refactor: Phase 3a — absorb checkdefaults into core/app as pure Derive

Problem: check derivation logic lived in internal/checkdefaults with
the pure decision logic (buildKind, address/user/port resolution)
interleaved with tx I/O (entity_status insert, graph host fallback,
check upserts) — and internal/db importing it was the plan's called-out
inverted dependency.

Change:
- internal/core/app/checkdefaults.go: Derive(tree, target, lookup) —
  the full derivation (monitoring overrides, host fallback via an
  injected HostLookup thunk, per-kind builders) with zero I/O imports.
  Types renamed for the app surface: CheckTarget, CheckDef,
  DeriveResult, Skip; LogDeriveResult.
- internal/adapters/postgres/checks.go absorbs the I/O half:
  EnsureChecks (entity_status row + upsert loop), writeCheck, and
  hostViaGraph. The db→checkdefaults edge is gone — adapters→core is
  the ADR 0016 direction (the Phase 7 SeedService note anticipated
  this; the inversion is fixed a phase early).
- seed.go pending-checks loop uses app.CheckTarget + EnsureChecks;
  mcp formatting/tests follow the renamed types; both test files moved
  to internal/core/app.
- Deliberate behavior note: a hostViaGraph read failure inside the
  thunk now logs a warning and degrades to 'skipped: no address'
  instead of aborting the whole entity-create tx — a monitoring
  derivation gap is visible (warn log + coverage sweep) and self-heals
  on the next mutation; failing the create over a graph-read blip was
  disproportionate.

Verification: go build/vet, full test suite green (app tests exercise
every buildKind branch at their new home).

internal/adapters/postgres/checks.go

@@ -2,8 +2,11 @@ package db
 
 import (
 	"context"
+	"encoding/json"
+	"fmt"
 
