diff --git a/docs/local-audit-runner.md b/docs/local-audit-runner.md
index bed47709..bc9a666a 100644
--- a/docs/local-audit-runner.md
+++ b/docs/local-audit-runner.md
@@ -147,6 +147,19 @@ its verified comment. A dispatch timeout is an unknown delivery result: inspect
 the existing run and PR reservation before retrying. Do not rerun the model just
 to recover a publication result.
 
+Failed publisher commands emit exactly one bounded line:
+`Local audit publication refused [CODE].` Look up the code in `REFUSAL_CODES`
+in `tools/audit_publication.py` at the publication run's immutable workflow SHA.
+For example, `INVALID_DISPATCH_SCHEMA` identifies the dispatch payload shape,
+`WRONG_WORKFLOW_REF_ATTEMPT` identifies the hosted workflow environment binding,
+and `SOURCE_REVIEWER_SEAL_MISSING_OR_AMBIGUOUS` identifies the source seal check.
+The catalog contains only fixed reason/code literals; it never prints submitted
+values, exception text, response bodies, tokens, URLs, paths or identities.
+Unrecognized reasons and unexpected exceptions emit `INTERNAL_ERROR` with no
+traceback. A code does not relax any publication check or authorize a retry:
+inspect the existing reservation and receipt first, then reuse the same sealed
+metadata only while its original head and freshness checks still hold.
+
 Only canonical metadata leaves the machine: schema, numeric repository ID, PR
 number, reviewer lane, PASS/BLOCKED, full start/end head SHAs, artifact creation
 time, and the originating audit run ID/attempt. The repository name, comment prose, findings, code, prompts, transcript,
diff --git a/src/code_mower/audit_publication.py b/src/code_mower/audit_publication.py
index cdf69be3..a4f33775 100644
--- a/src/code_mower/audit_publication.py
+++ b/src/code_mower/audit_publication.py
@@ -47,7 +47,94 @@
 
 
 class Refused(ValueError):
-    """A bounded failure that never includes submitted content."""
+    """An expected refusal; its arguments are never safe to print directly."""
+
+
+# Public diagnostic vocabulary. Keys must cover only literal refusal reasons;
+# values are stable codes, never derived from an exception or submitted data.
+# Unknown reasons and all other exception types fail closed as INTERNAL_ERROR.
+REFUSAL_CODES = {
+    "GitHub response size limit": "GITHUB_RESPONSE_SIZE_LIMIT",
+    "PR target/head changed": "PR_TARGET_HEAD_CHANGED",
+    "artifact already dispatched": "ARTIFACT_ALREADY_DISPATCHED",
+    "artifact is not merge authority": "ARTIFACT_IS_NOT_MERGE_AUTHORITY",
+    "artifact stale or future dated": "ARTIFACT_STALE_OR_FUTURE_DATED",
+    "audit head changed": "AUDIT_HEAD_CHANGED",
+    "comment publication mismatch": "COMMENT_PUBLICATION_MISMATCH",
+    "complete GitHub history exceeds page limit": "COMPLETE_GITHUB_HISTORY_EXCEEDS_PAGE_LIMIT",
+    "context-bound artifacts need their context-aware direct path": "CONTEXT_BOUND_ARTIFACT",
+    "duplicate JSON key": "DUPLICATE_JSON_KEY",
+    "duplicate publication reservations": "DUPLICATE_PUBLICATION_RESERVATIONS",
+    "input size limit": "INPUT_SIZE_LIMIT",
+    "invalid GitHub page": "INVALID_GITHUB_PAGE",
+    "invalid JSON": "INVALID_JSON",
+    "invalid artifact timestamp": "INVALID_ARTIFACT_TIMESTAMP",
+    "invalid comment size": "INVALID_COMMENT_SIZE",
+    "invalid dispatch schema": "INVALID_DISPATCH_SCHEMA",
+    "invalid local artifact": "INVALID_LOCAL_ARTIFACT",
+    "invalid local artifact timestamp": "INVALID_LOCAL_ARTIFACT_TIMESTAMP",
+    "invalid publication schema": "INVALID_PUBLICATION_SCHEMA",
