fix(panel): KB playbooks category, LLM-health diagnostic, scorecard tab, feature-flags 2-col + X creds dropdown; fix(a2a): publish live event from direct send path; fix(docker): orchestrator Node 22 (#305)

Co-authored-by: Renn F <rennf93@users.noreply.github.com>

docker/orchestrator.Dockerfile

@@ -43,10 +43,14 @@ RUN uv sync --frozen --no-dev
 FROM python:3.13-slim-bookworm AS runner
 
 # Runtime apt deps: docker-cli (spawn agents), git (workspace ops),
-# make (backstop for projects whose CI commands use make targets).
+# make (backstop for projects whose CI commands use make targets), Node.js 22
-# curl/gnupg/lsb-release are only needed to add the docker repo, then purged.
+# via NodeSource. Debian's distro nodejs is v18, but current pnpm requires
+# Node >=22.13 — installing v18 made `pnpm install` fail in Node/TS workspaces.
+# curl/gnupg/lsb-release are only needed to add the repos, then purged.
 RUN apt-get update && apt-get install -y --no-install-recommends \
-        curl ca-certificates gnupg lsb-release git make nodejs npm \
+        curl ca-certificates gnupg lsb-release git make \
+    && curl -fsSL https://deb.nodesource.com/setup_22.x | bash - \
+    && apt-get install -y --no-install-recommends nodejs \
     && curl -fsSL https://download.docker.com/linux/debian/gpg \
         | gpg --dearmor -o /usr/share/keyrings/docker-archive-keyring.gpg \
     && DEBIAN_CODENAME=$(lsb_release -cs) \
@@ -62,7 +66,7 @@ RUN apt-get update && apt-get install -y --no-install-recommends \
 # deps (`pnpm install`) the same way uv handles Python cells. Without it the
 # dep-install step gracefully skips (WorkspaceService._run_dep_install catches
 # the missing-tool OSError) and the fe-dev re-installs per task. node/npm come
-# from the apt layer above; pnpm matches how agent-dev-fe installs it.
+# from the NodeSource layer above; pnpm matches how agent-dev-fe installs it.
 RUN npm install -g pnpm
 
 WORKDIR /app

panel/src/app/(dashboard)/business/page.tsx

@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import { useRouter, useSearchParams } from "next/navigation";
 import { Tabs, TabsContent, TabsList, TabsTrigger } from "@/components/ui/tabs";
 import { Skeleton } from "@/components/ui/skeleton";
 import { GoalsTab } from "@/components/business/goals-tab";
+import { CompanyScorecardCard } from "@/components/business/company-scorecard-card";
 import { SecretaryTab } from "@/components/business/secretary-tab";
 import { PitchesTab } from "@/components/business/pitches-tab";
 
@@ -12,7 +13,7 @@ import { PitchesTab } from "@/components/business/pitches-tab";
 // Valid tab values
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
-const TAB_VALUES = ["goals", "secretary", "pitches"] as const;
+const TAB_VALUES = ["goals", "scorecard", "secretary", "pitches"] as const;
 type TabValue = (typeof TAB_VALUES)[number];
 
 function isValidTab(value: string | null): value is TabValue {
@@ -50,6 +51,7 @@ function BusinessPageContent() {
       <Tabs value={activeTab} onValueChange={handleTabChange}>
         <TabsList>
           <TabsTrigger value="goals">Goals</TabsTrigger>
+          <TabsTrigger value="scorecard">Scorecard</TabsTrigger>
           <TabsTrigger value="secretary">Secretary</TabsTrigger>
           <TabsTrigger value="pitches">Pitches</TabsTrigger>
         </TabsList>
@@ -58,6 +60,10 @@ function BusinessPageContent() {
           <GoalsTab />
         </TabsContent>
 
