frontend/dashboard.js

@@ -371,6 +371,33 @@
     authoredOutbox,
     onStatus: message => { qs('#update-reply-status').textContent = message; },
   });
+  const updateOwnership = createUpdateOwnership({
+    claim: item => fetchReviewJson(
+      'api/v1/repos/' + item.repository.split('/').map(encodeURIComponent).join('/') +
+      '/issues/' + encodeURIComponent(item.number) + '/claim',
+      { method:'PATCH', headers:{ Accept:'application/json' } }
+    ),
+    addToday: item => {
+      const result = todayWork.add(item);
+      refreshMyWorkView();
+      return result;
+    },
+    onClaimed: item => {
+      if (!lastContextSnapshot) return;
+      const issues = (lastContextSnapshot.issues || []).filter(candidate =>
+        candidate.repository !== item.repository || candidate.number !== item.number
+      );
+      lastContextSnapshot = { ...lastContextSnapshot, issues:issues.concat(item) };
+      paintMyWork(lastContextSnapshot);
+    },
+    onState: state => {
+      const button = qs('#update-ownership-action');
+      button.hidden = state.action === 'hidden';
+      button.disabled = state.busy;
+      button.textContent = state.action === 'today' ? 'Add to Today' : 'Take ownership';
+      if (state.message) qs('#update-sheet-status').textContent = state.message;
+    },
+  });
   const notificationReader = createNotificationReader({
     load: fetchNotificationDetail,
     loadConversation: fetchNotificationConversation,
@@ -390,6 +417,7 @@
       qs('#update-reply').value = notificationReplier.loadDraft(item);
       qs('#update-reply-status').textContent = '';
       qs('#send-update-reply').disabled = false;
+      qs('#update-ownership-action').hidden = true;
       qs('#retry-update-load').hidden = true;
       qs('#keep-update-unread').focus();
     },
@@ -399,6 +427,7 @@
       qs('#update-subject-state').textContent = detail.state || '';
       qs('#update-subject-body').textContent = detail.subject_body || 'No subject context was provided.';
       qs('#open-update-gitea').href = detail.url || selectedUpdate?.url || '#';
+      updateOwnership.open(detail, selectedUpdate);
       qs('#retry-update-load').hidden = true;
     },
     onConversation: renderUpdateConversation,
@@ -2700,6 +2729,7 @@
     }
   });
   qs('#keep-update-unread').addEventListener('click', () => closeUpdateSheet(true));
+  qs('#update-ownership-action').addEventListener('click', () => updateOwnership.act());
   qs('#retry-update-load').addEventListener('click', () => {
     if (selectedUpdate) notificationReader.open(selectedUpdate, lastMyWork);
   });

frontend/index.html

@@ -378,6 +378,7 @@
       <div id="update-reply-status" class="small" aria-live="assertive"></div>
     </section>
     <div class="update-sheet-actions">
+      <button id="update-ownership-action" type="button" hidden aria-describedby="update-sheet-status">Take ownership</button>
       <button class="share-work-route" type="button">Share</button>
       <button id="mark-update-read-next" type="button">Mark read &amp; next</button>
       <a id="open-update-gitea" href="#" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Open in Gitea</a>
@@ -519,6 +520,7 @@
 <script src="static/offline-work.js"></script>
 <script src="static/my-work.js"></script>
 <script src="static/today-work.js"></script>
+<script src="static/update-ownership.js"></script>
 <script src="static/later-work.js"></script>
 <script src="static/detail-defer.js"></script>
 <script src="static/pick-work.js"></script>

frontend/service-worker.js

@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 const BASE = new URL('./', self.location.href).pathname;
 importScripts(BASE + 'static/background-issue-sync.js');
-const CACHE = 'stackchain-dashboard-shell-v34';
+const CACHE = 'stackchain-dashboard-shell-v35';
 const OUTAGE_STATUSES = new Set([500, 502, 503, 504]);
 const SHELL = [
   BASE,
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ const SHELL = [
   BASE + 'static/offline-work.js',
   BASE + 'static/my-work.js',
   BASE + 'static/today-work.js',
+  BASE + 'static/update-ownership.js',
   BASE + 'static/later-work.js',
   BASE + 'static/detail-defer.js',
   BASE + 'static/pick-work.js',

