fix: panel logo (#160), diff base fallback (#161), doc branch checkout (#162)

#160 — panel /roboco-logo.png "received null":
    next/image optimizer fails for static public assets in Next.js
    standalone mode. Added `unoptimized` to the sidebar logo Image so
    it serves the static file directly (validated on panel rebuild).

#161 — QA/doc evidence pr_diff_summary empty:
    A leaf dev branch's parent_branch_for is the cell-PM branch, which
    is never pushed (only devs push their leaf branch). diff against a
    non-existent origin/<parent> returned empty. Added
    GitService._resolve_diff_base + _default_branch_ref + _ref_exists:
    diff/list_changed_files fall back to the repo default branch
    (origin/HEAD → master/main) when origin/<parent> is absent.

#162 — claim_doc_task BRANCH_MISMATCH loop:
    The documenter's clone is separate from the dev's; the task branch
    already existed (dev created it) so no checkout ran in the doc
    workspace — roboco_docs_write / commit failed BRANCH_MISMATCH and
    the doc looped. Fixes:
    (a) new GitService.checkout_branch_in_agent_workspace; claim_doc_task
        checks out the task branch into the doc clone (best-effort —
        a checkout hiccup never fails the claim).
    (b) BRANCH_MISMATCH remediate now lists all four role claim verbs
        (i_will_work_on / i_will_plan / claim_doc_task / claim_review).
    (d) give_me_work next-hint is role+status aware via _claim_verb_hint
        (doc→claim_doc_task, qa→claim_review, pm→i_will_plan, else dev).
    Facet (c) (i_am_blocked "Not Found" for doc) was only reachable via
    the stuck-without-checkout path; primary fix removes it.

Smoke-11 reached dev→QA→doc (deepest ever) and validated the prior
6 fixes (panel flood gone, #158/#159/#157 confirmed). These three
clear the doc-phase blockers found in that run.

panel/src/components/layout/sidebar.tsx

@@ -72,6 +72,7 @@ export function Sidebar() {
               width={32}
               height={32}
               priority
+              unoptimized
               className="h-8 w-8 rounded"
             />
             <span className="font-semibold text-lg">RoboCo</span>

roboco/services/gateway/choreographer/_impl.py

@@ -542,6 +542,26 @@ class Choreographer:
 
     # --- Phase 1 (developer) verbs ---
 
+    @staticmethod
+    def _claim_verb_hint(role: str, task: Any) -> str:
+        """Role + status aware 'how to start this task' hint.
+
+        Task #162 facet (d): give_me_work hard-coded
+        ``i_will_work_on(...)`` for every role/status. A documenter
+        handed an awaiting_documentation task (or QA an awaiting_qa
+        task) was told to call a dev verb it doesn't have — it looped.
+        Map to the verb that actually claims the task for this role.
+        """
+        tid = str(getattr(task, "id", ""))
+        status = str(getattr(task, "status", ""))
+        if status == "awaiting_documentation":
+            return f"call claim_doc_task(task_id='{tid}') to start"
+        if status == "awaiting_qa":
+            return f"call claim_review(task_id='{tid}') to start"
+        if role in ("cell_pm", "main_pm", "product_owner", "head_marketing"):
+            return f"call i_will_plan(task_id='{tid}', plan='<plan>') to start"
+        return f"call i_will_work_on(task_id='{tid}', plan='<plan>') to start"
+
     async def give_me_work(self, agent_id: UUID) -> Envelope:
         """Return the agent's most-actionable task or signal idle."""
         agent = await self._deps.task.agent_for(agent_id)
@@ -558,7 +578,7 @@ class Choreographer:
             return Envelope.ok(
                 status=str(t.status),
                 task_id=str(t.id),
-                next=f"call i_will_work_on(task_id='{t.id}', plan='<plan>') to start",
+                next=self._claim_verb_hint(role, t),
                 context_briefing=await self._briefing_for(agent_id, t.id),
             ).with_introspection(task=t, role=role)
         assigned = await self._deps.task.list_assigned_for_agent(agent_id)
@@ -567,7 +587,7 @@ class Choreographer:
             return Envelope.ok(
                 status=str(t.status),
                 task_id=str(t.id),
-                next=f"call i_will_work_on(task_id='{t.id}', plan='<plan>') to start",
+                next=self._claim_verb_hint(role, t),
                 context_briefing=await self._briefing_for(agent_id, t.id),
             ).with_introspection(task=t, role=role)
         paused = await self._deps.task.list_paused_for_agent(agent_id)

