diff --git a/cmd/entire/cli/lifecycle.go b/cmd/entire/cli/lifecycle.go
index 44bda39a8d..f62868caf3 100644
--- a/cmd/entire/cli/lifecycle.go
+++ b/cmd/entire/cli/lifecycle.go
@@ -1113,7 +1113,10 @@ func adoptReviewEnv(ctx context.Context, state *session.State, expectedAgent str
 	if state.Kind != "" {
 		return
 	}
-	if os.Getenv(review.EnvSession) != "1" {
+	if envSession := os.Getenv(review.EnvSession); envSession != "1" {
+		logging.Debug(ctx, "review env adoption skipped: ENTIRE_REVIEW_SESSION is not \"1\"",
+			slog.String("expected_agent", expectedAgent),
+			slog.String("observed_value", envSession))
 		return
 	}
 	envAgent := os.Getenv(review.EnvAgent)
diff --git a/cmd/entire/cli/review/cmd.go b/cmd/entire/cli/review/cmd.go
index 68865c154c..07b0f38c65 100644
--- a/cmd/entire/cli/review/cmd.go
+++ b/cmd/entire/cli/review/cmd.go
@@ -648,19 +648,35 @@ func writePostReviewManifest(
 	manifest, err := localReviewManifestFromCurrentState(ctx, worktreeRoot, headSHA, summary, aggregateOutput)
 	if err != nil {
 		logging.Debug(ctx, "review manifest not written", slog.String("error", err.Error()))
+		warnManifestNotWritten(out, "could not load session state: "+err.Error())
 		return
 	}
 	if len(manifest.Sources) == 0 {
 		logging.Debug(ctx, "review manifest not written: no matching review sessions")
+		warnManifestNotWritten(out, "review session was not tagged as a review (env-var handshake did not reach the hook)")
 		return
 	}
 	if err := writeLocalReviewManifest(ctx, manifest); err != nil {
 		logging.Debug(ctx, "review manifest write failed", slog.String("error", err.Error()))
+		warnManifestNotWritten(out, "write to disk failed: "+err.Error())
 		return
 	}
 	writeReviewCompletionFooter(out, manifest)
 }
 
+// warnManifestNotWritten prints a user-visible note explaining that the
+// review skills ran but findings were not persisted, so `entire review
+// --findings` and `entire review --fix` will not see this run. The reason
+// string is appended verbatim and should describe the underlying cause in
+// terms the user can act on (or at least diagnose with debug logs).
+func warnManifestNotWritten(out io.Writer, reason string) {
+	fmt.Fprintln(out)
+	fmt.Fprintln(out, "Note: review skills ran but findings were not persisted.")
+	fmt.Fprintf(out, "  Reason: %s\n", reason)
+	fmt.Fprintln(out, "  `entire review --findings` and `entire review --fix` will not see this run.")
+	fmt.Fprintln(out, "  Re-run with `ENTIRE_LOG_LEVEL=debug` for diagnostic detail.")
+}
+
 func composeSingleAgentSinks(in singleAgentSinkInputs) []reviewtypes.Sink {
 	if !in.isTTY || !in.canPrompt {
 		fmt.Fprintf(in.out, "Running review with %s...\n", in.agentName)
diff --git a/cmd/entire/cli/review/manifest_test.go b/cmd/entire/cli/review/manifest_test.go
index ace0a17945..146bff19d7 100644
--- a/cmd/entire/cli/review/manifest_test.go
+++ b/cmd/entire/cli/review/manifest_test.go
@@ -379,3 +379,49 @@ func TestBuildLocalReviewManifestFromSummary_GroupsAgentSessionsAndAggregate(t *
 		t.Fatalf("AggregateOutput = %q", manifest.AggregateOutput)
 	}
 }
+
+func TestWarnManifestNotWritten_PrintsReasonAndDiagnosticHints(t *testing.T) {
+	var b strings.Builder
+
+	warnManifestNotWritten(&b, "test reason text")
+
+	got := b.String()
+	for _, want := range []string{
+		"Note: review skills ran but findings were not persisted.",
+		"Reason: test reason text",
+		"`entire review --findings` and `entire review --fix` will not see this run.",
+		"`ENTIRE_LOG_LEVEL=debug`",
+	} {
+		if !strings.Contains(got, want) {
+			t.Fatalf("warning missing %q:\n%s", want, got)
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+func TestWritePostReviewManifest_WarnsWhenNoMatchingSessions(t *testing.T) {
+	repoRoot := t.TempDir()
+	testutil.InitRepo(t, repoRoot)
+	t.Chdir(repoRoot)
+
+	var out strings.Builder
+	summary := reviewtypes.RunSummary{
+		StartedAt: time.Now(),
+		AgentRuns: []reviewtypes.AgentRun{
+			{Name: "claude-code", Status: reviewtypes.AgentStatusSucceeded},
+		},
+	}
+
+	// SHA is irrelevant: matcher never runs since no session states exist.
+	writePostReviewManifest(context.Background(), &out, repoRoot, "abc123", summary, "")
+
+	got := out.String()
+	if !strings.Contains(got, "Note: review skills ran but findings were not persisted.") {
+		t.Fatalf("expected warning to fire when no sessions match; got:\n%s", got)
+	}
+	if !strings.Contains(got, "env-var handshake did not reach the hook") {
+		t.Fatalf("expected handshake-failure reason; got:\n%s", got)
+	}
+	if strings.Contains(got, "Review complete.") {
+		t.Fatalf("happy-path footer must not print when manifest is empty; got:\n%s", got)
+	}
+}