diff --git a/dist/commands/index-cmd.js b/dist/commands/index-cmd.js
index 18c035b1..dc7b4327 100644
--- a/dist/commands/index-cmd.js
+++ b/dist/commands/index-cmd.js
@@ -11,12 +11,38 @@
  * repository rather than only in tests.
  */
 import { closeIndex, ensureIndex, indexInfo, openIndex, rebuildIndex, scanTrailers, } from '../core/index-db.js';
+import { NOTES_REF, notesAvailability } from '../core/notes.js';
 /** Every failure here is a usage error or a missing dependency, never a finding (SPEC §10). */
 const fail = (message) => {
     process.stderr.write(`commitlore: ${message}\n`);
     process.exitCode = 2;
 };
 const plural = (count, unit) => `${count} ${unit}${count === 1 ? '' : 's'}`;
+/**
+ * Records come from two places, and this command can only ever read one of them
+ * locally. `rebuild` is what a user runs *because* they suspect the index is
+ * wrong, so reporting a clean count over a mirror that was never fetched is the
+ * least useful moment to leave that unsaid — the same defect `r-fetchowed` fixed
+ * one command over, where `doctor --fix` printed `ok` for configuration it had
+ * not fetched through.
+ *
+ * The state is `notesAvailability`'s, so this is a report and not a new check.
+ * The exit code deliberately does not follow `context`, which exits 3 on the
+ * same state: 3 there marks an *answer* drawn from an incomplete store, and this
+ * command's contract is 0 built, 2 could not run. The index it wrote is the one
+ * git can support, which is a build that succeeded — moving the code would make
+ * every unfetched clone's `init` and CI step fail over a cache that is correct.
+ *
+ * Like every other diagnostic it goes to stderr, so `--json` stays parseable
+ * while the caller still hears it.
+ */
+const reportUnfetchedNotes = (subject) => {
+    if (notesAvailability() !== 'unfetched')
+        return;
+    process.stderr.write(`commitlore: the notes mirror has not been fetched here, so ${subject} covers the commit ` +
+        `messages alone and may be missing records that exist upstream (git fetch does not fetch ` +
+        `${NOTES_REF} by default). fix: commitlore doctor --fix, then git fetch, then rerun\n`);
+};
 const runScan = (options) => {
     const started = Date.now();
     const trailers = scanTrailers();
