# NousResearch/hermes-agent · env sanitizer placeholder handling and docs

## Open now

- 0 issues, 1 PR open on GitHub.
- PR #12690: fix(config): remove KEY=*** placeholders during .env sanitization

These items address a bug where KEY=*** placeholder values in .env files are not stripped during sanitization and are mistakenly treated as real credentials. Includes a bug report, a documentation clarification, and a corresponding fix.

## TL;DR

- 4 member(s): 0 open issue(s), 1 closed issue(s), 1 open PR(s), 0 merged PR(s), 2 PR(s) closed without merging.
- No fix has been merged to main; one or more PRs were attempted (see below).
- **Recommended:** review the prior/competing PR(s) below. A fix was attempted but not merged; your case may extend or revive that work.

## Maintainer resolution verdict

- Internal-tracker verdict over this cluster's issue members: `unresolved`. 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evidence (`STRUCTURAL_SPANNING`): every member is connected by structural evidence: shared changed files, or a closing/superseded reference.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

- #12651: .env sanitizer does not remove documented KEY=*** placeholders, so load_env treats them as real credentials

## Prior & competing PRs

- **#12690: fix(config): remove KEY=*** placeholders during .env sanitization**. open
  - maintainer direction: category `implemented_elsewhere`; implication `superseded`; refs `b9345375c`
  - files: `hermes_cli/config.py`, `tests/hermes_cli/test_env_sanitize_on_load.py`
- **#54345: fix(config): remove KEY=*** placeholders during .env sanitization**. closed without merge
  - maintainer direction: category `duplicate_of`; implication `duplicate`; refs `#12690`, `#54345`, `#6183`
- **#66403: docs(config): clarify literal star values are preserved**. closed without merge
  - maintainer direction: category `stale_abandoned`; implication `active`; refs `#12651`

## Fix status

- No merged fix on record.
- Subsystem: `hermes_cli`