diff --git a/.gitea/workflows/ci.yml b/.gitea/workflows/ci.yml
index 02ca470..b57a5d5 100644
--- a/.gitea/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.gitea/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -9,6 +9,9 @@ jobs:
       - run: bash ci.sh
 
   publish:
+    concurrency:
+      cancel-in-progress: false
+      group: publish
     if: github.ref == 'refs/heads/main'
     needs: gate
     runs-on: docker-host
diff --git a/AGENTS.md b/AGENTS.md
index 51f4f5f..86b9ee8 100644
--- a/AGENTS.md
+++ b/AGENTS.md
@@ -131,10 +131,15 @@ descends, so a document reports its first error in document order. `not-an-adf-d
 the document's own path throughout: eight of the guard's nine branches read the document's own
 shape, and threading a path to the ninth — a malformed node anywhere in the tree — wants the
 manual stack §11's no-recursion rule forces, whose empty half no input reaches. The message names
-the violation instead. Depth is not one of the nine: the guard runs a second time unbounded, so an
-attribute value past 500 levels is `unsupported-nesting-depth` from the emitter as it already is
-from the parser, and both directions refuse the same value — the guard counts the levels an
-attribute holds, never the `attrs` object holding it.
+the violation instead. Depth is not one of the nine: `adfDocumentFault` returns the code with the
+message, so an attribute value past 500 levels is `unsupported-nesting-depth` from the emitter as
+it already is from the parser, both directions refusing the same value — the count is the levels
+an attribute holds, never the `attrs` object holding it. `isAdfDocument` is true for a depth fault:
+a deep document is a document, as the 2000-level blocks and the 600-deep marks the guard already
+waves through are, and depth is the walks' answer rather than the shape's. A non-finite number
+stays parted where depth is joined: the parse says `unsupported-node-shape` because the markdown is
+at fault, the emit `not-an-adf-document` because the input is, and unlike depth nothing round-trips
+inconsistently between them.
 
 `position` is the parse side's alone: an emitter reads no source, so an emit error carries `path`
 and nothing more. It is `{ line, offset }` at the start of the line the block holding the refusal
@@ -156,6 +161,13 @@ wide `Result<T>`, since half their refusals come from an emit stage that read no
   deliberate semver judgment. `publish.sh` is that job, and `private: true` stops it before it
   reads the token, so the pipeline is live and silent until the maintainer's first bump drops the
   field.
+- The publish and the tag each observe their own end state — the version on npm, the tag on the
+  remote — and neither gates the other, so a run that dies between them converges on the next push
+  to `main` rather than leaving npm ahead of the tags. An unanswered registry reads the same as an
+  unpublished version, which npm's own duplicate rejection is what catches. The job rebuilds rather
+  than taking the gate's `dist`: the lockfile is committed, the image is patch-pinned and `tsc` is
+  deterministic, so the two builds agree, and promoting an artifact would make the release path
+  depend on a store that the gate would then have to keep.
 - Renovate watches devDependencies, Docker pins and action tags; automerges everything on green CI.
 - Docker images pin the full patch version (`node:24.19.0-alpine3.24`, never `node:24`), as
   specific as the publisher tags: `oven/bun:1.4.0-alpine` pins Bun's patch and leaves the base
@@ -175,10 +187,13 @@ emphasis matching leans on can disagree. Both refuse a run matching no test, so
 vacuous-green guard, and a test may reach only for what all three `node:` shims carry — the price
 of proving those engines over the corpus rather than over a smoke import.
 
-The gate then builds and runs `package-tests/` against what it built, reached by the package's own
-name so `exports` answers: `consumer.ts` typechecks the emitted `.d.ts` from outside
-`tsconfig.build.json`, since declaration emit leaves `.ts` specifiers a consumer's resolver must
-map itself, and `node-floor.js` round-trips under a Node pinned to `engines.node`'s floor.
+The gate then packs the build and installs the tarball under `package-tests/`, so `files`,
+`exports` and `types` are proved on the artifact that ships rather than on the source tree a
+self-reference would resolve against. `consumer.ts` typechecks the emitted `.d.ts` from outside
+`tsconfig.build.json` — declaration emit leaves the `.ts` specifiers
+`rewriteRelativeImportExtensions` rewrites in the JavaScript, and this is what says a consumer's
+resolver maps them, under `NodeNext` alone; a `.d.ts` reader that is not `tsc` stays unproven.
+`node-floor.js` round-trips the installed package under a Node pinned to `engines.node`'s floor.
 
