# NousResearch/hermes-agent · load_config_readonly wrongly creates home directories

## Open now

- 1 issue, 2 PRs open on GitHub.
- #128632: \[Bug\]: \`load_config_readonly()\` creates the Hermes home (directories + SOUL.md) on a cache miss
- PR #125259: fix(config): read-only config loads never scaffold the home; read-only sites use \`load_config_readonly\`
- PR #128778: fix(config): load_config_readonly() must not materialise HERMES_HOME on cache miss (#128632)

A bug where \`load_config_readonly()\` materialises the Hermes home directory and SOUL.md on a cache miss, plus related fixes to prevent read-only config loads from scaffolding the home.

## TL;DR

- 4 member(s): 1 open issue(s), 0 closed issue(s), 2 open PR(s), 0 merged PR(s), 1 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evidence (`STRUCTURAL_SPANNING`): every member is connected by structural evidence: shared changed files, or a closing/superseded reference.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.

## Open related issues

- #128632: \[Bug\]: \`load_config_readonly()\` creates the Hermes home (directories + SOUL.md) on a cache miss

## Prior & competing PRs

- **#125259: fix(config): read-only config loads never scaffold the home; read-only sites use \`load_config_readonly\`**. open
  - maintainer direction: category `implemented_elsewhere`; implication `superseded`; refs `c9b1440d4e`
  - files: `hermes_cli/config.py`, `hermes_cli/plugins_discovery.py`, `plugins/dashboard_auth/_shared.py`, `tests/hermes_cli/test_config_readonly_no_scaffold.py`, `tests/plugins/dashboard_auth/test_nous_provider.py`, `tests/plugins/dashboard_auth/test_self_hosted_provider.py`, `tests/tools/test_image_generation.py`, `tests/tools/test_mcp_image_content.py`, `tests/tools/test_vision_native_fast_path.py`, `tests/tools/test_vision_tools.py`, `tools/image_generation_tool.py`, `tools/tts_tool.py`, `tools/vision_tools.py`
- **#128778: fix(config): load_config_readonly() must not materialise HERMES_HOME on cache miss (#128632)**. open
  - maintainer direction: category `uncategorized`; implication `needs_llm`
  - files: `hermes_cli/config.py`, `tests/hermes_cli/test_load_config_readonly_no_side_effects.py`
- **#129484: fix(config): load_config_readonly and config import no longer create the Hermes home**. closed without merge
  - maintainer direction: category `superseded_by_pr`; implication `superseded`; refs `#125259`, `#125259`

## Fix status

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