feat: add assembly-time validation rejects placeholder

packages/core/system-prompt/README.md

@@ -7,16 +7,16 @@ System prompt assembly registry. Plugins contribute ordered text sections, tool-
 | Key | Default | Meaning |
 |---|---|---|
 | `persona` | `''` | The deployment persona: the ONE deployment-authored prompt fragment, rendered as the order-0 `deployment:persona` section and shared by every agent in the context (subagents included). A template — complete `{{…}}` groups are interpreted strictly against the registered variables (the shipped loop registers `{{model}}`/`{{cwd}}`), with no escape syntax for literal braces yet. Empty ⇒ the section is dropped at render. |
-| `toolOrder` | — | Explicit model-facing tool order, as a list of `ToolSchema.name`s with one `'<unlisted-tools>'` rest entry (`TOOL_ORDER_REST`): listed tools take their listed position, unlisted tools land at the rest entry in lexicographic name order. Absent ⇒ plain lexicographic name order. Applied to the collected tools BEFORE the `system-prompt/assemble` waterfall — like the sections' `order` sort, it canonicalizes what the registry contributed (registration order is a plugin-load artifact), and a waterfall listener that mutates the list owns the determinism of what it emits. Misconfiguration fails loud: a list without exactly one rest entry, or with duplicates, throws at load; a listed name with no registered tool rejects every `assemble()` — under the shipped loop the turn fails before any model request. Why a central list and not per-plugin weights: [Explicit model-facing tool order](../../../docs/rfc/implemented/feature/2026-07-06-explicit-tool-order.md). |
+| `toolOrder` | — | Explicit model-facing tool order, as a list of `ToolSchema.name`s with one `'<unlisted-tools>'` rest entry (`TOOL_ORDER_REST`): listed tools take their listed position, unlisted tools land at the rest entry in lexicographic name order. Absent ⇒ plain lexicographic name order. Applied to the collected tools BEFORE the `system-prompt/assemble` waterfall — like the sections' `order` sort, it canonicalizes what the registry contributed (registration order is a plugin-load artifact), and a waterfall listener that mutates the list owns the determinism of what it emits. Misconfiguration fails loud: a list without exactly one rest entry, or with duplicates, throws at load; a listed name with no registered tool rejects every `assemble()`; a tool provider returning the reserved rest-entry name also rejects. Under the shipped loop the turn fails before any model request. Why a central list and not per-plugin weights: [Explicit model-facing tool order](../../../docs/rfc/implemented/feature/2026-07-06-explicit-tool-order.md). |
 
 ## Service: `SystemPrompt` (ctx key: `systemPrompt`)
 
 ### Public API
 
 - `ctx.systemPrompt.section(section: PromptSection): () => void` Contribute a section. Duplicate names throw. Disposed with the calling fiber.
-- `ctx.systemPrompt.tools(provider: () => ToolSchema[]): () => void` Contribute tool schemas (evaluated at each assembly). Disposed with the calling fiber.
+- `ctx.systemPrompt.tools(provider: () => ToolSchema[]): () => void` Contribute tool schemas (evaluated at each assembly). A provider must not return a schema named `TOOL_ORDER_REST`; that name is reserved for `toolOrder`'s rest entry. Disposed with the calling fiber.
 - `ctx.systemPrompt.variable(name: string, provider: (context) => string | undefined): () => void` Contribute a prompt variable, referenced from section text as `{{name}}`. Duplicate or unreferenceable names throw; `undefined` means "no value for this assembly". Disposed with the calling fiber.
-- `ctx.systemPrompt.assemble(context?: AssembleContext): Promise<PromptAssembly>` Assemble the prompt for one caller. Runs through the `system-prompt/assemble` waterfall. Rejects when a configured `toolOrder` names a tool no provider contributed.
+- `ctx.systemPrompt.assemble(context?: AssembleContext): Promise<PromptAssembly>` Assemble the prompt for one caller. Runs through the `system-prompt/assemble` waterfall. Rejects when a configured `toolOrder` names a tool no provider contributed, or when a provider returns the reserved rest-entry name.
 