+        <TabsContent value="scorecard" className="mt-4">
+          <CompanyScorecardCard />
+        </TabsContent>
+
         <TabsContent value="secretary" className="mt-4">
           <SecretaryTab />
         </TabsContent>

panel/src/app/(dashboard)/settings/page.tsx

@@ -27,7 +27,6 @@ import { toast } from "sonner";
 import { API_URL, WS_URL } from "@/lib/constants";
 import { TranscriptRetentionCard } from "@/components/settings/transcript-retention-card";
 import { FeatureFlagsCard } from "@/components/settings/feature-flags-card";
-import { XCredentialsCard } from "@/components/settings/x-credentials-card";
 
 export default function SettingsPage() {
   const { theme, setTheme } = useTheme();
@@ -55,8 +54,7 @@ export default function SettingsPage() {
 
       {/* Cards grid — two columns on large screens. Order (row,col):
           User Info (1,1) · Appearance (1,2) · Data & Refresh (2,1) ·
-          Transcript Retention (2,2) · Notifications (3,1) · Connection Info (3,2) ·
+          Transcript Retention (2,2) · Notifications (3,1) · Connection Info (3,2). */}
-          X Credentials (4,1). */}
       <div className="grid grid-cols-1 lg:grid-cols-2 gap-6">
         {/* User Info */}
         <Card>
@@ -248,12 +246,11 @@ export default function SettingsPage() {
           </CardContent>
         </Card>
 
-        {/* X (Twitter) Credentials (4,1) — write-only, panel-tunable */}
-        <XCredentialsCard />
       </div>
 
       {/* Feature Flags — master switches for optional subsystems (full width;
-          persisted server-side, applied on next restart). */}
+          persisted server-side, applied on next restart). The X (Twitter)
+          credentials form nests as a collapsible under the X-engine flag. */}
       <FeatureFlagsCard />
 
       {/* Save Button */}

panel/src/components/business/goals-tab.tsx

@@ -22,7 +22,6 @@ import { Textarea } from "@/components/ui/textarea";
 import { Button } from "@/components/ui/button";
 import { Skeleton } from "@/components/ui/skeleton";
 import { OfflineState } from "@/components/ui/offline-state";
-import { CompanyScorecardCard } from "@/components/business/company-scorecard-card";
 
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // Helpers
@@ -376,7 +375,6 @@ export function GoalsTab() {
       ) : (
         <GoalsForm goals={data} refetch={() => void refetch()} />
       )}
-      <CompanyScorecardCard />
     </div>
   );
 }

panel/src/components/knowledge-base/kb-category-nav.tsx

@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ import {
   GitBranch,
   ClipboardCheck,
   Lightbulb,
+  ScrollText,
 } from "lucide-react";
 import { Skeleton } from "@/components/ui/skeleton";
 import { Button } from "@/components/ui/button";
@@ -60,6 +61,11 @@ const categoryConfig: Record<
     description: "Cross-agent shared learnings",
     icon: <Lightbulb className="h-5 w-5 text-yellow-500" />,
   },
+  [KBIndexType.PLAYBOOKS]: {
+    label: "Playbooks",
+    description: "Curated, reusable procedures",
+    icon: <ScrollText className="h-5 w-5 text-emerald-500" />,
+  },
 };
 
 interface KBCategoryNavProps {

panel/src/components/knowledge-base/kb-filters.tsx

@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ import {
   GitBranch,
   ClipboardCheck,
   Lightbulb,
+  ScrollText,
 } from "lucide-react";
 
 const indexTypeConfig: Record<
@@ -50,6 +51,10 @@ const indexTypeConfig: Record<
     label: "Learnings",
     icon: <Lightbulb className="h-4 w-4 text-yellow-500" />,
   },
+  [KBIndexType.PLAYBOOKS]: {
+    label: "Playbooks",
+    icon: <ScrollText className="h-4 w-4 text-emerald-500" />,
+  },
 };
 
 interface KBFiltersProps {

panel/src/components/knowledge-base/kb-index-type-badge.tsx

@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ import {
   GitBranch,
   ClipboardCheck,
   Lightbulb,
+  ScrollText,
 } from "lucide-react";
 