 The floors live in the `test` script, so `npm test` and the gate are one path: 100% of lines and
 functions, and a branch floor that only ever moves upward. It sits below 100 because the guards
diff --git a/ci.sh b/ci.sh
index c9e2d52..2708d51 100755
--- a/ci.sh
+++ b/ci.sh
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bash
 set -euo pipefail
 cd "$(dirname "$0")"
-source ./docker-images.sh
+source ./docker-runner.sh
 
 in_image "$node_image" npm ci
 in_image "$node_image" npm run typecheck
@@ -20,5 +20,9 @@ in_image "$deno_image" deno test --allow-read --no-check src/
 in_image "$bun_image" bun test src/
 
 in_image "$node_image" npm run build
+in_image "$node_image" sh -c 'set -e
+  rm -rf package-tests/node_modules
+  npm pack --pack-destination /tmp >/dev/null
+  npm install --no-save --no-package-lock --prefix package-tests /tmp/*.tgz >/dev/null'
 in_image "$node_image" npx tsc -p package-tests
 in_image "$floor_image" node package-tests/node-floor.js
diff --git a/docker-images.sh b/docker-runner.sh
similarity index 59%
rename from docker-images.sh
rename to docker-runner.sh
index 6f25981..66ed149 100644
--- a/docker-images.sh
+++ b/docker-runner.sh
@@ -6,5 +6,5 @@ node_image=node:24.19.0-alpine3.24
 in_image() {
   local image=$1 entrypoint=$2
   shift 2
-  docker run --rm -u "$(id -u):$(id -g)" -e HOME=/tmp -e NPM_TOKEN -v "$PWD:/app" -w /app --entrypoint "$entrypoint" "$image" "$@"
+  docker run --rm -u "$(id -u):$(id -g)" -e HOME=/tmp -v "$PWD:/app" -w /app --entrypoint "$entrypoint" "$image" "$@"
 }
diff --git a/package-tests/package.json b/package-tests/package.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..810279b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/package-tests/package.json
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+{
+  "name": "adf-codec-package-tests",
+  "private": true,
+  "type": "module"
+}
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index a8d1126..d941dc5 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
   "files": [
     "dist"
   ],
+  "sideEffects": false,
   "engines": {
     "node": ">=18"
   },
diff --git a/publish.sh b/publish.sh
index de82485..5a3694b 100755
--- a/publish.sh
+++ b/publish.sh
@@ -1,28 +1,35 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bash
 set -euo pipefail
 cd "$(dirname "$0")"
-source ./docker-images.sh
+source ./docker-runner.sh
 
 read_field() {
   in_image "$node_image" npm pkg get "$1" | tr -d '"\r'
 }
 
-if [ "$(read_field private)" = 'true' ]; then
+published_version() {
+  in_image "$node_image" npm view "$1@$2" version 2>/dev/null || true
+}
+
+private=$(read_field private)
+if [ "$private" = 'true' ]; then
   echo 'package.json is private — the maintainer removes that in the bump that first publishes'
   exit 0
 fi
 
 name=$(read_field name)
 version=$(read_field version)
-published=$(in_image "$node_image" npm view "$name@latest" version 2>/dev/null || true)
-if [ "$version" = "$published" ]; then
-  echo "npm holds $name $version already — no bump, no deploy"
-  exit 0
+
+# Both steps observe their own end state, so a partial run converges on the next push to main.
+if [ -z "$(published_version "$name" "$version")" ]; then
+  : "${NPM_TOKEN:?the publish needs NPM_TOKEN}"
+  in_image "$node_image" npm ci
+  in_image "$node_image" npm run build
+  docker run --rm -u "$(id -u):$(id -g)" -e HOME=/tmp -e NPM_TOKEN -v "$PWD:/app" -w /app --entrypoint sh "$node_image" -c \
+    'printf "//registry.npmjs.org/:_authToken=%s\n" "$NPM_TOKEN" > "$HOME/.npmrc" && npm publish --access public'
 fi
 
-: "${NPM_TOKEN:?the publish needs NPM_TOKEN}"
-in_image "$node_image" npm ci
-in_image "$node_image" npm run build
-in_image "$node_image" sh -c 'printf "//registry.npmjs.org/:_authToken=%s\n" "$NPM_TOKEN" > "$HOME/.npmrc" && npm publish --access public'
-git tag "v$version"
-git push origin "v$version"
+if [ -z "$(git ls-remote --tags origin "v$version")" ]; then
+  git tag "v$version"
+  git push origin "v$version"
+fi
diff --git a/renovate.json b/renovate.json
index 0c04896..1c30dd2 100644
--- a/renovate.json
+++ b/renovate.json
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
       "datasourceTemplate": "docker",
       "depNameTemplate": "denoland/deno",
       "description": "Pin the Deno image the gate runs",
-      "managerFilePatterns": ["docker-images.sh"],
+      "managerFilePatterns": ["docker-runner.sh"],
       "matchStrings": ["denoland/deno:(?<currentValue>[0-9][^\\s\"']*)"],
       "versioningTemplate": "docker"
     },
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
       "datasourceTemplate": "docker",
       "depNameTemplate": "node",
       "description": "Pin the node image the gate runs",
-      "managerFilePatterns": ["docker-images.sh"],
+      "managerFilePatterns": ["docker-runner.sh"],
       "matchStrings": ["node_image=node:(?<currentValue>[0-9][^\\s\"']*)"],
       "versioningTemplate": "docker"
     },
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
       "datasourceTemplate": "docker",
       "depNameTemplate": "node-floor",
       "description": "Pin the node image proving engines.node, held to that major",
-      "managerFilePatterns": ["docker-images.sh"],
+      "managerFilePatterns": ["docker-runner.sh"],
       "matchStrings": ["floor_image=node:(?<currentValue>[0-9][^\\s\"']*)"],
       "packageNameTemplate": "node",
       "versioningTemplate": "docker"
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@
       "datasourceTemplate": "docker",
       "depNameTemplate": "oven/bun",
       "description": "Pin the Bun image the gate runs",
-      "managerFilePatterns": ["docker-images.sh"],
+      "managerFilePatterns": ["docker-runner.sh"],
       "matchStrings": ["oven/bun:(?<currentValue>[0-9][^\\s\"']*)"],
       "versioningTemplate": "docker"
     },
diff --git a/src/adf/document.test.ts b/src/adf/document.test.ts
index 968821b..9f2cfc9 100644
--- a/src/adf/document.test.ts
+++ b/src/adf/document.test.ts
@@ -6,7 +6,11 @@ import { adfDocumentFault, isAdfDocument } from './document.ts'
 import { largestNesting } from '../nesting.ts'
 
