feat(android): back text messages up, in a build Play does not get

A Messages section sends the SMS added since the last copy, as restorable
<smses> XML, into <folder>/<account>-messages/YYYY. A play flavor has neither
READ_SMS nor the code that reads messages; full is the default.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 5.5 <noreply@anthropic.com>

18 files changed, 104 insertions, 15 deletions

diff --git a/packages/meshbay-hub/src/meshbay_hub/static/app.js b/packages/meshbay-hub/src/meshbay_hub/static/app.js
index 12b48a7..41cc5f2 100644
--- a/packages/meshbay-hub/src/meshbay_hub/static/app.js
+++ b/packages/meshbay-hub/src/meshbay_hub/static/app.js
@@ -944,9 +944,11 @@ function App() {
     return () => { gone = true; if (stop) stop(); };
   }, [syncAccount]);
 
-  // Contacts backup (§9.13), the same way.
+  // Contacts and messages backup (§9.13), the same way.
   useEffect(() => {
-    if (!syncAccount || !platform.contactSync.available) return undefined;
+    if (!syncAccount || !(platform.contactSync.available || platform.messageSync.available)) {
+      return undefined;
+    }
     let stop = null;
     let gone = false;
     import('./phone-sync.js').then((m) => {
@@ -962,7 +964,7 @@ function App() {
         },
       });
       stop = m.stopPhoneSync;
-    }).catch((e) => console.warn('[MeshBay] contacts backup did not load:', e.message));
+    }).catch((e) => console.warn('[MeshBay] contacts and messages backup did not load:', e.message));
     return () => { gone = true; if (stop) stop(); };
   }, [syncAccount]);
 
