diff --git a/src/cli/work.rs b/src/cli/work.rs
index 28e5bf03..5e3925e5 100644
--- a/src/cli/work.rs
+++ b/src/cli/work.rs
@@ -466,9 +466,23 @@ pub(crate) fn execute_work(args: WorkArgs, log: &mut dyn std::io::Write) -> Work
         serde_json::from_str(&claim_resp).unwrap_or(serde_json::Value::Null);
     let status = claim["status"].as_str().unwrap_or("unknown");
     if status != "acquired" {
-        let owner = claim["owner"].as_str().unwrap_or("?");
-        let age = claim["age_secs"].as_i64().unwrap_or(0);
-        crate::ui::error(&format!("item held by {owner} ({age}s) — cannot claim"));
+        // "held" (a live claim by another owner) and "blocked" (an unaccepted
+        // handoff — see `ClaimOutcome::BlockedByAssignee`) are different
+        // shapes: "blocked" has no `owner`/`age_secs` at all, so formatting
+        // it as if it were "held" printed the nonsensical "held by ? (0s)"
+        // instead of the actionable reason the claim response already carries.
+        let msg = match status {
+            "blocked" => claim["reason"]
+                .as_str()
+                .unwrap_or("item is blocked by an unaccepted handoff")
+                .to_string(),
+            _ => {
+                let owner = claim["owner"].as_str().unwrap_or("?");
+                let age = claim["age_secs"].as_i64().unwrap_or(0);
+                format!("item held by {owner} ({age}s) — cannot claim")
+            }
+        };
+        crate::ui::error(&msg);
         return 1.into();
     }
     let item_id = claim["item_id"]
diff --git a/src/github/bridge/tick.rs b/src/github/bridge/tick.rs
index b07c517a..bfbd997b 100644
--- a/src/github/bridge/tick.rs
+++ b/src/github/bridge/tick.rs
@@ -388,6 +388,19 @@ fn record_claim(
                     })
                     .map(|l| l.id)
             });
+            // This decision is made once, right here, not re-evaluated on
+            // later ticks for this same issue (see the `Some(existing)` arm
+            // above) -- so a `work_agent` configured after this point never
+            // retroactively dispatches it. Silence here reads as "being
+            // worked" when it's actually just claimed and stuck; say so.
+            if ctx.config.work_agent.is_none() {
+                eprintln!(
+                    "github bridge: claimed #{} with no work_agent configured — it will \
+                     not be auto-dispatched; set AGENTFLARE_BRIDGE_WORK_AGENT or dispatch \
+                     it manually (`agentflare work`)",
+                    issue.number
+                );
+            }
             // `handoff`'s `recipient="github"` path embeds the full
             // structured payload (content/completed/remaining/thread_id) as
             // a hidden marker after the human-readable body -- recover it