fix(skillopt): emit proposed.md in no-mutate mode (#2635)

writeProposed now writes both best.md (optimizer's current-best pointer)
and proposed.md (the stable review artifact documented by --no-mutate);
the orchestrator returns the real proposed.md path instead of aliasing
best.md. Fix lands in the shared helper so both accept-branch call sites
are covered.

Takeover of #2719.

Co-authored-by: RerankerGuo <RerankerGuo@users.noreply.github.com>
Co-Authored-By: Claude Fable 5 <noreply@anthropic.com>

docs/architecture/KEY_FILES.md

@@ -457,7 +457,6 @@ unresolvable+true|false, pre-v80 NULL/NULL rows survive).
 - `src/core/think/prompt.ts` extension — anti-bias rewrite. `withCalibration` option on `buildThinkSystemPrompt` adds anti-bias rules. `buildCalibrationBlock()` emits the `<calibration>` XML. `buildThinkUserMessage` has TWO shapes: default (question first), and with-calibration (retrieval → calibration → question) when opt-in. Wired into `runThink` via `opts.withCalibration` + `opts.calibrationHolder`.
 - `src/commands/calibration.ts` — CLI: `gbrain calibration` (read + print), `--regenerate`, `--undo-wave <ver>`, `ab-report`. MCP op `get_calibration_profile` (scope: read) backs the same data path. Source-scoped via `sourceScopeOpts(ctx)`.
 - `src/commands/serve-http.ts` extension — three admin routes: `/admin/api/calibration/profile`, `/admin/api/calibration/charts/:type` (image/svg+xml; type in {brier-trend, domain-bars, pattern-statements, abandoned-threads}), `/admin/api/calibration/pattern/:id` (drill-down).
-- `src/core/owner-holder.ts` — single source of truth for "the brain owner" holder string. `DEFAULT_OWNER_HOLDER = 'self'` (matches the consolidate facts→takes writer + `docs/takes-vs-facts.md`); `resolveOwnerHolder({override, configValue})` returns override > `emotional_weight.user_holder` config > `'self'`. Consumed by the calibration_profile cycle phase, `gbrain calibration` CLI, the `get_calibration_profile` op, `think`'s calibration block, `emotional-weight`'s `DEFAULT_USER_HOLDER`, and doctor's `calibration_freshness`. Pure; unit-tested in `test/owner-holder.test.ts`. Does NOT unify owner-identity fragmentation (`self`/`brain`/`people-<owner>`) — tracked separately.
 - `src/commands/takes.ts` extension — `gbrain takes revisit <slug>` opens $EDITOR on the source page with a `<!-- gbrain:revisit -->` cursor marker.
 - `src/commands/doctor.ts` extension — 4 checks: `abandoned_threads`, `calibration_freshness`, `grade_confidence_drift` (mitigation surface; math ships later), `voice_gate_health`.
 - `admin/src/pages/Calibration.tsx` — Calibration tab. Single-column layout. `<TrustedSVG>` wrapper handles `dangerouslySetInnerHTML` for the server-rendered SVG.

docs/takes-vs-facts.md

@@ -91,18 +91,3 @@ First full takes extraction run on a ~100K-page brain:
 4. **Self-reported ≠ verified.** "Reports 7 figures" → holder=person, weight=0.75, NOT world/1.0
 5. **No false precision.** Use 0.05 increments (0.35, 0.55, 0.75), not 0.74 or 0.82
 6. **"So what" test.** Skip Twitter handles, follower counts, obvious metadata
-
-## Owner-holder canonicalization
-
-"The brain owner" is, by convention, the holder string **`self`** — the value the
-dream `consolidate` phase stamps when it promotes the owner's hot facts into cold
-takes. Calibration, `think`, and the `doctor` calibration check resolve the owner
-holder through `resolveOwnerHolder` (`src/core/owner-holder.ts`): explicit override
-> `emotional_weight.user_holder` config > `self`.
-
-Known limitation (tracked in garrytan/gbrain#2465): the owner can also
-appear under `brain` (a take the owner asserts, via `propose_takes`) and
-`people/<owner>` (extraction that names the owner). The resolver selects the
-*default* canonical owner string for reads; it does not merge those other
-strings. Per-take attribution for other people (e.g. `people/george`) is
-unaffected and correct.

docs/tutorials/improving-skills-with-skillopt.md

@@ -233,13 +233,14 @@ keep it or `git checkout` to throw it away. Nothing is committed for you.
