fix(desktop): allow editing built-in agents (#1928)

Signed-off-by: Wes <wesbillman@users.noreply.github.com>
Co-authored-by: Pinky <44b8e82baa6e0e254e0208d68f335c283c94e7b78dd1fa10d5a49d3f13dd0435@sprout-oss.stage.blox.sqprod.co>

AGENTS.md

@@ -104,7 +104,9 @@ commit. **Pre-push hooks** run clippy (workspace + Tauri) and fast unit tests
 in parallel (Rust, desktop JS, Tauri Rust, mobile Flutter) — no overlap with
 pre-commit. Builds are CI-only. Run `just fix-all` to auto-fix all formatting
 in one shot. Run `just ci` for the full local gate. Run `just hooks` to
-re-install hooks after env changes.
+re-install hooks after env changes. Before agents run Git or hooks, activate the
+repo's Hermit environment (`. ./bin/activate-hermit`); do not rewrite hook
+commands to compensate for an unconfigured shell `PATH`.
 
 Additional rules:
 - No `unsafe` code

desktop/src-tauri/src/commands/personas/mod.rs

@@ -175,10 +175,6 @@ pub async fn update_persona(
                 .find(|record| record.id == input.id)
                 .ok_or_else(|| format!("agent {} not found", input.id))?;
 
-            if persona.is_builtin {
-                return Err("Built-in agents cannot be edited.".to_string());
-            }
-
             // Track what changed so we can propagate to linked agent records.
             let avatar_changed = persona.avatar_url != avatar_url;
             let name_changed = persona.display_name != display_name;

desktop/src-tauri/src/managed_agents/personas.rs

@@ -159,27 +159,8 @@ fn merge_personas(mut stored: Vec<AgentDefinition>, now: &str) -> (Vec<AgentDefi
 
     for built_in in built_in_persona_records(now) {
         if let Some(existing) = stored.iter_mut().find(|record| record.id == built_in.id) {
-            let created_at = existing.created_at.clone();
-            let updated_at = existing.updated_at.clone();
-            let is_active = existing.is_active;
-            // Built-in fields are canonical — user overrides on runtime/model are
-            // intentionally not preserved across restarts. Users who want a custom
-            // model or runtime should clone the built-in as a custom persona.
-            if existing.display_name != built_in.display_name
-                || existing.avatar_url != built_in.avatar_url
-                || existing.system_prompt != built_in.system_prompt
-                || existing.name_pool != built_in.name_pool
-                || existing.env_vars != built_in.env_vars
-                || existing.runtime != built_in.runtime
-                || existing.model != built_in.model
-                || !existing.is_builtin
-            {
-                *existing = AgentDefinition {
-                    created_at,
-                    updated_at,
-                    is_active,
-                    ..built_in
-                };
+            if !existing.is_builtin {
+                existing.is_builtin = true;
                 changed = true;
             }
         } else {

desktop/src-tauri/src/managed_agents/personas/tests.rs

@@ -65,12 +65,33 @@ fn merge_personas_preserves_custom_records() {
 }
 
 #[test]
-fn merge_personas_restores_builtin_defaults() {
+fn merge_personas_preserves_builtin_edits() {
     let mut edited_builtin = custom_persona("builtin:fizz", "My Fizz");
     edited_builtin.is_builtin = true;
     edited_builtin.is_active = true;
-    let original_created_at = edited_builtin.created_at.clone();
-    let original_updated_at = edited_builtin.updated_at.clone();
+    edited_builtin.system_prompt = "User-edited instructions".to_string();
+    edited_builtin.name_pool = vec!["User-edited name".to_string()];
+    edited_builtin.env_vars =
+        std::collections::BTreeMap::from([("USER_SETTING".to_string(), "value".to_string())]);
+
+    let (records, changed) = merge_personas(vec![edited_builtin.clone()], "2026-03-19T00:00:00Z");
+
+    assert!(changed); // The remaining seeded built-ins are added.
+    let fizz = records
+        .iter()
+        .find(|record| record.id == "builtin:fizz")
+        .expect("fizz built-in should exist");
+    assert_eq!(fizz.display_name, edited_builtin.display_name);
+    assert_eq!(fizz.system_prompt, edited_builtin.system_prompt);
+    assert_eq!(fizz.name_pool, edited_builtin.name_pool);
+    assert_eq!(fizz.env_vars, edited_builtin.env_vars);
+    assert_eq!(fizz.is_active, edited_builtin.is_active);
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn merge_personas_restores_builtin_marker_without_resetting_edits() {
+    let mut edited_builtin = custom_persona("builtin:fizz", "My Fizz");
+    edited_builtin.is_builtin = false;
 
     let (records, changed) = merge_personas(vec![edited_builtin], "2026-03-19T00:00:00Z");
 
