fix(setup): offer Keep/Replace/Clear when API key already exists

hermes setup / hermes model used to silently skip the key prompt when
any value was present in .env — even a malformed paste — leaving users
with a stuck '✓' and no way to recover without hand-editing .env.

Replace the silent acknowledgement at all three API-key provider flows
(Kimi, Stepfun, generic) with a single [K]eep / [R]eplace / [C]lear
menu via a shared `_prompt_api_key` helper.

- K / Enter / Ctrl-C / unknown input → keep (never destroys the key)
- R → getpass for new key; empty input cancels and preserves existing
- C → clears the env var, tells user to rerun hermes setup, aborts flow

LM Studio's no-auth-placeholder substitution stays on first-time entry
only; on Replace an empty input means 'cancel', not 'overwrite with
dummy key'.

11 unit tests cover all branches incl. garbage-input-keeps-key, Ctrl-C
at the choice prompt, Replace-cancel preserving the old key, Clear
wiping only the target env var, and lmstudio placeholder semantics.

Fixes #16394
Reshapes #18355 — original PR pasted the menu inline at 3 sites with
no tests; this consolidates to one helper (+88/-66) with coverage.

Co-authored-by: Feranmi10 <89228157+Feranmi10@users.noreply.github.com>

hermes_cli/main.py

@@ -3974,6 +3974,85 @@ def _model_flow_copilot_acp(config, current_model=""):
     print(f"Default model set to: {selected} (via {pconfig.name})")
 
 
+def _prompt_api_key(pconfig, existing_key: str, provider_id: str = "") -> tuple:
+    """Shared API-key entry point for ``hermes setup`` / ``hermes model``.
+
+    Handles both first-time entry and the already-configured case.  When a key
+    is already present, offers [K]eep / [R]eplace / [C]lear so the user can
+    recover from a malformed paste without editing ``~/.hermes/.env`` by hand.
+
+    Returns ``(resolved_key, abort)``.  ``abort=True`` means the caller should
+    ``return`` immediately — the user cancelled entry, declined to replace, or
+    cleared the key and is now unconfigured.
+    """
+    import getpass
+
+    from hermes_cli.auth import LMSTUDIO_NOAUTH_PLACEHOLDER
+    from hermes_cli.config import save_env_value
+
+    key_env = pconfig.api_key_env_vars[0] if pconfig.api_key_env_vars else ""
+
+    def _prompt_new_key(*, allow_lmstudio_default: bool) -> str:
+        if provider_id == "lmstudio" and allow_lmstudio_default:
+            prompt = f"{key_env} (Enter for no-auth default {LMSTUDIO_NOAUTH_PLACEHOLDER!r}): "
+        else:
+            prompt = f"{key_env} (or Enter to cancel): "
+        try:
+            entered = getpass.getpass(prompt).strip()
+        except (KeyboardInterrupt, EOFError):
+            print()
+            return ""
+        if not entered and provider_id == "lmstudio" and allow_lmstudio_default:
+            return LMSTUDIO_NOAUTH_PLACEHOLDER
+        return entered
+
+    # First-time entry ────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+    if not existing_key:
+        print(f"No {pconfig.name} API key configured.")
+        if not key_env:
+            return "", True
+        new_key = _prompt_new_key(allow_lmstudio_default=True)
+        if not new_key:
+            print("Cancelled.")
+            return "", True
+        save_env_value(key_env, new_key)
+        print("API key saved.")
+        print()
+        return new_key, False
+
+    # Already configured — offer K / R / C ────────────────────────────────
+    print(f"  {pconfig.name} API key: {existing_key[:8]}... ✓")
+    if not key_env:
+        # Nothing we can rewrite; just acknowledge and move on.
+        print()
+        return existing_key, False
+    try:
+        choice = input("  [K]eep / [R]eplace / [C]lear (default K): ").strip().lower()
+    except (KeyboardInterrupt, EOFError):
+        print()
+        choice = "k"
+
+    if choice.startswith("r"):
+        new_key = _prompt_new_key(allow_lmstudio_default=False)
+        if not new_key:
+            print("  No change.")
+            print()
+            return existing_key, False
+        save_env_value(key_env, new_key)
+        print("  API key updated.")
+        print()
+        return new_key, False
+
+    if choice.startswith("c"):
+        save_env_value(key_env, "")
+        print(f"  API key cleared.  Re-run `hermes setup` to configure {pconfig.name} again.")
+        return "", True
+
+    # Keep (default, or any other input)
+    print()
+    return existing_key, False
+
+
 def _model_flow_kimi(config, current_model=""):
     """Kimi / Moonshot model selection with automatic endpoint routing.
 
@@ -4008,26 +4087,9 @@ def _model_flow_kimi(config, current_model=""):
         if existing_key:
             break
 
-    if not existing_key:
+    existing_key, abort = _prompt_api_key(pconfig, existing_key, provider_id=provider_id)
-        print(f"No {pconfig.name} API key configured.")
+    if abort:
-        if key_env:
+        return
-            try:
-                import getpass
-
-                new_key = getpass.getpass(f"{key_env} (or Enter to cancel): ").strip()
-            except (KeyboardInterrupt, EOFError):
-                print()
-                return
-            if not new_key:
-                print("Cancelled.")
-                return
-            save_env_value(key_env, new_key)
-            existing_key = new_key
-            print("API key saved.")
-            print()
-    else:
-        print(f"  {pconfig.name} API key: {existing_key[:8]}... ✓")
-        print()
 
     # Step 2: Auto-detect endpoint from key prefix
     is_coding_plan = existing_key.startswith("sk-kimi-")
@@ -4128,25 +4190,9 @@ def _model_flow_stepfun(config, current_model=""):
         if existing_key:
             break
 
-    if not existing_key:
+    existing_key, abort = _prompt_api_key(pconfig, existing_key, provider_id=provider_id)
-        print(f"No {pconfig.name} API key configured.")
+    if abort:
-        if key_env:
+        return
-            try:
-                import getpass
-                new_key = getpass.getpass(f"{key_env} (or Enter to cancel): ").strip()
-            except (KeyboardInterrupt, EOFError):
-                print()
-                return
-            if not new_key:
-                print("Cancelled.")
-                return
-            save_env_value(key_env, new_key)
-            existing_key = new_key
-            print("API key saved.")
-            print()
-    else:
-        print(f"  {pconfig.name} API key: {existing_key[:8]}... ✓")
-        print()
 
     current_base = ""
     if base_url_env:
@@ -4522,33 +4568,9 @@ def _model_flow_api_key_provider(config, provider_id, current_model=""):
         if existing_key:
             break
 
-    if not existing_key:
+    existing_key, abort = _prompt_api_key(pconfig, existing_key, provider_id=provider_id)
-        print(f"No {pconfig.name} API key configured.")
+    if abort:
-        if key_env:
+        return
-            try:
-                import getpass
-
-                if provider_id == "lmstudio":
-                    prompt = f"{key_env} (Enter for no-auth default {LMSTUDIO_NOAUTH_PLACEHOLDER!r}): "
-                else:
-                    prompt = f"{key_env} (or Enter to cancel): "
-                new_key = getpass.getpass(prompt).strip()
-            except (KeyboardInterrupt, EOFError):
-                print()
-                return
-            if not new_key:
-                if provider_id == "lmstudio":
-                    new_key = LMSTUDIO_NOAUTH_PLACEHOLDER
-                else:
-                    print("Cancelled.")
-                    return
-            save_env_value(key_env, new_key)
-            existing_key = new_key
-            print("API key saved.")
-            print()
-    else:
-        print(f"  {pconfig.name} API key: {existing_key[:8]}... ✓")
-        print()
 
     # Gemini free-tier gate: free-tier daily quotas (<= 250 RPD for Flash)
     # are exhausted in a handful of agent turns, so refuse to wire up the

