# NousResearch/hermes-agent · Reject placeholder credentials treated as configured

## Open now

- Nothing open on GitHub.

These issues and PRs address a bug where example placeholder values (beyond just 'your_api_key_here') shipped in .env.example files and documentation are incorrectly accepted as valid configured credentials. The work involves expanding detection so such placeholders are properly rejected.

## TL;DR

- 3 member(s): 0 open issue(s), 1 closed issue(s), 0 open PR(s), 1 merged PR(s), 1 PR(s) closed without merging.
- A fix was merged to main in PR #116778. Verify it addresses your case.
- **Recommended:** read PR #116778 (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-116778`. 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evidence (`STRUCTURAL_SPANNING`): every member is connected by structural evidence: shared changed files, or a closing/superseded reference.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 `0.67`: 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

- #115643: \[Bug\]: .env.example / doc placeholders are treated as configured credentials (only \`your_api_key_here\` is recognised)

## Prior & competing PRs

- **#116778: fix(auth): shipped .env.example and docs placeholders no longer count as configured credentials (#115643, salvage #115644)**. merged to main · fix tier `verified`
  - maintainer direction: category `merged`
  - files: `hermes_cli/auth.py`, `hermes_cli/runtime_provider.py`, `tests/hermes_cli/test_auth_placeholder_rejection.py`
- **#115644: fix(auth): reject the placeholder secrets this repo ships as examples**. closed without merge
  - maintainer direction: category `merged_via`; implication `superseded`; refs `00668c5de496`, `#116778`, `#115643`, `#115644`

## Fix status

- Merged to main in PR #116778 (cited above). No release data is tracked. Verify downstream.
- Fix last verified (merged) `2026-09-20`.