Unify application configuration loading

internal/app/clean.go

@@ -88,11 +88,7 @@ func cleanAllLocal(flags commonConfigFlags, dryRun, clearCache bool, out io.Writ
 		strings.TrimSpace(flags.previousSessionID) != "" {
 		return fmt.Errorf("clean: --all cannot be combined with --campaign, --campaign-file, --session, a session_id, or --previous-session-id")
 	}
-	resolvedPipelinePath, err := resolvePipelineConfigPath(flags.pipelinePath)
-	if err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("clean: %w", err)
-	}
-	pipelineCfg, err := config.LoadPipeline(resolvedPipelinePath)
+	_, pipelineCfg, err := loadPipelineConfig(flags.pipelinePath)
 	if err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("clean: %w", err)
 	}

internal/app/config_loader.go

@@ -14,14 +14,10 @@ import (
 	"gitea.maximumdirect.net/eric/narratio/internal/fileops"
 )
 
-type pipelineCampaignConfig struct {
-	PipelinePath string
-	CampaignPath string
-	Pipeline     *config.PipelineConfig
-	Campaign     *config.CampaignConfig
-}
+type pipelineCampaignConfig = config.LoadedPipelineCampaign
 
 var downloadObjectToTempFn = storage.DownloadObjectToTemp
+var loadPipelineConfigFn = config.LoadPipeline
 
 type commandConfig struct {
 	Config  *config.Config
@@ -58,7 +54,7 @@ func loadCommandConfig(ctx context.Context, pipelineFlag, campaignFlag, campaign
 	}
 
 	if explicitSession := strings.TrimSpace(sessionFlag); explicitSession != "" {
-		cfg, err := config.LoadWithSessionOptions(base.PipelinePath, base.CampaignPath, explicitSession, sessionOpts)
+		cfg, err := config.LoadSessionWithPipelineCampaignOptions(*base, explicitSession, sessionOpts)
 		if err != nil {
 			return nil, err
 		}
@@ -70,7 +66,7 @@ func loadCommandConfig(ctx context.Context, pipelineFlag, campaignFlag, campaign
 		return nil, err
 	}
 	if discoveredSession.Path != "" {
-		cfg, err := config.LoadWithSessionOptions(base.PipelinePath, base.CampaignPath, discoveredSession.Path, sessionOpts)
+		cfg, err := config.LoadSessionWithPipelineCampaignOptions(*base, discoveredSession.Path, sessionOpts)
 		if err != nil {
 			return nil, err
 		}
@@ -88,11 +84,9 @@ func loadCommandConfig(ctx context.Context, pipelineFlag, campaignFlag, campaign
 	}
 	sessionPrefix := artifacts.S3SessionPrefix(rootPrefix, config.CampaignID(base.Campaign), sessionID)
 	remoteKey := artifacts.S3SessionConfigKey(sessionPrefix)
-	partialCfg := &config.Config{
-		Pipeline:     base.Pipeline,
-		Campaign:     base.Campaign,
-		PipelinePath: base.PipelinePath,
-		CampaignPath: base.CampaignPath,
+	partialCfg, err := config.ResolveLoadedPipelineCampaign(*base, "", nil, config.SessionSource{})
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
 	}
 	store, err := newCommandObjectStore(ctx, partialCfg, nil)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -122,11 +116,8 @@ func loadCommandConfig(ctx context.Context, pipelineFlag, campaignFlag, campaign
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
-	cfg, err := config.Resolve(
-		base.PipelinePath,
-		base.Pipeline,
-		base.CampaignPath,
-		base.Campaign,
+	cfg, err := config.ResolveLoadedPipelineCampaign(
+		*base,
 		sessionTempPath,
 		sessionCfg,
 		config.SessionSource{
@@ -147,11 +138,7 @@ func loadCommandConfig(ctx context.Context, pipelineFlag, campaignFlag, campaign
 }
 
 func loadPipelineCampaignConfig(pipelineFlag, campaignFlag, campaignFileFlag string) (*pipelineCampaignConfig, error) {
-	resolvedPipelinePath, err := resolvePipelineConfigPath(pipelineFlag)
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
-	}
-	pipelineCfg, err := config.LoadPipeline(resolvedPipelinePath)
+	loadedPipelinePath, pipelineCfg, err := loadPipelineConfig(pipelineFlag)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
@@ -169,13 +156,25 @@ func loadPipelineCampaignConfig(pipelineFlag, campaignFlag, campaignFileFlag str
 		}
 	}
 	return &pipelineCampaignConfig{
-		PipelinePath: resolvedPipelinePath,
+		PipelinePath: loadedPipelinePath,
 		CampaignPath: resolvedCampaignPath,
 		Pipeline:     pipelineCfg,
 		Campaign:     campaignCfg,
 	}, nil
 }
 
