# NousResearch/hermes-agent · Memory tool false drift detection and refusal fixes

## Open now

- Nothing open on GitHub.

These issues and fixes address the memory tool incorrectly refusing write operations by misidentifying file drift, including cases where MEMORY.md matches its backup exactly or differs only in formatting. The work involves bounding refusal behavior and reducing spurious backup file clutter.

## TL;DR

- 4 member(s): 0 open issue(s), 1 closed issue(s), 0 open PR(s), 1 merged PR(s), 2 PR(s) closed without merging.
- A fix was merged to main in PR #133038. Verify it addresses your case.
- **Recommended:** read PR #133038 (and any competing PRs below) before filing. Confirm the merged change covers your symptom.

## Maintainer resolution verdict

- Internal-tracker verdict over this cluster's issue members: `resolved` · deciding PR(s): `pr-133038`. This is distinct from the fix status above. Weigh it yourself.

## How this cluster was grouped

- Link evidence (`STRUCTURAL_SPANNING`): every member is connected by structural evidence: shared changed files, or a closing/superseded reference.
- Pairwise link density `0.50`: the share of member pairs that carry a link, counting a structural link in full and a relevance-only link at 0.36. `1.00` means every pair is linked.

## Closed / duplicate issues

- #107270: memory tool falsely refuses writes: reports file drift when MEMORY.md matches its backup byte-for-byte

## Prior & competing PRs

- **#133038: Memory writes stop failing on hand-formatted files, and refused writes say exactly what to fix (#107270, #90468)**. merged to main · fix tier `verified`
  - maintainer direction: category `merged`
  - files: `tests/agent/test_learning_mutations.py`, `tests/tools/test_memory_tool.py`, `tools/memory_tool.py`, `tools/memory_tool_store.py`, `website/docs/user-guide/features/memory.md`
- **#107278: fix(memory): ignore format-only MEMORY.md drift on replace**. closed without merge
  - maintainer direction: category `implemented_elsewhere`; implication `superseded`; refs `b9013584b2`, `#133038`, `#107270`
- **#107280: fix(memory): bound the external-drift refusal and stop duplicate .bak clutter (#107270)**. closed without merge
  - maintainer direction: category `superseded_by_pr`; implication `superseded`; refs `#107278`, `#107270`

## Fix status

- Merged to main in PR #133038 (cited above). No release data is tracked. Verify downstream.
- Fix last verified (merged) `2026-10-05`.