 function fault(value: unknown): string {
-  return adfDocumentFault(value) ?? 'accepted'
+  return adfDocumentFault(value)?.message ?? 'accepted'
+}
+
+function faultCode(value: unknown): string {
+  return adfDocumentFault(value)?.code ?? 'accepted'
 }
 
 function nested(levels: number): JsonValue {
@@ -56,13 +60,15 @@ test('rejects a node whose shape ProseMirror JSON cannot hold', () => {
   assert.equal(isAdfDocument({ content: [{ attrs: [], type: 'paragraph' }], type: 'doc', version: 1 }), false)
 })
 
-test('holds an attribute value to the levels the parser reads one at, the attrs object costing none', () => {
-  assert.equal(isAdfDocument(withAttribute(nested(largestNesting))), true)
-  assert.equal(isAdfDocument(withAttribute(nested(largestNesting + 1))), false)
-  assert.equal(adfDocumentFault(withAttribute(nested(largestNesting + 1)), Number.POSITIVE_INFINITY), undefined)
+test('names the attribute nesting past the levels the parser reads one at, and still calls the value a document', () => {
+  const deeper = (key: string, type: string): string => `the ${key} attribute of ${type} nests deeper than the ${largestNesting} levels an attribute carries`
+  assert.equal(fault(withAttribute(nested(largestNesting))), 'accepted')
+  assert.equal(fault(withAttribute(nested(largestNesting + 1))), deeper('a', 'paragraph'))
+  assert.equal(faultCode(withAttribute(nested(largestNesting + 1))), 'unsupported-nesting-depth')
+  assert.equal(isAdfDocument(withAttribute(nested(largestNesting + 1))), true)
   const marked = { content: [{ marks: [{ attrs: { a: nested(largestNesting + 1) }, type: 'link' }], text: 'x', type: 'text' }], type: 'doc', version: 1 }
-  assert.equal(isAdfDocument(marked), false)
-  assert.equal(adfDocumentFault(marked, Number.POSITIVE_INFINITY), undefined)
+  assert.equal(fault(marked), deeper('a', 'link'))
+  assert.equal(isAdfDocument(marked), true)
 })
 
 test('accepts the JSON values an attribute may hold', () => {
diff --git a/src/adf/document.ts b/src/adf/document.ts
index 2f544b2..46960d8 100644
--- a/src/adf/document.ts
+++ b/src/adf/document.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
-import { isJsonValue, type JsonValue } from '../json-value.ts'
+import type { ConvertFault } from '../result.ts'
+import { isJsonValue, overNested, type JsonValue } from '../json-value.ts'
 import { largestNesting } from '../nesting.ts'
 
 export type AdfAttributes = { [key: string]: JsonValue }
@@ -26,19 +27,25 @@ const documentKeys = ['content', 'type', 'version']
 const markKeys = ['attrs', 'type']
 const nodeKeys = ['attrs', 'content', 'marks', 'text', 'type']
 
