From cd976d33c5fff20d217d99fd3be30f43db0947de Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Daniel Ehrhardt <daniel.ehrhardt@codext.de>
Date: Fri, 23 Oct 2026 05:26:39 +0200
Subject: [PATCH] Always offer Dismiss on decision tickets, also when the agent
 waits for the answer

Dismissing a question ticket answers it with a note that it no longer needs an answer, so the waiting run carries on instead of standing still, and the ticket shows as Dismissed.
---
 .../human-tasks/human-task-sheet.tsx          | 32 +++++++++----------
 apps/mobile/src/app/human-task/[id].tsx       | 18 +++++------
 packages/core/src/services/humanTasks.ts      | 10 +++++-
 packages/core/test/human-tasks.test.ts        | 15 +++++++--
 4 files changed, 45 insertions(+), 30 deletions(-)

diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/components/human-tasks/human-task-sheet.tsx b/apps/desktop/src/components/human-tasks/human-task-sheet.tsx
index 2b221b09..5c33ef73 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/components/human-tasks/human-task-sheet.tsx
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/components/human-tasks/human-task-sheet.tsx
@@ -446,22 +446,22 @@ function CloseBox({
           </Button>
         )}
         <div className="ml-auto flex items-center gap-2">
-          {/* A question the agent stands still for can only be answered. */}
-          {!(decision && task.questionId) &&
-            (decision ? (
-              <Tooltip>
-                <TooltipTrigger asChild>
-                  <Button variant="outline" size="sm" disabled={pending} onClick={() => finish("declined")}>
-                    <X /> {words.declined}
-                  </Button>
-                </TooltipTrigger>
-                <TooltipContent side="top">Nothing to decide here. {agentName ?? "The agent"} isn't woken.</TooltipContent>
-              </Tooltip>
-            ) : (
-              <Button variant="outline" size="sm" disabled={pending} onClick={() => finish("declined")}>
-                {approval ? <X /> : <CircleSlash />} {words.declined}
-              </Button>
-            ))}
+          {decision ? (
+            <Tooltip>
+              <TooltipTrigger asChild>
+                <Button variant="outline" size="sm" disabled={pending} onClick={() => finish("declined")}>
+                  <X /> {words.declined}
+                </Button>
+              </TooltipTrigger>
+              <TooltipContent side="top">
+                {task.questionId ? `No answer needed anymore. ${agentName ?? "The agent"} goes on without it.` : `Nothing to decide here. ${agentName ?? "The agent"} isn't woken.`}
+              </TooltipContent>
+            </Tooltip>
+          ) : (
+            <Button variant="outline" size="sm" disabled={pending} onClick={() => finish("declined")}>
+              {approval ? <X /> : <CircleSlash />} {words.declined}
+            </Button>
+          )}
           <Button size="sm" disabled={pending || !ready} onClick={() => finish("done")}>
             {pending ? <Spinner /> : decision ? <SendHorizontal /> : <Check />} {words.done}
             <Hint>{modKey}↵</Hint>
diff --git a/apps/mobile/src/app/human-task/[id].tsx b/apps/mobile/src/app/human-task/[id].tsx
index f51096df..e3bda57b 100644
--- a/apps/mobile/src/app/human-task/[id].tsx
+++ b/apps/mobile/src/app/human-task/[id].tsx
@@ -291,16 +291,14 @@ export default function HumanTaskSheet() {
               onPress={() => move.mutate(task.status === "open" ? "doing" : "open")}
               style={{ flex: 1 }}
             />
-            {decision && task.questionId ? null : (
-              <Button
-                title={words.declined}
-                variant="secondary"
-                loading={close.isPending && close.variables === "declined"}
-                disabled={busy}
-                onPress={() => close.mutate("declined")}
-                style={{ flex: 1 }}
-              />
-            )}
+            <Button
+              title={words.declined}
+              variant="secondary"
+              loading={close.isPending && close.variables === "declined"}
+              disabled={busy}
+              onPress={() => close.mutate("declined")}
+              style={{ flex: 1 }}
+            />
           </Row>
           {task.status !== "backlog" && (
             <Pressable
diff --git a/packages/core/src/services/humanTasks.ts b/packages/core/src/services/humanTasks.ts
index 0804feef..5edae41b 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/services/humanTasks.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/services/humanTasks.ts
@@ -608,13 +608,16 @@ function safely(fn: () => void): void {
   }
 }
 
