fix(maintenance): a late return, once back, stays back, and every reader agrees (#6175)

18032a4 re-checked a "not back in service" job every minute with no end,
so any later swarm wobble on the host (radarr's failed task during the
downloads move, say) flipped maintenance_failed back to 1: five false
firings and ten emails for Docker02 overnight on 10-19. And the overview's
finding never learned the rule at all, so it still said Docker02's
maintenance failed three days on.

The job now keeps came_back_at, set the first time its host is found back.
maintenance.still_failed(job) is the one answer: the figure, the overview,
the cadence page's run rows and the host panel all ask it. A failed update
or a timed-out job still flags its host until a job succeeds.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 5.5 <noreply@anthropic.com>

plugins/host_agent/cadence.py

@@ -29,9 +29,6 @@ WEEKDAYS = ("Monday", "Tuesday", "Wednesday", "Thursday", "Friday", "Saturday",
 SETTLE_LIMIT = timedelta(minutes=30)
 # An agent heard from this recently is posting.
 POSTING_WITHIN = timedelta(minutes=3)
-# How a job failed for not coming back into service begins: its update (and
-# reboot) went through, so once the host is back nothing is left failed.
-NOT_BACK = "not back in service within"
 RUN_STATES = ("running", "done", "failed", "stopped")
 
 
@@ -132,7 +129,7 @@ def next_move(run, plan, job, back: str | None, now: datetime) -> tuple[str, str
     if back is None:
         return "next", None
     if run.settle_since is not None and now - run.settle_since > SETTLE_LIMIT:
-        return "fail", f"{NOT_BACK} {int(SETTLE_LIMIT.total_seconds() // 60)} min: {back}"
+        return "fail", f"{maintenance.NOT_BACK} {int(SETTLE_LIMIT.total_seconds() // 60)} min: {back}"
     return "settling", back
 
 
@@ -303,7 +300,9 @@ async def failed_hosts(session, now: datetime) -> dict[str, float]:
     figure an alert rule watches. A host with no job yet reads 0, so a rule
     on it reports rather than sitting at "no data". A later job that
     succeeds puts it back to 0, and so does a host that failed only for not
-    coming back into service in time, once it is back (#6105)."""
+    coming back into service in time, once it is back (#6105). That return
+    is kept on the job (came_back_at), so a later wobble in the host's
+    services doesn't flag it again (#6175)."""
     from sqlalchemy import select
     from steward.models.hosts import Host
     from .models import HostAgentRegistration, HostMaintenanceJob
@@ -320,10 +319,11 @@ async def failed_hosts(session, now: datetime) -> dict[str, float]:
         if host.name not in latest or job.finished_at > latest[host.name][1].finished_at:
             latest[host.name] = (host, job)
     for name, (host, job) in latest.items():
-        failed = job.state != "done"
+        if (job.state == "failed" and job.came_back_at is None
-        if failed and (job.detail or "").startswith(NOT_BACK):
+                and (job.detail or "").startswith(maintenance.NOT_BACK)):
             reg = (await session.execute(select(HostAgentRegistration).where(
                 HostAgentRegistration.host_id == host.id))).scalar_one_or_none()
-            failed = await _back(session, host, job, reg, now) is not None
+            if await _back(session, host, job, reg, now) is None:
-        out[name] = 1.0 if failed else 0.0
+                job.came_back_at = now
+        out[name] = 1.0 if maintenance.still_failed(job) else 0.0
     return out

plugins/host_agent/maintenance.py

@@ -37,6 +37,10 @@ from datetime import datetime, timedelta, timezone
 ACTIVE = ("queued", "checking", "draining", "settling", "updating", "rebooting",
           "undraining", "recovering")
 FINISHED = ("done", "failed", "timed_out")
+# How a job failed for not coming back into service begins (cadence.py): its
+# update (and reboot) went through, so once the host is back nothing is left
+# failed.
+NOT_BACK = "not back in service within"
 # The helper action each handed state asks for.
 STEP_ACTION = {"checking": "check", "updating": "update", "draining": "drain",
                "rebooting": "reboot", "undraining": "undrain"}
@@ -537,10 +541,26 @@ LABELS = {
 }
 
