Bug: /agent pop-up treats .github\agents\AGENTS.md as a custom agent
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Description
Describe the bug
The /agent pop-up incorrectly attempts to load a repository guidance file at .github\agents\AGENTS.md as a custom agent definition. It then reports a malformed custom-agent frontmatter error, even though AGENTS.md is documented as repository instructions at https://agents.md/ and is not intended to be a custom agent file.
Observed output:
Custom Agents
The following agents failed to load:
✖ .github\agents\AGENTS.md: custom agent markdown frontmatter is malformed: missing or malformed YAML frontmatter
Affected version
Unknown; please determine from the report metadata.
Steps to reproduce the behavior
- Add or use a repository guidance file at
.github\agents\AGENTS.mdfollowing theAGENTS.mddocumentation at https://agents.md/. - Start Copilot CLI in the repository.
- Open the
/agentpop-up. - Observe that the file is discovered as a custom agent and fails frontmatter validation.
Expected behavior
The /agent pop-up should distinguish repository instruction files such as AGENTS.md from custom agent definitions. It should not try to parse a documented AGENTS.md file as a custom agent or report a frontmatter error for it.
Additional context
- Platform: Windows
- The error is shown in the
/agentpop-up. - Documentation referenced: https://agents.md/
- The path is displayed with Windows separators:
.github\agents\AGENTS.md.
Contributor guide
First steps
- Read the whole issue, then the project's contributing guide.
- Comment on the issue to say you are picking it up — it saves two people doing the same work.
- Fork the repository and make your change on a branch.
- Open a pull request that references the issue number.
Research direction
Start at the /agent pop-up's custom-agent discovery and frontmatter validation flow, reproducing the report with .github\agents\AGENTS.md on Windows. Done means the repository instruction file is distinguished from custom agents, is not parsed as one, and no malformed-frontmatter error appears while custom agents remain discoverable.
Written by the indexing model from the issue text.
Assessment
- Tech stack
- shell
- Domain
- cli
- Issue type
- Bug
- Difficulty
- 3/5
- Estimated time
- 1-2 days
- Activity status
- Quiet
- Clarity
- Mostly clear
- Newbie friendliness
- 58/100