diff --git a/src/java_codebase_rag/cli.py b/src/java_codebase_rag/cli.py
index 5ca4cca6..c49f21db 100644
--- a/src/java_codebase_rag/cli.py
+++ b/src/java_codebase_rag/cli.py
@@ -104,11 +104,38 @@ def _emit_reprocess_selective_tty(*, mode: str) -> None:
         print("Skipped: vectors (use `java-codebase-rag reprocess --vectors-only` or `reprocess` to refresh)")
 
 
+def _reprocess_success_message(mode: str | None, payload: dict[str, Any]) -> str:
+    """Concise message for a successful reprocess.
+
+    Prefers an explicit ``message`` set by the pipeline (e.g. the graph-only-
+    install note from ``run_refresh_pipeline``); otherwise derives from the
+    selective mode. Mirrors ``init``/``increment``, which emit a one-line
+    success payload rather than re-dumping captured subprocess logs.
+    """
+    explicit = payload.get("message")
+    if isinstance(explicit, str) and explicit:
+        return explicit
+    if mode == "vectors":
+        return "reprocess completed (vectors only; graph not rebuilt)"
+    if mode == "graph":
+        return "reprocess completed (graph only; vectors not rebuilt)"
+    return "reprocess completed"
+
+
 def _emit_reprocess_outcome(payload: dict[str, Any], *, selective_tty_mode: str | None = None) -> None:
-    if payload.get("success") and selective_tty_mode and sys.stdout.isatty():
+    if not payload.get("success"):
+        # Failure: emit the full payload so captured subprocess stdout/stderr
+        # (cocoindex/graph logs) survive for debugging.
+        _emit(payload)
+        return
+    # Success: the progress renderer / stderr already surfaced the phase logs,
+    # so emit a concise structured payload (matching init/increment) instead of
+    # re-dumping them as JSON noise. In a TTY the partial modes additionally
+    # print a one-line Rebuilt/Skipped summary.
+    if selective_tty_mode and sys.stdout.isatty():
         _emit_reprocess_selective_tty(mode=selective_tty_mode)
         return
-    _emit(payload)
+    _emit({"success": True, "message": _reprocess_success_message(selective_tty_mode, payload)})
 
 
 _PIPELINE_SEP = "\u00b7"
diff --git a/tests/fixtures/cli_progress_stdout/reprocess_quiet_success.stdout.txt b/tests/fixtures/cli_progress_stdout/reprocess_quiet_success.stdout.txt
index 58fc3262..bbfc5eea 100644
--- a/tests/fixtures/cli_progress_stdout/reprocess_quiet_success.stdout.txt
+++ b/tests/fixtures/cli_progress_stdout/reprocess_quiet_success.stdout.txt
@@ -1 +1 @@
-{"exit_code": 0, "graph_exit_code": 0, "graph_stderr": "", "graph_stdout": "", "message": null, "optimize_error": null, "phases_run": ["vectors", "graph"], "stderr": "", "stdout": "", "success": true}
+{"message": "reprocess completed", "success": true}
diff --git a/tests/package/test_cli_progress_stdout_invariant.py b/tests/package/test_cli_progress_stdout_invariant.py
index e842f12e..1731e10c 100644
--- a/tests/package/test_cli_progress_stdout_invariant.py
+++ b/tests/package/test_cli_progress_stdout_invariant.py
@@ -251,7 +251,7 @@ def test_cli_lifecycle_stdout_invariant_init_increment_reprocess_when_cocoindex(
     inc_payload = json.loads(r_inc.stdout)
     assert inc_payload == {
         "success": True,
-        "message": "increment completed (Lance only; graph may be stale — see stderr)",
+        "message": "increment completed (Lance + graph updated)",
     }
 
     r_rep = _run_cli(
@@ -260,9 +260,7 @@ def test_cli_lifecycle_stdout_invariant_init_increment_reprocess_when_cocoindex(
     )
     assert r_rep.returncode == 0, r_rep.stderr + r_rep.stdout
     rep_payload = json.loads(r_rep.stdout)
-    assert rep_payload.get("success") is True
-    assert isinstance(rep_payload.get("stdout"), str)
-    assert isinstance(rep_payload.get("graph_stderr"), str)
+    assert rep_payload == {"success": True, "message": "reprocess completed"}
 
 
 def test_pipeline_footer_reflects_exception_before_propagate(tmp_path: Path, monkeypatch: pytest.MonkeyPatch) -> None:
diff --git a/tests/package/test_java_codebase_rag_cli.py b/tests/package/test_java_codebase_rag_cli.py
index dde95bd9..6b5b5921 100644
--- a/tests/package/test_java_codebase_rag_cli.py
+++ b/tests/package/test_java_codebase_rag_cli.py
@@ -979,7 +979,7 @@ def isatty(self) -> bool:
     )
     assert rc == 0
     payload = json.loads(nout.getvalue())
-    assert payload["phases_run"] == ["vectors"]
+    assert payload == {"success": True, "message": "reprocess completed (vectors only; graph not rebuilt)"}
 
 
 def test_reprocess_graph_only_skips_vectors(
@@ -1009,7 +1009,7 @@ def fake_graph(**_kwargs: object) -> subprocess.CompletedProcess[str]:
         ["reprocess", "--source-root", str(tmp_path), "--index-dir", str(idx), "--graph-only"],
     )
     assert rc == 0
-    assert json.loads(out.getvalue())["phases_run"] == ["graph"]
+    assert json.loads(out.getvalue()) == {"success": True, "message": "reprocess completed (graph only; vectors not rebuilt)"}
 
 
 def test_reprocess_mutually_exclusive_flags_rejected(tmp_path: Path) -> None: