diff --git a/.env.example b/.env.example
index 23cfc66856..5d1f674607 100644
--- a/.env.example
+++ b/.env.example
@@ -45,6 +45,12 @@ INITIAL_PASSWORD=CHANGEME
# executor's on-disk thread-sticky session cache. Leave unset to rely on DATA_DIR.
# OMNIROUTE_DATA_DIR=/var/lib/omniroute
+# Escape hatch for the test-context DATA_DIR guard (#10428). A test run that never
+# chose a DATA_DIR is redirected to a throwaway temp dir so it cannot open the
+# operator's real database. Set to 1 only for a deliberate run against the real
+# DATA_DIR — never for CI. Used by: src/lib/dataPaths.ts
+# OMNIROUTE_ALLOW_DEFAULT_DATA_DIR=1
+
# Encryption key for SQLite database encryption at rest.
# Used by: src/lib/db/encryption.ts — encrypts the entire SQLite database.
# Generate: openssl rand -hex 32 | Leave empty to disable DB encryption.
diff --git a/docs/reference/ENVIRONMENT.md b/docs/reference/ENVIRONMENT.md
index 1325c9e5f6..2cab810ee9 100644
--- a/docs/reference/ENVIRONMENT.md
+++ b/docs/reference/ENVIRONMENT.md
@@ -83,6 +83,7 @@ OmniRoute uses **SQLite** (via `better-sqlite3`) for all persistence. These vari
| Variable | Default | Source File | Description |
| -------------------------------------- | -------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `DATA_DIR` | `~/.omniroute/` | `src/lib/db/core.ts` | Root directory for SQLite DB, backups, and data files. Override for Docker volumes or custom paths. |
+| `OMNIROUTE_ALLOW_DEFAULT_DATA_DIR` | _(unset)_ | `src/lib/dataPaths.ts` | Escape hatch for the test-context DATA_DIR guard (#10428). Test runs with no `DATA_DIR` are redirected to a throwaway temp dir so they cannot open the operator's real database; set to `1` to opt back in to the real directory. |
| `OMNIROUTE_DATA_DIR` | _(unset)_ | `open-sse/executors/promptql/threadSticky.ts` | **Fallback alias** for `DATA_DIR`, checked only when `DATA_DIR` is unset. Used to locate the PromptQL executor's on-disk thread-sticky session cache (`
/promptql-thread-sessions.json`); if neither var is set, the cache stays in-memory only (not persisted across restarts). |
| `STORAGE_ENCRYPTION_KEY` | _(empty = disabled)_ | `src/lib/db/encryption.ts` | AES key for full SQLite database encryption at rest. Generate with `openssl rand -hex 32`. |
| `STORAGE_ENCRYPTION_KEY_VERSION` | `v1` | `scripts/build/bootstrap-env.mjs`, `electron/main.js` | Version label for the encryption key. Increment when performing key rotation to support decryption of old backups. |
diff --git a/src/lib/dataPaths.ts b/src/lib/dataPaths.ts
index 5ad61ddbee..c73d139f36 100644
--- a/src/lib/dataPaths.ts
+++ b/src/lib/dataPaths.ts
@@ -83,12 +83,54 @@ export function resolveDataDir({ isCloud = false }: { isCloud?: boolean } = {}):
* Use this only at the single startup site that owns directory creation
* (currently `db/core.ts`); everywhere else keep using the pure resolver.
*/
+/**
+ * #10428: true when this process looks like a test run rather than a server start.
+ *
+ * `NODE_TEST_CONTEXT` is set by `node --test` in every spawned test process, `VITEST` by
+ * vitest, and `NODE_ENV=test` by the npm scripts — between them they cover both runners
+ * plus the AGENTS.md single-file command, which does NOT load
+ * `tests/_setup/isolateDataDir.ts`.
+ */
+function isTestContext(): boolean {
+ return (
+ process.env.NODE_ENV === "test" ||
+ !!process.env.VITEST ||
+ !!process.env.NODE_TEST_CONTEXT ||
+ process.execArgv.includes("--test") ||
+ process.argv.includes("--test")
+ );
+}
+
+/** Process-wide redirect target, so repeated calls share one DB instead of one per call. */
+let testContextDataDir: string | null = null;
+
export function resolveWritableDataDir({ isCloud = false }: { isCloud?: boolean } = {}): string {
const resolved = resolveDataDir({ isCloud });
// Cloud/serverless never owns a writable home dir; leave its sentinel alone.
if (isCloud) return resolved;
+ // #10428: a test/ad-hoc run that never chose a DATA_DIR would otherwise open the
+ // OPERATOR'S REAL database (~/.omniroute/storage.sqlite — live provider credentials).
