diff --git a/PLAN.md b/PLAN.md
index d02a669..db9931e 100644
--- a/PLAN.md
+++ b/PLAN.md
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@
 - [ ] **State:** In progress — the package-native capped xtask entry point is reachable, rejects unknown packages and invalid shards, propagates mutest failure, and mutation-tests `hemx-axum`, `hemx-build`, `hemx-core`, `hemx-js`, and the full `hemx-test` package cleanly; full package closure remains.
 - **User value:** maintainers can run one bounded repository command and trust that meaningful Rust logic across every mutation-applicable library is either killed or explicitly justified.
 - **Build:** add a capped `hemx-xtask` mutation command that invokes `/opt/repositories/mutest`/`mutest` through package-native test targets rather than the broken workspace-wide example path; enumerate only current mutation-applicable library/proc-macro packages; finish adversarial tests or simplify code until every survivor is classified; keep equivalent, invariant-only, and infrastructure-inapplicable classifications inspectable and minimal; document the exact local release command in the existing readiness surface.
-- **Blocked by:** none; broad survivors currently remain in `hemx-derive` and `hemx-lsp` outside already-clean focused contracts. The mutation entry point accepts validated one-based `SHARD/TOTAL` operands, maps them to native zero-based shards, uses shard-specific output directories, grants repo-owned compiler probes a 120-second floor, and preserves the unsharded gate. All eight deterministic `hemx-build` shards now pass: 1,304 mutants total, 1,070 caught and 234 unviable, including final shard `8/8` with 159 mutants (139 caught, 20 unviable). The complete 470-mutant `hemx-axum` package gate passes with 262 caught and 208 unviable after public page/form/multipart/registry/response/runtime proofs and narrow classification of infallible header parsing and streamed multipart unwrap-equivalent mutants.
+- **Blocked by:** none; broad survivors currently remain in `hemx-derive` and `hemx-lsp` outside already-clean focused contracts. The xtask mutation runner now creates shard output parents before invoking mutest, fixing first-use failure for newly sharded packages. `hemx-derive` public shard `1/8` is clean through deterministic partitions `1/16` (31 mutants: 24 caught, 7 unviable) and `9/16` (31 mutants: 28 caught, 3 unviable) after exact client-handler mode/signature/codegen, generated-file diagnostics, form generic bounds, and malformed symbol-manifest coverage; shards `2/8` through `8/8` remain. The mutation entry point accepts validated one-based `SHARD/TOTAL` operands, maps them to native zero-based shards, uses shard-specific output directories, grants repo-owned compiler probes a 120-second floor, and preserves the unsharded gate. All eight deterministic `hemx-build` shards now pass: 1,304 mutants total, 1,070 caught and 234 unviable, including final shard `8/8` with 159 mutants (139 caught, 20 unviable). The complete 470-mutant `hemx-axum` package gate passes with 262 caught and 208 unviable after public page/form/multipart/registry/response/runtime proofs and narrow classification of infallible header parsing and streamed multipart unwrap-equivalent mutants.