-	"github.com/dtoro/oikos/internal/checkdefaults"
+	"github.com/dtoro/oikos/internal/core/app"
+	"github.com/dtoro/oikos/internal/ontology"
 	"github.com/google/uuid"
 	"github.com/jackc/pgx/v5"
 )
@@ -18,17 +21,187 @@ import (
 // regardless of which surface made the change — previously only the HTTP
 // path ran check derivation, so entities mutated via MCP silently produced no
 // checks (see plans/2026-08-03-session-review-haos-monitoring-capability-gaps.md, A2).
-func EnsureEntityChecks(ctx context.Context, tx pgx.Tx, id uuid.UUID, slug, entityType, name string, attrs []byte) (checkdefaults.Result, error) {
+func EnsureEntityChecks(ctx context.Context, tx pgx.Tx, id uuid.UUID, slug, entityType, name string, attrs []byte) (app.DeriveResult, error) {
 	tree, err := LoadTypeTree(ctx, tx)
 	if err != nil {
-		return checkdefaults.Result{}, err
+		return app.DeriveResult{}, err
 	}
-	res, err := checkdefaults.Ensure(ctx, tx, tree, checkdefaults.Target{
+	res, err := EnsureChecks(ctx, tx, tree, app.CheckTarget{
-		ID: id, Slug: slug, Type: entityType, Name: name, Attrs: attrs,
+		ID: id.String(), Slug: slug, Type: entityType, Name: name, Attrs: attrs,
 	})
 	if err != nil {
 		return res, err
 	}
-	checkdefaults.LogResult(slug, entityType, res)
+	app.LogDeriveResult(slug, entityType, res)
 	return res, nil
 }
+
+// EnsureChecks writes the derived check_defs for one entity, idempotently.
+// Derivation is pure core logic (app.Derive); this function owns the
+// entity_status row, the graph host fallback, and the upserts.
+func EnsureChecks(ctx context.Context, tx pgx.Tx, tree *ontology.TypeTree, t app.CheckTarget) (app.DeriveResult, error) {
+	var res app.DeriveResult
+
+	if _, err := tx.Exec(ctx,
+		`INSERT INTO entity_status (entity_id, health, updated_at)
+		 VALUES ($1, 'unknown', now())
+		 ON CONFLICT (entity_id) DO NOTHING`, t.ID); err != nil {
+		return res, fmt.Errorf("entity_status %s: %w", t.Slug, err)
+	}
+
+	defs, dres := app.Derive(tree, t, func() map[string]any {
+		attrs, err := hostViaGraph(ctx, tx, t.ID)
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil
+		}
+		return attrs
+	})
+	res.Skipped, res.Undeclared = dres.Skipped, dres.Undeclared
+
+	for i, def := range defs {
+		created, err := writeCheck(ctx, tx, t, i, def)
+		if err != nil {
+			return res, fmt.Errorf("check %s/%s: %w", t.Slug, def.Kind, err)
+		}
+		if created {
+			res.Created++
+		}
+	}
+	return res, nil
+}
+
+// writeCheck upserts one check_def and its backing check entity.
+//
+// The entity upsert MUST return the row's id. The previous version generated
+// a fresh uuid, inserted ON CONFLICT (slug) DO NOTHING, then wrote a
+// check_defs row referencing that uuid. On any re-seed the slug already
+// existed, the entity insert became a no-op, and the check_defs insert
+// violated its foreign key — which aborted the whole ingest transaction and
+// made every subsequent statement fail with 25P02. Because the errors were
+// discarded, the only visible symptom was an unrelated failure much later.
+func writeCheck(ctx context.Context, tx pgx.Tx, t app.CheckTarget, idx int, def app.CheckDef) (bool, error) {
+	// The full target slug, not a truncation of it. shortSlug() took the last
+	// 8 characters, so all 21 ingress routes collapsed to ".network" and
+	// generated one identical check slug — they overwrote each other and 20
+	// of them ended up with no check at all. It also collided service:jellyfin
+	// with lxc:jellyfin. Entity slugs are unique; use them.
+	checkSlug := fmt.Sprintf("check:%s:%s:%d", def.Kind, t.Slug, idx)
+
+	newID, err := uuid.NewV7()
+	if err != nil {
+		newID = uuid.New()
+	}
+
+	var checkID uuid.UUID
+	err = tx.QueryRow(ctx,
+		`INSERT INTO entities (id, slug, type, name, state, attributes, version, created_at, updated_at)
+		 VALUES ($1, $2, 'check', $2, 'active', '{}', 1, now(), now())
+		 ON CONFLICT (slug) DO UPDATE SET updated_at = now()
+		 RETURNING id`,
+		newID, checkSlug).Scan(&checkID)
+	if err != nil {
+		return false, fmt.Errorf("upsert check entity %s: %w", checkSlug, err)
+	}
+
+	configJSON, err := json.Marshal(def.Config)
+	if err != nil {
+		return false, err
+	}
+
+	// Config is derived from the seed, so the seed wins on re-ingest and
+	// attribute changes propagate. `enabled` is deliberately left alone: it
+	// is operational state an operator may have toggled.
+	// last_run_at is seeded to a random point inside the interval so checks
+	// created together do not stay in lockstep. Every check the seed creates
+	// would otherwise come due in the same instant forever: ~165 probes
+	// landing at once each minute rather than spread across it. Deliberately
+	// absent from the DO UPDATE below — a re-seed must not reset the schedule
+	// and re-herd everything.
+	tag, err := tx.Exec(ctx,
+		`INSERT INTO check_defs (entity_id, target_id, target_type, kind, config, interval_s, timeout_s, enabled, last_run_at)
+		 VALUES ($1, $2, $6, $3, $4, $5, 30, true,
+		         now() - make_interval(secs => random() * $5::int))
+		 ON CONFLICT (entity_id) DO UPDATE
+		   SET target_id = EXCLUDED.target_id, target_type = EXCLUDED.target_type,
+		       kind = EXCLUDED.kind,
+		       config = EXCLUDED.config, interval_s = EXCLUDED.interval_s,
+		       updated_at = now()`,
+		checkID, t.ID, def.Kind, configJSON, def.IntervalS, t.Type)
+	if err != nil {
+		return false, fmt.Errorf("upsert check_def %s: %w", checkSlug, err)
+	}
+	return tag.RowsAffected() > 0, nil
+}
+
+// hostViaGraph returns the attributes of the entity that hosts or provides
+// this one, so a service can inherit its container's address.
+func hostViaGraph(ctx context.Context, tx pgx.Tx, entityID string) (map[string]any, error) {
+	rows, err := tx.Query(ctx, `
+		SELECT e.attributes
+		FROM relationships r
+		JOIN entities e ON e.id = r.source_id
+		WHERE r.target_id = $1
+		  AND r.valid_to IS NULL
+		  -- backs-up-to points from the thing being backed up TO the target,
+		  -- so walking it backwards finds the machine that writes the backups
+		  -- — which is the only place a freshness check can run.
+		  AND r.type IN ('provides', 'hosts', 'runs-on', 'backs-up-to')
+		ORDER BY CASE r.type
+		    WHEN 'provides' THEN 0 WHEN 'runs-on' THEN 1
+		    WHEN 'backs-up-to' THEN 2 ELSE 3 END`,
+		entityID)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	defer rows.Close()
+
+	for rows.Next() {
+		var raw []byte
+		if err := rows.Scan(&raw); err != nil {
+			return nil, err
+		}
+		var attrs map[string]any
+		if json.Unmarshal(raw, &attrs) != nil {
+			continue
+		}
+		if resolveGraphHost(attrs) != "" {
+			return attrs, nil
+		}
+	}
+	return nil, rows.Err()
+}
+
+// resolveGraphHost mirrors app's address resolution for graph-walk results.
+// It re-implements the small pure helper rather than exporting internals of
+// the core package: the shapes it accepts are exactly the seed attribute
+// shapes hostViaGraph can return.
+func resolveGraphHost(attrs map[string]any) string {
+	if attrs == nil {
+		return ""
+	}
+	if ip, ok := attrs["lan_ip"].(string); ok && ip != "" {
+		return ip
+	}
+	if ip, ok := attrs["public_ipv4"].(string); ok && ip != "" {
+		return ip
+	}
+	if mesh, ok := attrs["mesh"].(map[string]any); ok {
+		if nb, ok := mesh["netbird"].(map[string]any); ok {
+			if ip, ok := nb["ip"].(string); ok && ip != "" {
+				return ip
+			}
+			if fqdn, ok := nb["fqdn"].(string); ok && fqdn != "" {
+				return fqdn
+			}
+		}
+	}
+	if ip, ok := attrs["mesh_ip"].(string); ok && ip != "" {
+		return ip
+	}
+	for _, key := range []string{"host", "address", "public_host"} {
+		if v, ok := attrs[key].(string); ok && v != "" {
+			return v
+		}
+	}
+	return ""
+}

internal/adapters/postgres/seed.go

@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ import (
 	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 
-	"github.com/dtoro/oikos/internal/checkdefaults"
+	"github.com/dtoro/oikos/internal/core/app"
 	"github.com/google/uuid"
 	"github.com/jackc/pgx/v5"
 )
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ func IngestInventorySeed(ctx context.Context, tx pgx.Tx, data map[string]any) (*
 	// Entities
 	entities, _ := data["entities"].([]any)
 	entityTypes := make(map[string]string) // slug -> type, for edge validation
-	var pendingChecks []checkdefaults.Target
+	var pendingChecks []app.CheckTarget
 	for _, raw := range entities {
 		eMap, ok := raw.(map[string]any)
 		if !ok {
@@ -157,8 +157,8 @@ func IngestInventorySeed(ctx context.Context, tx pgx.Tx, data map[string]any) (*
 		// Default checks are deferred until after relationships are ingested:
 		// a service has no address of its own and inherits its container's,
 		// which means the hosting edge has to exist first.
-		pendingChecks = append(pendingChecks, checkdefaults.Target{
+		pendingChecks = append(pendingChecks, app.CheckTarget{
-			ID: entityID, Slug: slug, Type: typeName, Name: name, Attrs: attrsBytes,
+			ID: entityID.String(), Slug: slug, Type: typeName, Name: name, Attrs: attrsBytes,
 		})
 
