perf(inbox): stop optional reads from holding Mine rows hidden (#20407)

> Follows #20388, which merged to `master` as `50df9a19b9`. This branch now includes `origin/master`, so its diff carries only this PR's change: `ui/src/pages/Inbox.tsx`, `ui/src/pages/Inbox.test.tsx`, `ui/src/api/approvals.ts` and `ui/src/api/access.ts`. ## Thinking Path > - Paperclip is the open source app people use to manage AI agents for work > - The Mine inbox is the first page a board user opens to see the tasks that need them > - The page hides task rows until every inbox read finishes, including reads that do not change the rows > - A slow user directory, approvals or join-request read therefore delays every task row, and a stalled read keeps the skeleton up > - Loading is also a layout contract: content that arrives late must not push visible rows down or reset keyboard selection > - This pull request removes the user-directory gate where names only fill row text, and bounds the approvals and join-request gates so a failure or stall cannot hold rows hidden > - The benefit is that a slow optional read no longer hides task rows, and the rows still do not move when late data arrives ## Linked Issues or Issue Description Refs #20388 **What existing behavior does this improve?** The Mine inbox reveal gate waits for every source, including the user directory, approvals and join requests. **Subsystem affected** Board UI inbox (`ui/src/pages/Inbox.tsx`). **Current behavior** If the user directory is slow, every task row waits for it, although user names only fill text in the rows. If approvals or join requests stall, the skeleton stays up until the request ends. **Proposed behavior** Rows reveal on session, experimental settings, `inbox/mine`, dismissals, agents and projects. The user directory fills names in place. Approvals and join requests can delay rows for one attempt of at most 10 s. **Reason and benefit** A slow optional read no longer hides the task list. A failed read shows the existing "Some inbox items couldn’t load" banner with a retry instead of a skeleton. **Breaking changes** None. ## What Changed - User directory: it no longer gates task rows. It still gates rows when they are grouped by assignee, because user names name and order those groups. - Approvals and join requests: they still gate rows (see "Kept gates" below). The gate now covers only the first attempt (`isLoading && failureCount === 0`). That attempt uses a 10 s request timeout (`INBOX_OPTIONAL_READ_TIMEOUT_MS`). After a failure or timeout, rows reveal and the query retries in the background. - Timeout notice: a timed-out approvals or join-request read is a transient error, which the inbox hides. Once the app's retries end, the inbox now shows the "Some inbox items couldn’t load" notice and "Retry missing items" button for a `TIMEOUT` on those reads. Other transient errors stay hidden as before. - `approvalsApi.list`, `accessApi.listJoinRequests` and `accessApi.listUserDirectory` accept optional `RequestOptions` (signal and timeout). Other callers do not change. - Tests in `ui/src/pages/Inbox.test.tsx` ("optional reads and the reveal gate"): - rows reveal while the user directory is pending, and keep their order, their DOM nodes and the keyboard selection when it arrives; - assignee grouping still waits for the user directory; - a delayed approvals read holds rows (the kept layout guarantee); - a failed approvals or join-request read reveals rows with the retry banner and no skeleton; - after one failed attempt, rows reveal while the approvals read retries; - a stalled approvals read times out and reveals rows; - approvals or join requests that keep timing out under the app retry policy (`shouldRetryRequest`) show the missing-items notice and retry button. ### Kept gates Approvals and join requests stay in the gate. On