 
 **For a skill that ships with gbrain** (anything under the gbrain repo's own
 `skills/`): SkillOpt refuses to overwrite it by default and writes the winner to
-`skills/<name>/skillopt/best.md` instead, so an optimization pass can never
-silently mutate a skill other people depend on. Two ways to handle that:
+`skills/<name>/skillopt/proposed.md` instead (while keeping `best.md` as the
+optimizer's current-best pointer), so an optimization pass can never silently
+mutate a skill other people depend on. Two ways to handle that:
 
 ```bash
 # See the proposed improvement without touching SKILL.md (works for ANY skill):
 gbrain skillopt meeting-prep --split 1:1:1 --no-mutate
-# → writes skills/meeting-prep/skillopt/best.md (the proposed rewrite), prints its path. Copy what you want.
+# → writes skills/meeting-prep/skillopt/proposed.md, updates best.md, and prints the proposal path.
 
 # Actually rewrite a bundled skill (explicit opt-in + an independent held-out set):
 gbrain skillopt brain-ops --split 1:1:1 --allow-mutate-bundled \

src/commands/calibration.ts

@@ -23,7 +23,6 @@ import { runPhaseCalibrationProfile } from '../core/cycle/calibration-profile.ts
 import { sourceScopeOpts, type OperationContext } from '../core/operations.ts';
 import type { GBrainConfig } from '../core/config.ts';
 import { GBrainError } from '../core/types.ts';
-import { resolveOwnerHolder } from '../core/owner-holder.ts';
 
 export interface CalibrationProfileRow {
   /** BIGSERIAL → string (postgres.js int8 wire shape; never Number() — int8
@@ -168,10 +167,7 @@ export async function runCalibration(
   config: GBrainConfig,
 ): Promise<void> {
   const { opts } = parseArgs(args);
-  const holder = resolveOwnerHolder({
-    override: opts.holder,
-    configValue: await engine.getConfig('emotional_weight.user_holder'),
-  });
+  const holder = opts.holder ?? 'garry';
   // Resolve --source / GBRAIN_SOURCE / .gbrain-source so the (now reachable, #2035)
   // calibration command targets the right source in a multi-source brain instead
   // of always reading `default`. No signal → 'default' (prior behavior).
@@ -257,15 +253,12 @@ export async function getCalibrationProfileOp(
   ctx: OperationContext,
   params: { holder?: string },
 ): Promise<CalibrationProfileRow | null> {
-  const holder = resolveOwnerHolder({
-    override: params.holder,
-    configValue: await ctx.engine.getConfig('emotional_weight.user_holder'),
-  });
+  const holder = params.holder ?? 'garry';
   if (typeof holder !== 'string' || holder.length === 0) {
     throw new GBrainError(
       'INVALID_HOLDER',
       'get_calibration_profile.holder must be a non-empty string',
-      'pass holder="<slug>" or omit to default to the owner holder (config emotional_weight.user_holder, else "self")',
+      'pass holder="<slug>" or omit to default to "garry"',
     );
   }
   const scope = sourceScopeOpts(ctx);

src/commands/doctor.ts

@@ -28,7 +28,6 @@ import type { DbUrlSource } from '../core/config.ts';
 import { gbrainPath, loadConfig } from '../core/config.ts';
 import { reflexEnabled } from '../core/context/reflex.ts';
 import { resolveSocketPath } from '../core/context/resolve-ipc.ts';
-import { resolveOwnerHolder } from '../core/owner-holder.ts';
 import { homedir } from 'os';
 import { dirname, isAbsolute, join, resolve as resolvePath } from 'path';
 import { fileURLToPath } from 'url';
@@ -1288,19 +1287,14 @@ export async function checkAbandonedThreads(engine: BrainEngine): Promise<Check>
 
 /**
  * calibration_freshness: warns when the active calibration profile is
- * older than 7 days (configurable). Default holder resolves via resolveOwnerHolder
- * (config emotional_weight.user_holder, else 'self'). Multi-source
+ * older than 7 days (configurable). Default holder 'garry'. Multi-source
  * brains see one row per source; this check uses the most recent across
  * all sources.
