Cron tasks and SOUL.md identity handling without workdir

Fixes on record

Merged to main. A stamp counts the issues a fix is linked to.

• #17509 fix(cron): keep SOUL.md identity when workdir is unset (#16756)

  merged to main

  files: cron/scheduler.py, run_agent.py, scripts/release.py, tests/cron/test_cron_workdir.py, tests/run_agent/test_run_agent.py

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  • cron/scheduler.py

    @@ -1033,10 +1033,12 @@ def run_job(job: dict) -> tuple[bool, str, str, Optional[str]]:
                 enabled_toolsets=_resolve_cron_enabled_toolsets(job, _cfg),
                 disabled_toolsets=["cronjob", "messaging", "clarify"],
                 quiet_mode=True,
    -            # When a workdir is configured, inject AGENTS.md / CLAUDE.md /
    -            # .cursorrules from that directory; otherwise preserve the old
    -            # behaviour (don't inject SOUL.md/AGENTS.md from the scheduler cwd).
    +            # Cron jobs should always inherit the user's SOUL.md identity from
    +            # HERMES_HOME. When a workdir is configured, also inject project
    +            # context files (AGENTS.md / CLAUDE.md / .cursorrules) from there.
    +            # Without a workdir, keep cwd context discovery disabled.
                 skip_context_files=not bool(_job_workdir),
    +            load_soul_identity=True,
                 skip_memory=True,  # Cron system prompts would corrupt user representations
                 platform="cron",
                 session_id=_cron_session_id,

  • run_agent.py

    @@ -926,6 +926,7 @@ def __init__(
             thread_id: str = None,
             gateway_session_key: str = None,
             skip_context_files: bool = False,
    +        load_soul_identity: bool = False,
             skip_memory: bool = False,
             session_db=None,
             parent_session_id: str = None,
    @@ -977,6 +978,9 @@ def __init__(
                 skip_context_files (bool): If True, skip auto-injection of SOUL.md, AGENTS.md, and .cursorrules
                     into the system prompt. Use this for batch processing and data generation to avoid
                     polluting trajectories with user-specific persona or project instructions.
    +            load_soul_identity (bool): If True, still use ~/.hermes/SOUL.md as the primary
    +                identity even when skip_context_files=True. Project context files from the cwd
    +                remain skipped.
             """
             _install_safe_stdio()
     
    @@ -1005,6 +1009,7 @@ def __init__(
             self._print_fn = None
             self.background_review_callback = None  # Optional sync callback for gateway delivery
             self.skip_context_files = skip_context_files
    +        self.load_soul_identity = load_soul_identity
             self.pass_session_id = pass_session_id
             self._credential_pool = [redacted:secret-assignment]
             self.log_prefix_chars = log_prefix_chars
    @@ -4742,9 +4747,11 @@ def _build_system_prompt(self, system_message: str = None) -> str:
             #   6. Current date & time (frozen at build time)
             #   7. Platform-specific formatting hint
     
    -        # Try SOUL.md as primary identity (unless context files are skipped)
    +        # Try SOUL.md as primary identity unless the caller explicitly skipped it.
    +        # Some execution modes (cron) still want HERMES_HOME persona while keeping
    +        # cwd project instructions disabled.
             _soul_loaded = False
    -        if not self.skip_context_files:
    +        if self.load_soul_identity or not self.skip_context_files:
                 _soul_content = load_soul_md()
                 if _soul_content:
                     prompt_parts = [_soul_content]

  • scripts/release.py

    @@ -67,6 +67,7 @@
         "[redacted:email]": "BeliefanX",
         "[redacted:email]": "Mind-Dragon",
         "[redacted:email]": "westers",
    +    "[redacted:email]": "liuhao1024",
         "[email protected]": "devorun",
         "[redacted:email]": "beesrsj2500",
         "[redacted:email]": "beesrsj2500",

  • tests/cron/test_cron_workdir.py

    @@ -265,6 +265,7 @@ def _install_stubs(monkeypatch, observed: dict):
             class FakeAgent:
                 def __init__(self, **kwargs):
                     observed["skip_context_files"] = kwargs.get("skip_context_files")
    +                observed["load_soul_identity"] = kwargs.get("load_soul_identity")
                     observed["terminal_cwd_during_init"] = os.environ.get(
                         "TERMINAL_CWD", "_UNSET_"
                     )
    @@ -335,6 +336,7 @@ def test_workdir_sets_and_restores_terminal_cwd(
     
             # AIAgent was built with skip_context_files=False (feature ON).
             assert observed["skip_context_files"] is False
    +        assert observed["load_soul_identity"] is True
             # TERMINAL_CWD was pointing at the job workdir while the agent ran.
             assert observed["terminal_cwd_during_init"] == str(tmp_path.resolve())
             assert observed["terminal_cwd_during_run"] == str(tmp_path.resolve())
    @@ -373,6 +375,8 @@ def test_no_workdir_leaves_terminal_cwd_untouched(self, monkeypatch):
     
             # Feature is OFF — skip_context_files stays True.
             assert observed["skip_context_files"] is True
    +        # Cron still forces SOUL.md identity even when cwd context files stay off.
    +        assert observed["load_soul_identity"] is True
             # TERMINAL_CWD saw the same value during init as it had before.
             assert observed["terminal_cwd_during_init"] == before
             # And after run_job completes, it's still the sentinel (nothing

  • tests/run_agent/test_run_agent.py

    @@ -862,6 +862,26 @@ def test_always_has_identity(self, agent):
             prompt = agent._build_system_prompt()
             assert DEFAULT_AGENT_IDENTITY in prompt
     
    +    def test_can_use_soul_identity_even_when_context_files_are_skipped(self):
    +        with (
    +            patch("run_agent.get_tool_definitions", return_value=_make_tool_defs("terminal")),
    +            patch("run_agent.check_toolset_requirements", return_value={}),
    +            patch("run_agent.OpenAI"),
    +            patch("run_agent.load_soul_md", return_value="SOUL IDENTITY"),
    +        ):
    +            agent = AIAgent(
    +                api_key="[redacted:secret-assignment]",
    +                base_url="https://openrouter.ai/api/v1",
    +                quiet_mode=True,
    +                skip_context_files=True,
    +                load_soul_identity=True,
    +                skip_memory=True,
    +            )
    +            prompt = agent._build_system_prompt()
    +
    +        assert "SOUL IDENTITY" in prompt
    +        assert DEFAULT_AGENT_IDENTITY not in prompt
    +
         def test_includes_system_message(self, agent):
             prompt = agent._build_system_prompt(system_message="Custom instruction")
             assert "Custom instruction" in prompt