 const indexTypeConfig: Record<
@@ -60,6 +61,12 @@ const indexTypeConfig: Record<
       "bg-yellow-100 text-yellow-700 dark:bg-yellow-900 dark:text-yellow-300",
     icon: <Lightbulb className="h-3 w-3" />,
   },
+  [KBIndexType.PLAYBOOKS]: {
+    label: "Playbooks",
+    color:
+      "bg-emerald-100 text-emerald-700 dark:bg-emerald-900 dark:text-emerald-300",
+    icon: <ScrollText className="h-3 w-3" />,
+  },
 };
 
 interface KBIndexTypeBadgeProps {

panel/src/components/knowledge-base/kb-stats-card.tsx

@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ import {
   GitBranch,
   ClipboardCheck,
   Lightbulb,
+  ScrollText,
 } from "lucide-react";
 import { formatDistanceToNow } from "date-fns";
 
@@ -27,6 +28,7 @@ const indexIcons: Record<KBIndexType, React.ReactNode> = {
   [KBIndexType.DECISIONS]: <GitBranch className="h-4 w-4 text-indigo-500" />,
   [KBIndexType.REVIEWS]: <ClipboardCheck className="h-4 w-4 text-pink-500" />,
   [KBIndexType.LEARNINGS]: <Lightbulb className="h-4 w-4 text-yellow-500" />,
+  [KBIndexType.PLAYBOOKS]: <ScrollText className="h-4 w-4 text-emerald-500" />,
 };
 
 const indexLabels: Record<KBIndexType, string> = {
@@ -38,6 +40,7 @@ const indexLabels: Record<KBIndexType, string> = {
   [KBIndexType.DECISIONS]: "Decisions",
   [KBIndexType.REVIEWS]: "Reviews",
   [KBIndexType.LEARNINGS]: "Learnings",
+  [KBIndexType.PLAYBOOKS]: "Playbooks",
 };
 
 interface KBStatsCardProps {

panel/src/components/knowledge-base/knowledge-base-browser.tsx

@@ -72,6 +72,7 @@ const INDEX_LABELS: Record<KBIndexType, string> = {
   [KBIndexType.DECISIONS]: "Decisions",
   [KBIndexType.REVIEWS]: "Code Reviews",
   [KBIndexType.LEARNINGS]: "Learnings",
+  [KBIndexType.PLAYBOOKS]: "Playbooks",
 };
 
 // Valid KB index types for URL param validation
@@ -84,6 +85,7 @@ const VALID_INDEX_TYPES: KBIndexType[] = [
   KBIndexType.DECISIONS,
   KBIndexType.REVIEWS,
   KBIndexType.LEARNINGS,
+  KBIndexType.PLAYBOOKS,
 ];
 
 function KnowledgeBaseBrowserContent() {
@@ -454,6 +456,16 @@ function KnowledgeBaseBrowserContent() {
                         <div>LLM: {health.llm_status}</div>
                         <div>Vector: {health.vector_store_status}</div>
                       </div>
+                      {(["llm_error", "embedding_error", "vector_store_error"] as const)
+                        .filter((k) => typeof health.details?.[k] === "string")
+                        .map((k) => (
+                          <p
+                            key={k}
+                            className="text-xs text-red-600 dark:text-red-400 break-words"
+                          >
+                            {health.details[k] as string}
+                          </p>
+                        ))}
                     </div>
                   ) : (
                     <p className="text-muted-foreground text-sm">

panel/src/components/settings/__tests__/x-credentials-card.test.tsx

@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ vi.mock("@/lib/api", () => ({
   xApi: { getCredentialsStatus, setCredentials },
 }));
 
-import { XCredentialsCard } from "../x-credentials-card";
+import { XCredentialsForm } from "../x-credentials-card";
 
 function withQueryClient(ui: ReactNode) {
   const client = new QueryClient({
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ function withQueryClient(ui: ReactNode) {
   return <QueryClientProvider client={client}>{ui}</QueryClientProvider>;
 }
 