@@ -102,9 +128,11 @@ export const register = (program) => {
                     fail('--rebuild and --no-index ask for opposite things');
                     return;
                 }
+                reportUnfetchedNotes('this scan');
                 runScan(options);
                 return;
             }
+            reportUnfetchedNotes('this index');
             runIndex(options);
         }
         catch (error) {
diff --git a/dist/commands/index-cmd.js.map b/dist/commands/index-cmd.js.map
index 1ab7995f..881c9692 100644
--- a/dist/commands/index-cmd.js.map
+++ b/dist/commands/index-cmd.js.map
@@ -1 +1 @@
-{"version":3,"file":"index-cmd.js","sourceRoot":"","sources":["../../src/commands/index-cmd.ts"],"names":[],"mappings":"AAAA;;;;;;;;;;;GAWG;AAIH,OAAO,EACL,UAAU,EACV,WAAW,EACX,SAAS,EACT,SAAS,EACT,YAAY,EACZ,YAAY,GAEb,MAAM,qBAAqB,CAAC;AAU7B,+FAA+F;AAC/F,MAAM,IAAI,GAAG,CAAC,OAAe,EAAQ,EAAE;IACrC,OAAO,CAAC,MAAM,CAAC,KAAK,CAAC,eAAe,OAAO,IAAI,CAAC,CAAC;IACjD,OAAO,CAAC,QAAQ,GAAG,CAAC,CAAC;AACvB,CAAC,CAAC;AAEF,MAAM,MAAM,GAAG,CAAC,KAAa,EAAE,IAAY,EAAU,EAAE,CACrD,GAAG,KAAK,IAAI,IAAI,GAAG,KAAK,KAAK,CAAC,CAAC,CAAC,CAAC,EAAE,CAAC,CAAC,CAAC,GAAG,EAAE,CAAC;AAE9C,MAAM,OAAO,GAAG,CAAC,OAA4B,EAAQ,EAAE;IACrD,MAAM,OAAO,GAAG,IAAI,CAAC,GAAG,EAAE,CAAC;IAC3B,MAAM,QAAQ,GAAG,YAAY,EAAE,CAAC;IAChC,MAAM,SAAS,GAAG,IAAI,CAAC,GAAG,EAAE,GAAG,OAAO,CAAC;IACvC,MAAM,OAAO,GAAG,IAAI,GAAG,CAAC,QAAQ,CAAC,GAAG,CAAC,CAAC,OAAO,EAAE,EAAE,CAAC,OAAO,CAAC,GAAG,CAAC,CAAC,CAAC,IAAI,CAAC;IAErE,IAAI,OAAO,CAAC,IAAI,IAAI,KAAK,EAAE,CAAC;QAC1B,OAAO,CAAC,MAAM,CAAC,KAAK,CAClB,GAAG,IAAI,CAAC,SAAS,CAAC,EAAE,IAAI,EAAE,UAAU,EAAE,OAAO,EAAE,QAAQ,EAAE,QAAQ,CAAC,MAAM,EAAE,SAAS,EAAE,EAAE,IAAI,EAAE,CAAC,CAAC,IAAI,CACpG,CAAC;QACF,OAAO;IACT,CAAC;IAED,OAAO,CAAC,MAAM,CAAC,KAAK,CAClB,kBAAkB,MAAM,CAAC,QAAQ,CAAC,MAAM,EAAE,SAAS,CAAC,WAAW,MAAM,CAAC,OAAO,EAAE,QAAQ,CAAC,GAAG;QACzF,MAAM,SAAS,wBAAwB,CAC1C,CAAC;AACJ,CAAC,CAAC;AAEF,MAAM,aAAa,GAAG,CAAC,KAAiB,EAAQ,EAAE;IAChD,IAAI,CAAC,KAAK,CAAC,OAAO,IAAI,KAAK,CAAC,aAAa,KAAK,IAAI;QAAE,OAAO;IAC3D,OAAO,CAAC,MAAM,CAAC,KAAK,CAAC,mCAAmC,KAAK,CAAC,aAAa,IAAI,CAAC,CAAC;AACnF,CAAC,CAAC;AAEF;;;;;;GAMG;AACH,MAAM,YAAY,GAAG,CAAC,KAAiB,EAAU,EAAE,CACjD,KAAK,CAAC,gBAAgB,KAAK,CAAC;IAC1B,CAAC,CAAC,EAAE;IACJ,CAAC,CAAC,cAAc,MAAM,CAAC,KAAK,CAAC,gBAAgB,EAAE,sBAAsB,CAAC,KAAK