-export function adfDocumentFault(value: unknown, levels: number = largestNesting): string | undefined {
-  if (!isRecord(value)) return `an ADF document is an object: found ${describe(value)}`
+export function adfDocumentFault(value: unknown): ConvertFault | undefined {
+  if (!isRecord(value)) return notADocument(`an ADF document is an object: found ${describe(value)}`)
   const extra = extraKey(value, documentKeys)
-  if (extra !== undefined) return `an ADF document holds content, type and version alone: found the key ${extra}`
-  if (!('type' in value)) return 'an ADF document holds type "doc": found no type field'
-  if (value['type'] !== 'doc') return `an ADF document holds type "doc": found ${describe(value['type'])}`
-  if (!('version' in value)) return 'an ADF document holds a version number: found no version field'
+  if (extra !== undefined) return notADocument(`an ADF document holds content, type and version alone: found the key ${extra}`)
+  if (!('type' in value)) return notADocument('an ADF document holds type "doc": found no type field')
+  if (value['type'] !== 'doc') return notADocument(`an ADF document holds type "doc": found ${describe(value['type'])}`)
+  if (!('version' in value)) return notADocument('an ADF document holds a version number: found no version field')
   const version = value['version']
-  if (typeof version !== 'number' || !Number.isFinite(version)) return `an ADF document holds a version number: found ${describe(version)}`
+  if (typeof version !== 'number' || !Number.isFinite(version)) return notADocument(`an ADF document holds a version number: found ${describe(version)}`)
   if (!('content' in value)) return undefined
-  const content = value['content']
-  if (!Array.isArray(content)) return `an ADF document's content is an array: found ${describe(content)}`
-  return isNodeArray(content, levels) ? undefined : "an ADF document's content holds ADF nodes: one of them is not"
+  const held: unknown = value['content']
+  if (!Array.isArray(held)) return notADocument(`an ADF document's content is an array: found ${describe(held)}`)
+  const content: readonly unknown[] = held
+  if (!isNodeArray(content)) return notADocument("an ADF document's content holds ADF nodes: one of them is not")
+  return nestingFault(content)
+}
+
+export function attributeNestingMessage(key: string, type: string): string {
+  return `the ${key} attribute of ${type} nests deeper than the ${largestNesting} levels an attribute carries`
 }
 
 export function carriesOnly(node: AdfNode, attributes: readonly string[]): boolean {
@@ -46,28 +53,30 @@ export function carriesOnly(node: AdfNode, attributes: readonly string[]): boole
   return holdsOnly(node.attrs ?? {}, attributes)
 }
 
+// Depth is the walks' business, not the shape's: the guard waves a deep document through as blocks and marks do.
 export function isAdfDocument(value: unknown): value is AdfDocument {
-  return adfDocumentFault(value) === undefined
+  const fault = adfDocumentFault(value)
+  return fault === undefined || fault.code === 'unsupported-nesting-depth'
 }
 
 export function isAdfNode(value: unknown): value is AdfNode {
-  return isNodeArray([value], largestNesting)
+  return isNodeArray([value])
 }
 
-export function isAdfMark(value: unknown, levels: number = largestNesting): value is AdfMark {
+export function isAdfMark(value: unknown): value is AdfMark {
   if (!isRecord(value) || !holdsOnly(value, markKeys)) return false
   if (typeof value['type'] !== 'string') return false
-  return !('attrs' in value) || isAttributes(value['attrs'], levels)
+  return !('attrs' in value) || isAttributes(value['attrs'])
 }
 
-function isNodeArray(value: readonly unknown[], levels: number): boolean {
+function isNodeArray(value: readonly unknown[]): value is readonly AdfNode[] {
   const pending: unknown[] = [...value]
   while (pending.length > 0) {
     const node = pending.pop()
     if (!isRecord(node) || !holdsOnly(node, nodeKeys)) return false
     if (typeof node['type'] !== 'string') return false
-    if ('attrs' in node && !isAttributes(node['attrs'], levels)) return false
-    if ('marks' in node && !isArrayOf(node['marks'], (mark): mark is AdfMark => isAdfMark(mark, levels))) return false
+    if ('attrs' in node && !isAttributes(node['attrs'])) return false
+    if ('marks' in node && !isArrayOf(node['marks'], isAdfMark)) return false
     if ('text' in node && typeof node['text'] !== 'string') return false
     if ('content' in node) {
       const content = node['content']
@@ -78,19 +87,49 @@ function isNodeArray(value: readonly unknown[], levels: number): boolean {
   return true
 }
 
+function nestingFault(nodes: readonly AdfNode[]): ConvertFault | undefined {
+  const pending: AdfNode[] = [...nodes]
+  while (pending.length > 0) {
+    const node = pending.pop()
+    if (node === undefined) continue
+    const fault = attributesFault(node.attrs, node.type) ?? marksFault(node.marks)
+    if (fault !== undefined) return fault
+    pending.push(...(node.content ?? []))
+  }
+  return undefined
+}
+
+function marksFault(marks: readonly AdfMark[] | undefined): ConvertFault | undefined {
+  for (const mark of marks ?? []) {
+    const fault = attributesFault(mark.attrs, mark.type)
+    if (fault !== undefined) return fault
+  }
+  return undefined
+}
+
+function attributesFault(attrs: AdfAttributes | undefined, type: string): ConvertFault | undefined {
+  for (const [key, value] of Object.entries(attrs ?? {})) {
+    if (overNested(value)) return { code: 'unsupported-nesting-depth', message: attributeNestingMessage(key, type) }
+  }
+  return undefined
+}
+
 function isArrayOf<T>(value: unknown, guard: (item: unknown) => item is T): value is T[] {
   return Array.isArray(value) && [...value].every(guard)
 }
 