+ // Redirect to a throwaway dir instead of throwing: the documented single-file command
+ // (`node --import tsx/esm --test tests/unit/x.test.ts`) does not load the isolation
+ // setup, and a hard failure there would only teach people to disable the guard.
+ // `OMNIROUTE_ALLOW_DEFAULT_DATA_DIR=1` opts back in, so the intent is recorded.
+ if (
+ !process.env.DATA_DIR &&
+ isTestContext() &&
+ process.env.OMNIROUTE_ALLOW_DEFAULT_DATA_DIR !== "1"
+ ) {
+ if (!testContextDataDir) {
+ testContextDataDir = fs.mkdtempSync(path.join(os.tmpdir(), `${APP_NAME}-testctx-`));
+ console.warn(
+ `[DATA_DIR] test context without DATA_DIR → using '${testContextDataDir}' instead of ` +
+ `'${resolved}'. Set DATA_DIR explicitly (or load tests/_setup/isolateDataDir.ts) to silence this.`
+ );
+ }
+ return testContextDataDir;
+ }
+
// No explicit override → already the default user dir; nothing to fall back to.
const configured = normalizeConfiguredPath(process.env.DATA_DIR);
if (!configured) return resolved;
diff --git a/tests/unit/data-dir-writable-fallback.test.ts b/tests/unit/data-dir-writable-fallback.test.ts
index 77661b530c..70421108f5 100644
--- a/tests/unit/data-dir-writable-fallback.test.ts
+++ b/tests/unit/data-dir-writable-fallback.test.ts
@@ -84,6 +84,11 @@ test("resolveWritableDataDir falls back to the default dir when DATA_DIR is not
test("resolveWritableDataDir returns the default dir (no probe) when DATA_DIR is unset", async () => {
await withTempEnv(() => {
delete process.env.DATA_DIR;
+ // #10428: this asserts the SERVER path. Since the test-context guard now redirects a
+ // DATA_DIR-less test process to a temp dir (so a test can never open the operator's
+ // real DB), opt back in explicitly here — otherwise this test would be asserting the
+ // guard's behavior instead of the server's.
+ process.env.OMNIROUTE_ALLOW_DEFAULT_DATA_DIR = "1";
const resolved = resolveWritableDataDir();
assert.equal(resolved, getDefaultDataDir());
// Matches the pure resolver when no override is present.
diff --git a/tests/unit/datadir-test-context-guard-10428.test.ts b/tests/unit/datadir-test-context-guard-10428.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..e957a490fa
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/unit/datadir-test-context-guard-10428.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,120 @@
+import test from "node:test";
+import assert from "node:assert/strict";
+import os from "node:os";
+import path from "node:path";
+import fs from "node:fs";
+
+/**
+ * #10428 — a script or test that opens the DB without setting DATA_DIR resolves to the
+ * operator's REAL database (`~/.omniroute/storage.sqlite`, credentials included).
+ * `tests/_setup/isolateDataDir.ts` protects the npm test scripts, but it is opt-in per
+ * invocation: the AGENTS.md-documented single-file command
+ * (`node --import tsx/esm --test tests/unit/x.test.ts`) does NOT load it, and neither does
+ * an ad-hoc `node --import tsx probe.ts`.
+ *
+ * The guard therefore lives at the one place that actually opens the DB
+ * (`resolveWritableDataDir`, consumed only by `src/lib/db/core.ts`): in a test context
+ * pointing at the default user data dir, it redirects to a throwaway temp dir instead of
+ * touching the real one. Redirecting rather than throwing keeps the documented
+ * single-file command working — a hard failure there would just teach people to unset the
+ * guard.
