# NousResearch/hermes-agent · custom provider api_key_env alias not working

## Open now

- 2 issues, 5 PRs open on GitHub.
- #46690: \[BUG\] Named custom provider's api_key_env not resolved in resolve_provider_client — leads to HTTP 401
- #62254: _get_named_custom_provider silently ignores api_key_env — only reads key_env
- PR #19213: fix(config): resolve direct model aliases at runtime
- PR #44868: fix(cli): accept api_key_env alias in providers entries
- PR #45873: fix(runtime_provider): resolve key_env/api_key_env from env for custom providers (#44666, #43586)
- PR #62507: fix: accept api_key_env as fallback in custom provider resolution (#62254)
- PR #62534: fix(cli): resolve --model <alias> through model_aliases in interactive chat (#62491)

A bug where the api_key_env configuration alias is silently ignored when locating named custom providers, causing authentication errors. Multiple patches address this across CLI, runtime, config, auxiliary routing, and desktop persistence.

## TL;DR

- 14 member(s): 2 open issue(s), 1 closed issue(s), 5 open PR(s), 0 merged PR(s), 6 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evidence (`STRUCTURAL_PARTIAL`): some members are connected by structural evidence (shared changed files, or a closing/superseded reference); the rest are joined by an automated relevance judgement over their text.
- Members outside that structural core may belong to a different underlying problem.
- Pairwise link density `0.14`: 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

- #46690: \[BUG\] Named custom provider's api_key_env not resolved in resolve_provider_client — leads to HTTP 401
- #62254: _get_named_custom_provider silently ignores api_key_env — only reads key_env

## Closed / duplicate issues

- #44666: \[Bug\]: \`api_key_env\` alias silently ignored in \`providers:\` entries — named custom provider falls through to "no-key-required"

## Prior & competing PRs

- **#44667: fix(runtime): handle api_key_env alias in _get_named_custom_provider**. closed without merge · fix tier `suggested`
  - maintainer direction: category `superseded_by_pr`; implication `superseded`
  - _suggested-tier fix detail withheld; re-request with `?tier=all` to include it._
- **#44768: fix(runtime_provider): respect api_key_env alias in custom provider entries (#44666)**. closed without merge · fix tier `suggested`
  - maintainer direction: category `superseded_by_pr`; implication `superseded`; refs `#44667`, `#44666`
- **#19213: fix(config): resolve direct model aliases at runtime**. open
  - maintainer direction: category `superseded_by_pr`; implication `superseded`; refs `#29198`, `#29198`
  - files: `cli.py`, `gateway/run.py`, `hermes_cli/model_switch.py`, `hermes_cli/oneshot.py`, `tests/cli/test_cli_provider_resolution.py`, `tests/gateway/test_session_model_override_routing.py`, `tests/hermes_cli/test_oneshot_model_aliases.py`
- **#44669: fix(runtime-provider): accept api_key_env alias in named custom providers**. closed without merge
  - maintainer direction: category `duplicate_of`; implication `duplicate`; refs `#44667`
- **#44684: fix(cli): honor api_key_env for custom providers**. closed without merge
  - maintainer direction: category `duplicate_of`; implication `duplicate`; refs `#44667`
- **#44868: fix(cli): accept api_key_env alias in providers entries**. open
  - maintainer direction: category `implemented_elsewhere`; implication `superseded`
  - files: `hermes_cli/config.py`, `hermes_cli/model_switch.py`, `hermes_cli/runtime_provider.py`
- **#45873: fix(runtime_provider): resolve key_env/api_key_env from env for custom providers (#44666, #43586)**. open
  - maintainer direction: category `implemented_elsewhere`; implication `superseded`
  - files: `hermes_cli/runtime_provider.py`, `tests/hermes_cli/test_runtime_provider_resolution.py`
- **#46023: fix(config): honor api_key_env alias in providers dict and custom_providers list**. closed without merge
  - maintainer direction: category `duplicate_of`; implication `duplicate`; refs `#44667`, `#44667`, `#44667`
- **#62507: fix: accept api_key_env as fallback in custom provider resolution (#62254)**. open
  - maintainer direction: category `uncategorized`; implication `needs_llm`
  - files: `hermes_cli/runtime_provider.py`
- **#62534: fix(cli): resolve --model <alias> through model_aliases in interactive chat (#62491)**. open
  - maintainer direction: category `implemented_elsewhere`; implication `superseded`; refs `c1517f018`
  - files: `cli.py`, `tests/cli/test_cli_provider_resolution.py`
- **#96237: fix: honor api_key_env alias in providers dict resolver**. closed without merge
  - maintainer direction: category `superseded_by_pr`; implication `superseded`

## Fix status

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