-// Per value, so an attribute reaches the same 500 levels the parser reads one at (AGENTS.md §11).
-function isAttributes(value: unknown, levels: number): value is AdfAttributes {
-  return isRecord(value) && Object.values(value).every((held) => isJsonValue(held, levels))
+function isAttributes(value: unknown): value is AdfAttributes {
+  return isRecord(value) && isJsonValue(value)
 }
 
 function isRecord(value: unknown): value is Record<string, unknown> {
   return typeof value === 'object' && value !== null && !Array.isArray(value)
 }
 
+function notADocument(message: string): ConvertFault {
+  return { code: 'not-an-adf-document', message }
+}
+
 function describe(value: unknown): string {
   if (typeof value === 'string') return JSON.stringify(value.length > 40 ? `${value.slice(0, 40)}…` : value)
   if (typeof value === 'function') return 'a function'
diff --git a/src/json-value.ts b/src/json-value.ts
index 5c3ef83..5c7da45 100644
--- a/src/json-value.ts
+++ b/src/json-value.ts
@@ -2,22 +2,32 @@ import { largestNesting } from './nesting.ts'
 
 export type JsonValue = JsonValue[] | boolean | null | number | string | { [key: string]: JsonValue }
 
-export function isJsonValue(value: unknown, levels: number = largestNesting): value is JsonValue {
-  const pending: { depth: number; item: unknown }[] = [{ depth: 0, item: value }]
+export function isJsonValue(value: unknown): value is JsonValue {
+  const pending: unknown[] = [value]
   while (pending.length > 0) {
-    const entry = pending.pop()
-    if (entry === undefined) continue
-    const { depth, item } = entry
-    if (depth > levels) return false
+    const item = pending.pop()
     if (item === null || typeof item === 'boolean' || typeof item === 'string') continue
     if (typeof item === 'number') {
       if (!Number.isFinite(item)) return false
       continue
     }
     // A hole is not a JSON value, and Array.prototype methods skip holes — spreading materialises them.
-    if (Array.isArray(item)) for (const child of [...item]) pending.push({ depth: depth + 1, item: child })
-    else if (typeof item === 'object') for (const child of Object.values(item)) pending.push({ depth: depth + 1, item: child })
+    if (Array.isArray(item)) for (const child of [...item]) pending.push(child)
+    else if (typeof item === 'object') for (const child of Object.values(item)) pending.push(child)
     else return false
   }
   return true
 }
+
+export function overNested(value: JsonValue, levels: number = largestNesting): boolean {
+  const pending: { depth: number; item: JsonValue }[] = [{ depth: 0, item: value }]
+  while (pending.length > 0) {
+    const entry = pending.pop()
+    if (entry === undefined) continue
+    const { depth, item } = entry
+    if (depth > levels) return true
+    if (Array.isArray(item)) for (const child of item) pending.push({ depth: depth + 1, item: child })
+    else if (item !== null && typeof item === 'object') for (const child of Object.values(item)) pending.push({ depth: depth + 1, item: child })
+  }
+  return false
+}
diff --git a/src/markdown/directive-syntax.ts b/src/markdown/directive-syntax.ts
index 3832980..87c4976 100644
--- a/src/markdown/directive-syntax.ts
+++ b/src/markdown/directive-syntax.ts
@@ -3,11 +3,13 @@ import type { ConvertFault } from '../result.ts'
 import type { JsonValue } from '../json-value.ts'
 import { backslashEscape, claimsDirectiveLine } from './commonmark-grammar.ts'
 import { backtickRun, closingBacktickRun } from './backtick-runs.ts'
-import { isJsonValue } from '../json-value.ts'
+import { isJsonValue, overNested } from '../json-value.ts'
 import { largestNesting } from '../nesting.ts'
 import { runLength } from './emphasis-matching.ts'
 import { serializeCanonicalJson } from '../canonical-json.ts'
 
+export type AttributeReading = { refusal: 'kind' | 'nesting'; value?: undefined } | { refusal?: undefined; value: VocabularyValue }
+
 export type DirectiveValue = { decoded: string; spelling: string }
 
 export type DirectiveAttributes = ReadonlyMap<string, DirectiveValue>
@@ -45,18 +47,13 @@ const orderFault = 'the {attrs} keys read in alphabetical order'
 const pairFault = 'an attribute reads key=value, the value bare or double-quoted: this one does not'
 const shapeFault = `a directive line reads a name, one bare argument and {attrs}, one space apart: this one does not; ${directiveLineEscape}`
 
