fix: make repository optional when starting a dashboard run (#1397)

* fix: make repository optional when starting a dashboard run

The agent infers and clones the target repo from the task itself, so a
default repo is never actually required to run — but the dashboard 400'd
("no default repository configured") when a user had none set.

Treat repo as optional: _resolve_repo_config returns {} instead of
raising, repo metadata/config are only written when a repo is present,
and the "missing repository metadata" gate on follow-up messages is
dropped. UI hides the repo chip when absent.

* feat: add repo picker to the run prompt bar

Adds an optional, searchable repository selector next to the model picker
on the Agents home prompt bar (Cursor-style). It pre-fills the user's saved
default repo and can be cleared to "No repository" for a repo-less run.

Because the picker now resolves the default on the client, the create
endpoint honors the request value verbatim: _resolve_repo_config just parses
what's sent ({} when empty) instead of falling back to the saved default,
so an explicit "No repository" is respected.

* refactor: match Cursor layout for repo placement

Move the repo selector out of the prompt-box footer to a pill row above
the input (folder + caret, dropdown opens downward); the model picker
stays inside the box. In the thread view, show the thread title and repo
in a header at the top of the chat, with the follow-up input pinned to
the bottom as before.

agent/dashboard/thread_api.py

@@ -16,7 +16,6 @@ from pydantic import BaseModel, Field
 
 from ..utils.auth import persist_encrypted_github_token
 from ..utils.thread_ops import is_thread_active, langgraph_client, queue_message_for_thread
-from .agent_overrides import get_profile_default_repo
 from .message_adapter import state_messages_to_ui
 from .options import SUPPORTED_MODEL_IDS, model_supports_effort
 from .profiles import OAUTH_TOKENS_NAMESPACE, get_profile, get_valid_access_token
@@ -179,8 +178,8 @@ def _thread_summary(
     summary: dict[str, Any] = {
         "id": thread.get("thread_id") or thread.get("id"),
         "title": title,
-        "repo": name or "unknown",
-        "repoFullName": full_name or "unknown/unknown",
+        "repo": name,
+        "repoFullName": full_name,
         "branch": metadata.get("branch_name") or metadata.get("base_branch") or "main",
         "model": model,
         "effort": effort,
@@ -279,18 +278,15 @@ async def get_dashboard_thread(
     return _thread_summary(thread, messages=messages)
 
 
-async def _resolve_repo_config(login: str, repo: str | None) -> dict[str, str]:
-    parsed = _parse_repo(repo)
-    if parsed:
-        return parsed
-    profile_repo = await get_profile_default_repo(login)
-    if profile_repo:
-        return profile_repo
-    profile = await get_profile(login)
-    parsed = _parse_repo(profile.get("default_repo") if isinstance(profile, dict) else None)
-    if parsed:
-        return parsed
-    raise HTTPException(400, "no default repository configured — set one in Cloud Agents settings")
+def _resolve_repo_config(repo: str | None) -> dict[str, str]:
+    """Resolve the run's repo from the request, or ``{}`` when none is given.
+
+    A repo is optional: the agent identifies and clones the target repo from the
+    task itself. The dashboard pre-fills the user's default repo on the client,
+    so the request value is authoritative here — an empty value means an
+    intentionally repo-less run, not "fall back to the saved default".
+    """
+    return _parse_repo(repo) or {}
 
 
 async def _start_agent_run(
@@ -308,12 +304,11 @@ async def _start_agent_run(
     chosen_model, chosen_effort = _normalize_model_choice(model_id, effort)
     metadata_model = chosen_model or profile.get("default_model") or "Default"
     metadata_effort = chosen_effort or profile.get("reasoning_effort")
-    metadata = {
+    has_repo = bool(repo_config.get("owner") and repo_config.get("name"))
+    metadata: dict[str, Any] = {
         "source": _DASHBOARD_SOURCE,
         "github_login": login,
         "title": title or prompt[:80] or "New agent",
-        "repo_owner": repo_config["owner"],
-        "repo_name": repo_config["name"],
         "base_branch": profile.get("base_branch") or "main",
         "branch_prefix": profile.get("branch_prefix"),
         "model": metadata_model,
@@ -321,6 +316,9 @@ async def _start_agent_run(
         "created_at_ms": now_ms,
         "updated_at_ms": now_ms,
     }
+    if has_repo:
+        metadata["repo_owner"] = repo_config["owner"]
+        metadata["repo_name"] = repo_config["name"]
 
