# Cursor cli: thread resumed keeps "ask" mode **URL:** \ **Category:** Bug Reports\ **Tags:** cli, ask-mode\ **Created:** [May 19, 2026, 11:57am UTC](https://forum.cursor.com/t/cursor-cli-thread-resumed-keeps-ask-mode/161003 "2026-05-19T11:57:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![fabiofz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/6de8d8/32.png) [@fabiofz](https://forum.cursor.com/u/fabiofz)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2026, 11:57am UTC](https://forum.cursor.com/t/cursor-cli-thread-resumed-keeps-ask-mode/161003/1 "2026-05-19T11:57:20Z")
### Where does the bug appear (feature/product)? Cursor CLI ### Describe the Bug I’m calling the cursor cli with `--mode ask`. After that, when I `--resume` the same thread and don’t pass the `--mode ask` again I was expecting it not to be in that mode, but the agent is still saying that it cannot do the action because it’s in ask mode. Given that there’s only `--mode ask` and `--mode plan`, I was either expecting that on a `--resume` without the `--mode` it’d go to “exec” mode or that there was a flag to `--mode exec`. Or maybe I’m missing something? Is there some way to get out of ask mode in the agent cli or is this really a bug? -- I know that in the cursor UI I can do it, but given I’m using the cli I can’t seem to get out of ask mode when resuming a thread. ### Steps to Reproduce agent --model auto --yolo --mode ask “How much is 1+1?” agent --model auto --yolo --resume=…thread-id… “Write the result to a result.txt” ### Expected Behavior Agent should write 2 to result.txt. Instead it says: I’m in Ask mode, so, I can’t create or modify files… ### Operating System Windows 10/11 ### Version Information CLI Version 2026.05.16-0338208 Model Auto Subscription Tier Pro OS win32 (x64) Terminal unknown Shell cmd ### Does this stop you from using Cursor No - Cursor works, but with this issue ---
**Author:** ![deanrie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/cursor1/user_avatar/forum.cursor.com/deanrie/32/1263_2.png) [@deanrie](https://forum.cursor.com/u/deanrie)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2026, 12:22pm UTC](https://forum.cursor.com/t/cursor-cli-thread-resumed-keeps-ask-mode/161003/5 "2026-05-19T12:22:40Z")
Hey, this isn’t on your side. It’s a confirmed bug in the CLI. In `--resume` mode it loads from the saved session SQLite, and without an explicit `--mode` override it doesn’t apply. Also, `--mode` only accepts `plan` and `ask`, so right now there’s no way to switch back to agent or exec via a flag. In interactive TUI mode it resets to the default when you switch sessions, but in headless CLI there’s no such reset. The issue is already reported internally. Your case is the second confirmed report, I’ll add it to the ticket. No ETA for a fix yet. There’s only one workaround: start a new session without `--resume` if you need agent mode. I’ll post an update in the thread when I have one. ---
**Author:** ![mbr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecae2f/32.png) [@mbr](https://forum.cursor.com/u/mbr)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2026, 12:28pm UTC](https://forum.cursor.com/t/cursor-cli-thread-resumed-keeps-ask-mode/161003/7 "2026-05-19T12:28:28Z")
Related to this, if the initial conversation invoked plan mode, which was then exited to auto-run to execute the plan, `agent —resume ` is returning direct to plan mode, not to the execution (I can then prompt it to resume to where we were in the run, but this is clearly not intended behaviour) ---
**Author:** ![deanrie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/cursor1/user_avatar/forum.cursor.com/deanrie/32/1263_2.png) [@deanrie](https://forum.cursor.com/u/deanrie)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2026, 2:57pm UTC](https://forum.cursor.com/t/cursor-cli-thread-resumed-keeps-ask-mode/161003/8 "2026-05-24T14:57:13Z")
Hey @mbr, it’s the same bug. The persisted mode (plan/ask) from SQLite isn’t getting reset when using `--resume` in the headless CLI because there’s no explicit override. It’s tracked in the same ticket, and I’ll add your case too. No ETA for the fix yet. Same workaround: start a new session without `--resume` if you need exec or agent mode. I’ll post an update here once I have one. ---
**Author:** ![deanrie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/cursor1/user_avatar/forum.cursor.com/deanrie/32/1263_2.png) [@deanrie](https://forum.cursor.com/u/deanrie)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2026, 7:03am UTC](https://forum.cursor.com/t/cursor-cli-thread-resumed-keeps-ask-mode/161003/10 "2026-09-11T07:03:39Z")
Hey @fabiofz, thanks for the report, and sorry for the long silence in the thread. There’s a way to get a resumed thread out of Ask mode without starting a new session: open the thread interactively using `agent --resume `, switch it back to Agent mode with `Shift+Tab` (or with the `/ask` command), then exit. The mode is saved with the thread, so future `--resume` runs for that thread should start in Agent mode. If this doesn’t work on the latest CLI version, or if you still end up in Ask or Plan mode after resuming, reply here and I’ll take another look. cc @mbr