diff --git a/agents/dispatch_agent.py b/agents/dispatch_agent.py
index a61ba5e..b8bfa93 100644
--- a/agents/dispatch_agent.py
+++ b/agents/dispatch_agent.py
@@ -27,6 +27,18 @@ DISPATCH_AGENT_AUTONOMOUS = os.getenv("DISPATCH_AGENT_AUTONOMOUS", "false").lowe
 # stream by subject, or pin it to a stream name if discovery isn't desired.
 DISPATCH_STREAM = os.getenv("DISPATCH_STREAM", "")
 
+# Escalation rate limit. A backend retry sweep can fail hundreds of bookings in
+# one zone within a minute (observed: 1,001 in 60 s). Once a zone has been
+# alerted today, further failures only bump the counter; a summary re-alert goes
+# out every DISPATCH_REALERT_EVERY failures so ops can see it's still growing.
+# The LLM is only consulted before the first alert, so cost is bounded per zone.
+DISPATCH_REALERT_EVERY = int(os.getenv("DISPATCH_REALERT_EVERY", "100"))
+
+# A miler counts as available only if the Go backend's presence key says so.
+# The milers:locations geo index keeps last-known positions indefinitely, so
+# membership alone says nothing about whether anyone is actually on duty.
+MILER_AVAILABLE_STATUSES = {"available"}
+
 
 class DispatchAgent(SpecializedAgent):
     """
@@ -126,34 +138,60 @@ class DispatchAgent(SpecializedAgent):
     #  Redis GEO lookup                                                     #
     # ------------------------------------------------------------------ #
 
+    async def _miler_is_available(self, miler_id) -> bool:
+        """Liveness check against the backend-owned miler_status:<id> key
+        ({"userid": .., "status": "Available" | "Break" | ...}). Missing or
+        unparseable → not available: geo-index presence alone is not evidence."""
+        try:
+            raw = await self._redis.get(f"miler_status:{miler_id}")
+            if not raw:
+                return False
+            status = json.loads(raw).get("status", "")
+            return str(status).lower() in MILER_AVAILABLE_STATUSES
+        except Exception:
+            return False
+
     async def _find_zone(
         self, lat: float, lon: float, radius_km: int = 10
     ) -> Optional[Dict[str, Any]]:
-        """GEORADIUS sweep on milers:locations; returns nearest miler or None."""
+        """GEORADIUS sweep on milers:locations filtered to milers whose status
+        key says they are available. Returns the nearest available miler (with
+        how many index entries were skipped as stale/off-duty), or None."""
         try:
             results = await self._redis.georadius(
                 "milers:locations",
                 lon, lat,
                 radius_km, "km",
                 sort="ASC",
-                count=5,
+                count=10,
             )
             if not results:
                 return None
 
-            nearest_miler = results[0]
-            miler_info = await self._redis.hgetall(f"miler:{nearest_miler}")
-
-            return {
-                "miler_id": nearest_miler,
-                "hub_id": miler_info.get("hub_id", "UNKNOWN"),
-                "zone_id": miler_info.get("zone_id", "unknown"),
-                "avg_delivery_time": int(miler_info.get("avg_delivery_time", 60)),
-            }
+            for candidate in results:
+                if await self._miler_is_available(candidate):
+                    miler_info = await self._redis.hgetall(f"miler:{candidate}")
+                    return {
+                        "miler_id": candidate,
+                        "hub_id": miler_info.get("hub_id", "UNKNOWN"),
+                        "zone_id": miler_info.get("zone_id", "unknown"),
+                        "avg_delivery_time": int(miler_info.get("avg_delivery_time", 60)),
+                        "stale_candidates_skipped": len(results) - 1,
+                    }
+            return None
         except Exception as e:
             logger.warning(f"Redis GEORADIUS error: {e}")
             return None
 
+    async def _count_in_geo_index(self, lat: float, lon: float, radius_km: int = 30) -> Optional[int]:
+        """Raw geo-index membership (any status) — reported separately so the
+        decision can tell 'nobody registered here' from 'riders exist but none on duty'."""
+        try:
+            results = await self._redis.georadius("milers:locations", lon, lat, radius_km, "km", count=50)
+            return len(results or [])
+        except Exception:
+            return None
+
     # ------------------------------------------------------------------ #
     #  NATS event handlers                                                  #
     # ------------------------------------------------------------------ #
@@ -217,6 +255,23 @@ class DispatchAgent(SpecializedAgent):
             facts, count = await self._gather_assignment_facts(zone_id, lat, lon)
             logger.info(f"[DISPATCH] booking={booking_id} context facts: {facts}")
 