-describe("XCredentialsCard", () => {
+describe("XCredentialsForm", () => {
   beforeEach(() => {
     getCredentialsStatus.mockClear();
     setCredentials.mockClear();
@@ -31,14 +31,14 @@ describe("XCredentialsCard", () => {
   });
 
   it("shows 'no credentials configured' by default and never renders a secret", async () => {
-    render(withQueryClient(<XCredentialsCard />));
+    render(withQueryClient(<XCredentialsForm />));
     expect(
       await screen.findByText("No credentials configured"),
     ).toBeInTheDocument();
   });
 
   it("disables Save until all 4 fields are filled", async () => {
-    render(withQueryClient(<XCredentialsCard />));
+    render(withQueryClient(<XCredentialsForm />));
     await screen.findByText("No credentials configured");
     const saveButton = screen.getByRole("button", { name: "Save" });
     expect(saveButton).toBeDisabled();
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ describe("XCredentialsCard", () => {
   });
 
   it("saves all 4 secrets and clears the inputs on success", async () => {
-    render(withQueryClient(<XCredentialsCard />));
+    render(withQueryClient(<XCredentialsForm />));
     await screen.findByText("No credentials configured");
 
     fireEvent.change(screen.getByLabelText("API key"), {

panel/src/components/settings/feature-flags-card.tsx

@@ -10,10 +10,18 @@ import {
   CardHeader,
   CardTitle,
 } from "@/components/ui/card";
+import { useState } from "react";
 import { Label } from "@/components/ui/label";
 import { Switch } from "@/components/ui/switch";
-import { Separator } from "@/components/ui/separator";
+import { Button } from "@/components/ui/button";
-import { Flag } from "lucide-react";
+import {
+  Collapsible,
+  CollapsibleContent,
+  CollapsibleTrigger,
+} from "@/components/ui/collapsible";
+import { XCredentialsForm } from "@/components/settings/x-credentials-card";
+import { cn } from "@/lib/utils";
+import { Flag, ChevronDown, ChevronRight } from "lucide-react";
 import { toast } from "sonner";
 
 // One-line blurb per flag so the operator knows what each master switch gates.
@@ -60,6 +68,7 @@ const FLAG_DESCRIPTIONS: Record<string, string> = {
 
 export function FeatureFlagsCard() {
   const queryClient = useQueryClient();
+  const [xCredsOpen, setXCredsOpen] = useState(false);
 
   const { data, isLoading } = useQuery({
     queryKey: ["feature-flags"],
@@ -97,7 +106,7 @@ export function FeatureFlagsCard() {
           environment default. {note}
         </CardDescription>
       </CardHeader>
-      <CardContent className="space-y-4">
+      <CardContent>
         {isLoading && (
           <p className="text-sm text-muted-foreground">
             Loading feature flags…
@@ -108,30 +117,65 @@ export function FeatureFlagsCard() {
             No feature flags available.
           </p>
         )}
-        {flags.map((flag, i) => (
+        <div className="grid grid-cols-1 gap-4 md:grid-cols-2">
-          <div key={flag.key}>
+          {flags.map((flag) => {
-            {i > 0 && <Separator className="mb-4" />}
+            const isXEngine = flag.key === "x_engine_enabled";
-            <div className="flex items-center justify-between gap-4">
+            return (
-              <div className="min-w-0">
+              <div
-                <Label htmlFor={`flag-${flag.key}`}>{flag.label}</Label>
+                key={flag.key}
-                <p className="text-sm text-muted-foreground">
+                className={cn(
-                  {FLAG_DESCRIPTIONS[flag.key] ?? ""}
+                  "rounded-lg border p-4",
-                </p>
+                  isXEngine && "md:col-span-2",
+                )}
+              >
+                <div className="flex items-start justify-between gap-4">
+                  <div className="min-w-0">
+                    <Label htmlFor={`flag-${flag.key}`}>{flag.label}</Label>
+                    <p className="text-sm text-muted-foreground">
+                      {FLAG_DESCRIPTIONS[flag.key] ?? ""}
+                    </p>
+                  </div>
+                  <Switch
+                    id={`flag-${flag.key}`}
+                    checked={flag.enabled}
+                    disabled={
+                      toggleMutation.isPending &&
+                      toggleMutation.variables?.key === flag.key
+                    }
+                    onCheckedChange={(checked) =>
+                      toggleMutation.mutate({ key: flag.key, enabled: checked })
+                    }
+                  />
+                </div>
+                {isXEngine && (
+                  <Collapsible
+                    open={xCredsOpen}
+                    onOpenChange={setXCredsOpen}
+                    className="mt-3"
+                  >
+                    <CollapsibleTrigger asChild>
+                      <Button
+                        variant="ghost"
+                        size="sm"
+                        className="w-full justify-between px-2 text-muted-foreground"
+                      >
+                        <span className="text-sm">X (Twitter) credentials</span>
+                        {xCredsOpen ? (
+                          <ChevronDown className="h-4 w-4" />
+                        ) : (
+                          <ChevronRight className="h-4 w-4" />
+                        )}
+                      </Button>
+                    </CollapsibleTrigger>
+                    <CollapsibleContent className="pt-3">
+                      <XCredentialsForm />
+                    </CollapsibleContent>
+                  </Collapsible>
+                )}
               </div>
-              <Switch
+            );
-                id={`flag-${flag.key}`}
+          })}
-                checked={flag.enabled}
+        </div>
-                disabled={
-                  toggleMutation.isPending &&
-                  toggleMutation.variables?.key === flag.key
-                }
-                onCheckedChange={(checked) =>
-                  toggleMutation.mutate({ key: flag.key, enabled: checked })
-                }
-              />
-            </div>
-          </div>
-        ))}
       </CardContent>
     </Card>
   );

