Fixes#2846. After PR #2758 (the #2653 fix) the update check correctly
falls through to the branch comparison when HEAD has moved past the
latest `v*` tag — so the banner reports the real commit count against
`origin/<branch>`. But `_select_apply_compare_ref` was never updated to
mirror that decision: as long as any `v*` tag exists, it returns
`tags[0]`, even when HEAD is far past it.
Result for everyone running hermes-agent past `v2026.5.16` (i.e. anyone
on agent master between tagged releases):
1. Banner: `Agent (origin/main): 254 updates available` ← correct
2. User clicks Update Now
3. `_select_apply_compare_ref` picks `v2026.5.16` because tags exist
4. `git pull --ff-only origin v2026.5.16` — no-op (HEAD is already past it)
5. `_schedule_restart()` fires anyway, server bounces
6. Next check still reports 254 behind — banner reappears unchanged
`apply_force_update` had the same bug, except worse: `git reset --hard
v2026.5.16` would have actively rewound the user's checkout 254 commits.
The root cause is the same bug class as #2653 — two parallel paths
(`_check_repo_release` and `_select_apply_compare_ref`) that should make
the same decision but didn't. Pre-fix, the "is HEAD past the latest
tag?" predicate lived inline inside `_check_repo_release` only.
Fix
---
Extract `_head_is_past_latest_tag(path, current_tag)` and have both
paths consult it. When HEAD is past the latest tag:
- check path: release check returns None → branch check runs (#2653,
unchanged behaviour, just refactored)
- apply path: falls through to upstream / `origin/<branch>`, never the
stale tag (#2846, new behaviour)
Tests
-----
- `test_select_apply_compare_ref_uses_tag_when_head_is_on_tag` —
unchanged behaviour pinned: HEAD exactly on tag → advance to tag.
- `test_select_apply_compare_ref_falls_through_when_head_is_past_tag` —
the #2846 repro: HEAD = v2026.5.16 + 608 commits → advance to
`origin/main`, not the tag.
- `test_select_apply_compare_ref_no_tags_uses_upstream` — unchanged.
- `test_select_apply_compare_ref_no_tags_no_upstream_uses_default_branch`
— unchanged.
- `test_check_and_apply_paths_agree_when_head_is_past_tag` — symmetry
test, ensures the two paths can't drift apart again.
All 21 tests in `tests/test_updates.py` pass locally (16 existing + 5
new).
Refs #2846, #2653.
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