 		r.Entities++
@@ -228,11 +228,11 @@ func IngestInventorySeed(ctx context.Context, tx pgx.Tx, data map[string]any) (*
 	// transaction while surfacing as an unrelated failure several entities
 	// later.
 	for _, target := range pendingChecks {
-		res, err := checkdefaults.Ensure(ctx, tx, tree, target)
+		res, err := EnsureChecks(ctx, tx, tree, target)
 		if err != nil {
 			return nil, fmt.Errorf("default checks for %s: %w", target.Slug, err)
 		}
-		checkdefaults.LogResult(target.Slug, target.Type, res)
+		app.LogDeriveResult(target.Slug, target.Type, res)
 		r.Checks += res.Created
 	}
 

internal/core/app/checkdefaults.go

@@ -1,23 +1,11 @@
-// Package checkdefaults derives an entity's default check_defs from the
+package app
-// monitoring kinds its type declares in seeds/ontology.yaml.
-//
-// The type says WHAT to watch (`service: [http, process]`); this package
-// works out HOW — which concrete check_defs rows to write, and what host,
-// script or URL each needs. Deriving config here rather than in YAML keeps
-// the ontology declarative and keeps address resolution (which has to walk
-// the graph) in code.
-package checkdefaults
 
 import (
-	"context"
 	"encoding/json"
-	"fmt"
 	"log/slog"
 	"strings"
 
 	"github.com/dtoro/oikos/internal/ontology"
-	"github.com/google/uuid"
-	"github.com/jackc/pgx/v5"
 )
 
 // Semantic monitoring kinds, as declared on entity types. These are not
@@ -42,9 +30,9 @@ const (
 // override per target with `backup_max_age_s` in the entity's attributes.
 const defaultBackupMaxAge = 86400
 
-// Target is the entity default checks are being ensured for.
+// CheckTarget is the entity default checks are being derived for.
-type Target struct {
+type CheckTarget struct {
-	ID   uuid.UUID
+	ID   string
 	Slug string
 	Type string
 	// Name is the entity's name column, not an attribute. The old code read
@@ -55,9 +43,16 @@ type Target struct {
 	Attrs []byte
 }
 
-// Result reports what Ensure did, so callers can log a type that declared
+// CheckDef is one concrete derived check: kind, config payload, interval.
-// monitoring but produced nothing instead of failing silently.
+type CheckDef struct {
-type Result struct {
+	Kind      string
+	Config    map[string]any
+	IntervalS int
+}
+
+// DeriveResult reports what Derive produced, so callers can log a type that
+// declared monitoring but produced nothing instead of failing silently.
+type DeriveResult struct {
 	Created int
 	// Skipped records kinds that were declared but could not be built, with
 	// the reason. A non-empty Skipped on an active entity is a real gap.
@@ -73,35 +68,27 @@ type Skip struct {
 	Reason string
 }
 
-type checkDef struct {
+// HostLookup resolves the hosting entity's attributes when the entity
-	kind     string
+// itself carries no address (a service lives on its container; a backup
-	config   map[string]any
+// target on whatever writes to it). It is invoked lazily — only when the
-	interval int32
+// entity's own attributes lack a host — so the pure derivation below stays
-}
+// separated from the graph read the caller performs.
+type HostLookup func() map[string]any
 
-// Ensure writes the default check_defs for one entity, idempotently.
+// Derive computes the default checks for one entity from its type's
-//
+// monitoring spec (with per-entity `monitoring` attribute overrides).
-// Returns the number of checks created. An entity whose type declares
+// lookup may be nil. It performs no I/O of its own; the caller's lookup
-// monitoring it cannot satisfy comes back with a populated Skipped rather
+// thunk may. The postgres adapter pairs this with writeCheck upserts.
-// than an error — a missing address is a modelling gap, not a failure of
+func Derive(tree *ontology.TypeTree, t CheckTarget, lookup HostLookup) ([]CheckDef, DeriveResult) {
-// this call.
+	var res DeriveResult
-func Ensure(ctx context.Context, tx pgx.Tx, tree *ontology.TypeTree, t Target) (Result, error) {
-	var res Result
-
-	if _, err := tx.Exec(ctx,
-		`INSERT INTO entity_status (entity_id, health, updated_at)
-		 VALUES ($1, 'unknown', now())
-		 ON CONFLICT (entity_id) DO NOTHING`, t.ID); err != nil {
-		return res, fmt.Errorf("entity_status %s: %w", t.Slug, err)
-	}
 
 	mon := tree.Monitoring(t.Type)
 	if !mon.Declared {
 		res.Undeclared = true
-		return res, nil
+		return nil, res
 	}
 	if mon.None() {
-		return res, nil
+		return nil, res
 	}
 
 	var attrs map[string]any
@@ -120,18 +107,15 @@ func Ensure(ctx context.Context, tx pgx.Tx, tree *ontology.TypeTree, t Target) (
 	if mo, ok := attrs["monitoring"]; ok {
 		mon = resolveMonitoringAttr(mo, mon)
 		if mon.None() {
-			return res, nil
+			return nil, res
 		}
 	}
 
 	// A service has no address of its own — it lives on the container that
 	// provides it. Fall back to the graph before giving up.
 	host := resolveHost(attrs)
-	if host == "" {
+	if host == "" && lookup != nil {
-		hostAttrs, err := hostViaGraph(ctx, tx, t.ID)
+		hostAttrs := lookup()
-		if err != nil {
-			return res, fmt.Errorf("resolve host for %s: %w", t.Slug, err)
-		}
 		host = resolveHost(hostAttrs)
 		if user := resolveSSHUser(hostAttrs); host != "" && user != "root" {
 			attrs["ssh"] = hostAttrs["ssh"]
@@ -140,7 +124,7 @@ func Ensure(ctx context.Context, tx pgx.Tx, tree *ontology.TypeTree, t Target) (
 	user := resolveSSHUser(attrs)
 	port := resolveSSHPort(attrs)
 