+            # Rate limit: once this zone has been alerted today, don't re-decide
+            # (and don't pay for an LLM call) on every further failure.
+            if facts.get("alert_already_sent_today"):
+                if DISPATCH_REALERT_EVERY and count % DISPATCH_REALERT_EVERY == 0:
+                    await self._ops_alert(
+                        zone_id, booking_id,
+                        f"Zone {zone_id}: {count} failed assignments today and still climbing "
+                        f"(re-alert every {DISPATCH_REALERT_EVERY}; earlier alert already raised).",
+                        severity="high",
+                    )
+                else:
+                    logger.info(
+                        f"[DISPATCH] zone {zone_id} already alerted today — "
+                        f"failure #{count} counted, no new alert"
+                    )
+                return
+
             decision = await decide_assignment_failure(build_assignment_failure_context(facts))
 
             if decision is None:
@@ -283,11 +338,17 @@ class DispatchAgent(SpecializedAgent):
                     break
 
         if not has_coords:
-            facts["nearest_miler_within_km"] = "unknown (no coordinates)"
+            facts["nearest_available_miler_within_km"] = "unknown (no coordinates)"
         elif nearest_km is None:
-            facts["nearest_miler_within_km"] = "none within 30km"
+            facts["nearest_available_miler_within_km"] = "none within 30km"
         else:
-            facts["nearest_miler_within_km"] = nearest_km
+            facts["nearest_available_miler_within_km"] = nearest_km
+
+        # Distinguish "no riders registered here" from "riders exist, none on duty".
+        if has_coords:
+            indexed = await self._count_in_geo_index(lat, lon, radius_km=30)
+            if indexed is not None:
+                facts["milers_in_geo_index_within_30km"] = indexed
 
         count = 0
         try:
@@ -298,25 +359,57 @@ class DispatchAgent(SpecializedAgent):
         except Exception as e:
             logger.warning(f"assignment facts: failure counter failed for zone {zone_id}: {e}")
         facts["failures_today"] = count
+        facts["alert_already_sent_today"] = await self._alert_already_sent_today(zone_id)
 
         return facts, count
 
-    async def _ops_alert(self, zone_id, booking_id, reasoning):
+    def _alert_key(self, zone_id) -> str:
+        today = datetime.now(timezone.utc).strftime("%Y-%m-%d")
+        return f"assignment_alert_sent:{zone_id}:{today}"
+
+    async def _alert_already_sent_today(self, zone_id) -> bool:
+        try:
+            return bool(await self._redis.exists(self._alert_key(zone_id)))
+        except Exception:
+            return False
+
+    async def _mark_alert_sent(self, zone_id):
+        try:
+            await self._redis.set(self._alert_key(zone_id), "1", ex=172800, nx=True)
+        except Exception as e:
+            logger.warning(f"could not mark alert sent for zone {zone_id}: {e}")
+
+    async def _ops_alert(self, zone_id, booking_id, reasoning, severity="medium"):
+        """Internal ops alert. Goes to JARVIS as EXCEPTION_DETECTED — the same
+        path the ExceptionAgent uses — which is logged at WARNING and kept in
+        JARVIS's escalation inbox. (Previously sent as an 'ops_alert' task to
+        CUSTOMER_AGENT, which had no handler for it: 1,001 alerts went nowhere.)"""
+        logger.warning(f"[DISPATCH] OPS ALERT zone={zone_id} booking={booking_id}: {reasoning}")
         await self.send_message(
-            recipient="CUSTOMER_AGENT",
-            message_type=MessageType.AGENT_TASK,
-            payload={"task_type": "ops_alert", "zone_id": zone_id, "reasoning": reasoning},
+            recipient="JARVIS",
+            message_type=MessageType.EXCEPTION_DETECTED,
+            payload={
+                "exception_type": "coverage_gap",
+                "severity": severity,
+                "zone_id": zone_id,
+                "order_id": booking_id,
+                "reasoning": reasoning,
+                "source": self.agent_id,
+            },
             correlation_id=str(booking_id),
         )
+        await self._mark_alert_sent(zone_id)
 
     async def _notify_customer_delay(self, booking_id):
         await self.send_message(
             recipient="CUSTOMER_AGENT",
             message_type=MessageType.AGENT_TASK,
             payload={
-                "task_type": "customer_notify",
-                "booking_id": booking_id,
-                "message": "We're finding the right rider for your delivery — thanks for your patience.",
+                # CUSTOMER_AGENT's real task contract (send_notification + DELAYED template)
+                "task_type": "send_notification",
+                "order_id": booking_id,
+                "notification_type": "delayed",
+                "template_vars": {"order_id": booking_id, "reason": "finding the right rider"},
             },
             correlation_id=str(booking_id),
         )
@@ -328,18 +421,20 @@ class DispatchAgent(SpecializedAgent):
         )
         await self.send_message(
             recipient="JARVIS",
-            message_type=MessageType.AGENT_TASK,
+            message_type=MessageType.EXCEPTION_DETECTED,
             payload={
-                "task_type": "human_review",
-                "reason": "assignment_failed",
+                "exception_type": "assignment_failed",
+                "severity": "high",
                 "zone_id": zone_id,
-                "booking_id": booking_id,
+                "order_id": booking_id,
                 "proposed_action": decision.action,
                 "confidence": decision.confidence,
                 "reasoning": decision.reasoning,
+                "source": self.agent_id,
             },
             correlation_id=str(booking_id),
         )
+        await self._mark_alert_sent(zone_id)
 