Mine they sort in among the task rows by time (`getInboxWorkItems`). A pending approval is usually recent, so it sorts near the top. If it arrived after the rows were visible, it would push every task row down by one row. I could not reserve space for it, because the count is unknown until the read returns, and an empty reserved slot would collapse and shift the rows the other way. So I kept these two gates, and I bounded them so they cannot hold rows hidden on failure or stall. Keyboard selection already follows the selected row by key, so late data does not reset it. The user-directory test checks this. ## Verification Focused checks on this revision: - `cd ui && npx vitest run src/pages/Inbox.test.tsx src/api/access.test.ts`: all passed (91 Inbox tests). - Red/green: with the #20388 versions of `Inbox.tsx`, `approvals.ts` and `access.ts`, three new tests fail (user directory pending, retry after first failure, stalled approvals). They pass with this change. The other four pin guarantees that already held. - Review fixes: the timeout-notice tests fail without `eb5d55da86` and pass with it. `cd ui && npx vitest run src/pages/Inbox.test.tsx`: 94 passed. - After merging `origin/master` (`54d73aef19`): `cd ui && npx vitest run src/pages/Inbox.test.tsx src/api/execution-workspaces.test.ts`: 101 passed. `pnpm --filter @paperclipai/ui typecheck`: passed. - CI note: on head `e438e16c80`, `ci / e2e shard (3/8)` failed in `planning-mode-visual-verification.spec.ts` (the first task's `task-chat-composer-mode` did not appear within 30 s). That journey runs onboarding into the first task chat. It does not open the inbox or use the changed reads, so I treat it as unrelated. The other 33 tests in the shard passed. The new head reruns it. `pnpm check:token-gates`: clean. - `pnpm verify --base perf/inbox-referenced-workspaces` selected 2,219 Vitest files because `ui/src/api/access.ts` is imported widely. I did not run that broad set locally (the shared host was under heavy load). Required CI supplies that coverage. Performance (same local fixture as #20388: authenticated mode, non-admin member, 8,750 execution workspaces, 38,750 tasks, production UI bundle, headless Chromium, new context per run). The host load average was about 30–48 from other work, so I used alternating pairs. | Scenario | #20388 | This PR | Median paired saving | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | No injected delay, 6 pairs | median 870 ms (747–1,922) | median 1,046 ms (795–2,002) | mixed signs, no measurable change | | User directory delayed 3 s, 5 pairs | median 3,980 ms (3,852–6,048) | median 1,096 ms (698–1,263) | 2,814 ms | | Approvals stalled 20 s, 1 run each | 20,829 ms | 10,737 ms | — | On this fixture the optional reads finish before `inbox/mine`, so this PR does not change the normal cold load. It helps when an optional read is slower than `inbox/mine`, for example under server load. ## Risks - Low risk. The change only removes or bounds waits for reads that do not decide row order. - Assignee names can appear a moment after the rows on a slow user directory. The rows keep their height and position. - If approvals or join requests time out on every retry, the notice and retry button appear. If they time out and later succeed, they insert into the list after the rows are visible. This happens only in that failure path. - The 10 s timeout applies to these inbox reads only. Other pages that read the same data do not change. ## Model Used - Claude Opus 5.5 (`claude-opus-5-5`), Anthropic, via Claude Code with tool use (shell, file edit, headless browser). Extended reasoning on. ## Checklist - [x] I have included a thinking path that traces from project context to this change - [x] I have specified the model used (with version and capability details) - [x] I have checked ROADMAP.md and confirmed this PR does not duplicate planned core work - [x] I have searched GitHub for duplicate or related PRs and linked them above - [x] I have either (a) linked existing issues with `Fixes: #` / `Closes #` / `Refs #` OR (b) described the issue in-PR following the relevant issue template - [x] I have not referenced internal/instance-local Paperclip issues or links (only public GitHub `#NNN` / `github.com/paperclipai/paperclip` URLs) - [x] My branch name describes the change (e.g. `docs/...