+const DISMISSED = "Dismissed: this no longer needs an answer, it may be solved already. Don't wait for it or ask it again: check where things stand now and carry on.";
+
 /** The human answers a question from its ticket: the run that stands still for it continues. */
 function answerFromTicket(r: Row, input: HumanTaskCloseInput, by: Answerer): HumanTaskCloseResult {
   const note = (input.note ?? "").trim();
   const files = input.attachments ?? [];
   let answer: AnswerQuestionInput;
+  const dismissed = r.kind !== "approval" && input.outcome === "declined";
   if (r.kind === "approval") answer = { decision: input.outcome === "done" ? "approve" : "decline", ...(note ? { note } : {}) };
-  else if (input.outcome === "declined") throw badRequest("The agent stands still until you answer. If the question no longer matters, stop it in its chat.");
+  else if (dismissed) answer = { text: [DISMISSED, note].filter(Boolean).join("\n\n") };
   else if (input.optionId && !note && !files.length) answer = { optionId: input.optionId };
   else {
     const picked = input.optionId ? parseJson<QuestionOption[]>(r.options, []).find((o) => o.id === input.optionId)?.label : "";
@@ -622,6 +625,11 @@ function answerFromTicket(r: Row, input: HumanTaskCloseInput, by: Answerer): Hum
   }
   const { question } = answerQuestion(r.question_id!, answer, by);
   settleMirror(question);
+  if (dismissed) {
+    const ts = now();
+    sql("UPDATE human_tasks SET status = 'declined', response = ?, response_option = NULL, closed_at = COALESCE(closed_at, ?), updated_at = ? WHERE id = ?", note || null, ts, ts, r.id);
+    changed();
+  }
   return { task: getHumanTask(r.id), continued: true };
 }
 
diff --git a/packages/core/test/human-tasks.test.ts b/packages/core/test/human-tasks.test.ts
index 3d7aa0ca..628ce0ce 100644
--- a/packages/core/test/human-tasks.test.ts
+++ b/packages/core/test/human-tasks.test.ts
@@ -482,9 +482,7 @@ describe("questions and approvals have a ticket", () => {
     expect(attention.some((i) => i.id === `question:${question.id}`)).toBe(true);
     expect(attention.some((i) => i.id === `todo:${task.id}`)).toBe(false);
 
-    const declined = await api("POST", `/api/human-tasks/${task.id}/close`, { outcome: "declined" });
-    expect(declined.status).toBe(400);
-    // The run stands still for it: the ticket can't be dismissed or deleted from under it.
+    // The run stands still for it: the ticket can't be deleted from under it.
     expect((await api("DELETE", `/api/human-tasks/${task.id}`)).status).toBe(400);
     const res = await api("POST", `/api/human-tasks/${task.id}/close`, { outcome: "done", optionId: "2" });
     expect(res.status).toBe(200);
@@ -501,6 +499,17 @@ describe("questions and approvals have a ticket", () => {
     await waitForRun(run.id, 10_000);
   }, 30_000);
 
+  test("dismissing the ticket tells the run the question no longer matters", async () => {
+    const { run, question, task } = await asking();
+    const res = await api("POST", `/api/human-tasks/${task.id}/close`, { outcome: "declined", note: "Solved it myself" });
+    expect(res.status).toBe(200);
+    expect(res.json.continued).toBe(true);
+    expect(getQuestion(question.id).status).toBe("answered");
+    expect(getQuestion(question.id).answer?.text).toContain("Solved it myself");
+    expect(getHumanTask(task.id)).toMatchObject({ status: "declined", response: { text: "Solved it myself" } });
+    expect((await waitForRun(run.id, 10_000)).result).toBe("CONTINUED");
+  }, 30_000);
+
   test("an approval is approved or declined from its ticket", async () => {
     const { run, question, task } = await asking("ASK_APPROVAL send it");
     expect(task).toMatchObject({ kind: "approval", questionId: question.id, title: "Send the payment reminder to billing@acme.com" });