fix: reduce false container-failed notifications, add error details to UI

Backend (health_monitor.py):
- Skip health checks for instances with no container_id
- Treat 'not_found' as error only when container was previously running
- Skip duplicate error notifications when already in error state
- Skip 'not_found' notifications for containers that never ran

Frontend (notification-item.tsx):
- Display notification.message (detailed error text)
- Add expandable Details section showing metadata (exit_code, previous_status, etc.)
- New CSS styles for message and metadata display

Quality gates: py_compile, tsc --noEmit, 80/80 tests pass

apps/api/src/services/instance/health_monitor.py

@@ -90,8 +90,16 @@ class HealthMonitor:
         instance: ToolInstance,
     ) -> None:
         """Check a single instance and handle state transitions."""
+        # Skip instances that have never been assigned a container.
+        if not instance.container_id:
+            logger.debug(
+                "Skipping health check for instance %s: no container_id",
+                instance.id,
+            )
+            return
+
         try:
-            container_info = get_container_status(instance.container_id or "")
+            container_info = get_container_status(instance.container_id)
         except Exception:
             logger.exception(
                 "Health check failed for instance %s",
@@ -135,7 +143,11 @@ class HealthMonitor:
         previous = self._last_known_state.get(instance.id)
 
         # Determine new status
-        new_status = self._derive_status(snapshot)
+        new_status = self._derive_status(
+            snapshot,
+            previous,
+            instance.status,
+        )
 
         # If first check or state changed
         if previous is None or not self._snapshots_equal(previous, snapshot):
@@ -144,10 +156,34 @@ class HealthMonitor:
             )
             self._last_known_state[instance.id] = snapshot
 
-    def _derive_status(self, snapshot: HealthSnapshot) -> str:
+    def _derive_status(
-        """Derive instance status from health snapshot."""
+        self,
+        snapshot: HealthSnapshot,
+        previous: HealthSnapshot | None,
+        current_status: str | None,
+    ) -> str:
+        """Derive instance status from health snapshot.
+
+        Treats missing containers as an error only when the container was
+        previously known to be running. This avoids false "container failed"
+        alerts for instances that are still starting or have no container yet.
+        """
+        if snapshot.container_status == "not_found":
+            # If the container was never seen running, assume it's still
+            # starting or was deleted intentionally; don't flag as error.
+            if previous is None and current_status == "starting":
+                return "starting"
+            if previous is not None and previous.container_status == "running":
+                return "error"
+            # Fall back to current status to avoid spurious errors.
+            return current_status or "error"
+
+        if snapshot.container_status == "exited":
+            return "error"
+
         if snapshot.container_status != "running":
             return "error"
+
         if snapshot.tunnel_healthy is False:
             return "unhealthy"
         return "running"
@@ -223,6 +259,16 @@ class HealthMonitor:
         # Create notification for instance owner (fire-and-forget)
         # Only send warnings and errors; skip "recovered" info notifications.
         if new_status == "error":
+            # Skip duplicate error notifications if already in error state.
+            if previous_status == "error":
+                return
+            # Skip "not_found" errors for containers that were never running
+            # (e.g. still starting, or intentionally stopped/deleted).
+            if (
+                snapshot.container_status == "not_found"
+                and (previous is None or previous.container_status != "running")
+            ):
+                return
             category = "instance"
             severity = "error"
             title = "Container failed"

apps/web/src/components/features/notification/notification-item.tsx

@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import { useState } from "react";
 import { Icon } from "../../icon";
 import { formatRelativeTime } from "../../../utils/time";
 import type { NotificationItem as NotificationItemType } from "../../../api/notifications";
@@ -17,6 +18,18 @@ const severityIconMap: Record<string, IconName> = {
 	success: "success",
 };
 