+ */
+
+const { resolveWritableDataDir, getDefaultDataDir } = await import("../../src/lib/dataPaths.ts");
+
+function withEnv(overrides: Record, run: () => void) {
+ const saved: Record = {};
+ for (const [key, value] of Object.entries(overrides)) {
+ saved[key] = process.env[key];
+ if (value === undefined) delete process.env[key];
+ else process.env[key] = value;
+ }
+ try {
+ run();
+ } finally {
+ for (const [key, value] of Object.entries(saved)) {
+ if (value === undefined) delete process.env[key];
+ else process.env[key] = value;
+ }
+ }
+}
+
+test("G1: a test context with no DATA_DIR never resolves to the operator's real data dir", () => {
+ withEnv({ DATA_DIR: undefined, NODE_ENV: "test", OMNIROUTE_ALLOW_DEFAULT_DATA_DIR: undefined }, () => {
+ const resolved = resolveWritableDataDir();
+ assert.notEqual(
+ resolved,
+ getDefaultDataDir(),
+ "a test run must never be handed the operator's real DATA_DIR"
+ );
+ assert.ok(
+ resolved.startsWith(os.tmpdir()),
+ `expected a throwaway temp dir, got ${resolved}`
+ );
+ assert.ok(fs.existsSync(resolved), "the redirected dir must exist and be usable");
+ });
+});
+
+test("G2: an explicit DATA_DIR still wins inside a test context", () => {
+ const explicit = fs.mkdtempSync(path.join(os.tmpdir(), "omniroute-explicit-"));
+ withEnv({ DATA_DIR: explicit, NODE_ENV: "test" }, () => {
+ assert.equal(resolveWritableDataDir(), explicit);
+ });
+ fs.rmSync(explicit, { recursive: true, force: true });
+});
+
+test("G3: the escape hatch restores the old behavior for deliberate runs", () => {
+ withEnv(
+ { DATA_DIR: undefined, NODE_ENV: "test", OMNIROUTE_ALLOW_DEFAULT_DATA_DIR: "1" },
+ () => {
+ assert.equal(
+ resolveWritableDataDir(),
+ getDefaultDataDir(),
+ "an explicit opt-in must still reach the real dir, so the intent is recorded"
+ );
+ }
+ );
+});
+
+test("G4: a normal server run (no test markers) is untouched", () => {
+ withEnv(
+ {
+ DATA_DIR: undefined,
+ NODE_ENV: "production",
+ VITEST: undefined,
+ NODE_TEST_CONTEXT: undefined,
+ OMNIROUTE_ALLOW_DEFAULT_DATA_DIR: undefined,
+ },
+ () => {
+ assert.equal(
+ resolveWritableDataDir(),
+ getDefaultDataDir(),
+ "the server must keep resolving to the real data dir"
+ );
+ }
+ );
+});
+
+test("G5: node:test subprocesses are detected through NODE_TEST_CONTEXT too", () => {
+ withEnv(
+ {
+ DATA_DIR: undefined,
+ NODE_ENV: undefined,
+ NODE_TEST_CONTEXT: "child-v8",
+ OMNIROUTE_ALLOW_DEFAULT_DATA_DIR: undefined,
+ },
+ () => {
+ const resolved = resolveWritableDataDir();
+ assert.notEqual(resolved, getDefaultDataDir());
+ assert.ok(resolved.startsWith(os.tmpdir()));
+ }
+ );
+});
+
+test("G6: the redirect is stable within a process (same dir on repeated calls)", () => {
+ withEnv({ DATA_DIR: undefined, NODE_ENV: "test" }, () => {
+ const first = resolveWritableDataDir();
+ const second = resolveWritableDataDir();
+ assert.equal(first, second, "a per-call temp dir would split the DB across handles");
+ });
+});
diff --git a/tests/unit/db-core-init.test.ts b/tests/unit/db-core-init.test.ts
index af26c11c51..553795757f 100644
--- a/tests/unit/db-core-init.test.ts
+++ b/tests/unit/db-core-init.test.ts
@@ -464,6 +464,11 @@ test(
HOME: fakeHome,
USERPROFILE: fakeHome,
APPDATA: undefined,
+ // #10428: this pins the SERVER fallback (home data dir). The test-context guard
+ // would otherwise redirect this DATA_DIR-less process to a temp dir — correct for
+ // real test runs, but it would turn this assertion into a test of the guard rather
+ // than of the home-dir fallback. `fakeHome` already keeps the real DB out of reach.
+ OMNIROUTE_ALLOW_DEFAULT_DATA_DIR: "1",
},
async () => {
const core = await importFresh("src/lib/db/core.ts");