panel/src/components/settings/x-credentials-card.tsx

@@ -3,17 +3,10 @@
 import { useState } from "react";
 import { useMutation, useQuery, useQueryClient } from "@tanstack/react-query";
 import { xApi } from "@/lib/api";
-import {
-  Card,
-  CardContent,
-  CardDescription,
-  CardHeader,
-  CardTitle,
-} from "@/components/ui/card";
 import { Label } from "@/components/ui/label";
 import { Input } from "@/components/ui/input";
 import { Button } from "@/components/ui/button";
-import { AtSign, Key, KeyRound, Save } from "lucide-react";
+import { Key, KeyRound, Save } from "lucide-react";
 import { toast } from "sonner";
 
 const FIELDS: Array<{
@@ -29,7 +22,8 @@ const FIELDS: Array<{
 // The CEO's one-time (or rotate) entry of the 4 OAuth 1.0a user-context
 // secrets from the X developer app. Write-only — the stored values are never
 // displayed back, only whether they're set (mirrors the git-token card).
-export function XCredentialsCard() {
+// Rendered chrome-less so it can nest inside the X-engine feature-flag row.
+export function XCredentialsForm() {
   const queryClient = useQueryClient();
   const [values, setValues] = useState({
     api_key: "",
@@ -69,67 +63,61 @@ export function XCredentialsCard() {
   const canSave = allFilled || (noneFilled && !!status?.has_credentials);
 
   return (
-    <Card>
+    <div className="space-y-4">
-      <CardHeader>
+      <p className="text-sm text-muted-foreground">
-        <CardTitle className="flex items-center gap-2">
+        The 4 OAuth 1.0a user-context secrets from your X developer app. Stored
-          <AtSign className="h-5 w-5" />X (Twitter) Credentials
+        encrypted server-side; agents never see them and this panel never
-        </CardTitle>
+        displays them again once saved.
-        <CardDescription>
+      </p>
-          The 4 OAuth 1.0a user-context secrets from your X developer app.
-          Stored encrypted server-side; agents never see them and this panel
-          never displays them again once saved.
-        </CardDescription>
-      </CardHeader>
-      <CardContent className="space-y-4">
-        <div className="flex items-center gap-2 rounded-md border p-3">
-          {status?.has_credentials ? (
-            <>
-              <Key className="h-4 w-4 text-green-500" />
-              <span className="text-sm text-green-600 dark:text-green-400">
-                Credentials are set
-              </span>
-            </>
-          ) : (
-            <>
-              <KeyRound className="h-4 w-4 text-amber-500" />
-              <span className="text-sm text-amber-600 dark:text-amber-400">
-                {isLoading ? "Checking..." : "No credentials configured"}
-              </span>
-            </>
-          )}
-        </div>
 
