bmad-loop-resolve

Resolves CRITICAL escalations in paused bmad-loop runs by updating frozen specs interactively.

Updated Jul 9, 2026
One-click install
npx skills add https://github.com/unbakedcosmos/thumbnailer --skill bmad-loop-resolve-unbakedcosmos
Or copy as Structured Prompt for Agent▼
Please help me install this Agent Skill.
Skill: bmad-loop-resolve
Source: https://github.com/unbakedcosmos/thumbnailer/tree/main/.claude/skills/bmad-loop-resolve
Command: npx skills add https://github.com/unbakedcosmos/thumbnailer --skill bmad-loop-resolve-unbakedcosmos

SYSTEM DOCUMENTATION & REQUIREMENTS

What problem does it solve? When an automated bmad-loop run pauses because a dev or review session hit a CRITICAL escalation — a contradiction or gap in the frozen spec it could not safely resolve alone — this Skill provides an interactive session where you and the AI disambiguate the spec so the orchestrator can re-arm the story and resume the run. ## Core Features & Use Cases - Structured escalation intake: Reads a context.json containing the story key, frozen spec path, baseline commit, and the list of CRITICAL escalations to resolve. - Interactive disambiguation: Presents the ambiguity plainly with 2–4 concrete resolution options, a recommendation, and trade-offs, then records the human's decision. - Frozen spec correction: Amends the spec's frozen-after-approval block and affected acceptance criteria so a fresh dev session has exactly one correct reading, then writes a resolution.json marker the orchestrator uses to resume. - Use Case: A review session escalates because the spec never states whether a CLI list command should output JSON or plain text; you invoke this Skill, decide JSON with the human, patch the spec, and the paused run resumes cleanly. ## Quick Start Invoke /bmad-loop-resolve with the escalated story key to review the escalation, decide a resolution with me, and update the frozen spec.

Frequently Asked Questions about bmad-loop-resolve

High-intent search queries and answers about installing and using this skill.

FAQPage Schema
How do I resolve a CRITICAL escalation in a paused bmad-loop run?▼

Invoke /bmad-loop-resolve with the escalated story key. The session reads the run's context.json, presents the ambiguity with resolution options, and after you decide, updates the frozen spec and writes a resolution.json marker so the orchestrator can resume.

What is a frozen spec in the BMAD workflow?▼

A frozen spec is the authoritative story specification that dev and review sessions treat as fixed intent, marked by a frozen-after-approval block. Escalations usually occur when this block is silent on or contradicts a case the implementation encountered.

Can bmad-loop-resolve change sprint status or implement the story?▼

No. The Skill edits spec content only. It must not change sprint-status.yaml, set the spec status field, write result.json, implement code, run tests, or commit — the orchestrator deterministically re-arms status on resume.

What happens if the escalation cannot be resolved in the session?▼

If the human defers or the fix requires a PRD or architecture change, no resolution marker is written. The story stays escalated and the run remains paused, which is the safe default since the orchestrator will not re-arm without a recorded resolution.

When should I use bmad-spec or bmad-correct-course instead?▼

Use those skills when resolving the escalation requires a larger spec change than a minimal ambiguity fix. bmad-loop-resolve permits invoking them for bigger edits, but its own goal is the smallest change that removes the escalated ambiguity.