+    "invalid publishing run": "INVALID_PUBLISHING_RUN",
+    "invalid repository": "INVALID_REPOSITORY",
+    "invalid review request": "INVALID_REVIEW_REQUEST",
+    "invalid run/comment id": "INVALID_RUN_COMMENT_ID",
+    "invalid source run/attempt": "INVALID_SOURCE_RUN_ATTEMPT",
+    "invalid target": "INVALID_TARGET",
+    "invalid workflow SHA": "INVALID_WORKFLOW_SHA",
+    "local repository/lane mismatch": "LOCAL_REPOSITORY_LANE_MISMATCH",
+    "local timestamp lacks timezone": "LOCAL_TIMESTAMP_LACKS_TIMEZONE",
+    "local verdict/trailer mismatch": "LOCAL_VERDICT_TRAILER_MISMATCH",
+    "missing or repeated publication metadata": "MISSING_OR_REPEATED_PUBLICATION_METADATA",
+    "missing publication receipt": "MISSING_PUBLICATION_RECEIPT",
+    "missing publication run": "MISSING_PUBLICATION_RUN",
+    "missing workflow identity": "MISSING_WORKFLOW_IDENTITY",
+    "noncanonical publication bytes": "NONCANONICAL_PUBLICATION_BYTES",
+    "publication already reserved": "PUBLICATION_ALREADY_RESERVED",
+    "publication comment not found at current head": "PUBLICATION_COMMENT_NOT_FOUND_AT_CURRENT_HEAD",
+    "publication digest mismatch": "PUBLICATION_DIGEST_MISMATCH",
+    "publication receipt missing or ambiguous": "PUBLICATION_RECEIPT_MISSING_OR_AMBIGUOUS",
+    "publication run not successful": "PUBLICATION_RUN_NOT_SUCCESSFUL",
+    "publication timed out; inspect the workflow run before retrying": "PUBLICATION_TIMED_OUT",
+    "published comment binding failed": "PUBLISHED_COMMENT_BINDING_FAILED",
+    "quarantined local artifact": "QUARANTINED_LOCAL_ARTIFACT",
+    "replayed publication": "REPLAYED_PUBLICATION",
+    "reservation lacks publishing run": "RESERVATION_LACKS_PUBLISHING_RUN",
+    "run lookup mismatch": "RUN_LOOKUP_MISMATCH",
+    "source reviewer seal missing or ambiguous": "SOURCE_REVIEWER_SEAL_MISSING_OR_AMBIGUOUS",
+    "unexpected publishing identity": "UNEXPECTED_PUBLISHING_IDENTITY",
+    "unsupported publication command": "UNSUPPORTED_PUBLICATION_COMMAND",
+    "unsupported publication schema": "UNSUPPORTED_PUBLICATION_SCHEMA",
+    "unsupported reviewer lane": "UNSUPPORTED_REVIEWER_LANE",
+    "unsupported verdict": "UNSUPPORTED_VERDICT",
+    "untrusted review request": "UNTRUSTED_REVIEW_REQUEST",
+    "untrusted review target": "UNTRUSTED_REVIEW_TARGET",
+    "untrusted source audit run": "UNTRUSTED_SOURCE_AUDIT_RUN",
+    "untrusted staging environment": "UNTRUSTED_STAGING_ENVIRONMENT",
+    "untrusted workflow name": "UNTRUSTED_WORKFLOW_NAME",
+    "untrusted workflow ref": "UNTRUSTED_WORKFLOW_REF",
+    "untrusted workflow/event": "UNTRUSTED_WORKFLOW_EVENT",
+    "workflow rerun refused": "WORKFLOW_RERUN_REFUSED",
+    "wrong PR/head": "WRONG_PR_HEAD",
+    "wrong comment binding": "WRONG_COMMENT_BINDING",
+    "wrong dispatch PR": "WRONG_DISPATCH_PR",
+    "wrong dispatch event": "WRONG_DISPATCH_EVENT",
+    "wrong dispatch repository": "WRONG_DISPATCH_REPOSITORY",
+    "wrong publication receipt": "WRONG_PUBLICATION_RECEIPT",
+    "wrong publishing run binding": "WRONG_PUBLISHING_RUN_BINDING",
+    "wrong reconciliation event": "WRONG_RECONCILIATION_EVENT",
+    "wrong repository": "WRONG_REPOSITORY",
+    "wrong run": "WRONG_RUN",
+    "wrong run repository": "WRONG_RUN_REPOSITORY",
+    "wrong staging binding": "WRONG_STAGING_BINDING",
+    "wrong workflow/ref/attempt": "WRONG_WORKFLOW_REF_ATTEMPT",
+}
+
+
+def refusal_code(error):
+    """Select a literal code without formatting untrusted exception arguments."""
