Backfill the regression test for a bug that shipped without one
A bug that was fixed under time pressure and never got the test that stops it coming back.
The ticket
Write the regression test for a bug that was fixed without one.
Acceptance criteria
- The test fails against the code as it was before the fix
- The test asserts the user-visible behaviour, not the internals of the fix
- It sits with the tests for that area rather than in a separate file
- The original issue is referenced in the description
What lands as proof
A test proven to fail against the reverted fix, which is the only evidence that it actually covers the bug.
Why teams defer it
- The bug is fixed, so the ticket to test it has no urgency and drops off the board.
- Nobody knows which fixes shipped without tests without going through the log, and nobody has a reason to.
Questions
- What does the agent actually change?
- The ticket is scoped to one outcome: write the regression test for a bug that was fixed without one. Work that serves that outcome is in scope, and anything outside it is left for a separate ticket, so the pull request stays reviewable.
- How do I know the work is done?
- The pull request carries the evidence, not only the diff. Here that means the test fails when the fix is reverted, so a reviewer can confirm the result without reproducing the work locally.
- How much oversight does this need?
- None is required before the run starts. Every claim this ticket makes can be checked by machine, so the agent works straight through and a person reviews the finished pull request like any other.