+func loadPipelineConfig(pipelineFlag string) (string, *config.PipelineConfig, error) {
+	resolvedPipelinePath, err := resolvePipelineConfigPath(pipelineFlag)
+	if err != nil {
+		return "", nil, err
+	}
+	pipelineCfg, err := loadPipelineConfigFn(resolvedPipelinePath)
+	if err != nil {
+		return "", nil, err
+	}
+	return resolvedPipelinePath, pipelineCfg, nil
+}
+
 func findRemoteSessionConfig(ctx context.Context, store storage.ObjectStore, sessionPrefix, remoteKey string) (storage.ObjectInfo, error) {
 	objects, err := store.List(ctx, sessionPrefix)
 	if err != nil {

internal/app/config_loader_test.go

@@ -0,0 +1,50 @@
+package app
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"os"
+	"strings"
+	"testing"
+
+	"gitea.maximumdirect.net/eric/narratio/internal/config"
+)
+
+func TestLoadCommandConfigRetainsInitiallyLoadedPipeline(t *testing.T) {
+	workspaceRoot := t.TempDir()
+	pipelinePath, campaignPath, sessionPath := writeValidConfigFiles(t, workspaceRoot)
+
+	originalLoader := loadPipelineConfigFn
+	loadCalls := 0
+	loadPipelineConfigFn = func(path string) (*config.PipelineConfig, error) {
+		loaded, err := originalLoader(path)
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, err
+		}
+		loadCalls++
+
+		data, err := os.ReadFile(path)
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, err
+		}
+		changedRoot := workspaceRoot + "-changed"
+		updated := strings.ReplaceAll(string(data), workspaceRoot, changedRoot)
+		if err := os.WriteFile(path, []byte(updated), 0o644); err != nil {
+			return nil, err
+		}
+		return loaded, nil
+	}
+	t.Cleanup(func() { loadPipelineConfigFn = originalLoader })
+
+	loaded, err := loadCommandConfig(context.Background(), pipelinePath, "", campaignPath, sessionPath, config.SessionLoadOptions{SessionID: "2026-05-03"})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("loadCommandConfig() error = %v", err)
+	}
+	defer func() { _ = loaded.Close() }()
+
+	if loadCalls != 1 {
+		t.Fatalf("pipeline load calls = %d, want 1", loadCalls)
+	}
+	if got := loaded.Config.Pipeline.Workspace.Root; got != workspaceRoot {
+		t.Fatalf("resolved workspace root = %q, want originally loaded %q", got, workspaceRoot)
+	}
+}

internal/app/operator_session_init.go

@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ func SessionInit(ctx context.Context, args []string, out io.Writer) error {
 	if err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("session init: %w", err)
 	}
-	cfg, err := config.Resolve(base.PipelinePath, base.Pipeline, base.CampaignPath, base.Campaign, label, sessionCfg, config.SessionSource{Source: "session_config", LocalPath: label})
+	cfg, err := config.ResolveLoadedPipelineCampaign(*base, label, sessionCfg, config.SessionSource{Source: "session_config", LocalPath: label})
 	if err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("session init: %w", err)
 	}

internal/app/remote_session_test.go

@@ -166,6 +166,9 @@ inputs:
 	if err := loaded.Close(); err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("second Close() error = %v", err)
 	}
+	if loaded.Config == nil || loaded.Config.Pipeline == nil || loaded.Config.Campaign == nil || loaded.Config.Session == nil {
+		t.Fatal("closing remote session cleanup discarded retained configuration")
+	}
 	if _, err := os.Stat(downloadedPath); !errors.Is(err, os.ErrNotExist) {
 		t.Fatalf("downloaded remote session path still exists or could not be inspected: %q, err=%v", downloadedPath, err)
 	}

internal/config/load.go

@@ -167,42 +167,81 @@ func LoadWithSessionOptions(pipelinePath, campaignPath, sessionPath string, sess
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
+	return LoadSessionWithPipelineCampaignOptions(LoadedPipelineCampaign{
+		PipelinePath: pipelinePath,
+		Pipeline:     pipelineCfg,
+		CampaignPath: campaignPath,
+		Campaign:     campaignCfg,
+	}, sessionPath, sessionOpts)
+}
 