-	var defs []checkDef
+	var defs []CheckDef
 	for _, kind := range mon.Kinds {
 		built, reason := buildKind(kind, t, attrs, host, user, port)
 		if len(built) == 0 {
@@ -149,17 +133,7 @@ func Ensure(ctx context.Context, tx pgx.Tx, tree *ontology.TypeTree, t Target) (
 		}
 		defs = append(defs, built...)
 	}
-
+	return defs, res
-	for i, def := range defs {
-		created, err := writeCheck(ctx, tx, t, i, def)
-		if err != nil {
-			return res, fmt.Errorf("check %s/%s: %w", t.Slug, def.kind, err)
-		}
-		if created {
-			res.Created++
-		}
-	}
-	return res, nil
 }
 
 // resolveMonitoringAttr turns an entity's `monitoring` attribute into a
@@ -183,10 +157,10 @@ func resolveMonitoringAttr(v any, fallback ontology.MonitoringResolution) ontolo
 	return fallback
 }
 
-// buildKind turns one declared semantic kind into concrete check_defs, or
+// buildKind turns one declared semantic kind into concrete checks, or
 // returns the reason it could not.
-func buildKind(kind string, t Target, attrs map[string]any, host, user string, port int) ([]checkDef, string) {
+func buildKind(kind string, t CheckTarget, attrs map[string]any, host, user string, port int) ([]CheckDef, string) {
-	ssh := func(script string, args ...string) checkDef {
+	ssh := func(script string, args ...string) CheckDef {
 		cfg := map[string]any{"script": script, "host": host}
 		if user != "" && user != "root" {
 			cfg["user"] = user
@@ -197,7 +171,7 @@ func buildKind(kind string, t Target, attrs map[string]any, host, user string, p
 		if len(args) > 0 && args[0] != "" {
 			cfg["args"] = args[0]
 		}
-		return checkDef{kind: "ssh-script", config: cfg, interval: 60}
+		return CheckDef{Kind: "ssh-script", Config: cfg, IntervalS: 60}
 	}
 
 	switch kind {
@@ -205,13 +179,13 @@ func buildKind(kind string, t Target, attrs map[string]any, host, user string, p
 		if host == "" {
 			return nil, "no address on the entity or its host"
 		}
-		return []checkDef{{kind: "ping", config: map[string]any{"host": host}, interval: 30}}, ""
+		return []CheckDef{{Kind: "ping", Config: map[string]any{"host": host}, IntervalS: 30}}, ""
 
 	case KindResource:
 		if host == "" {
 			return nil, "no address on the entity or its host"
 		}
-		return []checkDef{
+		return []CheckDef{
 			ssh("cpu_check.sh"), ssh("memory_check.sh"),
 			ssh("load_check.sh"), ssh("disk_usage_check.sh"),
 		}, ""
@@ -225,14 +199,14 @@ func buildKind(kind string, t Target, attrs map[string]any, host, user string, p
 		// mirror hits per machine per day to answer a question whose answer
 		// changes about once a day.
 		u := ssh("updates_check.sh")
-		u.interval = 86400
+		u.IntervalS = 86400
-		return []checkDef{u}, ""
+		return []CheckDef{u}, ""
 
 	case KindCapacity:
 		if host == "" {
 			return nil, "no address on the entity or its host"
 		}
-		return []checkDef{ssh("disk_usage_check.sh")}, ""
+		return []CheckDef{ssh("disk_usage_check.sh")}, ""
 
 	case KindProcess:
 		if host == "" {
@@ -267,7 +241,7 @@ func buildKind(kind string, t Target, attrs map[string]any, host, user string, p
 		}
 		// process_check.sh takes the unit/container name as $1 and reports
 		// "unknown" without it.
-		return []checkDef{ssh("process_check.sh", unit)}, ""
+		return []CheckDef{ssh("process_check.sh", unit)}, ""
 
 	case KindBackup:
 		// A backup target is checked from the machine that writes to it, so it
@@ -293,7 +267,7 @@ func buildKind(kind string, t Target, attrs map[string]any, host, user string, p
 		}
 		// Daily. The freshness budget itself is a day, so probing more often
 		// cannot surface anything sooner — it just costs an SSH round trip.
-		return []checkDef{{kind: "backup-freshness", config: cfg, interval: 86400}}, ""
+		return []CheckDef{{Kind: "backup-freshness", Config: cfg, IntervalS: 86400}}, ""
 
 	case KindHTTP:
 		url := httpURL(t, attrs)
@@ -302,10 +276,10 @@ func buildKind(kind string, t Target, attrs map[string]any, host, user string, p
 		}
 		// max_status rather than an exact expected_status: most services sit
 		// behind Authentik and answer 302/401, which is a working service.
-		return []checkDef{{
+		return []CheckDef{{
-			kind:     "http",
+			Kind:      "http",
-			config:   map[string]any{"url": url, "max_status": 500},
+			Config:    map[string]any{"url": url, "max_status": 500},
-			interval: 60,
+			IntervalS: 60,
 		}}, ""
 
 	case KindDNS:
@@ -318,10 +292,10 @@ func buildKind(kind string, t Target, attrs map[string]any, host, user string, p
 		if name == "" {
 			return nil, "no name to resolve"
 		}
-		return []checkDef{{
+		return []CheckDef{{
-			kind:     "dns",
+			Kind:      "dns",
-			config:   map[string]any{"name": name},
+			Config:    map[string]any{"name": name},
-			interval: 300, // 5 min — DNS changes are rare; the cost of a miss
+			IntervalS: 300, // 5 min — DNS changes are rare; the cost of a miss
 			// is a stale IP, not a service outage.
 		}}, ""
 
