internal/project/project.go

@@ -1682,10 +1682,12 @@ func validateAutogenConfig(cfg AutogenConfig) []error {
 		if strings.TrimSpace(consumer.Mode) == "accessory_visualeffects" && accessoryVisualeffectsConfigConfigured(consumer.AccessoryVisualeffects) {
 			failures = append(failures, validateAccessoryVisualeffectsConfig(fieldPrefix+".accessory_visualeffects", consumer.AccessoryVisualeffects)...)
 		}
-		// A manifest_file consumer reads a pre-resolved local manifest, so the
+		// A manifest_file consumer reads a pre-resolved local manifest, and a
-		// released-source fields (root/include/derive/manifest) are never read
+		// cdn_channel consumer resolves entirely from Source.* at runtime, so
+		// neither reads the released-source fields (root/include/derive/manifest)
 		// at build time — don't require them. See resolveAutogenConsumerManifest.
-		if strings.TrimSpace(consumer.ManifestFile) == "" {
+		if strings.TrimSpace(consumer.ManifestFile) == "" &&
+			strings.TrimSpace(consumer.Source.Kind) != "cdn_channel" {
 			if strings.TrimSpace(consumer.Root) == "" {
 				failures = append(failures, fmt.Errorf("%s.root is required", fieldPrefix))
 			}

internal/project/project_test.go

@@ -1425,6 +1425,51 @@ func TestValidateLayoutRejectsInvalidAccessoryVisualeffectsNamingConfig(t *testi
 	}
 }
 
+func TestValidateLayoutAcceptsCDNChannelConsumerWithoutReleasedSourceFields(t *testing.T) {
+	// cdn_channel consumers resolve entirely from Source.* at runtime; they must
+	// not be required to supply root/include/derive/manifest fields.
+	root := t.TempDir()
+	mkdirAll(t, filepath.Join(root, "src"))
+	mkdirAll(t, filepath.Join(root, "build"))
+
+	proj := &Project{
+		Root: root,
+		Config: Config{
+			Module: ModuleConfig{Name: "Test", ResRef: "test"},
+			Paths:  PathConfig{Source: "src", Build: "build"},
+			Autogen: AutogenConfig{
+				Consumers: []AutogenConsumerConfig{
+					{
+						ID:       "accessory_visualeffects",
+						Producer: "accessory_visualeffects",
+						Dataset:  "visualeffects",
+						Mode:     "accessory_visualeffects",
+						Optional: true,
+						AccessoryVisualeffects: AccessoryVisualeffectsConfig{
+							Groups: map[string]AccessoryVisualeffectGroupConfig{
+								"head_accessories":  {Prefix: "head_acc_"},
+								"chest_accessories": {Prefix: "chest_acc_"},
+								"head_decorations":  {Prefix: "head_dec_"},
+								"head_features":     {Prefix: "head_feat_"},
+							},
+						},
+						Source: AutogenSourceConfig{
+							Kind:         "cdn_channel",
+							ChannelsPath: "releases/haks/channels.json",
+							ManifestPath: "releases/haks/{tag}/vfxs.yml",
+						},
+						// Intentionally omitted: Root, Include, Derive, Manifest
+					},
+				},
+			},
+		},
+	}
+
+	if err := proj.ValidateLayout(); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("cdn_channel consumer should pass ValidateLayout without released-source fields, got: %v", err)
+	}
+}
+
 func TestLoadRejectsLegacyAccessoryVisualeffectsNamingFields(t *testing.T) {
 	root := t.TempDir()
 	writeProjectFile(t, filepath.Join(root, ConfigFile), `

internal/topdata/autogen.go

@@ -189,6 +189,10 @@ func autogenConsumerManagedLockKeyMatcher(consumer project.AutogenConsumerConfig
 		prefix := dataset + ":"
 		// Build the group set from the resolved policy so consumers that omit
 		// AccessoryVisualeffects.Groups still match the four default group names.
+		// NOTE: this matcher assumes the default folder_name+preserve group
+		// representation. Keys produced under case:lower or
+		// group_token_source:prefix would not match and would escape pruning;
+		// no production config uses those combinations.
 		policy := resolveAccessoryVisualeffectsPolicy(consumer, nil)
 		groups := make(map[string]struct{}, len(policy.Groups))
 		for group := range policy.Groups {
@@ -322,7 +326,7 @@ func resolveCDNChannelManifest(p *project.Project, consumer project.AutogenConsu
 		channel = deriveAssetChannel(p.Root)
 	}
 
-	// 3. CDN base: env override, then config literal, then baked default.
+	// 3. CDN base: baked default, then env override, then config literal (most specific wins).
 	cdnBase := defaultBunnyCDNBase
 	if envName := strings.TrimSpace(src.CDNBaseEnv); envName != "" {
 		if v := strings.TrimSpace(os.Getenv(envName)); v != "" {

internal/topdata/autogen_cdn_channel_test.go

@@ -159,6 +159,18 @@ func TestResolveCDNChannelHardFail(t *testing.T) {
 			t.Fatalf("want HARD fail, got %v", err)
 		}
 	})
+
+	t.Run("malformed vfxs.yml: syntactically broken YAML", func(t *testing.T) {
+		srv := cdnServer(t, map[string]string{
+			"/releases/haks/channels.json": `{"current":"v1"}`,
+			"/releases/haks/v1/vfxs.yml":   "assets:\n  - path: [unterminated",
+		})
+		t.Setenv("BUNNY_CDN_BASE", srv.URL)
+		_, err := resolveCDNChannelManifest(testProject(root), c, c.Source, nil)
+		if err == nil || errorIsUnavailable(err) {
+			t.Fatalf("want HARD fail on broken YAML, got %v", err)
+		}
+	})
 }
 
 func TestResolveCDNChannelOfflineOverride(t *testing.T) {