`, `fix/...`) and contains no internal Paperclip ticket id or instance-derived details - [x] I have run tests locally and they pass - [x] I have added or updated tests where applicable - [x] I have updated relevant documentation to reflect my changes - [x] I have considered and documented any risks above - [ ] All Paperclip CI gates are green - [ ] Greptile is 5/5 with no open P2s, recommendations, or follow-ups - [x] I will address all Greptile and reviewer comments before requesting merge 🤖 Generated with [Claude Code](https://claude.com/claude-code) --------- Co-authored-by: Claude Opus 5.5 <noreply@anthropic.com>
2026-11-11 05:11:49 +01:00 · 2026-11-09 20:29:47 -06:00
1 parent 99a6daf5bc
commit 9a4a5066fa
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import type { AgentAdapterType, JoinRequest, PermissionKey } from "@paperclipai/shared";
-import { api } from "./client";
+import { api, type RequestOptions } from "./client";

 export type HumanCompanyRole = "owner" | "admin" | "operator" | "viewer";

@@ -311,16 +311,18 @@ export const accessApi = {
    companyId: string,
    status: "pending_approval" | "approved" | "rejected" = "pending_approval",
    requestType?: "human" | "agent",
+    options?: RequestOptions,
  ) =>
    api.get<CompanyJoinRequest[]>(
      `/companies/${companyId}/join-requests?status=${status}${requestType ? `&requestType=${requestType}` : ""}`,
+      options,
    ),

  listMembers: (companyId: string) =>
    api.get<CompanyMembersResponse>(`/companies/${companyId}/members`),

-  listUserDirectory: (companyId: string) =>
-    api.get<CompanyUserDirectoryResponse>(`/companies/${companyId}/user-directory`),
+  listUserDirectory: (companyId: string, options?: RequestOptions) =>
+    api.get<CompanyUserDirectoryResponse>(`/companies/${companyId}/user-directory`, options),

  updateMember: (
    companyId: string,
@@ -1,10 +1,11 @@
 import type { Approval, ApprovalComment, Issue } from "@paperclipai/shared";
-import { api } from "./client";
+import { api, type RequestOptions } from "./client";

 export const approvalsApi = {
-  list: (companyId: string, status?: string) =>
+  list: (companyId: string, status?: string, options?: RequestOptions) =>
    api.get<Approval[]>(
      `/companies/${companyId}/approvals${status ? `?status=${encodeURIComponent(status)}` : ""}`,
+      options,
    ),
  create: (companyId: string, data: Record<string, unknown>) =>
    api.post<Approval>(`/companies/${companyId}/approvals`, data),
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ import type { Approval, CompactIssue, HeartbeatRun, InboxMineSnapshot, Issue } f
 import { afterEach, beforeEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
 import type { CompanyJoinRequest } from "../api/access";
 import { ApiError } from "../api/client";
+import { shouldRetryRequest } from "../lib/query-client";
 import {
  clearLocalInboxArchive,
  getLocalInboxArchiveIssueIds,
@@ -1893,6 +1894,168 @@ describe("Inbox toolbar", () => {
    });
  });

+  describe("optional reads and the reveal gate", () => {
+    const renderInbox = async (client: QueryClient, root: ReturnType<typeof createRoot>) => {
+      await act(async () => {
+        root.render(<QueryClientProvider client={client}><Inbox /></QueryClientProvider>);
+      });
+    };