@@ -343,10 +317,10 @@ func buildKind(kind string, t Target, attrs map[string]any, host, user string, p
 		if dial != "" {
 			config["dial"] = dial
 		}
-		return []checkDef{{
+		return []CheckDef{{
-			kind:     "cert-expiry",
+			Kind:      "cert-expiry",
-			config:   config,
+			Config:    config,
-			interval: 3600,
+			IntervalS: 3600,
 		}}, ""
 
 	case KindVMStatus:
@@ -356,10 +330,10 @@ func buildKind(kind string, t Target, attrs map[string]any, host, user string, p
 		if _, ok := attrs["pve_id"]; !ok {
 			return nil, "no pve_id to run qm status"
 		}
-		return []checkDef{{
+		return []CheckDef{{
-			kind:     "vm-status",
+			Kind:      "vm-status",
-			config:   map[string]any{},
+			Config:    map[string]any{},
-			interval: 60,
+			IntervalS: 60,
 		}}, ""
 
 	case KindQuorum:
@@ -369,14 +343,14 @@ func buildKind(kind string, t Target, attrs map[string]any, host, user string, p
 		if host == "" {
 			return nil, "no address on the entity or its host"
 		}
-		return []checkDef{ssh("pvecm_quorum_check.sh")}, ""
+		return []CheckDef{ssh("pvecm_quorum_check.sh")}, ""
 	}
 
 	return nil, "no builder for this kind yet"
 }
 
 // certHost works out the hostname to TLS-dial for a certificate's expiry.
-func certHost(t Target, attrs map[string]any) string {
+func certHost(t CheckTarget, attrs map[string]any) string {
 	for _, key := range []string{"hostname", "cn", "san"} {
 		if v, ok := attrs[key].(string); ok && v != "" {
 			return v
@@ -389,78 +363,15 @@ func certHost(t Target, attrs map[string]any) string {
 	return ""
 }
 
-// writeCheck upserts one check_def and its backing check entity.
-//
-// The entity upsert MUST return the row's id. The previous version generated
-// a fresh uuid, inserted ON CONFLICT (slug) DO NOTHING, then wrote a
-// check_defs row referencing that uuid. On any re-seed the slug already
-// existed, the entity insert became a no-op, and the check_defs insert
-// violated its foreign key — which aborted the whole ingest transaction and
-// made every subsequent statement fail with 25P02. Because the errors were
-// discarded, the only visible symptom was an unrelated failure much later.
-func writeCheck(ctx context.Context, tx pgx.Tx, t Target, idx int, def checkDef) (bool, error) {
-	// The full target slug, not a truncation of it. shortSlug() took the last
-	// 8 characters, so all 21 ingress routes collapsed to ".network" and
-	// generated one identical check slug — they overwrote each other and 20
-	// of them ended up with no check at all. It also collided service:jellyfin
-	// with lxc:jellyfin. Entity slugs are unique; use them.
-	checkSlug := fmt.Sprintf("check:%s:%s:%d", def.kind, t.Slug, idx)
-
-	newID, err := uuid.NewV7()
-	if err != nil {
-		newID = uuid.New()
-	}
-
-	var checkID uuid.UUID
-	err = tx.QueryRow(ctx,
-		`INSERT INTO entities (id, slug, type, name, state, attributes, version, created_at, updated_at)
-		 VALUES ($1, $2, 'check', $2, 'active', '{}', 1, now(), now())
-		 ON CONFLICT (slug) DO UPDATE SET updated_at = now()
-		 RETURNING id`,
-		newID, checkSlug).Scan(&checkID)
-	if err != nil {
-		return false, fmt.Errorf("upsert check entity %s: %w", checkSlug, err)
-	}
-
-	configJSON, err := json.Marshal(def.config)
-	if err != nil {
-		return false, err
-	}
-
-	// Config is derived from the seed, so the seed wins on re-ingest and
-	// attribute changes propagate. `enabled` is deliberately left alone: it
-	// is operational state an operator may have toggled.
-	// last_run_at is seeded to a random point inside the interval so checks
-	// created together do not stay in lockstep. Every check the seed creates
-	// would otherwise come due in the same instant forever: ~165 probes
-	// landing at once each minute rather than spread across it. Deliberately
-	// absent from the DO UPDATE below — a re-seed must not reset the schedule
-	// and re-herd everything.
-	tag, err := tx.Exec(ctx,
-		`INSERT INTO check_defs (entity_id, target_id, target_type, kind, config, interval_s, timeout_s, enabled, last_run_at)
-		 VALUES ($1, $2, $6, $3, $4, $5, 30, true,
-		         now() - make_interval(secs => random() * $5::int))
-		 ON CONFLICT (entity_id) DO UPDATE
-		   SET target_id = EXCLUDED.target_id, target_type = EXCLUDED.target_type,
-		       kind = EXCLUDED.kind,
-		       config = EXCLUDED.config, interval_s = EXCLUDED.interval_s,
-		       updated_at = now()`,
-		checkID, t.ID, def.kind, configJSON, def.interval, t.Type)
-	if err != nil {
-		return false, fmt.Errorf("upsert check_def %s: %w", checkSlug, err)
-	}
-	return tag.RowsAffected() > 0, nil
-}
-
 // httpURL works out what to GET for an http check.
 //
 // Ingress routes carry their hostname as the entity name rather than as an
-// attribute (`name: media.hubris.network`), and most declare no attributes at
+// attribute (`name: media.hubris.network`), and most declare no attributes
-// all — so the name is the only thing to go on. Requiring a `url` attribute
+// at all — so the name is the only thing to go on. Requiring a `url` attribute
 // left all 21 of them unmonitored, which is a shame given an ingress check is
 // the most end-to-end probe available: it exercises Caddy, DNS, TLS and the
 // upstream in one request.
-func httpURL(t Target, attrs map[string]any) string {
+func httpURL(t CheckTarget, attrs map[string]any) string {
 	if url, ok := attrs["url"].(string); ok && url != "" {
 		return url
 	}
@@ -474,44 +385,6 @@ func httpURL(t Target, attrs map[string]any) string {
 	return ""
 }
 
