fix: never serve a silent [] from find({connected}) on a cold-loaded graph

On a cold process start of a large brain (above the eager index-rebuild
threshold), a native graph adjacency can report size()>0 — its membership set
reloaded — while the source->target edges did NOT load, so find({connected}),
neighbors() and related() returned [] for edges that are persisted on disk. A
database returning empty for data that exists, based purely on warm/cold state,
is a correctness bug; it hit a production deployment after every deploy.

Refactor the cold-load guard into verifyGraphAdjacencyLive(), which gates its
heal/throw decision on a GLOBAL known-edge sample (a persisted verb's source,
which by definition has an outgoing edge) rather than the queried anchor: a
stale adjacency is rebuilt from storage, an unrecoverable one throws
GraphIndexNotReadyError instead of serving [], and a genuinely edgeless anchor
still returns [] with no spurious rebuild. executeGraphSearch re-verifies before
trusting an empty connected result and re-collects after a heal. Adds a 5-case
integration test (self-heal / loud-throw / edgeless-no-false-positive / healthy
/ re-collect) plus updated unit coverage.

src/brainy.ts

@@ -192,7 +192,8 @@ export class Brainy<T = any> implements BrainyInterface<T> {
   private _versions?: VersioningAPI
   private _vfs?: VirtualFileSystem
   private _vfsInitialized = false  // Track VFS init completion separately
-  private _graphAdjacencyVerified = false  // 7.33.2: one-time graph-adjacency cold-load consistency check
+  private _graphAdjacencyVerified = false  // graph-adjacency cold-load consistency: verified-live this session
+  private _graphAdjacencyVerifying = false // re-entrancy guard: a verify (rebuild→reads) is in flight
   private _hub?: IntegrationHub     // Integration Hub for external tools
   private _pendingMigrationRunner?: MigrationRunner  // Deferred migration runner for large datasets
   private _aggregationIndex?: AggregationIndex       // Incremental aggregation engine
@@ -2488,7 +2489,7 @@ export class Brainy<T = any> implements BrainyInterface<T> {
     paramsOrId?: string | GetRelationsParams
   ): Promise<Relation<T>[]> {
     await this.ensureInitialized()
-    await this.ensureGraphAdjacencyConsistent()
+    await this.verifyGraphAdjacencyLive()
 
     // Handle string ID shorthand: getRelations(id) -> getRelations({ from: id })
     const params = typeof paramsOrId === 'string'
@@ -8178,32 +8179,52 @@ export class Brainy<T = any> implements BrainyInterface<T> {
    * })
    */
   /**
-   * @description 7.33.2 — guard against a graph index that loaded its relationship
+   * @description Verify that the graph adjacency is actually LIVE before a graph read trusts
-   * COUNT (manifest) on a cold open but NOT its source→target adjacency, so graph
+   * its result. A native graph index can load its relationship COUNT (manifest) on a cold open
-   * traversals (`find({ connected })`, `neighbors`, `related`) would silently return
+   * of a LARGE brain (≥10k nouns, which skips the eager index rebuild) but NOT its
-   * `[]` despite persisted edges. Observed with a native graph provider whose
+   * source→target adjacency, so `getNeighbors()` returns `[]` for EVERY source even though
-   * cold-open SSTable load is swallowed on some storage adapters. Runs ONCE per brain
+   * edges are persisted — and `find({ connected })` / `neighbors()` / `related()` would serve
-   * (cached): if the index claims edges exist but a known persisted edge's source
+   * that `[]` as if it were truth.
-   * resolves to no neighbors, force a rebuild from storage; if even that can't read
+   *
-   * the edge, throw {@link GraphIndexNotReadyError} rather than serving `[]` as truth.
+   * The check is gated on a GLOBAL known-edge sample (a real persisted verb's `sourceId`, which
-   * O(1) (one verb read + one neighbor probe) and a no-op once the adjacency is live.
+   * by definition HAS an outgoing edge) — NOT on any queried anchor, because brainy cannot
+   * cheaply tell "adjacency unloaded" from "this node is genuinely edgeless" per-anchor
+   * (`getVerbsBySource`/`getVerbsByTarget` route through the same `isInitialized`-gated fast path
+   * that lies on cold open). If that known-edge source resolves to no neighbors, the adjacency
+   * did not load: rebuild from storage and re-probe; if even that fails, throw
+   * {@link GraphIndexNotReadyError} rather than returning `[]`.
+   *
+   * @returns `'live'` when the adjacency is already trustworthy (or there is genuinely nothing
+   *   to verify), or `'rebuilt'` when a cold-unloaded adjacency was just healed from storage —
+   *   in which case callers that observed an empty result must RE-RUN their collection.
+   * @throws {GraphIndexNotReadyError} when the index claims edges but cannot serve a known
+   *   persisted edge even after a rebuild.
    */
-  private async ensureGraphAdjacencyConsistent(): Promise<void> {
+  private async verifyGraphAdjacencyLive(): Promise<'live' | 'rebuilt'> {
-    if (this._graphAdjacencyVerified) return
+    if (this._graphAdjacencyVerified) return 'live'
-    // Set up-front so a re-entrant call (rebuild → reads) cannot loop.
+    // Re-entrancy: rebuild() triggers reads (neighbors/getRelations) that call back into this
-    this._graphAdjacencyVerified = true
+    // guard. While a verify is in flight, short-circuit so we cannot recurse into rebuild().
+    if (this._graphAdjacencyVerifying) return 'live'
+    this._graphAdjacencyVerifying = true
     try {
       const claimed = await this.graphIndex.size()
-      if (!claimed || claimed <= 0) return // no edges claimed — nothing to verify
+      if (!claimed || claimed <= 0) return 'live' // no edges claimed — nothing to verify
 
