fix: scope chat work directory per-run instead of globally

apps/x/apps/renderer/src/App.tsx

@@ -1034,6 +1034,10 @@ function App() {
   const chatViewStateByTabRef = useRef(chatViewStateByTab)
   const chatDraftsRef = useRef(new Map<string, string>())
   const selectedModelByTabRef = useRef(new Map<string, { provider: string; model: string }>())
+  // Work directory is per-chat. Keyed by tab id; null/absent means none set.
+  const [workDirByTab, setWorkDirByTab] = useState<Record<string, string | null>>({})
+  const workDirByTabRef = useRef(workDirByTab)
+  workDirByTabRef.current = workDirByTab
   const chatScrollTopByTabRef = useRef(new Map<string, number>())
   const [toolOpenByTab, setToolOpenByTab] = useState<Record<string, Record<string, boolean>>>({})
   const [chatViewportAnchorByTab, setChatViewportAnchorByTab] = useState<Record<string, ChatViewportAnchorState>>({})
@@ -1046,6 +1050,36 @@ function App() {
       chatDraftsRef.current.delete(tabId)
     }
   }, [])
+  // Persist a run's work directory to its per-run sidecar config file. The agent
+  // runtime reads this same file (config/workdir-<runId>.json) on each turn.
+  const persistRunWorkDir = useCallback(async (runId: string, value: string | null) => {
+    try {
+      await window.ipc.invoke('workspace:writeFile', {
+        path: `config/workdir-${runId}.json`,
+        data: JSON.stringify(value ? { path: value } : {}, null, 2),
+      })
+    } catch (err) {
+      console.error('Failed to persist work directory for run', runId, err)
+    }
+  }, [])
+  // Read a run's persisted work directory (used when (re)opening a run into a tab).
+  const loadRunWorkDir = useCallback(async (runId: string): Promise<string | null> => {
+    try {
+      const result = await window.ipc.invoke('workspace:readFile', { path: `config/workdir-${runId}.json` })
+      const parsed = JSON.parse(result.data)
+      const value = typeof parsed?.path === 'string' ? parsed.path.trim() : ''
+      return value || null
+    } catch {
+      return null
+    }
+  }, [])
+  const setTabWorkDir = useCallback((tabId: string, value: string | null) => {
+    setWorkDirByTab((prev) => ({ ...prev, [tabId]: value }))
+    // If the tab is already bound to a run, persist immediately so the change
+    // applies to that chat's subsequent messages.
+    const runId = chatTabsRef.current.find((t) => t.id === tabId)?.runId
+    if (runId) void persistRunWorkDir(runId, value)
+  }, [persistRunWorkDir])
   const isToolOpenForTab = useCallback((tabId: string, toolId: string): boolean => {
     return toolOpenByTab[tabId]?.[toolId] ?? false
   }, [toolOpenByTab])
@@ -2023,10 +2057,16 @@ function App() {
       setPendingAskHumanRequests(pendingAsks)
       setAllPermissionRequests(allPermissionRequests)
       setPermissionResponses(permResponseMap)
+
+      // Restore the run's per-chat work directory into the tab it was loaded into.
+      const tabId = activeChatTabIdRef.current
+      const wd = await loadRunWorkDir(id)
+      if (loadRunRequestIdRef.current !== requestId) return
+      setWorkDirByTab((prev) => ({ ...prev, [tabId]: wd }))
     } catch (err) {
       console.error('Failed to load run:', err)
     }
-  }, [])
+  }, [loadRunWorkDir])
 
   const getStreamingBuffer = useCallback((id: string) => {
     const existing = streamingBuffersRef.current.get(id)
@@ -2478,6 +2518,10 @@ function App() {
             ? { ...tab, runId: currentRunId }
             : tab
         )))
+        // Flush this tab's pending work directory onto the freshly created run so
+        // the agent picks it up on the first turn. Done before createMessage below.
+        const pendingWorkDir = workDirByTabRef.current[submitTabId] ?? null
+        if (pendingWorkDir) await persistRunWorkDir(currentRunId, pendingWorkDir)
         isNewRun = true
       }
 
@@ -2671,6 +2715,8 @@ function App() {
       ...prev,
       [activeChatTabIdRef.current]: createEmptyChatTabViewState(),
     }))
+    // A brand-new chat starts with no work directory.
+    setWorkDirByTab(prev => ({ ...prev, [activeChatTabIdRef.current]: null }))
   }, [setChatViewportAnchor])
 
