The suggestion is/was actually meant to encompass both quick reply and quicker reply (see above comment exchange) but I forgot both forms have the problem when I wrote the suggestion, as I was looking at my reading page when I wrote it. I also forgot we have quick reply (displays below a single post) and quicker reply (displays below every post on a reading page). So what you're seeing is actually an amalgam of all of it and should never have gone up as-is.

My mistake!

If it isn't exposed until someone actually tries to comment

It's not exposed until someone actually tries to comment, but that's exactly the issue I'm trying to have addressed.

then I might be concerned about needlessly leaking information in ways that might encourage a determined troll to try some escalated tactics instead of leaving well enough alone.

I have no idea what you mean by this, I'm sorry.