fix(doctor): remove circular error message in --fix mode

When `bd doctor --fix` fails to apply a fix, it was showing
"Manual fix: Run 'bd doctor --fix' ..." which is circular and unhelpful.

Now extracts just the manual command from the fix message:
- "..., or manually: <cmd>" -> extracts <cmd>
- "bd doctor --fix or <alt>" -> extracts <alt>
- No alternative available -> shows nothing

Closes GH#403

🤖 Generated with [Claude Code](https://claude.com/claude-code)

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.5 <noreply@anthropic.com>

.beads/.gitignore

@@ -30,3 +30,5 @@ beads.right.meta.json
 !issues.jsonl
 !metadata.json
 !config.json
+deletions.jsonl
+deletions.jsonl.migrated

cmd/bd/doctor.go

@@ -404,7 +404,11 @@ func applyFixList(path string, fixes []doctorCheck) {
 		if err != nil {
 			errorCount++
 			color.Red("  ✗ Error: %v\n", err)
-			fmt.Printf("  Manual fix: %s\n", check.Fix)
+			// GH#403: Don't suggest "bd doctor --fix" when we're already running --fix
+			manualFix := extractManualFix(check.Fix)
+			if manualFix != "" {
+				fmt.Printf("  Manual fix: %s\n", manualFix)
+			}
 		} else {
 			fixedCount++
 			color.Green("  ✓ Fixed\n")
@@ -418,6 +422,53 @@ func applyFixList(path string, fixes []doctorCheck) {
 	}
 }
 
+// extractManualFix extracts the manual fix portion from a Fix message.
+// GH#403: When running "bd doctor --fix", suggesting "Run 'bd doctor --fix'" is circular.
+// This function extracts just the manual command when available.
+//
+// Examples:
+//   - "Run 'bd doctor --fix' to ..., or manually: git config ..." -> "git config ..."
+//   - "Run 'bd doctor --fix' or bd init" -> "bd init"
+//   - "Run: bd init or bd doctor --fix" -> "bd init"
+//   - "Run 'bd doctor --fix'" -> "" (no alternative)
+func extractManualFix(fix string) string {
+	// Pattern 1: "..., or manually: <command>" - extract everything after "manually:"
+	if idx := strings.Index(strings.ToLower(fix), "manually:"); idx != -1 {
+		manual := strings.TrimSpace(fix[idx+len("manually:"):])
+		return manual
+	}
+
+	// Pattern 2: "Run 'bd doctor --fix' or <alternative>" - extract the alternative
+	// Also handles "Run: bd init or bd doctor --fix"
+	fixLower := strings.ToLower(fix)
+	if strings.Contains(fixLower, "bd doctor --fix") {
+		// Try to find " or " and extract the other option
+		if idx := strings.Index(fixLower, " or "); idx != -1 {
+			before := fix[:idx]
+			after := fix[idx+4:] // len(" or ") = 4
+
+			// Check which side has "bd doctor --fix"
+			if strings.Contains(strings.ToLower(before), "bd doctor --fix") {
+				// "bd doctor --fix or <alternative>" - return alternative
+				return strings.TrimSpace(after)
+			}
+			// "<alternative> or bd doctor --fix" - return alternative
+			// Remove any "Run:" or "Run " prefix
+			result := strings.TrimSpace(before)
+			result = strings.TrimPrefix(result, "Run:")
+			result = strings.TrimPrefix(result, "Run ")
+			return strings.TrimSpace(result)
+		}
+
+		// No " or " found - the whole fix is just "bd doctor --fix"
+		// Return empty string to indicate no manual alternative
+		return ""
+	}
+
+	// No "bd doctor --fix" in the message - return as-is
+	return fix
+}
+
 // runCheckHealth runs lightweight health checks for git hooks.
 // Silent on success, prints a hint if issues detected.
 // Respects hints.doctor config setting.

cmd/bd/doctor_test.go

@@ -1265,3 +1265,62 @@ func TestCheckSyncBranchHookQuick(t *testing.T) {
 		})
 	}
 }
+
+// TestExtractManualFix tests the extractManualFix function (GH#403)
+func TestExtractManualFix(t *testing.T) {
+	tests := []struct {
+		name     string
+		input    string
+		expected string
+	}{
+		{
+			name:     "manually pattern with git config",
+			input:    "Run 'bd doctor --fix' to update to correct config, or manually: git config merge.beads.driver \"bd merge %A %O %A %B\"",
+			expected: "git config merge.beads.driver \"bd merge %A %O %A %B\"",
+		},
+		{
+			name:     "manually pattern with newline",
+			input:    "Run 'bd doctor --fix' to auto-migrate, or manually:\nbd init && bd import",
+			expected: "bd init && bd import",
+		},
+		{
+			name:     "or alternative after bd doctor --fix",
+			input:    "Run 'bd doctor --fix' or bd init",
+			expected: "bd init",
+		},
+		{
+			name:     "or alternative before bd doctor --fix",
+			input:    "Run: bd init (safe to re-run) or bd doctor --fix",
+			expected: "bd init (safe to re-run)",
+		},
+		{
+			name:     "just bd doctor --fix",
+			input:    "Run 'bd doctor --fix'",
+			expected: "",
+		},
+		{
+			name:     "no bd doctor --fix at all",
+			input:    "Run 'bd init' to initialize the database",
+			expected: "Run 'bd init' to initialize the database",
+		},
+		{
+			name:     "empty input",
+			input:    "",
+			expected: "",
+		},
+		{
+			name:     "update configuration suggestion",
+			input:    "Run 'bd doctor --fix' to update the configuration",
+			expected: "",
+		},
+	}
+
+	for _, tc := range tests {
+		t.Run(tc.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			result := extractManualFix(tc.input)
+			if result != tc.expected {
+				t.Errorf("extractManualFix(%q) = %q, expected %q", tc.input, result, tc.expected)
+			}
+		})
+	}
+}