       const sample = await this.storage.getVerbs({ pagination: { limit: 1 } })
       const verb = sample.items?.[0]
-      if (!verb || !verb.sourceId) return // no edges in storage — stale count, harmless
+      if (!verb || !verb.sourceId) {
+        // no edges in storage — stale count, harmless; don't re-probe on every read.
+        this._graphAdjacencyVerified = true
+        return 'live'
+      }
 
       const probe = await this.graphIndex.getNeighbors(verb.sourceId, { limit: 1 })
-      if (probe.length > 0) return // adjacency is live — the common case
+      if (probe.length > 0) {
+        this._graphAdjacencyVerified = true
+        return 'live' // adjacency is live — the common case
+      }
 
-      // INCONSISTENT: the index reports edges but a persisted edge's source has none →
+      // INCONSISTENT: the index reports edges but a KNOWN persisted edge's source has none →
       // the adjacency did not load on open. Rebuild it from storage.
       if (!this.config.silent) {
         console.warn(
@@ -8221,6 +8242,8 @@ export class Brainy<T = any> implements BrainyInterface<T> {
             `neighbors() and related() cannot be served reliably for this brain.`
         )
       }
+      this._graphAdjacencyVerified = true
+      return 'rebuilt'
     } catch (err) {
       if (err instanceof GraphIndexNotReadyError) throw err
       // A transient probe/rebuild failure must not break the actual query NOR be
@@ -8229,6 +8252,9 @@ export class Brainy<T = any> implements BrainyInterface<T> {
       if (!this.config.silent) {
         console.warn(`[Brainy] Graph adjacency consistency check skipped (transient): ${err}`)
       }
+      return 'live'
+    } finally {
+      this._graphAdjacencyVerifying = false
     }
   }
 
@@ -8242,7 +8268,7 @@ export class Brainy<T = any> implements BrainyInterface<T> {
     }
   ): Promise<string[]> {
     await this.ensureInitialized()
-    await this.ensureGraphAdjacencyConsistent()
+    await this.verifyGraphAdjacencyLive()
 
     const direction = options?.direction || 'both'
     const limit = options?.limit
@@ -8798,13 +8824,35 @@ export class Brainy<T = any> implements BrainyInterface<T> {
 
     const connectedIds = new Set<string>()
 
-    if (from) {
+    // Populate connectedIds from the from/to anchors. Extracted into a closure so it can be
-      for (const id of await collect(from, toNeighborDir(direction))) connectedIds.add(id)
+    // re-run VERBATIM after a cold-load heal (verdict 'rebuilt') without changing collection
+    // semantics — only re-executing the same traversal once the adjacency is actually loaded.
+    const populate = async (): Promise<void> => {
+      if (from) {
+        for (const id of await collect(from, toNeighborDir(direction))) connectedIds.add(id)
+      }
+      if (to) {
+        const reverse: 'in' | 'out' | 'both' = direction === 'in' ? 'out' : direction === 'out' ? 'in' : 'both'
+        for (const id of await collect(to, toNeighborDir(reverse))) connectedIds.add(id)
+      }
     }
 