 ### Events
 

packages/core/system-prompt/src/index.ts

@@ -114,8 +114,8 @@ const GROUP_AT = /^\{\{([^{}]*)\}\}/
 /**
  * The rest entry for {@link Config.toolOrder}: the position where registered
  * tools not named in the list are inserted (in lexicographic name order).
- * Deliberately not a valid model-facing tool name, so it can never collide
- * with a real tool.
+ * Reserved: collected tool schemas using this name are rejected before
+ * ordering, so the marker can never collide with a real model-facing tool.
  */
 export const TOOL_ORDER_REST = '<unlisted-tools>'
 
@@ -154,6 +154,10 @@ function validateToolOrder(toolOrder: string[] | undefined): string[] | undefine
  * name keep their collection order.
  */
 function orderTools(tools: ToolSchema[], toolOrder: string[] | undefined): ToolSchema[] {
+  const reserved = tools.find(tool => tool.name === TOOL_ORDER_REST)
+  if (reserved !== undefined) {
+    throw new Error(`tool provider returned reserved tool name "${TOOL_ORDER_REST}" (reserved for toolOrder's rest entry)`)
+  }
   if (toolOrder === undefined) return tools.sort(compareToolNames)
   const registered = new Set(tools.map(tool => tool.name))
   const unknown = toolOrder.filter(name => name !== TOOL_ORDER_REST && !registered.has(name))
@@ -194,10 +198,13 @@ export interface Config {
    * exactly once, no duplicate names, and no name without a registered tool —
    * a misconfigured order blocks work instead of silently reaching a model
    * request: shape violations throw at load, and an unregistered name rejects
-   * every assembly (failing the turn before any model request — the earliest
-   * moment the registered tool set exists to check against, since tool
-   * plugins register after this service constructs). When omitted, tools are
-   * ordered lexicographically by name. Applied to the tools
+   * every assembly. `TOOL_ORDER_REST` is reserved for the list marker and may
+   * not be a collected tool name; such a provider output also rejects the
+   * assembly. The single assembly-time validation rejects either failure
+   * before any model request — the earliest moment the registered tool set
+   * exists to check against, since tool plugins register after this service
+   * constructs. When omitted, tools are ordered lexicographically by name.
+   * Applied to the tools
    * {@link SystemPrompt.assemble} collects, BEFORE the
    * `system-prompt/assemble` waterfall — like the sections' `order` sort, it
    * canonicalizes what the registry contributed (registration order is a
@@ -356,7 +363,10 @@ export class SystemPrompt extends Service {
   /**
    * Contribute a tool-schema provider that is evaluated at each assembly
    * call (so it can reflect the live registry state). The provider is
-   * removed when the calling fiber is disposed. Emits `system-prompt/change`.
+   * removed when the calling fiber is disposed. A provider must not return a
+   * schema named {@link TOOL_ORDER_REST}; that name is reserved for
+   * {@link Config.toolOrder}'s rest entry and rejects the assembly. Emits
+   * `system-prompt/change`.
    * @param provider - evaluated at every {@link assemble} for fresh schemas.
    * @returns the disposer that removes the provider.
    */

packages/core/system-prompt/tests/tool-order.spec.ts

@@ -61,6 +61,16 @@ describe('SystemPrompt tool order', () => {
       'toolOrder lists unregistered tool "ghost"; registered tools: (none)')
   })
 
+  it.each([
+    ['without an explicit toolOrder', undefined],
+    ['with only the rest entry configured', [TOOL_ORDER_REST]],
+  ])('rejects a provider tool named like the reserved rest entry %s', async (_case, toolOrder) => {
+    const ctx = await mount(toolOrder === undefined ? {} : { toolOrder })
+    ctx.systemPrompt.tools(() => [tool(TOOL_ORDER_REST)])
+    await expect(ctx.systemPrompt.assemble()).rejects.toThrow(
+      `tool provider returned reserved tool name "${TOOL_ORDER_REST}"`)
+  })
+
   it('keeps collection order between tools that share a name (stable sort)', async () => {
     const ctx = await mount()
     ctx.systemPrompt.tools(() => [tool('dup', 'first'), tool('anchor'), tool('dup', 'second')])