roboco/services/gateway/choreographer/doc.py

@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ requires.
 
 from __future__ import annotations
 
+import contextlib
 from types import SimpleNamespace
 from typing import TYPE_CHECKING, Any
 
@@ -165,6 +166,16 @@ class DocMixin(_Base):
         # "start") but doc_claim is the runtime-correct specialized form
         # that keeps status at AWAITING_DOCUMENTATION. See module docstring.
         t = await self.task.doc_claim(doc_agent_id, task_id)
+        # Task #162: the documenter's clone is separate from the dev's;
+        # the task branch already exists (dev created it) so no checkout
+        # ran in the doc's workspace. Put the doc on the task branch now
+        # so roboco_docs_write / commit don't fail BRANCH_MISMATCH.
+        # Best-effort — a checkout hiccup must not fail the claim.
+        if t.branch_name:
+            with contextlib.suppress(Exception):
+                await self.git.checkout_branch_in_agent_workspace(
+                    t.branch_name, actor_agent_id=doc_agent_id
+                )
         ev = await self._claim_doc_evidence(t, task_id)
         return Envelope.ok(
             status=str(t.status),

roboco/services/git.py

@@ -536,11 +536,13 @@ class GitService(BaseService):
         if current_branch and current_branch != task_branch:
             raise ValidationError(
                 f"BRANCH_MISMATCH: Workspace is on '{current_branch}' but "
-                f"task requires '{task_branch}'. Branches are auto-checked-"
-                f"out when you call `i_will_work_on(task_id)` (devs) or "
-                f"`i_will_plan(task_id, plan)` (PMs) — call your role's "
-                f"verb on the right task instead of switching branches by "
-                f"hand."
+                f"task requires '{task_branch}'. The branch is checked out "
+                f"into your clone by your role's claim verb: "
+                f"`i_will_work_on(task_id)` (devs), "
+                f"`i_will_plan(task_id, plan)` (PMs), "
+                f"`claim_doc_task(task_id)` (documenters), "
+                f"`claim_review(task_id)` (QA). Re-call your role's claim "
+                f"verb on this task instead of switching branches by hand."
             )
 
     async def _link_commit_to_task(
@@ -1815,6 +1817,30 @@ class GitService(BaseService):
         workspace_agent_id = self._resolve_workspace_agent_id(task, actor_agent_id)
         return await self.get_workspace(project.slug, agent_id=workspace_agent_id)
 
+    async def checkout_branch_in_agent_workspace(
+        self,
+        branch_name: str,
+        *,
+        actor_agent_id: UUID,
+    ) -> None:
+        """Check out `branch_name` into the actor's own clone.
+
+        Task #162: dev/PM workspaces land on the right branch because
+        ``_auto_create_branch`` runs ``git checkout -b`` in the dev's
+        clone at claim time. The documenter's clone is a *separate*
+        workspace; when it claims an awaiting_documentation task the
+        branch already exists (created by the dev) so no checkout ever
+        ran in the doc's clone — it stayed on the default branch and
+        ``roboco_docs_write`` / ``commit`` failed with BRANCH_MISMATCH.
+        This puts the doc's workspace on the task branch (fetch +
+        tracking-branch create). Best-effort: a checkout failure must
+        not break the claim itself — the caller surfaces a remediation.
+        """
+        workspace = await self._workspace_for_branch(
+            branch_name, actor_agent_id=actor_agent_id
+        )
+        await self.checkout(workspace, branch_name)
+
     async def push_branch(
         self,
         branch_name: str,
@@ -2102,6 +2128,61 @@ class GitService(BaseService):
             )
         return str(base_ref)
 
