# NousResearch/hermes-agent · Fix relative external_dirs path resolution base directory

## Open now

- Nothing open on GitHub.

These issues and PRs address a bug where relative paths in \`skills.external_dirs\` are handled against the process working directory instead of a consistent reference point such as the config file location or \`HERMES_HOME\`. Multiple fix attempts approach the same underlying problem.

## TL;DR

- 5 member(s): 0 open issue(s), 1 closed issue(s), 0 open PR(s), 1 merged PR(s), 3 PR(s) closed without merging.
- A fix was merged to main in PR #17289. Verify it addresses your case.
- **Recommended:** read PR #17289 (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-17289`. 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evidence (`STRUCTURAL_SPANNING`): every member is connected by structural evidence: shared changed files, or a closing/superseded reference.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 `0.40`: 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

- #9949: skills.external_dirs relative paths depend on process cwd instead of config location

## Prior & competing PRs

- **#9966: fix: resolve external_dirs relative to HERMES_HOME instead of cwd (#9949)**. closed without merge · fix tier `suggested`
  - maintainer direction: category `implemented_elsewhere`; implication `superseded`; refs `d682f320b35a13084371a541a835e1d988c982b8`, `#10017`
  - _suggested-tier fix detail withheld; re-request with `?tier=all` to include it._
- **#10017: fix: resolve external skill dirs from config path**. closed without merge · fix tier `suggested`
  - maintainer direction: category `implemented_elsewhere`; implication `superseded`; refs `88602376d41fafead365cb47e9cb6afb8576664d`, `#9949`, `#9966`
  - _suggested-tier fix detail withheld; re-request with `?tier=all` to include it._
- **#17289: fix(skills): resolve external_dirs relative to HERMES_HOME, not cwd (salvage #9966)**. merged to main · fix tier `verified`
  - maintainer direction: category `merged`
  - files: `agent/skill_utils.py`
- **#10050: fix: resolve relative external_dirs paths against config location, not cwd**. closed without merge
  - maintainer direction: category `implemented_elsewhere`; implication `superseded`; refs `88602376d`, `#17289`, `#9966`, `#9949`

## Fix status

- Merged to main in PR #17289 (cited above). No release data is tracked. Verify downstream.
- Fix last verified (merged) `2026-04-29`.
- Subsystem: `skills`