 
+def came_back_late(job) -> bool:
+    """A job failed only for not coming back into service in time, whose
+    host has since been found back (#6175)."""
+    return (job.state == "failed" and job.came_back_at is not None
+            and (job.detail or "").startswith(NOT_BACK))
+
+
+def still_failed(job) -> bool:
+    """Whether a finished job still flags its host: it failed or timed out,
+    and isn't a late return whose host has since come back (#6175). The
+    maintenance_failed figure, the overview and the pages all ask this."""
+    return job.state in ("failed", "timed_out") and not came_back_late(job)
+
+
 def summary(job) -> str:
     """One line on what the job did, for the panel."""
     if job.state not in FINISHED:
         return LABELS[job.state]
+    if came_back_late(job):
+        return f"Back in service late, {job.came_back_at:%Y-%m-%d %H:%M}Z"
     parts = []
     if job.docker_update:
         parts.append("Docker upgraded")

plugins/host_agent/mcp_tools.py

@@ -119,6 +119,7 @@ def _job_row(job, names: dict, now) -> dict:
         "swarm_node": job.node_id,
         "drained_by": names.get(job.drain_host_id, job.drain_host_id),
         "drained_at": iso(job.drained_at),
+        "came_back_at": iso(job.came_back_at),
         "docker_update": job.docker_update,
         "checked": job.checked,
         "detail": job.detail,
@@ -205,7 +206,9 @@ async def get_maintenance_job(host: str = "", job: str = "", limit: int = 10) ->
     settling →] updating → [draining → settling →] [rebooting →]
     [undraining →] [recovering →] done, or failed / timed_out. recovering
     waits up to 10 min for those containers to run again; `detail` says why
-    a job failed, naming any that didn't. `summary` is the host page's line
+    a job failed, naming any that didn't. A job failed only for not coming
+    back into service in time has `came_back_at`, when its host was first
+    found back; from then it no longer flags the host. `summary` is the host page's line
     ("Done: 12 packages updated, rebooted"). `gives_up_at` is when an active
     job's current state times out.
     """
@@ -312,7 +315,8 @@ async def run_maintenance(host: str, reboot: str = "if_required") -> dict:
 
 async def _failed_jobs(db, now) -> list:
     """Each host's latest finished job, when it failed or timed out within
-    FAILED_JOB_DAYS (a later success clears it)."""
+    FAILED_JOB_DAYS and still flags the host (a later success clears it, and
+    so does a late return once the host is back, #6175)."""
     rows = (await db.execute(
         select(HostMaintenanceJob, Host.name).join(Host, Host.id == HostMaintenanceJob.host_id)
         .where(HostMaintenanceJob.state.in_(maintenance.FINISHED),
@@ -321,7 +325,7 @@ async def _failed_jobs(db, now) -> list:
     latest = {}
     for j, name in rows:
         latest.setdefault(j.host_id, (j, name))
-    return [(j, name) for j, name in latest.values() if j.state != "done"]
+    return [(j, name) for j, name in latest.values() if maintenance.still_failed(j)]
 
 
 async def mcp_overview(db) -> list[dict]:

plugins/host_agent/migrations/versions/host_agent_011_came_back.py

@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+# plugins/host_agent/migrations/versions/host_agent_011_came_back.py
+"""host_agent: when a job failed for not coming back into service in time
+first found its host back (#6175)
+
+Revision ID: host_agent_011_came_back
+"""
+from typing import Sequence, Union
+from alembic import op
+import sqlalchemy as sa
+
+revision: str = "host_agent_011_came_back"
+down_revision: Union[str, None] = "host_agent_010_maint_check"
+branch_labels: Union[str, Sequence[str], None] = None
+depends_on: Union[str, Sequence[str], None] = None
+
+
+def upgrade() -> None:
+    op.add_column("host_maintenance_jobs",
+                  sa.Column("came_back_at", sa.DateTime(timezone=True), nullable=True))
+
+
+def downgrade() -> None:
+    op.drop_column("host_maintenance_jobs", "came_back_at")