diff --git a/packages/meshbay-hub/src/meshbay_hub/static/locales/de.js b/packages/meshbay-hub/src/meshbay_hub/static/locales/de.js
index d83d0c0..086f3a9 100644
--- a/packages/meshbay-hub/src/meshbay_hub/static/locales/de.js
+++ b/packages/meshbay-hub/src/meshbay_hub/static/locales/de.js
@@ -1340,6 +1340,9 @@ export default {
   'contactsync.heading': "Kontakte-Sicherung",
   'contactsync.intro': "Einmal täglich, wenn sie sich geändert haben, eine Kopie der Kontakte dieses Telefons senden. Jede Kopie ist eine .vcf-Datei, die jedes Telefon importieren kann.",
   'contactsync.permission_needed': "MeshBay braucht Zugriff auf die Kontakte dieses Telefons.",
+  'messagesync.heading': "SMS-Sicherung",
+  'messagesync.intro': "Die SMS dieses Telefons einmal täglich senden: Die erste Kopie enthält alle, jede weitere nur die neuen. Die Dateien sind im XML-Format, das SMS-Sicherungs-Apps wiederherstellen können. MMS sind nicht enthalten.",
+  'messagesync.permission_needed': "MeshBay braucht Zugriff auf die SMS dieses Telefons.",
   'phonesync.state_sending': "Wird gesendet…",
   'phonesync.summary': "{group} → {dir}",
   'phonesync.copies_sent': "Gesendete Kopien: {n}",
diff --git a/packages/meshbay-hub/src/meshbay_hub/static/locales/en.js b/packages/meshbay-hub/src/meshbay_hub/static/locales/en.js
index aa25258..66cd23b 100644
--- a/packages/meshbay-hub/src/meshbay_hub/static/locales/en.js
+++ b/packages/meshbay-hub/src/meshbay_hub/static/locales/en.js
@@ -1321,6 +1321,9 @@ export default {
   'contactsync.heading': "Contacts backup",
   'contactsync.intro': "Send a copy of this phone's contacts once a day when they have changed. Each copy is a .vcf file any phone can import.",
   'contactsync.permission_needed': "MeshBay needs access to this phone's contacts.",
+  'messagesync.heading': "Messages backup",
+  'messagesync.intro': "Send the text messages on this phone once a day: the first copy holds them all, each next one only the new ones. The files are in the XML format SMS backup applications restore. Multimedia messages are not included.",
+  'messagesync.permission_needed': "MeshBay needs access to this phone's text messages.",
   'phonesync.state_sending': "Sending…",
   'phonesync.summary': "{group} → {dir}",
   'phonesync.copies_sent': "Copies sent: {n}",
diff --git a/packages/meshbay-hub/src/meshbay_hub/static/locales/es.js b/packages/meshbay-hub/src/meshbay_hub/static/locales/es.js
index 8a483e4..c53e3e4 100644
--- a/packages/meshbay-hub/src/meshbay_hub/static/locales/es.js
+++ b/packages/meshbay-hub/src/meshbay_hub/static/locales/es.js
@@ -1334,6 +1334,9 @@ export default {
   'contactsync.heading': "Copia de seguridad de contactos",
   'contactsync.intro': "Enviar una copia de los contactos de este teléfono una vez al día si han cambiado. Cada copia es un archivo .vcf que cualquier teléfono puede importar.",
   'contactsync.permission_needed': "MeshBay necesita acceso a los contactos de este teléfono.",
+  'messagesync.heading': "Copia de seguridad de SMS",
+  'messagesync.intro': "Enviar los SMS de este teléfono una vez al día: la primera copia los contiene todos y cada una de las siguientes solo los nuevos. Los archivos están en el formato XML que restauran las aplicaciones de copia de seguridad de SMS. Los MMS no se incluyen.",
+  'messagesync.permission_needed': "MeshBay necesita acceso a los SMS de este teléfono.",
   'phonesync.state_sending': "Enviando…",
   'phonesync.summary': "{group} → {dir}",
   'phonesync.copies_sent': "Copias enviadas: {n}",
diff --git a/packages/meshbay-hub/src/meshbay_hub/static/locales/fr.js b/packages/meshbay-hub/src/meshbay_hub/static/locales/fr.js
index 7f15f05..52b40b0 100644
--- a/packages/meshbay-hub/src/meshbay_hub/static/locales/fr.js
+++ b/packages/meshbay-hub/src/meshbay_hub/static/locales/fr.js
@@ -1349,6 +1349,9 @@ export default {
   'contactsync.heading': "Sauvegarde des contacts",
   'contactsync.intro': "Envoyer une copie des contacts de ce téléphone une fois par jour s'ils ont changé. Chaque copie est un fichier .vcf que tout téléphone sait importer.",
