fix(web): fail-closed BLOCKED_SURFACE copy and chrome

app/web/errors/error_classifier.rb

@@ -130,7 +130,7 @@ def initialize(decision)
       ).freeze
 
       BLOCKED_SURFACE_CODE = 'BLOCKED_SURFACE'
-      BLOCKED_SURFACE_MESSAGE = 'This website blocked automated access.'
+      BLOCKED_SURFACE_MESSAGE = 'This site blocked automated access. Try another URL or site.'
 
       BLOCKED_SURFACE = Decision.new(
         status: 422,

frontend/e2e/smoke.spec.ts

@@ -41,7 +41,8 @@ test.describe('frontend smoke', () => {
     await expect(page.getByRole('button', { name: COPY.back })).toBeVisible();
     await expect(page.locator('dialog')).toHaveAttribute('open');
     await expect(page.getByLabel(COPY.urlLabel)).toHaveCount(1);
-    await expect(page.getByText(COPY.createFailedTitle)).toHaveCount(0);
+    await expect(page.getByText(COPY.createFailedTitle, { exact: true })).toHaveCount(0);
+    await expect(page.getByText(COPY.createFailedRetryTitle, { exact: true })).toHaveCount(0);
 
     await page.getByRole('button', { name: COPY.back }).click();
     await expect(page).toHaveURL(/#\/create(?:\?.*)?$/);
@@ -96,21 +97,21 @@ test.describe('frontend smoke', () => {
 
     await page.getByLabel(COPY.urlLabel).fill('https://example.com/articles');
     await page.getByRole('button', { name: COPY.createFeed }).click();
-    await expect(page.getByText(COPY.createFailedTitle)).toBeVisible();
+    await expect(page.getByText(COPY.createFailedRetryTitle, { exact: true })).toBeVisible();
 
     await page.getByRole('link', { name: 'html2rss' }).click();
-    await expect(page.getByText(COPY.createFailedTitle)).toHaveCount(0);
+    await expect(page.getByText(COPY.createFailedRetryTitle, { exact: true })).toHaveCount(0);
     await expect(page.locator('.form-shell')).toHaveAttribute('data-state', 'create');
     await expect(page.getByLabel(COPY.urlLabel)).toBeFocused();
 
     await page.getByRole('button', { name: COPY.createFeed }).click();
-    await expect(page.getByText(COPY.createFailedTitle)).toBeVisible();
+    await expect(page.getByText(COPY.createFailedRetryTitle, { exact: true })).toBeVisible();
 
     await page.evaluate(() => {
       location.hash = '#!/create';
     });
     await expect(page).toHaveURL(/\/#\/create$/);
-    await expect(page.getByText(COPY.createFailedTitle)).toHaveCount(0);
+    await expect(page.getByText(COPY.createFailedRetryTitle, { exact: true })).toHaveCount(0);
     await expect(page.locator('.form-shell')).toHaveAttribute('data-state', 'create');
     await expect(page.getByLabel(COPY.urlLabel)).toBeFocused();
   });

frontend/src/__tests__/App.test.tsx

@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import { describe, it, expect, beforeEach, vi } from 'vitest';
 import { render, screen, fireEvent, waitFor } from '@testing-library/preact';
+import type { FeedCreationError } from '../api/contracts';
 import { App } from '../components/App';
 import { COPY } from '../journey/copy';
 
