---
domain: hermes-agent
category: pitfall
version: 1
last_updated: "2026-04-13"
---

# Pitfalls (hermes-agent)

## Cron & Deployment

- id: hermes-agent:pitfall:001
  fact: "deploy-crons.py leaves jobs in mixed model format - some have provider/model, some just model"
  confidence: 0.95
  tags: [cron, deploy, model, config]
  source_count: 5
  first_seen: "2026-04-08"
  last_confirmed: "2026-04-13"
  related: [hermes-agent:pitfall:002, hermes-agent:pitfall:003]

- id: hermes-agent:pitfall:002
  fact: "deploy-crons.py --deploy doesn't set legacy skill field from skills list"
  confidence: 0.9
  tags: [cron, deploy, skills]
  source_count: 3
  first_seen: "2026-04-09"
  last_confirmed: "2026-04-13"
  related: [hermes-agent:pitfall:001]

- id: hermes-agent:pitfall:003
  fact: "Cron jobs with blank fallback_model fields trigger spurious gateway warnings"
  confidence: 0.9
  tags: [cron, model, fallback]
  source_count: 4
  first_seen: "2026-04-07"
  last_confirmed: "2026-04-12"
  related: [hermes-agent:pitfall:001]

- id: hermes-agent:pitfall:004
  fact: "model-watchdog.py checks first provider line, not model.provider - causes false drift alarms"
  confidence: 0.9
  tags: [watchdog, model, config]
  source_count: 3
  first_seen: "2026-04-08"
  last_confirmed: "2026-04-13"

## Path & Environment

- id: hermes-agent:pitfall:005
  fact: "10+ files read HERMES_HOME directly instead of get_hermes_home() - breaks on custom paths"
  confidence: 0.85
  tags: [paths, env, hermes-home]
  source_count: 6
  first_seen: "2026-04-06"
  last_confirmed: "2026-04-12"
  related: [global:pitfall:002]

- id: hermes-agent:pitfall:006
  fact: "get_hermes_home() doesn't expand tilde when HERMES_HOME=~/... is set"
  confidence: 0.8
  tags: [paths, env, bug]
  source_count: 2
  first_seen: "2026-04-05"

## SSH & Dispatch

- id: hermes-agent:pitfall:007
  fact: "vps-agent-dispatch reports OK while remote hermes binary path is broken"
  confidence: 0.9
  tags: [ssh, dispatch, vps]
  source_count: 4
  first_seen: "2026-04-07"
  last_confirmed: "2026-04-11"

- id: hermes-agent:pitfall:008
  fact: "nightwatch-health-monitor SSH check fails on cloud-model-only deployments"
  confidence: 0.85
  tags: [ssh, health, cloud]
  source_count: 2
  first_seen: "2026-04-10"