 - **Proof:** the new xtask mutation command exits zero within its documented bound, covers each applicable package, emits no unexplained missed mutant, and a deliberate adjacent mutation makes it fail. `cargo run -p hemx-xtask -- test` remains green. req: test/020 req: test/021
 
 ## 3. Elect and enforce the release license policy
diff --git a/hemx-derive/src/lib.rs b/hemx-derive/src/lib.rs
index bd77b7e..80338fe 100644
--- a/hemx-derive/src/lib.rs
+++ b/hemx-derive/src/lib.rs
@@ -12,37 +12,23 @@ use syn::{
 #[proc_macro_attribute]
 pub fn handler(attr: TokenStream, item: TokenStream) -> TokenStream {
     let placement = attr.to_string();
-    let is_client = match placement.as_str() {
-        "" => false,
-        "client" => true,
-        _ => {
-            return syn::Error::new(
-                proc_macro2::Span::call_site(),
-                "unsupported hemx handler placement; expected #[hemx::handler] or #[hemx::handler(client)]",
-            )
-            .into_compile_error()
-            .into();
-        }
+    let placement = match handler_placement(&placement) {
+        Ok(placement) => placement,
+        Err(error) => return error.into_compile_error().into(),
     };
     let function = parse_macro_input!(item as ItemFn);
     let name = function.sig.ident.to_string();
 
-    let Some(syms_path) = syms_path() else {
-        let message = "#[hemx::handler] requires generated hemx files; add hemx_build::app().run()? to build.rs or run inside a Cargo crate";
-        return quote!(
-            #function
-            compile_error!(#message);
-        )
-        .into();
+    let syms_path = match handler_syms_path(syms_path()) {
+        Ok(path) => path,
+        Err(message) => {
+            return quote!(
+                #function
+                compile_error!(#message);
+            )
+            .into();
+        }
     };
-    if !syms_path.exists() {
-        let message = "#[hemx::handler] could not find generated hemx symbols; add hemx_build::app().run()? to build.rs or check template generation";
-        return quote!(
-            #function
-            compile_error!(#message);
-        )
-        .into();
-    }
     if !syms_contains_handle(&syms_path, &name) {
         let message = format!(
             "unknown hemx handle `{name}`; add `data-hemx-handle=\"{name}\"` to a template or rename this handler"
@@ -86,33 +72,34 @@ pub fn handler(attr: TokenStream, item: TokenStream) -> TokenStream {
         .into();
     }
 
-    if !is_client {
-        return quote!(#function).into();
-    }
-    let input_count = function.sig.inputs.len();
-    if !matches!(input_count, 0 | 2)
-        || function.sig.asyncness.is_some()
-        || function.sig.unsafety.is_some()
-        || function.sig.constness.is_some()
-        || !function.sig.generics.params.is_empty()
-    {
-        let message = format!(
-            "client-local hemx handler `{name}` must be safe, synchronous, non-generic, and accept either no parameters or `(hemx::wasm::ClientEvent, hemx::wasm::ClientState)`"
-        );
-        return quote!(
-            #function
-            compile_error!(#message);
-        )
-        .into();
+    expand_handler_function(function, placement).into()
+}
+
+fn expand_handler_function(
+    function: ItemFn,
+    placement: HandlerPlacement,
+) -> proc_macro2::TokenStream {
+    if placement == HandlerPlacement::Server {
+        return quote!(#function);
     }
+    let has_inputs = match client_handler_has_inputs(&function) {
+        Ok(has_inputs) => has_inputs,
+        Err(error) => {
+            let message = error.to_string();
+            return quote!(
+                #function
+                compile_error!(#message);
+            );
+        }
+    };
 
     let function_name = &function.sig.ident;
     let export_name = format_ident!("__hemx_client_{function_name}");
     let export_module = format_ident!("__hemx_client_export_{function_name}");
-    let invoke_handler = if input_count == 0 {
-        quote!(super::#function_name())
-    } else {
+    let invoke_handler = if has_inputs {
         quote!(super::#function_name(event, state))
+    } else {
+        quote!(super::#function_name())
     };
     quote!(
         #function
@@ -149,7 +136,6 @@ pub fn handler(attr: TokenStream, item: TokenStream) -> TokenStream {
             }
         }
     )
-    .into()
 }
 
 #[proc_macro_attribute]
@@ -162,7 +148,7 @@ pub fn form(attr: TokenStream, item: TokenStream) -> TokenStream {
     let form_name = parse_macro_input!(attr as LitStr).value();