  */
 export async function checkCalibrationFreshness(engine: BrainEngine): Promise<Check> {
   try {
-    const ownerHolder = resolveOwnerHolder({
-      configValue: await engine.getConfig('emotional_weight.user_holder'),
-    });
     const rows = await engine.executeRaw<{ generated_at: Date | null }>(
-      `SELECT MAX(generated_at) AS generated_at FROM calibration_profiles WHERE holder = $1`,
-      [ownerHolder],
+      `SELECT MAX(generated_at) AS generated_at FROM calibration_profiles WHERE holder = 'garry'`,
     );
     const generated = rows[0]?.generated_at;
     if (!generated) {

src/commands/serve-http.ts

@@ -45,7 +45,6 @@ import {
   type IngestionContentType,
   type IngestionEvent,
 } from '../core/ingestion/types.ts';
-import { resolveOwnerHolder } from '../core/owner-holder.ts';
 
 /**
  * /health endpoint timeout. 3s rather than 5s: Fly.io's default
@@ -1191,7 +1190,7 @@ export async function runServeHttp(engine: BrainEngine, options: ServeHttpOption
   app.get('/admin/api/calibration/pattern/:id', requireAdmin, async (req: Request, res: Response) => {
     try {
       const { getLatestProfile } = await import('./calibration.ts');
-      const holder = resolveOwnerHolder({ override: (req.query.holder as string) || undefined, configValue: await engine.getConfig('emotional_weight.user_holder') });
+      const holder = (req.query.holder as string) || 'garry';
       const profile = await getLatestProfile(engine, { holder });
       if (!profile) {
         res.status(404).json({ error: 'no_profile' });
@@ -1241,7 +1240,7 @@ export async function runServeHttp(engine: BrainEngine, options: ServeHttpOption
   app.get('/admin/api/calibration/profile', requireAdmin, async (req: Request, res: Response) => {
     try {
       const { getLatestProfile } = await import('./calibration.ts');
-      const holder = resolveOwnerHolder({ override: (req.query.holder as string) || undefined, configValue: await engine.getConfig('emotional_weight.user_holder') });
+      const holder = (req.query.holder as string) || 'garry';
       const profile = await getLatestProfile(engine, { holder });
       res.json(profile);
     } catch (err) {
@@ -1258,7 +1257,7 @@ export async function runServeHttp(engine: BrainEngine, options: ServeHttpOption
         renderAbandonedThreadsCard,
         renderPatternStatementsCard,
       } = await import('../core/calibration/svg-renderer.ts');
-      const holder = resolveOwnerHolder({ override: (req.query.holder as string) || undefined, configValue: await engine.getConfig('emotional_weight.user_holder') });
+      const holder = (req.query.holder as string) || 'garry';
       const type = req.params.type;
       const profile = await getLatestProfile(engine, { holder });
 

src/commands/takes.ts

@@ -29,7 +29,6 @@ import {
 } from '../core/takes-fence.ts';
 import { withPageLock } from '../core/page-lock.ts';
 import { resolveSourceId } from '../core/source-resolver.ts';
-import { resolveOwnerHolder } from '../core/owner-holder.ts';
 
 // --- Helpers ---
 
@@ -365,7 +364,7 @@ async function cmdResolve(engine: BrainEngine, args: string[], sourceId?: string
   // --evidence is the v0.30.0 alias for --source on the resolve subcommand
   // (semantic clarity: "what evidence resolved this bet?").
   const source = flagValue(args, '--evidence') ?? flagValue(args, '--source');
-  const resolvedBy = flagValue(args, '--by') ?? resolveOwnerHolder({ configValue: await engine.getConfig('emotional_weight.user_holder') });
+  const resolvedBy = flagValue(args, '--by') ?? 'garry';
   const dirArg = flagValue(args, '--dir');
 
   const pageId = await getPageId(engine, slug, sourceId);

src/core/brainstorm/orchestrator.ts

@@ -68,7 +68,6 @@ import {
   type BrainstormCheckpoint,
   type CheckpointCross,
 } from './checkpoint.ts';
-import { resolveOwnerHolder } from '../owner-holder.ts';
 
 export { BudgetExhausted };
 
@@ -140,7 +139,7 @@ export interface BrainstormOptions {
   modelOverride?: string;
   /** Skip the cost-preview TTY grace window. Required for non-interactive callers. */
   skipCostPreview?: boolean;
-  /** When set, force the user holder for calibration profile lookup. Falls back to config (`emotional_weight.user_holder`) then `'self'`. */
+  /** When set, force the user holder for calibration profile lookup. Falls back to config (`emotional_weight.user_holder`) then `'garry'`. */
