[BUG] Default project not saving

[allecsc]

Bug Description

Default project settings keeps reverting back to using main instead of the one I set.

Steps To Reproduce

Steps to reproduce the behavior:

1. Start new session with Claude Code
2. Run command set_default_project YourProject
3. Get confirmation and restart prompt, for effects to take place
4. Restart
5. Run command get_current_project
6. See error

Expected Behavior

Default project changes to the one I choose.

Actual Behavior

It reverts back to using main, which then proceeds to save new notes to /basic-memory folder instead of the one defined for the project. I've tried to manually edit config.json but it reverts back after launch.

Environment

• OS: Windows 11 24H2 26100.4946
• Python version: 3.13
• Basic Memory version: v0.14.3
• Installation method: uv
• Claude Code only

Additional Context

• Logs or screenshots

> get_current_project
  ⎿  Current project: main        

     • 0 entities
     … +5 lines (ctrl+r to expand)

config.json

{
  "env": "dev",
  "projects": {
    "in-aminute": "D:\\Apps\\Android\\AndroidStudioProjects\\InAMinute\\.memory",
    "main": "C:\\Users\\allec\\basic-memory"
  },
  "default_project": "InAMinute",
  "log_level": "INFO",
  "sync_delay": 1000,
  "update_permalinks_on_move": false,
  "sync_changes": true,
  "api_url": null
}

basic-memory-sync.log

2025-08-24 05:20:39.494 | INFO     | basic_memory.utils:setup_logging:167 - ENV: 'dev' Log level: 'INFO' Logging to .basic-memory/basic-memory-sync.log
2025-08-24 05:20:39.495 | INFO     | basic_memory.config:setup_basic_memory_logging:367 - Basic Memory 0.14.3 (Project: main)
2025-08-24 05:20:43.950 | INFO     | basic_memory.services.initialization:initialize_app:156 - Initializing app...
2025-08-24 05:20:44.002 | INFO     | basic_memory.db:run_migrations:176 - Running database migrations...
2025-08-24 05:20:44.139 | INFO     | basic_memory.db:run_migrations:195 - Migrations completed successfully
2025-08-24 05:20:44.140 | INFO     | basic_memory.repository.search_repository:init_search_index:115 - Initializing search index
2025-08-24 05:20:44.148 | INFO     | basic_memory.services.initialization:initialize_database:30 - Database initialization completed
2025-08-24 05:20:44.149 | INFO     | basic_memory.services.initialization:reconcile_projects_with_config:47 - Reconciling projects from config with database...
2025-08-24 05:20:44.150 | INFO     | basic_memory.services.project_service:synchronize_projects:233 - Synchronizing projects between database and configuration
2025-08-24 05:20:44.164 | INFO     | basic_memory.services.project_service:synchronize_projects:267 - Adding project 'main' to database
2025-08-24 05:20:44.186 | INFO     | basic_memory.services.project_service:_ensure_single_default_project:219 - Set 'main' as default project (was missing)
2025-08-24 05:20:44.191 | INFO     | basic_memory.services.project_service:synchronize_projects:301 - Project synchronization complete
2025-08-24 05:20:44.193 | INFO     | basic_memory.mcp.project_session:initialize:34 - Initialized project session with default project: main
2025-08-24 05:20:44.193 | INFO     | basic_memory.mcp.project_session:refresh_from_config:81 - Refreshed project session from config, new default: main
2025-08-24 05:20:44.193 | INFO     | basic_memory.services.initialization:reconcile_projects_with_config:64 - Projects successfully reconciled between config and database
2025-08-24 05:20:44.193 | INFO     | basic_memory.services.initialization:initialize_app:163 - App initialization completed (migration running in background if needed)
2025-08-24 05:20:44.194 | INFO     | basic_memory.services.initialization:ensure_initialization:177 - Initialization completed successfully: result=None
2025-08-24 05:20:44.194 | INFO     | basic_memory.mcp.project_session:set_current_project:53 - Switched project context: main -> main