+function formatMetadataValue(value: unknown): string {
+	if (value === null || value === undefined) return "—";
+	if (typeof value === "string") return value;
+	if (typeof value === "number") return String(value);
+	if (typeof value === "boolean") return value ? "Yes" : "No";
+	try {
+		return JSON.stringify(value);
+	} catch {
+		return String(value);
+	}
+}
+
 export function NotificationItem({
 	notification,
 	onMarkRead,
@@ -24,6 +37,11 @@ export function NotificationItem({
 }: NotificationItemProps) {
 	const isUnread = notification.read_at === null;
 	const iconName = severityIconMap[notification.severity] ?? "info";
+	const [expanded, setExpanded] = useState(false);
+
+	const hasDetails =
+		!!notification.message ||
+			Object.keys(notification.metadata || {}).length > 0;
 
 	return (
 		<li
@@ -35,11 +53,36 @@ export function NotificationItem({
 			</div>
 			<div className="notification-item-content">
 				<div className="notification-item-title">{notification.title}</div>
+				{notification.message && (
+					<div className="notification-item-message">
+						{notification.message}
+					</div>
+				)}
 				<div className="notification-item-time">
 					{formatRelativeTime(notification.created_at)}
 				</div>
+				{expanded && notification.metadata && (
+					<dl className="notification-item-metadata">
+						{Object.entries(notification.metadata).map(([key, value]) => (
+							<div key={key} className="notification-metadata-row">
+								<dt>{key.replace(/_/g, " ")}</dt>
+								<dd>{formatMetadataValue(value)}</dd>
+							</div>
+						))}
+					</dl>
+				)}
 			</div>
 			<div className="notification-item-actions">
+				{hasDetails && (
+					<button
+						type="button"
+						className="notification-item-action"
+						onClick={() => setExpanded(!expanded)}
+						aria-label={expanded ? "Hide details" : "Show details"}
+					>
+						{expanded ? "Less" : "Details"}
+					</button>
+				)}
 				{isUnread && (
 					<button
 						type="button"