-    if (to) {
+    await populate()
-      const reverse: 'in' | 'out' | 'both' = direction === 'in' ? 'out' : direction === 'out' ? 'in' : 'both'
+
-      for (const id of await collect(to, toNeighborDir(reverse))) connectedIds.add(id)
+    // Cold-load guard: an empty connected set is suspicious. The native adjacency can report
+    // size()>0 on a cold open yet have loaded NO source→target edges — so traversal silently
+    // returns []. Re-verify against a GLOBAL known-edge sample (NOT the queried anchor, which
+    // may be genuinely edgeless). If the adjacency was dead and a rebuild healed it, re-collect;
+    // if it stays dead, verifyGraphAdjacencyLive() throws GraphIndexNotReadyError. A genuinely
+    // edgeless anchor verifies 'live' and the empty result stands — no spurious rebuild/throw.
+    let rechecked = false
+    if (connectedIds.size === 0 && !rechecked) {
+      const verdict = await this.verifyGraphAdjacencyLive()
+      if (verdict === 'rebuilt') {
+        rechecked = true
+        connectedIds.clear()
+        await populate()
+      }
     }
 
     // Subtype filter (depth-1 only — see guard above). Intersect connectedIds with the set of

tests/integration/cold-graph-connected.test.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,170 @@
+/**
+ * @module tests/integration/cold-graph-connected
+ * @description BRAINY-COLD-GRAPH-CONNECTED — regression coverage for the silent-empty
+ * graph-traversal bug. On the FIRST `find({ connected })` after a cold process start of a
+ * LARGE brain (≥10k nouns, which skips the eager index rebuild), a native graph adjacency can
+ * reload its relationship COUNT (so `size() > 0`) but NOT its source→target edges — so
+ * `getNeighbors()` returns `[]` for EVERY source and brainy would serve that `[]` as if the
+ * anchor were genuinely edgeless.
+ *
+ * The fix verifies any empty traversal against a GLOBAL known-edge sample (a real persisted
+ * verb's `sourceId`, which by definition HAS an outgoing edge) rather than the queried anchor:
+ *  - a cold-unloaded adjacency is rebuilt from storage and the traversal re-runs ('rebuilt');
+ *  - if even a rebuild cannot serve a known edge, it throws {@link GraphIndexNotReadyError}
+ *    instead of returning `[]`;
+ *  - a genuinely edgeless anchor (while OTHER edges exist) verifies 'live' and the empty
+ *    result stands — no spurious rebuild, no throw.
+ *
+ * These exercise REAL `find({ connected })` against an in-memory brain whose graph index is
+ * instrumented to simulate the empty-then-(maybe-)rebuilt cold load — only `getNeighbors`/
+ * `rebuild` are wrapped; the underlying real adjacency (built by `relate()`) is unmasked once
+ * a rebuild "heals" it.
+ */
+
+import { describe, it, expect, afterEach } from 'vitest'
+import { Brainy } from '../../src/index.js'
+import { NounType, VerbType } from '../../src/types/graphTypes.js'
+import { GraphIndexNotReadyError } from '../../src/errors/brainyError.js'
+import { createTestConfig } from '../helpers/test-factory.js'
+
+/**
+ * Build a real in-memory brain. Always seeds an UNRELATED edge (`E -> F`) so a GLOBAL known-edge
+ * sample exists for the verify probe even when the queried anchor is genuinely edgeless. When
+ * `anchorEdges` is set, the anchor links out to three target nouns via `Knows`. Ids are brainy-
+ * generated (7.x requires UUID-format ids) and returned for assertions.
+ */
+async function buildBrain(
+  opts: { anchorEdges: boolean }
+): Promise<{ brain: any; anchorId: string; targetIds: string[] }> {
+  const brain: any = new Brainy(createTestConfig({ silent: true }))
+  await brain.init()
+
+  // Unrelated edge — guarantees storage.getVerbs() always yields a known-edge source.
+  const eId = await brain.add({ data: 'node E', type: NounType.Person })
+  const fId = await brain.add({ data: 'node F', type: NounType.Person })
+  await brain.relate({ from: eId, to: fId, type: VerbType.Knows })
+
+  const anchorId = await brain.add({ data: 'anchor', type: NounType.Person })
+
+  const targetIds: string[] = []
+  if (opts.anchorEdges) {
+    for (const label of ['B', 'C', 'D']) {
+      const tId = await brain.add({ data: `node ${label}`, type: NounType.Person })
+      await brain.relate({ from: anchorId, to: tId, type: VerbType.Knows })
+      targetIds.push(tId)
+    }
+  }
+
+  // Fresh cold-start state: nothing verified yet.
+  brain._graphAdjacencyVerified = false
+  return { brain, anchorId, targetIds }
+}
+
+/**
+ * Wrap the brain's real graph index so `getNeighbors` returns `[]` while `broken` (modelling the
+ * cold-unloaded adjacency) and delegates to the REAL index once a rebuild flips `broken` off.