basic-memory-mcp.log

2025-08-24 22:16:04.769 | INFO     | basic_memory.utils:setup_logging:167 - ENV: 'dev' Log level: 'INFO' Logging to .basic-memory/basic-memory-mcp.log
2025-08-24 22:16:04.770 | INFO     | basic_memory.config:setup_basic_memory_logging:367 - Basic Memory 0.14.3 (Project: main)
2025-08-24 22:16:07.032 | INFO     | basic_memory.services.initialization:initialize_app:156 - Initializing app...
2025-08-24 22:16:07.043 | INFO     | basic_memory.db:run_migrations:176 - Running database migrations...
2025-08-24 22:16:07.057 | INFO     | basic_memory.db:run_migrations:195 - Migrations completed successfully
2025-08-24 22:16:07.058 | INFO     | basic_memory.repository.search_repository:init_search_index:115 - Initializing search index
2025-08-24 22:16:07.063 | INFO     | basic_memory.services.initialization:initialize_database:30 - Database initialization completed
2025-08-24 22:16:07.063 | INFO     | basic_memory.services.initialization:reconcile_projects_with_config:47 - Reconciling projects from config with database...
2025-08-24 22:16:07.064 | INFO     | basic_memory.services.project_service:synchronize_projects:233 - Synchronizing projects between database and configuration
2025-08-24 22:16:07.086 | INFO     | basic_memory.services.project_service:synchronize_projects:292 - Updating default project in config to 'InAMinute'
2025-08-24 22:16:07.089 | INFO     | basic_memory.services.project_service:synchronize_projects:301 - Project synchronization complete
2025-08-24 22:16:07.091 | INFO     | basic_memory.mcp.project_session:initialize:34 - Initialized project session with default project: main
2025-08-24 22:16:07.092 | INFO     | basic_memory.mcp.project_session:refresh_from_config:81 - Refreshed project session from config, new default: main
2025-08-24 22:16:07.092 | INFO     | basic_memory.services.initialization:reconcile_projects_with_config:64 - Projects successfully reconciled between config and database
2025-08-24 22:16:07.092 | INFO     | basic_memory.services.initialization:initialize_app:163 - App initialization completed (migration running in background if needed)
2025-08-24 22:16:07.092 | INFO     | basic_memory.services.initialization:ensure_initialization:177 - Initialization completed successfully: result=None
2025-08-24 22:16:07.093 | INFO     | basic_memory.mcp.project_session:set_current_project:53 - Switched project context: main -> main
2025-08-24 22:16:07.094 | INFO     | basic_memory.cli.commands.mcp:mcp:56 - Sync changes enabled: True
2025-08-24 22:16:07.095 | INFO     | basic_memory.cli.commands.mcp:mcp:61 - Started file sync in background
2025-08-24 22:16:07.095 | INFO     | basic_memory.cli.commands.mcp:mcp:64 - Starting MCP server with STDIO transport
2025-08-24 22:16:07.113 | INFO     | basic_memory.services.initialization:initialize_file_sync:109 - Starting sync for project: main
2025-08-24 22:16:07.116 | INFO     | basic_memory.sync.sync_service:sync:88 - Sync operation started for directory: C:\Users\allec\basic-memory
2025-08-24 22:16:07.123 | INFO     | basic_memory.sync.sync_service:get_db_file_state:241 - Found 0 db records
2025-08-24 22:16:07.124 | INFO     | basic_memory.sync.sync_service:scan:189 - Scanning directory C:\Users\allec\basic-memory. Found 0 db paths
2025-08-24 22:16:07.124 | INFO     | basic_memory.sync.sync_service:scan:229 - Completed scan for directory C:\Users\allec\basic-memory, found 0 changes.
2025-08-24 22:16:07.124 | INFO     | basic_memory.sync.sync_service:sync:109 - Sync changes detected: new_files=0, modified_files=0, deleted_files=0, moved_files=0
2025-08-24 22:16:07.131 | INFO     | basic_memory.services.initialization:initialize_app:156 - Initializing app...
2025-08-24 22:16:07.134 | INFO     | basic_memory.services.initialization:initialize_database:30 - Database initialization completed
2025-08-24 22:16:07.134 | INFO     | basic_memory.services.initialization:reconcile_projects_with_config:47 - Reconciling projects from config with database...
2025-08-24 22:16:07.136 | INFO     | basic_memory.sync.sync_service:resolve_relations:556 - Resolving forward references
2025-08-24 22:16:07.139 | INFO     | basic_memory.services.project_service:synchronize_projects:233 - Synchronizing projects between database and configuration
2025-08-24 22:16:07.166 | INFO     | basic_memory.services.project_service:synchronize_projects:292 - Updating default project in config to 'InAMinute'
2025-08-24 22:16:07.172 | INFO     | basic_memory.services.project_service:synchronize_projects:301 - Project synchronization complete
2025-08-24 22:16:07.175 | INFO     | basic_memory.mcp.project_session:initialize:34 - Initialized project session with default project: main
2025-08-24 22:16:07.175 | INFO     | basic_memory.mcp.project_session:refresh_from_config:81 - Refreshed project session from config, new default: main
2025-08-24 22:16:07.175 | INFO     | basic_memory.services.initialization:reconcile_projects_with_config:64 - Projects successfully reconciled between config and database
2025-08-24 22:16:07.175 | INFO     | basic_memory.services.initialization:initialize_app:163 - App initialization completed (migration running in background if needed)
2025-08-24 22:16:07.175 | INFO     | basic_memory.mcp.project_session:initialize:34 - Initialized project session with default project: main
2025-08-24 22:16:07.299 | INFO     | basic_memory.sync.sync_service:sync:179 - Sync operation completed: directory=C:\Users\allec\basic-memory, total_changes=0, duration_ms=183
2025-08-24 22:16:07.299 | INFO     | basic_memory.services.initialization:initialize_file_sync:115 - Sync completed successfully for project: main
2025-08-24 22:16:07.300 | INFO     | basic_memory.services.initialization:initialize_file_sync:121 - Project main is now watching for changes
2025-08-24 22:16:07.300 | INFO     | basic_memory.services.initialization:initialize_file_sync:109 - Starting sync for project: InAMinute
2025-08-24 22:16:07.302 | INFO     | basic_memory.sync.sync_service:sync:88 - Sync operation started for directory: D:\Apps\Android\AndroidStudioProjects\InAMinute\.memory
2025-08-24 22:16:07.336 | INFO     | basic_memory.sync.sync_service:get_db_file_state:241 - Found 44 db records
2025-08-24 22:16:07.336 | INFO     | basic_memory.sync.sync_service:scan:189 - Scanning directory D:\Apps\Android\AndroidStudioProjects\InAMinute\.memory. Found 44 db paths
2025-08-24 22:16:07.392 | INFO     | basic_memory.sync.sync_service:scan:229 - Completed scan for directory D:\Apps\Android\AndroidStudioProjects\InAMinute\.memory, found 0 changes.
2025-08-24 22:16:07.392 | INFO     | basic_memory.sync.sync_service:sync:109 - Sync changes detected: new_files=0, modified_files=0, deleted_files=0, moved_files=0
2025-08-24 22:16:07.398 | INFO     | basic_memory.sync.sync_service:resolve_relations:556 - Resolving forward references
2025-08-24 22:16:07.685 | INFO     | basic_memory.sync.sync_service:sync:179 - Sync operation completed: directory=D:\Apps\Android\AndroidStudioProjects\InAMinute\.memory, total_changes=0, duration_ms=382
2025-08-24 22:16:07.685 | INFO     | basic_memory.services.initialization:initialize_file_sync:115 - Sync completed successfully for project: InAMinute
2025-08-24 22:16:07.685 | INFO     | basic_memory.services.initialization:initialize_file_sync:121 - Project InAMinute is now watching for changes
2025-08-24 22:16:07.686 | INFO     | basic_memory.services.initialization:initialize_file_sync:131 - Starting watch service for all projects
2025-08-24 22:16:07.689 | INFO     | basic_memory.sync.watch_service:run:94 - Watch service started

