diff --git a/server/src/db/yaml_legacy.rs b/server/src/db/yaml_legacy.rs
index a9588645..3fccfd89 100644
--- a/server/src/db/yaml_legacy.rs
+++ b/server/src/db/yaml_legacy.rs
@@ -12,6 +12,23 @@ use serde::Deserialize;
 use std::fs;
 use std::path::Path;
 
+/// Identity wrapper that flags a yaml_legacy callsite blocked on adding a
+/// CRDT register (story 929 residue). Every wrap is a grep-findable marker —
+/// `grep -rn yaml_residue` enumerates every remaining gap — so it stays
+/// visible in every code review.
+///
+/// When the CRDT register lands and the caller is migrated, delete the wrap.
+/// Once every wrap is gone, delete this function and `db::yaml_legacy`
+/// entirely (929 stage 10).
+///
+/// Filed sub-stories enumerate each gap:
+/// - 932: `review_hold` flag (write-side in qa_tools, read-side in
+///   auto_assign).
+/// - 933: epic mechanism — `item_type` and `epic` link fields.
+pub fn yaml_residue<T>(v: T) -> T {
+    v
+}
+
 /// Front-matter fields used by the legacy `parse_front_matter` API.  Mirrors
 /// the original `io::story_metadata::FrontMatter`.
 #[derive(Debug, Default, Deserialize)]
diff --git a/server/src/http/mcp/qa_tools.rs b/server/src/http/mcp/qa_tools.rs
index e69cd709..beec1fc0 100644
--- a/server/src/http/mcp/qa_tools.rs
+++ b/server/src/http/mcp/qa_tools.rs
@@ -54,12 +54,16 @@ pub(super) async fn tool_approve_qa(args: &Value, ctx: &AppContext) -> Result<St
 
     let project_root = ctx.services.agents.get_project_root(&ctx.state)?;
 
-    // Clear review_hold before moving
+    // Clear review_hold before moving.
+    // review_hold has no CRDT register yet — story 932. Marked with
+    // `yaml_residue` so the gap is grep-findable.
     let qa_path = project_root
         .join(".huskies/work/3_qa")
         .join(format!("{story_id}.md"));
     if qa_path.exists() {
-        let _ = crate::db::yaml_legacy::clear_front_matter_field(&qa_path, "review_hold");
+        let _ = crate::db::yaml_legacy::yaml_residue(
+            crate::db::yaml_legacy::clear_front_matter_field(&qa_path, "review_hold"),
+        );
     }
 
     if is_spike(story_id) {
@@ -136,18 +140,10 @@ pub(super) async fn tool_reject_qa(args: &Value, ctx: &AppContext) -> Result<Str
     // Move story from work/3_qa/ back to work/2_current/ with rejection notes
     reject_story_from_qa(story_id, notes)?;
 
-    // Restart the coder agent with rejection context
-    let story_path = project_root
-        .join(".huskies/work/2_current")
-        .join(format!("{story_id}.md"));
-    let agent_name = if story_path.exists() {
-        let contents = std::fs::read_to_string(&story_path).unwrap_or_default();
-        crate::db::yaml_legacy::parse_front_matter(&contents)
-            .ok()
-            .and_then(|meta| meta.agent)
-    } else {
-        None
-    };
+    // Restart the coder agent with rejection context.
+    // Agent name comes from the CRDT WorkItem register (story 929).
+    let agent_name =
+        crate::crdt_state::read_item(story_id).and_then(|w| w.agent().map(str::to_string));
     let agent_name = agent_name.as_deref().unwrap_or("coder-opus");
 
     let context = format!(
diff --git a/server/src/http/mcp/status_tools.rs b/server/src/http/mcp/status_tools.rs
index f6f1915b..359f7f8e 100644
--- a/server/src/http/mcp/status_tools.rs
+++ b/server/src/http/mcp/status_tools.rs
@@ -174,47 +174,29 @@ pub(super) async fn tool_status(args: &Value, ctx: &AppContext) -> Result<String
     let contents = crate::db::read_content(story_id)
         .ok_or_else(|| format!("Story '{story_id}' has no content in the content store."))?;
 
