fix(cron): exclude jobs.json registry from disk-cleanup pattern

plugins/disk-cleanup/disk_cleanup.py

@@ -481,7 +481,14 @@ def guess_category(path: Path) -> Optional[str]:
         }:
             return None
         if top == "cron" or top == "cronjobs":
-            return "cron-output"
+            # Only files under the disposable ``output/`` subtree are
+            # cleanup candidates. Top-level cron control-plane state
+            # (e.g. ``jobs.json``, ``.tick.lock``) must never be
+            # auto-tracked — deleting it wipes the live scheduler
+            # registry. See issue #32164.
+            if len(rel.parts) >= 2 and rel.parts[1] == "output":
+                return "cron-output"
+            return None
         if top == "cache":
             return "temp"
     except ValueError:

tests/plugins/test_disk_cleanup_plugin.py

@@ -129,12 +129,40 @@ def test_skips_protected_top_level(self, _isolate_env):
 
     def test_cron_subtree_categorised(self, _isolate_env):
         dg = _load_lib()
-        cron_dir = _isolate_env / "cron"
-        cron_dir.mkdir()
-        p = cron_dir / "job_output.md"
+        # Only files under ``cron/output/`` are disposable run artifacts.
+        output_dir = _isolate_env / "cron" / "output" / "job_123"
+        output_dir.mkdir(parents=True)
+        p = output_dir / "run.md"
         p.write_text("x")
         assert dg.guess_category(p) == "cron-output"
 
+    def test_cron_jobs_json_not_tracked(self, _isolate_env):
+        """Regression for #32164: the cron registry must never be tracked."""
+        dg = _load_lib()
+        cron_dir = _isolate_env / "cron"
+        cron_dir.mkdir()
+        p = cron_dir / "jobs.json"
+        p.write_text("[]")
+        assert dg.guess_category(p) is None
+
+    def test_cron_tick_lock_not_tracked(self, _isolate_env):
+        """Regression for #32164: cron tick-lock is control-plane state."""
+        dg = _load_lib()
+        cron_dir = _isolate_env / "cron"
+        cron_dir.mkdir()
+        p = cron_dir / ".tick.lock"
+        p.write_text("")
+        assert dg.guess_category(p) is None
+
+    def test_cronjobs_top_level_not_tracked(self, _isolate_env):
+        """The legacy ``cronjobs`` alias is also control-plane at the top."""
+        dg = _load_lib()
+        cron_dir = _isolate_env / "cronjobs"
+        cron_dir.mkdir()
+        p = cron_dir / "jobs.json"
+        p.write_text("[]")
+        assert dg.guess_category(p) is None
+
     def test_ordinary_file_returns_none(self, _isolate_env):
         dg = _load_lib()
         p = _isolate_env / "notes.md"