walk waits for %s's word: %s — `plans go %s --why …` starts it by hand",
+		p.Delivery.Awaits, strings.Join(other, "; "), p.ID)
+}
+
 // letGo gives a waiting walk its word: by the delivery's owner, or a person. The next advance asks its
 // first tier. Refused for a walk that does not wait.
 func letGo(ctx context.Context, inv *inventory.Inventory, id, by, why string) (inventory.Plan, error) {

cmd/mesh-controller/delivery_conditions.go

@@ -37,6 +37,9 @@ type stalledLine struct {
 	// Number is the pull request's, for a line of a head the forge never announced (novox/hq issue 347).
 	Number int    `json:"number,omitempty"`
 	State  string `json:"state"`
+	// Walk is the walk a line is about: a waiting walk no live delivery holds, or, asked with `walks`, each walk
+	// waiting for the owner's word and what holds it (novox/hq issues 362, 529).
+	Walk string `json:"walk,omitempty"`
 	// Waiting are the merge checks a line of the state `unanswered` waits on, as mesh-delivery says each:
 	// "mesh/merge-gate pending since <UTC time>", "mesh/repo-check never set" (novox/hq issue 438).
 	Waiting []string `json:"waiting,omitempty"`
@@ -125,6 +128,34 @@ func deliveriesStalled(ctx context.Context, conn *nats.Conn, held bool) ([]stall
 	return lines, nil
 }
 
+// walkWaits are, by walk, the lines mesh-delivery says of a walk waiting for its word: what holds it.
+type walkWaits map[string][]stalledLine
+
+// walksWaiting asks the delivery's owner what holds each walk waiting for its word (novox/hq issue 529): its
+// `stalled` asked with `walks`, so a line of `plans` names a held delivery, its reason and the verb that releases
+// it, instead of pointing at a hand start. Nil when no holder is on record or none answers: the line then reads as
+// before. An owner from before this answers its stalled lines, of which only those naming a walk are kept.
+func walksWaiting(ctx context.Context, conn *nats.Conn, held bool) walkWaits {
+	if !held {
+		return nil
+	}
+	raw, err := askDeliveryOwner(ctx, conn, "stalled", map[string]any{"walks": true})
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil
+	}
+	var lines []stalledLine
+	if json.Unmarshal(raw, &lines) != nil {
+		return nil
+	}
+	out := walkWaits{}
+	for _, l := range lines {
+		if l.Walk != "" {
+			out[l.Walk] = append(out[l.Walk], l)
+		}
+	}
+	return out
+}
+
 // stalledObservations are the conditions of what is stalled.
 func stalledObservations(lines []stalledLine) []conditions.Observation {
 	out := make([]conditions.Observation, 0, len(lines))