@@ -49,6 +50,7 @@ const mockCreatedFeedResult = {
 async function expectCreateRemountedWithoutErrorChrome() {
   await waitFor(() => {
     expect(screen.queryByText(COPY.createFailedTitle)).not.toBeInTheDocument();
+    expect(screen.queryByText(COPY.createFailedRetryTitle)).not.toBeInTheDocument();
   });
   expect(document.querySelector('.form-shell')).toHaveAttribute('data-state', 'create');
   await waitFor(() => {
@@ -63,12 +65,18 @@ describe('App', () => {
   const mockClearCreationError = vi.fn();
   const mockClearResult = vi.fn();
   const mockRetryPreviewFetch = vi.fn();
+  /** Mirrors useFeedCreation: reject sets error; clearError clears it (App mock was static). */
+  let creationHookError: FeedCreationError | undefined;
 
   beforeEach(() => {
     vi.clearAllMocks();
+    creationHookError = undefined;
     history.replaceState({}, '', 'http://localhost:3000/#/create');
     localStorage.clear();
     mockCreateFeed.mockResolvedValue(mockCreatedFeedResult);
+    mockClearCreationError.mockImplementation(() => {
+      creationHookError = undefined;
+    });
     mockUseCatalogEntries.mockReturnValue([]);
 
     mockUseAccessToken.mockReturnValue({
@@ -99,15 +107,22 @@ describe('App', () => {
       error: undefined,
     });
 
-    mockUseFeedCreation.mockReturnValue({
+    mockUseFeedCreation.mockImplementation(() => ({
       isCreating: false,
       result: undefined,
-      error: undefined,
-      createFeed: mockCreateFeed,
+      error: creationHookError,
+      createFeed: async (url: string, token: string) => {
+        try {
+          return await mockCreateFeed(url, token);
+        } catch (error) {
+          creationHookError = error as FeedCreationError;
+          throw error;
+        }
+      },
       clearError: mockClearCreationError,
       clearResult: mockClearResult,
       retryPreviewFetch: mockRetryPreviewFetch,
-    });
+    }));
   });
 
   const creationFailure = {
@@ -148,7 +163,7 @@ describe('App', () => {
     fireEvent.click(screen.getByRole('button', { name: COPY.createFeed }));
 
     await waitFor(() => {
-      expect(screen.getByText(COPY.createFailedTitle)).toBeInTheDocument();
+      expect(screen.getByText(COPY.createFailedRetryTitle)).toBeInTheDocument();
     });
   }
 
@@ -611,7 +626,7 @@ describe('App', () => {
     render(<App />);
 
     expect(document.querySelector('.form-shell')).toHaveAttribute('data-state', 'error');
-    expect(screen.getByText(COPY.createFailedTitle)).toBeInTheDocument();
+    expect(screen.getByText(COPY.createFailedRetryTitle)).toBeInTheDocument();
     expect(screen.getByText('Access denied')).toBeInTheDocument();
   });
 
@@ -625,7 +640,7 @@ describe('App', () => {
         retryable: false,
         nextAction: 'correct_input',
         retryAction: 'none',
-        message: 'This website blocked automated access.',
+        message: 'This site blocked automated access. Try another URL or site.',
       },
       createFeed: mockCreateFeed,
       clearError: mockClearCreationError,
@@ -635,7 +650,11 @@ describe('App', () => {
 
     render(<App />);
 
-    expect(screen.getByText('This website blocked automated access.')).toBeInTheDocument();
+    expect(screen.getByText(COPY.createFailedTitle)).toBeInTheDocument();
+    expect(
+      screen.getByText('This site blocked automated access. Try another URL or site.')
+    ).toBeInTheDocument();
+    expect(screen.queryByRole('button', { name: COPY.tryAgain })).not.toBeInTheDocument();
   });
 
   it('shows instance metadata failure as a banner without create-error chrome', () => {
@@ -1046,6 +1065,8 @@ describe('App', () => {
     await screen.findByText(
       'Could not extract feed items. Try a more specific listing URL or explicit selectors.'
     );
+    expect(screen.getByText(COPY.createFailedTitle)).toBeInTheDocument();
+    expect(screen.queryByText(COPY.createFailedRetryTitle)).not.toBeInTheDocument();
     expect(screen.queryByRole('heading', { name: COPY.tokenTitle })).not.toBeInTheDocument();
     expect(screen.queryByRole('button', { name: COPY.tryAgain })).not.toBeInTheDocument();
     expect(mockClearToken).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
@@ -1076,7 +1097,7 @@ describe('App', () => {
       expect(location.hash).toMatch(/^#\/create/);
     });
     expect(document.querySelector('dialog')).toBeNull();
-    expect(screen.getByText(COPY.createFailedTitle)).toBeInTheDocument();
+    expect(screen.getByText(COPY.createFailedRetryTitle)).toBeInTheDocument();
     expect(screen.getByText('Upstream failed')).toBeInTheDocument();
   });
 

