diff --git a/src/__tests__/render.test.ts b/src/__tests__/render.test.ts
index bb95eeb..b36721f 100644
--- a/src/__tests__/render.test.ts
+++ b/src/__tests__/render.test.ts
@@ -45,6 +45,20 @@ test("setup note renders only when there is ref advice, and never as a finding",
   expect(body).toContain("No findings.");
 });
 
+test("a run that reviewed nothing renders No review, without claiming why", () => {
+  const body = renderMarkdown({ ...base, couldNotComplete: true }, "tag");
+  expect(body).toContain("**Decision:** No review\n");
+  const aggregate = renderAggregateMarkdown(
+    [
+      { scope: "app", review: { ...base, couldNotComplete: true } },
+      { scope: "docs", review: base },
+    ],
+    "tag",
+    [],
+  );
+  expect(aggregate).toContain("| app | No review | 0 |");
+});
+
 test("coverage note only renders when incomplete is non-empty (no more wolf-crying)", () => {
   expect(renderMarkdown(base, "tag")).not.toContain("Coverage note");
   expect(renderMarkdown({ ...base, incomplete: ["a pass timed out"] }, "tag")).toContain(
diff --git a/src/core/render.ts b/src/core/render.ts
index 282a6b5..c7eb85c 100644
--- a/src/core/render.ts
+++ b/src/core/render.ts
@@ -314,7 +314,7 @@ function renderReviewBody(
 
   const lines: string[] = [commentMarker(tag), "## 🤖 AI code review", ""];
   lines.push(
-    `**Decision:** ${review.couldNotComplete ? "No review — every pass failed" : decisionLabel(review.decision)}`,
+    `**Decision:** ${review.couldNotComplete ? "No review" : decisionLabel(review.decision)}`,
     "",
     modelText(review.summary),
     "",
@@ -1002,7 +1002,7 @@ export function renderAggregateMarkdown(
     ];
     for (const { result, kept } of perScope) {
       lines.push(
-        `| ${stripStateMarkers(result.scope)} | ${result.review.couldNotComplete ? "No review — every pass failed" : decisionLabel(result.review.decision)} | ${kept.length} |`,
+        `| ${stripStateMarkers(result.scope)} | ${result.review.couldNotComplete ? "No review" : decisionLabel(result.review.decision)} | ${kept.length} |`,
       );
     }
     lines.push("");
diff --git a/src/core/schema.ts b/src/core/schema.ts
index f4c5057..fd05fcc 100644
--- a/src/core/schema.ts
+++ b/src/core/schema.ts
@@ -361,8 +361,8 @@ export const CoordinatorOutputSchema = CoordinatorModelOutputSchema.extend({
    */
   incomplete: z.array(z.string()).default([]),
   /**
-   * True when EVERY pass failed — nothing was actually reviewed. Set by the
-   * engine, never the model. Reporters must not render an approving decision
+   * True when nothing was actually reviewed: every pass failed, or the CI run
+   * failed or stopped before any pass. Set by the engine, never the model. Reporters must not render an approving decision
    * label for such a run (the decision enum has no "no review" member, and
    * widening it would ripple through dismiss state and exit codes — this flag
    * overrides the presentation instead).