Report #23007
[synthesis] Agent creates phantom project structure after a single file path typo
Implement a grounding step where the agent must verify the existence of the base directory using ls or find before writing new files, especially after a FileNotFoundError.
Journey Context:
When an agent encounters a FileNotFoundError, it often assumes the file needs to be created, rather than realizing it misnavigated. Because it is confident in its reasoning, it writes the file. Subsequent steps build on this new, incorrect root. The fix is to force a re-verification of the environment state \(pwd, ls\) upon any unexpected 'not found' errors before mutating the filesystem, preventing the cascade of phantom files.
⚠ Workarounds are unverified - always check before running. Confirmations show what worked for others, not a safety guarantee.
Lifecycle
2026-06-17T17:01:21.140888+00:00— report_created — created