cmd/mesh-controller/issue529_test.go

@@ -0,0 +1,84 @@
+package main
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"encoding/json"
+	"strings"
+	"testing"
+	"time"
+
+	"github.com/nats-io/nats.go"
+
+	"github.com/novox/mesh-controller/internal/inventory"
+)
+
+// novox/hq issue 529: a walk waiting because its delivery is held for a person said only "its walk waits for
+// mesh-delivery's word — `plans go … --why …` starts it by hand", pointing a reader at a hand start instead of at
+// the person's decision. The line names what mesh-delivery says holds the walk: the held delivery, its reason and
+// `mesh-delivery.release`; or the delivery not at its turn.
+
+func waitingWalk(now time.Time) inventory.Plan {
+	return inventory.Plan{ID: "plan-1791793277221379309", Repository: "novox/mesh-sdk", Branch: "main",
+		Commit: "9747f3e1b1ac", State: inventory.PlanBuilding, Tiers: [][]string{{"mesh-sdk"}},
+		Created: now.Add(-9 * time.Minute), Modules: map[string]*inventory.PlanModule{},
+		Delivery: &inventory.PlanDelivery{Awaits: "mesh-delivery"}}
+}
+
+func TestAWalkWaitingOnAHeldDeliveryNamesTheHold(t *testing.T) {
+	now := time.Date(2026, 10, 12, 8, 35, 0, 0, time.UTC)
+	p := waitingWalk(now)
+	held := "novox/mesh-sdk@d41d255f28ad held since 2026-10-12T08:23:00Z: its group adr-0307-state-history's composed " +
+		"check did not pass for the heads that merged — a person decides: `mesh-delivery.release` (id " +
+		"novox/mesh-sdk@d41d255f28ad, why) lets it go, `mesh-delivery.stop` ends it"
+	waits := walkWaits{p.ID: {{ID: "novox/mesh-sdk@d41d255f28ad", State: "held", Walk: p.ID, Says: held}}}
+	line := planLineSaid(p, now, pauseView{}, tierAtLeast, nil, waits)
+	for _, want := range []string{"held for a person", "composed check did not pass", "mesh-delivery.release"} {
+		if !strings.Contains(line, want) {
+			t.Fatalf("the line does not say %q: %q", want, line)
+		}
+	}
+	if strings.Contains(line, "starts it by hand") {
+		t.Fatalf("a held walk's line points at a hand start: %q", line)
+	}
+	// Told nothing — an older mesh-delivery, or none answering — it reads as before.
+	if line := planLineSaid(p, now, pauseView{}, tierAtLeast, nil, nil); !strings.Contains(line, "starts it by hand") {
+		t.Fatalf("told nothing, the line reads %q", line)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestAWalkWaitingOnADeliveryNotAtItsTurnSaysSo(t *testing.T) {
+	now := time.Date(2026, 10, 12, 8, 57, 0, 0, time.UTC)
+	p := waitingWalk(now)
+	waits := walkWaits{p.ID: {{ID: "novox/mesh-sdk@9747f3e1b1ac", State: "published", Walk: p.ID,
+		Says: "not let go yet: novox/mesh-tools@3f0c1a6cec18 (published) carried by it not at its turn"}}}
+	if line := planLineSaid(p, now, pauseView{}, tierAtLeast, nil, waits); !strings.Contains(line, "not at its turn") ||
+		!strings.Contains(line, "novox/mesh-tools@3f0c1a6cec18") {
+		t.Fatalf("the line reads %q", line)
+	}
+}
+
+// What holds each waiting walk is asked of mesh-delivery's `stalled` with `walks`, a verb the controller's grant
+// already names; only lines naming a walk are kept, by walk.
+func TestWhatHoldsTheWaitingWalksIsAskedOfTheDeliveryOwner(t *testing.T) {
+	was := askDeliveryOwner
+	defer func() { askDeliveryOwner = was }()
+	var asked map[string]any
+	askDeliveryOwner = func(_ context.Context, _ *nats.Conn, verb string, args map[string]any) (json.RawMessage, error) {
+		if verb != "stalled" {
+			t.Fatalf("asked %s", verb)
+		}
+		asked = args
+		return json.Marshal([]stalledLine{{ID: "novox/a@1", State: "held", Walk: "plan-1", Says: "held: why"},
+			{ID: "novox/b@2", State: "held", Says: "a delivery past its bound, no walk"}})
+	}
+	got := walksWaiting(t.Context(), nil, true)
+	if asked["walks"] != true {
+		t.Fatalf("stalled was asked with %v", asked)
+	}
+	if len(got) != 1 || len(got["plan-1"]) != 1 || got["plan-1"][0].Says != "held: why" {
+		t.Fatalf("the waiting walks are %+v", got)
+	}
+	if got := walksWaiting(t.Context(), nil, false); got != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("with no holder on record it asked: %+v", got)
+	}
+}

cmd/mesh-controller/release_plan.go

@@ -11,6 +11,8 @@ import (
 	"strings"
 	"time"
 
