Don't count empty Gemini rows as 4/4

.env.example

@@ -24,6 +24,10 @@ KEY_ENCRYPTION_SECRET=generate_with_openssl_rand_-base64_32
 # Optional Gemini API key path (Google AI Studio)
 GEMINI_API_KEY=your_gemini_api_key
 
+# Optional Vertex ADC JSON. Unquoted multiline JSON is truncated to "{" by Next dotenv
+# and looks like Gemini flaking. Use one line, or wrap the JSON in single quotes.
+# GOOGLE_APPLICATION_CREDENTIALS_JSON='{"type":"service_account","project_id":"..."}'
+
 # Public deployments: set to true so visitors must supply their own key (pasted BYOK or saved).
 # Leave unset or false for local dev with server-side .env keys.
 REQUIRE_USER_API_KEYS=false

src/__tests__/byok-route-guards.test.ts

@@ -349,6 +349,59 @@ describe("BYOK-required route guards", () => {
     )
   })
 
+  it("does not count an empty-fail Gemini row as a 4/4 yes-vote", async () => {
+    delete process.env.REQUIRE_USER_API_KEYS
+    generateGeminiVerdictWithApiKeyMock.mockResolvedValue(
+      JSON.stringify({ ...validVerdict, voteSplit: "4/4 unanimous" })
+    )
+    const debate: Message[] = [
+      messages[0],
+      {
+        id: "p1",
+        sender: "perplexity",
+        displayName: "Perplexity",
+        content: "Ship a monolith first.",
+        timestamp: new Date(),
+      },
+      {
+        id: "c1",
+        sender: "claude",
+        displayName: "Claude",
+        content: "Start with a monolith.",
+        timestamp: new Date(),
+      },
+      {
+        id: "g2",
+        sender: "gpt",
+        displayName: "GPT",
+        content: "A well-structured monolith is enough.",
+        timestamp: new Date(),
+      },
+      {
+        id: "gm-fail",
+        sender: "gemini",
+        displayName: "Gemini",
+        content: "Gemini couldn't reply this round.",
+        timestamp: new Date(),
+        failed: true,
+      },
+    ]
+
+    const response = await consensusPOST(
+      jsonRequest("/api/consensus", {
+        messages: debate,
+        locale: "en",
+        responseLength: "medium",
+      }) as never
+    )
+
+    expect(response.status).toBe(200)
+    await expect(response.json()).resolves.toMatchObject({ voteSplit: "3/3 unanimous" })
+    const prompt = generateGeminiVerdictWithApiKeyMock.mock.calls[0]?.[0]?.userPrompt as string
+    expect(prompt).toContain("3 model(s) produced a real reply")
+    expect(prompt).not.toContain("couldn't reply this round")
+  })
+
   it("ocr proceeds with the saved Gemini key when BYOK is required", async () => {
     authMock.mockResolvedValue({ user: { id: "user-1" } })
     getUserProviderApiKeyMock.mockResolvedValue("user-gemini-key")

src/__tests__/consensus-resolve.test.ts

@@ -43,6 +43,23 @@ describe("humanVerdictError", () => {
     expect(humanVerdictError(new Error("timed out"), "ko")).toMatch(/오래/)
   })
 
+  it("does not treat Vertex credentials JSON errors as a bad API key", () => {
+    expect(
+      humanVerdictError(
+        new Error(
+          "Vertex credentials JSON is invalid or truncated. Put GOOGLE_APPLICATION_CREDENTIALS_JSON on one line or wrap the JSON in single quotes."
+        )
+      )
+    ).toMatch(/credentials JSON/i)
+    expect(
+      humanVerdictError(
+        new Error(
+          "Vertex credentials JSON is invalid or truncated. Put GOOGLE_APPLICATION_CREDENTIALS_JSON on one line or wrap the JSON in single quotes."
+        )
+      )
+    ).not.toMatch(/current key/i)
+  })
+
   it("exports a clear missing-key message", () => {
     expect(NO_CONSENSUS_KEY_MESSAGE).toMatch(/API key/i)
   })

