hive-c0re/src/bin/hivectl.rs

@@ -933,27 +933,8 @@ fn human_bytes(n: u64) -> String {
 /// state dir (not the live container list) so kept-state tombstones
 /// still resolve as agents — re-provisioning a destroyed-but-kept agent
 /// should still drop its token in the existing state tree.
-///
+fn is_agent(name: &str) -> bool {
-/// Uses `try_exists()` rather than `Path::exists()` so a permission
+    Coordinator::agent_state_root(name).exists()
-/// error reaching the agents root is surfaced, not collapsed into
-/// `false`. The agents root is `0700 hive-core`, so running hivectl
-/// without root yields EACCES on traversal — `Path::exists()` would
-/// silently report `false`, which callers turn into a misleading "no
-/// such agent" (or, for the create-user paths, a silent misclassify of
-/// a real agent as a non-agent account). Mapping EACCES to an explicit
-/// "needs root" error fixes that first-run footgun, where running a
-/// privileged verb without sudo reported as a missing agent.
-fn agent_exists(name: &str) -> Result<bool> {
-    let root = Coordinator::agent_state_root(name);
-    match root.try_exists() {
-        Ok(found) => Ok(found),
-        Err(e) if e.kind() == std::io::ErrorKind::PermissionDenied => bail!(
-            "cannot read the agents root {} (permission denied) - this command needs root; \
-             re-run with sudo",
-            root.parent().unwrap_or(&root).display()
-        ),
-        Err(e) => Err(e).with_context(|| format!("check agent state dir {}", root.display())),
-    }
 }
 
 /// Drop into an interactive Claude session in the agent container.
@@ -992,7 +973,7 @@ fn agent_exists(name: &str) -> Result<bool> {
 /// `machinectl shell` inherits the caller's PTY, so the session is
 /// fully interactive. Requires root and a running container.
 fn choom(name: &str, fresh: bool) -> Result<()> {
-    if !agent_exists(name)? {
+    if !is_agent(name) {
         bail!("no such agent: '{name}' (no state dir under /var/lib/hyperhive/agents/)");
     }
     let container = hive_c0re::lifecycle::container_name(name);
@@ -1042,7 +1023,7 @@ async fn forge_create_user(name: &str, password: Option<&str>, password_stdin: b
         );
     }
     let user_password = resolve_password(password, password_stdin)?;
-    if agent_exists(name)? {
+    if is_agent(name) {
         if user_password.is_some() {
             bail!(
                 "forge create-user: --password / --password-stdin is for non-agent (operator) accounts only; '{name}' is an agent which authenticates via API token"
@@ -1114,7 +1095,7 @@ async fn matrix_create_user(
         .build()
         .context("build reqwest client")?;
     let user_password = resolve_password(password, password_stdin)?;
-    if agent_exists(name)? {
+    if is_agent(name) {
         if user_password.is_some() {
             // The boot-sweep / approval-time agent provisioning path
             // doesn't accept a password — agents auth by access_token,
@@ -1440,7 +1421,7 @@ fn single_agent_scope(name: &str) -> hive_sh4re::LifecycleScope {
 /// regardless of the migration outcome so a failed migration never leaves
 /// the agent down; the migration error (if any) is surfaced afterwards.
 async fn subvol_upgrade(socket: &Path, name: &str, yes: bool) -> Result<()> {
-    if !agent_exists(name)? {
+    if !is_agent(name) {
         bail!("no agent named {name:?} (no state dir under the agents root)");
     }
     if !yes {