+    if type(error) is Refused and len(error.args) == 1 and type(error.args[0]) is str:
+        return REFUSAL_CODES.get(error.args[0], "INTERNAL_ERROR")
+    return "INTERNAL_ERROR"
 
 
 def require(condition, reason):
@@ -743,12 +830,9 @@ def main():
         else:
             raise Refused("unsupported publication command")
         return 0
-    except Exception:
-        # Do not print exception payloads, paths, response bodies, or dispatch inputs.
-        print(
-            "Local audit publication refused; verify metadata, target, freshness and workflow identity.",
-            file=sys.stderr,
-        )
+    except Exception as error:
+        # Only a catalog code reaches stderr, never exception text or submitted data.
+        print(f"Local audit publication refused [{refusal_code(error)}].", file=sys.stderr)
         return 1
 
 
diff --git a/tests/test_audit_publication.py b/tests/test_audit_publication.py
index 19c2c553..17409c5d 100644
--- a/tests/test_audit_publication.py
+++ b/tests/test_audit_publication.py
@@ -2,8 +2,11 @@
 
 from __future__ import annotations
 
+import ast
+from contextlib import redirect_stderr, redirect_stdout
 from copy import deepcopy
 from functools import partial
+from io import BytesIO, StringIO
 import json
 import os
 from pathlib import Path
@@ -15,6 +18,7 @@
 import time
 import unittest
 from unittest.mock import patch
+from urllib.error import HTTPError
 
 from code_mower import audit_publication as pub, audit_labeler_lib as lib
 from code_mower import claude_audit_pr, codex_audit_pr, config, init, package
@@ -212,6 +216,233 @@ def pages(self, path, key=None):
         raise AssertionError(path)
 
 
+class DiagnosticTests(unittest.TestCase):
+    PRIVATE = (
+        "PRIVATE_SENTINEL fixture-token /private/submitted/path "
+        "https://example.invalid/secret?token=fixture-token actor@example.invalid "
+        "\n::error::forged diagnostic\x1b[31m"
+    )
+
+    def check_main(self, code, *, api=None, event=None, env=None, raw=None):
+        api = api or MemoryGitHub()
+        with tempfile.TemporaryDirectory() as tmp:
+            root = Path(tmp)
+            event_path, output_path = root / "private-event.json", root / "output"
+            event_path.write_text(
+                raw if raw is not None else json.dumps(event_for(api.value) if event is None else event)
+            )
+            stdout, stderr = StringIO(), StringIO()
+            with (
+                patch.dict(
+                    os.environ,
+                    environment() | {
+                        "GITHUB_REPOSITORY": REPO,
+                        "GH_TOKEN": "fixture-token",
+                        "GITHUB_EVENT_PATH": str(event_path),
+                        "GITHUB_OUTPUT": str(output_path),
+                    } | (env or {}),
+                    clear=True,
+                ),
