From f033ecf904c63831e3aeeebb93e6d8d8cea31724 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: santhreal <64453045+santhreal@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Sat, 18 Jul 2026 19:35:29 -0700
Subject: [PATCH] fix: parse skill selection JSON with trailing braces

Greedy \{.*\} matching dropped valid skill-selection objects when the
LLM appended prose that contained braces. Use raw_decode from the first
brace instead.
---
 .gitignore                                           |  1 +
 openspace/skill_engine/registry.py                   | 10 +++++-----
 .../test_registry_skill_selection_json.py            | 12 ++++++++++++
 3 files changed, 18 insertions(+), 5 deletions(-)
 create mode 100644 tests/skill_engine/test_registry_skill_selection_json.py

diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 27e8dfb0..6c717eef 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -51,6 +51,7 @@ tests/skill_engine/*
 !tests/skill_engine/test_evolver_length_recovery.py
 !tests/skill_engine/test_evolution_retry_idempotency.py
 !tests/skill_engine/test_analyzer_length_recovery.py
+!tests/skill_engine/test_registry_skill_selection_json.py
 !tests/skill_engine/decision/
 tests/skill_engine/decision/*
 !tests/skill_engine/decision/test_analysis_adapter.py
diff --git a/openspace/skill_engine/registry.py b/openspace/skill_engine/registry.py
index 1ffddd4a..9f7be000 100644
--- a/openspace/skill_engine/registry.py
+++ b/openspace/skill_engine/registry.py
@@ -1888,13 +1888,13 @@ def _parse_skill_selection_response(content: str) -> tuple[List[str], str]:
         if code_block:
             content = code_block.group(1).strip()
         else:
-            # Try to find a raw JSON object
-            json_match = re.search(r"\{.*\}", content, re.DOTALL)
-            if json_match:
-                content = json_match.group()
+            # Prefer the first object start; raw_decode ignores trailing prose.
+            brace = content.find("{")
+            if brace >= 0:
+                content = content[brace:]
 
         try:
-            data = json.loads(content)
+            data, _ = json.JSONDecoder().raw_decode(content)
         except json.JSONDecodeError:
             logger.warning(f"Failed to parse LLM skill selection JSON: {content[:200]}")
             return [], ""
diff --git a/tests/skill_engine/test_registry_skill_selection_json.py b/tests/skill_engine/test_registry_skill_selection_json.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..0c0fb342
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/skill_engine/test_registry_skill_selection_json.py
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+"""Regression: trailing prose with braces must not drop skill-selection JSON."""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+from openspace.skill_engine.registry import SkillRegistry
+
+
+def test_parse_skill_selection_tolerates_trailing_prose_braces():
+    text = '{"brief_plan": "ok", "skills": ["a"]}\n\nnote {x}'
+    ids, plan = SkillRegistry._parse_skill_selection_response(text)
+    assert ids == ["a"]
+    assert plan == "ok"