fix(cli): surface self-improvement review summaries from bg thread

When the self-improvement background review fires after a turn, it runs
in a bg thread and emits a '  💾 <summary>' line to announce what it
saved to memory or skills. Two problems made this invisible to users
even when the review successfully modified a skill:

1. The print went through `_cprint` (prompt_toolkit's print_formatted_text)
   on a bg thread while the CLI's PromptSession was live. Direct
   print_formatted_text races with the input-area redraw and the line
   can land behind/above the prompt, scrolled off without the user
   seeing it.

2. The message said only '💾 Skill created.' / '💾 Memory updated'
   with no indication that the self-improvement loop was the one doing
   this. Users who did catch the line couldn't tell the background
   review from some other agent action.

Fixes:

- `_cprint` now detects when it's called from a non-app thread with a
  running prompt_toolkit Application, and routes through
  `run_in_terminal` via `loop.call_soon_threadsafe`. That pauses the
  input, prints the line above the prompt, and redraws — the normal
  prompt_toolkit contract for bg-thread output. Direct-print fallback
  preserved for the no-app / same-thread / import-error paths. Affects
  every bg-thread emission, not just the review summary (curator
  summaries and auxiliary failure prints benefit too).

- The summary now reads '  💾 Self-improvement review: <summary>' in
  both the CLI and the gateway `background_review_callback` path, so
  the origin is unambiguous.

Tests:
- New `tests/cli/test_cprint_bg_thread.py` covers all five routing
  branches (no app, app-not-running, cross-thread schedule, same-thread
  direct, app-loop-attribute-error, import-error).
- New case in `tests/run_agent/test_background_review.py` asserts the
  attributed prefix shows up in both `_safe_print` and
  `background_review_callback`.

Live E2E: exercised _cprint from a bg thread inside a real Application
event loop; confirmed get_app_or_none() sees the app, call_soon_threadsafe
schedules run_in_terminal, and the inner _pt_print runs.

cli.py

@@ -1240,8 +1240,73 @@ def _cprint(text: str):
     Raw ANSI escapes written via print() are swallowed by patch_stdout's
     StdoutProxy.  Routing through print_formatted_text(ANSI(...)) lets
     prompt_toolkit parse the escapes and render real colors.
+
+    When called from a background thread while a prompt_toolkit
+    ``Application`` is running (the common case for the self-improvement
+    background review's ``💾 …`` summary, curator summaries, and other
+    bg-thread emissions), a direct ``_pt_print`` races with the input
+    area's redraw and the line can end up visually buried behind the
+    prompt.  Route those cases through ``run_in_terminal`` via
+    ``loop.call_soon_threadsafe``, which pauses the input area, prints
+    the line above it, and redraws the prompt cleanly.
     """
-    _pt_print(_PT_ANSI(text))
+    try:
+        from prompt_toolkit.application import get_app_or_none, run_in_terminal
+    except Exception:
+        _pt_print(_PT_ANSI(text))
+        return
+
+    app = None
+    try:
+        app = get_app_or_none()
+    except Exception:
+        app = None
+
+    # No active app, or we're already on the app's main thread: the
+    # direct prompt_toolkit print is safe and matches existing behavior
+    # (spinner frames, streamed tokens, tool activity prefixes, …).
+    if app is None or not getattr(app, "_is_running", False):
+        _pt_print(_PT_ANSI(text))
+        return
+
+    try:
+        loop = app.loop  # type: ignore[attr-defined]
+    except Exception:
+        loop = None
+    if loop is None:
+        _pt_print(_PT_ANSI(text))
+        return
+
+    import asyncio as _asyncio
+    try:
+        current_loop = _asyncio.get_event_loop_policy().get_event_loop()
+    except Exception:
+        current_loop = None
+    # Same thread as the app's loop → safe to print directly.
+    if current_loop is loop and loop.is_running():
+        _pt_print(_PT_ANSI(text))
+        return
+
+    # Cross-thread emission: ask the app's event loop to schedule a
+    # ``run_in_terminal`` that wraps ``_pt_print``.  This hides the
+    # prompt, prints, and redraws.  Fire-and-forget — if scheduling
+    # fails we fall back to a direct print so the line isn't lost.
+    def _schedule():
+        try:
+            run_in_terminal(lambda: _pt_print(_PT_ANSI(text)))
+        except Exception:
+            try:
+                _pt_print(_PT_ANSI(text))
+            except Exception:
+                pass
+
+    try:
+        loop.call_soon_threadsafe(_schedule)
+    except Exception:
+        try:
+            _pt_print(_PT_ANSI(text))
+        except Exception:
+            pass
 