+// LoadedPipelineCampaign retains one already loaded pipeline and campaign for
+// subsequent local or remote session resolution. It prevents a command from
+// reloading the root pipeline after campaign selection.
+type LoadedPipelineCampaign struct {
+	PipelinePath string
+	Pipeline     *PipelineConfig
+	CampaignPath string
+	Campaign     *CampaignConfig
+}
+
+// LoadSessionWithPipelineCampaignOptions loads one local session and combines
+// it with an already loaded pipeline and campaign.
+func LoadSessionWithPipelineCampaignOptions(loaded LoadedPipelineCampaign, sessionPath string, sessionOpts SessionLoadOptions) (*Config, error) {
 	sessionCfg, err := LoadSessionWithOptions(sessionPath, sessionOpts)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
-
-	return Resolve(pipelinePath, pipelineCfg, campaignPath, campaignCfg, sessionPath, sessionCfg, SessionSource{
+	return ResolveLoadedPipelineCampaign(loaded, sessionPath, sessionCfg, SessionSource{
 		Source:    "session_config",
 		LocalPath: sessionPath,
 	})
 }
 
-// Resolve builds final stage-facing configuration from already loaded
-// pipeline, campaign, and session documents.
-func Resolve(pipelinePath string, pipelineCfg *PipelineConfig, campaignPath string, campaignCfg *CampaignConfig, sessionPath string, sessionCfg *SessionConfig, sessionSource SessionSource) (*Config, error) {
-	stableInputs, err := mergeCampaignSession(campaignCfg, sessionCfg, campaignPath, sessionPath)
+// ResolveLoadedPipelineCampaign combines an already loaded pipeline and
+// campaign with optional already loaded session data. A nil session preserves
+// the resolved pipeline/campaign context for callers that need to locate or
+// retrieve a session without rereading the root pipeline.
+func ResolveLoadedPipelineCampaign(loaded LoadedPipelineCampaign, sessionPath string, sessionCfg *SessionConfig, sessionSource SessionSource) (*Config, error) {
+	cfg := &Config{
+		Pipeline:      loaded.Pipeline,
+		Campaign:      loaded.Campaign,
+		Session:       sessionCfg,
+		PipelinePath:  loaded.PipelinePath,
+		CampaignPath:  loaded.CampaignPath,
+		SessionPath:   sessionPath,
+		SessionSource: sessionSource,
+	}
+	if sessionCfg == nil {
+		return cfg, nil
+	}
+
+	stableInputs, err := mergeCampaignSession(loaded.Campaign, sessionCfg, loaded.CampaignPath, sessionPath)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
-	if strings.TrimSpace(sessionSource.Source) == "" {
-		sessionSource.Source = "session_config"
+	if strings.TrimSpace(cfg.SessionSource.Source) == "" {
+		cfg.SessionSource.Source = "session_config"
 	}
-	if strings.TrimSpace(sessionSource.LocalPath) == "" {
-		sessionSource.LocalPath = sessionPath
+	if strings.TrimSpace(cfg.SessionSource.LocalPath) == "" {
+		cfg.SessionSource.LocalPath = sessionPath
 	}
+	cfg.StableInputs = stableInputs
+	return cfg, nil
+}
 
-	return &Config{
-		Pipeline:      pipelineCfg,
-		Campaign:      campaignCfg,
-		Session:       sessionCfg,
-		PipelinePath:  pipelinePath,
-		CampaignPath:  campaignPath,
-		SessionPath:   sessionPath,
-		StableInputs:  stableInputs,
-		SessionSource: sessionSource,
-	}, nil
+// Resolve builds final stage-facing configuration from already loaded
+// pipeline, campaign, and session documents.
+func Resolve(pipelinePath string, pipelineCfg *PipelineConfig, campaignPath string, campaignCfg *CampaignConfig, sessionPath string, sessionCfg *SessionConfig, sessionSource SessionSource) (*Config, error) {
+	if sessionCfg == nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("session config is required")
+	}
+	return ResolveLoadedPipelineCampaign(LoadedPipelineCampaign{
+		PipelinePath: pipelinePath,
+		Pipeline:     pipelineCfg,
+		CampaignPath: campaignPath,
+		Campaign:     campaignCfg,
+	}, sessionPath, sessionCfg, sessionSource)
 }
 
 func campaignSessionPaths(paths ...string) (campaignPath, sessionPath string, err error) {