# A moved control should not mean a rewritten test

When a target moves, Zerocheck resolves it again from the step description and records the change. A heal is saved only after the full test passes with independent evidence.

When a target moves, Zerocheck resolves it again from the step description and records the change. A heal is saved only after the full test passes with independent evidence.

## Who it is for

- Role: Senior developer or QA engineer
- Company: Teams refactoring a web UI
- Trigger: A layout change breaks an otherwise valid test

## Why this is underserved

- A changed locator does not always mean changed behavior.
- A replacement target must preserve the intended interaction.
- A passing outcome needs evidence beyond a plausible match.

## The workflow

Before: A layout refactor breaks a stored target. Someone updates it without being able to see whether the test still exercises the same action.

After: The run records the old target, replacement, reason and validation state. If the required evidence is missing, the repair stays pending; failed tests do not save it as verified.

## How Zerocheck handles it

1. Describe the intended control and a specific observable outcome.
2. Run the saved test as the UI changes.
3. Inspect healing history alongside the step screenshots.
4. Review changed product behavior separately; a renamed control is not treated as the same target.

## Good fit when

- A web app and a repeatable user flow
- A test environment, test accounts and an explicit expected outcome

## Frequently asked questions

### Can healing hide an assertion failure?

An assertion failure remains a failure. A heal is saved only when the complete unchanged test passes with independent evidence for the target, action and outcome.

### Is healing confirmed by a second full run?

There is no automatic confirmation rerun. Validation uses evidence from the complete passing test; insufficient evidence leaves the repair pending.

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Canonical: https://tryzerocheck.com/use-cases/transparent-self-healing/
Updated: 2026-09-14