+                patch.object(sys, "argv", ["audit_publication.py", "publish"]),
+                patch.object(pub, "GitHub", return_value=api),
+                patch.object(pub.time, "time", return_value=NOW),
+                redirect_stdout(stdout),
+                redirect_stderr(stderr),
+            ):
+                self.assertEqual(pub.main(), 1)
+            self.assertEqual(stdout.getvalue(), "")
+            self.assertEqual(stderr.getvalue(), f"Local audit publication refused [{code}].\n")
+            self.assertFalse(output_path.exists())
+        return api
+
+    def test_every_refusal_has_a_literal_catalog_code(self):
+        tree = ast.parse((ROOT / "src/code_mower/audit_publication.py").read_text())
+        catalog = next(
+            node.value for node in tree.body
+            if isinstance(node, ast.Assign)
+            and any(isinstance(t, ast.Name) and t.id == "REFUSAL_CODES" for t in node.targets)
+        )
+        self.assertIsInstance(catalog, ast.Dict)
+        for node in catalog.keys + catalog.values:
+            self.assertIsInstance(node, ast.Constant)
+            self.assertIs(type(node.value), str)
+        codes = ast.literal_eval(catalog)
+        self.assertEqual(codes, pub.REFUSAL_CODES)
+        self.assertEqual(len(codes), len(catalog.keys))
+        self.assertEqual(len(set(codes.values())), len(codes))
+        for code in codes.values():
+            self.assertRegex(code, r"^[A-Z][A-Z0-9_]{0,63}$")
+            self.assertNotEqual(code, "INTERNAL_ERROR")
+
+        reasons = set()
+        for function in tree.body:
+            if not isinstance(function, (ast.FunctionDef, ast.ClassDef)):
+                continue
+            for node in ast.walk(function):
+                if not isinstance(node, ast.Call) or not isinstance(node.func, ast.Name):
+                    continue
+                if node.func.id not in ("require", "Refused"):
+                    continue
+                self.assertEqual(node.keywords, [])
+                self.assertEqual(len(node.args), 2 if node.func.id == "require" else 1)
+                reason = node.args[-1]
+                if function.name == "require":
+                    self.assertEqual(node.func.id, "Refused")
+                    self.assertEqual(ast.dump(reason), ast.dump(ast.Name(id="reason", ctx=ast.Load())))
+                else:
+                    self.assertIsInstance(reason, ast.Constant, f"dynamic refusal at {node.lineno}")
+                    self.assertIs(type(reason.value), str)
+                    reasons.add(reason.value)
+        self.assertEqual(reasons, set(codes))
+
+    def test_diagnostic_boundary_only_selects_catalog_literals(self):
+        # Pin the small output boundary: no str/repr/format of an exception,
+        # traceback, payload access or new logging sink can slip into it.