,KAAK,CAAC,YAAY,CAAC,IAAI,CAAC,IAAI,CAAC,GAAG,CAAC;AAEhH,MAAM,QAAQ,GAAG,CAAC,OAA4B,EAAQ,EAAE;IACtD,MAAM,OAAO,GAAG,OAAO,CAAC,OAAO,IAAI,KAAK,CAAC;IACzC,MAAM,EAAE,MAAM,EAAE,KAAK,EAAE,GAAG,OAAO;QAC/B,CAAC,CAAC,CAAC,GAAG,EAAE;YACJ,MAAM,MAAM,GAAG,SAAS,EAAE,CAAC;YAC3B,OAAO,EAAE,MAAM,EAAE,MAAM,EAAE,KAAK,EAAE,YAAY,CAAC,MAAM,EAAE,EAAE,MAAM,EAAE,mBAAmB,EAAE,CAAC,EAAE,CAAC;QAC1F,CAAC,CAAC,EAAE;QACN,CAAC,CAAC,WAAW,EAAE,CAAC;IAElB,IAAI,CAAC;QACH,IAAI,CAAC,OAAO;YAAE,aAAa,CAAC,KAAK,CAAC,CAAC;QAEnC,IAAI,OAAO,CAAC,IAAI,IAAI,KAAK,EAAE,CAAC;YAC1B,OAAO,CAAC,MAAM,CAAC,KAAK,CAAC,GAAG,IAAI,CAAC,SAAS,CAAC,EAAE,GAAG,KAAK,EAAE,KAAK,EAAE,SAAS,CAAC,MAAM,CAAC,EAAE,EAAE,IAAI,EAAE,CAAC,CAAC,IAAI,CAAC,CAAC;YAC7F,OAAO;QACT,CAAC;QAED,IAAI,OAAO,CAAC,KAAK,IAAI,KAAK,EAAE,CAAC;YAC3B,MAAM,IAAI,GAAG,SAAS,CAAC,MAAM,CAAC,CAAC;YAC/B,MAAM,KAAK,GAAG;gBACZ,cAAc,IAAI,CAAC,IAAI,EAAE;gBACzB,eAAe,IAAI,CAAC,aAAa,IAAI,GAAG,EAAE;gBAC1C,cAAc,IAAI,CAAC,GAAG,CAAC,CAAC,CAAC,eAAe,CAAC,CAAC,CAAC,0CAA0C,EAAE;gBACvF,cAAc,IAAI,CAAC,cAAc,IAAI,QAAQ,EAAE;gBAC/C,cAAc,IAAI,CAAC,WAAW,IAAI,QAAQ,EAAE;gBAC5C,cAAc,MAAM,CAAC,IAAI,CAAC,QAAQ,EAAE,SAAS,CAAC,KAAK,MAAM,CAAC,IAAI,CAAC,OAAO,EAAE,QAAQ,CAAC,KAAK,MAAM,CAAC,IAAI,CAAC,KAAK,EAAE,MAAM,CAAC,EAAE;gBAClH,cAAc,KAAK,CAAC,OAAO,CAAC,CAAC,CAAC,SAAS,CAAC,CAAC,CAAC,aAAa,cAAc,MAAM,CAAC,KAAK,CAAC,cAAc,EAAE,QAAQ,CAAC,KAAK;oBAC9G,IAAI,KAAK,CAAC,eAAe,gBAAgB,KAAK,CAAC,mBAAmB,aAAa;oBAC/E,GAAG,KAAK,CAAC,gBAAgB,KAAK,CAAC,CAAC,CAAC,CAAC,EAAE,CAAC,CAAC,CAAC,OAAO,KAAK,CAAC,gBAAgB,kBAAkB,KAAK,CAAC,YAAY,CAAC,IAAI,CAAC,IAAI,CAAC,GAAG,EAAE;oBACxH,MAAM,KAAK,CAAC,SAAS,IAAI;aAC5B,CAAC;YACF,OAAO,CAAC,MAAM,CAAC,KAAK,CAAC,GAAG,KAAK,CAAC,IAAI,CAAC,IAAI,CAAC,IAAI,CAAC,CAAC;YAC9C,OAAO;QACT,CAAC;QAED,OAAO,CAAC,MAAM,CAAC,KAAK,CAClB,GAAG,KAAK,CAAC,OAAO,CAAC,CAAC,CAAC,SAAS,CAAC,CAAC,CAAC,SAAS,aAAa,MAAM,CAAC,KAAK,CAAC,cAAc,EAAE,QAAQ,CAAC,IAAI;YAC7F,WAAW,MAAM,CAAC,KAAK,CAAC,eAAe,GAAG,KAAK,CAAC,mBAAmB,EAAE,SAAS,CAAC,EAAE;YACjF,GAAG,YAAY,CAAC,KAAK,CAAC,OAAO,KAAK,CAAC,SAAS,MAAM,CACrD,CAAC;IACJ,CAAC;YAAS,CAAC;QACT,UAAU,CAAC,MAAM,CAAC,CAAC;IACrB,CAAC;AACH,CAAC,CAAC;AAEF,MAAM,CAAC,MAAM,QAAQ,GAAG,CAAC,OAAgB,EAAQ,EAAE;IACjD,OAAO;SACJ,OAAO,CAAC,OAAO,CAAC;SAChB,WAAW,CAAC,sEAAsE,CAAC;SACnF,MAAM,CAAC,WAAW,EAAE,2CAA2C,CAAC;SAChE,MAAM,CAAC,YAAY,EAAE,4DAA4D,CAAC;SAClF,MAAM,CAAC,QAAQ,EAAE,sBAAsB,CAAC;SACxC,MAAM,CAAC,