apps/web/src/components/features/project/ProjectCard.tsx

@@ -14,7 +14,11 @@ interface Props {
 	onConfirmDelete: () => void;
 	onCancelDelete: () => void;
 	onCreateWorkspace: (repoId: string) => void;
-  onWorkspaceAction: (repoId: string, workspace: WorkspaceSummary, action: "sync" | "delete") => void;
+	onWorkspaceAction: (
+		repoId: string,
+		workspace: WorkspaceSummary,
+		action: "sync" | "delete",
+	) => void;
 	onCancelCreate: () => void;
 	onCreated: () => void;
 }
@@ -38,15 +42,23 @@ export const ProjectCard = ({
 	return (
 		<article className="card project-card">
 			<div className="project-info-row">
-        <button className="project-toggle" onClick={onToggle} type="button" aria-expanded={expanded}>
+				<button
+					className="project-toggle"
+					onClick={onToggle}
+					type="button"
+					aria-expanded={expanded}
+				>
 					<Icon name={expanded ? "chevron-down" : "chevron-right"} size="sm" />
 					<div>
 						<h3>{project.name}</h3>
-            {project.description && <p className="muted project-description">{project.description}</p>}
+						{project.description && (
+							<p className="muted project-description">{project.description}</p>
+						)}
 					</div>
 					{project.repositories?.length > 0 && (
 						<span className="repo-count">
-              {project.repositories.length} repo{project.repositories.length > 1 ? "s" : ""}
+							{project.repositories.length} repo
+							{project.repositories.length > 1 ? "s" : ""}
 						</span>
 					)}
 				</button>
@@ -57,15 +69,27 @@ export const ProjectCard = ({
 					{deleteConfirm ? (
 						<div className="delete-confirm">
 							<span>Are you sure?</span>
-              <button className="danger-button" onClick={onConfirmDelete} type="button">
+							<button
+								className="danger-button"
+								onClick={onConfirmDelete}
+								type="button"
+							>
 								<Icon name="delete" size="sm" /> Delete
 							</button>
-              <button className="ghost-button" onClick={onCancelDelete} type="button">
+							<button
+								className="ghost-button"
+								onClick={onCancelDelete}
+								type="button"
+							>
 								<Icon name="cancel" size="sm" /> Cancel
 							</button>
 						</div>
 					) : (
-            <button className="ghost-button danger-text" onClick={onDelete} type="button">
+						<button
+							className="ghost-button danger-text"
+							onClick={onDelete}
+							type="button"
+						>
 							<Icon name="delete" size="sm" /> Delete
 						</button>
 					)}
@@ -82,29 +106,59 @@ export const ProjectCard = ({
 								<div key={repo.id} className="repo-block">
 									<div className="repo-header">
 										<h4>{repo.name}</h4>
-                    <button className="btn btn-sm btn-primary" onClick={() => onCreateWorkspace(repo.id)} type="button">
+										<button
+											className="btn btn-sm btn-primary"
+											onClick={() => onCreateWorkspace(repo.id)}
+											type="button"
+										>
 											<Icon name="add" size="sm" /> New Workspace
 										</button>
 									</div>
 									{showCreateForm === repo.id && (
-                    <WorkspaceCreateForm defaultProjectId={project.id} defaultRepoId={repo.id} onSubmit={onCreated} onCancel={onCancelCreate} />
+										<WorkspaceCreateForm
+											defaultProjectId={project.id}
+											defaultRepoId={repo.id}
+											onSubmit={onCreated}
+											onCancel={onCancelCreate}
+										/>
 									)}
 									{repo.workspaces.length === 0 ? (
 										<p className="muted">No workspaces.</p>
 									) : (
 										<div className="workspace-grid">
 											{repo.workspaces.map((ws) => (
-                        <div key={ws.id} className={`workspace-chip ${ws.status}`}>
+												<div
+													key={ws.id}
+													className={`workspace-chip ${ws.status}`}
+												>
 													<a href={`/workspaces/${ws.id}`}>{ws.name}</a>
-                          <span className="ws-branch"><Icon name="branch" size="sm" /> {ws.branch}</span>
+													<span className="ws-branch">
+														<Icon name="branch" size="sm" /> {ws.branch}
+													</span>
 													{ws.instance_count > 0 && (
-                            <span className="ws-instances">{ws.instance_count} tool{ws.instance_count > 1 ? "s" : ""}</span>
+														<span className="ws-instances">
+															{ws.instance_count} tool
+															{ws.instance_count > 1 ? "s" : ""}
+														</span>
 													)}
 													<div className="ws-actions">
-                            <button type="button" disabled={workspaceLoading === ws.id} onClick={() => onWorkspaceAction(repo.id, ws, "sync")}>
+														<button
+															type="button"
+															disabled={workspaceLoading === ws.id}
+															onClick={() =>
+																onWorkspaceAction(repo.id, ws, "sync")
+															}
+														>
 															<Icon name="refresh" size="sm" />
 														</button>
-                            <button type="button" className="danger-text" disabled={workspaceLoading === ws.id} onClick={() => onWorkspaceAction(repo.id, ws, "delete")}>
+														<button
+															type="button"
+															className="danger-text"
+															disabled={workspaceLoading === ws.id}
+															onClick={() =>
+																onWorkspaceAction(repo.id, ws, "delete")
+															}
+														>
 															<Icon name="delete" size="sm" />
 														</button>
 													</div>

apps/web/src/components/features/project/repository-create-dialog.tsx

@@ -1,11 +1,21 @@
 import { useEffect, useRef, useState } from "react";
 
-import { createRepository, parseGitUrl, type GitRepositoryCreate, type URLParseResult } from "../../../api/git-repositories";
+import {
+	createRepository,
+	parseGitUrl,
+	type GitRepositoryCreate,
+	type URLParseResult,
+} from "../../../api/git-repositories";
 import { listSSHKeys, type SSHKey } from "../../../api/ssh-keys";
 import { Icon } from "../../icon";
 
 type CreateMode = "clone" | "blank";
-type UrlValidationStatus = "idle" | "validating" | "valid" | "needs-parsing" | "invalid";
+type UrlValidationStatus =
+	| "idle"
+	| "validating"
+	| "valid"
+	| "needs-parsing"
+	| "invalid";
 
 interface RepositoryCreateDialogProps {
 	projectId: string;
@@ -15,7 +25,13 @@ interface RepositoryCreateDialogProps {
 	onCreated: () => Promise<void> | void;
 }
 
