hermes_local adapter: AGENTS.md instructions not injected into agent context

[kainos46]

Bug Description

When a hermes_local agent runs a heartbeat, the content of AGENTS.md (and other instruction files like HEARTBEAT.md, SOUL.md, TOOLS.md) is not injected into the hermes prompt context. The agent only receives the Paperclip-generated heartbeat prompt.

Steps to Reproduce

1. Configure a hermes_local agent with custom instructions in AGENTS.md
2. Trigger a heartbeat run
3. Inspect the session JSON at ~/.hermes/sessions/session_.json
4. Check messages[0].content for AGENTS.md content

Expected

The agent's AGENTS.md instructions should appear in the injected context, as they do for claude_local agents.

Actual

Only the Paperclip-generated heartbeat prompt is present. Custom instructions (delegation rules, memory guidance, skill-saving rules) never reach the agent.

Impact

Any hermes_local agent configuration done via the Instructions tab (AGENTS.md, HEARTBEAT.md, SOUL.md) is silently ignored. Agents cannot be customized beyond what the hardcoded heartbeat prompt provides.

Related

• Hermes adapter skill sync not working - 'This adapter does not implement skill sync yet' #2316 — hermes_local missing listSkills/syncSkills/resolveDesiredSkillNames in adapter registry (same pattern: capabilities exist in hermes-paperclip-adapter but are not wired into the Paperclip server registry)
• Hermes Adapter not getting PAPERCLIP_ Env Vars injected #2915 — hermes_local not getting PAPERCLIP_ env vars injected

Environment

• Paperclip: v2026.416.0-canary.1
• Hermes Agent: v0.8.0
• hermes-paperclip-adapter: (bundled with paperclipai)

[serenakeyitan]

null

[serenakeyitan]

🌱 gardener · ✅ ALIGNED · severity: medium · commit: issue@2026-04-16

What is this? repo-gardener checks whether PRs and issues fit the project's product decisions, architecture, and roadmap — not code correctness. Think of it as a product-context review layer. For code review, see Greptile/CodeRabbit.

Context fit

Area	This issue	Tree guidance	Fit
Adapters	hermes_local adapter does not inject AGENTS.md/HEARTBEAT.md/SOUL.md instructions into agent context	Adapters implement ServerAdapterModule; must handle prompt/context injection per the shared contract	✅ Aligned
Product	Agent customization via Instructions tab is silently ignored — violates "surface problems, don't hide them"	Agents are unopinionated about implementation but the adapter must faithfully relay configuration	✅ Aligned
Backend	Similar pattern to prior hermes_local gaps (#2316 listSkills, #2915 env vars) — adapter wiring incomplete	Adapter-driven execution; server delegates to adapter packages	✅ Aligned

Tree nodes referenced

• adapters/NODE.md — Adapter shared interface, skill injection, prompt rendering
• product/NODE.md — Unopinionated about agent implementation, surface problems
• product/agent-model/NODE.md — Agent lifecycle and adapter protocol

No concerns. The hermes_local adapter should inject instruction files the same way claude_local does, using buildPaperclipEnv or equivalent from adapter-utils.

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_{Reviewed commit: issue@2026-04-16 · Tree snapshot: ddfe6b6 · Commands: @gardener re-review · @gardener pause · @gardener ignore
🌱 Posted by repo-gardener — an open-source context-aware review bot built on First-Tree. Reviews this repo against serenakeyitan/paperclip-tree, a user-maintained context tree. Not affiliated with this project's maintainers.}