-    // --- Front matter ---
+    // --- Metadata (story 929: CRDT-first, yaml_residue marks gaps) ---
     let mut front_matter = serde_json::Map::new();
-    if let Ok(meta) = crate::db::yaml_legacy::parse_front_matter(&contents) {
-        if let Some(name) = &meta.name {
+    if let Some(view) = crate::crdt_state::read_item(story_id) {
+        if let Some(name) = view.name() {
             front_matter.insert("name".to_string(), json!(name));
         }
-        if let Some(agent) = &meta.agent {
+        if let Some(agent) = view.agent() {
             front_matter.insert("agent".to_string(), json!(agent));
         }
-        if let Some(true) = meta.blocked {
+        if view.blocked() {
             front_matter.insert("blocked".to_string(), json!(true));
         }
-        if let Some(qa) = &meta.qa {
-            front_matter.insert("qa".to_string(), json!(qa.as_str()));
+        if let Some(qa) = view.qa_mode() {
+            front_matter.insert("qa".to_string(), json!(qa));
         }
-        if let Some(rc) = meta.retry_count
-            && rc > 0
-        {
+        let rc = view.retry_count();
+        if rc > 0 {
             front_matter.insert("retry_count".to_string(), json!(rc));
         }
-        if let Some(mf) = &meta.merge_failure {
-            front_matter.insert("merge_failure".to_string(), json!(mf));
-        }
-        if let Some(rh) = meta.review_hold
-            && rh
-        {
-            front_matter.insert("review_hold".to_string(), json!(rh));
-        }
-        if let Some(deps) = &meta.depends_on
-            && !deps.is_empty()
-        {
+        let deps = view.depends_on();
+        if !deps.is_empty() {
             front_matter.insert("depends_on".to_string(), json!(deps));
         }
-    }
-
-    // --- CRDT view fields (claimed_by, claimed_at, is_deleted) ---
-    // read_item uses the visible index, so is_deleted is always false here;
-    // we include it only when true (which cannot happen for stories that
-    // pass the read_typed / 2_current check above, but the code is present
-    // for completeness and future-proofing).
-    if let Some(view) = crate::crdt_state::read_item(story_id) {
         if let Some(cb) = view.claimed_by()
             && !cb.is_empty()
         {
@@ -227,6 +209,22 @@ pub(super) async fn tool_status(args: &Value, ctx: &AppContext) -> Result<String
         }
     }
 
+    // Merge-failure detail lives on the MergeJob CRDT entry, not on WorkItem.
+    if let Some(job) = crate::crdt_state::read_merge_job(story_id)
+        && let Some(mf) = job.error
+    {
+        front_matter.insert("merge_failure".to_string(), json!(mf));
+    }
+
+    // review_hold has no CRDT register yet — see story 932. Wrap the
+    // yaml_legacy read in `yaml_residue(...)` so it's grep-findable.
+    if let Ok(meta) =
+        crate::db::yaml_legacy::yaml_residue(crate::db::yaml_legacy::parse_front_matter(&contents))
+        && let Some(true) = meta.review_hold
+    {
+        front_matter.insert("review_hold".to_string(), json!(true));
+    }
+
     // --- AC checklist ---
     let ac_items: Vec<Value> = parse_ac_items(&contents)
         .into_iter()
diff --git a/server/src/http/mcp/story_tools/epic.rs b/server/src/http/mcp/story_tools/epic.rs
index 3843dcf0..a76b68fb 100644
--- a/server/src/http/mcp/story_tools/epic.rs
+++ b/server/src/http/mcp/story_tools/epic.rs
@@ -4,7 +4,10 @@
 //! and refactors. They are not pipeline-driven but provide authoritative context
 //! injected into agent prompts for all member work items.
 
-use crate::db::yaml_legacy::parse_front_matter;
+// Epic mechanism (item_type, epic link) has no CRDT register yet — story 933.
+// parse_front_matter calls here are wrapped in `yaml_residue` so they're
+// grep-findable until 933 lands.
+use crate::db::yaml_legacy::{parse_front_matter, yaml_residue};
 use crate::http::context::AppContext;
 use crate::http::workflow::create_epic_file;
 use serde_json::{Value, json};
@@ -62,7 +65,7 @@ pub(crate) fn tool_list_epics(_ctx: &AppContext) -> Result<String, String> {
             Some(c) => c,
             None => continue,
         };
-        let meta = match parse_front_matter(&content) {
+        let meta = match yaml_residue(parse_front_matter(&content)) {
             Ok(m) => m,
             Err(_) => continue,
         };
@@ -113,7 +116,7 @@ pub(crate) fn tool_show_epic(args: &Value, _ctx: &AppContext) -> Result<String,
     let content = crate::db::read_content(epic_id)
         .ok_or_else(|| format!("Epic '{epic_id}' not found in content store"))?;
 
-    let meta = parse_front_matter(&content)
+    let meta = yaml_residue(parse_front_matter(&content))
         .map_err(|e| format!("Failed to parse epic front matter: {e}"))?;
 
     if meta.item_type.as_deref() != Some("epic") {
@@ -132,7 +135,7 @@ pub(crate) fn tool_show_epic(args: &Value, _ctx: &AppContext) -> Result<String,
             Some(c) => c,
             None => continue,
         };
-        let member_meta = match parse_front_matter(&member_content) {
+        let member_meta = match yaml_residue(parse_front_matter(&member_content)) {
             Ok(m) => m,
             Err(_) => continue,
         };