fix: hard stop tool loops on non-interactive platforms

agent/agent_init.py

@@ -1882,7 +1882,8 @@ def init_agent(
     try:
         agent._tool_guardrails = ToolCallGuardrailController(
             ToolCallGuardrailConfig.from_mapping(
-                _agent_cfg.get("tool_loop_guardrails", {})
+                _agent_cfg.get("tool_loop_guardrails", {}),
+                platform=platform,
             )
         )
     except Exception as _tlg_err:

agent/tool_guardrails.py

@@ -110,12 +110,14 @@ class ToolCallGuardrailConfig:
     """Thresholds for per-turn tool-call loop detection.
 
     Warnings are enabled by default and never prevent tool execution. Hard stops
-    are explicit opt-in so interactive CLI/TUI sessions get a gentle nudge unless
-    the user enables circuit-breaker behavior in config.yaml.
+    stay opt-in for interactive CLI/TUI sessions, but default on for
+    non-interactive gateway/cron platforms where nobody is present to interrupt
+    a model that ignores loop warnings.
     """
 
     warnings_enabled: bool = True
     hard_stop_enabled: bool = False
+    non_interactive_hard_stop_enabled: bool = True
     exact_failure_warn_after: int = 2
     exact_failure_block_after: int = 5
     same_tool_failure_warn_after: int = 3
@@ -127,10 +129,10 @@ class ToolCallGuardrailConfig:
     loop_caps: "LoopCapConfig" = field(default_factory=lambda: LoopCapConfig())
 
     @classmethod
-    def from_mapping(cls, data: Mapping[str, Any] | None) -> "ToolCallGuardrailConfig":
+    def from_mapping(cls, data: Mapping[str, Any] | None, *, platform: str | None = None) -> "ToolCallGuardrailConfig":
         """Build config from the `tool_loop_guardrails` config.yaml section."""
         if not isinstance(data, Mapping):
-            return cls()
+            data = {}
 
         warn_after = data.get("warn_after")
         if not isinstance(warn_after, Mapping):
@@ -140,9 +142,18 @@ class ToolCallGuardrailConfig:
             hard_stop_after = {}
 
         defaults = cls()
+        hard_stop_enabled = _as_bool(data.get("hard_stop_enabled"), defaults.hard_stop_enabled)
+        non_interactive_hard_stop_enabled = _as_bool(
+            data.get("non_interactive_hard_stop_enabled"),
+            defaults.non_interactive_hard_stop_enabled,
+        )
+        if _is_non_interactive_platform(platform) and non_interactive_hard_stop_enabled:
+            hard_stop_enabled = True
+
         return cls(
             warnings_enabled=_as_bool(data.get("warnings_enabled"), defaults.warnings_enabled),
-            hard_stop_enabled=_as_bool(data.get("hard_stop_enabled"), defaults.hard_stop_enabled),
+            hard_stop_enabled=hard_stop_enabled,
+            non_interactive_hard_stop_enabled=non_interactive_hard_stop_enabled,
             exact_failure_warn_after=_positive_int(
                 warn_after.get("exact_failure", data.get("exact_failure_warn_after")),
                 defaults.exact_failure_warn_after,
@@ -218,6 +229,13 @@ class LoopCapConfig:
         )
 
 
+def _is_non_interactive_platform(platform: str | None) -> bool:
+    """Return true for gateway/cron sessions where tool loops are unattended."""
+    if not isinstance(platform, str) or not platform.strip():
+        return False
+    return platform.strip().lower() not in {"cli", "tui"}
+
+
 @dataclass(frozen=True)
 class IdenticalCallObservation:
     """Outcome of observing one completed tool call for the stall guards.

cli-config.yaml.example

@@ -533,12 +533,14 @@ browser:
 # Tool Loop Guardrails
 # =============================================================================
 # Soft warnings are enabled by default. They append guidance to repeated failed
-# or non-progressing tool results but still let the tool execute. Hard stops are
-# opt-in circuit breakers for autonomous/cron sessions where stopping a loop is
-# preferable to spending the full iteration budget.
+# or non-progressing tool results but still let the tool execute. Hard stops stay
+# opt-in for interactive CLI/TUI sessions, but default on for non-interactive
+# gateway/cron sessions where nobody is present to interrupt a model that
+# ignores loop warnings.
 tool_loop_guardrails:
   warnings_enabled: true
   hard_stop_enabled: false
+  non_interactive_hard_stop_enabled: true
   warn_after:
     exact_failure: 2
     same_tool_failure: 3

hermes_cli/config.py

@@ -1100,6 +1100,7 @@ def _ensure_hermes_home_managed(home: Path):
 
 from hermes_cli.config_defaults import DEFAULT_CONFIG, OPTIONAL_ENV_VARS  # noqa: F401
 