-export function attributeNestingFault(text: string, kind: AttributeKind, key: string, type: string): ConvertFault | undefined {
-  if (kind !== 'json' || parseJson(text, Number.POSITIVE_INFINITY) === undefined) return undefined
-  return { code: 'unsupported-nesting-depth', message: `the ${key} attribute of ${type} nests deeper than the ${largestNesting} levels the parser carries` }
-}
-
-export function attributeValue(text: string, kind: AttributeKind): VocabularyValue | undefined {
-  if (kind === 'string') return { kind, value: text }
-  if (kind === 'boolean') return text === 'true' || text === 'false' ? { kind, value: text === 'true' } : undefined
+export function attributeValue(text: string, kind: AttributeKind): AttributeReading {
+  if (kind === 'string') return { value: { kind, value: text } }
+  if (kind === 'boolean') return text === 'true' || text === 'false' ? { value: { kind, value: text === 'true' } } : { refusal: 'kind' }
   const parsed = parseJson(text)
-  if (parsed === undefined) return undefined
-  if (kind === 'json') return { kind, value: parsed }
-  return typeof parsed === 'number' ? { kind, value: parsed } : undefined
+  if (parsed === undefined) return { refusal: 'kind' }
+  if (kind === 'number') return typeof parsed === 'number' ? { value: { kind, value: parsed } } : { refusal: 'kind' }
+  return overNested(parsed) ? { refusal: 'nesting' } : { value: { kind, value: parsed } }
 }
 
 export function isBareToken(text: string): boolean {
@@ -299,10 +296,10 @@ function readQuotedValue(text: string, index: number): Read<{ end: number; value
   return { value: { end: cursor + 1, value: { decoded: parsed, spelling } } }
 }
 
-function parseJson(raw: string, levels: number = largestNesting): JsonValue | undefined {
+function parseJson(raw: string): JsonValue | undefined {
   try {
     const value: unknown = JSON.parse(raw)
-    return isJsonValue(value, levels) ? value : undefined
+    return isJsonValue(value) ? value : undefined
   } catch {
     return undefined
   }
diff --git a/src/markdown/emit/adf-to-markdown.test.ts b/src/markdown/emit/adf-to-markdown.test.ts
index edd32d1..3c9df3e 100644
--- a/src/markdown/emit/adf-to-markdown.test.ts
+++ b/src/markdown/emit/adf-to-markdown.test.ts
@@ -336,14 +336,15 @@ test('refuses marks and attributes nested deeper than the emitter carries', () =
   assert.equal(code(adfToMarkdown(document(paragraph({ marks, text: 'x', type: 'text' })))), 'unsupported-nesting-depth')
   let attrs: AdfMark['attrs'] = { depth: 'x' }
   for (let depth = 0; depth < 600; depth += 1) attrs = { depth: attrs }
-  const deeper = `unsupported-nesting-depth: an attribute value nests deeper than the ${largestNesting} levels the emitter carries`
-  assert.equal(markdown(adfToMarkdown(document(paragraph({ marks: [{ attrs, type: 'em' }], text: 'x', type: 'text' })))), deeper)
+  const deeper = (key: string, type: string): string =>
+    `unsupported-nesting-depth: the ${key} attribute of ${type} nests deeper than the ${largestNesting} levels an attribute carries`
+  assert.equal(markdown(adfToMarkdown(document(paragraph({ marks: [{ attrs, type: 'em' }], text: 'x', type: 'text' })))), deeper('depth', 'em'))
   const card = (levels: number): AdfNode => {
     let data: JsonValue = 1
     for (let level = 0; level < levels; level += 1) data = [data]
     return { attrs: { data, url: 'https://example.com/a' }, type: 'inlineCard' }
   }
-  assert.equal(markdown(adfToMarkdown(document(paragraph(card(largestNesting + 1))))), deeper)
+  assert.equal(markdown(adfToMarkdown(document(paragraph(card(largestNesting + 1))))), deeper('data', 'inlineCard'))
   assert.deepEqual(path(adfToMarkdown(document(paragraph(card(largestNesting + 1))))), [])
   const spelled = adfToMarkdown(document(paragraph(card(largestNesting))))
   assert.ok(spelled.ok, spelled.ok ? '' : spelled.error.message)
diff --git a/src/markdown/emit/adf-to-markdown.ts b/src/markdown/emit/adf-to-markdown.ts
index 9910845..05c7c78 100644
--- a/src/markdown/emit/adf-to-markdown.ts
+++ b/src/markdown/emit/adf-to-markdown.ts
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ import { adfDocumentFault, carriesOnly } from '../../adf/document.ts'
 import { blockDirective } from '../../adf/block-directives.ts'
 import { carriedBlock } from '../opaque-carry.ts'
 import { emitInlineLine } from './inline-line.ts'
-import { failure, success, type ConvertErrorPath, type Result } from '../../result.ts'
+import { failure, faulted, success, type ConvertErrorPath, type Result } from '../../result.ts'
 import { fencedCodeBlock } from '../backtick-runs.ts'
 import { holdsNullCharacter, isThematicBreak, markerInterruptsParagraph } from '../commonmark-grammar.ts'
 import { languageSlot } from '../code-language.ts'
@@ -24,10 +24,7 @@ const largestListMarker = 999999999
 
