# NousResearch/hermes-agent · Desktop backend respawn after stale exit failures

## Open now

- Nothing open on GitHub.

These issues and fixes address a bug where the desktop app's local backend fails to respawn after being classified as a stale exit, leaving the UI running without an engine. The work focuses on making backend recovery logic more robust and independent of pool state.

## TL;DR

- 5 member(s): 0 open issue(s), 1 closed issue(s), 0 open PR(s), 1 merged PR(s), 3 PR(s) closed without merging.
- A fix was merged to main in PR #113180. Verify it addresses your case.
- **Recommended:** read PR #113180 (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-113180`. 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evidence (`STRUCTURAL_SPANNING`): every member is connected by structural evidence: shared changed files, or a closing/superseded reference.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 `0.40`: 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

- #112344: \[Bug\]\[Desktop/Windows\] Desktop app logs "Ignoring stale Hermes backend exit (1)" and never respawns the backend — UI keeps running with no engine (9 h observed)

## Prior & competing PRs

- **#113180: fix(desktop): local backend respawns after a stale-classified exit and exit lines carry the backend's last output (#112344, salvage #112349, #112356)**. merged to main · fix tier `verified`
  - maintainer direction: category `merged`; implication `superseded`
  - files: `apps/desktop/electron/backend-claim.test.ts`, `apps/desktop/electron/backend-claim.ts`, `apps/desktop/electron/backend-exit-recovery.test.ts`, `apps/desktop/electron/backend-exit-recovery.ts`, `apps/desktop/electron/main.ts`, `website/docs/user-guide/desktop.md`
- **#112345: fix(desktop): recover after backend exit**. closed without merge
  - maintainer direction: category `superseded_by_pr`; implication `superseded`; refs `#113180`, `#112344`
- **#112356: fix(desktop): respawn when stale backend exit leaves no owner**. closed without merge
  - maintainer direction: category `implemented_elsewhere`; implication `superseded`; refs `8e5b0e2a1b`, `#112344`, `#113180`, `#112349`, `#112356`
- **#112989: fix(desktop): keep primary recovery independent from pool state**. closed without merge
  - maintainer direction: category `superseded_by_pr`; implication `superseded`

## Fix status

- Merged to main in PR #113180 (cited above). No release data is tracked. Verify downstream.
- Fix last verified (merged) `2026-09-17`.