fix(prompt): skip bundled AGENTS.md for desktop launch cwd

agent/system_prompt.py

@@ -892,8 +892,16 @@ def build_system_prompt_parts(agent: Any, system_message: Optional[str] = None)
         # (developing Hermes). Every other surface (desktop chat panel,
         # gateway daemons) self-spawns into the install tree, where the
         # fallback would inject this repo's contributor AGENTS.md (#64590).
+        context_cwd = resolve_context_cwd()
+        if getattr(agent, "_context_cwd_is_launch_artifact", False):
+            # Desktop session creation pins the backend launch directory so
+            # tools have a deterministic cwd even when the user picked no
+            # workspace. Preserve that tool routing, but let context discovery
+            # see it as the fallback it really is. The install-tree guard can
+            # then reject Hermes's bundled contributor AGENTS.md (#97448).
+            context_cwd = None
         context_files_prompt = _r.build_context_files_prompt(
-            cwd=resolve_context_cwd(), skip_soul=_soul_loaded,
+            cwd=context_cwd, skip_soul=_soul_loaded,
             context_length=_ctx_len,
             allow_install_tree_fallback=agent.platform in ("cli", "tui"),
             home_override=_agent_home(agent))

tests/agent/test_system_prompt.py

@@ -66,6 +66,50 @@ class TestContextFileCwd:
         monkeypatch.setenv("TERMINAL_CWD", str(tmp_path))
         assert _captured_context_cwd(_make_agent()) == tmp_path
 
+    def test_desktop_launch_artifact_does_not_load_bundled_agents_md(
+        self, monkeypatch, tmp_path
+    ):
+        import agent.runtime_cwd as runtime_cwd
+
+        monkeypatch.setattr(runtime_cwd, "_PACKAGE_ROOT", tmp_path.resolve())
+        monkeypatch.chdir(tmp_path)
+        (tmp_path / "AGENTS.md").write_text("bundled contributor instructions")
+
+        agent = _make_agent(
+            platform="desktop",
+            _context_cwd_is_launch_artifact=True,
+        )
+        with (
+            patch("run_agent.load_soul_md", return_value=""),
+            patch("run_agent.build_environment_hints", return_value=""),
+            patch("agent.system_prompt.resolve_context_cwd", return_value=tmp_path),
+        ):
+            context = build_system_prompt_parts(agent)["context"]
+
+        assert "bundled contributor instructions" not in context
+
+    def test_desktop_explicit_install_tree_workspace_still_loads_agents_md(
+        self, monkeypatch, tmp_path
+    ):
+        import agent.runtime_cwd as runtime_cwd
+
+        monkeypatch.setattr(runtime_cwd, "_PACKAGE_ROOT", tmp_path.resolve())
+        monkeypatch.chdir(tmp_path)
+        (tmp_path / "AGENTS.md").write_text("chosen workspace instructions")
+
+        agent = _make_agent(
+            platform="desktop",
+            _context_cwd_is_launch_artifact=False,
+        )
+        with (
+            patch("run_agent.load_soul_md", return_value=""),
+            patch("run_agent.build_environment_hints", return_value=""),
+            patch("agent.system_prompt.resolve_context_cwd", return_value=tmp_path),
+        ):
+            context = build_system_prompt_parts(agent)["context"]
+
+        assert "chosen workspace instructions" in context
+
 
 def _stable_prompt(agent):
     with (

tests/tui_gateway/test_projects_rpc.py

@@ -496,6 +496,21 @@ def test_desktop_launch_cwd_is_not_persisted_as_a_workspace():
     ) == "/picked/repo"
 
 
+def test_desktop_launch_cwd_is_marked_as_context_artifact():
+    assert server._context_cwd_is_launch_artifact(
+        {"source": "desktop", "cwd": "/opt/hermes"}
+    ) is True
+
+
+def test_explicit_desktop_and_terminal_cwds_are_context_workspaces():
+    assert server._context_cwd_is_launch_artifact(
+        {"source": "desktop", "cwd": "/picked/repo", "explicit_cwd": True}
+    ) is False
+    assert server._context_cwd_is_launch_artifact(
+        {"source": "tui", "cwd": "/opt/hermes"}
+    ) is False
+
+
 def test_home_container_dirs_are_never_a_workspace(tmp_path):
     """`/home` and `/Users` hold homes; they are not workspaces themselves.
 