SAAS,EAAE,uCAAuC,CAAC;SAC1D,WAAW,CACV,OAAO,EACP,0FAA0F;QACxF,0FAA0F;QAC1F,aAAa,CAChB;SACA,MAAM,CAAC,CAAC,OAA4B,EAAE,EAAE;QACvC,IAAI,CAAC;YACH,IAAI,CAAC,OAAO,CAAC,KAAK,EAAE,CAAC;gBACnB,IAAI,OAAO,CAAC,OAAO,IAAI,KAAK,EAAE,CAAC;oBAC7B,IAAI,CAAC,kDAAkD,CAAC,CAAC;oBACzD,OAAO;gBACT,CAAC;gBACD,OAAO,CAAC,OAAO,CAAC,CAAC;gBACjB,OAAO;YACT,CAAC;YACD,QAAQ,CAAC,OAAO,CAAC,CAAC;QACpB,CAAC;QAAC,OAAO,KAAK,EAAE,CAAC;YACf,IAAI,CAAC,KAAK,YAAY,KAAK,CAAC,CAAC,CAAC,KAAK,CAAC,OAAO,CAAC,CAAC,CAAC,MAAM,CAAC,KAAK,CAAC,CAAC,CAAC;QAC/D,CAAC;IACH,CAAC,CAAC,CAAC;AACP,CAAC,CAAC"}
\ No newline at end of file
+{"version":3,"file":"index-cmd.js","sourceRoot":"","sources":["../../src/commands/index-cmd.ts"],"names":[],"mappings":"AAAA;;;;;;;;;;;GAWG;AAIH,OAAO,EACL,UAAU,EACV,WAAW,EACX,SAAS,EACT,SAAS,EACT,YAAY,EACZ,YAAY,GAEb,MAAM,qBAAqB,CAAC;AAC7B,OAAO,EAAE,SAAS,EAAE,iBAAiB,EAAE,MAAM,kBAAkB,CAAC;AAUhE,+FAA+F;AAC/F,MAAM,IAAI,GAAG,CAAC,OAAe,EAAQ,EAAE;IACrC,OAAO,CAAC,MAAM,CAAC,KAAK,CAAC,eAAe,OAAO,IAAI,CAAC,CAAC;IACjD,OAAO,CAAC,QAAQ,GAAG,CAAC,CAAC;AACvB,CAAC,CAAC;AAEF,MAAM,MAAM,GAAG,CAAC,KAAa,EAAE,IAAY,EAAU,EAAE,CACrD,GAAG,KAAK,IAAI,IAAI,GAAG,KAAK,KAAK,CAAC,CAAC,CAAC,CAAC,EAAE,CAAC,CAAC,CAAC,GAAG,EAAE,CAAC;AAE9C;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;GAiBG;AACH,MAAM,oBAAoB,GAAG,CAAC,OAAe,EAAQ,EAAE;IACrD,IAAI,iBAAiB,EAAE,KAAK,WAAW;QAAE,OAAO;IAChD,OAAO,CAAC,MAAM,CAAC,KAAK,CAClB,8DAA8D,OAAO,qBAAqB;QACxF,0FAA0F;QAC1F,GAAG,SAAS,0EAA0E,CACzF,CAAC;AACJ,CAAC,CAAC;AAEF,MAAM,OAAO,GAAG,CAAC,OAA4B,EAAQ,EAAE;IACrD,MAAM,OAAO,GAAG,IAAI,CAAC,GAAG,EAAE,CAAC;IAC3B,MAAM,QAAQ,GAAG,YAAY,EAAE,CAAC;IAChC,MAAM,SAAS,GAAG,IAAI,CAAC,GAAG,EAAE,GAAG,OAAO,CAAC;IACvC,MAAM,OAAO,GAAG,IAAI,GAAG,CAAC,QAAQ,CAAC,GAAG,CAAC,CAAC,OAAO,EAAE,EAAE,CAAC,OAAO,CAAC,GAAG,CAAC,CAAC,CAAC,IAAI,CAAC;IAErE,IAAI,OAAO,CAAC,IAAI,IAAI,KAAK,EAAE,CAAC;QAC1B,OAAO,CAAC,MAAM,CAAC,KAAK,CAClB,GAAG,IAAI,CAAC,SAAS,CAAC,EAAE,IAAI,EAAE,UAAU,EAAE,OAAO,EAAE,QAAQ,EAAE,QAAQ,CAAC,MAAM,EAAE,SAAS,EAAE,EAAE,IAAI,EAAE,CAAC,CAAC,IAAI,CACpG,CAAC;QACF,OAAO;IACT,CAAC;IAED,OAAO,CAAC,MAAM,CAAC,KAAK,CAClB,kBAAkB,MAAM,CAAC,QAAQ,CAAC,MAAM,EAAE,SAAS,CAAC,WAAW,MAAM,CAAC,OAAO,EAAE,QAAQ,CAAC,GAAG;QACzF,MAAM,SAAS,wBAAwB,CAC1C,CAAC;AACJ,CAAC,CAAC;AAEF,MAAM,aAAa,GAAG,CAAC,KAAiB,EAAQ,EAAE;IAChD,IAAI,CAAC,KAAK,CAAC,OAAO,IAAI,KAAK,CAAC,aAAa,KAAK,IAAI;QAAE,OAAO;IAC3D,OAAO,CAAC,MAAM,CAAC,KAAK,CAAC,mCAAmC,KAAK,CAAC,aAAa,IAAI,CAAC,CAAC;AACnF,CAAC,CAAC;AAEF;;;;;;GAMG;AACH,MAAM,YAAY,GAAG,CAAC,KAAiB,EAAU,EAAE,CACjD,KAAK,CAAC,gBAAgB,KAAK,CAAC;IAC1B,CAAC,CAAC,EAAE;IACJ,CAAC,CAAC,cAAc,MAAM,CAAC,KAAK,CAAC,gBAAgB,EAAE,sBAAsB,CAAC,KAAK,KAAK,CAAC,YAAY,CAAC,IAAI,CAAC,IAAI,CAAC,GAAG,CAAC;AAEhH,MAAM,QAAQ,GAAG,CAAC,OAA4B,EAAQ,EAAE;IACtD,MAAM,OAAO,GAAG,OAAO,CAAC,OAAO,IAAI,KAAK,CAAC;IACzC,MAAM,EAAE,MAAM,EAAE,KAAK,EAAE,GAAG,OAAO;QAC/B,CAAC,CAAC,CAAC,GAAG,EAAE;YACJ,MAAM,MAAM,GAAG,SAAS,EAAE,CAAC;YAC3B,OAAO,EAAE,MAAM,EAAE,MAAM,EAAE,KAAK,EAAE,YAAY,CAAC,MAAM,EAAE,EAAE,MAAM,EAAE,mBAAmB,EAAE,CAAC,EAAE,CAAC;QAC1F,CAAC,CAAC,EAAE;QACN,CAAC,CAAC,WAAW,EAAE,CAAC;IAElB,IAAI,CAAC;QACH,IAAI,CAAC,OAAO;YAAE,aAAa,CAAC,KAAK,CAAC,CAAC;QAEnC,IAAI,OAAO,CAAC,IAAI,IAAI,KAAK,EAAE,CAAC;YAC1B,OAAO,CAAC,MAAM,CAAC,KAAK,CAAC,GAAG,IAAI,CAAC,SAAS,CAAC,EAAE,GAAG,KAAK,EAAE,KAAK,EAAE,SAAS,CAAC,MAAM,CAAC,EAAE,EAAE,IAAI,EAAE,CAAC,CAAC,IAAI,CAAC,CAAC;YAC7F,OAAO;QACT,CAAC;QAED,IAAI,OAAO,CAAC,KAAK,IAAI,KAAK,EAAE,CAAC;YAC3B,MAAM,IAAI,GAAG,SAAS,CAAC,MAAM,CAAC,CAAC;YAC/B,MAAM,KAAK,GAAG;gBACZ,cAAc,IAAI,CAAC,IAAI,EAAE;gBACzB,eAAe,IAAI,CAAC,aAAa,IAAI,GAAG,EAAE;gBAC1C,cAAc,IAAI,CAAC,GAAG,CAAC,CAAC,CAAC,eAAe,CAAC,CAAC,CAAC,0CAA0C,EAAE;gBACvF,cAAc,IAAI,CAAC,cAAc,IAAI,QAAQ,EAAE;gBAC/C,cAAc,IAAI,CAAC,WAAW,IAAI,QAAQ,EAAE;gBAC5C,cAAc,MAAM,CAAC,IAAI,CAAC,QAAQ,EAAE,SAAS,CAAC,KAAK,MAAM,CAAC,IAAI,CAAC,OAAO,EAAE,QAAQ,CAAC,KAAK,MAAM,CAAC,IAAI,CAAC,KAAK,EAAE,MAAM,CAAC,EAAE;gBAClH,cAAc,KAAK,CAAC,OAAO,CAAC,CAAC,CAAC,SAAS,CAAC,CAAC,CAAC,aAAa,cAAc,MAAM,CAAC,KAAK,CAAC,cAAc,EAAE,QAAQ,CAAC,KAAK;oBAC9G,IAAI,KAAK,CAAC,eAAe,gBAAgB,KAAK,CAAC,mBAAmB,aAAa;oBAC/E,GAAG,KAAK,CAAC,gBAAgB,KAAK,CAAC,CAAC,CAAC,CAAC,EAAE,CAAC,CAAC,CAAC,OAAO,KAAK,CAAC,gBAAgB,kBAAkB,KAAK,CAAC,YAAY,CAAC,IAAI,CAAC,IAAI,CAAC,GAAG,EAAE;oBACxH,MAAM,KAAK,CAAC,SAAS,IAAI;aAC5B,CAAC;YACF,OAAO,CAAC,MAAM,CAAC,KAAK,CAAC,GAAG,KAAK,CAAC,IAAI,CAAC,IAAI,CAAC,IAAI,CAAC,CAAC;YAC9C,OAAO;QACT,CAAC;QAED,OAAO,CAAC,MAAM,CAAC,KAAK,CAClB,GAAG,KAAK,CAAC,OAAO,CAAC,CAAC,CAAC,SAAS,CAAC,CAAC,CAAC,SAAS,aAAa,MAAM,CAAC,KAAK,CAAC,cAAc,EAAE,QAAQ,CAAC,IAAI;YAC7F,WAAW,MAAM,CAAC,KAAK,CAAC,eAAe,GAAG,KAAK,CAAC,mBAAmB,EAAE,SAAS,CAAC,EAAE;YACjF,GAAG,YAAY,CAAC,KAAK,CAAC,OAAO,KAAK,CAAC,SAAS,MAAM,CACrD,CAAC;IACJ,CAAC;YAAS,CAAC;QACT,UAAU,CAAC,MAAM,CAAC,CAAC;IACrB,