-// hostViaGraph returns the attributes of the entity that hosts or provides
-// this one, so a service can inherit its container's address.
-func hostViaGraph(ctx context.Context, tx pgx.Tx, entityID uuid.UUID) (map[string]any, error) {
-	rows, err := tx.Query(ctx, `
-		SELECT e.attributes
-		FROM relationships r
-		JOIN entities e ON e.id = r.source_id
-		WHERE r.target_id = $1
-		  AND r.valid_to IS NULL
-		  -- backs-up-to points from the thing being backed up TO the target,
-		  -- so walking it backwards finds the machine that writes the backups
-		  -- — which is the only place a freshness check can run.
-		  AND r.type IN ('provides', 'hosts', 'runs-on', 'backs-up-to')
-		ORDER BY CASE r.type
-		    WHEN 'provides' THEN 0 WHEN 'runs-on' THEN 1
-		    WHEN 'backs-up-to' THEN 2 ELSE 3 END`,
-		entityID)
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
-	}
-	defer rows.Close()
-
-	for rows.Next() {
-		var raw []byte
-		if err := rows.Scan(&raw); err != nil {
-			return nil, err
-		}
-		var attrs map[string]any
-		if json.Unmarshal(raw, &attrs) != nil {
-			continue
-		}
-		if resolveHost(attrs) != "" {
-			return attrs, nil
-		}
-	}
-	return nil, rows.Err()
-}
-
 func resolveHost(attrs map[string]any) string {
 	if attrs == nil {
 		return ""
@@ -576,9 +449,9 @@ func resolveSSHPort(attrs map[string]any) int {
 	return 22
 }
 
-// LogResult emits the one line that was missing: a type that asked for
+// LogDeriveResult emits the one line that was missing: a type that asked for
 // monitoring and did not get it.
-func LogResult(slug, entityType string, res Result) {
+func LogDeriveResult(slug, entityType string, res DeriveResult) {
 	switch {
 	case res.Undeclared:
 		slog.Info("checkdefaults: type declares no monitoring",

internal/core/app/checkdefaults_build_test.go

@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-package checkdefaults
+package app
 
 import (
 	"reflect"
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ func TestBuildKindAllImplementedKinds(t *testing.T) {
 	cases := []struct {
 		name        string
 		kind        string
-		target      Target
+		target      CheckTarget
 		attrs       map[string]any
 		host        string
 		wantSkip    bool // true → expect a reason and zero defs
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ func TestBuildKindAllImplementedKinds(t *testing.T) {
 		wantKey     string // a config key to assert
 		wantVal     any    // its expected value
 		wantReason  string // substring when skipping
-		wantInterv  int32  // expected interval on the (single) produced def
+		wantInterv  int    // expected interval on the (single) produced def
 	}{
 		{
 			name: "ping with host", kind: KindPing, host: host,
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ func TestBuildKindAllImplementedKinds(t *testing.T) {
 			wantDefs: 1, wantKind: "cert-expiry", wantKey: "host", wantVal: "media.hubris.network", wantInterv: 3600,
 		},
 		{
-			name: "cert-expiry from dotted name", kind: KindCertExpiry, target: Target{Name: "media.hubris.network"},
+			name: "cert-expiry from dotted name", kind: KindCertExpiry, target: CheckTarget{Name: "media.hubris.network"},
 			wantDefs: 1, wantKey: "host", wantVal: "media.hubris.network",
 		},
 		{
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ func TestBuildKindAllImplementedKinds(t *testing.T) {
 			attrs: map[string]any{"hostname": "media.hubris.network", "dial": "10.0.0.2"},
 			wantDefs: 1, wantKey: "dial", wantVal: "10.0.0.2",
 		},
-		{name: "cert-expiry without a host name skips", kind: KindCertExpiry, target: Target{Name: "jellyfin"}, wantSkip: true, wantReason: "no hostname"},
+		{name: "cert-expiry without a host name skips", kind: KindCertExpiry, target: CheckTarget{Name: "jellyfin"}, wantSkip: true, wantReason: "no hostname"},
 
 		{
 			name: "vm-status needs pve_id", kind: KindVMStatus, attrs: map[string]any{"pve_id": float64(101)},
@@ -89,10 +89,10 @@ func TestBuildKindAllImplementedKinds(t *testing.T) {
 		{name: "vm-status without pve_id skips", kind: KindVMStatus, wantSkip: true, wantReason: "no pve_id"},
 
 		{
-			name: "dns resolves entity name", kind: KindDNS, target: Target{Name: "hubris.network"},
+			name: "dns resolves entity name", kind: KindDNS, target: CheckTarget{Name: "hubris.network"},
 			wantDefs: 1, wantKind: "dns", wantKey: "name", wantVal: "hubris.network", wantInterv: 300,
 		},
-		{name: "dns without a name skips", kind: KindDNS, target: Target{}, wantSkip: true, wantReason: "no name"},
+		{name: "dns without a name skips", kind: KindDNS, target: CheckTarget{}, wantSkip: true, wantReason: "no name"},
 
