# NousResearch/hermes-agent · HERMES_DESKTOP flag bypasses host-backend attach guard

## Open now

- Nothing open on GitHub.

A bug where an inherited HERMES_DESKTOP environment variable could silently trigger a second machine-level backend attach, and related fixes tightening the credential/token gate on the desktop attach bypass path.

## 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 #120080. Verify it addresses your case.
- **Recommended:** read PR #120080 (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-120080`. 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evidence (`STRUCTURAL_SPANNING`): every member is connected by structural evidence: shared changed files, or a closing/superseded reference.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

- #119210: \[Bug\]: an inherited HERMES_DESKTOP=1 bypasses host-backend attach — \`hermes dashboard\` from a shell spawned by the Desktop app silently starts a second machine-level backend

## Prior & competing PRs

- **#120080: Supervised 0.0.0.0 dashboard no longer crash-loops behind a Desktop pool backend; inherited HERMES_DESKTOP no longer binds a second backend (#119824, #119210, salvage #119832 #119214)**. merged to main · fix tier `verified`
  - maintainer direction: category `merged`
  - files: `gateway/host_rendezvous.py`, `hermes_cli/_startup_fast.py`, `hermes_cli/dashboard_procs.py`, `hermes_cli/main.py`, `hermes_cli/main_dashboard.py`, `hermes_cli/plugins_activation.py`, `hermes_cli/process_identity.py`, `hermes_cli/web_routers/status.py`, `hermes_cli/web_server.py`, `tests/hermes_cli/test_dashboard_admin_endpoints.py`, `tests/hermes_cli/test_dashboard_unified_launch.py`, `tests/hermes_cli/test_process_identity.py`, `tests/hermes_cli/test_serve_host_attach.py`, `tests/hermes_cli/test_web_server.py`, `website/docs/user-guide/features/web-dashboard.md`
- **#119214: fix(dashboard): require Desktop spawn credential for host attach**. closed without merge
  - maintainer direction: category `merged_via`; implication `superseded`; refs `#120080`
- **#119221: fix(dashboard): gate desktop attach bypass on session token, not bare HERMES_DESKTOP flag**. closed without merge
  - maintainer direction: category `implemented_elsewhere`; implication `superseded`; refs `#119214`, `#120080`

## Fix status

- Merged to main in PR #120080 (cited above). No release data is tracked. Verify downstream.
- Fix last verified (merged) `2026-09-23`.