CAAC;AACH,CAAC,CAAC;AAEF,MAAM,CAAC,MAAM,QAAQ,GAAG,CAAC,OAAgB,EAAQ,EAAE;IACjD,OAAO;SACJ,OAAO,CAAC,OAAO,CAAC;SAChB,WAAW,CAAC,sEAAsE,CAAC;SACnF,MAAM,CAAC,WAAW,EAAE,2CAA2C,CAAC;SAChE,MAAM,CAAC,YAAY,EAAE,4DAA4D,CAAC;SAClF,MAAM,CAAC,QAAQ,EAAE,sBAAsB,CAAC;SACxC,MAAM,CAAC,SAAS,EAAE,uCAAuC,CAAC;SAC1D,WAAW,CACV,OAAO,EACP,0FAA0F;QACxF,0FAA0F;QAC1F,aAAa,CAChB;SACA,MAAM,CAAC,CAAC,OAA4B,EAAE,EAAE;QACvC,IAAI,CAAC;YACH,IAAI,CAAC,OAAO,CAAC,KAAK,EAAE,CAAC;gBACnB,IAAI,OAAO,CAAC,OAAO,IAAI,KAAK,EAAE,CAAC;oBAC7B,IAAI,CAAC,kDAAkD,CAAC,CAAC;oBACzD,OAAO;gBACT,CAAC;gBACD,oBAAoB,CAAC,WAAW,CAAC,CAAC;gBAClC,OAAO,CAAC,OAAO,CAAC,CAAC;gBACjB,OAAO;YACT,CAAC;YACD,oBAAoB,CAAC,YAAY,CAAC,CAAC;YACnC,QAAQ,CAAC,OAAO,CAAC,CAAC;QACpB,CAAC;QAAC,OAAO,KAAK,EAAE,CAAC;YACf,IAAI,CAAC,KAAK,YAAY,KAAK,CAAC,CAAC,CAAC,KAAK,CAAC,OAAO,CAAC,CAAC,CAAC,MAAM,CAAC,KAAK,CAAC,CAAC,CAAC;QAC/D,CAAC;IACH,CAAC,CAAC,CAAC;AACP,CAAC,CAAC"}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/dist/commitlore.mjs b/dist/commitlore.mjs
index 289b4cc7..aad23b6e 100755
--- a/dist/commitlore.mjs
+++ b/dist/commitlore.mjs
@@ -18640,6 +18640,13 @@ var fail = (message) => {
   process.exitCode = 2;
 };
 var plural = (count2, unit) => `${count2} ${unit}${count2 === 1 ? "" : "s"}`;
+var reportUnfetchedNotes = (subject) => {
+  if (notesAvailability() !== "unfetched") return;
+  process.stderr.write(
+    `commitlore: the notes mirror has not been fetched here, so ${subject} covers the commit messages alone and may be missing records that exist upstream (git fetch does not fetch ${NOTES_REF2} by default). fix: commitlore doctor --fix, then git fetch, then rerun
+`
+  );
+};
 var runScan = (options) => {
   const started = Date.now();
   const trailers = scanTrailers();
@@ -18710,9 +18717,11 @@ var register12 = (program3) => {
           fail("--rebuild and --no-index ask for opposite things");
           return;
         }
+        reportUnfetchedNotes("this scan");
         runScan(options);
         return;
       }
+      reportUnfetchedNotes("this index");
       runIndex(options);
     } catch (error2) {
       fail(error2 instanceof Error ? error2.message : String(error2));
diff --git a/docs/cli.md b/docs/cli.md
index e6eaeeac..c6a7b122 100644
--- a/docs/cli.md
+++ b/docs/cli.md
@@ -90,6 +90,8 @@ them; you do not.