 		{
 			name: "quorum runs pvecm script via ssh", kind: KindQuorum, host: host,
@@ -122,17 +122,17 @@ func TestBuildKindAllImplementedKinds(t *testing.T) {
 				t.Errorf("unexpected skip reason: %q", reason)
 			}
 			if c.wantKind != "" {
-				if got := defs[0].kind; got != c.wantKind {
+				if got := defs[0].Kind; got != c.wantKind {
 					t.Errorf("kind = %q, want %q", got, c.wantKind)
 				}
 			}
 			if c.wantKey != "" {
-				if got := defs[0].config[c.wantKey]; !reflect.DeepEqual(got, c.wantVal) {
+				if got := defs[0].Config[c.wantKey]; !reflect.DeepEqual(got, c.wantVal) {
 					t.Errorf("config[%q] = %v (%T), want %v (%T)", c.wantKey, got, got, c.wantVal, c.wantVal)
 				}
 			}
-			if c.wantInterv != 0 && defs[0].interval != c.wantInterv {
+			if c.wantInterv != 0 && defs[0].IntervalS != c.wantInterv {
-				t.Errorf("interval = %d, want %d", defs[0].interval, c.wantInterv)
+				t.Errorf("interval = %d, want %d", defs[0].IntervalS, c.wantInterv)
 			}
 		})
 	}
@@ -142,29 +142,29 @@ func TestBuildKindAllImplementedKinds(t *testing.T) {
 // defaults, so generated configs stay minimal and stable across re-seeds.
 func TestBuildKindSSHOnlyEmitsNonDefaultUserPortArgs(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Run("default root 22 omits user and port", func(t *testing.T) {
-		defs, _ := buildKind(KindResource, Target{}, nil, "10.0.0.1", "root", 22)
+		defs, _ := buildKind(KindResource, CheckTarget{}, nil, "10.0.0.1", "root", 22)
 		for _, d := range defs {
-			if _, ok := d.config["user"]; ok {
+			if _, ok := d.Config["user"]; ok {
-				t.Errorf("root should not emit user: %v", d.config)
+				t.Errorf("root should not emit user: %v", d.Config)
 			}
-			if _, ok := d.config["port"]; ok {
+			if _, ok := d.Config["port"]; ok {
-				t.Errorf("port 22 should not emit port: %v", d.config)
+				t.Errorf("port 22 should not emit port: %v", d.Config)
 			}
 		}
 	})
 	t.Run("non-root user and non-22 port are emitted", func(t *testing.T) {
-		defs, _ := buildKind(KindResource, Target{}, nil, "10.0.0.1", "oikos", 2222)
+		defs, _ := buildKind(KindResource, CheckTarget{}, nil, "10.0.0.1", "oikos", 2222)
-		if defs[0].config["user"] != "oikos" {
+		if defs[0].Config["user"] != "oikos" {
-			t.Errorf("user = %v, want oikos", defs[0].config["user"])
+			t.Errorf("user = %v, want oikos", defs[0].Config["user"])
 		}
-		if defs[0].config["port"] != 2222 {
+		if defs[0].Config["port"] != 2222 {
-			t.Errorf("port = %v, want 2222", defs[0].config["port"])
+			t.Errorf("port = %v, want 2222", defs[0].Config["port"])
 		}
 	})
 	t.Run("process unit name lands in args", func(t *testing.T) {
-		defs, _ := buildKind(KindProcess, Target{Name: "jellyfin"}, nil, "10.0.0.1", "root", 22)
+		defs, _ := buildKind(KindProcess, CheckTarget{Name: "jellyfin"}, nil, "10.0.0.1", "root", 22)
-		if defs[0].config["args"] != "jellyfin" {
+		if defs[0].Config["args"] != "jellyfin" {
-			t.Errorf("args = %v, want jellyfin", defs[0].config["args"])
+			t.Errorf("args = %v, want jellyfin", defs[0].Config["args"])
 		}
 	})
 }

internal/core/app/checkdefaults_defaults_test.go

@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-package checkdefaults
+package app
 
 import (
 	"testing"
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ func TestHTTPURLPrefersAttributeThenName(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 
 	for _, c := range cases {
-		got := httpURL(Target{Name: c.name}, c.attrs)
+		got := httpURL(CheckTarget{Name: c.name}, c.attrs)
 		if got != c.want {
 			t.Errorf("%s: httpURL = %q, want %q", c.desc, got, c.want)
 		}
@@ -68,13 +68,13 @@ func TestHTTPURLPrefersAttributeThenName(t *testing.T) {
 func TestBuildKindReportsWhyItSkipped(t *testing.T) {
 	// A declared kind that cannot be built must explain itself rather than
 	// vanish — that silence is what hid the coverage gap.
-	if defs, reason := buildKind(KindPing, Target{}, nil, "", "root", 22); len(defs) != 0 || reason == "" {
+	if defs, reason := buildKind(KindPing, CheckTarget{}, nil, "", "root", 22); len(defs) != 0 || reason == "" {
 		t.Errorf("ping without a host should skip with a reason, got %d defs / %q", len(defs), reason)
 	}
-	if defs, reason := buildKind(KindProcess, Target{Name: ""}, nil, "10.0.0.1", "root", 22); len(defs) != 0 || reason == "" {
+	if defs, reason := buildKind(KindProcess, CheckTarget{Name: ""}, nil, "10.0.0.1", "root", 22); len(defs) != 0 || reason == "" {
 		t.Errorf("process without a name should skip with a reason, got %d defs / %q", len(defs), reason)
 	}
-	if defs, reason := buildKind("dns", Target{}, nil, "10.0.0.1", "root", 22); len(defs) != 0 || reason == "" {
+	if defs, reason := buildKind("dns", CheckTarget{}, nil, "10.0.0.1", "root", 22); len(defs) != 0 || reason == "" {
 		t.Errorf("an unimplemented kind should skip with a reason, got %d defs / %q", len(defs), reason)
 	}
 }
@@ -82,44 +82,44 @@ func TestBuildKindReportsWhyItSkipped(t *testing.T) {
 func TestBuildKindProcessPassesTheUnitName(t *testing.T) {
 	// process_check.sh reads $1 and answers "no service name provided"
 	// without it. checkdefaults always wrote args; nothing read them.
-	defs, reason := buildKind(KindProcess, Target{Name: "jellyfin"}, nil, "10.0.0.1", "root", 22)
+	defs, reason := buildKind(KindProcess, CheckTarget{Name: "jellyfin"}, nil, "10.0.0.1", "root", 22)
 	if len(defs) != 1 {
 		t.Fatalf("expected one process check, got %d (%s)", len(defs), reason)
 	}
-	if got := defs[0].config["args"]; got != "jellyfin" {
+	if got := defs[0].Config["args"]; got != "jellyfin" {
 		t.Errorf("process check args = %v, want jellyfin", got)
 	}
-	if got := defs[0].config["script"]; got != "process_check.sh" {
+	if got := defs[0].Config["script"]; got != "process_check.sh" {
 		t.Errorf("process check script = %v", got)
 	}
 }
 
