Auto-Next Obligation Gate

Purpose

This runbook defines the approved-plan continuity rule that a workflow may not stop at a completed-task boundary when the next task in the same approved plan is already known and continuation is still allowed.

When auto-next is obligatory

Auto-next is obligatory when all of the following are true:

the current workflow is inside the same approved plan
the current task is complete
the next task is known
the system is attempting a task-boundary stop instead of continuing execution
reply closure state is not waiting_user
reply closure state is not blocked
reply closure state is not pending_verification
highRiskStop is not active

In this state, the system must auto-dispatch the next task and record a real dispatch receipt. A dry-run planner result or stated intent to continue is not enough.

Legal non-auto-next closures

The following are legal non-auto-next closures even when a next task exists:

waiting_user
blocked
pending_verification

These states are the only normal closure states that can stop without auto-next dispatch.

Allowed non-closure exception

The following explicit exception may bypass auto-next obligation without using the normal legal terminal closure states:

highRiskStop

highRiskStop means the workflow is intentionally stopping at an explicit high-risk stop point and therefore does not have to auto-dispatch the next task yet.

Forbidden behavior

The following behavior is forbidden:

completed task
next task known
same approved plan
normal closeout or handoff language
no real dispatch receipt for the next task
no legal closure state
no highRiskStop

A completed task in the same approved plan must not end with “I can continue with the next task” style closeout unless the next task has actually been dispatched.

Canonical failure condition

If all of the following are true:

task is complete
next task is known
next task belongs to the same approved plan
the system is stopping at a task boundary
no valid dispatch receipt exists
closure is not waiting_user, blocked, or pending_verification
highRiskStop is false

Then the continuity gate must fail and treat the stop as an auto-next obligation violation.

Canonical failure table

Task complete	Next task known	Same approved plan	Boundary stop	Receipt	Closure / exception	Expected
yes	yes	yes	yes	no	completed closure	FAIL
yes	yes	yes	yes	valid receipt	completed closure	PASS
yes	yes	yes	yes	no	`waiting_user`	PASS
yes	yes	yes	yes	no	`blocked`	PASS
yes	yes	yes	yes	no	`pending_verification`	PASS
yes	yes	yes	yes	no	`highRiskStop`	PASS

Notes for implementation

The obligation applies only when the next task is known within the same approved plan.
A generic next action is not enough unless it proves the same approved plan task transition.
A real dispatch receipt remains the source of truth for whether auto-next actually happened.
This rule is intentionally minimal so it can later move into the continuity plugin without changing the behavior contract.

3.2 KiB Raw Blame History