fix(TASK-028): pin global-template exclusion, tighten timeout boundary test, reword stale hint

src/config/agent.rs

@@ -1341,6 +1341,7 @@ variables:
         assert_eq!(config.max_concurrent_agents, 4);
         assert_eq!(config.max_agent_depth, 3);
         assert_eq!(config.max_auto_continues, 10);
+        assert_eq!(config.escalation_timeout, 0);
         assert!(config.mcp_servers.is_empty());
         assert!(config.global_tools.is_empty());
         assert!(config.conversation_starters.is_empty());

src/config/mod.rs

@@ -1383,6 +1383,12 @@ clients:
         assert_eq!(cfg.clients.len(), 1);
     }
 
+    #[test]
+    fn config_template_does_not_carry_the_per_agent_escalation_timeout_key() {
+        // `escalation_timeout` is a per-agent setting; the global template must never grow it.
+        assert!(!CONFIG_TEMPLATE.contains("escalation_timeout"));
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn config_enabled_macros_empty_string_is_some_empty() {
         let cfg: Config = serde_yaml::from_str("enabled_macros: \"\"").unwrap();

src/function/agents.rs

@@ -1711,7 +1711,7 @@ fn handle_reply_escalation(ctx: &mut RequestContext, args: &Value) -> Result<Val
         }
         None => Ok(json!({
             "status": "error",
-            "message": format!("No pending escalation found with id '{escalation_id}'. It may have already been replied to or timed out."),
+            "message": format!("No pending escalation found with id '{escalation_id}'. It may have already been replied to, or the child is no longer waiting (aborted, or its configured `escalation_timeout` expired)."),
         })),
     }
 }

src/function/user_interaction.rs

@@ -389,8 +389,12 @@ mod tests {
     async fn nonzero_timeout_still_expires_with_the_existing_message() {
         let (tx, rx) = oneshot::channel::<String>();
         let wait = tokio::spawn(await_escalation_reply(rx, 5));
+        tokio::task::yield_now().await;
 
-        tokio::time::advance(Duration::from_secs(6)).await;
+        tokio::time::advance(Duration::from_secs(4)).await;
+        assert!(!wait.is_finished());
+
+        tokio::time::advance(Duration::from_secs(2)).await;
         let v = wait.await.unwrap().unwrap();
         assert_eq!(
             v["error"],
@@ -421,6 +425,7 @@ mod tests {
 
     #[test]
     fn stale_timeout_wording_is_gone_from_shipped_text() {
+        // Split so this file does not match its own needles.
         let needles = [
             concat!("(5-minute", " timeout)"),
             concat!("escalation_timeout:", " 300"),