From 40217aa1946b26c5a08f466324b1bcd8f18bccc7 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: teknium1 <127238744+teknium1@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Thu, 28 May 2026 23:21:52 -0700
Subject: [PATCH] fix(kanban): tell workers not to use clarify; route to
 kanban_block instead (#32167)
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Kanban workers run headless — no live user is on the other side of `clarify`,
so the call times out (~120s default) and the task sits silently in `running`
with no signal to the operator that input is needed. Reporter observed a real
incident where a worker asked 'promote to production, or check staging first?'
via clarify, the call timed out, the agent hallucinated a fallback, and the
task sat 'running' for hours.

Fix: explicit 'do not call clarify' bullet in two surfaces every kanban worker
sees —

- `agent/prompt_builder.py` KANBAN_GUIDANCE `## Do NOT` section (auto-injected
  into every dispatcher-spawned worker run).
- `skills/devops/kanban-worker/SKILL.md` `## Do NOT` section (the bundled
  worker skill).

Both point at the right pattern: `kanban_comment` (context) + `kanban_block`
(decision needed) — the task surfaces on the board as blocked, the operator
sees it, unblocks with their answer in a comment, and the worker respawns
with the thread.

Co-authored-by: kweiner <17778+kweiner@users.noreply.github.com>
---
 agent/prompt_builder.py              | 5 +++++
 scripts/release.py                   | 1 +
 skills/devops/kanban-worker/SKILL.md | 1 +
 3 files changed, 7 insertions(+)

diff --git a/agent/prompt_builder.py b/agent/prompt_builder.py
index 8eb0a113f..0f9822804 100644
--- a/agent/prompt_builder.py
+++ b/agent/prompt_builder.py
@@ -235,6 +235,11 @@ KANBAN_GUIDANCE = (
     "- Do not shell out to `hermes kanban <verb>` for board operations. Use "
     "the `kanban_*` tools — they work across all terminal backends.\n"
     "- Do not complete a task you didn't actually finish. Block it.\n"
+    "- Do not call `clarify` to ask questions. You are running headless — "
+    "there is no live user to answer. The call will time out and the task "
+    "will sit silently in `running` with no signal to the operator. Instead: "
+    "`kanban_comment` the context, then `kanban_block(reason=...)` so the "
+    "task surfaces on the board as needing input.\n"
     "- Do not assign follow-up work to yourself. Assign it to the right "
     "specialist profile.\n"
     "- Do not call `delegate_task` as a board substitute. `delegate_task` is "
diff --git a/scripts/release.py b/scripts/release.py
index 4d4a1eb5d..35fe10a82 100755
--- a/scripts/release.py
+++ b/scripts/release.py
@@ -60,6 +60,7 @@ AUTHOR_MAP = {
     "202622897+ticketclosed-wontfix@users.noreply.github.com": "ticketclosed-wontfix",
     "wuxuebin1993@gmail.com": "victorGPT",
     "211828103+julio-cloudvisor@users.noreply.github.com": "julio-cloudvisor",
+    "17778+kweiner@users.noreply.github.com": "kweiner",
     # teknium (multiple emails)
     "teknium1@gmail.com": "teknium1",
     "kenyon1977@gmail.com": "kenyonxu",
diff --git a/skills/devops/kanban-worker/SKILL.md b/skills/devops/kanban-worker/SKILL.md
index 4954e6dc9..ef9022d9a 100644
--- a/skills/devops/kanban-worker/SKILL.md
+++ b/skills/devops/kanban-worker/SKILL.md
@@ -167,6 +167,7 @@ You can configure the gateway to receive cross-profile Kanban task notifications
 ## Do NOT
 
 - Call `delegate_task` as a substitute for `kanban_create`. `delegate_task` is for short reasoning subtasks inside YOUR run; `kanban_create` is for cross-agent handoffs that outlive one API loop.
+- Call `clarify` to ask the human a question. You are running headless — there is no live user to answer. The call will time out (default ~120s) and the task will sit silently in `running` with no signal that it needs input. Use `kanban_comment` (context) + `kanban_block(reason=...)` (decision needed) instead — the task surfaces on the board as blocked, the operator sees it, unblocks with their answer in a comment, and you respawn with the thread.
 - Modify files outside `$HERMES_KANBAN_WORKSPACE` unless the task body says to.
 - Create follow-up tasks assigned to yourself — assign to the right specialist.
 - Complete a task you didn't actually finish. Block it instead.