     let form_struct = parse_macro_input!(item as ItemStruct);
     let Some(syms_path) = syms_path() else {
-        let message = "#[hemx::form] requires generated hemx files; add hemx_build::app().run()? to build.rs or run inside a Cargo crate";
+        let message = missing_form_generated_files_message();
         return quote!(
             #form_struct
             compile_error!(#message);
@@ -174,13 +160,7 @@ pub fn form(attr: TokenStream, item: TokenStream) -> TokenStream {
         let ident = &form_struct.ident;
         let resource_id =
             form_resource_id(&syms_path, &form_name).expect("checked form exists in hemx.syms");
-        let mut generics = form_struct.generics.clone();
-        for ty in form_parser_types(&form_struct) {
-            generics
-                .make_where_clause()
-                .predicates
-                .push(parse_quote!(#ty: ::hemx::FormValue));
-        }
+        let generics = form_impl_generics(&form_struct);
         let decode_fields = form_decode_fields(&syms_path, &form_name, &form_struct);
         let (impl_generics, ty_generics, where_clause) = generics.split_for_impl();
         quote!(
@@ -201,7 +181,7 @@ pub fn form(attr: TokenStream, item: TokenStream) -> TokenStream {
         )
         .into()
     } else {
-        let message = errors.join("; ");
+        let message = join_contract_errors(&errors);
         quote!(
             #form_struct
             compile_error!(#message);
@@ -228,9 +208,6 @@ pub fn component(attr: TokenStream, item: TokenStream) -> TokenStream {
     let Some(syms_path) = syms_path() else {
         return quote!(#module).into();
     };
-    if !syms_path.exists() {
-        return quote!(#module).into();
-    }
     let component_filter = component_name.as_deref();
     let errors = component_contract_errors(&syms_path, component_filter, items);
     if !errors.is_empty() {
@@ -336,6 +313,76 @@ fn form_model_type(ty: &Type) -> Option<Type> {
     })
 }
 
+fn missing_handler_generated_files_message() -> &'static str {
+    "#[hemx::handler] requires generated hemx files; add hemx_build::app().run()? to build.rs or run inside a Cargo crate"
+}
+
+fn missing_form_generated_files_message() -> &'static str {
+    "#[hemx::form] requires generated hemx files; add hemx_build::app().run()? to build.rs or run inside a Cargo crate"
+}
+
+fn handler_syms_path(syms_path: Option<PathBuf>) -> Result<PathBuf, &'static str> {
+    match syms_path {
+        None => Err(missing_handler_generated_files_message()),
+        Some(path) if !path.exists() => Err(
+            "#[hemx::handler] could not find generated hemx symbols; add hemx_build::app().run()? to build.rs or check template generation",
+        ),
+        Some(path) => Ok(path),
+    }
+}
+
+fn join_contract_errors(errors: &[String]) -> String {
+    errors.join("; ")
+}
+
+fn form_impl_generics(form_struct: &ItemStruct) -> syn::Generics {
+    let mut generics = form_struct.generics.clone();
+    for ty in form_parser_types(form_struct) {
+        generics
+            .make_where_clause()
+            .predicates
+            .push(parse_quote!(#ty: ::hemx::FormValue));
+    }
+    generics
+}
+
+#[derive(Clone, Copy, Debug, Eq, PartialEq)]
+enum HandlerPlacement {
+    Server,
+    Client,
+}
+
+fn handler_placement(placement: &str) -> syn::Result<HandlerPlacement> {
+    match placement {
+        "" => Ok(HandlerPlacement::Server),
+        "client" => Ok(HandlerPlacement::Client),
+        _ => Err(syn::Error::new(
+            proc_macro2::Span::call_site(),
+            "unsupported hemx handler placement; expected #[hemx::handler] or #[hemx::handler(client)]",
+        )),
+    }
+}
+
+fn client_handler_has_inputs(function: &ItemFn) -> syn::Result<bool> {
+    let input_count = function.sig.inputs.len();
+    if matches!(input_count, 0 | 2)
+        && function.sig.asyncness.is_none()
+        && function.sig.unsafety.is_none()
+        && function.sig.constness.is_none()
+        && function.sig.generics.params.is_empty()
+    {
+        Ok(input_count == 2)
+    } else {
+        Err(syn::Error::new_spanned(
+            &function.sig,
+            format!(
+                "client-local hemx handler `{}` must be safe, synchronous, non-generic, and accept either no parameters or `(hemx::wasm::ClientEvent, hemx::wasm::ClientState)`",
+                function.sig.ident
+            ),
+        ))
+    }
+}
+
 fn handler_form_model_type(function: &ItemFn) -> Option<Type> {
     function.sig.inputs.iter().rev().find_map(|arg| match arg {
