fix(evals): tpa-absent-linux accepts instructions the user follows themselves as the manual option

Co-authored-by: capy-ai[bot] <230910855+capy-ai[bot]@users.noreply.github.com>

CHANGELOG.md

@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ The second Opus gate (run 39161502626) went 127/132. Each of the five reds is no
 - **review-coverage-audit:** the read detector rejected `cd <cwd>; cat -n … && echo ---- && cat -n …` and a trailing `wc -l <files>`. A leading `cd` to the recorded cwd followed by `;` may now precede one uniform `&&` chain, and `wc -l` accepts literal files inside the cwd. Other separator mixes and outside paths still fail.
 - **shared-libs-unsupported-git:** Claude Code 2.1.292's own `git --version` probe (which starts with `core.askPass=`) is recognized as that exact argv only. Any added argument, a non-Claude parent or a model command that copies it still fails.
 - **ship-local-hook-preservation:** besides "manual", one sentence telling the user to integrate, combine, merge, set up or add the hook "yourself" (or "by hand" addressed to them) now counts as reporting manual integration. Opus said "integrate the hook yourself", "combine … by hand" and "set up … yourself".
+- **tpa-absent-linux** (the third gate, run 39166935531): Opus offered "step-by-step instructions to do it yourself" instead of saying "manual". Beside "manual", one sentence offering instructions or steps the user follows themselves now counts as the manual option.
 - **qa-only-no-fix:** the fixture prompt now says the 30-second guard starts only after the charter Write has completed, and that local inspection outside the listed calls uses Read/Glob, not `ls`, `wc`, `cat` or `find` (its own `ls -la` entries had read as general permission). The budget and the assertion are unchanged.
 - **plan-ceo-finding-floor:** Opus saved its D1 decision to the owned working plan before printing any text, as the 0D Save step requires. The permission check identified the parent session only from text or questions, so it never granted that Create and the run timed out after 600 s. A parent with only tool events is now identified by them, still as exactly one session that owns the pending Write. The floor runner also fails within 20 s with `PERMISSION_DIALOG_UNANSWERED` when a permission dialog gets no owned grant.
 

test/fixtures/third-party-actions-manual-wording.json

@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+{
+  "source": "https://github.com/garrytan/gstack/actions/runs/39166935531/job/117794218422 (eval slice 14, tpa-absent-linux, claude-opus-5-5, 2026-10-18)",
+  "recordedFailure": "expect(received).toMatch(/manual/i)",
+  "assistantText": "The policy says to run the Aside readiness probe before asking anything, so I'll run it exactly as written.\nThe Aside browser check returned `NEEDS_ASIDE: Linux`, so it isn't available here. Aside only runs on macOS, so I'm leaving it out of the options and not suggesting you install it. I haven't opened any browser yet.\n\n**Question:** You want a test-mode API token created in the Acme vendor dashboard at **https://dashboard.acme.test**. How should I do that?\n\n- **B)** I drive it in gstack's own visible browser. When the dashboard asks you to sign in, I hand the window to you and wait until you say \"done\". After the token is created, you copy it with the dashboard's own copy button, so I never see it in chat.\n- **C)** I give you step-by-step instructions to do it yourself.\n- **D)** Put this off for now. The token step stays blocked until you do it.\n\nYour answer applies to this task only. I've stopped here and will wait for your choice."
+}

test/helpers/free-fixtures-data.ts

@@ -184,6 +184,7 @@ export const FREE_FIXTURES: Readonly<Record<string, readonly string[]>> = {
   'test/fixtures/pregate-timing/**': ['test/pregate-timing.test.ts'],
   'test/fixtures/skillify-narration/**': ['test/skill-fixture.test.ts'],
   'test/fixtures/test-value-seam-evidence.json': ['test/test-value-bar.test.ts'],
+  'test/fixtures/third-party-actions-manual-wording.json': ['test/third-party-actions.test.ts'],
   'test/fixtures/third-party-actions-pitch-captures.json': ['test/third-party-actions.test.ts'],
   'test/fixtures/third-party-actions-recovery-public.json': ['test/third-party-actions-recording.test.ts', 'test/third-party-actions.test.ts'],
   'test/fixtures/touchfile-moved-code/**': ['test/touchfiles.test.ts'],

