fix(agent): allow no-repo cloud runs to clone repos (#1955)

Author: tatoalo

packages/agent/src/server/agent-server.test.ts

@@ -639,6 +639,49 @@ describe("AgentServer HTTP Mode", () => {
       expect(prompt).toContain("stop with local changes ready for review");
     });
 
+    it.each([
+      {
+        label: "createPr unset",
+        config: { repositoryPath: undefined },
+        shouldContain: [
+          "Cloud Task Execution — No Repository Mode",
+          "Clone the repository into /tmp/workspace/repos/<owner>/<repo>",
+          "gh repo clone <owner>/<repo> /tmp/workspace/repos/<owner>/<repo>",
+          "If the user explicitly asks you to open or update a pull request",
+          "open a draft pull request",
+          "unless the user explicitly asks",
+          "Generated-By: PostHog Code",
+          "Task-Id: test-task-id",
+        ],
+        shouldNotContain: [],
+      },
+      {
+        label: "createPr false",
+        config: { repositoryPath: undefined, createPr: false },
+        shouldContain: [
+          "Cloud Task Execution — No Repository Mode",
+          "You may clone a repository and make local edits in that clone",
+          "Do NOT create branches, commits, push changes, or open pull requests in this run",
+        ],
+        shouldNotContain: ["open a draft pull request", "gh pr create --draft"],
+      },
+    ])(
+      "returns no-repository prompt for $label",
+      ({ config, shouldContain, shouldNotContain }) => {
+        const s = createServer(config);
+        const prompt = (
+          s as unknown as TestableServer
+        ).buildCloudSystemPrompt();
+
+        for (const text of shouldContain) {
+          expect(prompt).toContain(text);
+        }
+        for (const text of shouldNotContain) {
+          expect(prompt).not.toContain(text);
+        }
+      },
+    );
+
     it("returns auto-PR prompt for Slack-origin runs", () => {
       process.env.POSTHOG_CODE_INTERACTION_ORIGIN = "slack";
       const s = createServer();

packages/agent/src/server/agent-server.ts

@@ -1605,6 +1605,19 @@ ${attributionInstructions}
     }
 
     if (!this.config.repositoryPath) {
+      const publishInstructions =
+        this.config.createPr === false
+          ? `
+When the user asks for code changes:
+- You may clone a repository and make local edits in that clone
+- Do NOT create branches, commits, push changes, or open pull requests in this run`
+          : `
+When the user explicitly asks to clone or work in a GitHub repository:
+- Clone the repository into /tmp/workspace/repos/<owner>/<repo> using \`gh repo clone <owner>/<repo> /tmp/workspace/repos/<owner>/<repo>\`
+- Work from inside that cloned repository for follow-up code changes
+- If the user explicitly asks you to open or update a pull request, create a branch, commit the requested changes, push it, and open a draft pull request from inside the clone
+- Do NOT create branches, commits, push changes, or open pull requests unless the user explicitly asks for that`;
+
       return `
 # Cloud Task Execution — No Repository Mode
 
@@ -1617,11 +1630,12 @@ When the user asks about analytics, data, metrics, events, funnels, dashboards,
 
 When the user asks for code changes or software engineering tasks:
 - Let them know you can help but don't have a repository connected for this session
-- Offer to write code snippets, scripts, or provide guidance
+- If they have not specified a repository to clone, offer to write code snippets, scripts, or provide guidance
+${publishInstructions}
 
 Important:
-- Do NOT create branches, commits, or pull requests in this mode.
 - Prefer using MCP tools to answer questions with real data over giving generic advice.
+${attributionInstructions}
 `;
     }