+    const rowKeys = () => [...container.querySelectorAll("[data-inbox-item]")]
+      .map((row) => row.querySelector('[data-slot="task-row-identifier"]')?.textContent ?? "");
+    const selectedRowIndex = () => [...container.querySelectorAll("[data-inbox-item]")].findIndex((row) =>
+      row.querySelector<HTMLAnchorElement>("a[data-inbox-issue-link]")?.parentElement
+        ?.className.split(/\s+/).includes("bg-accent/50"));
+    const twoRows = () => {
+      const base = new Date("2026-03-11T00:00:00.000Z").getTime();
+      setIssueRows([
+        createIssue({ id: "issue-a", identifier: "PAP-4001", title: "Directory row A", assigneeUserId: "user-2", lastActivityAt: new Date(base + 2000) }),
+        createIssue({ id: "issue-b", identifier: "PAP-4002", title: "Directory row B", assigneeUserId: "user-2", lastActivityAt: new Date(base + 1000) }),
+      ]);
+    };
+
+    it("reveals rows while the user directory is pending and keeps their order and selection when it arrives", async () => {
+      routerMock.location.pathname = "/inbox/mine";
+      twoRows();
+      let resolveDirectory: (value: unknown) => void = () => {};
+      apiMocks.userDirectoryList.mockReturnValue(new Promise((resolve) => { resolveDirectory = resolve; }));
+      const client = new QueryClient({ defaultOptions: { queries: { retry: false, gcTime: 0 } } });
+      const root = createRoot(container);
+      try {
+        await renderInbox(client, root);
+        await vi.waitFor(() => expect(rowKeys()).toEqual(["PAP-4001", "PAP-4002"]));
+        for (let press = 0; press < 2; press += 1) {
+          await act(async () => {
+            document.body.dispatchEvent(new KeyboardEvent("keydown", { key: "j", bubbles: true }));
+          });
+        }
+        expect(selectedRowIndex()).toBe(1);
+        const rowNodes = [...container.querySelectorAll("[data-inbox-item]")];
+
+        await act(async () => {
+          resolveDirectory({ users: [{ principalId: "user-2", user: { id: "user-2", name: "Robin Directory", email: "robin@example.test", image: null } }] });
+        });
+
+        expect(rowKeys()).toEqual(["PAP-4001", "PAP-4002"]);
+        expect([...container.querySelectorAll("[data-inbox-item]")]).toEqual(rowNodes);
+        expect(selectedRowIndex()).toBe(1);
+      } finally { await act(() => root.unmount()); client.clear(); }
+    });
+
+    it("waits for the user directory when rows are grouped by assignee", async () => {
+      routerMock.location.pathname = "/inbox/mine";
+      localStorage.setItem("paperclip:inbox:group-by", "assignee");
+      twoRows();
+      let resolveDirectory: (value: unknown) => void = () => {};
+      apiMocks.userDirectoryList.mockReturnValue(new Promise((resolve) => { resolveDirectory = resolve; }));
+      const client = new QueryClient({ defaultOptions: { queries: { retry: false, gcTime: 0 } } });
+      const root = createRoot(container);
+      try {
+        await renderInbox(client, root);
+        await vi.waitFor(() => expect(apiMocks.userDirectoryList).toHaveBeenCalled());
+        expect(container.querySelector("[data-inbox-item]")).toBeNull();
+        await act(async () => { resolveDirectory({ users: [] }); });
+        await vi.waitFor(() => expect(container.textContent).toContain("Directory row A"));
+      } finally { await act(() => root.unmount()); client.clear(); }
+    });
+
+    it("holds rows for a delayed approvals read so a late approval cannot push them down", async () => {
+      routerMock.location.pathname = "/inbox/mine";
+      twoRows();
+      let resolveApprovals: (value: Approval[]) => void = () => {};
+      apiMocks.approvalsList.mockReturnValue(new Promise((resolve) => { resolveApprovals = resolve; }));
+      const client = new QueryClient({ defaultOptions: { queries: { retry: false, gcTime: 0 } } });
+      const root = createRoot(container);