 export function adfToMarkdown(document: AdfDocument): Result<string> {
   const fault = adfDocumentFault(document)
-  if (fault !== undefined && adfDocumentFault(document, Number.POSITIVE_INFINITY) === undefined) {
-    return failure('unsupported-nesting-depth', `an attribute value nests deeper than the ${largestNesting} levels the emitter carries`, [])
-  }
-  if (fault !== undefined) return failure('not-an-adf-document', fault, [])
+  if (fault !== undefined) return faulted(fault, [])
   if (document.version !== 1) return failure('unsupported-document-version', `no markdown spelling carries ADF version ${document.version}`, [])
   const blocks = emitBlocks(document.content ?? [], 'document', [], 0)
   if (!blocks.ok) return blocks
diff --git a/src/markdown/opaque-carry.ts b/src/markdown/opaque-carry.ts
index 61b1538..8fd8917 100644
--- a/src/markdown/opaque-carry.ts
+++ b/src/markdown/opaque-carry.ts
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ import type { DirectiveSpan, Read } from './directive-syntax.ts'
 import type { JsonSpelling } from '../canonical-json.ts'
 import { failure, success, type ConvertErrorPath, type Result } from '../result.ts'
 import { isAdfNode } from '../adf/document.ts'
-import { isJsonValue } from '../json-value.ts'
+import { isJsonValue, overNested } from '../json-value.ts'
 import { fencedCodeBlock } from './backtick-runs.ts'
 import { largestNesting } from '../nesting.ts'
 import { malformedDirective, readSoleStringAttribute, spellAttributes, spellStringAttribute, unsupportedNodeShape } from './directive-syntax.ts'
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ export function readCarriedInline(span: DirectiveSpan): Read<AdfNode> | undefine
 }
 
 function carriedJson(node: AdfNode, spelling: JsonSpelling, path: ConvertErrorPath, levels: number): Result<string> {
-  if (!isJsonValue(node, levels)) {
+  if (!isJsonValue(node) || overNested(node, levels)) {
     return failure('unsupported-nesting-depth', `a carried node's JSON nests deeper than the ${levels} levels its position leaves`, path)
   }
   return success(serializeCanonicalJson(node, spelling))
@@ -47,9 +47,8 @@ function readCarriedJson(raw: string, spelling: JsonSpelling, levels: number): R
   const parsed = parseJsonText(raw)
   if (parsed === undefined) return { fault: malformedDirective('the opaque carry holds invalid JSON') }
   const { value } = parsed
-  if (!isJsonValue(value, levels)) {
-    // Unbounded, the same walk parts the two causes one `false` holds (AGENTS.md §8).
-    if (!isJsonValue(value, Number.POSITIVE_INFINITY)) return { fault: unsupportedNodeShape('the opaque carry holds a number JSON cannot spell') }
+  if (!isJsonValue(value)) return { fault: unsupportedNodeShape('the opaque carry holds a number JSON cannot spell') }
+  if (overNested(value, levels)) {
     return { fault: { code: 'unsupported-nesting-depth', message: `a carried node's JSON nests deeper than the ${levels} levels its position leaves` } }
   }
   if (serializeCanonicalJson(value, spelling) !== raw) {
diff --git a/src/markdown/parse/directive-attributes.ts b/src/markdown/parse/directive-attributes.ts
index 5a0db97..c268ef0 100644
--- a/src/markdown/parse/directive-attributes.ts
+++ b/src/markdown/parse/directive-attributes.ts
@@ -1,8 +1,9 @@
 import type { AdfAttributes } from '../../adf/document.ts'
 import type { AttributeVocabulary } from '../../adf/attribute-vocabulary.ts'
 import type { DirectiveAttributes } from '../directive-syntax.ts'
-import { attributeNestingFault, attributeValue, spellAttributeValue } from '../directive-syntax.ts'
-import { failure, faulted, success, type ConvertErrorPath, type Result } from '../../result.ts'
+import { attributeNestingMessage } from '../../adf/document.ts'
+import { attributeValue, spellAttributeValue } from '../directive-syntax.ts'
+import { failure, success, type ConvertErrorPath, type Result } from '../../result.ts'
 
