Permission Denied: External Directory Auto-Rejecting
[93m[1m! [0mpermission requested: external_directory (/home/user/.paperclip/instances/...); auto-rejectingWhat this error means
When running Paperclip AI locally, the system automatically rejects permission requests for external directories. This is a security feature of the local sandbox that prevents agents from accessing files outside their designated workspace. The error shows 'auto-rejecting' because the user isn't present to manually approve each permission request, especially problematic when agents run in heartbeat/autonomous mode.
Why this happens
The local Paperclip sandbox is designed to prevent agents from accidentally accessing sensitive files on your machine. While this is good for security, it creates friction when you're legitimately trying to use agents for development work. Every file access requires manual approval, which breaks automation.
Common causes
- •Running agent in heartbeat mode without interactive approval
- •Agent trying to access workspace files outside sandbox
- •Local development environment security restrictions
- •Missing permission grants in config
You'll see these symptoms
- →Agent fails to complete file operations
- →Repeated permission prompts in terminal
- →Tasks fail with 'auto-rejecting' messages
- →Agents can't read/write to project directories
The real solution
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- No permission errors — we handle the sandbox
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