# NousResearch/hermes-agent · Improve kanban block refusal error messages

## Open now

- 1 issue, 2 PRs open on GitHub.
- #133358: kanban_block refusal for a stale worker says 'unknown id or not in running/ready' (block_task has no with_reason, unlike request_review)
- PR #133371: fix(kanban): explain block refusal reasons
- PR #133374: fix(kanban): name the refusing branch when kanban_block refuses

These items address unclear or missing information in kanban_block refusal responses, including adding reason explanations and identifying the refusing branch when a block is rejected.

## TL;DR

- 3 member(s): 1 open issue(s), 0 closed issue(s), 2 open PR(s), 0 merged PR(s), 0 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evidence (`STRUCTURAL_SPANNING`): every member is connected by structural evidence: shared changed files, or a closing/superseded reference.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 `0.67`: 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.

## Open related issues

- #133358: kanban_block refusal for a stale worker says 'unknown id or not in running/ready' (block_task has no with_reason, unlike request_review)

## Prior & competing PRs

- **#133371: fix(kanban): explain block refusal reasons**. open
  - maintainer direction: category `uncategorized`; implication `needs_llm`; refs `#133358`, `#133374`
  - files: `hermes_cli/kanban.py`, `hermes_cli/kanban_db.py`, `hermes_cli/kanban_db_block.py`, `tests/hermes_cli/test_kanban_block_reasons.py`, `tools/kanban_tools.py`
- **#133374: fix(kanban): name the refusing branch when kanban_block refuses**. open
  - maintainer direction: category `duplicate_of`; implication `duplicate`
  - files: `hermes_cli/kanban_db.py`, `tests/hermes_cli/test_kanban_block_refusal_reason.py`, `tools/kanban_tools.py`

## Fix status

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