 export type Elsewhere = { key: string; slot: 'argument' | 'content' }
 
@@ -22,14 +23,11 @@ export function readVocabulary(
     const kind = Object.hasOwn(vocabulary, key) ? vocabulary[key] : undefined
     if (kind === undefined) return failure('unsupported-node-shape', `${type} holds no ${key} attribute: this one spells it`, path)
     const read = attributeValue(spelled.decoded, kind)
-    if (read === undefined) {
-      const deep = attributeNestingFault(spelled.decoded, kind, key, type)
-      if (deep !== undefined) return faulted(deep, path)
-      return failure('unsupported-node-shape', `the ${key} attribute of ${type} is no ${kind}`, path)
-    }
-    const spelling = spellAttributeValue(read)
+    if (read.refusal === 'nesting') return failure('unsupported-nesting-depth', attributeNestingMessage(key, type), path)
+    if (read.value === undefined) return failure('unsupported-node-shape', `the ${key} attribute of ${type} is no ${kind}`, path)
+    const spelling = spellAttributeValue(read.value)
     if (spelling !== spelled.spelling) return failure('unsupported-node-shape', `${type} spells its ${key} attribute as ${key}=${spelling}`, path)
-    attrs[key] = read.value
+    attrs[key] = read.value.value
   }
   return success(attrs)
 }
diff --git a/src/markdown/parse/directive-nodes.ts b/src/markdown/parse/directive-nodes.ts
index 675161b..7b4e54d 100644
--- a/src/markdown/parse/directive-nodes.ts
+++ b/src/markdown/parse/directive-nodes.ts
@@ -3,7 +3,8 @@ import type { BlockDirective } from '../../adf/block-directives.ts'
 import type { ConvertFault } from '../../result.ts'
 import type { DirectiveAttributes, DirectiveValue } from '../directive-syntax.ts'
 import type { Elsewhere } from './directive-attributes.ts'
-import { attributeNestingFault, attributeValue, directiveLineEscape, inlineDirectiveEscape, spellAttributeValue, unknownDirectiveFault } from '../directive-syntax.ts'
+import { attributeNestingMessage } from '../../adf/document.ts'
+import { attributeValue, directiveLineEscape, inlineDirectiveEscape, spellAttributeValue, unknownDirectiveFault } from '../directive-syntax.ts'
 import { blockArgument } from '../block-directive-arguments.ts'
 import { blockDirective } from '../../adf/block-directives.ts'
 import { carryName } from '../opaque-carry.ts'
@@ -94,9 +95,8 @@ function slotText(content: readonly AdfNode[]): string | undefined {
 
 function readMarks(type: string, spelled: DirectiveValue, path: ConvertErrorPath): Result<AdfMark[]> {
   const read = attributeValue(spelled.decoded, 'json')
-  const deep = read === undefined ? attributeNestingFault(spelled.decoded, 'json', marksAttribute, type) : undefined
-  if (deep !== undefined) return faulted(deep, path)
-  const marks = read === undefined || spellAttributeValue(read) !== spelled.spelling ? undefined : readMarkValues(read.value)
+  if (read.refusal === 'nesting') return failure('unsupported-nesting-depth', attributeNestingMessage(marksAttribute, type), path)
+  const marks = read.value === undefined || spellAttributeValue(read.value) !== spelled.spelling ? undefined : readMarkValues(read.value.value)
   if (marks === undefined) {
     return failure('unsupported-node-shape', `the ${marksAttribute} attribute of ${type} is its marks array in canonical JSON: this one is not`, path)
   }
diff --git a/src/markdown/parse/markdown-to-adf.test.ts b/src/markdown/parse/markdown-to-adf.test.ts
index 0d23ad8..8173638 100644
--- a/src/markdown/parse/markdown-to-adf.test.ts
+++ b/src/markdown/parse/markdown-to-adf.test.ts
@@ -437,7 +437,8 @@ test('names the attribute a node holds no reading for', () => {
 
 test('names the depth an attribute value nests past, never the kind the JSON reads as', () => {
   const nested = (levels: number): string => `${'['.repeat(levels)}1${']'.repeat(levels)}`
-  const deeper = (key: string, type: string): string => `unsupported-nesting-depth: the ${key} attribute of ${type} nests deeper than the ${largestNesting} levels the parser carries`
+  const deeper = (key: string, type: string): string =>
+    `unsupported-nesting-depth: the ${key} attribute of ${type} nests deeper than the ${largestNesting} levels an attribute carries`
   assert.equal(content(markdownToAdf(`:::tableCell {colwidth="${nested(largestNesting + 1)}"}\n:::\n`)), deeper('colwidth', 'tableCell'))
   assert.equal(content(markdownToAdf(`::rule {marks="${nested(largestNesting + 1)}"}\n`)), deeper('marks', 'rule'))
   assert.equal(content(markdownToAdf(`::media {width="${nested(largestNesting + 1)}"}\n`)), 'unsupported-node-shape: the width attribute of media is no number')
diff --git a/todo-history.md b/todo-history.md
index 60274cf..68b9b53 100644
--- a/todo-history.md
+++ b/todo-history.md
@@ -498,8 +498,11 @@ Under **3 — `markdownToAdf` (`0.1.0`)**:
       its own text: an attribute value past 500 levels was `unsupported-node-shape` on parse and
       `not-an-adf-document` on emit, the document guard counting the `attrs` object as a level the
       parser does not, so a value at exactly 500 parsed into a document the emitter then refused.
-      The guard now holds each attribute value to 500 of its own and runs a second time unbounded,
-      which parts depth from shape, and both directions answer with `unsupported-nesting-depth`.
+      Depth left the shape predicates on both sides: `isJsonValue` structural and `overNested`
+      beside it, `adfDocumentFault` returning the code with the message and `attributeValue` the
+      reason it refused, so both directions answer with `unsupported-nesting-depth` naming the
+      attribute, and `isAdfDocument` calls a deep document a document as it always did a deep
+      block.
       `engines.node` gets its one-line proof too — the built entrypoint imported and round-tripped
       under a pinned Node 18 image, which cannot run the suite that type stripping wants 22+ for,
       but proves exactly what the field claims. Beside it, the emitted `.d.ts` typechecked from a