-export const RepositoryCreateDialog = ({ projectId, open, title, onClose, onCreated }: RepositoryCreateDialogProps) => {
+export const RepositoryCreateDialog = ({
+	projectId,
+	open,
+	title,
+	onClose,
+	onCreated,
+}: RepositoryCreateDialogProps) => {
 	const [createMode, setCreateMode] = useState<CreateMode>("clone");
 	const [formName, setFormName] = useState("");
 	const [owner, setOwner] = useState("");
@@ -148,7 +164,9 @@ export const RepositoryCreateDialog = ({ projectId, open, title, onClose, onCrea
 		} catch (error: unknown) {
 			const response = error as { response?: { data?: { detail?: string } } };
 			const detail = response.response?.data?.detail;
-      setFormError(typeof detail === "string" ? detail : "Failed to create repository");
+			setFormError(
+				typeof detail === "string" ? detail : "Failed to create repository",
+			);
 		}
 	};
 
@@ -180,7 +198,8 @@ export const RepositoryCreateDialog = ({ projectId, open, title, onClose, onCrea
 			<div className="dialog">
 				<h3>{title}</h3>
 				<p className="muted">
-          Clone an existing repository from git.commumedia.org, or create a blank bare repo here.
+					Clone an existing repository from git.commumedia.org, or create a
+					blank bare repo here.
 				</p>
 				<form onSubmit={handleSubmit} className="stack">
 					<div className="form-field">
@@ -246,7 +265,10 @@ export const RepositoryCreateDialog = ({ projectId, open, title, onClose, onCrea
 									))}
 								</select>
 							</label>
-              <p className="muted">SSH target: git@git.commumedia.org:{owner || "owner"}/{repoName || "repo"}.git</p>
+							<p className="muted">
+								SSH target: git@git.commumedia.org:{owner || "owner"}/
+								{repoName || "repo"}.git
+							</p>
 							<button
 								type="button"
 								className="secondary-button small"
@@ -268,20 +290,26 @@ export const RepositoryCreateDialog = ({ projectId, open, title, onClose, onCrea
 									className={getUrlInputClass()}
 								/>
 								{urlValidation.status === "validating" && (
-                  <span className="validation-status validating">Validating...</span>
+									<span className="validation-status validating">
+										Validating...
+									</span>
 								)}
 								{urlValidation.status === "valid" && (
 									<span className="validation-status valid">
 										<Icon name="success" size="sm" /> Valid git URL
 									</span>
 								)}
-                {urlValidation.status === "needs-parsing" && urlValidation.result && (
+								{urlValidation.status === "needs-parsing" &&
+									urlValidation.result && (
 										<div className="url-suggestion">
 											<span className="validation-status warning">
-                      <Icon name="warning" size="sm" /> This looks like a browser URL
+												<Icon name="warning" size="sm" /> This looks like a
+												browser URL
 											</span>
 											<div className="suggestion-actions">
-                      <span className="suggested-url">Suggested: {urlValidation.result.base_url}</span>
+												<span className="suggested-url">
+													Suggested: {urlValidation.result.base_url}
+												</span>
 												<button
 													type="button"
 													className="secondary-button small"
@@ -327,13 +355,19 @@ export const RepositoryCreateDialog = ({ projectId, open, title, onClose, onCrea
 						</div>
 					)}
 					<div className="dialog-actions">
-            <button className="secondary-button" onClick={handleClose} type="button">
+						<button
+							className="secondary-button"
+							onClick={handleClose}
+							type="button"
+						>
 							<Icon name="cancel" size="sm" />
 							Cancel
 						</button>
 						<button className="primary-button" type="submit">
 							<Icon name="add" size="sm" />
-              {createMode === "clone" ? "Clone Repository" : "Create Blank Repository"}
+							{createMode === "clone"
+								? "Clone Repository"
+								: "Create Blank Repository"}
 						</button>
 					</div>
 				</form>