+	"github.com/nats-io/nats.go"
+
 	"github.com/novox/mesh-controller/internal/inventory"
 	"github.com/novox/mesh-controller/internal/link"
 )
@@ -1258,6 +1260,13 @@ func planLineWith(p inventory.Plan, now time.Time, pause pauseView, bound time.D
 // planLineOn is planLineWith naming the plan by what it moves and where (planHeadline), given what runs each
 // module; nil names no machine.
 func planLineOn(p inventory.Plan, now time.Time, pause pauseView, bound time.Duration, running func(string) []string) string {
+	return planLineSaid(p, now, pause, bound, running, nil)
+}
+
+// planLineSaid is planLineOn saying, of a walk waiting for its delivery's word, what the delivery's owner says
+// holds it (novox/hq issue 529); nil waits says it as before.
+func planLineSaid(p inventory.Plan, now time.Time, pause pauseView, bound time.Duration, running func(string) []string,
+	waits walkWaits) string {
 	name := planHeadline(p, running)
 	where := fmt.Sprintf("tier %d of %d", min(p.Tier+1, len(p.Tiers)), len(p.Tiers))
 	switch p.State {
@@ -1274,7 +1283,7 @@ func planLineOn(p inventory.Plan, now time.Time, pause pauseView, bound time.Dur
 	since := now.Sub(inTierSince(p)).Round(time.Second)
 	if p.Waiting() {
 		// Waiting for its delivery's word is no lateness of the walk's (novox/hq ADR 0239).
-		return fmt.Sprintf("%s · %s, %s, for %s", name, where, waitingNote(p), since)
+		return fmt.Sprintf("%s · %s, %s, for %s", name, where, waitingSaid(p, waits[p.ID]), since)
 	}
 	if deferred(p) {
 		// Nor is waiting for the walk before it to end (one walk at a time, novox/hq ADR 0276).
@@ -1479,11 +1488,11 @@ func plansCommand(ctx context.Context, args []string) error {
 			return err
 		}
 		bounds := readTierBounds(ctx, inv, now)
-		fmt.Printf("%s — %s\n", p.ID, planLineOn(p, now, buildSeatPause(ctx, inv, []inventory.Plan{p}),
+		fmt.Printf("%s — %s\n", p.ID, planLineSaid(p, now, buildSeatPause(ctx, inv, []inventory.Plan{p}),
 			bounds.of(p.Repository), func(module string) []string {
 				on, _ := inv.Running(ctx, module)
 				return on
-			}))
+			}, waitsOf(ctx, inv, []inventory.Plan{p})))
 		if r := p.Release; r != nil {
 			// A release plan's walk (ADR 0236): machines done, the one judged, those to come.
 			fmt.Printf("  machines in order: %s; done: %s; skipped: %s\n", strings.Join(r.Order, ", "),
@@ -1630,15 +1639,41 @@ func plansCommand(ctx context.Context, args []string) error {
 		on, _ := inv.Running(ctx, module)
 		return on
 	}
+	waits := waitsOf(ctx, inv, plans)
 	for _, p := range plans {
 		if p.Batch() {
 			continue
 		}
-		fmt.Printf("%-28s %s\n", p.ID, planLineOn(p, now, pause, bounds.of(p.Repository), running))
+		fmt.Printf("%-28s %s\n", p.ID, planLineSaid(p, now, pause, bounds.of(p.Repository), running, waits))
 	}
 	return nil
 }
 
+// waitsOf asks the delivery's owner what holds the walks among these that wait for its word (novox/hq issue 529),
+// once, and only when one waits; nil when none waits, no holder is on record, or the bus or the owner does not
+// answer within a few seconds — the lines then read as before.
+func waitsOf(ctx context.Context, inv *inventory.Inventory, plans []inventory.Plan) walkWaits {
+	waiting := false
+	for _, p := range plans {
+		waiting = waiting || p.Open() && p.Waiting()
+	}
+	if !waiting {
+		return nil
+	}
+	entries, err := inv.Catalogued(ctx)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil
+	}
+	ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(ctx, 3*time.Second)
+	defer cancel()
+	var waits walkWaits
+	_ = onTheBus(func(conn *nats.Conn) error {
+		waits = walksWaiting(ctx, conn, deliverySeatHeld(entries))
+		return nil
+	})
+	return waits
+}
+
 // planWhatIf is the plan a merge would produce, computed the way the merge handler computes one
 // and saved nowhere: the modules the repository's changed files touch (or the modules named), what
 // packages their source, everything reachable from them, in tiers. For reading before merging.