[jope-bm]

@claude can you take a look at this?

[claude]

Claude finished @jope-bm's task —— View job • claude/issue-272-20250825-0223 • Create PR ➔

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Tasks

• Analyze the codebase to understand project initialization flow
• Identify root cause of default project not persisting
• Implement fix for project session initialization
• Run tests and linting
• Create pull request

Root Cause Found! 🎯

The issue was a project name normalization mismatch between config and database:

1. Config stores: "default_project": "InAMinute"
2. Database stores normalized permalinks: "InAMinute" → "in-a-minute" (via generate_permalink())
3. Project synchronization fails: get_by_name("InAMinute") returns None because DB only has "in-a-minute"
4. Fallback triggers: System defaults to "main" project when lookup fails

The Fix ✅

I've implemented a comprehensive fix in project_service.py:

1. Fixed database lookups: All get_by_name() calls now use generate_permalink() to normalize names
2. Fixed config normalization: The default_project field now gets normalized alongside project names
3. Consistent behavior: Config and database now stay in sync for default project settings

Changes Made

• Updated 3 locations where project name lookups were using raw names instead of normalized permalinks
• Added logic to normalize the default_project field during config synchronization
• Ensures the MCP session will now correctly use the user's intended default project

Testing

The fix has been committed and pushed to branch claude/issue-272-20250825-0223. After this is merged, your "InAMinute" project should properly remain as the default instead of reverting to "main".

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