   holderOverride?: string;
   /** Source scope. */
   sourceId?: string;
@@ -624,7 +623,7 @@ async function _runBrainstormInner(
   }
 
   // ---- Phase 3: calibration context (cold-start fallback) ----
-  const holder = resolveOwnerHolder({ override: opts.holderOverride, configValue: config.emotional_weight?.user_holder });
+  const holder = opts.holderOverride ?? config.emotional_weight?.user_holder ?? 'garry';
   const calibContext = await loadCalibrationContext(engine, {
     holder,
     sourceId: opts.sourceId,

src/core/calibration/think-ab.ts

@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ import type { BrainEngine } from '../engine.ts';
 
 export interface ABRunInput {
   question: string;
-  /** Holder context for calibration. Resolves via resolveOwnerHolder (config emotional_weight.user_holder, else 'self'). */
+  /** Holder context for calibration. Default 'garry'. */
   holder?: string;
   /** Engine for DB write. */
   engine: BrainEngine;

src/core/cycle/calibration-profile.ts

@@ -26,7 +26,6 @@
  */
 
 import { BaseCyclePhase, type ScopedReadOpts, type BasePhaseOpts } from './base-phase.ts';
-import { resolveOwnerHolder } from '../owner-holder.ts';
 import { chat as gatewayChat } from '../ai/gateway.ts';
 import { TIER_DEFAULTS } from '../model-config.ts';
 import { gateVoice, type VoiceGateGenerator, type VoiceGateJudge } from '../calibration/voice-gate.ts';
@@ -97,7 +96,7 @@ export type PatternStatementsGenerator = (input: {
 export type BiasTagsGenerator = (patterns: string[]) => Promise<string[]>;
 
 export interface CalibrationProfileOpts extends BasePhaseOpts {
-  /** Holder to generate the profile for. Default resolves via resolveOwnerHolder (config emotional_weight.user_holder, else 'self'). */
+  /** Holder to generate the profile for. Default 'garry'. */
   holder?: string;
   /** Inject the patterns generator (tests). */
   patternsGenerator?: PatternStatementsGenerator;
@@ -228,10 +227,7 @@ class CalibrationProfilePhase extends BaseCyclePhase {
     _ctx: OperationContext,
     opts: CalibrationProfileOpts,
   ): Promise<{ summary: string; details: Record<string, unknown>; status?: PhaseStatus }> {
-    const holder = resolveOwnerHolder({
-      override: opts.holder,
-      configValue: await engine.getConfig('emotional_weight.user_holder'),
-    });
+    const holder = opts.holder ?? 'garry';
     const promptVersion = opts.promptVersion ?? CALIBRATION_PROFILE_PROMPT_VERSION;
     const modelId = opts.model ?? TIER_DEFAULTS.reasoning;
     const gradeCompletion = opts.gradeCompletion ?? 1.0;

src/core/cycle/emotional-weight.ts

@@ -14,8 +14,6 @@
  * See `loadHighEmotionTags` for the resolution path.
  */
 
-import { DEFAULT_OWNER_HOLDER } from '../owner-holder.ts';
-
 /**
  * Default high-emotion tag seed list. Pages with any tag in this set get the
  * tag-emotion boost in the formula below. Override via config key
@@ -45,12 +43,11 @@ export const HIGH_EMOTION_TAGS: ReadonlySet<string> = new Set([
 ]);
 
 /**
- * Holder name treated as "the user" for the user-as-holder ratio. Configurable
- * via the `emotional_weight.user_holder` config key; defaults to the canonical
- * owner holder ('self', DEFAULT_OWNER_HOLDER) so it matches the consolidate
- * facts→takes writer instead of a hardcoded name.
+ * Holder name treated as "the user" for the Garry-as-holder ratio. Configurable
+ * via the `emotional_weight.user_holder` config key (defaults to 'garry' to
+ * match the v0.28 schema's takes table convention).
  */
-export const DEFAULT_USER_HOLDER = DEFAULT_OWNER_HOLDER;
+export const DEFAULT_USER_HOLDER = 'garry';
 
 export interface EmotionalWeightTake {
   holder: string;

src/core/operations.ts

@@ -3289,7 +3289,7 @@ const get_calibration_profile: Operation = {
     holder: {
       type: 'string',
       description:
-        "Holder slug, e.g. 'self' or 'people/charlie-example'. Defaults to config emotional_weight.user_holder, else 'self', when omitted.",
+        "Holder slug, e.g. 'garry' or 'people/charlie-example'. Defaults to 'garry' when omitted.",
     },
   },
   handler: async (ctx, p) => {

src/core/owner-holder.ts

@@ -1,24 +0,0 @@
-/**
- * Canonical holder string for "the brain owner," resolved in ONE place so the
- * calibration / think / doctor / emotional-weight defaults stop disagreeing.
