diff --git a/tractor/devx/debug/_post_mortem.py b/tractor/devx/debug/_post_mortem.py
index ce4931cf..35e9c3c7 100644
--- a/tractor/devx/debug/_post_mortem.py
+++ b/tractor/devx/debug/_post_mortem.py
@@ -148,59 +148,61 @@ def _post_mortem(
         repl_fixture=repl_fixture,
         boxed_maybe_exc=boxed_maybe_exc,
     )
-    if not enter_repl:
-        return
     try:
-        actor: Actor = current_actor()
-        actor_repr: str = str(actor.uid)
-        # ^TODO, instead a nice runtime-info + maddr + uid?
-        # -[ ] impl a `Actor.__repr()__`??
-        #  |_ <task>:<thread> @ <actor>
+        if not enter_repl:
+            # XXX, trigger `.release()` below immediately!
+            return
+        try:
+            actor: Actor = current_actor()
+            actor_repr: str = str(actor.uid)
+            # ^TODO, instead a nice runtime-info + maddr + uid?
+            # -[ ] impl a `Actor.__repr()__`??
+            #  |_ <task>:<thread> @ <actor>
 
-    except NoRuntime:
-        actor_repr: str = '<no-actor-runtime?>'
+        except NoRuntime:
+            actor_repr: str = '<no-actor-runtime?>'
 
-    try:
-        task_repr: Task = trio.lowlevel.current_task()
-    except RuntimeError:
-        task_repr: str = '<unknown-Task>'
+        try:
+            task_repr: Task = trio.lowlevel.current_task()
+        except RuntimeError:
+            task_repr: str = '<unknown-Task>'
 
-    # TODO: print the actor supervion tree up to the root
-    # here! Bo
-    log.pdb(
-        f'{_crash_msg}\n'
-        f'x>(\n'
-        f' |_ {task_repr} @ {actor_repr}\n'
+        # TODO: print the actor supervion tree up to the root
+        # here! Bo
+        log.pdb(
+            f'{_crash_msg}\n'
+            f'x>(\n'
+            f' |_ {task_repr} @ {actor_repr}\n'
 
-    )
+        )
 
-    # XXX NOTE(s) on `pdbp.xpm()` version..
-    #
-    # - seems to lose the up-stack tb-info?
-    # - currently we're (only) replacing this from `pdbp.xpm()`
-    #   to add the `end=''` to the print XD
-    #
-    print(traceback.format_exc(), end='')
-    caller_frame: FrameType = api_frame.f_back
+        # XXX NOTE(s) on `pdbp.xpm()` version..
+        #
+        # - seems to lose the up-stack tb-info?
+        # - currently we're (only) replacing this from `pdbp.xpm()`
+        #   to add the `end=''` to the print XD
+        #
+        print(traceback.format_exc(), end='')
+        caller_frame: FrameType = api_frame.f_back
 
-    # NOTE, see the impl details of these in the lib to
-    # understand usage:
-    # - `pdbp.post_mortem()`
-    # - `pdbp.xps()`
-    # - `bdb.interaction()`
-    repl.reset()
-    repl.interaction(
-        frame=caller_frame,
-        # frame=None,
-        traceback=tb,
-    )
-
-    # XXX NOTE XXX: this is abs required to avoid hangs!
-    #
-    # Since we presume the post-mortem was enaged to
-    # a task-ending error, we MUST release the local REPL request
-    # so that not other local task nor the root remains blocked!
-    DebugStatus.release()
+        # NOTE, see the impl details of these in the lib to
+        # understand usage:
+        # - `pdbp.post_mortem()`
+        # - `pdbp.xps()`
+        # - `bdb.interaction()`
+        repl.reset()
+        repl.interaction(
+            frame=caller_frame,
+            # frame=None,
+            traceback=tb,
+        )
+    finally:
+        # XXX NOTE XXX: this is abs required to avoid hangs!
+        #
+        # Since we presume the post-mortem was enaged to
+        # a task-ending error, we MUST release the local REPL request
+        # so that not other local task nor the root remains blocked!
+        DebugStatus.release()
 
 
 async def post_mortem(
diff --git a/tractor/devx/debug/_tty_lock.py b/tractor/devx/debug/_tty_lock.py
index 78f5d16a..3f9576a3 100644
--- a/tractor/devx/debug/_tty_lock.py
+++ b/tractor/devx/debug/_tty_lock.py
@@ -846,9 +846,9 @@ class DebugStatus:
 
         '''
         if not (
-            repl_fixture
-            or
             (rt_repl_fixture := _state._runtime_vars.get('repl_fixture'))
+            or
+            repl_fixture
         ):
             return True  # YES always enter