plugins/host_agent/models.py

@@ -121,6 +121,9 @@ class HostMaintenanceJob(Base):
     docker_update = Column(Boolean, nullable=True)
     checked = Column(JSON, nullable=True)
     drained_at = Column(DateTime(timezone=True), nullable=True)
+    # A job failed for not coming back into service in time: when its host
+    # was first found back (#6175). From then on the job no longer flags it.
+    came_back_at = Column(DateTime(timezone=True), nullable=True)
 
 
 class HostMaintenancePlan(Base):

plugins/host_agent/routes.py

@@ -1099,6 +1099,7 @@ async def host_panel(host_id: str):
         host=host, reg=reg, reporting=reporting, stale=stale, target=target, downtime=downtime,
         maint_job=maint_job, maint_blocker=maint_blocker,
         maint_summary=maintenance.summary(maint_job) if maint_job else None,
+        maint_failed=maint_job is not None and maintenance.still_failed(maint_job),
         ansible_available=has_capability("ansible.run_playbook"),
         managed_key_set=bool((ansible_cfg.get("ssh_public_key") or "").strip()),
     )
@@ -1448,7 +1449,7 @@ def _run_rows(run, jobs: dict, names: dict) -> list[dict]:
         job = jobs.get((run.id, host_id))
         if job is not None:
             text = maintenance.summary(job)
-            bad = job.state in ("failed", "timed_out")
+            bad = maintenance.still_failed(job)
             busy = job.state in maintenance.ACTIVE
         elif run.state == "running" and i == run.position:
             text, bad, busy = "Starting", False, True

plugins/host_agent/templates/panel.html

@@ -26,9 +26,9 @@
     {# Steward's own maintenance job on this host (#5767): a running one first. #}
     {% if maint_job %}
     {% set running = maint_job.state not in ('done', 'failed', 'timed_out') %}
-    <div class="{{ 'tone-warn' if running or maint_job.state != 'done' else '' }}" title="{{ maint_job.detail or '' }}">
+    <div class="{{ 'tone-warn' if running or maint_failed else '' }}" title="{{ maint_job.detail or '' }}">
       <a href="/plugins/host_agent/maintenance" style="color:inherit;">Maintenance</a>: {{ maint_summary }}
-      <span style="color:var(--text-muted);">· {% if running %}since {{ maint_job.state_at|ago }}{% else %}{{ maint_job.finished_at|ago }}{% endif %}{% if maint_job.state in ('failed', 'timed_out') and maint_job.detail %} · {{ maint_job.detail|truncate(90) }}{% endif %}</span>
+      <span style="color:var(--text-muted);">· {% if running %}since {{ maint_job.state_at|ago }}{% else %}{{ maint_job.finished_at|ago }}{% endif %}{% if maint_failed and maint_job.detail %} · {{ maint_job.detail|truncate(90) }}{% endif %}</span>
     </div>
     {% endif %}
     {% if reg.reboot_required %}

steward/core/formatting.py

@@ -358,7 +358,7 @@ METRICS: dict[str, tuple[str, str]] = {
     "updates_pending": ("Updates waiting", "packages the host's package manager would upgrade, checked hourly"),
     "updates_security": ("Security updates waiting", "of the updates waiting, those from a security source"),
     "reboot_required": ("Reboot required", "1 when the host needs a reboot to finish an update, 0 when not"),
-    "maintenance_failed": ("Maintenance failed", "1 when the host's latest scheduled or manual update failed or timed out, or the host didn't come back into service and still isn't"),
+    "maintenance_failed": ("Maintenance failed", "1 when the host's latest scheduled or manual update failed or timed out, or the host didn't come back into service in time and hasn't been back since"),
     "temp_c_max": ("Hottest sensor", "the host's hottest real thermometer; inputs with nothing wired to them are left out"),
     "temp_c": ("Sensor temperature", "one temperature sensor (resource host:temp:label)"),
     "net_rx_bps": ("Network in", "bytes per second received, by the whole host, one interface or one container"),

tests/integration/test_host_maintenance_cadence.py

@@ -175,4 +175,18 @@ def test_a_host_that_came_back_late_reads_failed_only_until_it_is_back():
         await _post(app, ta)
         assert (await _tick(app))[a.name] == 0.0
 
