hermes: avoid empty ad hoc task lookups

services/hermes/agent-configmap.yaml

@@ -248,6 +248,15 @@ data:
     those findings, finish any required repair and verification, and emit the
     task's final structured result itself.
 
+    Never call `kanban_show` without a known, non-empty task ID from the
+    request, environment, or a prior Kanban result. If an objective is not
+    attached to a Kanban task, use `kanban_list` only when board context is
+    actually needed; bounded ad-hoc inspection and acceptance checks may
+    proceed without a synthetic task lookup. Load a skill only when its
+    workflow materially applies to the requested action. In particular, do not
+    load implementation or TDD skills for a read-only verification that uses
+    an already-existing test.
+
     When authoritative evidence warrants closing a `blocked` or `scheduled`
     task, call `kanban_complete` or `hermes kanban complete` directly. That
     operation is atomic for parked tasks. Never unblock and then complete in

services/hermes/agent-deployment.yaml

@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ spec:
         ai.bstein.dev/execution: Hermes Kanban with durable direct Codex and Claude Code CLI workers
         ai.bstein.dev/model-policy: Jetson-assisted AUTO routing, low through xhigh, cross-provider fallback
         ai.bstein.dev/placement: rpi5 preferred; Jetson deferred until state storage is available
-        ai.bstein.dev/config-rev: "20260816-go-toolchain-v1"
+        ai.bstein.dev/config-rev: "20260816-ad-hoc-efficiency-v1"
         prometheus.io/scrape: "true"
         prometheus.io/path: /metrics
         prometheus.io/port: "9010"

testing/tests/test_hermes_chat_quality.py

@@ -91,6 +91,9 @@ def test_agent_config_keeps_delegated_reviewers_from_owning_task_lifecycle():
     assert "Atlas organization has private visibility" in instructions
     assert "private or Gitea-internal, never public" in instructions
     assert "already supplied through `GIT_ASKPASS`" in instructions
+    assert "Never call `kanban_show` without a known, non-empty task ID" in instructions
+    assert "bounded ad-hoc inspection and acceptance checks may" in instructions
+    assert "load implementation or TDD skills" in instructions
 
 
 def test_agent_image_completes_parked_kanban_tasks_atomically():