-        <div className="grid grid-cols-1 gap-4 sm:grid-cols-2">
+      <div className="flex items-center gap-2 rounded-md border p-3">
-          {FIELDS.map((field) => (
+        {status?.has_credentials ? (
-            <div key={field.key} className="space-y-2">
+          <>
-              <Label htmlFor={`x-cred-${field.key}`}>
+            <Key className="h-4 w-4 text-green-500" />
-                {status?.has_credentials ? `Replace ${field.label}` : field.label}
+            <span className="text-sm text-green-600 dark:text-green-400">
-              </Label>
+              Credentials are set
-              <Input
+            </span>
-                id={`x-cred-${field.key}`}
+          </>
-                type="password"
+        ) : (
-                value={values[field.key]}
+          <>
-                onChange={(e) =>
+            <KeyRound className="h-4 w-4 text-amber-500" />
-                  setValues((prev) => ({ ...prev, [field.key]: e.target.value }))
+            <span className="text-sm text-amber-600 dark:text-amber-400">
-                }
+              {isLoading ? "Checking..." : "No credentials configured"}
-                placeholder="••••••••••••"
+            </span>
-              />
+          </>
-            </div>
+        )}
-          ))}
+      </div>
-        </div>
 
-        <p className="text-xs text-muted-foreground">
+      <div className="grid grid-cols-1 gap-4 sm:grid-cols-2">
-          Set all 4 to save (or rotate); leave all 4 blank and save to clear.
+        {FIELDS.map((field) => (
-        </p>
+          <div key={field.key} className="space-y-2">
+            <Label htmlFor={`x-cred-${field.key}`}>
+              {status?.has_credentials ? `Replace ${field.label}` : field.label}
+            </Label>
+            <Input
+              id={`x-cred-${field.key}`}
+              type="password"
+              value={values[field.key]}
+              onChange={(e) =>
+                setValues((prev) => ({ ...prev, [field.key]: e.target.value }))
+              }
+              placeholder="••••••••••••"
+            />
+          </div>
+        ))}
+      </div>
 
-        <Button
+      <p className="text-xs text-muted-foreground">
-          onClick={() => saveMutation.mutate()}
+        Set all 4 to save (or rotate); leave all 4 blank and save to clear.
-          disabled={saveMutation.isPending || !canSave}
+      </p>
-        >
+
-          <Save className="mr-2 h-4 w-4" />
+      <Button
-          {saveMutation.isPending ? "Saving..." : "Save"}
+        onClick={() => saveMutation.mutate()}
-        </Button>
+        disabled={saveMutation.isPending || !canSave}
-      </CardContent>
+      >
-    </Card>
+        <Save className="mr-2 h-4 w-4" />
+        {saveMutation.isPending ? "Saving..." : "Save"}
+      </Button>
+    </div>
   );
 }

panel/src/types/index.ts

@@ -757,6 +757,7 @@ export enum KBIndexType {
   DECISIONS = "decisions",
   REVIEWS = "reviews",
   LEARNINGS = "learnings",
+  PLAYBOOKS = "playbooks",
 }
 
 export interface KBSearchRequest {

roboco/services/a2a.py

@@ -1332,7 +1332,18 @@ class A2AService:
             from_agent=from_agent,
         )
 
-        return self._msg_to_model(msg)
+        model = self._msg_to_model(msg)
+        # Single chokepoint for the operator live view: every persisted A2A
+        # message emits A2A_MESSAGE_SENT here, so the direct REST send paths
+        # (conversation-create + post-message) light up the /a2a view too, not
+        # just the gateway send() wrapper. Suppressed duplicates return above
+        # and deliberately don't re-emit.
+        to_agent = conv.agent_b if from_agent == conv.agent_a else conv.agent_a
+        task_id = str(conv.task_id) if conv.task_id else None
+        await self._publish_a2a_message_sent(
+            model, task_id, from_agent, to_agent, skill
+        )
+        return model
 
     async def get_messages(
         self,
@@ -1735,13 +1746,12 @@ class A2AService:
             content=body,
             options=options or None,
         )
-        await self._publish_a2a_message_sent(msg, task_id, from_slug, to_slug, skill)
         return msg
 