src/__tests__/debate-engine.test.ts

@@ -12,6 +12,9 @@ import {
   consensusKeyProviders,
   isBlindRound,
   messagesReadyForConsensus,
+  isFailedPanelistRow,
+  providersWithReplies,
+  providerFailureCopy,
 } from "@/hooks/useDebateEngine"
 import type { State } from "@/hooks/useDebateEngine"
 import type { Message, VerdictResult } from "@/types"
@@ -277,6 +280,23 @@ describe("getConsensusMessages", () => {
     const result = getConsensusMessages([userMsg, failed, aiMsg, systemMsg, verdictMsg])
     expect(result.map((m) => m.sender)).toEqual(["user", "gemini", "verdict"])
   })
+
+  it("drops empty-reply copy even when the failed flag is missing", () => {
+    const emptyGemini: Message = {
+      ...aiMsg,
+      id: "gemini-empty",
+      content: "Gemini couldn't reply this round.",
+    }
+    const claudeMsg: Message = {
+      ...aiMsg,
+      id: "claude-1",
+      sender: "claude",
+      displayName: "Claude",
+      content: "Start with a monolith.",
+    }
+    const result = getConsensusMessages([userMsg, claudeMsg, emptyGemini])
+    expect(result.map((m) => m.id)).toEqual(["user-1", "claude-1"])
+  })
 })
 
 describe("getAIMessageCount", () => {
@@ -292,6 +312,48 @@ describe("getAIMessageCount", () => {
   it("returns 0 for no AI messages", () => {
     expect(getAIMessageCount([userMsg, systemMsg])).toBe(0)
   })
+
+  it("does not count failed or empty-reply rows as votes", () => {
+    const failed: Message = {
+      ...aiMsg,
+      id: "gemini-failed",
+      content: "Gemini couldn't reply this round.",
+      failed: true,
+    }
+    const emptyCopy: Message = {
+      ...aiMsg,
+      id: "gemini-empty",
+      content: "Gemini couldn't reply this round.",
+    }
+    const claudeMsg: Message = {
+      ...aiMsg,
+      id: "claude-1",
+      sender: "claude",
+      displayName: "Claude",
+      content: "Start with a monolith.",
+    }
+    const gptMsg: Message = {
+      ...aiMsg,
+      id: "gpt-1",
+      sender: "gpt",
+      displayName: "GPT",
+      content: "Monolith for an MVP.",
+    }
+    expect(getAIMessageCount([userMsg, claudeMsg, gptMsg, failed])).toBe(2)
+    expect(getAIMessageCount([userMsg, claudeMsg, gptMsg, emptyCopy])).toBe(2)
+  })
+
+  it("does not count thinking placeholders", () => {
+    const pending: Message = { ...aiMsg, id: "gemini-pending", content: "" }
+    const claudeMsg: Message = {
+      ...aiMsg,
+      id: "claude-1",
+      sender: "claude",
+      displayName: "Claude",
+      content: "Start with a monolith.",
+    }
+    expect(getAIMessageCount([userMsg, claudeMsg, pending])).toBe(1)
+  })
 })
 