@@ -79,71 +100,8 @@ fn merge_personas_restores_builtin_defaults() {
         .iter()
         .find(|record| record.id == "builtin:fizz")
         .expect("fizz built-in should exist");
-    let canonical = BUILT_IN_PERSONAS
-        .iter()
-        .find(|persona| persona.id == "builtin:fizz")
-        .expect("fizz built-in definition should exist");
-    assert_eq!(fizz.display_name, canonical.display_name);
-    assert_eq!(fizz.avatar_url.as_deref(), canonical.avatar_url,);
-    assert_eq!(fizz.created_at, original_created_at);
-    assert_eq!(fizz.updated_at, original_updated_at);
-    assert!(fizz.is_active);
-}
-
-#[test]
-fn merge_personas_restores_builtin_env_vars() {
-    // A hand-edited built-in record with stray env vars should be reset to
-    // the canonical (empty) env on merge. Built-ins are intended immutable —
-    // if a user wants per-persona credentials, they create or duplicate to a
-    // custom persona.
-    let mut tampered = custom_persona("builtin:fizz", "Fizz");
-    tampered.is_builtin = true;
-    tampered.avatar_url = None;
-    tampered.is_active = true;
-    tampered.env_vars =
-        std::collections::BTreeMap::from([("ANTHROPIC_API_KEY".to_string(), "leaked".to_string())]);
-
-    let (records, changed) = merge_personas(vec![tampered], "2026-03-19T00:00:00Z");
-
-    assert!(changed);
-    let fizz = records
-        .iter()
-        .find(|record| record.id == "builtin:fizz")
-        .expect("fizz built-in should exist");
-    // Built-in persona definitions have no `env_vars` field — they are
-    // always empty. The merge reset should clear the tampered key entirely.
-    assert!(
-        fizz.env_vars.is_empty(),
-        "expected empty, got {:?}",
-        fizz.env_vars
-    );
-}
-
-#[test]
-fn merge_personas_restores_builtin_name_pool_and_preserves_is_active() {
-    let mut fizz = custom_persona("builtin:fizz", "Fizz");
-    fizz.is_builtin = true;
-    fizz.avatar_url = None;
-    fizz.is_active = true;
-    fizz.name_pool = vec!["Definitely Not Fizz".to_string()];
-
-    let (records, changed) = merge_personas(vec![fizz], "2026-03-19T00:00:00Z");
-
-    assert!(changed);
-    let fizz = records
-        .iter()
-        .find(|record| record.id == "builtin:fizz")
-        .expect("fizz built-in should exist");
-    let expected_name_pool = BUILT_IN_PERSONAS
-        .iter()
-        .find(|persona| persona.id == "builtin:fizz")
-        .expect("fizz built-in definition should exist")
-        .name_pool
-        .iter()
-        .map(|name| (*name).to_string())
-        .collect::<Vec<_>>();
-    assert_eq!(fizz.name_pool, expected_name_pool);
-    assert!(fizz.is_active);
+    assert!(fizz.is_builtin);
+    assert_eq!(fizz.display_name, "My Fizz");
 }
 
 #[test]

desktop/src/features/agents/agentManagement.test.mjs

@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ test("allows agents to update only personal, editable profiles", () => {
   );
   assert.equal(
     requestTargetsEditablePersona({ isBuiltIn: true, sourceTeam: null }),
-    false,
+    true,
   );
   assert.equal(
     requestTargetsEditablePersona({ isBuiltIn: false, sourceTeam: "team" }),

desktop/src/features/agents/agentManagement.ts

@@ -137,7 +137,7 @@ export function parseAgentManagementRequest(
 export function requestTargetsEditablePersona(
   persona: AgentPersona | undefined,
 ): persona is AgentPersona {
-  return Boolean(persona && !persona.isBuiltIn && !persona.sourceTeam);
+  return Boolean(persona && !persona.sourceTeam);
 }
 
 export function createInputFromRequest(

desktop/src/features/agents/ui/PersonaActionsMenu.tsx

@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ export function PersonaActionsMenu({
   onDelete: (persona: AgentPersona) => void;
 }) {
   const disabled = isActionPending || isPending;
-  const canEdit = !persona.isBuiltIn && !persona.sourceTeam;
+  const canEdit = !persona.sourceTeam;
 
