cmd/mesh-controller/checks.go

@@ -429,18 +429,19 @@ func checkedOf(result link.BuildResult) link.Checked {
 			l.Verdict = "error"
 		}
 	}
-	// **A check run again says so on every layer** (novox/hq issue 594): the summaries are the lines the
-	// pull request shows, and a verdict from a second run — an earlier build agent replaced mid-check —
-	// must not read as the first. Copies, so the build's own outcome is left as it came.
-	if said := link.Restarted(result.Delivery); said != "" {
-		c.Summary = said + "; " + c.Summary
+	// **A check run again says so** (novox/hq issue 594). The summaries are the lines the pull request
+	// shows, clipped by the forge to a few words, so they get only a short marker after the verdict's own
+	// words; the report gets the whole sentence. Layers copied, so the build's own outcome is left as it came.
+	if mark := link.RunMarker(result.Delivery); mark != "" {
+		c.Summary += " " + mark
 		for _, l := range []**link.CheckLayer{&c.Gate, &c.RepoCheck} {
 			if *l != nil {
 				layer := **l
-				layer.Summary = said + "; " + layer.Summary
+				layer.Summary += " " + mark
 				*l = &layer
 			}
 		}
+		c.Report = link.Restarted(result.Delivery) + "\n\n" + c.Report
 	}
 	if len(c.Report) > maxCheckReport {
 		c.Report = "…" + c.Report[len(c.Report)-maxCheckReport:]

cmd/mesh-controller/queue.go

@@ -212,7 +212,7 @@ func queueText(q link.Queue, now time.Time) string {
 				where = fmt.Sprintf("on %s for %s", a.On, now.Sub(a.Started).Round(time.Second))
 				// Started again after an earlier taker left it (novox/hq issue 594).
 				if a.Delivery > 1 {
-					where += fmt.Sprintf(", restarted (handed out %d times)", a.Delivery)
+					where += fmt.Sprintf(", handed out %d times", a.Delivery)
 				}
 			case a.Was != "":
 				where = fmt.Sprintf("handed back by %s, to be handed out again", a.Was)

cmd/mesh-controller/restarted_test.go

@@ -19,10 +19,14 @@ func TestARestartedCheckSaysSoOnEveryLayer(t *testing.T) {
 		Check: &link.CheckOutcome{Verdict: "pass", Summary: "every node composes", Gate: gate, RepoCheck: repo}})
 	for name, said := range map[string]string{"summary": c.Summary, "gate": c.Gate.Summary,
 		"repository check": c.RepoCheck.Summary} {
-		if !strings.Contains(said, "restarted") {
-			t.Errorf("the %s says %q: a check run twice reads as run once", name, said)
+		// The verdict's own words first, then the marker: the forge clips a status to a few words.
+		if !strings.HasSuffix(said, " (run 2)") || strings.HasPrefix(said, "(run") {
+			t.Errorf("the %s says %q: a check run twice reads as run once, or its marker pushes its words out", name, said)
 		}
 	}
+	if !strings.HasPrefix(c.Report, "restarted: handed out 2 times") {
+		t.Errorf("the report does not open with the restart: %q", c.Report)
+	}
 	if gate.Summary != "every node composes" {
 		t.Errorf("the build's own outcome was changed under it: %q", gate.Summary)
 	}
@@ -30,7 +34,7 @@ func TestARestartedCheckSaysSoOnEveryLayer(t *testing.T) {
 	// Taken once, nothing is added.
 	once := checkedOf(link.BuildResult{ID: "b", Ref: "abc", Checked: asked, Delivery: 1,
 		Check: &link.CheckOutcome{Verdict: "pass", Summary: "every node composes"}})
-	if strings.Contains(once.Summary, "restarted") {
+	if strings.Contains(once.Summary, "(run") || strings.Contains(once.Report, "restarted") {
 		t.Errorf("a check run once says %q", once.Summary)
 	}
 }
@@ -43,8 +47,8 @@ func TestTheQueueSaysAnAskInFlightRestarted(t *testing.T) {
 			State: link.AskInFlight, On: "shanks", Started: now.Add(-time.Minute), Delivery: 2},
 	}}
 	text := queueText(q, now)
-	if !strings.Contains(text, "restarted") {
-		t.Fatalf("the queue does not say the ask restarted:\n%s", text)
+	if !strings.Contains(text, "handed out 2 times") {
+		t.Fatalf("the queue does not say the ask was handed out again:\n%s", text)
 	}
 	if a := queueAnswerOf(q, now).Asks[0]; a.Delivery != 2 {
 		t.Errorf("the queue's data says delivery %d, want 2", a.Delivery)

internal/link/builds.go

@@ -98,14 +98,25 @@ type BuildStart struct {
 	Delivery int `json:"delivery,omitempty"`
 }
 
-// Restarted is how a build handed out again says so (novox/hq issue 594): in its log, in the queue and on
-// the pull request its check answers, so a second run never reads as the first. Empty for a first start.
+// Restarted is how a build handed out again says so (novox/hq issue 594), in its log and in its check's
+// report, so a second run never reads as the first. Neutral on why: a holder replaced mid-build, a paused
+// holder handing an ask back as it arrived, and a bus that held its acknowledgements past the wait all
+// count as a hand-out. Empty for a first start.
 func Restarted(delivery int) string {
 	if delivery < 2 {
 		return ""
 	}
-	return fmt.Sprintf("restarted: handed out %d times — an earlier build agent took it and did not finish, "+
-		"most often because it was replaced mid-build, so it ran again from the start", delivery)
+	return fmt.Sprintf("restarted: handed out %d times; an earlier hand-out did not finish here, so this run "+
+		"started from the beginning", delivery)
+}
+
+// RunMarker is the short form of Restarted, for a line clipped to a few words — a check's status on the
+// forge (novox/hq issue 594): "(run 2)". Empty for a first start.
+func RunMarker(delivery int) string {
+	if delivery < 2 {
+		return ""
+	}
+	return fmt.Sprintf("(run %d)", delivery)
 }
 
 // BuildLine is one thing a build said while building.