     # ------------------------------------------------------------------ #
     #  Task handler (no inbound task types remain)                         #
diff --git a/agents/exception_agent.py b/agents/exception_agent.py
index 28be9bf..2eed928 100644
--- a/agents/exception_agent.py
+++ b/agents/exception_agent.py
@@ -204,10 +204,10 @@ class ExceptionAgent(SpecializedAgent):
                         logger.error(f"Location handler error: {e}")
                     finally:
                         await msg.ack()
-            except nats.errors.TimeoutError:
-                pass
+            except (nats.errors.TimeoutError, asyncio.TimeoutError):
+                pass  # empty fetch — normal
             except Exception as e:
-                logger.error(f"Location pull loop error: {e}")
+                logger.error(f"Location pull loop error: {type(e).__name__}: {e}")
                 await asyncio.sleep(2)
 
     async def _pull_stalled_loop(self):
@@ -224,10 +224,10 @@ class ExceptionAgent(SpecializedAgent):
                         logger.error(f"Stalled handler error: {e}")
                     finally:
                         await msg.ack()
-            except nats.errors.TimeoutError:
-                pass
+            except (nats.errors.TimeoutError, asyncio.TimeoutError):
+                pass  # empty fetch — normal
             except Exception as e:
-                logger.error(f"Stalled pull loop error: {e}")
+                logger.error(f"Stalled pull loop error: {type(e).__name__}: {e}")
                 await asyncio.sleep(2)
 
     # ── Stall detection: per location ping ───────────────────────────────────
diff --git a/core/agent.py b/core/agent.py
index a9134f0..847e698 100644
--- a/core/agent.py
+++ b/core/agent.py
@@ -208,6 +208,10 @@ class MasterAgent(Agent):
         self._sub_agents: Dict[str, Agent] = {}
         self._active_orders: Dict[str, Dict] = {}
         self._decision_log: List[Dict] = []
+        # Human-review inbox: every escalation/ops alert a sub-agent raised.
+        # The only sink for proposals the agents aren't authorised to act on;
+        # surfaced by pending_escalations() for the Command Center.
+        self._escalations: List[Dict] = []
 
     def register_sub_agent(self, agent: Agent):
         self._sub_agents[agent.agent_id] = agent
@@ -218,7 +222,7 @@ class MasterAgent(Agent):
         must decide) are logged at WARNING and recorded so they are visible
         rather than silently dropped — the endpoint of the human-review path."""
         if message.message_type == MessageType.EXCEPTION_DETECTED:
-            logger.warning(f"JARVIS: exception escalation from {message.sender}: {message.payload}")
+            self._record_escalation(message.sender, message.payload)
         else:
             logger.info(f"JARVIS: {message.message_type.value} from {message.sender}")
         self._decision_log.append({
@@ -240,9 +244,30 @@ class MasterAgent(Agent):
             return await self._handle_exception(task)
         elif task.task_type == "generate_report":
             return await self._generate_report(task)
+        elif task.task_type in ("human_review", "ops_alert"):
+            # Escalations sent as tasks land here instead of dead-lettering.
+            self._record_escalation(task.data.get("source", "unknown"), task.data)
+            return {"status": "recorded", "escalations_pending": len(self._escalations)}
         else:
+            logger.warning(f"JARVIS: unknown task type {task.task_type!r} — dropped")
             return {"status": "unknown_task", "task_type": task.task_type}
 
+    def _record_escalation(self, sender: str, payload: Dict[str, Any]):
+        logger.warning(f"JARVIS: escalation from {sender}: {payload}")
+        self._escalations.append({
+            "timestamp": datetime.now(),
+            "from": sender,
+            "exception_type": payload.get("exception_type"),
+            "severity": payload.get("severity"),
+            "payload": payload,
+        })
+        if len(self._escalations) > 500:
+            self._escalations = self._escalations[-500:]
+
+    def pending_escalations(self, limit: int = 50) -> List[Dict[str, Any]]:
+        """Most recent escalations first — the human-review inbox."""
+        return list(reversed(self._escalations[-limit:]))
+
     async def _orchestrate_order(self, task: AgentTask) -> Dict[str, Any]:
         order_data = task.data.get("order", {})
         order_id = order_data.get("order_id", "unknown")
diff --git a/core/llm.py b/core/llm.py
index 7c42a1a..60fe250 100644
--- a/core/llm.py
+++ b/core/llm.py
@@ -181,10 +181,14 @@ fallback failed, so no rider was assigned. Decide how to react. Choose exactly o
 - "ops_alert": a genuine coverage gap in this zone (repeated failures, no nearby riders). Alert operations to onboard or redirect riders here.
 - "escalate": ambiguous or contradictory — e.g. riders ARE nearby yet assignment keeps failing, which suggests a systemic issue rather than a coverage gap. A human dispatcher should look.
 
