## Thinking Path
> - Paperclip is the open source app people use to manage AI agents for
work
> - Bridge workers keep startup setup separate from long-lived runtime
work
> - The callback bridge must keep queue-directory setup inside the
startup step
> - The long-lived poll loop must run with no active startup step
> - This pull request keeps that boundary in the right place
> - The benefit is correct span parents and correct runtime exec
metadata
## Linked Issues or Issue Description
**Bug**
**What happened?**
Long-lived bridge continuations kept a stale startup step store during
the queue-directory setup path.
**Expected behavior**
Runtime exec spans should start with no active startup step.
**Steps to reproduce**
1. Start a bridge lane.
2. Let the startup step end.
3. Run later runtime exec work on the same lane.
**Paperclip version or commit**
223068e2ff
**Deployment mode**
Self-hosted server
## What Changed
- Added `runWithoutActiveStep` in
`packages/adapter-utils/src/acpx-engine/startup-timing.ts`.
- Wrapped the long-lived poll timer, socket handlers, and
callback-bridge worker loop in both bridge lanes.
- Added unit tests for store leak and reset behavior.
- Added continuation tests for both bridge lanes and the `criticalPath`
flag.
## Verification
- `pnpm --filter @paperclipai/adapter-utils exec tsc --noEmit`
- `pnpm exec vitest run
packages/adapter-utils/src/acpx-engine/startup-timing.test.ts`
- `pnpm exec vitest run
server/src/__tests__/environment-execution-target.test.ts`
## Risks
- Low risk.
- The change alters async context handling in bridge continuations.
- If a caller depends on inherited step state, this change removes it.
- The tests cover the intended bridge lanes.
## Model Used
OpenAI Codex, GPT-5, tool use enabled.
## Checklist
- [x] I have included a thinking path that traces from project context
to this change
- [x] I have specified the model used (with version and capability
details)
- [x] I have checked ROADMAP.md and confirmed this PR does not duplicate
planned core work
- [x] I have searched GitHub for duplicate or related PRs and linked
them above
- [x] I have either (a) linked existing issues with `Fixes: #` /
`Closes: #` / `Refs: #` OR (b) described the issue in-PR following the
relevant issue template
- [x] I have not referenced internal/instance-local Paperclip issues or
links (only public GitHub `#NNN` / `github.com/paperclipai/paperclip`
URLs)
- [x] My branch name describes the change (e.g. `docs/...`, `fix/...`)
and contains no internal Paperclip ticket id or instance-derived details
- [x] I have run tests locally and they pass
- [x] I have added or updated tests where applicable
- [x] I have updated relevant documentation to reflect my changes
- [x] I have considered and documented any risks above
- [x] All Paperclip CI gates are green
- [x] Greptile is 5/5 with no open P2s, recommendations, or follow-ups
- [x] I will address all Greptile and reviewer comments before
requesting merge
---------
Co-authored-by: Paperclip <noreply@paperclip.ing>
@paperclipai/adapter-utils
Shared utilities for Paperclip adapters: process spawning, environment injection, sandbox/SSH transport, workspace sync, and the round-trip helpers that move code between the local execution-workspace cwd and wherever the agent actually runs.
For the adapter-author guide see
docs/adapters/creating-an-adapter.md
and the in-repo notes at packages/adapters/AUTHORING.md.
No-remote-git contract
The local execution-workspace cwd is the only persistence boundary across runs. No adapter may depend on a git remote for cross-run state.
Adapters that run the agent on a different host should use the SSH round-trip
helpers in src/ssh.ts:
prepareWorkspaceForSshExecution({ spec, localDir, remoteDir })— bundles the local cwd (tracked files, dirty edits, untracked additions, and the git history needed to reconstruct it) toremoteDirbefore the run starts. Runs with nogit remoteconfigured.restoreWorkspaceFromSshExecution({ spec, localDir, remoteDir, ... })— syncs the remote cwd back intolocalDirafter the run, including any new commits the agent created. Also runs with nogit remoteconfigured.
prepareRemoteManagedRuntime in
src/remote-managed-runtime.ts wraps both
calls for adapters that want a per-run remote workspace and an automatic
restoreWorkspace() finally hook.
The invariant is pinned by the no-remote-git contract case in
src/ssh-fixture.test.ts, which asserts that a
remote-only commit propagates to the local worktree through the
prepare → restore round-trip with no git remote configured at any point. Do
not regress that test.