+        tree = ast.parse((ROOT / "src/code_mower/audit_publication.py").read_text())
+        selector = next(n for n in tree.body if isinstance(n, ast.FunctionDef) and n.name == "refusal_code")
+        expected = ast.parse('''
+def refusal_code(error):
+    if type(error) is Refused and len(error.args) == 1 and type(error.args[0]) is str:
+        return REFUSAL_CODES.get(error.args[0], "INTERNAL_ERROR")
+    return "INTERNAL_ERROR"
+''').body[0]
+        self.assertEqual(
+            [ast.dump(n) for n in selector.body[1:]],
+            [ast.dump(n) for n in expected.body],
+        )
+        main = next(n for n in tree.body if isinstance(n, ast.FunctionDef) and n.name == "main")
+        self.assertEqual(len(main.body), 1)
+        self.assertIsInstance(main.body[0], ast.Try)
+        self.assertEqual(main.body[0].orelse, [])
+        self.assertEqual(main.body[0].finalbody, [])
+        expected_handler = ast.parse('''
+try:
+    pass
+except Exception as error:
+    print(f"Local audit publication refused [{refusal_code(error)}].", file=sys.stderr)
+    return 1
+''').body[0].handlers
+        self.assertEqual(
+            [ast.dump(n) for n in main.body[0].handlers],
+            [ast.dump(n) for n in expected_handler],
+        )
+        prints = [n for n in ast.walk(tree) if isinstance(n, ast.Call) and isinstance(n.func, ast.Name) and n.func.id == "print"]
+        self.assertEqual(len(prints), 1)
+
+    def test_every_allowlisted_reason_emits_only_its_stable_code(self):
+        for reason, code in pub.REFUSAL_CODES.items():
+            with self.subTest(code=code), patch.object(pub, "publish", side_effect=pub.Refused(reason)):
+                api = self.check_main(code)
+                self.assertEqual(api.writes, [])
+
+    def test_dynamic_reasons_objects_and_subclasses_remain_internal(self):
+        def forbidden(*args, **kwargs):
+            self.fail("diagnostic evaluated an untrusted exception or reason")
+
+        class HostileReason:
+            __str__ = __repr__ = __eq__ = __hash__ = forbidden
+
+        class HostileString(str):
+            __str__ = __repr__ = __eq__ = __hash__ = forbidden
+
+        class HostileRefused(pub.Refused):
+            __getattribute__ = __str__ = __repr__ = forbidden
+
+        reasons = [
+            (), (self.PRIVATE,), ("invalid JSON", self.PRIVATE),
+            (None,), (42,), ([self.PRIVATE],), ({"invalid JSON": self.PRIVATE},),
+            (self.PRIVATE.encode(),), (HostileReason(),), (HostileString("invalid JSON"),),
+        ]
+        reasons.extend((reason + self.PRIVATE,) for reason in pub.REFUSAL_CODES)
+        errors = [pub.Refused(*args) for args in reasons]
+        errors.append(HostileRefused("invalid JSON"))
+        for index, error in enumerate(errors):
+            with self.subTest(index=index), patch.object(pub, "publish", side_effect=error):
+                self.check_main("INTERNAL_ERROR")
+        with (
+            patch.object(pub.Refused, "__str__", forbidden),
+            patch.object(pub, "publish", side_effect=pub.Refused("invalid JSON")),
+        ):
+            self.check_main("INVALID_JSON")
+
+    def test_non_refused_exceptions_never_disclose_text_even_when_allowlisted(self):
+        for error in (
+            ValueError("invalid JSON"), RuntimeError(self.PRIVATE), KeyError(self.PRIVATE),
+            OSError(13, self.PRIVATE, "/private/submitted/path"),
+            HTTPError("https://example.invalid/secret", 403, self.PRIVATE, {}, BytesIO(self.PRIVATE.encode())),
+            UnicodeDecodeError("utf-8", self.PRIVATE.encode(), 0, 1, self.PRIVATE),
+        ):
+            if isinstance(error, HTTPError):
+                self.addCleanup(error.close)
+            with self.subTest(kind=type(error).__name__), patch.object(pub, "publish", side_effect=error):
+                self.check_main("INTERNAL_ERROR")
+
+    def test_standalone_helper_reports_safe_codes_without_site_packages(self):
+        with tempfile.TemporaryDirectory() as tmp:
+            event_path = Path(tmp) / "private-event.json"