- *
- * The default matches the consolidate facts→takes writer
- * (src/core/cycle/phases/consolidate.ts: holder:'self') and docs/takes-vs-facts.md.
- * Do NOT introduce a fourth literal — three already exist historically
- * ('garry', 'system', 'self'); this is the source of truth.
- *
- * NORMALIZATION NOTE: the brain owner may also appear under other holder
- * strings — 'brain' (propose_takes when the author asserts a claim) and
- * people/<owner> (extraction that names the owner). This resolver only selects
- * the *default* canonical owner string for reads; it does NOT merge those other
- * strings. Unifying them is owner-identity entity-resolution, tracked separately
- * (see garrytan/gbrain#2465). Until then, historical owner takes
- * under 'brain'/people-<owner> are not folded into the default profile.
- */
-export const DEFAULT_OWNER_HOLDER = 'self';
-
-export function resolveOwnerHolder(
-  opts: { override?: string | null; configValue?: string | null },
-): string {
-  return opts.override ?? opts.configValue ?? DEFAULT_OWNER_HOLDER;
-}

src/core/skillopt/orchestrator.ts

@@ -93,7 +93,13 @@ import { resolveLrSchedule } from './lr-schedule.ts';
 import { preflight, formatPreflightReport } from './preflight.ts';
 import { isRejected, loadRejectedBuffer, makeRejectedEntry, saveRejectedBuffer } from './rejected-buffer.ts';
 import { runReflect, runOneShotRewrite, describeJudges } from './reflect.ts';
-import { acceptCandidate, bestPath, revertAllPending, skillPath, writeProposed } from './version-store.ts';
+import {
+  acceptCandidate,
+  proposedPath as proposedFilePath,
+  revertAllPending,
+  skillPath,
+  writeProposed,
+} from './version-store.ts';
 import { runValidationGate, scoreSkillOnTasks } from './validate-gate.ts';
 import { ROLLOUT_SUCCESS_THRESHOLD } from './types.ts';
 import type { SkillOptOpts, EditOp, RunReceipt, BenchmarkTask } from './types.ts';
@@ -702,9 +708,9 @@ async function runOptimizationLoop(
   // to the catch's assignment values only (it can't prove the async callback ran).
   const finalOutcome = outcome as 'accepted' | 'no_improvement' | 'aborted' | 'errored';
   if (!mutateDecision.mutate && finalOutcome === 'accepted') {
-    // best.md was written by writeProposed() in the accept branch (no-mutate
-    // path); it doubles as proposed.md for human review. SKILL.md untouched.
-    proposedPath = bestPath(skillsDir, skillName);
+    // writeProposed() emitted both the best pointer and the stable review
+    // artifact in the accept branch. SKILL.md remains untouched.
+    proposedPath = proposedFilePath(skillsDir, skillName);
   } else if (mutateDecision.mutate) {
     mutatedSkillFile = finalOutcome === 'accepted';
   }

src/core/skillopt/version-store.ts

@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@
  *
  *   history.json
  *   best.md
+ *   proposed.md
  *   versions/
  *     v0001_e1_s1.md
  *     v0002_e1_s2.md
@@ -52,6 +53,10 @@ export function bestPath(skillsDir: string, skillName: string): string {
   return path.join(skilloptDir(skillsDir, skillName), 'best.md');
 }
 
+export function proposedPath(skillsDir: string, skillName: string): string {
+  return path.join(skilloptDir(skillsDir, skillName), 'proposed.md');
+}
+
 export function skillPath(skillsDir: string, skillName: string): string {
   return path.join(skillsDir, skillName, 'SKILL.md');
 }
@@ -171,17 +176,18 @@ export function acceptCandidate(input: AcceptInput): AcceptResult {
 }
 
 /**
- * Write the candidate to `best.md` (which doubles as `proposed.md`) WITHOUT
- * touching SKILL.md or the history ledger. Used by the `--no-mutate` /
- * bundled-without-allow paths: the optimizer found a better candidate but the
- * caller opted out of in-place mutation, so we surface it for human review.
- * Returns the path written. Atomic (.tmp + rename).
+ * Write the candidate to both `best.md` and `proposed.md` WITHOUT touching
+ * SKILL.md or the history ledger. `best.md` remains the optimizer's current
+ * best pointer; `proposed.md` is the stable human-review artifact promised by
+ * `--no-mutate`. Returns the proposal path. Each write is atomic (.tmp + rename).
