From 0177c169036810c1170059dc8141858df1bdfd72 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Teknium <127238744+teknium1@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Wed, 2 Sep 2026 23:36:11 -0700
Subject: [PATCH] fix(code-execution): remote kernel reap/evict skip kernels
 with a running cell

Same attached-cell guard as the local kernel host (#101861): a remote
kernel mid-cell is never reaped or cap-evicted, so a fan-out never has
its runner killed under a live poll loop.
---
 tests/tools/test_code_kernel_remote.py | 30 ++++++++++++++++
 tools/code_kernel_remote.py            | 47 ++++++++++++++++++++++----
 2 files changed, 70 insertions(+), 7 deletions(-)

diff --git a/tests/tools/test_code_kernel_remote.py b/tests/tools/test_code_kernel_remote.py
index 12e618baa8..bf8470dcc2 100644
--- a/tests/tools/test_code_kernel_remote.py
+++ b/tests/tools/test_code_kernel_remote.py
@@ -244,6 +244,36 @@ class TestIdleReapAndCapEviction(RemoteKernelBase):
             self.assertIn("owner-1", owners)
             self.assertIn("owner-2", owners)
 
+    def test_eviction_skips_kernels_with_a_running_cell(self):
+        """Cap eviction must never kill a kernel mid-cell (the local-kernel
+        race from hermes-agent#101861): a busy kernel stays put and a
+        settled one goes instead, even if the busy one is older."""
+        import threading
+
+        gate = threading.Event()
+
+        def slow_cat(command):
+            gate.wait(10)
+            return {"output": json.dumps(_cell()), "returncode": 0}
+
+        busy_env = ScriptedEnv([
+            ("nohup", lambda c: {"output": "PID:4242\n", "returncode": 0}),
+            ("kill -0", lambda c: {"output": "ALIVE\n", "returncode": 0}),
+            ("cat ", slow_cat),
+        ])
+        with patch("tools.code_kernel._lifecycle_limits", return_value=(1, 1800)):
+            worker = threading.Thread(target=_run, args=(busy_env,), kwargs={"task": "busy"})
+            worker.start()
+            while not any(k.attached for k in _REMOTE_KERNELS.values()):
+                pass
+            env = ScriptedEnv(_spawn_ok_handlers([_cell()]))
+            _run(env, task="settled")
+            owners = {key[0] for key in _REMOTE_KERNELS}
+            self.assertIn("busy", owners)
+            gate.set()
+            worker.join(10)
+        self.assertFalse(any("kill 4242" in c for c in busy_env.commands))
+
 
 class TestDispatchIntegration(unittest.TestCase):
     """_execute_remote prefers the kernel and falls open to per-call."""
diff --git a/tools/code_kernel_remote.py b/tools/code_kernel_remote.py
index 92f514535a..9412eebb54 100644
--- a/tools/code_kernel_remote.py
+++ b/tools/code_kernel_remote.py
@@ -156,6 +156,10 @@ class RemoteKernel:
     last_used: float = field(default_factory=time.monotonic)
     execution_count: int = 0
     cell_seq: int = 0
+    # Cells currently running on this kernel. Reap/evict skip attached
+    # kernels: killing one mid-cell tears the runner out from under a live
+    # poll loop (same guard as tools.code_kernel, hermes-agent#101861).
+    attached: int = 0
 
 
 def _kernel_key(owner: str, env_type: str, task_env_id: str) -> Tuple:
@@ -233,7 +237,7 @@ def _reap_unlocked(idle_timeout: int) -> List["RemoteKernel"]:
     doomed = [
         key
         for key, kernel in _REMOTE_KERNELS.items()
-        if now - kernel.last_used > idle_timeout
+        if kernel.attached == 0 and now - kernel.last_used > idle_timeout
     ]
     return [_REMOTE_KERNELS.pop(key) for key in doomed]
 
@@ -250,7 +254,7 @@ def _evict_over_cap_unlocked(keep: Tuple) -> List["RemoteKernel"]:
     if len(_REMOTE_KERNELS) <= cap:
         return []
     by_age = sorted(
-        (key for key in _REMOTE_KERNELS if key != keep),
+        (key for key in _REMOTE_KERNELS if key != keep and _REMOTE_KERNELS[key].attached == 0),
         key=lambda key: _REMOTE_KERNELS[key].last_used,
     )
     doomed = by_age[: len(_REMOTE_KERNELS) - cap]
@@ -355,11 +359,6 @@ def execute_in_remote_kernel(
     the ``kernel`` sub-dict, matching the local kernel's result shape.
     """
     from tools.code_kernel import _resolve_owner
-    from tools.code_execution_tool import (
-        _rpc_poll_loop,
-        _ship_file_to_remote,
-    )
-    from tools.thread_context import propagate_context_to_thread
 
     owner = _resolve_owner(task_env_id)
     key = _kernel_key(owner, env_type, task_env_id)
@@ -401,9 +400,43 @@ def execute_in_remote_kernel(
 
     kernel.last_used = time.monotonic()
     with _REMOTE_KERNELS_LOCK:
+        kernel.attached += 1
         evicted = _evict_over_cap_unlocked(keep=key)
     for doomed in evicted:
         _kill(doomed)
+    try:
+        return _run_remote_cell(
+            kernel, key, code, env=env, task_env_id=task_env_id,
+            sandbox_tools=sandbox_tools, timeout=timeout,
+            max_tool_calls=max_tool_calls, reused=reused,
+            state_reset=state_reset, state_lost=state_lost,
+        )
+    finally:
+        with _REMOTE_KERNELS_LOCK:
+            kernel.attached -= 1
+            kernel.last_used = time.monotonic()
+
+
+def _run_remote_cell(
+    kernel: RemoteKernel,
+    key: Tuple,
+    code: str,
+    *,
+    env,
+    task_env_id: str,
+    sandbox_tools: frozenset,
+    timeout: int,
+    max_tool_calls: int,
+    reused: bool,
+    state_reset: bool,
+    state_lost: bool,
+) -> Dict[str, Any]:
+    from tools.code_execution_tool import (
+        _rpc_poll_loop,
+        _ship_file_to_remote,
+    )
+    from tools.thread_context import propagate_context_to_thread
+
     kernel.cell_seq += 1
     seq = f"{kernel.cell_seq:06d}"
     q_cells = shlex.quote(f"{kernel.kernel_dir}/cells")