-Weigh how many times assignment has failed in this zone today, how far the nearest available rider is,
-the time of day, and whether coordinates were even available. A single failure with a rider nearby is
-usually transient; repeated failures with no nearby rider is a coverage gap; repeated failures *despite*
-nearby riders is not a coverage gap and warrants a human. Report an honest confidence in [0, 1]."""
+Weigh how many times assignment has failed in this zone today, how far the nearest *available* rider is,
+the time of day, and whether coordinates were even available. "nearest_available_miler_within_km" counts
+only riders whose live status is Available; "milers_in_geo_index_within_30km" is the raw count of riders
+ever seen nearby (it includes off-duty and stale entries), so a large index count with no available rider
+means riders exist here but nobody is on duty — a staffing gap, not a systemic fault. A single failure with
+an available rider nearby is usually transient; repeated failures with no available rider is a coverage
+gap; repeated failures *despite* available riders nearby is not a coverage gap and warrants a human.
+Report an honest confidence in [0, 1]."""
 
 _ASSIGNMENT_SCHEMA = {
     "type": "object",
diff --git a/evals/assignment_cases.jsonl b/evals/assignment_cases.jsonl
index 7cbbb17..e37043f 100644
--- a/evals/assignment_cases.jsonl
+++ b/evals/assignment_cases.jsonl
@@ -1,10 +1,11 @@
-{"id": "first-failure-close-rider", "hour_of_day_utc": 14, "facts": {"zone_id": "hyderabad", "failures_today": 1, "nearest_miler_within_km": 10, "has_coordinates": true}, "acceptable": ["monitor", "notify_customer"], "ideal": "monitor", "rationale": "Single failure with a rider only 10km away — almost certainly transient; let the backend retry."}
-{"id": "repeated-zone-gap", "hour_of_day_utc": 12, "facts": {"zone_id": "pune", "failures_today": 4, "nearest_miler_within_km": "none within 30km", "has_coordinates": true}, "acceptable": ["ops_alert", "escalate"], "ideal": "ops_alert", "rationale": "Repeated failures and no rider within 30km — a genuine coverage gap; alert ops."}
-{"id": "second-failure-far-rider", "hour_of_day_utc": 18, "facts": {"zone_id": "bangalore", "failures_today": 2, "nearest_miler_within_km": 30, "has_coordinates": true}, "acceptable": ["notify_customer", "monitor"], "ideal": "notify_customer", "rationale": "A couple of failures with the nearest rider 30km out during rush — real delay; keep the customer informed."}
-{"id": "no-coordinates-first", "hour_of_day_utc": 10, "facts": {"zone_id": "unknown", "failures_today": 1, "nearest_miler_within_km": "unknown (no coordinates)", "has_coordinates": false}, "acceptable": ["monitor", "escalate"], "ideal": "monitor", "rationale": "Coverage can't be assessed without coordinates, but a single failure is most likely transient."}
-{"id": "many-failures-riders-near", "hour_of_day_utc": 15, "facts": {"zone_id": "mumbai_west", "failures_today": 5, "nearest_miler_within_km": 10, "has_coordinates": true}, "acceptable": ["escalate", "ops_alert"], "ideal": "escalate", "rationale": "Riders ARE nearby yet assignment keeps failing — not a coverage gap; a systemic issue for a human."}
-{"id": "night-coverage-gap", "hour_of_day_utc": 2, "facts": {"zone_id": "kolkata", "failures_today": 3, "nearest_miler_within_km": "none within 30km", "has_coordinates": true}, "acceptable": ["ops_alert", "escalate"], "ideal": "ops_alert", "rationale": "Repeated overnight failures with no nearby rider — a coverage gap worth flagging to ops."}
-{"id": "single-far-rider", "hour_of_day_utc": 9, "facts": {"zone_id": "hyderabad", "failures_today": 1, "nearest_miler_within_km": 30, "has_coordinates": true}, "acceptable": ["monitor", "notify_customer"], "ideal": "monitor", "rationale": "One failure, distant rider — likely resolves on retry."}
-{"id": "persistent-far-rush", "hour_of_day_utc": 18, "facts": {"zone_id": "mumbai_east", "failures_today": 3, "nearest_miler_within_km": 30, "has_coordinates": true}, "acceptable": ["notify_customer", "ops_alert"], "ideal": "notify_customer", "rationale": "Rush-hour, repeated, distant rider — the customer should hear about the delay."}
-{"id": "borderline-count", "hour_of_day_utc": 13, "facts": {"zone_id": "north_delhi", "failures_today": 3, "nearest_miler_within_km": 20, "has_coordinates": true}, "acceptable": ["notify_customer", "ops_alert", "monitor"], "ideal": "notify_customer", "rationale": "Genuinely borderline — a few failures with a moderately-close rider; any of these is defensible."}
-{"id": "severe-gap", "hour_of_day_utc": 11, "facts": {"zone_id": "pune", "failures_today": 8, "nearest_miler_within_km": "none within 30km", "has_coordinates": true}, "acceptable": ["ops_alert", "escalate"], "ideal": "ops_alert", "rationale": "Many failures and no rider anywhere near — a clear, severe coverage gap."}