frontend/update-ownership.js

@@ -0,0 +1,78 @@
+function createUpdateOwnership({ claim, addToday, onClaimed, onState }) {
+  let detail = null;
+  let update = null;
+  let claimedItem = null;
+  let request = null;
+
+  function state(value) {
+    onState?.(value);
+  }
+
+  function open(nextDetail, nextUpdate) {
+    detail = nextDetail;
+    update = nextUpdate;
+    claimedItem = null;
+    request = null;
+    state({
+      action: nextDetail?.issue?.claimable ? 'claim' : 'hidden',
+      busy: false,
+      message: '',
+    });
+  }
+
+  function act() {
+    if (request) return request;
+    if (claimedItem) {
+      const result = addToday(claimedItem);
+      const messages = {
+        added: 'Added to Today.',
+        exists: 'This issue is already in Today.',
+        full: 'Today is limited to 5 items. Remove one before adding more.',
+        unavailable: 'Could not save Today on this device.',
+      };
+      state({ action: 'today', busy: false, message: messages[result] || messages.unavailable });
+      return Promise.resolve(result);
+    }
+    if (!detail?.issue?.claimable) return Promise.resolve('hidden');
+
+    state({ action: 'claim', busy: true, message: 'Assigning…' });
+    request = Promise.resolve(claim({
+      repository: detail.repository,
+      number: detail.issue.number,
+    })).then(result => {
+      claimedItem = {
+        ...result,
+        repository: detail.repository,
+        kind: 'issue',
+        notification_id: update?.notification_id,
+        updated_at: update?.updated_at || result.updated_at,
+        has_update: true,
+      };
+      detail.issue.claimable = false;
+      onClaimed?.(claimedItem);
+      state({ action: 'today', busy: false, message: 'Assigned to you. The update is still unread.' });
+      return claimedItem;
+    }).catch(error => {
+      if (error?.status === 409) {
+        detail.issue.claimable = false;
+        state({
+          action: 'hidden',
+          busy: false,
+          message: 'Someone else claimed or closed this issue. The update is still unread.',
+        });
+        return 'conflict';
+      }
+      state({
+        action: 'claim',
+        busy: false,
+        message: (error?.message || 'The issue could not be assigned.') + ' The update and your reply draft are safe; retry.',
+      });
+      return 'retry';
+    }).finally(() => { request = null; });
+    return request;
+  }
+
+  return { open, act };
+}
+
+if (typeof module !== 'undefined' && module.exports) module.exports = createUpdateOwnership;

src/gitea_proxy.py

@@ -680,6 +680,21 @@ async def notification_detail(thread_id: int) -> dict:
     latest_url = _safe_web_url(comment.get("html_url")) or _safe_web_url(
         subject.get("latest_comment_html_url")
     )
+    assignee_values = subject_detail.get("assignees")
+    assignees = [
+        value.get("login")
+        for value in (assignee_values if isinstance(assignee_values, list) else [])
+        if isinstance(value, dict) and isinstance(value.get("login"), str)
+    ]
+    issue = {
+        "number": subject_detail.get("number"),
+        "assignees": assignees,
+        "claimable": (
+            subject.get("type") == "Issue"
+            and subject_detail.get("state", subject.get("state")) == "open"
+            and not assignees
+        ),
+    } if supported_conversation and subject.get("type") == "Issue" else None
     return {
         "id": thread_id,
         "repository": repository.get("full_name", "")
@@ -710,6 +725,7 @@ async def notification_detail(thread_id: int) -> dict:
             else "",
             "url": latest_url,
         },
+        "issue": issue,
         "conversation": conversation,
     }
 

src/main.py

@@ -1587,7 +1587,7 @@ async def claim_available_issue(
         )
     except gitea_proxy.IssueNotAvailableError:
         return JSONResponse(
-            {"error": "This issue was already claimed or is no longer open. Refresh Find Work."},
+            {"error": "This issue was already claimed or is no longer open."},
             status_code=409,
         )
     except Exception:

tests/test_gitea_notifications.py

@@ -133,7 +133,10 @@ async def test_notification_detail_loads_subject_and_latest_comment_for_inbox_re
                 },
             })
         if request.url.path.endswith("/issues/7"):
-            return httpx.Response(200, json={"body": "Deploy fails after **three** retries."})
+            return httpx.Response(200, json={
+                "number": 7, "state": "open", "assignees": [],
+                "body": "Deploy fails after **three** retries.",
+            })
         if request.url.path.endswith("/issues/comments/9"):
             return httpx.Response(200, json={
                 "id": 9,
@@ -178,6 +181,7 @@ async def test_notification_detail_loads_subject_and_latest_comment_for_inbox_re
             "created_at": "2026-08-06T12:30:00Z",
             "url": "https://forge.example/stackchain/api/issues/7#issuecomment-9",
         },
+        "issue": {"number": 7, "assignees": [], "claimable": True},
         "conversation": {
             "comments": [{
                 "id": 9,

tests/test_issue_api.py

@@ -915,7 +915,7 @@ async def test_claim_available_issue_endpoint_reports_assignment_race_as_conflic
     assert response.status_code == 409
     assert response.headers["cache-control"] == "no-store"
     assert response.json() == {
-        "error": "This issue was already claimed or is no longer open. Refresh Find Work."
+        "error": "This issue was already claimed or is no longer open."
     }
 
 

tests/test_my_work.py

@@ -18,6 +18,94 @@ PULL_SHEET = Path(__file__).parents[1] / "frontend" / "pull-sheet.js"
 CONVERSATION = Path(__file__).parents[1] / "frontend" / "conversation.js"
 PICK_WORK = Path(__file__).parents[1] / "frontend" / "pick-work.js"
 WORK_ROUTE = Path(__file__).parents[1] / "frontend" / "work-route.js"
+UPDATE_OWNERSHIP = Path(__file__).parents[1] / "frontend" / "update-ownership.js"
+
+
+def test_unassigned_issue_update_claims_once_and_becomes_today_ready():
+    script = f"""
+const createUpdateOwnership = require({json.dumps(str(UPDATE_OWNERSHIP))});
+let claims = 0;
+let finishClaim;
+const states = [];
+const controller = createUpdateOwnership({{
+  claim: () => {{ claims += 1; return new Promise(resolve => {{ finishClaim = resolve; }}); }},
+  addToday: () => 'added',
+  onClaimed: item => states.push({{status:'reconciled', item}}),
+  onState: state => states.push(state),
+}});
+controller.open({{
+  repository:'stackchain/api', title:'Retry deploy',
+  issue:{{number:7, assignees:[], claimable:true}},
+}}, {{notification_id:42, updated_at:'2026-08-08T12:00:00Z'}});
+const first = controller.act();
+const second = controller.act();
+if (first !== second || claims !== 1) throw new Error('claim was not single-flight');
+finishClaim({{number:7, title:'Retry deploy', assignees:['timmy'], state:'open'}});
+(async () => {{
+  await first;
+  const added = await controller.act();
+  process.stdout.write(JSON.stringify({{claims, added, states}}));
+}})().catch(error => {{ console.error(error); process.exit(1); }});
+"""
+    result = subprocess.run(
+        ["node", "-e", script], check=True, capture_output=True, text=True
+    )
+    output = json.loads(result.stdout)
+    assert output["claims"] == 1
+    assert output["added"] == "added"
+    assert output["states"][0] == {"action": "claim", "busy": False, "message": ""}
+    assert {"action": "claim", "busy": True, "message": "Assigning…"} in output["states"]
+    reconciled = next(state for state in output["states"] if state.get("status") == "reconciled")
+    assert reconciled["item"]["notification_id"] == 42
+    assert reconciled["item"]["repository"] == "stackchain/api"
+    assert reconciled["item"]["kind"] == "issue"
+    assert output["states"][-1] == {
+        "action": "today", "busy": False, "message": "Added to Today."
+    }
+
+
+def test_update_ownership_conflict_removes_stale_action_without_reconciling():
+    script = f"""
+const createUpdateOwnership = require({json.dumps(str(UPDATE_OWNERSHIP))});
+const states = [];
+let reconciled = 0;
+const conflict = new Error('server wording'); conflict.status = 409;
+const controller = createUpdateOwnership({{
+  claim: () => Promise.reject(conflict), addToday: () => 'added',
+  onClaimed: () => {{ reconciled += 1; }}, onState: state => states.push(state),
+}});
+controller.open({{repository:'stackchain/api', issue:{{number:7, claimable:true}}}}, {{notification_id:42}});
+(async () => {{
+  const result = await controller.act();
+  process.stdout.write(JSON.stringify({{result, reconciled, states}}));
+}})().catch(error => {{ console.error(error); process.exit(1); }});
+"""
+    result = subprocess.run(
+        ["node", "-e", script], check=True, capture_output=True, text=True
+    )
+    output = json.loads(result.stdout)
+    assert output["result"] == "conflict"
+    assert output["reconciled"] == 0
+    assert output["states"][-1] == {
+        "action": "hidden",
+        "busy": False,
+        "message": "Someone else claimed or closed this issue. The update is still unread.",
+    }
+
+
+@pytest.mark.anyio
+async def test_mobile_update_sheet_wires_phone_safe_ownership_to_my_work_and_today():
+    html = await dashboard()
+
+    assert '<script src="static/update-ownership.js"></script>' in html
+    assert 'id="update-ownership-action"' in html
+    assert 'hidden aria-describedby="update-sheet-status"' in html
+    assert 'const updateOwnership = createUpdateOwnership({' in html
+    assert 'updateOwnership.open(detail, selectedUpdate)' in html
+    assert "qs('#update-ownership-action').addEventListener('click'" in html
+    assert "lastContextSnapshot.issues" in html
+    assert "todayWork.add(item)" in html
+    assert '.update-sheet-actions button, .update-sheet-actions a { min-height:44px;' in html
 