frontend/src/__tests__/ResultDisplay.test.tsx

@@ -184,7 +184,7 @@ describe('ResultDisplay', () => {
           warnings: [
             {
               code: 'PREVIEW_HTTP_422',
-              message: 'This website blocked automated access.',
+              message: 'This site blocked automated access. Try another URL or site.',
               retryable: false,
               nextAction: 'wait',
             },
@@ -195,7 +195,9 @@ describe('ResultDisplay', () => {
       />
     );
 
-    expect(screen.getByText('This website blocked automated access.')).toBeInTheDocument();
+    expect(
+      screen.getByText('This site blocked automated access. Try another URL or site.')
+    ).toBeInTheDocument();
     expect(screen.queryByRole('button', { name: COPY.checkAgain })).not.toBeInTheDocument();
   });
 

frontend/src/__tests__/previewHydration.test.ts

@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ describe('previewHydration', () => {
 
   it('passes short text/plain HTTP error bodies through as warning.message', async () => {
     fetchMock.mockResolvedValueOnce(
-      new Response('This website blocked automated access.', {
+      new Response('This site blocked automated access. Try another URL or site.', {
         status: 422,
         headers: { 'Content-Type': 'text/plain; charset=utf-8' },
       })
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ describe('previewHydration', () => {
       warnings: [
         {
           code: 'PREVIEW_HTTP_422',
-          message: 'This website blocked automated access.',
+          message: 'This site blocked automated access. Try another URL or site.',
           retryable: false,
           nextAction: 'wait',
         },

frontend/src/__tests__/useFeedFlow.test.ts

@@ -187,13 +187,19 @@ describe('useFeedFlow', () => {
   it('returns non-auth creation failures from token onto create', async () => {
     await stubFeedCreationFailure();
 
-    const { result } = renderHook(() =>
-      useFeedFlow(
-        feedFlowProperties({
-          mayCreate: () => 'proceed',
-          route: { kind: 'token', prefillUrl: 'https://example.com/private-articles' },
-        })
-      )
+    const { result, rerender } = renderHook(
+      ({ route }) =>
+        useFeedFlow(
+          feedFlowProperties({
+            mayCreate: () => 'proceed',
+            route,
+          })
+        ),
+      {
+        initialProps: {
+          route: { kind: 'token' as const, prefillUrl: 'https://example.com/private-articles' },
+        },
+      }
     );
 
     act(() => {
@@ -213,6 +219,21 @@ describe('useFeedFlow', () => {
     });
     expect(result.current.tokenError).toBe('');
     expect(result.current.feedFieldErrors.form).toBe('Upstream failed');
+    expect(result.current.creationError).toMatchObject({
+      message: 'Upstream failed',
+      nextAction: 'retry',
+    });
+
+    // Simulate router applying token→create; remount must keep Decision error for retry chrome.
+    rerender({
+      route: { kind: 'create', prefillUrl: 'https://example.com/private-articles' },
+    });
+
+    expect(result.current.feedFieldErrors.form).toBe('Upstream failed');
+    expect(result.current.creationError).toMatchObject({
+      message: 'Upstream failed',
+      nextAction: 'retry',
+    });
   });
 
   it('recovers unmatched result routes onto remounted create without prefillUrl', async () => {