tests/hermes_cli/test_prompt_api_key.py

@@ -0,0 +1,157 @@
+"""Tests for ``_prompt_api_key`` — the shared Keep/Replace/Clear menu used by
+``hermes setup`` / ``hermes model`` when an API key already exists in ``.env``.
+
+Regression coverage for #16394: the wizard used to silently skip the key prompt
+when any value was present (even malformed junk), leaving users stuck.
+"""
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+from pathlib import Path
+from unittest.mock import patch
+
+import pytest
+
+
+@pytest.fixture
+def profile_env(tmp_path, monkeypatch):
+    home = tmp_path / ".hermes"
+    home.mkdir()
+    monkeypatch.setattr(Path, "home", lambda: tmp_path)
+    monkeypatch.setenv("HERMES_HOME", str(home))
+    (home / ".env").write_text("")
+    return home
+
+
+def _pconfig(name="deepseek"):
+    from hermes_cli.auth import PROVIDER_REGISTRY
+    return PROVIDER_REGISTRY[name]
+
+
+def _run_prompt(existing_key, choice, new_key="", provider_id="", pconfig_name="deepseek"):
+    """Invoke _prompt_api_key with mocked input()/getpass() responses."""
+    from hermes_cli import main as m
+
+    pconfig = _pconfig(pconfig_name)
+    with patch("builtins.input", return_value=choice), \
+         patch("getpass.getpass", return_value=new_key):
+        return m._prompt_api_key(pconfig, existing_key, provider_id=provider_id)
+
+
+# First-time entry ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+def test_first_time_save_new_key(profile_env):
+    from hermes_cli.config import get_env_value
+
+    key, abort = _run_prompt(existing_key="", choice="", new_key="sk-abcdef")
+    assert key == "sk-abcdef"
+    assert abort is False
+    assert get_env_value("DEEPSEEK_API_KEY") == "sk-abcdef"
+
+
+def test_first_time_cancelled(profile_env):
+    key, abort = _run_prompt(existing_key="", choice="", new_key="")
+    assert key == ""
+    assert abort is True
+
+
+# Already configured — K / R / C ───────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+def test_keep_default_empty_input(profile_env):
+    from hermes_cli.config import save_env_value
+    save_env_value("DEEPSEEK_API_KEY", "sk-existing")
+
+    key, abort = _run_prompt(existing_key="sk-existing", choice="")
+    assert key == "sk-existing"
+    assert abort is False
+
+
+def test_keep_letter_k(profile_env):
+    key, abort = _run_prompt(existing_key="sk-existing", choice="k")
+    assert key == "sk-existing"
+    assert abort is False
+
+
+def test_keep_on_unrecognised_input(profile_env):
+    """Garbage input falls through to keep — never destroys the user's key."""
+    key, abort = _run_prompt(existing_key="sk-existing", choice="xyz")
+    assert key == "sk-existing"
+    assert abort is False
+
+
+def test_replace_saves_new_key(profile_env):
+    from hermes_cli.config import get_env_value, save_env_value
+    save_env_value("DEEPSEEK_API_KEY", "sk-malformed-junk")
+
+    key, abort = _run_prompt(
+        existing_key="sk-malformed-junk", choice="r", new_key="sk-fresh"
+    )
+    assert key == "sk-fresh"
+    assert abort is False
+    assert get_env_value("DEEPSEEK_API_KEY") == "sk-fresh"
+
+
+def test_replace_cancelled_preserves_key(profile_env):
+    """Empty entry to the Replace prompt means cancel — keeps the old key intact."""
+    from hermes_cli.config import get_env_value, save_env_value
+    save_env_value("DEEPSEEK_API_KEY", "sk-existing")
+
+    key, abort = _run_prompt(
+        existing_key="sk-existing", choice="r", new_key=""
+    )
+    assert key == "sk-existing"
+    assert abort is False
+    assert get_env_value("DEEPSEEK_API_KEY") == "sk-existing"
+
+
+def test_clear_wipes_env_and_aborts(profile_env):
+    from hermes_cli.config import get_env_value, save_env_value
+    save_env_value("DEEPSEEK_API_KEY", "sk-existing")
+    save_env_value("OTHER_VAR", "keep-me")
+
+    key, abort = _run_prompt(existing_key="sk-existing", choice="c")
+    assert key == ""
+    assert abort is True
+    # Cleared, but sibling entries untouched.
+    assert not get_env_value("DEEPSEEK_API_KEY")
+    assert get_env_value("OTHER_VAR") == "keep-me"
+
+
+def test_ctrl_c_at_choice_prompt_keeps(profile_env):
+    from hermes_cli import main as m
+
+    pconfig = _pconfig("deepseek")
+    with patch("builtins.input", side_effect=KeyboardInterrupt):
+        key, abort = m._prompt_api_key(pconfig, "sk-existing")
+    assert key == "sk-existing"
+    assert abort is False
+
+
+# LM Studio no-auth placeholder ────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+def test_lmstudio_first_time_empty_uses_placeholder(profile_env):
+    from hermes_cli.auth import LMSTUDIO_NOAUTH_PLACEHOLDER
+    from hermes_cli.config import get_env_value
+
+    key, abort = _run_prompt(
+        existing_key="", choice="", new_key="",
+        provider_id="lmstudio", pconfig_name="lmstudio",
+    )
+    assert key == LMSTUDIO_NOAUTH_PLACEHOLDER
+    assert abort is False
+    assert get_env_value("LM_API_KEY") == LMSTUDIO_NOAUTH_PLACEHOLDER
+
+
+def test_lmstudio_replace_empty_does_not_overwrite_with_placeholder(profile_env):
+    """On REPLACE with empty input, preserve the user's existing key — do NOT
+    silently substitute the placeholder.  The placeholder path only fires for
+    first-time configuration where the user has made no explicit choice yet."""
+    from hermes_cli.config import get_env_value, save_env_value
+    save_env_value("LM_API_KEY", "my-real-lmstudio-key")
+
+    key, abort = _run_prompt(
+        existing_key="my-real-lmstudio-key", choice="r", new_key="",
+        provider_id="lmstudio", pconfig_name="lmstudio",
+    )
+    assert key == "my-real-lmstudio-key"
+    assert abort is False
+    assert get_env_value("LM_API_KEY") == "my-real-lmstudio-key"