+    async def _ref_exists(self, workspace: Any, ref: str) -> bool:
+        """True iff `ref` resolves in `workspace` (e.g. 'origin/<branch>')."""
+        result = await self._run_git(
+            workspace,
+            ["rev-parse", "--verify", "--quiet", f"{ref}^{{commit}}"],
+            check=False,
+        )
+        return result.returncode == 0
+
+    async def _default_branch_ref(self, workspace: Any) -> str:
+        """Resolve the repo's default remote branch ref.
+
+        Tries ``origin/HEAD`` (the canonical pointer), then common
+        defaults. Always returns a usable ref string; falls back to
+        ``origin/master`` so the diff command is still well-formed even
+        on a misconfigured remote (an empty/garbage diff is recoverable;
+        a malformed git invocation is not).
+        """
+        head = await self._run_git(
+            workspace,
+            ["symbolic-ref", "--quiet", "refs/remotes/origin/HEAD"],
+            check=False,
+        )
+        target = head.stdout.strip()
+        if head.returncode == 0 and target:
+            # refs/remotes/origin/HEAD -> refs/remotes/origin/<name>
+            return target.replace("refs/remotes/", "", 1)
+        for candidate in ("origin/master", "origin/main"):
+            await self._run_git(
+                workspace,
+                ["fetch", "origin", candidate.split("/", 1)[1]],
+                check=False,
+            )
+            if await self._ref_exists(workspace, candidate):
+                return candidate
+        return "origin/master"
+
+    async def _resolve_diff_base(self, workspace: Any, branch_name: str) -> str:
+        """Best diff base for `branch_name` when no explicit base is given.
+
+        Task #161: a leaf dev branch's ``parent_branch_for`` is the
+        cell-PM branch (``feature/{team}/{root}--{cellpm}``) which is
+        NEVER pushed — only devs push their own leaf branch. Diffing
+        against a non-existent ``origin/<parent>`` returns an empty
+        diff, so QA / docs see nothing. Fall back to the repo default
+        branch when the computed parent ref is absent on origin.
+        """
+        from roboco.services.gateway.merge_chain import parent_branch_for
+
+        parent = parent_branch_for(branch_name)
+        await self._run_git(workspace, ["fetch", "origin", parent], check=False)
+        if await self._ref_exists(workspace, f"origin/{parent}"):
+            return f"origin/{parent}"
+        return await self._default_branch_ref(workspace)
+
     async def diff(
         self,
         *,
@@ -2112,24 +2193,20 @@ class GitService(BaseService):
         """Return the git diff for `branch_name` against `base`.
 
         When `base` is omitted, diffs against the branch's parent (per
-        `parent_branch_for`) which is what the choreographer/PR-review
-        path wants. Content_actions evidence path can pass `HEAD~1` to
-        get just the latest change diff for incremental review.
+        `parent_branch_for`), falling back to the repo default branch
+        when that parent was never pushed (Task #161). Content_actions
+        evidence path can pass `HEAD~1` for an incremental diff.
 
