# NousResearch/hermes-agent · Gateway config precedence: max_turns versus .env settings

## Open now

- Nothing open on GitHub.

These items concern the gateway's handling of max_turns, where a value from .env (HERMES_MAX_ITERATIONS) may override or replace the configured value after an environment reload. One member broadens this to config.yaml taking precedence over .env for agent, display, and timezone settings; the titles do not establish whether any change was merged or works.

## TL;DR

- 4 member(s): 0 open issue(s), 1 closed issue(s), 0 open PR(s), 2 merged PR(s), 1 PR(s) closed without merging.
- A fix was merged to main in PR #21240. Verify it addresses your case.
- **Recommended:** read PR #21240 (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-21240`. 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evidence (`STRUCTURAL_SPANNING`): every member is connected by structural evidence: shared changed files, or a closing/superseded reference.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

- #19158: Gateway max_turns can be overridden by stale HERMES_MAX_ITERATIONS from .env

## Prior & competing PRs

- **#18764: fix(gateway): config.yaml wins over .env for agent/display/timezone settings**. merged to main · fix tier `suggested`
  - maintainer direction: category `merged`
  - _suggested-tier fix detail withheld; re-request with `?tier=all` to include it._
- **#21240: fix(gateway): preserve max_turns after env reload (salvage #19183)**. merged to main · fix tier `verified`
  - maintainer direction: category `merged`
  - files: `gateway/run.py`, `tests/gateway/test_runtime_env_reload_config_authority.py`
- **#19183: fix(gateway): preserve max turns after env reload**. closed without merge
  - maintainer direction: category `duplicate_of`; implication `duplicate`; refs `#18230`, `#17306`

## Fix status

- Merged to main in PR #21240 (cited above). No release data is tracked. Verify downstream.
- Fix last verified (merged) `2026-05-07`.