 /* ---- Additional reducer action tests ---- */
@@ -619,4 +681,149 @@ describe("messagesReadyForConsensus", () => {
     expect(result.map((m) => m.id)).toEqual(["user-1", "gemini-1"])
     expect(getAIMessageCount(result)).toBe(1)
   })
+
+  it("drops empty-reply bubbles so stop cannot treat them as yes-votes", () => {
+    const emptyGemini: Message = {
+      ...aiMsg,
+      id: "gemini-empty",
+      content: "Gemini couldn't reply this round.",
+    }
+    const claudeMsg: Message = {
+      ...aiMsg,
+      id: "claude-1",
+      sender: "claude",
+      displayName: "Claude",
+      content: "Start with a monolith.",
+    }
+    const gptMsg: Message = {
+      ...aiMsg,
+      id: "gpt-1",
+      sender: "gpt",
+      displayName: "GPT",
+      content: "Ship a monolith.",
+    }
+    const result = messagesReadyForConsensus([userMsg, claudeMsg, gptMsg, emptyGemini])
+    expect(result.map((m) => m.id)).toEqual(["user-1", "claude-1", "gpt-1"])
+    expect(getAIMessageCount(result)).toBe(2)
+  })
+})
+
+describe("isFailedPanelistRow", () => {
+  it("treats failed, empty, cancelled, timeout, and empty-reply copy as non-votes", () => {
+    expect(isFailedPanelistRow({ ...aiMsg, failed: true })).toBe(true)
+    expect(isFailedPanelistRow({ ...aiMsg, content: "" })).toBe(true)
+    expect(isFailedPanelistRow({ ...aiMsg, content: "Response cancelled." })).toBe(true)
+    expect(isFailedPanelistRow({ ...aiMsg, content: "Gemini timed out." })).toBe(true)
+    expect(isFailedPanelistRow({ ...aiMsg, content: "Gemini couldn't reply this round." })).toBe(
+      true
+    )
+    expect(
+      isFailedPanelistRow({ ...aiMsg, content: "Gemini가 이번 라운드에 답하지 못했어요." })
+    ).toBe(true)
+    expect(
+      isFailedPanelistRow({
+        ...aiMsg,
+        content:
+          "Gemini couldn't start: Vertex credentials JSON is invalid or truncated. Put GOOGLE_APPLICATION_CREDENTIALS_JSON on one line, or wrap the JSON in single quotes.",
+      })
+    ).toBe(true)
+    expect(
+      isFailedPanelistRow({
+        ...aiMsg,
+        content:
+          "Gemini를 시작하지 못했어요. Vertex 자격 증명 JSON이 잘못됐거나 잘렸습니다. .env.local의 GOOGLE_APPLICATION_CREDENTIALS_JSON을 한 줄로 쓰거나 작은따옴표로 감싸 주세요.",
+      })
+    ).toBe(true)
+    expect(isFailedPanelistRow(aiMsg)).toBe(false)
+    expect(isFailedPanelistRow(userMsg)).toBe(false)
+  })
+})
+
+describe("providersWithReplies", () => {
+  it("drops panelists that empty-failed so later rounds do not re-prompt them as voters", () => {
+    const emptyGemini: Message = {
+      ...aiMsg,
+      id: "gemini-empty",
+      content: "Gemini couldn't reply this round.",
+      failed: true,
+    }
+    const claudeMsg: Message = {
+      ...aiMsg,
+      id: "claude-1",
+      sender: "claude",
+      displayName: "Claude",
+      content: "Start with a monolith.",
+    }
+    const gptMsg: Message = {
+      ...aiMsg,
+      id: "gpt-1",
+      sender: "gpt",
+      displayName: "GPT",
+      content: "Ship a monolith.",
+    }
+    expect(
+      providersWithReplies(
+        [userMsg, claudeMsg, gptMsg, emptyGemini],
+        ["perplexity", "claude", "gpt", "gemini"]
+      )
+    ).toEqual(["claude", "gpt"])
+  })
+
+  it("only counts replies after the latest user message", () => {
+    const priorGemini: Message = {
+      ...aiMsg,
+      id: "gemini-old",
+      content: "I answered an earlier question.",
+    }
+    const followUp: Message = { ...userMsg, id: "user-2", content: "What about an MVP?" }
+    const emptyGemini: Message = {
+      ...aiMsg,
+      id: "gemini-empty",
+      content: "Gemini couldn't reply this round.",
+      failed: true,
+    }
+    const claudeMsg: Message = {
+      ...aiMsg,
+      id: "claude-1",
+      sender: "claude",
+      displayName: "Claude",
+      content: "Start with a monolith.",
+    }
+    expect(
+      providersWithReplies(
+        [userMsg, priorGemini, followUp, claudeMsg, emptyGemini],
+        ["claude", "gpt", "gemini"]
+      )
+    ).toEqual(["claude"])
+  })
+})
+
+describe("providerFailureCopy", () => {
+  it("does not swallow Vertex credential parse errors as emptyResponse", () => {
+    const copy = providerFailureCopy(
+      "Vertex credentials JSON is invalid or truncated. Put GOOGLE_APPLICATION_CREDENTIALS_JSON on one line or wrap the JSON in single quotes.",
+      "en",
+      "gemini"
+    )
+    expect(copy).not.toMatch(/couldn't reply this round/)
+    expect(copy).toMatch(/Gemini/)
+    expect(copy.toLowerCase()).toMatch(/credential/)
+    expect(copy).not.toMatch(/private_key/)
+  })
+
+  it("keeps the empty-reply fallback for ordinary stream failures", () => {
+    expect(providerFailureCopy("No response body", "en", "gemini")).toBe(
+      "Gemini couldn't reply this round."
+    )
+  })
+
+  it("maps raw JSON.parse credential failures the same way", () => {
+    const copy = providerFailureCopy(
+      "Expected property name or '}' in JSON at position 1",
+      "en",
+      "gemini"
+    )
+    expect(copy).not.toMatch(/couldn't reply this round/)
+    expect(copy.toLowerCase()).toMatch(/credential/)
+  })
 })