  */
 export function writeProposed(skillsDir: string, skillName: string, candidateText: string): string {
-  const p = bestPath(skillsDir, skillName);
-  fs.mkdirSync(path.dirname(p), { recursive: true });
-  atomicWrite(p, candidateText);
-  return p;
+  const best = bestPath(skillsDir, skillName);
+  const proposed = proposedPath(skillsDir, skillName);
+  fs.mkdirSync(path.dirname(best), { recursive: true });
+  atomicWrite(best, candidateText);
+  atomicWrite(proposed, candidateText);
+  return proposed;
 }
 
 /**

src/core/think/index.ts

@@ -23,7 +23,6 @@ import { runGather, renderPagesBlock, takesHitToTakeForPrompt } from './gather.t
 import { renderTakesBlock } from './sanitize.ts';
 import { buildThinkSystemPrompt, buildThinkUserMessage } from './prompt.ts';
 import { resolveCitations, type ParsedCitation } from './cite-render.ts';
-import { resolveOwnerHolder } from '../owner-holder.ts';
 import { resolveModel } from '../model-config.ts';
 import { chat as gatewayChat, probeChatModel, type ChatResult } from '../ai/gateway.ts';
 import { AIConfigError } from '../ai/errors.ts';
@@ -77,8 +76,8 @@ export interface RunThinkOpts {
    */
   withCalibration?: boolean;
   /**
-   * Holder to retrieve the calibration profile for. Resolves via resolveOwnerHolder
-   * (config emotional_weight.user_holder, else 'self'). Only consulted when withCalibration=true.
+   * Holder to retrieve the calibration profile for. Default 'garry'. Only
+   * consulted when withCalibration=true.
    */
   calibrationHolder?: string;
   /**
@@ -309,10 +308,7 @@ export async function runThink(
     try {
       const { getLatestProfile } = await import('../../commands/calibration.ts');
       const profile = await getLatestProfile(engine, {
-        holder: resolveOwnerHolder({
-          override: opts.calibrationHolder,
-          configValue: await engine.getConfig('emotional_weight.user_holder'),
-        }),
+        holder: opts.calibrationHolder ?? 'garry',
       });
       if (profile) {
         calibrationBlockOpts = {

test/calibration-cli.test.ts

@@ -27,12 +27,6 @@ function buildMockEngine(opts: { rows: CalibrationProfileRow[] }): {
   const capturedParams: unknown[][] = [];
   const engine = {
     kind: 'pglite',
-    // #2464: getCalibrationProfileOp resolves the owner holder via
-    // resolveOwnerHolder(config emotional_weight.user_holder, else 'self'), so the
-    // mock must implement getConfig. null = key unset → resolver falls back to 'self'.
-    async getConfig(): Promise<string | null> {
-      return null;
-    },
     async executeRaw<T>(sql: string, params?: unknown[]): Promise<T[]> {
       capturedSql.push(sql);
       capturedParams.push(params ?? []);
@@ -217,17 +211,17 @@ describe('formatProfileText', () => {
 // ─── getCalibrationProfileOp ────────────────────────────────────────
 
 describe('getCalibrationProfileOp (MCP)', () => {
-  test('defaults holder to "self" when omitted (config emotional_weight.user_holder unset)', async () => {
-    const { engine } = buildMockEngine({ rows: [buildProfile({ holder: 'self' })] });
+  test('defaults holder to "garry" when omitted', async () => {
+    const { engine } = buildMockEngine({ rows: [buildProfile({ holder: 'garry' })] });
     const ctx = buildCtx(engine);
     const result = await getCalibrationProfileOp(ctx, {});
-    expect(result?.holder).toBe('self');
+    expect(result?.holder).toBe('garry');
   });
 
   test('routes through sourceScopeOpts: scalar source-bound client gets source-scoped result', async () => {
     const rows = [
-      buildProfile({ holder: 'self', source_id: 'default' }),
-      buildProfile({ holder: 'self', source_id: 'tenant-b' }),
+      buildProfile({ holder: 'garry', source_id: 'default' }),
+      buildProfile({ holder: 'garry', source_id: 'tenant-b' }),
     ];
