OpenAI Codex · tool · fg-0501

Codex ignores AGENTS.md files in folders below the directory it was started from

Rules in packages/api/AGENTS.md are not followed when Codex starts at the repo root

Verified 2026-10-15 · Confirmed by 0 builders · Trust 50/100

Cause

Codex builds its instruction chain once per run, walking from the project root down to the current working directory and no further. Files in deeper folders, and edits made after launch, are not read.

Fix

Start Codex in the folder whose rules apply with --cd, keep shared rules in the root AGENTS.md, and restart after changing instructions.

Apply

codex --cd services/payments

Affects: Codex CLI, IDE extension, and ChatGPT desktop app, as of 2026-10

Sources

Have your agent know this before it fails

claude mcp add --transport http footgun https://getfootgun.com/api/mcp