diff --git a/src/cli/cli.c b/src/cli/cli.c
index e6e7762cf..a84c99ddf 100644
--- a/src/cli/cli.c
+++ b/src/cli/cli.c
@@ -242,6 +242,23 @@ static void cli_activation_diagnostic(const cbm_cli_activation_ops_t *ops, const
                        "or use an owner-private directory for --dir/CBM_CACHE_DIR, then retry.",
                        note);
         diagnostic = attributed;
+    } else if (diagnostic == CLI_ACTIVATION_REFUSED_MESSAGE) {
+        /* #1537/#1416: the reservation-failure message told the reader to
+         * "check the errors above" — and nothing was above. The detail that
+         * names the failing component is recorded on the daemon side and was
+         * only ever surfaced by `daemon status`, so the CLI replaced a message
+         * that blamed the wrong thing with one that blamed nothing. Two
+         * reporters were left with no way forward. Print it here. */
+        const char *detail = cbm_daemon_ipc_validation_detail();
+        if (detail && detail[0]) {
+            (void)snprintf(attributed, sizeof(attributed),
+                           "error: activation could not reserve exclusive access; no activation "
+                           "was committed.\n"
+                           "error: this is NOT a running-session problem — nothing needs to be "
+                           "closed. The check that refused was: %s",
+                           detail);
+            diagnostic = attributed;
+        }
     }
     if (ops && ops->visible_diagnostic) {
         ops->visible_diagnostic(ops->context, diagnostic);
diff --git a/src/daemon/ipc.c b/src/daemon/ipc.c
index d9b1a98e5..141882cc9 100644
--- a/src/daemon/ipc.c
+++ b/src/daemon/ipc.c
@@ -42,6 +42,13 @@ static void ipc_validation_detail_set(const char *format, ...) {
     va_end(arguments);
 }
 
+#ifdef CBM_ENABLE_TEST_SEAMS
+void cbm_daemon_ipc_set_validation_detail_for_testing(const char *detail) {
+    (void)snprintf(ipc_validation_detail_buffer, sizeof(ipc_validation_detail_buffer), "%s",
+                   detail ? detail : "");
+}
+#endif
+
 const char *cbm_daemon_ipc_validation_detail(void) {
     return ipc_validation_detail_buffer;
 }
diff --git a/src/daemon/ipc.h b/src/daemon/ipc.h
index a4f0c4331..0411995d4 100644
--- a/src/daemon/ipc.h
+++ b/src/daemon/ipc.h
@@ -91,6 +91,10 @@ bool cbm_daemon_ipc_private_directory_secure(const char *directory_path);
  * validation refusal (empty string when none). Diagnostic only — callers
  * append it to their error messages; policy decisions never read it. */
 const char *cbm_daemon_ipc_validation_detail(void);
+#ifdef CBM_ENABLE_TEST_SEAMS
+/* #1537: seed the detail so a test can prove the CLI refusal surfaces it. */
+void cbm_daemon_ipc_set_validation_detail_for_testing(const char *detail);
+#endif
 
 /* Create/validate an owner-only directory and securely open one regular
  * owner-only append log within it. User-controlled path components may not be
diff --git a/tests/test_cli.c b/tests/test_cli.c
index 333c3fa25..502a465c7 100644
--- a/tests/test_cli.c
+++ b/tests/test_cli.c
@@ -687,6 +687,38 @@ TEST(cli_activation_refusal_note_reaches_diagnostic_issue1416) {
  * CBM sessions could not be stopped" sent a reporter hunting processes that a
  * reboot proved did not exist — and the remedy we printed told them to run a
  * cbm binary they had just uninstalled. Each condition now names itself. */
+/* #1537/#1416: the reservation-failure message told readers to "check the
+ * errors above" — and nothing was above. The detail naming the failing
+ * component is recorded on the daemon side and was only surfaced by
+ * `daemon status`, so the CLI replaced a message that blamed the WRONG thing
+ * with one that blamed NOTHING. Two reporters were left with no way forward.
+ *
+ * The assertion is the property, not the wording: the refusal must never point
+ * at evidence it does not show. */
+TEST(cli_activation_refusal_shows_the_detail_it_points_at_issue1537) {
+    cbm_activation_transaction_note_refusal_for_testing(NULL, 0UL);
+    cbm_daemon_ipc_set_validation_detail_for_testing(
+        "/home/u/.cache/codebase-memory-mcp: ancestor '.cache' is not a usable "
+        "private-directory parent");
+
+    cli_activation_fake_t failed = {
+        .mutation_reserve_result = -1,
+    };
+    cbm_cli_activation_ops_t ops = {
+        .context = &failed,
+        .reserve_for_mutation = cli_activation_fake_reserve_mutation,
+        .mutation_lease_release = cli_activation_fake_release_mutation,
+        .visible_diagnostic = cli_activation_fake_diagnostic,
+    };
+    ASSERT_EQ(cbm_cli_activation_guard_with_ops(&ops, cli_activation_fake_mutation, &failed), 1);
+
+    /* The named component must appear, and the dangling pointer must not. */
+    ASSERT_NOT_NULL(strstr(failed.diagnostic, "is not a usable private-directory parent"));
+    ASSERT_NULL(strstr(failed.diagnostic, "Check the errors above"));
+    cbm_daemon_ipc_set_validation_detail_for_testing("");
+    PASS();
+}
+
 TEST(cli_activation_distinguishes_busy_from_reservation_failure_issue1537) {
     cbm_activation_transaction_note_refusal_for_testing(NULL, 0UL);
 
@@ -12421,6 +12453,7 @@ SUITE(cli) {
     RUN_TEST(cli_activation_quiesces_active_cohort_before_mutation);
     RUN_TEST(cli_activation_refuses_when_cohort_does_not_drain);
     RUN_TEST(cli_activation_refusal_note_reaches_diagnostic_issue1416);
+    RUN_TEST(cli_activation_refusal_shows_the_detail_it_points_at_issue1537);
     RUN_TEST(cli_activation_distinguishes_busy_from_reservation_failure_issue1537);
     RUN_TEST(cli_activation_refuses_unsafe_cohort_reservation);
     RUN_TEST(cli_activation_releases_maintenance_lease_after_success);