# NousResearch/hermes-agent · HERMES_CRON_TIMEOUT invalid value fallback bug

## Open now

- Nothing open on GitHub.

A bug where an invalid HERMES_CRON_TIMEOUT environment variable raises a ValueError instead of falling back to a default value. Multiple fixes and the original bug report address defensive parsing and graceful fallback behavior for this cron timeout setting.

## TL;DR

- 6 member(s): 0 open issue(s), 1 closed issue(s), 0 open PR(s), 1 merged PR(s), 4 PR(s) closed without merging.
- A fix was merged to main in PR #17515. Verify it addresses your case.
- **Recommended:** read PR #17515 (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-17515`. 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evidence (`STRUCTURAL_SPANNING`): every member is connected by structural evidence: shared changed files, or a closing/superseded reference.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 `0.33`: 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

- #11319: \[Bug\]: invalid HERMES_CRON_TIMEOUT makes run_job fail with ValueError instead of falling back

## Prior & competing PRs

- **#11375: Fix invalid HERMES_CRON_TIMEOUT fallback in cron jobs**. closed without merge · fix tier `suggested`
  - maintainer direction: category `implemented_elsewhere`; implication `superseded`
  - _suggested-tier fix detail withheld; re-request with `?tier=all` to include it._
- **#17515: fix(cron): fall back gracefully when HERMES_CRON_TIMEOUT is invalid**. merged to main · fix tier `verified`
  - maintainer direction: category `merged`; implication `superseded`
  - files: `cron/scheduler.py`, `scripts/release.py`, `tests/cron/test_cron_inactivity_timeout.py`
- **#11328: fix(cron): fall back on invalid timeout env**. closed without merge
  - maintainer direction: category `merged_via`; implication `superseded`; refs `ec27f0a3fa1ec7555980a5ff06333cb403526665`, `#17515`, `#11319`, `#11365`, `#11375`, `#11365`
- **#11365: fix(cron): fall back gracefully when HERMES_CRON_TIMEOUT is invalid**. closed without merge
  - maintainer direction: category `implemented_elsewhere`; implication `superseded`; refs `6d8423761b247124c8aac956cdde81b8479e0d06`, `#17515`, `#17515`, `#11319`
- **#11882: fix(cron): defensive parsing for HERMES_CRON_TIMEOUT env var**. closed without merge
  - maintainer direction: category `volume_quota`; implication `active`

## Fix status

- Merged to main in PR #17515 (cited above). No release data is tracked. Verify downstream.
- Fix last verified (merged) `2026-04-29`.
- Subsystem: `cron`