 
 # ---------------------------------------------------------------------------

run_agent.py

@@ -3593,11 +3593,15 @@ class AIAgent:
 
                 if actions:
                     summary = " · ".join(dict.fromkeys(actions))
-                    self._safe_print(f"  💾 {summary}")
+                    self._safe_print(
+                        f"  💾 Self-improvement review: {summary}"
+                    )
                     _bg_cb = self.background_review_callback
                     if _bg_cb:
                         try:
-                            _bg_cb(f"💾 {summary}")
+                            _bg_cb(
+                                f"💾 Self-improvement review: {summary}"
+                            )
                         except Exception:
                             pass
 

tests/cli/test_cprint_bg_thread.py

@@ -0,0 +1,206 @@
+"""Tests for cli._cprint's bg-thread cooperation with prompt_toolkit.
+
+Background: when a prompt_toolkit Application is running, a bg thread that
+calls ``_pt_print`` directly can race with the input-area redraw and the
+printed line can end up visually buried behind the prompt.  ``_cprint`` now
+routes cross-thread prints through ``run_in_terminal`` via
+``loop.call_soon_threadsafe`` so the self-improvement background review's
+``💾 Self-improvement review: …`` summary actually surfaces to the user.
+
+These tests verify the routing logic without spinning up a real PT app.
+"""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import sys
+import types
+from types import SimpleNamespace
+
+import cli
+
+
+def test_cprint_no_app_direct_print(monkeypatch):
+    """No active app → direct _pt_print, no run_in_terminal involvement."""
+    calls = []
+    monkeypatch.setattr(cli, "_pt_print", lambda x: calls.append(("pt_print", x)))
+    monkeypatch.setattr(cli, "_PT_ANSI", lambda t: ("ANSI", t))
+
+    # Patch the prompt_toolkit import the function performs internally.
+    fake_pt_app = types.ModuleType("prompt_toolkit.application")
+    fake_pt_app.get_app_or_none = lambda: None
+    fake_pt_app.run_in_terminal = lambda *a, **kw: calls.append(("run_in_terminal",))
+    monkeypatch.setitem(sys.modules, "prompt_toolkit.application", fake_pt_app)
+
+    cli._cprint("hello")
+
+    assert calls == [("pt_print", ("ANSI", "hello"))]
+
+
+def test_cprint_app_not_running_direct_print(monkeypatch):
+    """App exists but not running (e.g. teardown) → direct print."""
+    calls = []
+    monkeypatch.setattr(cli, "_pt_print", lambda x: calls.append(("pt_print", x)))
+    monkeypatch.setattr(cli, "_PT_ANSI", lambda t: t)
+
+    fake_app = SimpleNamespace(_is_running=False, loop=None)
+    fake_pt_app = types.ModuleType("prompt_toolkit.application")
+    fake_pt_app.get_app_or_none = lambda: fake_app
+    fake_pt_app.run_in_terminal = lambda *a, **kw: calls.append(("run_in_terminal",))
+    monkeypatch.setitem(sys.modules, "prompt_toolkit.application", fake_pt_app)
+
+    cli._cprint("x")
+
+    assert calls == [("pt_print", "x")]
+
+
+def test_cprint_bg_thread_schedules_on_app_loop(monkeypatch):
+    """App running + different thread → schedules via call_soon_threadsafe."""
+    scheduled = []
+    direct_prints = []
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(cli, "_pt_print", lambda x: direct_prints.append(x))
+    monkeypatch.setattr(cli, "_PT_ANSI", lambda t: t)
+
+    class FakeLoop:
+        def is_running(self):
+            return True
+
+        def call_soon_threadsafe(self, cb, *args):
+            scheduled.append(cb)
+
+    fake_loop = FakeLoop()
+
+    # Install a fake "current loop" that is NOT the app's loop, so the
+    # cross-thread branch is taken.
+    fake_current_loop = SimpleNamespace(is_running=lambda: True)
+    fake_asyncio = types.ModuleType("asyncio")
+
+    class _Policy:
+        def get_event_loop(self):
+            return fake_current_loop
+
+    fake_asyncio.get_event_loop_policy = lambda: _Policy()
+    monkeypatch.setitem(sys.modules, "asyncio", fake_asyncio)
+
+    fake_app = SimpleNamespace(_is_running=True, loop=fake_loop)
+    fake_pt_app = types.ModuleType("prompt_toolkit.application")
+    fake_pt_app.get_app_or_none = lambda: fake_app
+
+    run_in_terminal_calls = []