   'contactsync.permission_needed': "MeshBay a besoin d'accéder aux contacts de ce téléphone.",
+  'messagesync.heading': "Sauvegarde des SMS",
+  'messagesync.intro': "Envoyer les SMS de ce téléphone une fois par jour : la première copie les contient tous, les suivantes seulement les nouveaux. Les fichiers sont au format XML que les applis de sauvegarde SMS savent restaurer. Les MMS ne sont pas inclus.",
+  'messagesync.permission_needed': "MeshBay a besoin d'accéder aux SMS de ce téléphone.",
   'phonesync.state_sending': "Envoi…",
   'phonesync.summary': "{group} → {dir}",
   'phonesync.copies_sent': "Copies envoyées : {n}",
diff --git a/packages/meshbay-hub/src/meshbay_hub/static/locales/it.js b/packages/meshbay-hub/src/meshbay_hub/static/locales/it.js
index d18c373..9387ddd 100644
--- a/packages/meshbay-hub/src/meshbay_hub/static/locales/it.js
+++ b/packages/meshbay-hub/src/meshbay_hub/static/locales/it.js
@@ -1348,6 +1348,9 @@ export default {
   'contactsync.heading': "Backup dei contatti",
   'contactsync.intro': "Invia una copia dei contatti di questo telefono una volta al giorno se sono cambiati. Ogni copia è un file .vcf che qualsiasi telefono può importare.",
   'contactsync.permission_needed': "MeshBay ha bisogno di accedere ai contatti di questo telefono.",
+  'messagesync.heading': "Backup degli SMS",
+  'messagesync.intro': "Invia gli SMS di questo telefono una volta al giorno: la prima copia li contiene tutti, le successive solo quelli nuovi. I file sono nel formato XML che le app di backup degli SMS sanno ripristinare. Gli MMS non sono inclusi.",
+  'messagesync.permission_needed': "MeshBay ha bisogno di accedere agli SMS di questo telefono.",
   'phonesync.state_sending': "Invio…",
   'phonesync.summary': "{group} → {dir}",
   'phonesync.copies_sent': "Copie inviate: {n}",
diff --git a/packages/meshbay-hub/src/meshbay_hub/static/locales/ja.js b/packages/meshbay-hub/src/meshbay_hub/static/locales/ja.js
index 1ee0a81..29296d1 100644
--- a/packages/meshbay-hub/src/meshbay_hub/static/locales/ja.js
+++ b/packages/meshbay-hub/src/meshbay_hub/static/locales/ja.js
@@ -1332,6 +1332,9 @@ export default {
   'contactsync.heading': "連絡先のバックアップ",
   'contactsync.intro': "このスマートフォンの連絡先のコピーを、変更があった日に1日1回送ります。各コピーはどのスマートフォンでも読み込める .vcf ファイルです。",
   'contactsync.permission_needed': "MeshBay にこのスマートフォンの連絡先へのアクセスを許可してください。",
+  'messagesync.heading': "SMS のバックアップ",
+  'messagesync.intro': "このスマートフォンの SMS を1日1回送ります。最初のコピーにはすべてが含まれ、以降は新しいものだけが含まれます。ファイルは SMS バックアップアプリで復元できる XML 形式です。MMS は含まれません。",
+  'messagesync.permission_needed': "MeshBay にこのスマートフォンの SMS へのアクセスを許可してください。",
   'phonesync.state_sending': "送信中…",
   'phonesync.summary': "{group} → {dir}",
   'phonesync.copies_sent': "送信したコピー: {n}",
diff --git a/packages/meshbay-hub/src/meshbay_hub/static/locales/nl.js b/packages/meshbay-hub/src/meshbay_hub/static/locales/nl.js
index ec7be69..ada6813 100644
--- a/packages/meshbay-hub/src/meshbay_hub/static/locales/nl.js
+++ b/packages/meshbay-hub/src/meshbay_hub/static/locales/nl.js
@@ -1350,6 +1350,9 @@ export default {
   'contactsync.heading': "Back-up van contacten",
   'contactsync.intro': "Stuur eenmaal per dag, als ze veranderd zijn, een kopie van de contacten op deze telefoon. Elke kopie is een .vcf-bestand dat elke telefoon kan importeren.",
   'contactsync.permission_needed': "MeshBay heeft toegang nodig tot de contacten op deze telefoon.",
+  'messagesync.heading': "Back-up van sms'jes",
+  'messagesync.intro': "Stuur de sms'jes op deze telefoon eenmaal per dag: de eerste kopie bevat ze allemaal, elke volgende alleen de nieuwe. De bestanden zijn in het XML-formaat dat sms-back-upapps kunnen terugzetten. Mms'jes zijn niet inbegrepen.",
+  'messagesync.permission_needed': "MeshBay heeft toegang nodig tot de sms'jes op deze telefoon.",
   'phonesync.state_sending': "Bezig met verzenden…",
   'phonesync.summary': "{group} → {dir}",
   'phonesync.copies_sent': "Verzonden kopieën: {n}",