+{"id": "first-failure-close-rider", "hour_of_day_utc": 14, "facts": {"zone_id": "hyderabad", "failures_today": 1, "has_coordinates": true, "nearest_available_miler_within_km": 10, "milers_in_geo_index_within_30km": 3, "alert_already_sent_today": false}, "acceptable": ["monitor", "notify_customer"], "ideal": "monitor", "rationale": "Single failure with a rider only 10km away \u2014 almost certainly transient; let the backend retry."}
+{"id": "repeated-zone-gap", "hour_of_day_utc": 12, "facts": {"zone_id": "pune", "failures_today": 4, "has_coordinates": true, "nearest_available_miler_within_km": "none within 30km", "milers_in_geo_index_within_30km": 0, "alert_already_sent_today": false}, "acceptable": ["ops_alert", "escalate"], "ideal": "ops_alert", "rationale": "Repeated failures and no rider within 30km \u2014 a genuine coverage gap; alert ops."}
+{"id": "second-failure-far-rider", "hour_of_day_utc": 18, "facts": {"zone_id": "bangalore", "failures_today": 2, "has_coordinates": true, "nearest_available_miler_within_km": 30, "milers_in_geo_index_within_30km": 3, "alert_already_sent_today": false}, "acceptable": ["notify_customer", "monitor"], "ideal": "notify_customer", "rationale": "A couple of failures with the nearest rider 30km out during rush \u2014 real delay; keep the customer informed."}
+{"id": "no-coordinates-first", "hour_of_day_utc": 10, "facts": {"zone_id": "unknown", "failures_today": 1, "has_coordinates": false, "nearest_available_miler_within_km": "unknown (no coordinates)", "alert_already_sent_today": false}, "acceptable": ["monitor", "escalate"], "ideal": "monitor", "rationale": "Coverage can't be assessed without coordinates, but a single failure is most likely transient."}
+{"id": "many-failures-riders-near", "hour_of_day_utc": 15, "facts": {"zone_id": "mumbai_west", "failures_today": 5, "has_coordinates": true, "nearest_available_miler_within_km": 10, "milers_in_geo_index_within_30km": 3, "alert_already_sent_today": false}, "acceptable": ["escalate", "ops_alert"], "ideal": "escalate", "rationale": "Riders ARE nearby yet assignment keeps failing \u2014 not a coverage gap; a systemic issue for a human."}
+{"id": "night-coverage-gap", "hour_of_day_utc": 2, "facts": {"zone_id": "kolkata", "failures_today": 3, "has_coordinates": true, "nearest_available_miler_within_km": "none within 30km", "milers_in_geo_index_within_30km": 0, "alert_already_sent_today": false}, "acceptable": ["ops_alert", "escalate"], "ideal": "ops_alert", "rationale": "Repeated overnight failures with no nearby rider \u2014 a coverage gap worth flagging to ops."}
+{"id": "single-far-rider", "hour_of_day_utc": 9, "facts": {"zone_id": "hyderabad", "failures_today": 1, "has_coordinates": true, "nearest_available_miler_within_km": 30, "milers_in_geo_index_within_30km": 3, "alert_already_sent_today": false}, "acceptable": ["monitor", "notify_customer"], "ideal": "monitor", "rationale": "One failure, distant rider \u2014 likely resolves on retry."}
+{"id": "persistent-far-rush", "hour_of_day_utc": 18, "facts": {"zone_id": "mumbai_east", "failures_today": 3, "has_coordinates": true, "nearest_available_miler_within_km": 30, "milers_in_geo_index_within_30km": 3, "alert_already_sent_today": false}, "acceptable": ["notify_customer", "ops_alert"], "ideal": "notify_customer", "rationale": "Rush-hour, repeated, distant rider \u2014 the customer should hear about the delay."}
+{"id": "borderline-count", "hour_of_day_utc": 13, "facts": {"zone_id": "north_delhi", "failures_today": 3, "has_coordinates": true, "nearest_available_miler_within_km": 20, "milers_in_geo_index_within_30km": 3, "alert_already_sent_today": false}, "acceptable": ["notify_customer", "ops_alert", "monitor"], "ideal": "notify_customer", "rationale": "Genuinely borderline \u2014 a few failures with a moderately-close rider; any of these is defensible."}
+{"id": "severe-gap", "hour_of_day_utc": 11, "facts": {"zone_id": "pune", "failures_today": 8, "has_coordinates": true, "nearest_available_miler_within_km": "none within 30km", "milers_in_geo_index_within_30km": 0, "alert_already_sent_today": false}, "acceptable": ["ops_alert", "escalate"], "ideal": "ops_alert", "rationale": "Many failures and no rider anywhere near \u2014 a clear, severe coverage gap."}
+{"id": "index-full-nobody-on-duty", "hour_of_day_utc": 7, "facts": {"zone_id": "coimbatore", "failures_today": 6, "nearest_available_miler_within_km": "none within 30km", "milers_in_geo_index_within_30km": 26, "has_coordinates": true, "alert_already_sent_today": false}, "acceptable": ["ops_alert", "escalate"], "ideal": "ops_alert", "rationale": "26 riders have been seen here but none is Available \u2014 a staffing/on-duty gap; ops needs to get riders online, not a systemic fault."}
diff --git a/evals/assignment_eval.py b/evals/assignment_eval.py
index dbdc702..e0f16f6 100644
--- a/evals/assignment_eval.py
+++ b/evals/assignment_eval.py
@@ -4,7 +4,8 @@ Offline eval for the DispatchAgent assignment-failure decision
 