+      try {
+        await renderInbox(client, root);
+        await vi.waitFor(() => {
+          const mineQueries = client.getQueryCache().findAll({ queryKey: queryKeys.issues.listMineByMe("company-1") });
+          expect(mineQueries.some((query) => query.state.status === "success")).toBe(true);
+        });
+        expect(container.querySelector("[data-inbox-item]")).toBeNull();
+        await act(async () => { resolveApprovals([]); });
+        await vi.waitFor(() => expect(rowKeys()).toEqual(["PAP-4001", "PAP-4002"]));
+      } finally { await act(() => root.unmount()); client.clear(); }
+    });
+
+    it.each([
+      ["approvals", () => apiMocks.approvalsList],
+      ["join requests", () => apiMocks.joinRequestsList],
+    ] as const)("reveals rows and offers a retry when the %s read fails", async (_label, mock) => {
+      routerMock.location.pathname = "/inbox/mine";
+      twoRows();
+      mock().mockRejectedValue(new ApiError("Optional read failed", 500, null));
+      const client = new QueryClient({ defaultOptions: { queries: { retry: false, gcTime: 0 } } });
+      const root = createRoot(container);
+      try {
+        await renderInbox(client, root);
+        await vi.waitFor(() => expect(rowKeys()).toEqual(["PAP-4001", "PAP-4002"]));
+        await vi.waitFor(() => expect(document.body.textContent).toContain("Some inbox items couldn’t load."));
+        expect(container.querySelector('[aria-label="Loading tasks"]')).toBeNull();
+      } finally { await act(() => root.unmount()); client.clear(); }
+    });
+
+    it("stops waiting for an approvals read after its first failed attempt while it retries", async () => {
+      routerMock.location.pathname = "/inbox/mine";
+      twoRows();
+      apiMocks.approvalsList
+        .mockRejectedValueOnce(new ApiError("Busy", 503, null))
+        .mockReturnValue(new Promise(() => {}));
+      const client = new QueryClient({ defaultOptions: { queries: { retry: 3, retryDelay: 0, gcTime: 0 } } });
+      const root = createRoot(container);
+      try {
+        await renderInbox(client, root);
+        await vi.waitFor(() => expect(apiMocks.approvalsList).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2));
+        await vi.waitFor(() => expect(rowKeys()).toEqual(["PAP-4001", "PAP-4002"]));
+      } finally { await act(() => root.unmount()); client.clear(); }
+    });
+
+    it.each([
+      ["approvals", () => apiMocks.approvalsList],
+      ["join requests", () => apiMocks.joinRequestsList],
+    ] as const)("shows the missing-items notice when %s keep timing out under the app retry policy", async (_label, mock) => {
+      routerMock.location.pathname = "/inbox/mine";
+      twoRows();
+      mock().mockRejectedValue(new ApiError("Timed out", 408, { error: "TIMEOUT" }));
+      const client = new QueryClient({ defaultOptions: { queries: { retry: shouldRetryRequest, retryDelay: 0, gcTime: 0 } } });
+      const root = createRoot(container);
+      try {
+        await renderInbox(client, root);
+        await vi.waitFor(() => expect(rowKeys()).toEqual(["PAP-4001", "PAP-4002"]));
+        await vi.waitFor(() => expect(document.body.textContent).toContain("Some inbox items couldn’t load."));
+        expect(mock().mock.calls.length).toBeGreaterThan(1);
+        expect(document.body.textContent).toContain("Retry missing items");
+        expect(document.body.textContent).not.toContain("Inbox zero.");
+      } finally { await act(() => root.unmount()); client.clear(); }
+    });
+
+    it("bounds a stalled approvals read so rows do not stay behind a skeleton", async () => {
+      routerMock.location.pathname = "/inbox/mine";
+      twoRows();
+      vi.useFakeTimers({ shouldAdvanceTime: true });
+      // The API client turns `timeoutMs` into a 408 TIMEOUT error; model that for the stalled read.