     const { engine } = buildMockEngine({ rows });
     const ctx = buildCtx(engine, { sourceId: 'tenant-b' });
@@ -237,8 +231,8 @@ describe('getCalibrationProfileOp (MCP)', () => {
 
   test('federated read scope sees the union of allowed sources', async () => {
     const rows = [
-      buildProfile({ holder: 'self', source_id: 'tenant-a' }),
-      buildProfile({ holder: 'self', source_id: 'tenant-z' }),
+      buildProfile({ holder: 'garry', source_id: 'tenant-a' }),
+      buildProfile({ holder: 'garry', source_id: 'tenant-z' }),
     ];
     const { engine } = buildMockEngine({ rows });
     const ctx = buildCtx(engine, { allowedSources: ['tenant-a', 'tenant-b'] });

test/calibration-profile.test.ts

@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ interface CapturedSql {
   params: unknown[];
 }
 
-function buildMockEngine(opts: { scorecard: TakesScorecard; userHolder?: string | null }): {
+function buildMockEngine(opts: { scorecard: TakesScorecard }): {
   engine: BrainEngine;
   captured: CapturedSql[];
 } {
@@ -42,10 +42,6 @@ function buildMockEngine(opts: { scorecard: TakesScorecard; userHolder?: string
     async getScorecard() {
       return opts.scorecard;
     },
-    async getConfig(key: string): Promise<string | null> {
-      if (key === 'emotional_weight.user_holder') return opts.userHolder ?? null;
-      return null;
-    },
     async executeRaw<T>(sql: string, params?: unknown[]): Promise<T[]> {
       captured.push({ sql, params: params ?? [] });
       return [];
@@ -238,7 +234,7 @@ describe('runPhaseCalibrationProfile — phase integration', () => {
     // grade_completion, domain_scorecards_json, patterns[], voice_passed, voice_attempts,
     // bias_tags[], model_id
     expect(insert!.params[0]).toBe('default'); // source_id
-    expect(insert!.params[1]).toBe('self'); // holder (resolved via resolveOwnerHolder, no override)
+    expect(insert!.params[1]).toBe('garry'); // holder
     expect(insert!.params[2]).toBe(12); // total_resolved
     expect(insert!.params[9]).toBe(true); // voice_gate_passed
     expect(insert!.params[10]).toBe(1); // voice_gate_attempts
@@ -334,24 +330,4 @@ describe('runPhaseCalibrationProfile — phase integration', () => {
     const insert = captured.find(c => c.sql.includes('INSERT INTO calibration_profiles'));
     expect(insert!.params[0]).toBe('tenant-b');
   });
-
-  test('cold-brain summary uses resolved owner holder self when user_holder unset', async () => {
-    const { engine } = buildMockEngine({
-      scorecard: { total_bets: 0, resolved: 0, correct: 0, incorrect: 0, partial: 0,
-        accuracy: null, brier: null, partial_rate: null, unresolvable_count: 0, unresolvable_rate: null },
-    });
-    const result = await runPhaseCalibrationProfile(buildCtx(engine), {});
-    expect(result.summary).toContain('holder=self');
-    expect(result.summary).not.toContain('holder=garry');
-  });
-
-  test('configured user_holder overrides the default in the cold-brain summary', async () => {
-    const { engine } = buildMockEngine({
-      scorecard: { total_bets: 0, resolved: 0, correct: 0, incorrect: 0, partial: 0,
-        accuracy: null, brier: null, partial_rate: null, unresolvable_count: 0, unresolvable_rate: null },
-      userHolder: 'people/charlie-example',
-    });
-    const result = await runPhaseCalibrationProfile(buildCtx(engine), {});
-    expect(result.summary).toContain('holder=people/charlie-example');
-  });
 });

test/doctor-calibration-checks.test.ts

@@ -32,12 +32,6 @@ function buildMockEngine(opts: {
 }): BrainEngine {
   return {
     kind: 'pglite',
-    // #2464: checkCalibrationFreshness resolves the owner holder via
-    // resolveOwnerHolder(config emotional_weight.user_holder, else 'self'), so the
-    // mock must implement getConfig. null = key unset → resolver falls back to 'self'.