diff --git a/packages/meshbay-hub/src/meshbay_hub/static/locales/pl.js b/packages/meshbay-hub/src/meshbay_hub/static/locales/pl.js
index 96da817..3e712bb 100644
--- a/packages/meshbay-hub/src/meshbay_hub/static/locales/pl.js
+++ b/packages/meshbay-hub/src/meshbay_hub/static/locales/pl.js
@@ -1376,6 +1376,9 @@ export default {
   'contactsync.heading': "Kopia kontaktów",
   'contactsync.intro': "Wysyłaj kopię kontaktów z tego telefonu raz dziennie, jeśli się zmieniły. Każda kopia to plik .vcf, który zaimportuje każdy telefon.",
   'contactsync.permission_needed': "MeshBay potrzebuje dostępu do kontaktów w tym telefonie.",
+  'messagesync.heading': "Kopia SMS-ów",
+  'messagesync.intro': "Wysyłaj SMS-y z tego telefonu raz dziennie: pierwsza kopia zawiera wszystkie, każda kolejna tylko nowe. Pliki są w formacie XML, który przywracają aplikacje do kopii SMS-ów. MMS-y nie są uwzględniane.",
+  'messagesync.permission_needed': "MeshBay potrzebuje dostępu do SMS-ów w tym telefonie.",
   'phonesync.state_sending': "Wysyłanie…",
   'phonesync.summary': "{group} → {dir}",
   'phonesync.copies_sent': "Wysłane kopie: {n}",
diff --git a/packages/meshbay-hub/src/meshbay_hub/static/locales/pt-BR.js b/packages/meshbay-hub/src/meshbay_hub/static/locales/pt-BR.js
index cec9604..8fe39e5 100644
--- a/packages/meshbay-hub/src/meshbay_hub/static/locales/pt-BR.js
+++ b/packages/meshbay-hub/src/meshbay_hub/static/locales/pt-BR.js
@@ -1335,6 +1335,9 @@ export default {
   'contactsync.heading': "Backup de contatos",
   'contactsync.intro': "Enviar uma cópia dos contatos deste celular uma vez por dia se tiverem mudado. Cada cópia é um arquivo .vcf que qualquer celular consegue importar.",
   'contactsync.permission_needed': "O MeshBay precisa de acesso aos contatos deste celular.",
+  'messagesync.heading': "Backup de SMS",
+  'messagesync.intro': "Enviar os SMS deste celular uma vez por dia: a primeira cópia contém todos, cada uma das seguintes só os novos. Os arquivos estão no formato XML que os apps de backup de SMS conseguem restaurar. MMS não são incluídos.",
+  'messagesync.permission_needed': "O MeshBay precisa de acesso aos SMS deste celular.",
   'phonesync.state_sending': "Enviando…",
   'phonesync.summary': "{group} → {dir}",
   'phonesync.copies_sent': "Cópias enviadas: {n}",
diff --git a/packages/meshbay-hub/src/meshbay_hub/static/locales/zh-CN.js b/packages/meshbay-hub/src/meshbay_hub/static/locales/zh-CN.js
index 212bc5d..e294fe5 100644
--- a/packages/meshbay-hub/src/meshbay_hub/static/locales/zh-CN.js
+++ b/packages/meshbay-hub/src/meshbay_hub/static/locales/zh-CN.js
@@ -1321,6 +1321,9 @@ export default {
   'contactsync.heading': "联系人备份",
   'contactsync.intro': "在联系人有变动的日子里，每天一次发送本机联系人的副本。每份副本都是任何手机都能导入的 .vcf 文件。",
   'contactsync.permission_needed': "MeshBay 需要访问本机的联系人。",
+  'messagesync.heading': "短信备份",
+  'messagesync.intro': "每天一次发送本机的短信：第一份副本包含全部短信，之后每份只包含新短信。文件采用短信备份应用可以恢复的 XML 格式。不包括彩信。",
+  'messagesync.permission_needed': "MeshBay 需要访问本机的短信。",
   'phonesync.state_sending': "正在发送…",
   'phonesync.summary': "{group} → {dir}",
   'phonesync.copies_sent': "已发送副本：{n}",
diff --git a/packages/meshbay-hub/src/meshbay_hub/static/phone-sync-settings.js b/packages/meshbay-hub/src/meshbay_hub/static/phone-sync-settings.js
index cec8b43..0602e54 100644
--- a/packages/meshbay-hub/src/meshbay_hub/static/phone-sync-settings.js
+++ b/packages/meshbay-hub/src/meshbay_hub/static/phone-sync-settings.js
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
-// The contacts section of the Android Sync page, on the Android application
-// only (docs/MESHBAY_DESIGN.md §9.13). Loaded on demand: no other client has
-// it. Where the copies go is the page's destination section; this one only
-// turns the backup on or off.
+// The contacts and messages sections of the Android Sync page, on the Android
+// application only (docs/MESHBAY_DESIGN.md §9.13). Loaded on demand: no other
+// client has it. Where the copies go is the page's destination section; these
+// only turn each backup on or off.
 