tui_gateway/compute_host.py

@@ -573,6 +573,9 @@ class ComputeHost:
                 reasoning_config_override=frame.get("reasoning_config_override"),
                 service_tier_override=frame.get("service_tier_override"),
                 platform_override=frame.get("source"),
+                context_cwd_is_launch_artifact=bool(
+                    frame.get("context_cwd_is_launch_artifact", False)
+                ),
                 session_db=session_db,
             )
             if server._transfer_db_to_agent(agent, session_db):

tui_gateway/methods_session.py

@@ -945,6 +945,10 @@ def _(rid, params: dict) -> dict:
                     session_id=target,
                     session_db=db,
                     platform_override=source,
+                    context_cwd_is_launch_artifact=(
+                        source in _LAUNCH_CWD_NOT_A_WORKSPACE
+                        and not profile_resume_cwd
+                    ),
                     **stored_runtime_overrides,
                 )
             finally:
@@ -3304,6 +3308,9 @@ def _(rid, params: dict) -> dict:
                     session_id=new_key,
                     session_db=branch_db,
                     platform_override=source,
+                    context_cwd_is_launch_artifact=(
+                        _context_cwd_is_launch_artifact(session)
+                    ),
                 )
             finally:
                 _clear_session_context(tokens)

tui_gateway/server.py

@@ -2634,6 +2634,7 @@ def _compute_host_turn_frame(
         "history_version": history_version,
         "cols": int(session.get("cols", 80) or 80),
         "cwd": _session_cwd(session),
+        "context_cwd_is_launch_artifact": _context_cwd_is_launch_artifact(session),
         "profile_home": session.get("profile_home") or "",
         "model_override": session.get("model_override"),
         "reasoning_config_override": session.get("create_reasoning_override"),
@@ -3568,6 +3569,15 @@ def _session_cwd(session: dict | None) -> str:
 _LAUNCH_CWD_NOT_A_WORKSPACE = {"desktop"}
 
 
+def _context_cwd_is_launch_artifact(session: dict | None) -> bool:
+    """Whether the session cwd came from app launch rather than user intent."""
+    return bool(
+        session
+        and not session.get("explicit_cwd")
+        and _session_source(session) in _LAUNCH_CWD_NOT_A_WORKSPACE
+    )
+
+
 def _persisted_session_cwd(session: dict) -> str | None:
     """The cwd to stamp on the session's DB row, or None to leave it unset.
 
@@ -8832,6 +8842,7 @@ def _make_agent(
     reasoning_config_override: dict | None = None,
     service_tier_override: str | None = None,
     platform_override: str | None = None,
+    context_cwd_is_launch_artifact: bool | None = None,
 ):
     # AC-4 test seam: dead unless explicitly armed by the isolated certify
     # harness. Both inline and compute-host paths construct through _make_agent,
@@ -8961,7 +8972,7 @@ def _make_agent(
                 raise RuntimeError("Auth fallback resolved without a model")
             model = resolution.selected_model
     _pr = _load_provider_routing()
-    return AIAgent(
+    agent = AIAgent(
         model=model,
         max_iterations=_cfg_max_turns(cfg, 500),
         provider=runtime.get("provider"),
@@ -9008,6 +9019,16 @@ def _make_agent(
         fallback_model=_load_fallback_model(),
         **_agent_cbs(sid),
     )
+    if context_cwd_is_launch_artifact is None:
+        with _sessions_lock:
+            context_session = _sessions.get(sid)
+        context_cwd_is_launch_artifact = _context_cwd_is_launch_artifact(
+            context_session
+        )
+    agent._context_cwd_is_launch_artifact = bool(
+        context_cwd_is_launch_artifact
+    )
+    return agent
 
 
 def _init_session(