+        # #6175: once back, a later wobble doesn't flag it again, and the
+        # overview agrees with the figure.
+        await _sql("UPDATE host_agent_registrations SET last_seen_at = now() - interval '1 hour' "
+                   "WHERE host_id = :h")
+        assert (await _tick(app))[a.name] == 0.0
+        mcp_tools = _ha("mcp_tools")
+        async with app.db_sessionmaker() as s:
+            (came_back,) = (await s.execute(text(
+                "SELECT came_back_at FROM host_maintenance_jobs WHERE host_id = :h"),
+                {"h": a.id})).one()
+            flagged = await mcp_tools._failed_jobs(s, datetime.now(timezone.utc))
+        assert came_back is not None
+        assert a.name not in [name for _, name in flagged]
+
     asyncio.run(_go())

tests/plugins/host_agent/test_maintenance.py

@@ -20,7 +20,8 @@ def _job(**kw):
     base = dict(id="job-1", host_id="h1", state="queued", state_at=T0, created_at=T0,
                 reboot_policy="if_required", step_id=None, step_seen=False, node_id=None,
                 drain_host_id=None, packages=None, reboot_needed=None, back_at=None,
-                detail=None, finished_at=None, drained_at=None, docker_update=None, checked=None)
+                detail=None, finished_at=None, drained_at=None, docker_update=None, checked=None,
+                came_back_at=None)
     base.update(kw)
     return SimpleNamespace(**base)
 
@@ -269,3 +270,18 @@ def test_the_agent_reads_stewards_answer_when_asked(monkeypatch):
     answer: dict = {}
     assert a.post_payload("https://x", "tok", {}, answer) == (True, 200)
     assert answer["maintenance"] == [{"id": "job-1-reboot", "action": "reboot"}]
+
+
+def test_a_late_return_stops_flagging_its_host_once_it_came_back():
+    """#6175: one answer for the figure, the overview and the pages."""
+    late = _job(state="failed", finished_at=T0,
+                detail=f"{m.NOT_BACK} 30 min: services below their replicas: portal_app")
+    assert m.still_failed(late) and m.summary(late) == "Failed"
+    late.came_back_at = T0 + timedelta(minutes=45)
+    assert not m.still_failed(late)
+    assert m.summary(late) == "Back in service late, 2026-10-14 23:45Z"
+    # An update that failed, or a job that timed out, flags its host whatever came back.
+    for job in (_job(state="failed", detail="dpkg was interrupted", came_back_at=T0),
+                _job(state="timed_out", detail="no answer within 60 min", came_back_at=T0)):
+        assert m.still_failed(job)
+    assert not m.still_failed(_job(state="done"))

tests/plugins/host_agent/test_mcp_tools.py

@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ def test_a_job_row_says_what_it_did_and_when_it_gives_up():
              reboot_policy="if_required", packages=12, reboot_needed=True, back_at=None,
              node_id="n1", drain_host_id="h2", detail=None, created_by=None, run_id="r1",
              created_at=NOW - timedelta(minutes=20), finished_at=None,
-             drained_at=NOW - timedelta(minutes=11), docker_update=False,
+             drained_at=NOW - timedelta(minutes=11), docker_update=False, came_back_at=None,
              checked={"pending": 12, "docker_packages": [], "containers": []})
     row = _job_row(job, {"h1": "web-1", "h2": "mgr-1"}, NOW)
     assert (row["host"], row["drained_by"], row["label"], row["active"]) == (