+      apiMocks.approvalsList.mockImplementation((_companyId: string, _status: unknown, options?: { timeoutMs?: number }) =>
+        new Promise((_resolve, reject) => {
+          if (options?.timeoutMs === undefined) return;
+          setTimeout(() => reject(new ApiError("Timed out", 408, { error: "TIMEOUT" })), options.timeoutMs);
+        }));
+      const client = new QueryClient({ defaultOptions: { queries: { retry: false, gcTime: 0 } } });
+      const root = createRoot(container);
+      try {
+        await renderInbox(client, root);
+        await vi.waitFor(() => expect(apiMocks.approvalsList).toHaveBeenCalled());
+        const options = apiMocks.approvalsList.mock.calls[0]?.[2] as { timeoutMs?: number } | undefined;
+        expect(options?.timeoutMs).toBeGreaterThan(0);
+        expect(container.querySelector("[data-inbox-item]")).toBeNull();
+        await act(async () => { vi.advanceTimersByTime(options?.timeoutMs ?? 0); });
+        await vi.waitFor(() => expect(rowKeys()).toEqual(["PAP-4001", "PAP-4002"]));
+      } finally {
+        vi.useRealTimers();
+        await act(() => root.unmount());
+        client.clear();
+      }
+    });
+  });
+
  it.each([true, false])("uses bold titles without unread dots (Streamlined UI=%s)", async streamlined => {
    apiMocks.experimentalSettings.mockResolvedValue({ enableIsolatedWorkspaces: false, enableStreamlinedUi: streamlined });
    routerMock.location.pathname = "/inbox/mine";
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { isTransientError } from "@/api/errors";
+import { errorCodes, isTransientError } from "@/api/errors";
 import { useQueryView } from "@/components/QueryView";
 import { useCoordinatorPresentation } from "@/components/coordinator/CoordinatorPresentation";
 import { useWarmTaskDetailCode } from "@/hooks/useWarmTaskDetailCode";
@@ -205,6 +205,8 @@ const INBOX_ISSUE_LIST_LIMIT = 100;
 const INBOX_HOT_PATH_STALE_MS = 30_000;
 // Stable fallback so memos over unloaded or disabled issue reads do not rerun on every render.
 const NO_ISSUES: Issue[] = [];
+/** Bounds an optional read that can hold task rows hidden; a timeout reveals rows and retries in the background. */
+const INBOX_OPTIONAL_READ_TIMEOUT_MS = 10_000;
 const INBOX_COLLECTION_KEY = "inbox";

 type StreamlinedInboxViewState = InboxFilterPreferences & {
@@ -959,22 +961,28 @@ function StreamlinedInbox({
  const {
    data: approvals,
    isLoading: isApprovalsLoading,
+    failureCount: approvalsFailureCount,
    error: approvalsError,
  } = useQuery({
    queryKey: queryKeys.approvals.list(selectedCompanyId!),
-    queryFn: () => approvalsApi.list(selectedCompanyId!),
+    queryFn: ({ signal }) =>
+      approvalsApi.list(selectedCompanyId!, undefined, { signal, timeoutMs: INBOX_OPTIONAL_READ_TIMEOUT_MS }),
    enabled: !!selectedCompanyId,
  });

  const {
    data: joinRequests = [],
    isLoading: isJoinRequestsLoading,
+    failureCount: joinRequestsFailureCount,
    error: joinRequestsError,
  } = useQuery({
    queryKey: queryKeys.access.joinRequests(selectedCompanyId!),
-    queryFn: async () => {
+    queryFn: async ({ signal }) => {
      try {
-        return await accessApi.listJoinRequests(selectedCompanyId!, "pending_approval");
+        return await accessApi.listJoinRequests(selectedCompanyId!, "pending_approval", undefined, {
+          signal,
+          timeoutMs: INBOX_OPTIONAL_READ_TIMEOUT_MS,
+        });
      } catch (err) {
        if (err instanceof ApiError && (err.status === 403 || err.status === 401)) {
          return [];
@@ -1160,9 +1168,14 @@ function StreamlinedInbox({
    refetchInterval: sharedLiveRuns.refetchInterval,
  });
  usePublishSharedQueryData(sharedLiveRuns, liveRuns, liveRunsUpdatedAt);
-  const { data: companyMembers, isLoading: isMembersLoading } = useQuery({
+  const {
+    data: companyMembers,
+    isLoading: isMembersLoading,
+    failureCount: membersFailureCount,
+  } = useQuery({
    queryKey: queryKeys.access.companyUserDirectory(selectedCompanyId!),
-    queryFn: () => accessApi.listUserDirectory(selectedCompanyId!),
+    queryFn: ({ signal }) =>
+      accessApi.listUserDirectory(selectedCompanyId!, { signal, timeoutMs: INBOX_OPTIONAL_READ_TIMEOUT_MS }),
    enabled: !!selectedCompanyId,
  });
  const [archivingIssueIds, setArchivingIssueIds] = useState<Set<string>>(new Set());
@@ -2557,13 +2570,23 @@ function StreamlinedInbox({
  const workspaceDataAffectsRows = groupBy === "workspace"
    || (visibleIssueColumnSet.has("workspace") && availableIssueColumnSet.has("workspace"))
    || normalizedSearchQuery.length > 0;
+  // Approvals and join requests sort in among task rows by time, so a late arrival would push
+  // rows down. Wait for their first bounded attempt only; a failure or timeout reveals rows.