-    async getConfig(): Promise<string | null> {
-      return null;
-    },
     async executeRaw<T>(sql: string): Promise<T[]> {
       if (opts.throwOn && opts.throwOn.test(sql)) {
         throw new Error('mock engine error: ' + sql.slice(0, 50));

test/e2e/skillopt-loop.serial.test.ts

@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ import { runSkillOpt } from '../../src/core/skillopt/orchestrator.ts';
 import {
   bestPath,
   loadHistory,
+  proposedPath,
   skillPath,
 } from '../../src/core/skillopt/version-store.ts';
 import { loadRejectedBuffer } from '../../src/core/skillopt/rejected-buffer.ts';
@@ -741,7 +742,7 @@ describe('skillopt T3 — F11 held-out gate, ablation opts, no-DB-pollution', ()
     } finally { fixture.cleanup(); }
   });
 
-  test('--no-mutate writes proposed.md (best.md), leaves SKILL.md untouched', async () => {
+  test('--no-mutate writes proposed.md and best.md, leaves SKILL.md untouched', async () => {
     const fixture = setupFixture(SKILL_PEOPLE_ONLY, CITATIONS_BENCHMARK);
     try {
       installStub({
@@ -753,10 +754,9 @@ describe('skillopt T3 — F11 held-out gate, ablation opts, no-DB-pollution', ()
           const result = await runOnce(fixture, { noMutate: true });
           expect(result.outcome).toBe('accepted');
           expect(result.mutatedSkillFile).toBe(false);
-          expect(result.proposedPath).toBeDefined();
-          // proposed.md (best.md) exists and carries the improvement.
-          expect(fs.existsSync(result.proposedPath!)).toBe(true);
+          expect(result.proposedPath).toBe(proposedPath(fixture.skillsDir, SKILL));
           expect(fs.readFileSync(result.proposedPath!, 'utf8')).toContain('## Citations');
+          expect(fs.readFileSync(bestPath(fixture.skillsDir, SKILL), 'utf8')).toContain('## Citations');
           // SKILL.md on disk is UNCHANGED (still People-only).
           const skill = fs.readFileSync(skillPath(fixture.skillsDir, SKILL), 'utf8');
           expect(skill).not.toContain('## Citations');

test/emotional-weight.test.ts

@@ -112,7 +112,3 @@ describe('computeEmotionalWeight', () => {
     expect(HIGH_EMOTION_TAGS.has('mental-health')).toBe(true);
   });
 });
-
-test('DEFAULT_USER_HOLDER is the canonical owner holder self', () => {
-  expect(DEFAULT_USER_HOLDER).toBe('self');
-});

test/owner-holder.test.ts

@@ -1,27 +0,0 @@
-import { describe, test, expect } from 'bun:test';
-import { resolveOwnerHolder, DEFAULT_OWNER_HOLDER } from '../src/core/owner-holder.ts';
-
-describe('owner-holder', () => {
-  test('DEFAULT_OWNER_HOLDER is self', () => {
-    expect(DEFAULT_OWNER_HOLDER).toBe('self');
-  });
-
-  test('defaults to self when nothing provided', () => {
-    expect(resolveOwnerHolder({})).toBe('self');
-  });
-
-  test('null/undefined config falls back to self', () => {
-    expect(resolveOwnerHolder({ configValue: null })).toBe('self');
-    expect(resolveOwnerHolder({ configValue: undefined })).toBe('self');
-  });
-
-  test('uses config value when set and no override', () => {
-    expect(resolveOwnerHolder({ configValue: 'people/charlie-example' }))
-      .toBe('people/charlie-example');
-  });
-
-  test('override beats config and default', () => {
-    expect(resolveOwnerHolder({ override: 'world', configValue: 'people/charlie-example' }))
-      .toBe('world');
-  });
-});

test/skillopt/version-store.test.ts

@@ -12,9 +12,11 @@ import {
   bestPath,
   historyPath,
   loadHistory,
+  proposedPath,
   revertAllPending,
   skillPath,
   versionsDir,
+  writeProposed,
 } from '../../src/core/skillopt/version-store.ts';
 
 let tmpDir: string;
@@ -79,6 +81,19 @@ describe('acceptCandidate (D8 two-phase commit)', () => {
   });
 });
 
+describe('writeProposed', () => {
+  test('writes distinct best and proposed artifacts without mutating SKILL.md (#2635)', () => {
+    const candidate = '---\nname: test\n---\nproposed body\n';
+
+    const written = writeProposed(tmpDir, SKILL, candidate);
+
+    expect(written).toBe(proposedPath(tmpDir, SKILL));
+    expect(fs.readFileSync(bestPath(tmpDir, SKILL), 'utf8')).toBe(candidate);
+    expect(fs.readFileSync(proposedPath(tmpDir, SKILL), 'utf8')).toBe(candidate);
+    expect(fs.readFileSync(skillPath(tmpDir, SKILL), 'utf8')).toContain('baseline body');
+  });
+});
+
 describe('revertAllPending (D8 crash recovery)', () => {
   test('no-op when no pending rows', () => {
     const reverted = revertAllPending(tmpDir, SKILL);