Bug Description

When image generation is unavailable because neither FAL_KEY nor managed Nous image-generation access is configured, hermes doctor reports:

image_gen (system dependency not met)

That message is misleading. The problem is not a missing OS/system dependency. In my case, fal_client is installed and Hermes image generation support exists, but credentials/auth are missing.

Steps to Reproduce

1. Install/update to the latest Hermes version
2. Ensure image generation dependencies are present (for example, fal_client is installed in the Hermes venv)
3. Do not set FAL_KEY
4. Do not log into Nous Portal with managed image generation access
5. Run:
   hermes doctor
6. Inspect the Tool Availability section

Expected Behavior

hermes doctor should report something actionable, such as:

• image_gen (missing FAL_KEY)
• image_gen (missing FAL_KEY or Nous auth)
• image_gen (image generation not configured)

Actual Behavior

hermes doctor reports:
image_gen (system dependency not met)

Affected Component

Other

Messaging Platform (if gateway-related)

N/A (CLI only)

Debug Report

Debug report uploaded:
  Report     https://paste.rs/nazJE
  agent.log  https://paste.rs/jKt5P

Operating System

Ubuntu 24.04

Python Version

3.11.15

Hermes Version

v0.9.0

Additional Logs / Traceback

Relevant doctor output:

◆ Tool Availability
  ✓ terminal
  ✓ file
  ✓ vision
  ✓ moa
  ✓ skills
  ✓ browser
  ✓ cronjob
  ✓ tts
  ✓ todo
  ✓ memory
  ✓ session_search
  ✓ clarify
  ✓ code_execution
  ✓ delegation
  ✓ messaging
  ⚠️ web (missing EXA_API_KEY, PARALLEL_API_KEY, TAVILY_API_KEY, FIRECRAWL_API_KEY, FIRECRAWL_API_URL)
  ⚠️ image_gen (system dependency not met)
  ⚠️ rl (missing TINKER_API_KEY, WANDB_API_KEY)
  ⚠️ homeassistant (system dependency not met)

Root Cause Analysis

This appears to be a diagnostic regression introduced when managed Nous image generation support was added.

Historically, image_generate was registered with:
requires_env=["FAL_KEY"]

After commit 95dc9aa (“feat: add managed tool gateway and Nous subscription support”), it was changed to:
requires_env=[]

hermes doctor currently prints:

• “missing …” if env_vars/missing_vars are present
• “system dependency not met” if they are empty

That means doctor lost the metadata needed to show a useful image_gen setup message, even though the real blocker is configuration/auth, not a system dependency.

Relevant files:

• tools/image_generation_tool.py
• hermes_cli/doctor.py
• tools/registry.py

Related issues:

• [Bug]: hermes doctor always reports the cronjob tool as "(system dependency not met)" #878 — similar hermes doctor misclassification using “system dependency not met”
• [Bug]: hermes doctor reports configured Honcho as unavailable #961 — similar hermes doctor false-negative / misleading tool availability reporting

Adjacent context:

• [Feature]: Agent should fail fast and explain setup when image generation backends are unavailable #2543 — image-generation availability/setup messaging when no backend is configured
• image_generate tool fails: FAL_KEY not passed to tool execution context #4140 — image_generate runtime FAL_KEY handling bug

Proposed Fix

Teach doctor to report image_gen as a configuration/auth issue rather than a system dependency issue.

Possible approaches:

1. Add explicit doctor/setup metadata for image_gen that reflects:
   • FAL_KEY configured, or
   • managed Nous image generation available
2. Add a doctor override similar to the existing honcho override path
3. Preserve actionable missing-vars/setup hints for image_gen even when direct FAL_KEY is not the only supported backend

Are you willing to submit a PR for this?

• I'd like to fix this myself and submit a PR