+ * `rebuild` is counted; it heals only when `healsOnRebuild` is set.
+ */
+function instrumentGraphIndex(
+  brain: any,
+  opts: { broken: boolean; healsOnRebuild: boolean }
+): { rebuildCalls: number } {
+  const gi = brain.graphIndex
+  const origGetNeighbors = gi.getNeighbors.bind(gi)
+  const state = { broken: opts.broken, rebuildCalls: 0 }
+
+  gi.getNeighbors = async (id: string, optionsOrDirection?: any): Promise<string[]> =>
+    state.broken ? [] : origGetNeighbors(id, optionsOrDirection)
+
+  gi.rebuild = async (): Promise<void> => {
+    state.rebuildCalls++
+    if (opts.healsOnRebuild) state.broken = false // unmask the real (already-populated) adjacency
+  }
+
+  return state
+}
+
+describe('BRAINY-COLD-GRAPH-CONNECTED — find({ connected }) never serves a silent []', () => {
+  let brains: any[] = []
+  afterEach(async () => {
+    for (const b of brains) {
+      try {
+        await b.close()
+      } catch {
+        /* best-effort cleanup */
+      }
+    }
+    brains = []
+  })
+
+  it('(a) self-heals: cold-unloaded adjacency that rebuild() repopulates → correct N edges', async () => {
+    const { brain, anchorId, targetIds } = await buildBrain({ anchorEdges: true })
+    brains.push(brain)
+    const state = instrumentGraphIndex(brain, { broken: true, healsOnRebuild: true })
+
+    const results = await brain.find({ connected: { from: anchorId, direction: 'out' }, limit: 10 })
+
+    expect(state.rebuildCalls).toBeGreaterThanOrEqual(1) // detected the empty adjacency + healed it
+    const ids = results.map((r: any) => r.id).sort()
+    expect(ids).toEqual(targetIds.sort()) // B, C, D — the real edges, served after the heal
+  })
+
+  it('(b) loud throw: cold-unloaded adjacency that rebuild() cannot repopulate → GraphIndexNotReadyError', async () => {
+    const { brain, anchorId } = await buildBrain({ anchorEdges: true })
+    brains.push(brain)
+    instrumentGraphIndex(brain, { broken: true, healsOnRebuild: false }) // rebuild never heals
+
+    await expect(
+      brain.find({ connected: { from: anchorId, direction: 'out' }, limit: 10 })
+    ).rejects.toBeInstanceOf(GraphIndexNotReadyError) // NOT a silent []
+  })
+
+  it('(c) edgeless anchor (other edges exist): returns [] with NO rebuild and NO throw', async () => {
+    // The anchor has no edges, but E -> F does — so the GLOBAL sample resolves and the empty stands.
+    const { brain, anchorId } = await buildBrain({ anchorEdges: false })
+    brains.push(brain)
+    const state = instrumentGraphIndex(brain, { broken: false, healsOnRebuild: false })
+
+    const results = await brain.find({ connected: { from: anchorId, direction: 'out' }, limit: 10 })
+
+    expect(results).toEqual([]) // genuinely edgeless — empty is the truth
+    expect(state.rebuildCalls).toBe(0) // no spurious rebuild on a healthy adjacency
+  })
+
+  it('(d) healthy: edges present, adjacency live → correct results, no rebuild', async () => {
+    const { brain, anchorId, targetIds } = await buildBrain({ anchorEdges: true })
+    brains.push(brain)
+    const state = instrumentGraphIndex(brain, { broken: false, healsOnRebuild: false })
+
+    const results = await brain.find({ connected: { from: anchorId, direction: 'out' }, limit: 10 })
+
+    expect(state.rebuildCalls).toBe(0)
+    const ids = results.map((r: any) => r.id).sort()
+    expect(ids).toEqual(targetIds.sort())
+  })
+
+  it('(e) executeGraphSearch re-collect path: neighbors() verify hits a transient first, the empty-result guard then heals + re-collects', async () => {
+    // Force the FIRST verify (inside neighbors()) to fail transiently so it does NOT heal there;
+    // the empty connectedIds set then drives executeGraphSearch's own verify, which rebuilds and
+    // re-runs the from/to collection. This specifically exercises the 'rebuilt' → re-collect branch.
+    const { brain, anchorId, targetIds } = await buildBrain({ anchorEdges: true })
+    brains.push(brain)
+    const state = instrumentGraphIndex(brain, { broken: true, healsOnRebuild: true })
+
+    const origGetVerbs = brain.storage.getVerbs.bind(brain.storage)
+    let firstVerbsCall = true
+    brain.storage.getVerbs = async (params?: any) => {
+      if (firstVerbsCall) {
+        firstVerbsCall = false
+        throw new Error('transient storage hiccup')
+      }
+      return origGetVerbs(params)
+    }
+
+    const results = await brain.find({ connected: { from: anchorId, direction: 'out' }, limit: 10 })
+
+    expect(state.rebuildCalls).toBeGreaterThanOrEqual(1)
+    const ids = results.map((r: any) => r.id).sort()
+    expect(ids).toEqual(targetIds.sort()) // re-collected after the heal
+  })
+})