+
+    def _fake_run_in_terminal(func, **kw):
+        run_in_terminal_calls.append(func)
+        # Simulate run_in_terminal actually calling func (as the real PT
+        # impl would once the app loop tick picks it up).
+        func()
+        return None
+
+    fake_pt_app.run_in_terminal = _fake_run_in_terminal
+    monkeypatch.setitem(sys.modules, "prompt_toolkit.application", fake_pt_app)
+
+    cli._cprint("💾 Self-improvement review: Skill updated")
+
+    # call_soon_threadsafe must have been called with a scheduling cb.
+    assert len(scheduled) == 1
+
+    # Invoking the scheduled callback should hit run_in_terminal.
+    scheduled[0]()
+    assert len(run_in_terminal_calls) == 1
+
+    # And run_in_terminal's inner func should have emitted a pt_print.
+    assert direct_prints == ["💾 Self-improvement review: Skill updated"]
+
+
+def test_cprint_same_thread_as_app_loop_direct_print(monkeypatch):
+    """App running on same thread → direct print (no scheduling)."""
+    direct_prints = []
+    monkeypatch.setattr(cli, "_pt_print", lambda x: direct_prints.append(x))
+    monkeypatch.setattr(cli, "_PT_ANSI", lambda t: t)
+
+    class FakeLoop:
+        def is_running(self):
+            return True
+
+        def call_soon_threadsafe(self, cb, *args):
+            raise AssertionError(
+                "call_soon_threadsafe must not be used on the app's own thread"
+            )
+
+    fake_loop = FakeLoop()
+    fake_asyncio = types.ModuleType("asyncio")
+
+    class _Policy:
+        def get_event_loop(self):
+            return fake_loop  # same as app loop
+
+    fake_asyncio.get_event_loop_policy = lambda: _Policy()
+    monkeypatch.setitem(sys.modules, "asyncio", fake_asyncio)
+
+    fake_app = SimpleNamespace(_is_running=True, loop=fake_loop)
+    fake_pt_app = types.ModuleType("prompt_toolkit.application")
+    fake_pt_app.get_app_or_none = lambda: fake_app
+    fake_pt_app.run_in_terminal = lambda *a, **kw: None
+    monkeypatch.setitem(sys.modules, "prompt_toolkit.application", fake_pt_app)
+
+    cli._cprint("x")
+
+    assert direct_prints == ["x"]
+
+
+def test_cprint_swallows_app_loop_attr_error(monkeypatch):
+    """Loop missing on app → fall back to direct print, no crash."""
+    direct_prints = []
+    monkeypatch.setattr(cli, "_pt_print", lambda x: direct_prints.append(x))
+    monkeypatch.setattr(cli, "_PT_ANSI", lambda t: t)
+
+    class WeirdApp:
+        _is_running = True
+
+        @property
+        def loop(self):
+            raise RuntimeError("no loop for you")
+
+    fake_pt_app = types.ModuleType("prompt_toolkit.application")
+    fake_pt_app.get_app_or_none = lambda: WeirdApp()
+    fake_pt_app.run_in_terminal = lambda *a, **kw: None
+    monkeypatch.setitem(sys.modules, "prompt_toolkit.application", fake_pt_app)
+
+    cli._cprint("fallback")
+
+    assert direct_prints == ["fallback"]
+
+
+def test_cprint_swallows_prompt_toolkit_import_error(monkeypatch):
+    """If prompt_toolkit.application itself fails to import, fall back."""
+    direct_prints = []
+    monkeypatch.setattr(cli, "_pt_print", lambda x: direct_prints.append(x))
+    monkeypatch.setattr(cli, "_PT_ANSI", lambda t: t)
+
+    # Drop cached prompt_toolkit.application AND install a meta-path finder
+    # that raises ImportError on re-import.
+    monkeypatch.delitem(sys.modules, "prompt_toolkit.application", raising=False)
+
+    class _BlockFinder:
+        def find_module(self, name, path=None):
+            if name == "prompt_toolkit.application":
+                return self
+            return None
+
+        def load_module(self, name):
+            raise ImportError("blocked for test")
+
+        def find_spec(self, name, path=None, target=None):
+            if name == "prompt_toolkit.application":
+                # Returning a bogus spec that will fail on load works too,
+                # but raising here keeps the test simple.
+                raise ImportError("blocked for test")
+            return None
+
+    blocker = _BlockFinder()
+    sys.meta_path.insert(0, blocker)
+    try:
+        cli._cprint("fallback2")
+    finally:
+        sys.meta_path.remove(blocker)
+
+    assert direct_prints == ["fallback2"]

