diff --git a/solstone/observe/processing_record.py b/solstone/observe/processing_record.py
index 34df778dc..787742b5c 100644
--- a/solstone/observe/processing_record.py
+++ b/solstone/observe/processing_record.py
@@ -115,18 +115,21 @@ def jsonl_has_row_with_key(path: Path, row_key: str) -> bool:
     return False
 
 
-# an existing analysis output only blocks re-entry when it actually carries
-# evidence — analyzed rows or a processing record. An output with neither is
-# indeterminate, and indeterminate work re-enters until the record ledger can
-# govern it. Decode-determined verdicts terminalize regardless of provider
-# availability.
 def should_reenter_analysis_output(
     *,
     record: dict | None,
     output_path: Path,
     handler: str,
 ) -> bool:
-    """Return whether an existing analysis output should be retried."""
+    """Return whether an existing analysis output should be retried.
+
+    an existing analysis output only blocks re-entry when it actually carries
+    evidence — analyzed rows or a processing record. An output with neither is
+    indeterminate, and indeterminate work re-enters until the record ledger can
+    govern it. Decode-determined verdicts terminalize regardless of provider
+    availability only when there is no frame-description work left to do; a run
+    that still has qualified frames defers instead of discarding them.
+    """
     if (
         isinstance(record, dict)
         and record.get("state") == STATE_FAILED
diff --git a/tests/test_data_state.py b/tests/test_data_state.py
index 8ec190bba..8e5ce2049 100644
--- a/tests/test_data_state.py
+++ b/tests/test_data_state.py
@@ -310,7 +310,7 @@ def test_ac8_screen_disagreement_table_has_no_silent_nonterminal_wedge(
             "reentry": True,
         },
         {
-            "name": "retryable_record_marker_rows",
+            "name": "retryable_record_failed_marker_analysis_rows",
             "jsonl": True,
             "record": retryable_record,
             "rows": True,
@@ -372,7 +372,7 @@ def test_ac8_screen_disagreement_table_has_no_silent_nonterminal_wedge(
             "reentry": False,
         },
         {
-            "name": "analyzed_record_marker_rows",
+            "name": "analyzed_record_failed_marker_analysis_rows",
             "jsonl": True,
             "record": analyzed_record,
             "rows": True,
@@ -393,6 +393,9 @@ def test_ac8_screen_disagreement_table_has_no_silent_nonterminal_wedge(
     for index, case in enumerate(cases):
         if case.get("impossible"):
             assert isinstance(case["impossible"], str)
+            assert case["impossible"].strip()
+            assert "state" not in case
+            assert "reentry" not in case
             continue
         assert case["jsonl"] or not case["record"]
 
diff --git a/tests/test_sense.py b/tests/test_sense.py
index 748d873c4..adf94af31 100644
--- a/tests/test_sense.py
+++ b/tests/test_sense.py
@@ -894,7 +894,9 @@ def test_process_day_reenters_only_retryable_describe_failures(tmp_path, monkeyp
 
     sensor.process_day("20250101", max_jobs=1)
 
-    assert processed == [case[0] for case in cases if case[-1]]
+    assert processed == [
+        segment for segment, _record, _rows, expected in cases if expected
+    ]
 
 
 def test_process_day_reentry_uses_bounded_first_window(tmp_path, monkeypatch):