+            env = os.environ | {
+                "GITHUB_REPOSITORY": REPO,
+                "GH_TOKEN": "fixture-token",
+                "GITHUB_EVENT_NAME": "repository_dispatch",
+                "GITHUB_EVENT_PATH": str(event_path),
+            }
+            for raw, code in (
+                (self.PRIVATE, "INVALID_JSON"),
+                (json.dumps({"action": self.PRIVATE}), "WRONG_DISPATCH_EVENT"),
+                ("[]", "INTERNAL_ERROR"),
+            ):
+                with self.subTest(code=code):
+                    event_path.write_text(raw)
+                    result = subprocess.run(
+                        [sys.executable, "-I", "-S", str(ROOT / "tools/audit_publication.py"), "publish"],
+                        env=env, capture_output=True, text=True, timeout=15,
+                    )
+                    self.assertEqual(result.returncode, 1)
+                    self.assertEqual(result.stdout, "")
+                    self.assertEqual(result.stderr, f"Local audit publication refused [{code}].\n")
+
+    def test_real_publisher_refusals_hide_payloads_and_environment(self):
+        event = event_for(artifact())
+        cases = [
+            ({"event": event | {"action": self.PRIVATE}}, "WRONG_DISPATCH_EVENT"),
+            ({"event": event | {"client_payload": {"private": self.PRIVATE}}}, "INVALID_DISPATCH_SCHEMA"),
+            ({"event": event | {"client_payload": event["client_payload"] | {"artifact": self.PRIVATE}}}, "INVALID_JSON"),
+            ({"event": event | {"client_payload": event["client_payload"] | {"digest": self.PRIVATE}}}, "PUBLICATION_DIGEST_MISMATCH"),
+            ({"event": event_for(artifact(lane=self.PRIVATE))}, "UNSUPPORTED_REVIEWER_LANE"),
+            ({"event": event_for(artifact(head_sha_start=self.PRIVATE))}, "AUDIT_HEAD_CHANGED"),
+            ({"env": {"GITHUB_WORKFLOW_REF": self.PRIVATE}}, "WRONG_WORKFLOW_REF_ATTEMPT"),
+            ({"env": {"GITHUB_EVENT_PATH": "/nonexistent/private-event.json"}}, "INTERNAL_ERROR"),
+            ({"raw": "[" * (pub.MAX_EVENT_BYTES + 1)}, "INPUT_SIZE_LIMIT"),
+            ({"raw": self.PRIVATE}, "INVALID_JSON"),
+            ({"raw": "[]"}, "INTERNAL_ERROR"),
+        ]
+        for kwargs, code in cases:
+            with self.subTest(code=code):
+                self.assertEqual(self.check_main(code, **kwargs).writes, [])
+        for key, code in (("path", "UNTRUSTED_WORKFLOW_EVENT"), ("name", "UNTRUSTED_WORKFLOW_NAME")):
+            api = MemoryGitHub()
+            api.run[key] = self.PRIVATE
+            self.assertEqual(self.check_main(code, api=api).writes, [])
+        api = MemoryGitHub()
+        with patch.object(api, "request", return_value={"private": self.PRIVATE}):
+            self.check_main("WRONG_DISPATCH_REPOSITORY", api=api)
+        self.assertEqual(api.writes, [])
+
+    def test_cleanup_still_runs_before_bounded_failure(self):
+        api = MemoryGitHub()
+        api.move_at = 2
+        self.check_main("PR_TARGET_HEAD_CHANGED", api=api)
+        self.assertEqual([method for method, _, _ in api.writes], ["POST", "PATCH"])
+        self.assertIn("Publication failed closed.", api.comments[0]["body"])
+        self.assertNotIn(pub.MARKER, api.comments[0]["body"])
+        api = MemoryGitHub()
+        api.fail_patch = True
+        self.check_main("INTERNAL_ERROR", api=api)
+        self.assertEqual([method for method, _, _ in api.writes], ["POST", "PATCH", "PATCH"])
+        self.assertIn("Publication failed closed.", api.comments[0]["body"])
+        self.assertNotIn(pub.MARKER, api.comments[0]["body"])
+
+
 class ContractTests(unittest.TestCase):
     def test_review_request_validates_live_target_before_provider_work(self):
         api = MemoryGitHub()
diff --git a/tools/audit_publication.py b/tools/audit_publication.py
index cdf69be3..a4f33775 100644
--- a/tools/audit_publication.py
+++ b/tools/audit_publication.py
@@ -47,7 +47,94 @@
 
 
 class Refused(ValueError):
-    """A bounded failure that never includes submitted content."""