     client = langgraph_client()
     await client.threads.create(thread_id=thread_id, metadata=metadata, if_exists="do_nothing")
@@ -331,9 +329,10 @@ async def _start_agent_run(
         "thread_id": thread_id,
         "source": _DASHBOARD_SOURCE,
         "github_login": login,
-        "repo": repo_config,
         "user_email": await _resolve_run_email(login, profile),
     }
+    if has_repo:
+        configurable["repo"] = repo_config
     if chosen_model and chosen_effort:
         configurable["agent_model_id"] = chosen_model
         configurable["agent_effort"] = chosen_effort
@@ -359,7 +358,7 @@ async def _start_agent_run(
 
 
 async def create_dashboard_thread(login: str, body: ThreadCreateBody) -> dict[str, Any]:
-    repo_config = await _resolve_repo_config(login, body.repo)
+    repo_config = _resolve_repo_config(body.repo)
     thread_id = str(uuid.uuid4())
     return await _start_agent_run(
         thread_id,
@@ -383,8 +382,6 @@ async def send_dashboard_message(
     metadata = thread.get("metadata") if isinstance(thread.get("metadata"), dict) else {}
     _assert_thread_owner(metadata, login, email)
     owner, name, _ = _metadata_repo(metadata)
-    if not owner or not name:
-        raise HTTPException(400, "thread is missing repository metadata")
 
     prompt = body.content.strip()
     now_ms = _now_ms()
@@ -411,9 +408,10 @@ async def send_dashboard_message(
         "thread_id": thread_id,
         "source": thread_source,
         "github_login": login,
-        "repo": {"owner": owner, "name": name},
         "user_email": await _resolve_run_email(login, profile),
     }
+    if owner and name:
+        configurable["repo"] = {"owner": owner, "name": name}
     source_context = metadata.get("source_context")
     if isinstance(source_context, dict):
         for key, value in source_context.items():

tests/test_dashboard_repo_optional.py

@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+from agent.dashboard import thread_api
+
+
+def test_resolve_repo_config_parses_request_repo() -> None:
+    assert thread_api._resolve_repo_config("octo/repo") == {"owner": "octo", "name": "repo"}
+
+
+def test_resolve_repo_config_returns_empty_when_no_repo_given() -> None:
+    # None / blank / malformed all mean an intentionally repo-less run — never an error.
+    assert thread_api._resolve_repo_config(None) == {}
+    assert thread_api._resolve_repo_config("") == {}
+    assert thread_api._resolve_repo_config("not-a-repo") == {}
+
+
+def test_thread_summary_blanks_repo_when_absent() -> None:
+    summary = thread_api._thread_summary(
+        {"thread_id": "t1", "metadata": {"source": "dashboard", "title": "no repo run"}}
+    )
+    assert summary["repo"] == ""
+    assert summary["repoFullName"] == ""
+
+
+def test_thread_summary_keeps_repo_when_present() -> None:
+    summary = thread_api._thread_summary(
+        {
+            "thread_id": "t2",
+            "metadata": {
+                "source": "dashboard",
+                "title": "repo run",
+                "repo_owner": "octo",
+                "repo_name": "repo",
+            },
+        }
+    )
+    assert summary["repo"] == "repo"
+    assert summary["repoFullName"] == "octo/repo"

ui/src/components/agents/AgentRunCard.tsx

@@ -80,8 +80,12 @@ export function AgentRunCard({ thread }: AgentRunCardProps) {
             </>
           )}
           <span>{thread.model}</span>
-          <span>·</span>
-          <span>{thread.repo}</span>
+          {thread.repo && (
+            <>
+              <span>·</span>
+              <span>{thread.repo}</span>
+            </>
+          )}
           <span>·</span>
           <span>{formatRelativeTime(thread.updatedAt)}</span>
         </div>

ui/src/components/agents/AgentThreadView.tsx

@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import { useEffect, useMemo, useState } from "react";
+import { FolderIcon } from "@phosphor-icons/react";
 
