Codex Desktop heartbeat instructions can delete user automations without explicit consent #29757

Summary

Codex Desktop heartbeat runs include an instruction that tells the assistant to delete the automation when the check is considered done, obsolete, or no longer worth checking. In practice, this caused an active user-created heartbeat automation to be deleted without the user asking for deletion.

What happened

A heartbeat automation named TAPD_分析团队需求负荷 with id tapd-4 was scheduled to run on weekdays. During a heartbeat run, the system instructions included language equivalent to:

When the reason for the heartbeat is done, obsolete, or no longer worth checking, search for automation_update and delete the automation.

The assistant interpreted the current TAPD load-analysis check as completed and called automation_update with mode=delete, deleting the automation. The user immediately asked why their automation was deleted. I recreated it afterward, but this is a serious product issue because a model judgment about task completion should not silently remove user scheduling state.

Expected behavior

Heartbeat automations should not be deleted by the assistant unless the user explicitly requests deletion, or at minimum unless the user confirms the deletion in the UI.

A safer rule would be:

• If the automation seems obsolete, report that to the user and suggest deletion.
• Do not call automation_update(mode=delete) for user-created automations without explicit user consent.
• Prefer pausing or surfacing a recommendation over deleting persistent scheduling state.

Actual behavior

The assistant deleted the heartbeat automation during routine execution because the heartbeat system instruction explicitly encouraged deletion when the task seemed complete or stale.

Impact

This can unexpectedly stop recurring operational workflows. The failure mode is especially bad because the user may not notice the automation has been removed until future scheduled checks fail to happen.

Suggested fix

Please remove or narrow the heartbeat instruction that allows autonomous deletion of automations. Deletion should require explicit user intent or a confirmation step.

Environment

• Product: Codex Desktop
• Automation kind: heartbeat
• Automation id observed: tapd-4
• Date observed: 2026-06-24