+    """An expected refusal; its arguments are never safe to print directly."""
+
+
+# Public diagnostic vocabulary. Keys must cover only literal refusal reasons;
+# values are stable codes, never derived from an exception or submitted data.
+# Unknown reasons and all other exception types fail closed as INTERNAL_ERROR.
+REFUSAL_CODES = {
+    "GitHub response size limit": "GITHUB_RESPONSE_SIZE_LIMIT",
+    "PR target/head changed": "PR_TARGET_HEAD_CHANGED",
+    "artifact already dispatched": "ARTIFACT_ALREADY_DISPATCHED",
+    "artifact is not merge authority": "ARTIFACT_IS_NOT_MERGE_AUTHORITY",
+    "artifact stale or future dated": "ARTIFACT_STALE_OR_FUTURE_DATED",
+    "audit head changed": "AUDIT_HEAD_CHANGED",
+    "comment publication mismatch": "COMMENT_PUBLICATION_MISMATCH",
+    "complete GitHub history exceeds page limit": "COMPLETE_GITHUB_HISTORY_EXCEEDS_PAGE_LIMIT",
+    "context-bound artifacts need their context-aware direct path": "CONTEXT_BOUND_ARTIFACT",
+    "duplicate JSON key": "DUPLICATE_JSON_KEY",
+    "duplicate publication reservations": "DUPLICATE_PUBLICATION_RESERVATIONS",
+    "input size limit": "INPUT_SIZE_LIMIT",
+    "invalid GitHub page": "INVALID_GITHUB_PAGE",
+    "invalid JSON": "INVALID_JSON",
+    "invalid artifact timestamp": "INVALID_ARTIFACT_TIMESTAMP",
+    "invalid comment size": "INVALID_COMMENT_SIZE",
+    "invalid dispatch schema": "INVALID_DISPATCH_SCHEMA",
+    "invalid local artifact": "INVALID_LOCAL_ARTIFACT",
+    "invalid local artifact timestamp": "INVALID_LOCAL_ARTIFACT_TIMESTAMP",
+    "invalid publication schema": "INVALID_PUBLICATION_SCHEMA",
+    "invalid publishing run": "INVALID_PUBLISHING_RUN",
+    "invalid repository": "INVALID_REPOSITORY",
+    "invalid review request": "INVALID_REVIEW_REQUEST",
+    "invalid run/comment id": "INVALID_RUN_COMMENT_ID",
+    "invalid source run/attempt": "INVALID_SOURCE_RUN_ATTEMPT",
+    "invalid target": "INVALID_TARGET",
+    "invalid workflow SHA": "INVALID_WORKFLOW_SHA",
+    "local repository/lane mismatch": "LOCAL_REPOSITORY_LANE_MISMATCH",
+    "local timestamp lacks timezone": "LOCAL_TIMESTAMP_LACKS_TIMEZONE",
+    "local verdict/trailer mismatch": "LOCAL_VERDICT_TRAILER_MISMATCH",
+    "missing or repeated publication metadata": "MISSING_OR_REPEATED_PUBLICATION_METADATA",
+    "missing publication receipt": "MISSING_PUBLICATION_RECEIPT",
+    "missing publication run": "MISSING_PUBLICATION_RUN",
+    "missing workflow identity": "MISSING_WORKFLOW_IDENTITY",
+    "noncanonical publication bytes": "NONCANONICAL_PUBLICATION_BYTES",
+    "publication already reserved": "PUBLICATION_ALREADY_RESERVED",
+    "publication comment not found at current head": "PUBLICATION_COMMENT_NOT_FOUND_AT_CURRENT_HEAD",
+    "publication digest mismatch": "PUBLICATION_DIGEST_MISMATCH",
+    "publication receipt missing or ambiguous": "PUBLICATION_RECEIPT_MISSING_OR_AMBIGUOUS",
+    "publication run not successful": "PUBLICATION_RUN_NOT_SUCCESSFUL",
