Cannot find Pi CLI entrypoint

[itguy327]

Summary

This is on a fresh install of Taskplane as of 6/8/2026
Merge failed at wave 1: Merge error in lane 1: Cannot find Pi CLI entrypoint (pi-coding-agent/dist/cli.js) under any known npm scope (@earendil-works or @mariozechner). Install via 'npm install -g @earendil-works/pi-coding-agent' (or, for legacy installs, 'npm install -g @mariozechner/pi-coding-agent'). npm root -g returned: /usr/local/lib/node_modules. Batch paused. Resolve conflicts and use /orch-resume to continue.

Steps to Reproduce

Install
run /orch

Expected Behavior

resolve pi cli path for latest pi version

Actual Behavior

docker/GemmaE4BMerge failed at wave 1: Merge error in lane 1: Cannot find Pi CLI entrypoint (pi-coding-agent/dist/cli.js) under any known npm scope (@earendil-works or @mariozechner). Install via 'npm install -g @earendil-works/pi-coding-agent' (or, for legacy installs, 'npm install -g @mariozechner/pi-coding-agent'). npm root -g returned: /usr/local/lib/node_modules. Batch paused. Resolve conflicts and use /orch-resume to continue.

Logs / Output

Relevant Config

Taskplane Version

No response

pi Version

No response

Node.js Version

No response

OS

No response

Pre-flight checks

• I ran taskplane doctor
• I searched existing issues before filing
• I removed or redacted secrets from logs/config

[galiling]

Seems like I'm getting the same error as well. Details:

Title: Orchestrator spawn failure: npm root -g returns empty in child processes (NVM environments)

Component: task-orchestrator / engine

Severity: Blocker — prevents all worker, reviewer, and merger agents from spawning

Environment:

• Windows 11
• Node installed via NVM (C:\Users...\AppData\Roaming\nvm\v25.9.0)
• System Node also present at C:\Program Files\nodejs\
• Pi CLI installed globally: @earendil-works/pi-coding-agent

Description:

When the orchestrator spawns child processes (workers, reviewers, mergers), the child process inherits a stripped-down PATH where
npm root -g returns empty. This causes the Pi CLI entrypoint lookup to fail with:

  Cannot find Pi CLI entrypoint (pi-coding-agent/dist/cli.js) under any known npm scope                                           
  (@earendil-works or @mariozechner). Install via 'npm install -g @earendil-works/pi-coding-agent'.                               
  npm root -g returned: (empty — npm may not be on PATH)                                                                          

The parent shell session has npm/node on PATH and npm root -g returns a valid path (C:\Program Files\nodejs\node_modules). The
issue is that the child process environment doesn't inherit the NVM-managed PATH entries.

Reproduction:

1. Install Node via NVM on Windows
2. Install pi globally: npm install -g @earendil-works/pi-coding-agent
3. Run /orch all with any pending tasks
4. All spawns fail with the above error

Expected behavior:
The orchestrator should resolve the Pi CLI path using the parent process's environment, or fall back to:

1. process.env.NVM_SYMLINK / NVM known paths
2. which pi / where pi in the parent shell
3. The entrypoint path that launched the current pi process (process.argv[0] or __filename ancestor)

Workaround:
None known short of installing Node + pi globally outside NVM so it's on the system PATH.