 import { html, useState, useEffect, useCallback } from './vendor/htm-preact.js';
 import { t } from './i18n.js';
@@ -13,6 +13,10 @@ const TEXT = {
     intro: 'contactsync.intro',
     permission: 'contactsync.permission_needed',
   },
+  messages: {
+    intro: 'messagesync.intro',
+    permission: 'messagesync.permission_needed',
+  },
 };
 
 function stateLine(st, status) {
diff --git a/packages/meshbay-hub/src/meshbay_hub/static/phone-sync.js b/packages/meshbay-hub/src/meshbay_hub/static/phone-sync.js
index b9db9f7..2c34af0 100644
--- a/packages/meshbay-hub/src/meshbay_hub/static/phone-sync.js
+++ b/packages/meshbay-hub/src/meshbay_hub/static/phone-sync.js
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
-// Contacts backup: a copy of this phone's address book sent to
-// `<folder>/<account>-contacts` of the destination every backup shares
-// (sync-destination.js), once a day when it changed (docs/MESHBAY_DESIGN.md §9.13).
+// Contacts and messages backup: a copy of this phone's address book, and the
+// text messages added since the last copy, sent to `<folder>/<account>-contacts`
+// and `-messages` of the destination every backup shares (sync-destination.js),
+// once a day when there is something new (docs/MESHBAY_DESIGN.md §9.13).
 //
 // The same split as photos (photo-sync.js): the phone writes what is new into
 // one file and remembers what the node took; this module decides when a run
@@ -29,6 +30,7 @@ const RETRY_MS = 15 * 60 * 1000;
  */
 export const KINDS = {
   contacts: { sync: platform.contactSync, heading: 'contactsync.heading', suffix: 'contacts' },
+  messages: { sync: platform.messageSync, heading: 'messagesync.heading', suffix: 'messages' },
 };
 