frontend/src/components/AppPanels.tsx

@@ -324,7 +324,7 @@ function ActionFeedback({
         <Notice
           className="layout-rail-reading"
           tone="error"
-          title={COPY.createFailedTitle}
+          title={isShowRetryButton ? COPY.createFailedRetryTitle : COPY.createFailedTitle}
           actions={
             isShowRetryButton && (
               <button type="button" class="btn btn--primary" onClick={onRetryCreate}>

frontend/src/feed/useFeedCreation.ts

@@ -62,7 +62,11 @@ export function useFeedCreation() {
     globalThis.document?.body?.scrollIntoView({ behavior: 'smooth', block: 'start' });
     requestIdReference.current += 1;
     cancelPreview();
-    setState({ isCreating: false });
+    setState((previous) => ({
+      ...previous,
+      isCreating: false,
+      result: undefined,
+    }));
   };
 
   const clearError = () => {

frontend/src/feed/useFeedFlow.ts

@@ -141,6 +141,8 @@ export function useFeedFlow({
 
       setFeedFieldErrors({ ...EMPTY_FEED_ERRORS, form: failure.message });
       if (route.kind === 'token') {
+        // Prevent create-entry auto-submit from clearing Decision error before remount runs.
+        hasAutoSubmittedReference.current = true;
         navigate({ kind: 'create', prefillUrl: normalizedUrl });
       }
       return false;
@@ -212,14 +214,22 @@ export function useFeedFlow({
     const isSameKindCreateEntry = previousKind === 'create' && previousCreateEntryKey !== createEntryKey;
     if (!didKindChangeToCreate && !isSameKindCreateEntry) return;
 
-    clearError();
     clearResult();
     setTokenError('');
     setTokenDraft('');
-    if (isSameKindCreateEntry) setFeedFieldErrors(EMPTY_FEED_ERRORS);
+    if (isSameKindCreateEntry) {
+      setFeedFieldErrors(EMPTY_FEED_ERRORS);
+      clearError();
+    } else if (feedFieldErrors.form) {
+      // token→create non-auth failure: keep Decision error for retry chrome; do not auto-retry.
+      hasAutoSubmittedReference.current = true;
+    } else {
+      // Kind change onto create without a projected form failure (e.g. result recovery).
+      clearError();
+    }
     if (!route.prefillUrl) autoSubmitUrlReference.current = undefined;
     setFocusCreateComposerKey((current) => current + 1);
-  }, [createEntryKey, route]);
+  }, [clearError, clearResult, createEntryKey, feedFieldErrors.form, route]);
 
   const viewModel = decideJourney({
     creationError,

frontend/src/journey/copy.ts

@@ -10,7 +10,10 @@ export const COPY = {
   tokenHint: 'Required by this instance.',
   tokenPlaceholder: 'Paste access token',
   tokenRejected: 'Access token was rejected. Paste a valid token to continue.',
-  createFailedTitle: "Couldn't create feed yet",
+  /** Non-retryable / correct_input create failures (blocked, empty extract, …). */
+  createFailedTitle: "Couldn't create feed",
+  /** Retryable create failures where Try again remains honest. */
+  createFailedRetryTitle: "Couldn't create feed yet",
   tryAgain: 'Try again',
   checkAgain: 'Check again',
   previewItemCount: (count: number) => `${count} items`,

spec/html2rss/web/error_classifier_spec.rb

@@ -67,7 +67,9 @@ def initialize(attempts:)
     end
 
     it 'uses one human sentence for classified user decisions', :aggregate_failures do
-      expect(described_class::BLOCKED_SURFACE.message).to eq('This website blocked automated access.')
+      expect(described_class::BLOCKED_SURFACE.message).to eq(
+        'This site blocked automated access. Try another URL or site.'
+      )
       expect(described_class::SCRAPER_UNAVAILABLE.message).to eq('Feed fetching is temporarily unavailable.')
       expect(described_class::SERVICE_UNAVAILABLE.message).to eq(
         'The server is too busy or the request timed out.'