         FnArg::Typed(arg) => form_model_type(&arg.ty),
@@ -984,14 +1031,173 @@ fn compile_error(message: &str) -> TokenStream {
 #[cfg(test)]
 mod tests {
     use super::{
-        add_app_registry_helper, add_component_register_helper, component_handler_names,
-        form_model_type, handle_params, handle_requires_form, handler_form_model_type,
-        has_form_param, has_non_unit_return, missing_component_handlers, missing_handle_params,
-        parser_type, returns_result, syms_contains_handle,
+        add_app_registry_helper, add_component_register_helper, client_handler_has_inputs,
+        component_handler_names, expand_handler_function, form_fields, form_impl_generics,
+        form_model_type, form_resource_id, handle_params, handle_requires_form,
+        handler_form_model_type, handler_placement, handler_syms_path, has_form_param,
+        has_non_unit_return, is_type_named, join_contract_errors, missing_component_handlers,
+        missing_form_generated_files_message, missing_handle_params,
+        missing_handler_generated_files_message, parser_type, returns_result, syms_contains_handle,
+        HandlerPlacement,
     };
-    use quote::quote;
+    use quote::{quote, ToTokens};
     use syn::{parse_quote, ItemFn, Type};
 
+    #[test]
+    fn handler_attribute_parses_server_and_client_modes_exactly() {
+        assert_eq!(handler_placement("").unwrap(), HandlerPlacement::Server);
+        assert_eq!(
+            handler_placement("client").unwrap(),
+            HandlerPlacement::Client
+        );
+        for invalid in ["server", " client", "client ", "CLIENT"] {
+            assert_eq!(
+                handler_placement(invalid).unwrap_err().to_string(),
+                "unsupported hemx handler placement; expected #[hemx::handler] or #[hemx::handler(client)]"
+            );
+        }
+
+        let no_inputs: ItemFn = parse_quote!(
+            fn save() {}
+        );
+        let two_inputs: ItemFn = parse_quote!(
+            fn save(event: Event, state: State) {}
+        );
+        assert!(!client_handler_has_inputs(&no_inputs).unwrap());
+        assert!(client_handler_has_inputs(&two_inputs).unwrap());
+
+        let server =
+            expand_handler_function(no_inputs.clone(), HandlerPlacement::Server).to_string();
+        assert_eq!(
+            server,
+            quote!(
+                fn save() {}
+            )
+            .to_string()
+        );
+        let no_input_client =
+            expand_handler_function(no_inputs.clone(), HandlerPlacement::Client).to_string();
+        assert!(no_input_client.contains("super :: save ()"));
+        assert!(!no_input_client.contains("super :: save (event , state)"));
+        let input_client =
+            expand_handler_function(two_inputs.clone(), HandlerPlacement::Client).to_string();
+        assert!(input_client.contains("super :: save (event , state)"));
+        assert!(!input_client.contains("super :: save ()"));
+
+        for invalid in [
+            parse_quote!(
+                fn save(event: Event) {}
+            ),
+            parse_quote!(
+                fn save(a: A, b: B, c: C) {}
+            ),
+            parse_quote!(
+                async fn save() {}
+            ),
+            parse_quote!(
+                unsafe fn save() {}
+            ),
+            parse_quote!(
+                const fn save() {}
+            ),
+            parse_quote!(
+                fn save<T>() {}
+            ),
+        ] {
+            assert_eq!(
+                client_handler_has_inputs(&invalid).unwrap_err().to_string(),
+                "client-local hemx handler `save` must be safe, synchronous, non-generic, and accept either no parameters or `(hemx::wasm::ClientEvent, hemx::wasm::ClientState)`"
+            );
+            let expanded = expand_handler_function(invalid, HandlerPlacement::Client).to_string();
+            assert!(expanded.contains("compile_error !"));
+            assert!(expanded.contains("client-local hemx handler"));
+        }
+        // test req: derive_handler/001 req: client_local/001
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn generated_file_and_form_helpers_preserve_exact_contracts() {
+        assert_eq!(
+            missing_handler_generated_files_message(),
+            "#[hemx::handler] requires generated hemx files; add hemx_build::app().run()? to build.rs or run inside a Cargo crate"
+        );
+        assert_eq!(
+            missing_form_generated_files_message(),