         ``actor_agent_id`` resolves the workspace via the caller's clone
         when ``task.assigned_to`` is None (audit D-40) — important for
         QA reviewing post-submit_qa.
         """
-        from roboco.services.gateway.merge_chain import parent_branch_for
-
         workspace = await self._workspace_for_branch(
             branch_name, actor_agent_id=actor_agent_id
         )
         if base is None:
-            parent = parent_branch_for(branch_name)
-            # Make sure the parent ref exists locally before diffing.
-            await self._run_git(workspace, ["fetch", "origin", parent], check=False)
-            diff_args = ["diff", f"origin/{parent}...{branch_name}"]
+            base_ref = await self._resolve_diff_base(workspace, branch_name)
+            diff_args = ["diff", f"{base_ref}...{branch_name}"]
         else:
             diff_args = ["diff", f"{base}...{branch_name}"]
         diff_result = await self._run_git(workspace, diff_args, check=False)
@@ -2149,17 +2226,15 @@ class GitService(BaseService):
         authoritative git state — independent of whether the agent
         ever called the legacy ``add_files_modified`` HTTP endpoint
         (which the gateway commit() does not call). Empty paths are
-        skipped; output preserves git's order.
+        skipped; output preserves git's order. Same Task #161 default-
+        branch fallback as ``diff``.
         """
-        from roboco.services.gateway.merge_chain import parent_branch_for
-
         workspace = await self._workspace_for_branch(
             branch_name, actor_agent_id=actor_agent_id
         )
         if base is None:
-            parent = parent_branch_for(branch_name)
-            await self._run_git(workspace, ["fetch", "origin", parent], check=False)
-            args = ["diff", "--name-only", f"origin/{parent}...{branch_name}"]
+            base_ref = await self._resolve_diff_base(workspace, branch_name)
+            args = ["diff", "--name-only", f"{base_ref}...{branch_name}"]
         else:
             args = ["diff", "--name-only", f"{base}...{branch_name}"]
         result = await self._run_git(workspace, args, check=False)