apps/web/src/pages/DashboardPage.test.tsx

@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ const mockProjects = vi.fn();
 const mockRepos = vi.fn();
 
 vi.mock("../api/dashboard", () => ({
-  getDashboardSummary: (...args: unknown[]) => mockDashboard(...args)
+	getDashboardSummary: (...args: unknown[]) => mockDashboard(...args),
 }));
 
 vi.mock("../api/sessions", () => ({
@@ -19,19 +19,19 @@ vi.mock("../api/sessions", () => ({
 	startInstance: vi.fn(),
 	stopInstance: vi.fn(),
 	deleteInstance: vi.fn(),
-  recreateInstanceTunnel: vi.fn()
+	recreateInstanceTunnel: vi.fn(),
 }));
 
 vi.mock("../api/projects", () => ({
-  listProjects: (...args: unknown[]) => mockProjects(...args)
+	listProjects: (...args: unknown[]) => mockProjects(...args),
 }));
 
 vi.mock("../api/git-repositories", () => ({
-  listRepositories: (...args: unknown[]) => mockRepos(...args)
+	listRepositories: (...args: unknown[]) => mockRepos(...args),
 }));
 
 vi.mock("../api/tool-types", () => ({
-  listToolTypes: vi.fn().mockResolvedValue([])
+	listToolTypes: vi.fn().mockResolvedValue([]),
 }));
 
 describe("HomePage", () => {
@@ -43,7 +43,12 @@ describe("HomePage", () => {
 	});
 
 	it("shows overview sections", async () => {
-    mockDashboard.mockResolvedValue({ projects: 1, repositories: 2, sshKeys: 3, recentActivity: [] });
+		mockDashboard.mockResolvedValue({
+			projects: 1,
+			repositories: 2,
+			sshKeys: 3,
+			recentActivity: [],
+		});
 		mockSessions.mockResolvedValue([]);
 		mockProjects.mockResolvedValue([]);
 		mockRepos.mockResolvedValue([]);
@@ -51,7 +56,7 @@ describe("HomePage", () => {
 		render(
 			<MemoryRouter>
 				<HomePage />
-      </MemoryRouter>
+			</MemoryRouter>,
 		);
 
 		expect(screen.getByText("Loading overview...")).toBeInTheDocument();
@@ -69,11 +74,13 @@ describe("HomePage", () => {
 		render(
 			<MemoryRouter>
 				<HomePage />
-      </MemoryRouter>
+			</MemoryRouter>,
 		);
 
 		await waitFor(() => {
-      expect(screen.getByText("Unable to load your workspace overview.")).toBeInTheDocument();
+			expect(
+				screen.getByText("Unable to load your workspace overview."),
+			).toBeInTheDocument();
 		});
 
 		fireEvent.click(screen.getAllByRole("button", { name: "Retry" })[0]);

apps/web/src/styles/utilities.css

@@ -2474,6 +2474,44 @@ a:active,
 	color: var(--muted);
 }
 
+.notification-item-message {
+	font-size: 0.85rem;
+	color: var(--muted);
+	line-height: 1.35;
+	margin-top: 0.15rem;
+	word-break: break-word;
+}
+
+.notification-item-metadata {
+	margin-top: 0.5rem;
+	padding: 0.5rem 0.75rem;
+	background: var(--bg);
+	border-radius: 6px;
+	border: 1px solid var(--border);
+	font-size: 0.8rem;
+}
+
+.notification-metadata-row {
+	display: flex;
+	gap: 0.5rem;
+	padding: 0.15rem 0;
+}
+
+.notification-metadata-row dt {
+	font-weight: 500;
+	color: var(--ink);
+	min-width: 6rem;
+	text-transform: capitalize;
+	flex-shrink: 0;
+}
+
+.notification-metadata-row dd {
+	margin: 0;
+	color: var(--muted);
+	font-family: monospace;
+	word-break: break-word;
+}
+
 .notification-item-actions {
 	display: flex;
 	gap: 0.35rem;