   // Chat tab operations
@@ -2758,6 +2804,12 @@ function App() {
     chatDraftsRef.current.delete(tabId)
     selectedModelByTabRef.current.delete(tabId)
     chatScrollTopByTabRef.current.delete(tabId)
+    setWorkDirByTab((prev) => {
+      if (!(tabId in prev)) return prev
+      const next = { ...prev }
+      delete next[tabId]
+      return next
+    })
     setToolOpenByTab((prev) => {
       if (!(tabId in prev)) return prev
       const next = { ...prev }
@@ -5800,6 +5852,8 @@ function App() {
                                 selectedModelByTabRef.current.delete(tab.id)
                               }
                             }}
+                            workDir={workDirByTab[tab.id] ?? null}
+                            onWorkDirChange={(v) => setTabWorkDir(tab.id, v)}
                             isRecording={isActive && isRecording}
                             recordingText={isActive ? voice.interimText : undefined}
                             recordingState={isActive ? (voice.state === 'connecting' ? 'connecting' : 'listening') : undefined}
@@ -5869,6 +5923,8 @@ function App() {
                     selectedModelByTabRef.current.delete(tabId)
                   }
                 }}
+                workDirByTab={workDirByTab}
+                onWorkDirChangeForTab={setTabWorkDir}
                 pendingAskHumanRequests={pendingAskHumanRequests}
                 allPermissionRequests={allPermissionRequests}
                 permissionResponses={permissionResponses}

apps/x/apps/renderer/src/components/chat-input-with-mentions.tsx

@@ -133,6 +133,10 @@ interface ChatInputInnerProps {
   onTtsModeChange?: (mode: 'summary' | 'full') => void
   /** Fired when the user picks a different model in the dropdown (only when no run exists yet). */
   onSelectedModelChange?: (model: SelectedModel | null) => void
+  /** Work directory for this chat (per-chat). Null when none is set. */
+  workDir?: string | null
+  /** Fired when the user sets/changes/clears the work directory for this chat. */
+  onWorkDirChange?: (value: string | null) => void
 }
 
 function ChatInputInner({
@@ -159,6 +163,8 @@ function ChatInputInner({
   onToggleTts,
   onTtsModeChange,
   onSelectedModelChange,
+  workDir = null,
+  onWorkDirChange,
 }: ChatInputInnerProps) {
   const controller = usePromptInputController()
   const message = controller.textInput.value
@@ -173,7 +179,6 @@ function ChatInputInner({
   const [searchEnabled, setSearchEnabled] = useState(false)
   const [searchAvailable, setSearchAvailable] = useState(false)
   const [isRowboatConnected, setIsRowboatConnected] = useState(false)
-  const [workDir, setWorkDir] = useState<string | null>(null)
 
   // When a run exists, freeze the dropdown to the run's resolved model+provider.
   useEffect(() => {
@@ -256,22 +261,8 @@ function ChatInputInner({
     return () => window.removeEventListener('models-config-changed', handler)
   }, [loadModelConfig])
 
-  // Load currently configured work directory
+  // Work directory is owned per-chat by the parent (App). This component only
-  const loadWorkDir = useCallback(async () => {
+  // drives the picker dialog and reports changes up via onWorkDirChange.
-    try {
-      const result = await window.ipc.invoke('workspace:readFile', { path: 'config/workdir.json' })
-      const parsed = JSON.parse(result.data)
-      const value = typeof parsed?.path === 'string' ? parsed.path.trim() : ''
-      setWorkDir(value || null)
-    } catch {
-      setWorkDir(null)
-    }
-  }, [])
-
-  useEffect(() => {
-    loadWorkDir()
-  }, [isActive, loadWorkDir])
-
   const handleSetWorkDir = useCallback(async () => {
     try {
       let defaultPath: string | undefined = workDir ?? undefined
@@ -291,31 +282,18 @@ function ChatInputInner({
         defaultPath,
       })
       if (!chosen) return
-      await window.ipc.invoke('workspace:writeFile', {
+      onWorkDirChange?.(chosen)
-        path: 'config/workdir.json',
-        data: JSON.stringify({ path: chosen }, null, 2),
-      })
-      setWorkDir(chosen)
       toast.success(`Work directory set: ${chosen}`)
     } catch (err) {
       console.error('Failed to set work directory', err)
       toast.error('Failed to set work directory')
     }
-  }, [workDir])
+  }, [workDir, onWorkDirChange])
 
-  const handleClearWorkDir = useCallback(async () => {
+  const handleClearWorkDir = useCallback(() => {
-    try {
+    onWorkDirChange?.(null)
-      await window.ipc.invoke('workspace:writeFile', {
+    toast.success('Work directory cleared')
-        path: 'config/workdir.json',
+  }, [onWorkDirChange])
-        data: JSON.stringify({}, null, 2),
-      })
-      setWorkDir(null)
-      toast.success('Work directory cleared')
-    } catch (err) {
-      console.error('Failed to clear work directory', err)
-      toast.error('Failed to clear work directory')
-    }
-  }, [])
 
