fix(gateway): avoid systemctl crashes in Linux environments without systemd

hermes_cli/gateway.py

@@ -230,7 +230,7 @@ def is_linux() -> bool:
 
 
 def supports_systemd_services() -> bool:
-    return is_linux() and not is_termux()
+    return is_linux() and not is_termux() and shutil.which("systemctl") is not None
 
 
 def is_macos() -> bool:
@@ -1871,7 +1871,7 @@ def _is_service_running() -> bool:
                 )
                 if result.stdout.strip() == "active":
                     return True
-            except subprocess.TimeoutExpired:
+            except (FileNotFoundError, subprocess.TimeoutExpired):
                 pass
 
         if system_unit_exists:
@@ -1882,7 +1882,7 @@ def _is_service_running() -> bool:
                 )
                 if result.stdout.strip() == "active":
                     return True
-            except subprocess.TimeoutExpired:
+            except (FileNotFoundError, subprocess.TimeoutExpired):
                 pass
 
         return False

hermes_cli/setup.py

@@ -2243,6 +2243,7 @@ def setup_gateway(config: dict):
         from hermes_cli.gateway import (
             _is_service_installed,
             _is_service_running,
+            supports_systemd_services,
             has_conflicting_systemd_units,
             install_linux_gateway_from_setup,
             print_systemd_scope_conflict_warning,
@@ -2255,16 +2256,18 @@ def setup_gateway(config: dict):
 
         service_installed = _is_service_installed()
         service_running = _is_service_running()
+        supports_systemd = supports_systemd_services()
+        supports_service_manager = supports_systemd or _is_macos
 
         print()
-        if _is_linux and has_conflicting_systemd_units():
+        if supports_systemd and has_conflicting_systemd_units():
             print_systemd_scope_conflict_warning()
             print()
 
         if service_running:
             if prompt_yes_no("  Restart the gateway to pick up changes?", True):
                 try:
-                    if _is_linux:
+                    if supports_systemd:
                         systemd_restart()
                     elif _is_macos:
                         launchd_restart()
@@ -2273,30 +2276,30 @@ def setup_gateway(config: dict):
         elif service_installed:
             if prompt_yes_no("  Start the gateway service?", True):
                 try:
-                    if _is_linux:
+                    if supports_systemd:
                         systemd_start()
                     elif _is_macos:
                         launchd_start()
                 except Exception as e:
                     print_error(f"  Start failed: {e}")
-        elif _is_linux or _is_macos:
-            svc_name = "systemd" if _is_linux else "launchd"
+        elif supports_service_manager:
+            svc_name = "systemd" if supports_systemd else "launchd"
             if prompt_yes_no(
                 f"  Install the gateway as a {svc_name} service? (runs in background, starts on boot)",
                 True,
             ):
                 try:
                     installed_scope = None
                     did_install = False
-                    if _is_linux:
+                    if supports_systemd:
                         installed_scope, did_install = install_linux_gateway_from_setup(force=False)
                     else:
                         launchd_install(force=False)
                         did_install = True
                     print()
                     if did_install and prompt_yes_no("  Start the service now?", True):
                         try:
-                            if _is_linux:
+                            if supports_systemd:
                                 systemd_start(system=installed_scope == "system")
                             elif _is_macos:
                                 launchd_start()
@@ -2307,7 +2310,7 @@ def setup_gateway(config: dict):
                     print_info("  You can try manually: hermes gateway install")
             else:
                 print_info("  You can install later: hermes gateway install")
-                if _is_linux:
+                if supports_systemd:
                     print_info("  Or as a boot-time service: sudo hermes gateway install --system")
                 print_info("  Or run in foreground:  hermes gateway")
         else:

tests/hermes_cli/test_gateway_service.py

@@ -311,6 +311,13 @@ def test_launchd_status_reports_local_stale_plist_when_unloaded(self, tmp_path,
 
