From c28e986c098ec1e6c13c3d3ebc73eeb75c133c46 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Mykhailo Chalyi <mike@chaliy.name>
Date: Thu, 26 Mar 2026 16:56:34 +0000
Subject: [PATCH] fix(interpreter): resolve namerefs before nounset check

Nameref variables are now followed to their target before checking
if a variable is unbound under set -u. Previously, the nameref itself
was checked, causing false 'unbound variable' errors.

Closes #834
---
 crates/bashkit/src/interpreter/mod.rs         |  5 ++
 .../tests/spec_cases/bash/nameref.test.sh     | 58 +++++++++++++++++++
 2 files changed, 63 insertions(+)

diff --git a/crates/bashkit/src/interpreter/mod.rs b/crates/bashkit/src/interpreter/mod.rs
index 8e896127..18ddadfb 100644
--- a/crates/bashkit/src/interpreter/mod.rs
+++ b/crates/bashkit/src/interpreter/mod.rs
@@ -8001,7 +8001,12 @@ impl Interpreter {
     }
 
     /// Check if a variable is set (for `set -u` / nounset).
+    /// Follows nameref indirection so that a nameref pointing to a defined
+    /// target is considered "set".
     fn is_variable_set(&self, name: &str) -> bool {
+        // Resolve nameref before checking — a nameref whose target exists is "set".
+        let name = self.resolve_nameref(name);
+
         // Special variables are always "set"
         if matches!(
             name,
diff --git a/crates/bashkit/tests/spec_cases/bash/nameref.test.sh b/crates/bashkit/tests/spec_cases/bash/nameref.test.sh
index c0196100..86eb968f 100644
--- a/crates/bashkit/tests/spec_cases/bash/nameref.test.sh
+++ b/crates/bashkit/tests/spec_cases/bash/nameref.test.sh
@@ -206,3 +206,61 @@ echo $x
 hello
 world
 ### end
+
+### nameref_nounset_basic
+# basic nameref under set -u (issue #834)
+set -u
+target="hello"
+declare -n ref=target
+echo "${ref}"
+### expect
+hello
+### end
+
+### nameref_nounset_local_n
+# local -n inside function under set -u
+set -u
+val="world"
+f() {
+  local -n r=$1
+  echo "$r"
+}
+f val
+### expect
+world
+### end
+
+### nameref_nounset_array
+# nameref to array under set -u
+set -u
+arr=(one two three)
+declare -n ref=arr
+echo "${ref[1]}"
+### expect
+two
+### end
+
+### nameref_nounset_write_through
+# nameref write-through under set -u
+set -u
+target="before"
+declare -n ref=target
+ref="after"
+echo "$target"
+### expect
+after
+### end
+
+### nameref_nounset_harness
+# harness pattern: set -euo pipefail with nameref function
+set -euo pipefail
+get_value() {
+  local -n out=$1
+  out="computed"
+}
+result=""
+get_value result
+echo "$result"
+### expect
+computed
+### end