     @staticmethod
     async def _publish_a2a_message_sent(
         msg: A2AChatMessage,
-        task_id: UUID,
+        task_id: str | None,
         from_slug: str,
         to_slug: str,
         skill: str | None,
@@ -1765,7 +1775,7 @@ class A2AService:
                         data={
                             "conversation_id": msg.conversation_id,
                             "message_id": msg.id,
-                            "task_id": str(task_id),
+                            "task_id": task_id,
                             "from_agent": from_slug,
                             "to_agent": to_slug,
                             "skill": skill,

roboco/services/optimal.py

@@ -1947,6 +1947,17 @@ class OptimalService:
                     details["llm_model"] = settings.local_llm_model
                     details["llm_base_url"] = settings.local_llm_base_url
                     return True
+                # A non-2xx (e.g. Ollama Cloud 429 weekly-limit) is NOT an
+                # httpx exception, so record the status + upstream message
+                # instead of returning a bare, diagnostic-less False.
+                reason = resp.text[:200]
+                try:
+                    body = resp.json()
+                    if isinstance(body, dict) and body.get("error"):
+                        reason = str(body["error"])
+                except Exception:
+                    pass
+                details["llm_error"] = f"HTTP {resp.status_code}: {reason}"
         except Exception as e:
             details["llm_error"] = str(e)
         return False

tests/integration/test_a2a_service.py

@@ -529,6 +529,53 @@ async def test_send_bus_failure_does_not_break_send(a2a_setup: dict) -> None:
     assert sent.content == "hello"
 
 
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_send_chat_message_directly_publishes_event(
+    a2a_setup: dict,
+) -> None:
+    """The REST send paths (conversation-create + post-message) call
+    send_chat_message directly, not the send() wrapper. That direct path must
+    still emit A2A_MESSAGE_SENT so those messages light up the CEO's live view
+    — the gap this test guards."""
+    svc = a2a_setup["svc"]
+    task_id = a2a_setup["task_id"]
+    conv = await svc.get_or_create_conversation("be-dev-1", "be-qa", task_id=task_id)
+    mock_bus = AsyncMock()
+    mock_bus.is_connected = lambda: True
+    mock_bus.publish = AsyncMock(return_value=None)
+    with patch("roboco.services.a2a.get_event_bus", return_value=mock_bus):
+        sent = await svc.send_chat_message(
+            UUID(conv.id),
+            "be-dev-1",
+            "please review",
+            options={"skill": "code_review"},
+        )
+    mock_bus.publish.assert_awaited_once()
+    data = mock_bus.publish.await_args.args[0].data
+    assert data["message_id"] == sent.id
+    assert data["from_agent"] == "be-dev-1"
+    assert data["to_agent"] == "be-qa"
+    assert data["skill"] == "code_review"
+    assert data["task_id"] == str(task_id)
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_suppressed_duplicate_does_not_republish(
+    a2a_setup: dict,
+) -> None:
+    """A re-sent identical unread message dedups to the existing row and must
+    NOT emit a second live-view event (no redundant cache invalidation)."""
+    svc = a2a_setup["svc"]
+    conv = await svc.get_or_create_conversation("be-dev-1", "be-qa")
+    mock_bus = AsyncMock()
+    mock_bus.is_connected = lambda: True
+    mock_bus.publish = AsyncMock(return_value=None)
+    with patch("roboco.services.a2a.get_event_bus", return_value=mock_bus):
+        await svc.send_chat_message(UUID(conv.id), "be-dev-1", "same text")
+        await svc.send_chat_message(UUID(conv.id), "be-dev-1", "same text")
+    mock_bus.publish.assert_awaited_once()
+
+
 # ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 # Admin (CEO live view) service methods — no participant filter
 # ---------------------------------------------------------------------------