+
 # =============================================================================
 # Config Migration System
 # =============================================================================

scripts/release.py

@@ -320,6 +320,7 @@ LEGACY_AUTHOR_MAP = {
     "pinkiilqwq@users.noreply.github.com": "PINKIIILQWQ",  # PR #45035 salvage (resume-to-tip; #38763)
     "pink@PinkdeMacBook-Air.local": "PINKIIILQWQ",  # PR #45035 local git identity (resume-to-tip; #38763)
     "ailang323@163.com": "ailang323",  # PR #48682 salvage (compression-tip predicate; #38763)
+
     "59806492+sitkarev@users.noreply.github.com": "sitkarev",
     "zheng@omegasys.eu": "omegazheng",
     "220877172+james47kjv@users.noreply.github.com": "james47kjv",

tests/agent/test_tool_guardrails.py

@@ -33,6 +33,18 @@ def test_tool_call_signature_hashes_canonical_nested_unicode_args_without_exposi
     assert "☤" not in json.dumps(metadata)
 
 
+def test_default_config_is_soft_warning_only_with_hard_stop_disabled():
+    cfg = ToolCallGuardrailConfig()
+
+    assert cfg.warnings_enabled is True
+    assert cfg.hard_stop_enabled is False
+    assert cfg.non_interactive_hard_stop_enabled is True
+    assert cfg.exact_failure_warn_after == 2
+    assert cfg.same_tool_failure_warn_after == 3
+    assert cfg.no_progress_warn_after == 2
+    assert cfg.exact_failure_block_after == 5
+    assert cfg.same_tool_failure_halt_after == 8
+    assert cfg.no_progress_block_after == 5
 
 
 def test_config_parses_nested_warn_and_hard_stop_thresholds():
@@ -63,6 +75,26 @@ def test_config_parses_nested_warn_and_hard_stop_thresholds():
     assert cfg.no_progress_block_after == 8
 
 
+def test_gateway_platform_defaults_to_hard_stop_without_changing_cli_default():
+    cli_cfg = ToolCallGuardrailConfig.from_mapping({}, platform="cli")
+    telegram_cfg = ToolCallGuardrailConfig.from_mapping({}, platform="telegram")
+    cron_cfg = ToolCallGuardrailConfig.from_mapping({}, platform="cron")
+
+    assert cli_cfg.hard_stop_enabled is False
+    assert telegram_cfg.hard_stop_enabled is True
+    assert cron_cfg.hard_stop_enabled is True
+
+
+def test_non_interactive_hard_stop_can_be_disabled_explicitly():
+    cfg = ToolCallGuardrailConfig.from_mapping(
+        {"non_interactive_hard_stop_enabled": False},
+        platform="telegram",
+    )
+
+    assert cfg.hard_stop_enabled is False
+    assert cfg.non_interactive_hard_stop_enabled is False
+
+
 def test_default_repeated_identical_failed_call_warns_without_blocking():
     controller = ToolCallGuardrailController()
     args = {"query": "same"}

tests/run_agent/test_tool_call_guardrail_runtime.py

@@ -36,7 +36,12 @@ def _mock_response(content="Hello", finish_reason="stop", tool_calls=None):
     return SimpleNamespace(choices=[choice], model="test/model", usage=None)
 
 
-def _make_agent(*tool_names: str, max_iterations: int = 10, config: dict | None = None) -> AIAgent:
+def _make_agent(
+    *tool_names: str,
+    max_iterations: int = 10,
+    config: dict | None = None,
+    platform: str | None = None,
+) -> AIAgent:
     with (
         patch("run_agent.get_tool_definitions", return_value=_make_tool_defs(*tool_names)),
         patch("run_agent.check_toolset_requirements", return_value={}),
@@ -51,6 +56,7 @@ def _make_agent(*tool_names: str, max_iterations: int = 10, config: dict | None
             quiet_mode=True,
             skip_context_files=True,
             skip_memory=True,
+            platform=platform or "cli",
         )
     agent.client = MagicMock()
     agent._cached_system_prompt = "You are helpful."
@@ -86,6 +92,17 @@ def _hard_stop_config(**overrides) -> dict:
     return cfg
 
 
+def test_gateway_platform_uses_hard_stop_default_without_cli_opt_in():
+    agent = _make_agent("web_search", platform="telegram")
+    args = {"query": "same"}
+
+    _seed_exact_failures(agent, "web_search", args, count=5)
+
+    decision = getattr(agent, "_tool_guardrails").before_call("web_search", args)
+    assert decision.action == "block"
+    assert decision.code == "repeated_exact_failure_block"
+
+
 def test_default_sequential_path_warns_repeated_exact_failure_without_blocking_execution():
     agent = _make_agent("web_search")
     args = {"query": "same"}