diff --git a/packages/server/src/bot/driver.ts b/packages/server/src/bot/driver.ts
index 4e561b9..ddb1e8a 100644
--- a/packages/server/src/bot/driver.ts
+++ b/packages/server/src/bot/driver.ts
@@ -162,7 +162,8 @@ export class BotDriver {
           return { kind: 'done' };
         }
         if (result.kind === 'announce') {
-          const text = result.announcements[0]!.text;
+          const rejection = result.announcements[0]!;
+          const text = rejection.text;
           if (text === 'wont_help' || text === 'illegal_move'
               || text === 'no_such_piece' || text === 'no_legal_moves') {
             // Attempted-move announcements are audience 'both'. The bot's
@@ -172,7 +173,6 @@ export class BotDriver {
             // so removing the announcement is safe. The whole decision cycle
             // runs before ws.ts broadcasts, so this pop always happens before
             // any broadcast.
-            const rejection = result.announcements[0]!;
             const anns = this.game.announcements;
             if (anns[anns.length - 1] === rejection) anns.pop();
             return {