 ## The index is derived
 
 `.git/commitlore/index.db` is a cache. The authority is the commit trailers and
-`refs/notes/commitlore`, so `commitlore index --rebuild` can always reconstruct
-it, and `--no-index` answers the same questions from Git alone — more slowly.
-The gap between the two at scale is measured in [evidence.md](evidence.md).
+`refs/notes/commitlore`, so `commitlore index --rebuild` reconstructs it from
+whatever Git holds here — and says so on stderr when `refs/notes/commitlore` was
+never fetched, because then it rebuilds from one source of the two. `--no-index`
+answers the same questions from Git alone — more slowly. The gap between the two
+at scale is measured in [evidence.md](evidence.md).
diff --git a/src/commands/index-cmd.ts b/src/commands/index-cmd.ts
index 3ca8be2f..aae4ac99 100644
--- a/src/commands/index-cmd.ts
+++ b/src/commands/index-cmd.ts
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ import {
   scanTrailers,
   type IndexStats,
 } from '../core/index-db.js';
+import { NOTES_REF, notesAvailability } from '../core/notes.js';
 
 interface IndexCommandOptions {
   rebuild?: boolean;
@@ -40,6 +41,33 @@ const fail = (message: string): void => {
 const plural = (count: number, unit: string): string =>
   `${count} ${unit}${count === 1 ? '' : 's'}`;
 
+/**
+ * Records come from two places, and this command can only ever read one of them
+ * locally. `rebuild` is what a user runs *because* they suspect the index is
+ * wrong, so reporting a clean count over a mirror that was never fetched is the
+ * least useful moment to leave that unsaid — the same defect `r-fetchowed` fixed
+ * one command over, where `doctor --fix` printed `ok` for configuration it had
+ * not fetched through.
+ *
+ * The state is `notesAvailability`'s, so this is a report and not a new check.
+ * The exit code deliberately does not follow `context`, which exits 3 on the
+ * same state: 3 there marks an *answer* drawn from an incomplete store, and this
+ * command's contract is 0 built, 2 could not run. The index it wrote is the one
+ * git can support, which is a build that succeeded — moving the code would make
+ * every unfetched clone's `init` and CI step fail over a cache that is correct.
+ *
+ * Like every other diagnostic it goes to stderr, so `--json` stays parseable
+ * while the caller still hears it.
+ */
+const reportUnfetchedNotes = (subject: string): void => {
+  if (notesAvailability() !== 'unfetched') return;
+  process.stderr.write(
+    `commitlore: the notes mirror has not been fetched here, so ${subject} covers the commit ` +
+      `messages alone and may be missing records that exist upstream (git fetch does not fetch ` +
+      `${NOTES_REF} by default). fix: commitlore doctor --fix, then git fetch, then rerun\n`,
+  );
+};
+
 const runScan = (options: IndexCommandOptions): void => {
   const started = Date.now();
   const trailers = scanTrailers();
@@ -142,9 +170,11 @@ export const register = (program: Command): void => {
             fail('--rebuild and --no-index ask for opposite things');
             return;
           }
+          reportUnfetchedNotes('this scan');
           runScan(options);
           return;
         }
+        reportUnfetchedNotes('this index');
         runIndex(options);
       } catch (error) {
         fail(error instanceof Error ? error.message : String(error));
diff --git a/test/notes-availability.test.ts b/test/notes-availability.test.ts
index c0503ea3..21519f46 100644
--- a/test/notes-availability.test.ts
+++ b/test/notes-availability.test.ts
@@ -13,8 +13,10 @@ import { mkdtempSync, rmSync, writeFileSync } from 'node:fs';
 import { tmpdir } from 'node:os';
 import { join } from 'node:path';
 
+import { Command } from 'commander';
 import { afterAll, describe, expect, it } from 'vitest';
 
+import { register as registerIndex } from '../src/commands/index-cmd.js';
 import {
   notesAvailability,
   coversNotes,
@@ -146,3 +148,119 @@ describe('an unfetched mirror does not read as an empty repository', () => {
     expect(result.records.map((record) => record.recordId)).toEqual(['r-note01']);
   });
 });
+
+/** An origin holding one record in a commit message and one only in the mirror. */
