From 559cac35a31c520b4067f11a1d55268b21023ed8 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: abrichr <richard.abrich@mldsai.com>
Date: Tue, 28 Jul 2026 02:09:51 -0400
Subject: [PATCH] fix: refuse launcher capture before readiness

---
 openadapt/cli.py        |  5 ++++-
 tests/test_cli_smoke.py | 38 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
 2 files changed, 42 insertions(+), 1 deletion(-)

diff --git a/openadapt/cli.py b/openadapt/cli.py
index 74ccb761d..19b55aab3 100644
--- a/openadapt/cli.py
+++ b/openadapt/cli.py
@@ -442,7 +442,10 @@ def capture_start(name: str, video: bool, audio: bool):
             capture_video=video,
             capture_audio=audio,
         ) as recorder:
-            recorder.wait_for_ready()
+            if not recorder.wait_for_ready():
+                raise click.ClickException(
+                    "Capture did not become ready. No successful capture was saved."
+                )
             click.echo("Recording...")
             try:
                 while recorder.is_recording:
diff --git a/tests/test_cli_smoke.py b/tests/test_cli_smoke.py
index 445ed7adf..0fe61b49e 100644
--- a/tests/test_cli_smoke.py
+++ b/tests/test_cli_smoke.py
@@ -255,6 +255,44 @@ def test_top_level_help_leads_with_flow():
     assert flow_idx < capture_idx, "flow should be listed before capture"
 
 
+def test_capture_start_refuses_when_recorder_never_becomes_ready(monkeypatch):
+    """The compatibility command must not label failed startup as saved."""
+    from types import SimpleNamespace
+
+    state = {}
+
+    class NeverReadyRecorder:
+        def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs):
+            pass
+
+        def __enter__(self):
+            return self
+
+        def __exit__(self, exc_type, exc, traceback):
+            state["exited"] = True
+            return False
+
+        def wait_for_ready(self):
+            return False
+
+    monkeypatch.setitem(
+        sys.modules,
+        "openadapt_capture",
+        SimpleNamespace(Recorder=NeverReadyRecorder),
+    )
+
+    result = CliRunner().invoke(
+        cli_main,
+        ["capture", "start", "--name", "failed-capture", "--no-video"],
+    )
+
+    assert result.exit_code != 0
+    assert state == {"exited": True}
+    assert "did not become ready" in result.output
+    assert "Recording..." not in result.output
+    assert "Capture saved" not in result.output
+
+
 def test_flow_help_lists_verbs():
     """`openadapt flow --help` lists every mounted verb (no flow install
     needed — click renders help before importing openadapt-flow)."""