 import { AgentPromptBar } from "@/components/agents/AgentPromptBar";
 import { AgentsShell } from "@/components/agents/AgentsSidebar";
@@ -89,6 +90,17 @@ export function AgentThreadView({ user, thread }: AgentThreadViewProps) {
   return (
     <AgentsShell user={user} activeThreadId={thread.id}>
       <div className="flex min-w-0 flex-1 flex-col">
+        <div className="flex shrink-0 items-center gap-2 border-b border-[var(--ui-border)] px-4 py-3">
+          <span className="truncate text-sm font-medium text-[color:var(--ui-text)]">
+            {thread.title}
+          </span>
+          {thread.repo && (
+            <span className="flex min-w-0 items-center gap-1 text-xs text-[color:var(--ui-text-dim)]">
+              <FolderIcon className="size-3.5 shrink-0" />
+              <span className="truncate">{thread.repoFullName}</span>
+            </span>
+          )}
+        </div>
         <div className="flex min-h-0 flex-1 flex-col">
           {hasMessages ? (
             <div className="relative flex min-h-0 flex-1 flex-col overflow-hidden">

ui/src/components/agents/AgentsHome.tsx

@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import { SlackConnectDialog } from "@/components/agents/SlackConnectDialog"
 import { Logo } from "@/components/agents/ported/Logo"
 import { useAgentThreads, useCreateAgentThread } from "@/lib/agents/queries"
 import { useModelOptions } from "@/lib/agents/useModelOptions"
+import { useProfile, useRepos } from "@/lib/profile"
 
 export function AgentsHome() {
   const threadsQuery = useAgentThreads()
@@ -16,6 +17,13 @@ export function AgentsHome() {
   const { models, defaultSelection } = useModelOptions()
   const [selection, setSelection] = useState<ModelSelection | null>(null)
 
+  const reposQuery = useRepos()
+  const profileQuery = useProfile()
+  // undefined = untouched (fall back to the profile default); null = explicitly "no repo".
+  const [repoOverride, setRepoOverride] = useState<string | null | undefined>(undefined)
+  const repo =
+    repoOverride === undefined ? (profileQuery.data?.default_repo ?? null) : repoOverride
+
   useEffect(() => {
     if (selection === null && defaultSelection) setSelection(defaultSelection)
   }, [defaultSelection, selection])
@@ -30,6 +38,7 @@ export function AgentsHome() {
             onSubmit={(prompt) =>
               createThread.mutate({
                 prompt,
+                repo,
                 model_id: selection?.modelId ?? null,
                 effort: selection?.effort ?? null,
               })
@@ -38,6 +47,9 @@ export function AgentsHome() {
             models={models}
             selection={selection ?? defaultSelection}
             onSelectionChange={setSelection}
+            repos={reposQuery.data?.repositories}
+            selectedRepo={repo}
+            onRepoChange={setRepoOverride}
           />
         </div>
 

ui/src/components/agents/ported/CloudPromptBar.tsx

@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import { memo, useCallback, useEffect, useLayoutEffect, useMemo, useRef, useState } from "react";
+import { CaretDownIcon, FolderIcon } from "@phosphor-icons/react";
 
 import type { ModelOption } from "@/lib/api";
 import {
@@ -18,6 +19,10 @@ export interface CloudPromptBarProps {
   models?: ModelOption[];
   selection?: ModelSelection | null;
   onSelectionChange?: (next: ModelSelection) => void;
+  /** Repos the user can target. When provided with onRepoChange, a repo picker is shown. */
+  repos?: Array<{ full_name: string }>;
+  selectedRepo?: string | null;
+  onRepoChange?: (repo: string | null) => void;
 }
 
 /** Web-adapted PromptBar from open-swe-app — local state, no Electron/Zustand deps. */
@@ -30,11 +35,25 @@ export const CloudPromptBar = memo(function CloudPromptBar({
   models = [],
   selection = null,
   onSelectionChange,
+  repos,
+  selectedRepo = null,
+  onRepoChange,
 }: CloudPromptBarProps) {
   const [value, setValue] = useState("");
   const [modelDropdownOpen, setModelDropdownOpen] = useState(false);
+  const [repoDropdownOpen, setRepoDropdownOpen] = useState(false);
+  const [repoQuery, setRepoQuery] = useState("");
   const inputRef = useRef<HTMLTextAreaElement>(null);
   const modelDropdownRef = useRef<HTMLDivElement>(null);
+  const repoDropdownRef = useRef<HTMLDivElement>(null);
+
+  const repoPickerEnabled = !!onRepoChange;
+  const filteredRepos = useMemo(() => {
+    const all = repos ?? [];
+    const q = repoQuery.trim().toLowerCase();
+    if (!q) return all;
+    return all.filter((r) => r.full_name.toLowerCase().includes(q));
+  }, [repos, repoQuery]);
 