tests/unit/brainy/graph-adjacency-cold-load.test.ts

@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ describe('7.33.2 graph-adjacency cold-load consistency guard', () => {
     const calls = stubGraphIndex(brain, { size: 12, neighborsBeforeRebuild: ['n1'] })
     brain.storage.getVerbs = async () => ({ items: [{ id: 'v1', sourceId: 's1', targetId: 't1' }], hasMore: false })
 
-    await brain.ensureGraphAdjacencyConsistent()
+    await brain.verifyGraphAdjacencyLive()
     expect(calls.rebuild).toBe(0)
     await brain.close()
   })
@@ -62,11 +62,11 @@ describe('7.33.2 graph-adjacency cold-load consistency guard', () => {
     const calls = stubGraphIndex(brain, { size: 12, neighborsBeforeRebuild: [], neighborsAfterRebuild: ['n1'] })
     brain.storage.getVerbs = async () => ({ items: [{ id: 'v1', sourceId: 's1', targetId: 't1' }], hasMore: false })
 
-    await brain.ensureGraphAdjacencyConsistent()
+    await brain.verifyGraphAdjacencyLive()
     expect(calls.rebuild).toBe(1) // detected the empty adjacency + rebuilt it
 
     // Cached: a second call does not re-probe or re-rebuild.
-    await brain.ensureGraphAdjacencyConsistent()
+    await brain.verifyGraphAdjacencyLive()
     expect(calls.rebuild).toBe(1)
     await brain.close()
   })
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ describe('7.33.2 graph-adjacency cold-load consistency guard', () => {
     stubGraphIndex(brain, { size: 12, neighborsBeforeRebuild: [], neighborsAfterRebuild: [] }) // never loads
     brain.storage.getVerbs = async () => ({ items: [{ id: 'v1', sourceId: 's1', targetId: 't1' }], hasMore: false })
 
-    await expect(brain.ensureGraphAdjacencyConsistent()).rejects.toBeInstanceOf(GraphIndexNotReadyError)
+    await expect(brain.verifyGraphAdjacencyLive()).rejects.toBeInstanceOf(GraphIndexNotReadyError)
     await brain.close()
   })
 
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ describe('7.33.2 graph-adjacency cold-load consistency guard', () => {
       return { items: [], hasMore: false }
     }
 
-    await brain.ensureGraphAdjacencyConsistent()
+    await brain.verifyGraphAdjacencyLive()
     expect(calls.rebuild).toBe(0)
     expect(probedStorage).toBe(false)
     await brain.close()
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ describe('7.33.2 graph-adjacency cold-load consistency guard', () => {
     const calls = stubGraphIndex(brain, { size: 12, neighborsBeforeRebuild: [] })
     brain.storage.getVerbs = async () => ({ items: [], hasMore: false })
 
-    await brain.ensureGraphAdjacencyConsistent()
+    await brain.verifyGraphAdjacencyLive()
     expect(calls.rebuild).toBe(0)
     await brain.close()
   })
@@ -118,12 +118,12 @@ describe('7.33.2 graph-adjacency cold-load consistency guard', () => {
     }
 
     // First call: probe throws transiently → swallowed (no GraphIndexNotReadyError), flag reset.
-    await brain.ensureGraphAdjacencyConsistent()
+    await brain.verifyGraphAdjacencyLive()
     expect(calls.rebuild).toBe(0)
     expect(brain._graphAdjacencyVerified).toBe(false) // re-check allowed
 
     // Second call: storage works → detects the empty adjacency + rebuilds.
-    await brain.ensureGraphAdjacencyConsistent()
+    await brain.verifyGraphAdjacencyLive()
     expect(calls.rebuild).toBe(1)
     await brain.close()
   })