 Same scoring as the stall eval (see evals/_harness.py): acceptable-rate is the
 headline, exact-rate secondary. The cases use the real gatherer keys
-(zone_id, failures_today, nearest_miler_within_km, has_coordinates) so the eval
+(zone_id, failures_today, nearest_available_miler_within_km,
+milers_in_geo_index_within_30km, has_coordinates) so the eval
 reflects what DispatchAgent actually sends.
 
 Usage:
diff --git a/tests/test_dispatch_agent.py b/tests/test_dispatch_agent.py
index e6b08e9..ba784ae 100644
--- a/tests/test_dispatch_agent.py
+++ b/tests/test_dispatch_agent.py
@@ -17,13 +17,42 @@ from agents.dispatch_agent import DispatchAgent
 
 
 class FakeRedis:
-    """decode_responses=True style. `geo` is the GEORADIUS result for every call."""
-    def __init__(self, geo=None, counter_start=0, raise_on=()):
+    """decode_responses=True style. `geo` is the GEORADIUS result for every call.
+    `available` is the set of miler ids whose miler_status:<id> says Available;
+    every other geo member is treated as present-but-off-duty (the stale-index case)."""
+    def __init__(self, geo=None, counter_start=0, raise_on=(), available=None, alerted=False):
         self._geo = list(geo) if geo is not None else []
         self._counter = counter_start
         self._raise_on = set(raise_on)
+        self._available = set(available) if available is not None else set(self._geo)
+        self._kv = {}
+        if alerted:
+            self._kv["__alerted__"] = "1"
         self.incr_calls = []
         self.expire_calls = []
+        self.set_calls = []
+
+    async def get(self, key):
+        if key.startswith("miler_status:"):
+            mid = key.split(":", 1)[1]
+            if mid in self._available:
+                return '{"userid": %s, "status": "Available"}' % (mid if mid.isdigit() else 0)
+            if mid in self._geo:
+                return '{"userid": 0, "status": "Break"}'
+            return None
+        return self._kv.get(key)
+
+    async def exists(self, key):
+        if key.startswith("assignment_alert_sent:"):
+            return 1 if "__alerted__" in self._kv or key in self._kv else 0
+        return 1 if key in self._kv else 0
+
+    async def set(self, key, value, ex=None, nx=False):
+        self.set_calls.append((key, ex, nx))
+        if nx and key in self._kv:
+            return None
+        self._kv[key] = value
+        return True
 
     async def georadius(self, key, lon, lat, radius, unit, sort=None, count=None):
         if "georadius" in self._raise_on:
@@ -88,7 +117,9 @@ class TestGatherAssignmentFacts(unittest.IsolatedAsyncioTestCase):
         facts, count = await make_agent(redis)._gather_assignment_facts("hyderabad", 17.4, 78.4)
         self.assertEqual(facts["zone_id"], "hyderabad")
         self.assertTrue(facts["has_coordinates"])
-        self.assertEqual(facts["nearest_miler_within_km"], 10)
+        self.assertEqual(facts["nearest_available_miler_within_km"], 10)
+        self.assertEqual(facts["milers_in_geo_index_within_30km"], 1)
+        self.assertFalse(facts["alert_already_sent_today"])
         self.assertEqual(facts["failures_today"], 1)
         self.assertEqual(count, 1)
         self.assertEqual(redis.expire_calls[0][1], 172800)
@@ -96,31 +127,147 @@ class TestGatherAssignmentFacts(unittest.IsolatedAsyncioTestCase):
     async def test_no_rider_within_30km(self):
         redis = FakeRedis(geo=[], counter_start=2)   # every sweep empty
         facts, count = await make_agent(redis)._gather_assignment_facts("pune", 18.5, 73.8)
-        self.assertEqual(facts["nearest_miler_within_km"], "none within 30km")
+        self.assertEqual(facts["nearest_available_miler_within_km"], "none within 30km")
+        self.assertEqual(facts["milers_in_geo_index_within_30km"], 0)
         self.assertEqual(count, 3)
 
