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Troubleshooting

Setup

Symptom Fix
Copilot: AEGIS agents or slash commands do not appear in Copilot Chat. Open the repository root as the VS Code workspace, not a subfolder. Switch Copilot Chat to Agent mode. Update VS Code and Copilot Chat if the agent picker is missing.
No module named artifact_tools In a clone, run pip install -e . in the active environment, or set PYTHONPATH=src. Anywhere else, including with the plugin, run pip install aegis-sdlc.
python is not found on Windows. Use py -3 or install Python from python.org with "Add to PATH" selected.
Hooks do not run. Hooks are configured in .github/hooks/validate-artifacts.json (Copilot), .claude/settings.json (Claude Code clone) and the plugin's hooks/hooks.json, and call python. Make sure python on your PATH has PyYAML installed.
Agents say "Enterprise Standards MCP unavailable". See Enterprise Standards troubleshooting.

Validation errors

Run python -m artifact_tools validate docs/artifacts/<app> to see the full list.

Message Meaning and fix
references unknown id X-NNN (not defined in any artifact) An artifact cites an id that no artifact defines. Define it, or fix the typo. If the id belongs to an external standard, see the ID convention.
FR-NNN has no traceability to a PR-* or UJ-* id Each functional requirement must reference a product goal or a user journey on its row.
index is missing a row for ADR-NNNN Add the ADR to architecture-decisions/README.md, or create ADRs with adr new, which indexes them for you.
date '...' must be ISO YYYY-MM-DD Fix the date in the ADR frontmatter.

Implementation readiness is blocked

implementation readiness lists every blocking finding with a code. The common ones:

Code Fix
artifact-not-approved Review the artifact and set status: approved once it is agreed.
artifact-missing Finish the phase that produces it: ideation for business artifacts, architecture for technical ones.
artifact-tbd Resolve the remaining TBD content.
open-decision Resolve the open decision that the artifact marks as blocking implementation.
contracts-missing Add native contract files under interfaces/ for every active IF-*.
adr-proposed / adr-unaccepted Accept, reject or supersede the proposed ADRs.
standards-review Verify current Enterprise Standards, then pass --standards-review verified. Without a library, a person must do this review. See Running without a library.
target-missing / target-conventions Pass the correct absolute path to the target repository. It needs repository instructions or a build manifest that the agents can follow.

Implementation validation

Code Fix
source-drift An artifact changed after a package was planned. Re-plan or re-approve the affected package.
pointer-drift The pointer's active package does not match the package states. Transition the packages so exactly one is active, or use a shared parallel_group.
parallel-path-overlap Two active packages share target paths. Give each package its own paths.
work-package-evidence Record a reviewer PASS and at least one piece of evidence before completing.
release-approval Run implementation release-approve --approver <name> after the final review.

The implementation guard denied an action

The guard runs before file edits and shell commands from every agent. Implementation agents get the strictest rules; everyone else is kept out of the target repository.

Reason Fix
"No single active work package authorizes implementation changes." Approve a work package and move it to in-progress.
"Target writes require an in-progress work package; review packages are read-only." Move the package back to in-progress to make changes.
"No initialized implementation state resolves this target operation." Run /start-implementation so the implementation state exists.
"Destructive commands require explicit human approval..." Expected. Approve the command yourself if it is intended.
"Deployment requires an explicitly approved release gate." Expected. Deployment needs the release gate and a person's approval.

Claude Code

Using the plugin? See also the plugin troubleshooting.

Symptom Fix
/start-ideation and the other commands are missing. Start claude in the repository root, and trust the folder when asked.
Claude does not list the AEGIS specialists when you ask which subagents it can delegate to. Check that .claude/agents/ exists. Contributors: run python scripts/sync_platforms.py.
The guard never denies anything in a claude -p (headless) run. Project hooks did not run because the folder was never trusted. Start claude in the folder interactively once and accept the trust prompt.
The guard never denies anything. Run /hooks and check the project PreToolUse hook is listed and enabled. Hooks call python, so make sure python on your PATH has PyYAML installed.
Validation errors are not fed back to the model. The PostToolUse hook must run validate_hook.py --platform claude. See .claude/settings.json.
enterprise-standards-server is not connected. Copy .mcp.example.json to .mcp.json, restart Claude Code, approve the project server and check /mcp.

Still stuck? Open a bug report. Redact anything private first.