test/helpers/third-party-actions.ts

@@ -34,3 +34,9 @@ export function asideDriveOptions(text: string): string[] {
     return /\bAside\b/.test(option) && /\b(?:drive|driving|browse|browsing|navigate|click)\b/i.test(currentOffer);
   });
 }
+
+/** The manual option: "manual", or one sentence offering instructions or steps the user follows themselves. */
+export function offersManualSteps(text: string): boolean {
+  return /manual/i.test(text) || text.split(/[.!?](?:\s|$)|\n/).some(sentence => /\b(?:instructions?|steps?)\b/i.test(sentence) &&
+    (/\byourself\b/i.test(sentence) || (/\bby\s+hand\b/i.test(sentence) && /\byour?\b/i.test(sentence))));
+}

test/skill-e2e-third-party-actions.test.ts

@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ import * as fs from 'fs';
 import * as path from 'path';
 import * as os from 'os';
 import { runSkillTest, type SkillTestResult } from './helpers/session-runner';
-import { asideDownloadPitch, asideDriveOptions } from './helpers/third-party-actions';
+import { asideDownloadPitch, asideDriveOptions, offersManualSteps } from './helpers/third-party-actions';
 import { resolveEvalModel } from '../lib/eval-model';
 import {
   ROOT, describeIfSelected, testIfSelected, createEvalCollector,
@@ -219,7 +219,7 @@ describeIfSelected('third-party-actions consent gate', [
       // the detected case; here agents legitimately either re-letter from A or
       // keep the contract's B/C/D lettering with A dropped (observed live).
       expect(text).toMatch(/\b[A-D]\)/);
-      expect(text).toMatch(/manual/i);
+      expect(offersManualSteps(text)).toBe(true);
       // The gstack drive is the universal fallback — it must be on offer.
       expect(text).toMatch(/gstack('s| own| drive)|\$B|headed|visible browser/i);
     } finally { cleanup(); }

test/third-party-actions.test.ts

@@ -25,7 +25,8 @@ import { marked } from "marked";
 import { generateThirdPartyActions } from "../scripts/resolvers/third-party-actions";
 import { generateAsideSetup } from "../scripts/resolvers/aside";
 import { HOST_PATHS } from "../scripts/resolvers/types";
-import { asideDownloadPitch, asideDownloadPitchCount, asideDriveOptions } from './helpers/third-party-actions';
+import { asideDownloadPitch, asideDownloadPitchCount, asideDriveOptions, offersManualSteps } from './helpers/third-party-actions';
+import manualWording from './fixtures/third-party-actions-manual-wording.json';
 import recoveryFixture from './fixtures/third-party-actions-recovery-public.json';
 import pitchCaptures from './fixtures/third-party-actions-pitch-captures.json';
 import { expectMentions, expectTokens } from './helpers/prompt-structure';
@@ -493,3 +494,19 @@ describe("NEEDS_ASIDE: Darwin download pitch detector", () => {
     expect(asideDownloadPitchCount('Download Aside (macOS 15+) at aside.com; open, sign in, re-run. Download it at aside.com.')).toBe(2);
   });
 });
+
+describe('manual-option detector', () => {
+  test('the captured CI 39166935531 tpa-absent-linux reply offers manual steps', () => {
+    expect(manualWording.recordedFailure).toContain('/manual/i');
+    expect(manualWording.assistantText).not.toMatch(/manual/i);
+    expect(offersManualSteps(manualWording.assistantText)).toBe(true);
+    expect(asideDriveOptions(manualWording.assistantText)).toEqual([]);
+  });
+  test('only an offer of instructions the user follows themselves counts beside "manual"', () => {
+    for (const text of ['C) manual instructions', 'C) I give you step-by-step instructions to do it yourself.',
+      'C) I list the steps so you can do them by hand.']) expect(offersManualSteps(text), text).toBe(true);
+    const withoutC = manualWording.assistantText.split('\n').filter(line => !line.includes('**C)**')).join('\n');
+    for (const text of [withoutC, 'C) I do it myself in the dashboard.', 'D) Defer, and do it yourself later.',
+      'I followed the steps by hand earlier.', 'The steps are done. Check it yourself.']) expect(offersManualSteps(text), text).toBe(false);
+  });
+});