   // Check search tool availability (exa or signed-in via gateway)
   useEffect(() => {
@@ -802,6 +780,8 @@ export interface ChatInputWithMentionsProps {
   onToggleTts?: () => void
   onTtsModeChange?: (mode: 'summary' | 'full') => void
   onSelectedModelChange?: (model: SelectedModel | null) => void
+  workDir?: string | null
+  onWorkDirChange?: (value: string | null) => void
 }
 
 export function ChatInputWithMentions({
@@ -831,6 +811,8 @@ export function ChatInputWithMentions({
   onToggleTts,
   onTtsModeChange,
   onSelectedModelChange,
+  workDir,
+  onWorkDirChange,
 }: ChatInputWithMentionsProps) {
   return (
     <PromptInputProvider knowledgeFiles={knowledgeFiles} recentFiles={recentFiles} visibleFiles={visibleFiles}>
@@ -858,6 +840,8 @@ export function ChatInputWithMentions({
         onToggleTts={onToggleTts}
         onTtsModeChange={onTtsModeChange}
         onSelectedModelChange={onSelectedModelChange}
+        workDir={workDir}
+        onWorkDirChange={onWorkDirChange}
       />
     </PromptInputProvider>
   )

apps/x/apps/renderer/src/components/chat-sidebar.tsx

@@ -143,6 +143,8 @@ interface ChatSidebarProps {
   getInitialDraft?: (tabId: string) => string | undefined
   onDraftChangeForTab?: (tabId: string, text: string) => void
   onSelectedModelChangeForTab?: (tabId: string, model: SelectedModel | null) => void
+  workDirByTab?: Record<string, string | null>
+  onWorkDirChangeForTab?: (tabId: string, value: string | null) => void
   pendingAskHumanRequests?: ChatTabViewState['pendingAskHumanRequests']
   allPermissionRequests?: ChatTabViewState['allPermissionRequests']
   permissionResponses?: ChatTabViewState['permissionResponses']
@@ -199,6 +201,8 @@ export function ChatSidebar({
   getInitialDraft,
   onDraftChangeForTab,
   onSelectedModelChangeForTab,
+  workDirByTab = {},
+  onWorkDirChangeForTab,
   pendingAskHumanRequests = new Map(),
   allPermissionRequests = new Map(),
   permissionResponses = new Map(),
@@ -690,6 +694,8 @@ export function ChatSidebar({
                           initialDraft={getInitialDraft?.(tab.id)}
                           onDraftChange={onDraftChangeForTab ? (text) => onDraftChangeForTab(tab.id, text) : undefined}
                           onSelectedModelChange={onSelectedModelChangeForTab ? (m) => onSelectedModelChangeForTab(tab.id, m) : undefined}
+                          workDir={workDirByTab[tab.id] ?? null}
+                          onWorkDirChange={onWorkDirChangeForTab ? (v) => onWorkDirChangeForTab(tab.id, v) : undefined}
                           isRecording={isActive && isRecording}
                           recordingText={isActive ? recordingText : undefined}
                           recordingState={isActive ? recordingState : undefined}

apps/x/packages/core/src/agents/runtime.ts

@@ -38,7 +38,12 @@ import { getRaw as getInlineTaskAgentRaw } from "../knowledge/inline_task_agent.
 import { getRaw as getAgentNotesAgentRaw } from "../knowledge/agent_notes_agent.js";
 
 const AGENT_NOTES_DIR = path.join(WorkDir, 'knowledge', 'Agent Notes');
-const WORKDIR_CONFIG_FILE = path.join(WorkDir, 'config', 'workdir.json');
+
+// Work directory is scoped per run (per chat). Each run gets its own sidecar
+// config file so setting it in one chat does not leak into others.
+function workDirConfigFile(runId: string): string {
+    return path.join(WorkDir, 'config', `workdir-${runId}.json`);
+}
 
 type ToolPermissionMetadataValue = z.infer<typeof ToolPermissionMetadata>;
 
@@ -165,10 +170,11 @@ async function getToolPermissionMetadata(
     };
 }
 
-function loadUserWorkDir(): string | null {
+function loadUserWorkDir(runId: string): string | null {
     try {
-        if (!fs.existsSync(WORKDIR_CONFIG_FILE)) return null;
+        const file = workDirConfigFile(runId);
-        const raw = fs.readFileSync(WORKDIR_CONFIG_FILE, 'utf-8');
+        if (!fs.existsSync(file)) return null;
+        const raw = fs.readFileSync(file, 'utf-8');
         const parsed = JSON.parse(raw) as { path?: unknown };
         const value = typeof parsed.path === 'string' ? parsed.path.trim() : '';
         return value || null;
@@ -1259,7 +1265,7 @@ export async function* streamAgent({
             if (agentNotesContext) {
                 instructionsWithDateTime += `\n\n${agentNotesContext}`;
             }
-            const userWorkDir = loadUserWorkDir();
+            const userWorkDir = loadUserWorkDir(runId);
             if (userWorkDir) {
                 loopLogger.log('injecting user work directory', userWorkDir);
                 instructionsWithDateTime += `\n\n# User Work Directory