+    "publication timed out; inspect the workflow run before retrying": "PUBLICATION_TIMED_OUT",
+    "published comment binding failed": "PUBLISHED_COMMENT_BINDING_FAILED",
+    "quarantined local artifact": "QUARANTINED_LOCAL_ARTIFACT",
+    "replayed publication": "REPLAYED_PUBLICATION",
+    "reservation lacks publishing run": "RESERVATION_LACKS_PUBLISHING_RUN",
+    "run lookup mismatch": "RUN_LOOKUP_MISMATCH",
+    "source reviewer seal missing or ambiguous": "SOURCE_REVIEWER_SEAL_MISSING_OR_AMBIGUOUS",
+    "unexpected publishing identity": "UNEXPECTED_PUBLISHING_IDENTITY",
+    "unsupported publication command": "UNSUPPORTED_PUBLICATION_COMMAND",
+    "unsupported publication schema": "UNSUPPORTED_PUBLICATION_SCHEMA",
+    "unsupported reviewer lane": "UNSUPPORTED_REVIEWER_LANE",
+    "unsupported verdict": "UNSUPPORTED_VERDICT",
+    "untrusted review request": "UNTRUSTED_REVIEW_REQUEST",
+    "untrusted review target": "UNTRUSTED_REVIEW_TARGET",
+    "untrusted source audit run": "UNTRUSTED_SOURCE_AUDIT_RUN",
+    "untrusted staging environment": "UNTRUSTED_STAGING_ENVIRONMENT",
+    "untrusted workflow name": "UNTRUSTED_WORKFLOW_NAME",
+    "untrusted workflow ref": "UNTRUSTED_WORKFLOW_REF",
+    "untrusted workflow/event": "UNTRUSTED_WORKFLOW_EVENT",
+    "workflow rerun refused": "WORKFLOW_RERUN_REFUSED",
+    "wrong PR/head": "WRONG_PR_HEAD",
+    "wrong comment binding": "WRONG_COMMENT_BINDING",
+    "wrong dispatch PR": "WRONG_DISPATCH_PR",
+    "wrong dispatch event": "WRONG_DISPATCH_EVENT",
+    "wrong dispatch repository": "WRONG_DISPATCH_REPOSITORY",
+    "wrong publication receipt": "WRONG_PUBLICATION_RECEIPT",
+    "wrong publishing run binding": "WRONG_PUBLISHING_RUN_BINDING",
+    "wrong reconciliation event": "WRONG_RECONCILIATION_EVENT",
+    "wrong repository": "WRONG_REPOSITORY",
+    "wrong run": "WRONG_RUN",
+    "wrong run repository": "WRONG_RUN_REPOSITORY",
+    "wrong staging binding": "WRONG_STAGING_BINDING",
+    "wrong workflow/ref/attempt": "WRONG_WORKFLOW_REF_ATTEMPT",
+}
+
+
+def refusal_code(error):
+    """Select a literal code without formatting untrusted exception arguments."""
+    if type(error) is Refused and len(error.args) == 1 and type(error.args[0]) is str:
+        return REFUSAL_CODES.get(error.args[0], "INTERNAL_ERROR")
+    return "INTERNAL_ERROR"
 
 
 def require(condition, reason):
@@ -743,12 +830,9 @@ def main():
         else:
             raise Refused("unsupported publication command")
         return 0
-    except Exception:
-        # Do not print exception payloads, paths, response bodies, or dispatch inputs.
-        print(
-            "Local audit publication refused; verify metadata, target, freshness and workflow identity.",
-            file=sys.stderr,
-        )
+    except Exception as error:
+        # Only a catalog code reaches stderr, never exception text or submitted data.
+        print(f"Local audit publication refused [{refusal_code(error)}].", file=sys.stderr)
         return 1