# NousResearch/hermes-agent · Built-in memory suppression with external providers

## Open now

- 1 issue, 2 PRs open on GitHub.
- #85622: \[Bug\]: External memory provider (mode both) suppresses built-in MEMORY.md/USER.md injection on new chat — contradicts documented "additive, never replacing" contract
- PR #86105: fix(state): force built-in memory enabled when external provider configured
- PR #86328: fix(memory): keep built-in memory store alive under --ignore-rules

These items concern a bug where configuring an external memory provider causes built-in MEMORY.md/USER.md injection to be suppressed, along with related fixes to keep built-in memory active alongside external providers and under certain flags.

## TL;DR

- 3 member(s): 1 open issue(s), 0 closed issue(s), 2 open PR(s), 0 merged PR(s), 0 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evidence (`STRUCTURAL_SPANNING`): every member is connected by structural evidence: shared changed files, or a closing/superseded reference.
- Pairwise link density `0.67`: 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

- #85622: \[Bug\]: External memory provider (mode both) suppresses built-in MEMORY.md/USER.md injection on new chat — contradicts documented "additive, never replacing" contract

## Prior & competing PRs

- **#86105: fix(state): force built-in memory enabled when external provider configured**. open
  - maintainer direction: category `uncategorized`; implication `needs_llm`; refs `#85622`
  - files: `agent/agent_init.py`, `tests/agent/test_memory_provider_additive_85622.py`
- **#86328: fix(memory): keep built-in memory store alive under --ignore-rules**. open
  - maintainer direction: category `superseded_by_pr`; implication `superseded`
  - files: `cli.py`, `hermes_cli/cli_agent_setup_mixin.py`, `hermes_cli/main.py`, `hermes_cli/tips.py`, `tests/agent/test_skip_memory_store_65429.py`, `tui_gateway/server.py`

## Fix status

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