# NousResearch/hermes-agent · Desktop gateway orphan cleanup and reaping fixes

## Open now

- Nothing open on GitHub.

Multiple fixes addressing orphaned gateway processes left behind during Desktop app restarts and shutdowns. Changes cover startup reaping, backend shutdown cleanup, and related EMFILE/ulimit follow-ups.

## TL;DR

- 7 member(s): 0 open issue(s), 1 closed issue(s), 0 open PR(s), 2 merged PR(s), 4 PR(s) closed without merging.
- A fix was merged to main in PR #83406. Verify it addresses your case.
- **Recommended:** read PR #83406 (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-83542`. 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evidence (`STRUCTURAL_SPANNING`): every member is connected by structural evidence: shared changed files, or a closing/superseded reference.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 `0.29`: 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

- #77276: \[Bug\]: Desktop app restart leaves orphan gateway (app-managed spawn path not covered by #75936 fix)

## Prior & competing PRs

- **#83406: fix(state,desktop,runtime): EMFILE cascade — bounded WAL read pool, orphan serve reap, nofile floor**. merged to main · fix tier `verified`
  - maintainer direction: category `merged`; implication `superseded`
  - files: `apps/desktop/electron/backend-child.ts`, `apps/desktop/electron/main.ts`, `apps/desktop/electron/windows-child-options.test.ts`, `cli-config.yaml.example`, `contributors/emails/[redacted:email]`, `contributors/emails/[redacted:email]`, `contributors/emails/[redacted:email]`, `gateway/run.py`, `hermes_cli/config_defaults.py`, `hermes_cli/dashboard_procs.py`, `hermes_cli/gateway.py`, `hermes_cli/main.py`, `hermes_cli/resource_limits.py`, `hermes_cli/web_server.py`, `hermes_state.py`, `tests/hermes_cli/test_dashboard_admin_endpoints.py`, `tests/hermes_cli/test_gateway_service.py`, `tests/hermes_cli/test_orphan_desktop_serve_reap.py`, `tests/test_resource_limits.py`, `tests/test_session_db_read_conn_pool.py` (+2 more)
- **#83542: fix(gateway,desktop,dashboard): EMFILE follow-up — restart-path gateway reap, shutdown cleanup, SSH ulimit, scandir**. merged to main · fix tier `verified`
  - maintainer direction: category `merged`; implication `superseded`
  - files: `apps/desktop/electron/remote-lifecycle.test.ts`, `apps/desktop/electron/remote-lifecycle.ts`, `contributors/emails/[redacted:email]`, `contributors/emails/[redacted:email]`, `hermes_cli/web_server.py`, `tests/hermes_cli/test_dashboard_admin_endpoints.py`, `tests/hermes_cli/test_spawn_gateway_restart_reap.py`
- **#77297: fix(desktop): stop app-managed gateway on backend shutdown**. closed without merge
  - maintainer direction: category `merged_via`; implication `superseded`; refs `#83542`, `#83406`
- **#77721: fix(gateway): reap orphaned gateways before spawning restart (#77276)**. closed without merge
  - maintainer direction: category `merged_via`; implication `superseded`; refs `#83542`, `#83406`
- **#78002: fix(desktop): reap stale gateway orphans on Desktop backend startup**. closed without merge
  - maintainer direction: category `merged_via`; implication `superseded`; refs `#78312`, `#83406`, `#83542`
- **#78312: fix(desktop): reap orphan gateways at startup**. closed without merge
  - maintainer direction: category `merged_via`; implication `superseded`; refs `#83406`, `#76700`, `#77587`, `#73066`, `#78873`, `#78312`

## Fix status

- Merged to main in PR #83406 (cited above). No release data is tracked. Verify downstream.
- Fix last verified (merged) `2026-08-11`.