# NousResearch/hermes-agent · Self-referential .env variable growth causing E2BIG

## Open now

- Nothing open on GitHub.

A bug where self-referential .env entries (e.g. PATH=/x:${PATH}) cause the variable to grow on every reload, eventually making environment too large for child process spawning. Multiple fixes and reports address making such reloads idempotent by resolving against a stable snapshot.

## 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 #114427. Verify it addresses your case.
- **Recommended:** read PR #114427 (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-114427`. 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evidence (`STRUCTURAL_SPANNING`): every member is connected by structural evidence: shared changed files, or a closing/superseded reference.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

- #109902: \[Bug\]: self-referential .env line (PATH=/x:${PATH}) grows on every reload until every child spawn dies with E2BIG

## Prior & competing PRs

- **#114427: fix(env): self-referential .env values resolve once per process instead of growing on every reload**. merged to main · fix tier `verified`
  - maintainer direction: category `merged`
  - files: `contributors/emails/141555468+salch-cred@users.noreply.github.com`, `hermes_cli/env_loader.py`, `tests/hermes_cli/test_env_loader_self_reference.py`
- **#109918: fix(env): make self-referential dotenv reloads idempotent**. closed without merge
  - maintainer direction: category `superseded_by_pr`; implication `superseded`; refs `#114427`
- **#110678: fix(env): resolve dotenv self-referential \\ against boot snapshot to prevent E2BIG growth**. closed without merge
  - maintainer direction: category `superseded_by_pr`; implication `superseded`; refs `#114427`

## Fix status

- Merged to main in PR #114427 (cited above). No release data is tracked. Verify downstream.
- Fix last verified (merged) `2026-09-17`.