Cursor CLI in ask mode made changes

[bob_elchico (Roberto)]

Where does the bug appear (feature/product)?

Cursor CLI

Describe the Bug

I went into ask mode and asked cursor to make a change but being in ask mode I thought it would stick to just ask and tell me (like most times) that it needs to be in agent mode. However the changes were made without any kind of approval. Luckily not that many changes and I’m fine with them, but it got me by surprise.

Below I say Windows, but I run under wsl.

Steps to Reproduce

DO some work in agent mode, change mode to ask (shift-tab), tell it to do something (e.g. add a copyright notice)

Expected Behavior

No changes in ask mode

Operating System

Windows 10/11

Version Information

CLI Version 2026.03.18-f6873f7
Model Auto
OS linux (x64)
Terminal windows-terminal
Shell bash

For AI issues: which model did you use?

Auto

Does this stop you from using Cursor

No - Cursor works, but with this issue

[deanrie]

Hey, thanks for the report. This is a known issue. When using some models, including via Auto, Ask mode can sometimes apply changes instead of just answering the request.

For now, as a workaround, if you want to reliably avoid changes in Ask mode, it’s better to phrase your prompt as a question like “How would you add a copyright notice?” instead of a direct instruction like “Add a copyright notice.” This lowers the chance that the model decides to apply edits.

Let me know if you have any other questions.