diff --git a/server/internal/auditlifecycle/classify_test.go b/server/internal/auditlifecycle/classify_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..90d457ffaa
--- /dev/null
+++ b/server/internal/auditlifecycle/classify_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,60 @@
+package auditlifecycle
+
+import (
+	"testing"
+	"time"
+)
+
+func TestClassify(t *testing.T) {
+	options := Options{Now: observed, Grace: time.Hour}
+	old := observed.Add(-2 * time.Hour)
+	recent := observed.Add(-time.Minute)
+	tests := []struct {
+		name      string
+		result    Result
+		entry     lifecycle
+		want      string
+		completed int
+		pending   int
+		missing   int
+	}{
+		{"terminal", Result{TailReached: true}, lifecycle{completed: 1, Finding: Finding{FirstSeenAt: old}}, "terminal_observed", 1, 0, 0},
+		{"partial history", Result{}, lifecycle{Finding: Finding{FirstSeenAt: old}}, "unknown", 0, 0, 0},
+		{"history gap", Result{TailReached: true, Issues: []string{"history_gap"}}, lifecycle{Finding: Finding{FirstSeenAt: old}}, "unknown", 0, 0, 0},
+		{"zero time", Result{TailReached: true}, lifecycle{}, "unknown", 0, 0, 0},
+		{"clock uncertain", Result{TailReached: true}, lifecycle{Finding: Finding{FirstSeenAt: old, Issues: []string{"clock_uncertain"}}}, "unknown", 0, 0, 0},
+		{"within grace", Result{TailReached: true}, lifecycle{Finding: Finding{FirstSeenAt: recent}}, "pending", 0, 1, 0},
+		{"past grace", Result{TailReached: true}, lifecycle{Finding: Finding{FirstSeenAt: old}}, "missing_terminal", 0, 0, 1},
+	}
+	for _, test := range tests {
+		t.Run(test.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			classify(&test.result, &test.entry, options)
+			if test.entry.Classification != test.want || test.result.Completed != test.completed ||
+				test.result.Pending != test.pending || test.result.MissingTerminal != test.missing {
+				t.Fatalf("classify = %q %+v, want %q", test.entry.Classification, test.result, test.want)
+			}
+		})
+	}
+}
+
+func TestResultStatus(t *testing.T) {
+	tests := []struct {
+		name   string
+		result Result
+		want   string
+	}{
+		{"clean", Result{HistoryComplete: true}, "ok"},
+		{"incomplete history", Result{}, "incomplete"},
+		{"scan issue wins over missing terminal", Result{HistoryComplete: true, Issues: []string{"event_limit"}, MissingTerminal: 1}, "incomplete"},
+		{"missing terminal", Result{HistoryComplete: true, MissingTerminal: 1}, "attention"},
+		{"finding issue", Result{HistoryComplete: true, Findings: []Finding{{Issues: []string{"duplicate_start"}}}}, "attention"},
+		{"finding without issues", Result{HistoryComplete: true, Findings: []Finding{{}}}, "ok"},
+	}
+	for _, test := range tests {
+		t.Run(test.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			if got := resultStatus(test.result); got != test.want {
+				t.Fatalf("resultStatus = %q, want %q", got, test.want)
+			}
+		})
+	}
+}
diff --git a/server/internal/auditlifecycle/rebuild.go b/server/internal/auditlifecycle/rebuild.go
index 652ce88d96..e39a3d5a17 100644
--- a/server/internal/auditlifecycle/rebuild.go
+++ b/server/internal/auditlifecycle/rebuild.go
@@ -10,9 +10,12 @@ import (
 	"slices"
 	"time"
 
+	"github.com/githubnext/gh-cao/server/internal/logger"
 	"github.com/githubnext/gh-cao/server/internal/operational"
 )
 
+var scanLog = logger.New("cao:auditlifecycle")
+
 const (
 	DefaultGrace = time.Hour
 	// MinimumGrace exceeds the rebuild's 30-minute lease and 25-minute work
@@ -142,23 +145,7 @@ func Scan(ctx context.Context, reader Reader, options Options) (Result, error) {
 		addIssue(&result.Issues, "selected_suffix")
 	}
 	for _, entry := range ids {
-		switch {
-		case entry.completed > 0:
-			entry.Classification = "terminal_observed"
-			result.Completed++
-		case !result.TailReached || slices.Contains(result.Issues, "history_gap"):
-			entry.Classification = "unknown"
-		case entry.FirstSeenAt.IsZero() || slices.Contains(entry.Issues, "clock_uncertain"):
-			entry.Classification = "unknown"
-		case options.Now.Sub(entry.FirstSeenAt) < options.Grace:
-			// Recent evidence may still be active; status and lease expiry do
-			// not prove execution liveness or termination.
-			entry.Classification = "pending"
-			result.Pending++
-		default:
-			entry.Classification = "missing_terminal"
-			result.MissingTerminal++
-		}
+		classify(&result, entry, options)
 		if entry.admitted == 0 {
 			addIssue(&entry.Issues, "admission_not_observed")
 		}
@@ -177,19 +164,47 @@ func Scan(ctx context.Context, reader Reader, options Options) (Result, error) {
 		return 0
 	})
 	slices.Sort(result.Issues)
-	result.Status = "ok"
+	result.Status = resultStatus(result)
+	scanLog.Printf("audit lifecycle scan finished: status=%s scanned=%d findings=%d tail_reached=%t", result.Status, result.Scanned, len(result.Findings), result.TailReached)
+	return result, nil
+}
+
+// classify assigns a lifecycle its classification and updates the result tallies.
+func classify(result *Result, entry *lifecycle, options Options) {
+	switch {
+	case entry.completed > 0:
+		entry.Classification = "terminal_observed"
+		result.Completed++
+	case !result.TailReached || slices.Contains(result.Issues, "history_gap"):
+		entry.Classification = "unknown"
+	case entry.FirstSeenAt.IsZero() || slices.Contains(entry.Issues, "clock_uncertain"):
+		entry.Classification = "unknown"
+	case options.Now.Sub(entry.FirstSeenAt) < options.Grace:
+		// Recent evidence may still be active; status and lease expiry do
+		// not prove execution liveness or termination.
+		entry.Classification = "pending"
+		result.Pending++
+	default:
+		entry.Classification = "missing_terminal"
+		result.MissingTerminal++
+	}
+}
+
+// resultStatus reports "incomplete" for partial history or scan issues,
+// "attention" for missing terminals or finding issues, and "ok" otherwise.
+func resultStatus(result Result) string {
+	if !result.HistoryComplete || len(result.Issues) > 0 {
+		return "incomplete"
+	}
 	if result.MissingTerminal > 0 {
-		result.Status = "attention"
+		return "attention"
 	}
 	for _, finding := range result.Findings {
 		if len(finding.Issues) > 0 {
-			result.Status = "attention"
+			return "attention"
 		}
 	}
-	if !result.HistoryComplete || len(result.Issues) > 0 {
-		result.Status = "incomplete"
-	}
-	return result, nil
+	return "ok"
 }
 
 func observe(result *Result, ids map[string]*lifecycle, event operational.AuditEvent) {