+  const approvalsAffectRows = tab !== "blocked" && (tab !== "all" || showApprovalsCategory);
+  const joinRequestsAffectRows = tab !== "blocked" && (tab !== "all" || showJoinRequestsCategory);
+  const isApprovalsFirstAttemptPending = isApprovalsLoading && approvalsFailureCount === 0;
+  const isJoinRequestsFirstAttemptPending = isJoinRequestsLoading && joinRequestsFailureCount === 0;
+  // User names only fill row text, except when they name and order assignee groups.
+  const userLabelsAffectRows = groupBy === "assignee";
+  const isMembersFirstAttemptPending = isMembersLoading && membersFailureCount === 0;
  const initialSourcesSettled =
    ![sourceSearchView, mineIssuesView, touchedIssuesView].some(view => view.kind === "reconnecting") &&
-    !isSourceSearchLoading && !isSessionLoading && !isSettingsLoading && !isDismissalsLoading && !isAgentsLoading && !isProjectsLoading && !isMembersLoading &&
+    !isSourceSearchLoading && !isSessionLoading && !isSettingsLoading && !isDismissalsLoading && !isAgentsLoading && !isProjectsLoading &&
+    !(userLabelsAffectRows && isMembersFirstAttemptPending) &&
    // Previous summaries stand in while a new id set loads; they may lack the new view's workspaces.
    !(workspaceDataAffectsRows && workspaceLookupEnabled && (isWorkspacesLoading || isWorkspacesPlaceholder)) &&
-    !isJoinRequestsLoading &&
-    !isApprovalsLoading &&
+    !(joinRequestsAffectRows && isJoinRequestsFirstAttemptPending) &&
+    !(approvalsAffectRows && isApprovalsFirstAttemptPending) &&
    !isDashboardLoading &&
    !isContextIssuesLoading &&
    !isContextIssuesPlaceholder &&
@@ -2578,7 +2601,12 @@ function StreamlinedInbox({
    ?? (issueFilters.externalObjectStatuses.length > 0 ? externalObjectSummariesError : null);
  const rawOptionalSourceError = dismissalsError ?? approvalsError ?? joinRequestsError ?? runsError ?? contextIssuesError
    ?? (tab === "mine" ? mineIssuesError : touchedIssuesError);
-  const optionalSourceError = isTransientError(rawOptionalSourceError) ? null : rawOptionalSourceError;
+  // A query error means retries are over. Transient errors usually clear on their own, but a read
+  // that keeps hitting the inbox timeout leaves items missing, so say so and offer a retry.
+  const optionalReadTimeoutError = [approvalsError, joinRequestsError]
+    .find((error) => errorCodes(error).includes("TIMEOUT")) ?? null;
+  const optionalSourceError = optionalReadTimeoutError
+    ?? (isTransientError(rawOptionalSourceError) ? null : rawOptionalSourceError);
  const retryFailedSources = () => {
    // Optional failures belong to the aggregate read, whose task rows stay usable.
    if (tab === "mine" && (mineSnapshot?.failureError || mineSnapshot?.contextError)) {