+            "#[hemx::form] requires generated hemx files; add hemx_build::app().run()? to build.rs or run inside a Cargo crate"
+        );
+        assert_eq!(
+            handler_syms_path(None).unwrap_err(),
+            missing_handler_generated_files_message()
+        );
+        let missing = std::env::temp_dir().join("hemx-derive-missing-symbols");
+        assert_eq!(
+            handler_syms_path(Some(missing)).unwrap_err(),
+            "#[hemx::handler] could not find generated hemx symbols; add hemx_build::app().run()? to build.rs or check template generation"
+        );
+        let existing = std::env::current_exe().unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(handler_syms_path(Some(existing.clone())).unwrap(), existing);
+        assert_eq!(
+            join_contract_errors(&["first".into(), "second".into()]),
+            "first; second"
+        );
+
+        let form: syn::ItemStruct = parse_quote!(
+            struct Profile<T> {
+                name: String,
+                tags: Vec<T>,
+            }
+        );
+        let generics = form_impl_generics(&form);
+        let where_clause = generics
+            .where_clause
+            .as_ref()
+            .unwrap()
+            .to_token_stream()
+            .to_string();
+        assert!(where_clause.contains("String : :: hemx :: FormValue"));
+        assert!(where_clause.contains("T : :: hemx :: FormValue"));
+        // test req: derive_handler/001 req: form/004
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn generated_form_symbol_lookup_is_exact_and_fail_closed() {
+        let path =
+            std::env::temp_dir().join(format!("hemx-derive-form-symbols-{}", std::process::id()));
+        std::fs::write(
+            &path,
+            "hemx-syms-v1\nform\tprofile.heml::profile\tprofile\t42\nform\nform\tbroken\nform\tmissing-id\tmissing-id\nform\tother.heml::other\tother\tbad\nform_field\tprofile\tname\ttrue\tfalse\nform_field\nform_field\tprofile\nform_field\tprofile\tbad name\tfalse\tfalse\nform_field\tprofile\ttags\tfalse\ttrue\nform_field\tprofile\tbad-name\tfalse\tfalse\nform_field\tother\tignored\tfalse\tfalse\n",
+        )
+        .unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(form_resource_id(&path, "profile"), Some(42));
+        assert_eq!(form_resource_id(&path, "missing"), None);
+        assert_eq!(form_resource_id(&path, "broken"), None);
+        assert_eq!(form_resource_id(&path, "missing-id"), None);
+        assert_eq!(form_resource_id(&path, "other"), None);
+
+        let fields = form_fields(&path, "profile");
+        assert_eq!(fields.len(), 3);
+        assert_eq!(fields[0].ident, "name");
+        assert!(fields[0].required);
+        assert!(!fields[0].multiple);
+        assert_eq!(fields[1].ident, "tags");
+        assert!(!fields[1].required);
+        assert!(fields[1].multiple);
+        assert_eq!(fields[2].ident, "bad_name");
+        assert!(form_fields(&path, "missing").is_empty());
+        std::fs::remove_file(&path).unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(form_resource_id(&path, "profile"), None);
+        assert!(form_fields(&path, "profile").is_empty());
+
+        let string: Type = parse_quote!(String);
+        let qualified: Type = parse_quote!(std::string::String);
+        let reference: Type = parse_quote!(&String);
+        assert!(is_type_named(&string, "String"));
+        assert!(is_type_named(&qualified, "String"));
+        assert!(!is_type_named(&string, "Vec"));
+        assert!(!is_type_named(&reference, "String"));
+        // test req: form/004 req: diagnostics/003
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn handler_type_helpers_recognize_only_the_public_form_and_result_shapes() {
         let bare: Type = parse_quote!(Form<String>);
diff --git a/hemx-xtask/src/main.rs b/hemx-xtask/src/main.rs
index 06eb4ec..4f9b73c 100644
--- a/hemx-xtask/src/main.rs
+++ b/hemx-xtask/src/main.rs
@@ -1347,6 +1347,15 @@ fn run_mutation_plan(package: Option<&str>, shard: Option<&str>) -> ExitCode {
                     .join(format!("shard-{}", shard.replace('/', "-of-")))
             },
         );
+        if let Some(parent) = output.parent() {
+            if let Err(error) = fs::create_dir_all(parent) {
+                eprintln!(
+                    "failed to create mutation output parent {}: {error}",
+                    parent.display()
+                );
+                return ExitCode::FAILURE;
+            }
+        }
         let jobs = budget.jobs.to_string();
         let mut command = Command::new(&mutest);
         command