     async def test_no_coordinates(self):
         redis = FakeRedis(geo=["m1"])
         facts, count = await make_agent(redis)._gather_assignment_facts("unknown", None, None)
         self.assertFalse(facts["has_coordinates"])
-        self.assertEqual(facts["nearest_miler_within_km"], "unknown (no coordinates)")
+        self.assertEqual(facts["nearest_available_miler_within_km"], "unknown (no coordinates)")
+        self.assertNotIn("milers_in_geo_index_within_30km", facts)
         self.assertEqual(count, 1)              # counter still incremented
         self.assertEqual(redis.incr_calls and 1, 1)
 
     async def test_georadius_error_is_swallowed(self):
         redis = FakeRedis(raise_on={"georadius"})
         facts, count = await make_agent(redis)._gather_assignment_facts("z", 1.0, 2.0)  # must not raise
-        self.assertEqual(facts["nearest_miler_within_km"], "none within 30km")
+        self.assertEqual(facts["nearest_available_miler_within_km"], "none within 30km")
         self.assertEqual(facts["failures_today"], 1)
 
     async def test_counter_error_is_swallowed(self):
         redis = FakeRedis(geo=["m9"], raise_on={"incr"})
         facts, count = await make_agent(redis)._gather_assignment_facts("z", 1.0, 2.0)  # must not raise
-        self.assertEqual(facts["nearest_miler_within_km"], 10)   # coverage still gathered
+        self.assertEqual(facts["nearest_available_miler_within_km"], 10)   # coverage still gathered
         self.assertEqual(facts["failures_today"], 0)             # counter degraded to 0
         self.assertEqual(count, 0)
 