tests/run_agent/test_background_review.py

@@ -127,3 +127,66 @@ def test_background_review_installs_auto_deny_approval_callback(monkeypatch):
         "Background review leaked its approval callback into the worker "
         "thread's TLS slot; a recycled thread-id could reuse it."
     )
+
+
+def test_background_review_summary_is_attributed_to_self_improvement_loop(monkeypatch):
+    """The CLI/gateway emission must identify the self-improvement loop.
+
+    Users who miss the line in their terminal have no way to tell that the
+    background review was what modified their skill/memory stores. The
+    summary prefix ``💾 Self-improvement review: …`` makes the origin
+    explicit so both the CLI and gateway deliveries are unambiguous.
+    """
+    import json
+
+    captured_prints: list = []
+    captured_bg_callback: list = []
+
+    class FakeReviewAgent:
+        def __init__(self, **kwargs):
+            # Simulate a review that successfully updated memory so
+            # _summarize_background_review_actions returns a real action.
+            self._session_messages = [
+                {
+                    "role": "tool",
+                    "tool_call_id": "call_bg",
+                    "content": json.dumps(
+                        {"success": True, "message": "Entry added", "target": "memory"}
+                    ),
+                }
+            ]
+
+        def run_conversation(self, **kwargs):
+            pass
+
+        def shutdown_memory_provider(self):
+            pass
+
+        def close(self):
+            pass
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(run_agent_module, "AIAgent", FakeReviewAgent)
+    monkeypatch.setattr(run_agent_module.threading, "Thread", ImmediateThread)
+
+    agent = _bare_agent()
+    agent._safe_print = lambda *a, **kw: captured_prints.append(" ".join(str(x) for x in a))
+    agent.background_review_callback = lambda msg: captured_bg_callback.append(msg)
+
+    AIAgent._spawn_background_review(
+        agent,
+        messages_snapshot=[{"role": "user", "content": "hi"}],
+        review_memory=True,
+    )
+
+    # Exactly one summary should have been emitted, and it must identify
+    # the self-improvement review explicitly.
+    assert len(captured_prints) == 1, captured_prints
+    printed = captured_prints[0]
+    assert "Self-improvement review" in printed, printed
+    assert "Memory updated" in printed, printed
+
+    # Gateway path gets the same prefix.
+    assert len(captured_bg_callback) == 1
+    assert captured_bg_callback[0].startswith("💾 Self-improvement review:"), (
+        captured_bg_callback[0]
+    )