 
 def test_work_routes_round_trip_all_sheet_kinds_and_reject_unsafe_fragments():

tests/test_notification_detail.py

@@ -36,7 +36,12 @@ async def test_notification_detail_opens_the_newest_conversation_page_in_chronol
             comments = [comment(i) for i in (range(1, 21) if page == 1 else range(41, 48))]
             return httpx.Response(200, json=comments, headers={"X-Total-Count": "47"})
         if request.url.path.endswith("/repos/stackchain/api/issues/7"):
-            return httpx.Response(200, json={"body": "Deploy fails after retries."})
+            return httpx.Response(200, json={
+                "number": 7,
+                "state": "open",
+                "assignees": [],
+                "body": "Deploy fails after retries.",
+            })
         if request.url.path.endswith("/repos/stackchain/api/issues/comments/47"):
             return httpx.Response(200, json=comment(47))
         raise AssertionError(f"unexpected request: {request.url}")
@@ -56,6 +61,11 @@ async def test_notification_detail_opens_the_newest_conversation_page_in_chronol
         "older_page": 2,
         "total": 47,
     }
+    assert result["issue"] == {
+        "number": 7,
+        "assignees": [],
+        "claimable": True,
+    }
 
 
 @pytest.mark.anyio

tests/test_service_worker.py

@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ async function dispatchNotificationClick(route) {{
 def test_share_target_sign_in_fix_ships_in_a_new_shell_cache():
     source = WORKER.read_text()
 
-    assert "stackchain-dashboard-shell-v34" in source
+    assert "stackchain-dashboard-shell-v35" in source
     assert "BASE + 'static/dashboard.css'" in source
     assert "BASE + 'static/dashboard.js'" in source
     assert "BASE + 'static/install-app.js'" in source
@@ -106,10 +106,17 @@ def test_share_target_sign_in_fix_ships_in_a_new_shell_cache():
 def test_mobile_search_viewport_ships_in_a_new_offline_shell():
     source = WORKER.read_text()
 
-    assert "stackchain-dashboard-shell-v34" in source
+    assert "stackchain-dashboard-shell-v35" in source
     assert "BASE + 'static/mobile-search-viewport.js'" in source
 
 
+def test_update_ownership_flow_ships_atomically_in_a_new_offline_shell():
+    source = WORKER.read_text()
+
+    assert "stackchain-dashboard-shell-v35" in source
+    assert "BASE + 'static/update-ownership.js'" in source
+
+
 def test_background_sync_event_flushes_closed_app_issue_outbox_only_for_its_tag():
     result = run_worker_scenario(
         """
@@ -279,6 +286,7 @@ def test_install_precaches_complete_subpath_scoped_app_shell():
         "/dashboard/static/offline-work.js",
         "/dashboard/static/my-work.js",
         "/dashboard/static/today-work.js",
+        "/dashboard/static/update-ownership.js",
         "/dashboard/static/later-work.js",
         "/dashboard/static/detail-defer.js",
         "/dashboard/static/pick-work.js",