 // Refusals that will hold at the next run too: said once (a notification,
diff --git a/packages/meshbay-hub/src/meshbay_hub/static/platform.js b/packages/meshbay-hub/src/meshbay_hub/static/platform.js
index 148b2eb..4b507dc 100644
--- a/packages/meshbay-hub/src/meshbay_hub/static/platform.js
+++ b/packages/meshbay-hub/src/meshbay_hub/static/platform.js
@@ -267,7 +267,7 @@ export const phoneSync = {
 };
 
 /**
- * Backing up one kind of this phone's data (the contacts) to the destination
+ * Backing up one kind of this phone's data (contacts, messages) to the destination
  * every kind shares (docs/MESHBAY_DESIGN.md §9.13). Android only, like
  * `photoSync`. See phone-sync.js.
  */
@@ -292,6 +292,8 @@ function docSync(name) {
 }
 
 export const contactSync = docSync('contactSync');
+/** Absent from the Play build, whose policy keeps text messages from it. */
+export const messageSync = docSync('messageSync');
 
 /** Pick a directory to add as a group root. Returns { path, name } or null. */
 export const rootPicker = {
diff --git a/packages/meshbay-hub/tests/harness/photo_sync_probe.py b/packages/meshbay-hub/tests/harness/photo_sync_probe.py
index c1c4599..3ae73c1 100644
--- a/packages/meshbay-hub/tests/harness/photo_sync_probe.py
+++ b/packages/meshbay-hub/tests/harness/photo_sync_probe.py
@@ -97,6 +97,15 @@ window.meshbay = {
     permit: async () => ({}), configure: async () => ({}), plan: async () => ({ item: null }),
     sent: async () => true, completed: async () => ({}), failed: async () => true,
   },
+  messageSync: {
+    status: async () => ({
+      permission: 'granted', on: MODE === 'configured', destination: dest,
+      dir: dest && '__FOLDER__/bob-messages', sent: 2, lastCompleted: Date.now(),
+      lastSent: dest && '__FOLDER__/bob-messages/2026/sms-2026-10-10-0900.xml', failure: null,
+    }),
+    permit: async () => ({}), configure: async () => ({}), plan: async () => ({ item: null }),
+    sent: async () => true, completed: async () => ({}), failed: async () => true,
+  },
 };
 </script>
 <main class="main"><div id=root></div></main>
diff --git a/packages/meshbay-hub/tests/test_android_shell.py b/packages/meshbay-hub/tests/test_android_shell.py
index 426b560..7b2e79f 100644
--- a/packages/meshbay-hub/tests/test_android_shell.py
+++ b/packages/meshbay-hub/tests/test_android_shell.py
@@ -147,7 +147,8 @@ def test_the_shim_offers_desktop_channels_and_native_answers_each():
     # A phone has a push distributor to talk to and a camera roll and an
     # address book to back up, and a desktop has none of them; those families are the ones the desktop lacks
     # rather than the ones it shares.
-    phone_only = {c for c in shim if c.startswith(("push:", "photosync:", "phonesync:", "contactsync:"))}
+    phone_only = {c for c in shim if c.startswith(("push:", "photosync:", "phonesync:", "contactsync:",
+                                                 "messagesync:"))}
     assert any(c.startswith("push:") for c in phone_only), "the push channels are gone"
     assert any(c.startswith("photosync:") for c in phone_only), "the backup channels are gone"
     assert shim - phone_only <= preload, f"channels the desktop does not have: {shim - preload}"
@@ -255,13 +256,29 @@ def test_a_release_is_signed_with_the_release_key_or_not_built():
     assert 'signingConfigs.getByName("debug")' not in build
     assert 'signingConfigs.findByName("release")' in build
     assert 'providers.gradleProperty("meshbayReleaseStorePassword")' in build
-    assert '"preReleaseBuild"' in build and "throw GradleException" in build
+    assert 'name.endsWith("ReleaseBuild")' in build and "throw GradleException" in build
     assert not re.search(r'storePassword = "', build)
 