 
 class TestGatewayServiceDetection:
+    def test_supports_systemd_services_requires_systemctl_binary(self, monkeypatch):
+        monkeypatch.setattr(gateway_cli, "is_linux", lambda: True)
+        monkeypatch.setattr(gateway_cli, "is_termux", lambda: False)
+        monkeypatch.setattr(gateway_cli.shutil, "which", lambda name: None)
+
+        assert gateway_cli.supports_systemd_services() is False
+
     def test_is_service_running_checks_system_scope_when_user_scope_is_inactive(self, monkeypatch):
         user_unit = SimpleNamespace(exists=lambda: True)
         system_unit = SimpleNamespace(exists=lambda: True)
@@ -335,6 +342,23 @@ def fake_run(cmd, capture_output=True, text=True, **kwargs):
 
         assert gateway_cli._is_service_running() is True
 
+    def test_is_service_running_returns_false_when_systemctl_missing(self, monkeypatch):
+        unit = SimpleNamespace(exists=lambda: True)
+
+        monkeypatch.setattr(gateway_cli, "supports_systemd_services", lambda: True)
+        monkeypatch.setattr(
+            gateway_cli,
+            "get_systemd_unit_path",
+            lambda system=False: unit,
+        )
+
+        def fake_run(*args, **kwargs):
+            raise FileNotFoundError("systemctl")
+
+        monkeypatch.setattr(gateway_cli.subprocess, "run", fake_run)
+
+        assert gateway_cli._is_service_running() is False
+
 
 class TestGatewaySystemServiceRouting:
     def test_gateway_install_passes_system_flags(self, monkeypatch):

tests/hermes_cli/test_setup.py

@@ -1,11 +1,11 @@
-"""Tests for setup_model_provider — verifies the delegation to
-select_provider_and_model() and config dict sync."""
+"""Tests for setup.py configuration flows."""
 import json
 import sys
 import types
 
 from hermes_cli.auth import get_active_provider
 from hermes_cli.config import load_config, save_config
+from hermes_cli import setup as setup_mod
 from hermes_cli.setup import setup_model_provider
 
 
@@ -142,6 +142,43 @@ def fake_select():
     assert reloaded.get("custom_providers") == [{"name": "Local", "base_url": "http://localhost:8080/v1"}]
 
 
+def test_setup_gateway_skips_service_install_when_systemctl_missing(monkeypatch, capsys):
+    env = {
+        "TELEGRAM_BOT_TOKEN": "",
+        "TELEGRAM_HOME_CHANNEL": "",
+        "DISCORD_BOT_TOKEN": "",
+        "DISCORD_HOME_CHANNEL": "",
+        "SLACK_BOT_TOKEN": "",
+        "SLACK_HOME_CHANNEL": "",
+        "MATRIX_HOMESERVER": "https://matrix.example.com",
+        "MATRIX_USER_ID": "@alice:example.com",
+        "MATRIX_PASSWORD": "",
+        "MATRIX_ACCESS_TOKEN": "token",
+        "BLUEBUBBLES_SERVER_URL": "",
+        "BLUEBUBBLES_HOME_CHANNEL": "",
+        "WHATSAPP_ENABLED": "",
+        "WEBHOOK_ENABLED": "",
+    }
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(setup_mod, "get_env_value", lambda key: env.get(key, ""))
+    monkeypatch.setattr(setup_mod, "prompt_yes_no", lambda *args, **kwargs: False)
+    monkeypatch.setattr("platform.system", lambda: "Linux")
+
+    import hermes_cli.gateway as gateway_mod
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(gateway_mod, "supports_systemd_services", lambda: False)
+    monkeypatch.setattr(gateway_mod, "is_macos", lambda: False)
+    monkeypatch.setattr(gateway_mod, "_is_service_installed", lambda: False)
+    monkeypatch.setattr(gateway_mod, "_is_service_running", lambda: False)
+
+    setup_mod.setup_gateway({})
+
+    out = capsys.readouterr().out
+    assert "Messaging platforms configured!" in out
+    assert "Start the gateway to bring your bots online:" in out
+    assert "hermes gateway" in out
+
+
 def test_setup_syncs_custom_provider_removal_from_disk(tmp_path, monkeypatch):
     """Removing the last custom provider in model setup should persist."""
     monkeypatch.setenv("HERMES_HOME", str(tmp_path))