# NousResearch/hermes-agent · Cron lifecycle guard embedded null byte crash fix

## Open now

- Nothing open on GitHub.

A bug where the lifecycle guard crashes with 'ValueError: embedded null byte' when processing certain command tokens (e.g., 'python -m pip') is being tracked and patched. Multiple fix attempts and related issues indicate the initial fix was incomplete.

## TL;DR

- 4 member(s): 0 open issue(s), 1 closed issue(s), 0 open PR(s), 1 merged PR(s), 2 PR(s) closed without merging.
- A fix was merged to main in PR #80258. Verify it addresses your case.
- **Recommended:** read PR #80258 (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: `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evidence (`STRUCTURAL_SPANNING`): every member is connected by structural evidence: shared changed files, or a closing/superseded reference.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 `0.50`: 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

- #78256: lifecycle_guard crashes with ValueError: embedded null byte on 'python -m pip' commands (incomplete #76762 fix)

## Prior & competing PRs

- **#80258: fix(cron): make the lifecycle guard total — sanitize at ingestion, not per-syscall**. merged to main · fix tier `verified`
  - maintainer direction: category `merged`
  - files: `cron/lifecycle_guard.py`, `cron/scheduler.py`, `tests/cron/test_cron_no_agent.py`, `tests/hermes_cli/test_gateway_restart_loop.py`, `tools/terminal_tool.py`
- **#78013: fix(cron): handle embedded null byte in lifecycle guard command tokens (#77988)**. closed without merge
  - maintainer direction: category `superseded_by_pr`; implication `superseded`; refs `#80258`, `#76762`, `#77703`, `#77780`, `#78256`
- **#78448: fix(cron): lifecycle guard crashes with 'embedded null byte' instead of failing open — kills terminal tool (#78256)**. closed without merge
  - maintainer direction: category `superseded_by_pr`; implication `superseded`; refs `#80258`, `#76762`, `#77703`, `#77780`, `#78256`

## Fix status

- Merged to main in PR #80258 (cited above). No release data is tracked. Verify downstream.
- Fix last verified (merged) `2026-08-06`.