+const originWithBothSources = (): string => {
+  const dir = makeRepo();
+  writeFileSync(join(dir, 'b.txt'), 'b\n');
+  git(dir, ['add', '-A']);
+  git(dir, [
+    'commit',
+    '-q',
+    '-m',
+    'Seed a record in the message\n\nLimit: the vendor SSO ships no refresh token\nProvenance: authored\nRecord-Id: r-cmt001\n',
+  ]);
+  writeRecord(
+    git(dir, ['rev-parse', 'HEAD']).trim(),
+    [
+      { key: 'Limit', value: 'the mirror holds this one' },
+      { key: 'Provenance', value: 'authored' },
+      { key: 'Record-Id', value: 'r-note01' },
+    ],
+    { cwd: dir },
+  );
+  return dir;
+};
+
+interface CliRun {
+  readonly stdout: string;
+  readonly stderr: string;
+  readonly code: number;
+}
+
+/** Runs `commitlore index` as registered, so the assertion is on what a user reads. */
+const runIndexCommand = (dir: string, argv: string[]): CliRun => {
+  const program = new Command();
+  program.exitOverride();
+  registerIndex(program);
+
+  const out: string[] = [];
+  const err: string[] = [];
+  const stdoutWrite = process.stdout.write.bind(process.stdout);
+  const stderrWrite = process.stderr.write.bind(process.stderr);
+  const previousCwd = process.cwd();
+  const previousExitCode = process.exitCode;
+
+  process.exitCode = 0;
+  try {
+    process.chdir(dir);
+    process.stdout.write = ((chunk: unknown) => {
+      out.push(String(chunk));
+      return true;
+    }) as typeof process.stdout.write;
+    process.stderr.write = ((chunk: unknown) => {
+      err.push(String(chunk));
+      return true;
+    }) as typeof process.stderr.write;
+    program.parse(argv, { from: 'user' });
+  } finally {
+    process.stdout.write = stdoutWrite;
+    process.stderr.write = stderrWrite;
+    process.chdir(previousCwd);
+  }
+
+  const code = Number(process.exitCode ?? 0);
+  process.exitCode = previousExitCode;
+  return { stdout: out.join(''), stderr: err.join(''), code };
+};
+
+/**
+ * #400: `index --rebuild` read the same two sources `context` reads and
+ * reported a clean rebuild over one it could not open. `rebuild` is the command
+ * a user runs *because* they suspect the index is wrong, so an unqualified
+ * success is the worst moment to leave the unfetched mirror unsaid.
+ */
+describe('a build over an unfetched mirror says so', () => {
+  it('qualifies --rebuild, and still exits 0', () => {
+    const run = runIndexCommand(clone(originWithBothSources()), ['index', '--rebuild']);
+
+    expect(run.stdout).toContain('rebuilt: scanned');
+    expect(run.stderr).toContain('has not been fetched');
+    expect(run.stderr).toContain('commitlore doctor --fix');
+    // An unfetched mirror is not a build failure. `context` exits 3 on the same
+    // state because 3 marks an incomplete *answer*; this command's contract is 0
+    // built, 2 could not run, and it did build what git can support.
+    expect(run.code).toBe(0);
+  });
+
+  it('qualifies the incremental build too — it reads the same two sources', () => {
+    const run = runIndexCommand(clone(originWithBothSources()), ['index']);
+
+    expect(run.stdout).toContain('scanned');
+    expect(run.stderr).toContain('has not been fetched');
+    expect(run.code).toBe(0);
+  });
+
+  it('qualifies --no-index, which answers from the same two sources', () => {
+    const run = runIndexCommand(clone(originWithBothSources()), ['index', '--no-index']);
+
+    expect(run.stdout).toContain('no-index scan');
+    expect(run.stderr).toContain('has not been fetched');
+    expect(run.code).toBe(0);
+  });
+
+  it('stays quiet when the mirror is present or there is nothing to fetch', () => {
+    expect(runIndexCommand(originWithBothSources(), ['index', '--rebuild']).stderr).toBe('');
+    expect(runIndexCommand(makeRepo(), ['index', '--rebuild']).stderr).toBe('');
+  });
+
+  it('stops saying it once the mirror is fetched, and indexes the record', () => {
+    const dir = clone(originWithBothSources());
+    git(dir, ['config', '--add', 'remote.origin.fetch', NOTES_REFSPEC]);
+    git(dir, ['fetch', '-q', 'origin']);
+
+    const run = runIndexCommand(dir, ['index', '--rebuild']);
+    expect(run.stderr).toBe('');
+    expect(runQuery({ cwd: dir }).records.map((record) => record.recordId)).toContain('r-note01');
+  });
+});