   const combos = useMemo<ModelSelection[]>(() => {
     const list: ModelSelection[] = [];
@@ -67,9 +86,13 @@ export const CloudPromptBar = memo(function CloudPromptBar({
 
   useEffect(() => {
     function handleClickOutside(e: MouseEvent) {
-      if (modelDropdownRef.current && !modelDropdownRef.current.contains(e.target as Node)) {
+      const target = e.target as Node;
+      if (modelDropdownRef.current && !modelDropdownRef.current.contains(target)) {
         setModelDropdownOpen(false);
       }
+      if (repoDropdownRef.current && !repoDropdownRef.current.contains(target)) {
+        setRepoDropdownOpen(false);
+      }
     }
     document.addEventListener("mousedown", handleClickOutside);
     return () => document.removeEventListener("mousedown", handleClickOutside);
@@ -86,6 +109,82 @@ export const CloudPromptBar = memo(function CloudPromptBar({
 
   return (
     <div className={cn("relative w-full font-sans text-[13px]", compact ? "max-w-none" : "max-w-2xl")}>
+      {repoPickerEnabled && (
+        <div className="mb-2 flex items-center gap-2 px-1 text-xs">
+          <div ref={repoDropdownRef} className="relative min-w-0 shrink">
+            <button
+              type="button"
+              onClick={() => setRepoDropdownOpen((open) => !open)}
+              className="flex max-w-[260px] cursor-pointer items-center gap-1 text-[color:var(--ui-text-muted)] transition-opacity hover:opacity-80"
+            >
+              <FolderIcon className="size-3.5 shrink-0" />
+              <span className="truncate">{selectedRepo || "Select repository"}</span>
+              <CaretDownIcon className="size-3 shrink-0 opacity-70" />
+            </button>
+            {repoDropdownOpen && (
+              <div className="absolute left-0 top-full z-50 mt-1 flex max-h-72 w-72 flex-col overflow-hidden rounded border border-[var(--ui-border)] bg-[var(--ui-surface)] shadow-lg">
+                <input
+                  autoFocus
+                  value={repoQuery}
+                  onChange={(e) => setRepoQuery(e.target.value)}
+                  placeholder="Search repositories…"
+                  className="w-full border-b border-[var(--ui-border)] bg-transparent px-3 py-2 text-[color:var(--ui-text)] outline-none placeholder:text-[color:var(--ui-text-dim)]"
+                />
+                <div className="overflow-y-auto">
+                  <button
+                    type="button"
+                    onClick={() => {
+                      onRepoChange(null);
+                      setRepoDropdownOpen(false);
+                      setRepoQuery("");
+                    }}
+                    className={cn(
+                      "flex w-full items-center px-3 py-1.5 text-left transition-colors hover:bg-[var(--ui-panel-2)]",
+                      selectedRepo
+                        ? "text-[color:var(--ui-text-muted)]"
+                        : "text-[color:var(--ui-text)]",
+                    )}
+                  >
+                    No repository
+                    {!selectedRepo && (
+                      <span className="ml-auto pl-3 text-[color:var(--ui-text-dim)]">✓</span>
+                    )}
+                  </button>
+                  {filteredRepos.length === 0 ? (
+                    <div className="px-3 py-1.5 text-[color:var(--ui-text-dim)]">No matches</div>
+                  ) : (
+                    filteredRepos.map((repo) => {
+                      const selected = repo.full_name === selectedRepo;
+                      return (
+                        <button
+                          key={repo.full_name}
+                          type="button"
+                          onClick={() => {
+                            onRepoChange(repo.full_name);
+                            setRepoDropdownOpen(false);
+                            setRepoQuery("");
+                          }}
+                          className={cn(
+                            "flex w-full items-center px-3 py-1.5 text-left transition-colors hover:bg-[var(--ui-panel-2)]",
+                            selected
+                              ? "text-[color:var(--ui-text)]"
+                              : "text-[color:var(--ui-text-muted)]",
+                          )}
+                        >
+                          <span className="truncate">{repo.full_name}</span>
+                          {selected && (
+                            <span className="ml-auto pl-3 text-[color:var(--ui-text-dim)]">✓</span>
+                          )}
+                        </button>
+                      );
+                    })
+                  )}
+                </div>
+              </div>
+            )}
+          </div>
+        </div>
+      )}
       <div
         className={cn(
           "relative flex min-h-[106px] flex-col rounded-2xl border border-[var(--ui-border)] bg-[var(--ui-surface)] px-4 py-3.5 shadow-sm",