tests/unit/gateway/test_claim_doc_task_checkout.py

@@ -0,0 +1,185 @@
+"""Task #162: claim_doc_task checks out the task branch + verb hints.
+
+Smoke-11: be-doc claimed an awaiting_documentation task but its clone
+stayed on the default branch (the branch was created in the dev's
+separate clone). roboco_docs_write / commit failed BRANCH_MISMATCH and
+the doc looped (i_am_blocked Not Found, give_me_work pointed at a dev
+verb). Primary fix: claim_doc_task checks out the task branch into the
+documenter's workspace. Facet (d): give_me_work's next-hint is now
+role + status aware.
+"""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+from datetime import UTC, datetime
+from typing import Any
+from unittest.mock import AsyncMock, MagicMock
+from uuid import uuid4
+
+import pytest
+from roboco.services.gateway.choreographer import Choreographer, ChoreographerDeps
+
+
+def _make_deps(**overrides: Any) -> ChoreographerDeps:
+    base: dict[str, Any] = {
+        "task": AsyncMock(),
+        "work_session": AsyncMock(),
+        "git": AsyncMock(),
+        "a2a": AsyncMock(),
+        "journal": AsyncMock(),
+        "audit": AsyncMock(),
+        "evidence_repo": AsyncMock(),
+        "messaging": AsyncMock(),
+    }
+    base.update(overrides)
+    repo = base["evidence_repo"]
+    for m in (
+        "list_unread_a2a",
+        "list_unread_mentions",
+        "list_pending_notifications",
+        "task_metadata_gaps",
+        "recent_team_activity",
+        "blockers_in_lane",
+        "journal_highlights_for_task",
+    ):
+        getattr(repo, m).return_value = []
+    _ldef = base["journal"].latest_decision_at.return_value
+    if type(_ldef).__name__ in ("MagicMock", "AsyncMock"):
+        base["journal"].latest_decision_at.return_value = datetime.now(UTC)
+    return ChoreographerDeps(**base)
+
+
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# Facet (d): give_me_work next-hint is role + status aware
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+
+def _task(status: str) -> MagicMock:
+    t = MagicMock()
+    t.id = uuid4()
+    t.status = status
+    return t
+
+
+def test_claim_verb_hint_doc_for_awaiting_documentation() -> None:
+    hint = Choreographer._claim_verb_hint("documenter", _task("awaiting_documentation"))
+    assert "claim_doc_task" in hint
+    assert "i_will_work_on" not in hint
+
+
+def test_claim_verb_hint_qa_for_awaiting_qa() -> None:
+    hint = Choreographer._claim_verb_hint("qa", _task("awaiting_qa"))
+    assert "claim_review" in hint
+    assert "i_will_work_on" not in hint
+
+
+def test_claim_verb_hint_pm_for_planning() -> None:
+    hint = Choreographer._claim_verb_hint("cell_pm", _task("pending"))
+    assert "i_will_plan" in hint
+
+
+def test_claim_verb_hint_dev_default() -> None:
+    hint = Choreographer._claim_verb_hint("developer", _task("pending"))
+    assert "i_will_work_on" in hint
+
+
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# Primary: claim_doc_task checks out the task branch into doc workspace
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_claim_doc_task_checks_out_branch() -> None:
+    """After doc_claim, the task branch is checked out into the
+    documenter's own clone so roboco_docs_write / commit don't
+    BRANCH_MISMATCH."""
+    doc_id = uuid4()
+    task_id = uuid4()
+    branch = "feature/backend/root1234--cellpm56--dev78901"
+
+    t_initial = MagicMock(
+        id=task_id,
+        status="awaiting_documentation",
+        assigned_to=None,
+        task_type="documentation",
+        team="backend",
+        branch_name=branch,
+        quick_context=None,
+        documents=[],
+        commits=[{"sha": "abc123", "message": "[x] work"}],
+        pr_number=7,
+        pr_url="https://github.com/x/y/pull/7",
+        dev_notes="done",
+        acceptance_criteria_status=[],
+        work_session_id=uuid4(),
+    )
+    t_claimed = MagicMock(
+        **{
+            **t_initial.__dict__,
+            "assigned_to": doc_id,
+            "status": "awaiting_documentation",
+        }
+    )
+
+    task_svc = AsyncMock()
+    task_svc.get.return_value = t_initial
+    task_svc.agent_for.return_value = MagicMock(role="documenter", team="backend")
+    task_svc.list_in_progress_for_agent.return_value = []
+    task_svc.list_paused_for_agent.return_value = []
+    task_svc.doc_claim.return_value = t_claimed
+    git_svc = AsyncMock()
+    git_svc.diff.return_value = "diff"
+    git_svc.list_changed_files.return_value = ["README.md"]
+
+    deps = _make_deps(task=task_svc, git=git_svc)
+    c = Choreographer(deps)
+
+    env = await c.claim_doc_task(doc_id, task_id)
+    body = env.as_dict()
+    assert body["error"] is None, body
+    git_svc.checkout_branch_in_agent_workspace.assert_awaited_once_with(
+        branch, actor_agent_id=doc_id
+    )
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_claim_doc_task_checkout_failure_does_not_break_claim() -> None:
+    """A checkout hiccup must not fail the claim — the doc still gets
+    an ok envelope and can retry / escalate from a claimed state."""
+    doc_id = uuid4()
+    task_id = uuid4()
+    branch = "feature/backend/root1234--cellpm56--dev78901"
+    t_initial = MagicMock(
+        id=task_id,
+        status="awaiting_documentation",
+        assigned_to=None,
+        task_type="documentation",
+        team="backend",
+        branch_name=branch,
+        quick_context=None,
+        documents=[],
+        commits=[{"sha": "abc", "message": "[x] w"}],
+        pr_number=7,
+        pr_url="u",
+        dev_notes="d",
+        acceptance_criteria_status=[],
+        work_session_id=uuid4(),
+    )
+    t_claimed = MagicMock(**{**t_initial.__dict__, "assigned_to": doc_id})
+    task_svc = AsyncMock()
+    task_svc.get.return_value = t_initial
+    task_svc.agent_for.return_value = MagicMock(role="documenter", team="backend")
+    task_svc.list_in_progress_for_agent.return_value = []
+    task_svc.list_paused_for_agent.return_value = []
+    task_svc.doc_claim.return_value = t_claimed
+    git_svc = AsyncMock()
+    git_svc.checkout_branch_in_agent_workspace.side_effect = RuntimeError("fetch fail")
+    git_svc.diff.return_value = ""
+    git_svc.list_changed_files.return_value = []
+
+    deps = _make_deps(task=task_svc, git=git_svc)
+    c = Choreographer(deps)
+
+    env = await c.claim_doc_task(doc_id, task_id)
+    # Claim still succeeds despite checkout raising.
+    assert env.as_dict()["error"] is None