   return (
     <DropdownMenu modal={false}>

desktop/src/features/profile/ui/UserProfilePanel.tsx

@@ -322,8 +322,7 @@ export function UserProfilePanel({
   // covering both locally managed agents and declared-owned relay agents.
   const canEditAgent =
     isOwner === true &&
-    (managedAgent !== undefined ||
-      (resolvedPersona !== undefined && !resolvedPersona.isBuiltIn));
+    (managedAgent !== undefined || resolvedPersona !== undefined);
   const memoryQuery = useAgentMemoryQuery(effectivePubkey, {
     enabled: viewerIsOwner && Boolean(effectivePubkey),
   });
@@ -395,7 +394,7 @@ export function UserProfilePanel({
   });
 
   const handleEditAgent = React.useCallback(() => {
-    if (resolvedPersona && !resolvedPersona.isBuiltIn) {
+    if (resolvedPersona) {
       setPersonaDialogState(editPersonaDialogState(resolvedPersona));
       return;
     }
@@ -567,7 +566,7 @@ export function UserProfilePanel({
   );
 
   const handleEditPersona = React.useCallback(() => {
-    if (!resolvedPersona || resolvedPersona.isBuiltIn) return;
+    if (!resolvedPersona) return;
     setPersonaDialogState(editPersonaDialogState(resolvedPersona));
   }, [resolvedPersona]);
 
@@ -737,8 +736,7 @@ export function UserProfilePanel({
     resolvedPersona,
   );
   const canManagePersona = isOwner === true && resolvedPersona !== undefined;
-  const canEditPersona =
-    canManagePersona && resolvedPersona?.isBuiltIn !== true;
+  const canEditPersona = canManagePersona;
   const canDeletePersona = canManagePersona && !resolvedPersona?.sourceTeam;
   const archiveActions = useIdentityArchive(effectivePubkey);
   const agentSettingsMenu = (

desktop/src/testing/e2eBridge.ts

@@ -6691,10 +6691,6 @@ async function handleUpdatePersona(args: {
   if (!persona) {
     throw new Error(`agent ${args.input.id} not found`);
   }
-  if (persona.is_builtin) {
-    throw new Error("Built-in agents cannot be edited.");
-  }
-
   persona.display_name = args.input.displayName.trim();
   persona.avatar_url = args.input.avatarUrl?.trim() || null;
   persona.system_prompt = args.input.systemPrompt.trim();

desktop/tests/e2e/agents.spec.ts

@@ -228,6 +228,45 @@ test("built-in personas are used from the catalog dialog", async ({ page }) => {
   await expect.poll(() => getCatalogOrder(page)).toEqual(initialCatalogOrder);
 });
 
+test("built-in persona edits persist", async ({ page }) => {
+  await installMockBridge(page, {
+    activePersonaIds: ["builtin:fizz"],
+    globalAgentConfig: {
+      env_vars: { ANTHROPIC_API_KEY: "sk-ant-test" },
+      provider: "anthropic",
+      model: "claude-opus-4-5",
+    },
+  });
+  await gotoApp(page);
+  await page.getByTestId("open-agents-view").click();
+
+  await page.getByLabel("Open actions for Fizz").click();
+  await page.getByRole("menuitem", { name: "Edit" }).click();
+
+  const dialog = page.getByTestId("persona-dialog");
+  await dialog.getByLabel("Agent name").fill("My Fizz");
+  await dialog.getByLabel("Agent instruction").fill("User-edited instructions");
+  await dialog.getByRole("button", { name: "LLM provider" }).click();
+  await page
+    .getByRole("menuitemradio", { name: "Anthropic", exact: true })
+    .click();
+  await dialog.getByRole("button", { name: "Save changes" }).click();
+
+  await expect(dialog).toHaveCount(0);
+  await expect(page.getByTestId("agents-library-personas")).toContainText(
+    "My Fizz",
+  );
+  const personas = await invokeTauri<
+    Array<{ id: string; display_name: string; system_prompt: string }>
+  >(page, "list_personas");
+  expect(
+    personas.find((persona) => persona.id === "builtin:fizz"),
+  ).toMatchObject({
+    display_name: "My Fizz",
+    system_prompt: "User-edited instructions",
+  });
+});
+
 test("agent avatar emoji picker scrolls inside its popover", async ({
   page,
 }) => {