 
+def test_the_play_build_cannot_read_text_messages():
+    """Play's policy keeps READ_SMS for the default SMS application: the Play
+    build has neither the permission nor the code that reads messages."""
+    main = _read(APP / "src" / "main" / "AndroidManifest.xml")
+    assert "READ_SMS" not in main
+    assert "READ_SMS" in _read(APP / "src" / "full" / "AndroidManifest.xml")
+    assert not (APP / "src" / "play" / "AndroidManifest.xml").exists() or \
+        "READ_SMS" not in _read(APP / "src" / "play" / "AndroidManifest.xml")
+    play = list((APP / "src" / "play").rglob("*.kt"))
+    assert play and all("Telephony" not in _read(f) and "SmsSource" not in _read(f) for f in play)
+    assert not list((APP / "src" / "main").rglob("SmsSource.kt"))
+
+
 @pytest.mark.skipif(not os.environ.get("ANDROID_HOME") or shutil.which("java") is None,
                     reason="no Android SDK in the environment")
 def test_the_jvm_unit_tests_pass():
-    result = subprocess.run(["./gradlew", "--no-daemon", "-q", "testDebugUnitTest"],
+    # The tests are shared; the Play build is compiled too, so a flavor file
+    # missing from it fails here rather than at release time.
+    result = subprocess.run(["./gradlew", "--no-daemon", "-q", "testFullDebugUnitTest",
+                             "compilePlayDebugKotlin"],
                             cwd=ANDROID, capture_output=True, text=True, timeout=900)
     assert result.returncode == 0, result.stdout[-3000:] + result.stderr[-3000:]
diff --git a/packages/meshbay-hub/tests/test_phone_sync.py b/packages/meshbay-hub/tests/test_phone_sync.py
index 1a35614..0798ef0 100644
--- a/packages/meshbay-hub/tests/test_phone_sync.py
+++ b/packages/meshbay-hub/tests/test_phone_sync.py
@@ -99,6 +99,13 @@ win.meshbay = { contactSync: {
     return fake.status;
   },
   failed: async (code, text) => { fake.log.push(['failed', code, text]); return true; },
+}, messageSync: {
+  status: async () => ({ ...fake.status, on: !!fake.messagesOn, dir: 'Backups/bob-messages' }),
+  plan: async () => ({ item: { token: 'm1', name: 'sms-2026-10-10-0900.xml',
+                               dir: 'Backups/bob-messages/2026', size: 4, count: 300 } }),
+  sent: async (token, dir, name) => { fake.log.push(['sent', token, dir, name]); return true; },
+  completed: async () => { fake.log.push(['completed']); return fake.status; },
+  failed: async (code, text) => { fake.log.push(['failed', code, text]); return true; },
 } };
 """
 
@@ -177,6 +184,18 @@ await m.runDocSync('contacts', { force: true });
     assert len(_of(log, "upload")) == 1
 
 
+def test_messages_go_under_the_year_in_their_own_folder(tmp_path):
+    log = _run("""
+fake.messagesOn = true;
+m.startPhoneSync(ctx);
+await m.runDocSync('contacts');
+await m.runDocSync('messages');
+""", tmp_path)
+    assert _of(log, "mkdir")[-2:] == [["Backups/bob-messages"], ["Backups/bob-messages/2026"]]
+    assert ["upload", "Backups/bob-messages/2026", "sms-2026-10-10-0900.xml", "tr-4"] in log
+    assert ["sent", "m1", "Backups/bob-messages/2026", "sms-2026-10-10-0900.xml"] in log
+
+
 # ── alone in the group, at every run ────────────────────────────────────────
 
 def test_the_group_is_asked_about_at_every_run(tmp_path):
diff --git a/packages/meshbay-hub/tests/test_photo_sync_ui.py b/packages/meshbay-hub/tests/test_photo_sync_ui.py
index bcd26c8..b101310 100644
--- a/packages/meshbay-hub/tests/test_photo_sync_ui.py
+++ b/packages/meshbay-hub/tests/test_photo_sync_ui.py
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ def test_limited_access_is_said_rather_than_failing_quietly(probe):
 
 def test_where_backups_go_lists_each_kinds_folder(probe):
     text = probe["dest360"]["text"]
-    assert "Media/bob-photos" in text and "Media/bob-contacts" in text
+    assert all(f"Media/bob-{k}" in text for k in ("photos", "contacts", "messages"))
 
 
 def test_photos_the_photos_tab_will_not_show_are_said(probe):
@@ -66,3 +66,7 @@ def test_photos_the_photos_tab_will_not_show_are_said(probe):
 
 def test_the_contacts_backup_says_where_its_copies_go(probe):
     assert "bob-contacts/contacts-2026-10-10-0900.vcf" in probe["configured360"]["text"]
+
+
+def test_the_messages_backup_says_where_its_copies_go(probe):
+    assert "bob-messages/2026/sms-2026-10-10-0900.xml" in probe["configured360"]["text"]