tests/unit/services/test_git_diff_base_fallback.py

@@ -0,0 +1,90 @@
+"""Task #161: GitService diff base falls back to default branch.
+
+A leaf dev branch's parent (per parent_branch_for) is the cell-PM
+branch feature/{team}/{root}--{cellpm}, which is NEVER pushed — only
+devs push their own leaf branch. Diffing against a non-existent
+origin/<parent> returns an empty diff, so QA / docs saw nothing.
+_resolve_diff_base must fall back to the repo default branch when the
+parent ref is absent on origin.
+"""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+from pathlib import Path
+from typing import Any
+from unittest.mock import AsyncMock
+
+import pytest
+from roboco.services.git import GitService
+
+
+def _git_service() -> GitService:
+    return GitService.__new__(GitService)
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_resolve_diff_base_uses_parent_when_pushed() -> None:
+    """When origin/<parent> exists, use it (normal case)."""
+    svc = _git_service()
+    svc._run_git = AsyncMock()  # type: ignore[method-assign]
+    svc._ref_exists = AsyncMock(return_value=True)  # type: ignore[method-assign]
+    ws = Path("/tmp/ws")
+
+    base = await svc._resolve_diff_base(
+        ws, "feature/backend/root1234--cellpm56--dev78901"
+    )
+    # parent_branch_for strips the last --segment.
+    assert base == "origin/feature/backend/root1234--cellpm56"
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_resolve_diff_base_falls_back_when_parent_absent() -> None:
+    """When origin/<parent> does NOT exist (cell-PM branch never pushed),
+    fall back to the repo default branch via origin/HEAD."""
+    svc = _git_service()
+    svc._run_git = AsyncMock()  # type: ignore[method-assign]
+    # parent ref absent → _ref_exists False for the parent check.
+    svc._ref_exists = AsyncMock(return_value=False)  # type: ignore[method-assign]
+    svc._default_branch_ref = AsyncMock(  # type: ignore[method-assign]
+        return_value="origin/master"
+    )
+    ws = Path("/tmp/ws")
+
+    base = await svc._resolve_diff_base(
+        ws, "feature/backend/root1234--cellpm56--dev78901"
+    )
+    assert base == "origin/master"
+    svc._default_branch_ref.assert_awaited_once()
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_default_branch_ref_prefers_origin_head() -> None:
+    """origin/HEAD symbolic-ref is the canonical default-branch pointer."""
+    svc = _git_service()
+
+    async def fake_run(_ws: Any, args: list[str], **_kw: Any) -> Any:
+        if args[:2] == ["symbolic-ref", "--quiet"]:
+            return type(
+                "R", (), {"returncode": 0, "stdout": "refs/remotes/origin/main\n"}
+            )()
+        return type("R", (), {"returncode": 1, "stdout": ""})()
+
+    svc._run_git = fake_run  # type: ignore[method-assign]
+    ref = await svc._default_branch_ref(Path("/tmp/ws"))
+    assert ref == "origin/main"
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_default_branch_ref_fallback_when_no_head() -> None:
+    """No origin/HEAD → probe origin/master then origin/main; final
+    hard fallback is origin/master so the git invocation stays valid."""
+    svc = _git_service()
+
+    async def fake_run(_ws: Any, _args: list[str], **_kw: Any) -> Any:
+        # symbolic-ref fails; fetches succeed but ref never verifies.
+        return type("R", (), {"returncode": 1, "stdout": ""})()
+
+    svc._run_git = fake_run  # type: ignore[method-assign]
+    svc._ref_exists = AsyncMock(return_value=False)  # type: ignore[method-assign]
+    ref = await svc._default_branch_ref(Path("/tmp/ws"))
+    assert ref == "origin/master"