 
+class TestLiveness(unittest.IsolatedAsyncioTestCase):
+    """The prod incident: 26 riders in the geo index, none on duty. The old
+    check said 'rider within 20 km' and called it a coverage gap."""
+
+    async def test_stale_index_entries_are_not_available_riders(self):
+        redis = FakeRedis(geo=["4", "7", "12"], available=[])     # all present, all off-duty
+        facts, _ = await make_agent(redis)._gather_assignment_facts("coimbatore", 11.0, 76.9)
+        self.assertEqual(facts["nearest_available_miler_within_km"], "none within 30km")
+        self.assertEqual(facts["milers_in_geo_index_within_30km"], 3)   # but the index knows them
+
+    async def test_first_available_candidate_wins(self):
+        redis = FakeRedis(geo=["4", "7", "12"], available=["12"])
+        found = await make_agent(redis)._find_zone(11.0, 76.9, radius_km=10)
+        self.assertEqual(found["miler_id"], "12")
+        self.assertEqual(found["stale_candidates_skipped"], 2)
+
+    async def test_missing_status_key_means_unavailable(self):
+        redis = FakeRedis(geo=["99"], available=[])
+        redis._geo = []            # nothing in geo → get() returns None for status
+        self.assertFalse(await make_agent(redis)._miler_is_available("99"))
+
+
+class FakeMessages:
+    def __init__(self):
+        self.sent = []
+
+    async def send_message(self, recipient, message_type, payload, correlation_id=None):
+        self.sent.append((recipient, message_type, payload))
+
+
+def make_handler_agent(redis, decision):
+    """Agent with send_message captured and the LLM stubbed to a fixed decision (or None)."""
+    from agents import dispatch_agent as mod
+    agent = DispatchAgent.__new__(DispatchAgent)
+    agent._redis = redis
+    agent.agent_id = "DISPATCH_AGENT"
+    box = FakeMessages()
+    agent.send_message = box.send_message
+    calls = []
+    async def fake_decide(context):
+        calls.append(context)
+        return decision
+    mod.decide_assignment_failure = fake_decide
+    return agent, box, calls
+
+
+class FakeMsg:
+    def __init__(self, payload):
+        import json
+        self.data = json.dumps(payload).encode()
+        self.acked = False
+
+    async def ack(self):
+        self.acked = True
+
+
+class TestRateLimitAndSinks(unittest.IsolatedAsyncioTestCase):
+    def setUp(self):
+        from agents import dispatch_agent as mod
+        self._orig = mod.decide_assignment_failure
+
+    def tearDown(self):
+        from agents import dispatch_agent as mod
+        mod.decide_assignment_failure = self._orig
+
+    async def test_ops_alert_goes_to_jarvis_as_exception_and_marks_zone(self):
+        from core.types import MessageType
+        from core.llm import AssignmentDecision
+        redis = FakeRedis(geo=[], counter_start=2)
+        agent, box, calls = make_handler_agent(redis, AssignmentDecision("ops_alert", "gap", 0.9))
+        msg = FakeMsg({"booking_id": 1, "lat": 11.0, "lon": 76.9})
+        await agent._on_nats_booking_assignment_failed(msg)
+        self.assertTrue(msg.acked)
+        self.assertEqual(len(calls), 1)                                  # LLM consulted once
+        recipient, mtype, payload = box.sent[0]
+        self.assertEqual(recipient, "JARVIS")                            # not CUSTOMER_AGENT
+        self.assertEqual(mtype, MessageType.EXCEPTION_DETECTED)          # the path JARVIS handles
+        self.assertEqual(payload["exception_type"], "coverage_gap")
+        self.assertTrue(any(k.startswith("assignment_alert_sent:") for k, _, _ in redis.set_calls))
+
+    async def test_burst_after_alert_skips_llm_and_realerts_every_n(self):
+        from agents import dispatch_agent as mod
+        from core.llm import AssignmentDecision
+        redis = FakeRedis(geo=[], counter_start=0, alerted=True)          # zone already alerted today
+        agent, box, calls = make_handler_agent(redis, AssignmentDecision("ops_alert", "gap", 0.9))
+        old = mod.DISPATCH_REALERT_EVERY
+        mod.DISPATCH_REALERT_EVERY = 100
+        try:
+            for i in range(1, 251):
+                await agent._on_nats_booking_assignment_failed(FakeMsg({"booking_id": i, "lat": 11.0, "lon": 76.9}))
+        finally:
+            mod.DISPATCH_REALERT_EVERY = old
+        self.assertEqual(calls, [])                 # zero LLM calls during the burst
+        self.assertEqual(len(box.sent), 2)          # re-alerts at 100 and 200 only
+        self.assertIn("200 failed assignments", box.sent[1][2]["reasoning"])
+
+    async def test_llm_unavailable_falls_back_to_heuristic(self):
+        redis = FakeRedis(geo=[], counter_start=2)
+        agent, box, calls = make_handler_agent(redis, None)               # LLM down
+        await agent._on_nats_booking_assignment_failed(FakeMsg({"booking_id": 5, "lat": 1.0, "lon": 2.0}))
+        self.assertEqual(len(box.sent), 1)          # count reached 3 → heuristic alert
+        self.assertEqual(box.sent[0][0], "JARVIS")
+
+    async def test_escalate_goes_to_jarvis_as_exception(self):
+        from core.types import MessageType
+        from core.llm import AssignmentDecision
+        redis = FakeRedis(geo=["4"], available=["4"], counter_start=4)
+        agent, box, calls = make_handler_agent(redis, AssignmentDecision("escalate", "riders near, still failing", 0.8))
+        await agent._on_nats_booking_assignment_failed(FakeMsg({"booking_id": 9, "lat": 1.0, "lon": 2.0}))
+        recipient, mtype, payload = box.sent[0]
+        self.assertEqual((recipient, mtype), ("JARVIS", MessageType.EXCEPTION_DETECTED))
+        self.assertEqual(payload["proposed_action"], "escalate")
+
+
 class TestBindConsumer(unittest.IsolatedAsyncioTestCase):
     async def test_binds_to_discovered_stream_without_creating(self):
         js = FakeJS(stream_name="TRACKING")
diff --git a/tests/test_jarvis_inbox.py b/tests/test_jarvis_inbox.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d131858
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_jarvis_inbox.py
@@ -0,0 +1,49 @@
+"""JARVIS is the only sink for escalations; nothing sent there may dead-letter."""
+import pytest
+
+from datetime import datetime
+
+from core.agent import MasterAgent
+from core.types import AgentMessage, AgentTask, MessageType, Priority
+
+
+def make_jarvis():
+    j = MasterAgent.__new__(MasterAgent)
+    j.agent_id = "JARVIS"
+    j._escalations = []
+    j._decision_log = []
+    return j
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_exception_detected_message_lands_in_inbox():
+    j = make_jarvis()
+    await j.handle_message(AgentMessage(
+        message_id="m1", timestamp=datetime.now(),
+        sender="DISPATCH_AGENT", recipient="JARVIS",
+        message_type=MessageType.EXCEPTION_DETECTED,
+        payload={"exception_type": "coverage_gap", "severity": "medium", "zone_id": "z"},
+    ))
+    inbox = j.pending_escalations()
+    assert len(inbox) == 1
+    assert inbox[0]["from"] == "DISPATCH_AGENT"
+    assert inbox[0]["exception_type"] == "coverage_gap"
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_human_review_task_is_recorded_not_dropped():
+    j = make_jarvis()
+    task = AgentTask(task_id="t1", agent_type="master", task_type="human_review", priority=Priority.HIGH,
+                     data={"source": "EXCEPTION_AGENT", "exception_type": "miler_stalled", "severity": "high"})
+    result = await j.handle_task(task)
+    assert result["status"] == "recorded"
+    assert j.pending_escalations()[0]["from"] == "EXCEPTION_AGENT"
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_inbox_is_newest_first_and_capped():
+    j = make_jarvis()
+    for i in range(600):
+        j._record_escalation("X", {"exception_type": "t", "severity": "low", "n": i})
+    assert len(j._escalations) == 500
+    assert j.pending_escalations(limit=3)[0]["payload"]["n"] == 599