 func TestBuildKindHTTPUsesAStatusRangeNotAnExactCode(t *testing.T) {
 	// Most services sit behind Authentik and answer 302/401.
-	defs, _ := buildKind(KindHTTP, Target{Name: "jellyfin"},
+	defs, _ := buildKind(KindHTTP, CheckTarget{Name: "jellyfin"},
 		map[string]any{"url": "https://media.hubris.network"}, "", "root", 22)
 	if len(defs) != 1 {
 		t.Fatalf("expected one http check, got %d", len(defs))
 	}
-	if got := defs[0].config["max_status"]; got != 500 {
+	if got := defs[0].Config["max_status"]; got != 500 {
 		t.Errorf("max_status = %v, want 500", got)
 	}
-	if _, exact := defs[0].config["expected_status"]; exact {
+	if _, exact := defs[0].Config["expected_status"]; exact {
 		t.Error("default http checks must not pin an exact status")
 	}
 }
 
 func TestBuildKindResourceExpandsToFourScripts(t *testing.T) {
-	defs, _ := buildKind(KindResource, Target{}, nil, "10.0.0.1", "root", 22)
+	defs, _ := buildKind(KindResource, CheckTarget{}, nil, "10.0.0.1", "root", 22)
 	if len(defs) != 4 {
 		t.Fatalf("resource should expand to 4 checks, got %d", len(defs))
 	}
 	for _, d := range defs {
-		if d.kind != "ssh-script" {
+		if d.Kind != "ssh-script" {
-			t.Errorf("resource check kind = %q, want ssh-script", d.kind)
+			t.Errorf("resource check kind = %q, want ssh-script", d.Kind)
 		}
-		if d.config["host"] != "10.0.0.1" {
+		if d.Config["host"] != "10.0.0.1" {
-			t.Errorf("resource check lost its host: %v", d.config)
+			t.Errorf("resource check lost its host: %v", d.Config)
 		}
 	}
 }

internal/mcp/create_entity_test.go

@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ import (
 	"strings"
 	"testing"
 
-	"github.com/dtoro/oikos/internal/checkdefaults"
+	"github.com/dtoro/oikos/internal/core/app"
 	"github.com/dtoro/oikos/internal/adapters/postgres"
 	"github.com/google/uuid"
 	"github.com/jackc/pgx/v5"
@@ -235,17 +235,17 @@ func TestUpdateEntityAttributes_NotFound(t *testing.T) {
 // TestFormatCheckResult is a pure unit test for the result-message helper, so
 // the formatting contract holds even when the DB is unavailable.
 func TestFormatCheckResult(t *testing.T) {
-	if got := formatCheckResult(checkdefaults.Result{Created: 2}); !strings.Contains(got, "Derived 2 check") {
+	if got := formatCheckResult(app.DeriveResult{Created: 2}); !strings.Contains(got, "Derived 2 check") {
 		t.Errorf("created-only = %q, want Derived 2", got)
 	}
-	got := formatCheckResult(checkdefaults.Result{Created: 1, Skipped: []checkdefaults.Skip{{Kind: "process", Reason: "no host"}}})
+	got := formatCheckResult(app.DeriveResult{Created: 1, Skipped: []app.Skip{{Kind: "process", Reason: "no host"}}})
 	if !strings.Contains(got, "Derived 1 check") || !strings.Contains(got, "Skipped process") || !strings.Contains(got, "no host") {
 		t.Errorf("created+skipped = %q", got)
 	}
-	if got := formatCheckResult(checkdefaults.Result{Undeclared: true}); !strings.Contains(got, "no monitoring") {
+	if got := formatCheckResult(app.DeriveResult{Undeclared: true}); !strings.Contains(got, "no monitoring") {
 		t.Errorf("undeclared = %q, want no-monitoring hint", got)
 	}
-	if formatCreateResult("a", "b", checkdefaults.Result{Created: 0}) != "Created a (b)." {
+	if formatCreateResult("a", "b", app.DeriveResult{Created: 0}) != "Created a (b)." {
 		t.Error("create result with no checks should have no suffix")
 	}
 }

internal/mcp/tools.go

@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 	"strings"
 
-	"github.com/dtoro/oikos/internal/checkdefaults"
+	"github.com/dtoro/oikos/internal/core/app"
 	"github.com/dtoro/oikos/internal/core/ports"
 	"github.com/dtoro/oikos/internal/adapters/postgres"
 	"github.com/google/uuid"
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ func allTools(pool *db.Pool, agentID uuid.UUID, sec ports.Secrets) []toolReg {
 		AnalysisTools(pool, agentID, sec)...)
 }
 
-func formatCheckResult(res checkdefaults.Result) string {
+func formatCheckResult(res app.DeriveResult) string {
 	var b strings.Builder
 	if res.Created > 0 {
 		fmt.Fprintf(&b, " Derived %d check(s).", res.Created)
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ func formatCheckResult(res checkdefaults.Result) string {
 	return b.String()
 }
 
-func formatCreateResult(slug, entityType string, res checkdefaults.Result) string {
+func formatCreateResult(slug, entityType string, res app.DeriveResult) string {
 	return fmt.Sprintf("Created %s (%s).%s", slug, entityType, formatCheckResult(res))
 }