fix: more regression bugs

scripts/modules/commands.js

@@ -1500,10 +1500,16 @@ function registerCommands(programInstance) {
 		.option('--tag <tag>', 'Specify tag context for task operations')
 		.action(async (options) => {
 			// Initialize TaskMaster
-			const taskMaster = initTaskMaster({
-				tasksPath: options.file || true,
-				complexityReportPath: options.report || false
-			});
+			const initOptions = {
+				tasksPath: options.file || true
+			};
+
+			// Only pass complexityReportPath if user provided a custom path
+			if (options.report && options.report !== COMPLEXITY_REPORT_FILE) {
+				initOptions.complexityReportPath = options.report;
+			}
+
+			const taskMaster = initTaskMaster(initOptions);
 
 			const statusFilter = options.status;
 			const withSubtasks = options.withSubtasks || false;
@@ -1690,7 +1696,7 @@ function registerCommands(programInstance) {
 			const outputPath =
 				options.output === COMPLEXITY_REPORT_FILE && targetTag !== 'master'
 					? baseOutputPath.replace('.json', `_${targetTag}.json`)
-					: baseOutputPath;
+					: options.output || baseOutputPath;
 
 			console.log(
 				chalk.blue(
@@ -1770,6 +1776,11 @@ function registerCommands(programInstance) {
 		)
 		.option('--tag <tag>', 'Specify tag context for task operations')
 		.action(async (prompt, options) => {
+			// Initialize TaskMaster
+			const taskMaster = initTaskMaster({
+				tasksPath: options.file || true
+			});
+
 			// Parameter validation
 			if (!prompt || typeof prompt !== 'string' || prompt.trim().length === 0) {
 				console.error(
@@ -2211,6 +2222,8 @@ ${result.result}
 				tasksPath: options.file || true
 			});
 
+			const projectRoot = taskMaster.getProjectRoot();
+
 			// Show current tag context
 			displayCurrentTagIndicator(
 				options.tag || getCurrentTag(taskMaster.getProjectRoot()) || 'master'
@@ -3462,6 +3475,9 @@ Examples:
 			const taskMaster = initTaskMaster({
 				tasksPath: options.file || false
 			});
+
+			const projectRoot = taskMaster.getProjectRoot();
+
 			// Validate flags: cannot use multiple provider flags simultaneously
 			const providerFlags = [
 				options.openrouter,

scripts/modules/config-manager.js

@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ import chalk from 'chalk';
 import { z } from 'zod';
 import { fileURLToPath } from 'url';
 import { log, findProjectRoot, resolveEnvVariable, isEmpty } from './utils.js';
-import { LEGACY_CONFIG_FILE } from '../../src/constants/paths.js';
+import { LEGACY_CONFIG_FILE, TASKMASTER_DIR } from '../../src/constants/paths.js';
 import { findConfigPath } from '../../src/utils/path-utils.js';
 import {
 	VALIDATED_PROVIDERS,
@@ -99,17 +99,29 @@ function _loadAndValidateConfig(explicitRoot = null) {
 		if (rootToUse) {
 			configSource = `found root (${rootToUse})`;
 		} else {
-			// No root found, return defaults immediately
-			return defaults;
+			// No root found, use current working directory as fallback
+			// This prevents infinite loops during initialization
+			rootToUse = process.cwd();
+			configSource = `current directory (${rootToUse}) - no project markers found`;
 		}
 	}
 	// ---> End find project root logic <---
 
-	// --- Find configuration file using centralized path utility ---
-	const configPath = findConfigPath(null, { projectRoot: rootToUse });
+	// --- Find configuration file ---
+	let configPath = null;
 	let config = { ...defaults }; // Start with a deep copy of defaults
 	let configExists = false;
 	
+	// During initialization (no project markers), skip config file search entirely
+	const hasProjectMarkers = fs.existsSync(path.join(rootToUse, TASKMASTER_DIR)) || 
+	                         fs.existsSync(path.join(rootToUse, LEGACY_CONFIG_FILE));
+	
+	if (hasProjectMarkers) {
+		// Only try to find config if we have project markers
+		// This prevents the repeated warnings during init
+		configPath = findConfigPath(null, { projectRoot: rootToUse });
+	}
+
 	if (configPath) {
 		configExists = true;
 		const isLegacy = configPath.endsWith(LEGACY_CONFIG_FILE);
@@ -199,12 +211,19 @@ function _loadAndValidateConfig(explicitRoot = null) {
 				)
 			);
 		} else {
+			// Don't warn about missing config during initialization
+			// Only warn if this looks like an existing project (has .taskmaster dir or legacy config marker)
+			const hasTaskmasterDir = fs.existsSync(path.join(rootToUse, TASKMASTER_DIR));
+			const hasLegacyMarker = fs.existsSync(path.join(rootToUse, LEGACY_CONFIG_FILE));
+			
+			if (hasTaskmasterDir || hasLegacyMarker) {
 				console.warn(
 					chalk.yellow(
 						`Warning: Configuration file not found at derived root (${rootToUse}). Using defaults.`
 					)
 				);
 			}
+		}
 		// Keep config as defaults
 		config = { ...defaults };
 		configSource = `defaults (no config file found at ${rootToUse})`;

scripts/modules/task-manager/expand-task.js

@@ -469,7 +469,7 @@ async function expandTask(
 			complexityReasoningContext: complexityReasoningContext,
 			gatheredContext: gatheredContext,
 			useResearch: useResearch,
-			expansionPrompt: taskAnalysis?.expansionPrompt || null
+			expansionPrompt: taskAnalysis?.expansionPrompt || undefined
 		};
 
 		let variantKey = 'default';

scripts/modules/task-manager/research.js

@@ -205,12 +205,10 @@ async function performResearch(
 			}
 		};
 
-		// Select variant based on detail level
-		const variantKey = detailLevel; // 'low', 'medium', or 'high'
+		// Load prompts - the research template handles detail level internally
 		const { systemPrompt, userPrompt } = await promptManager.loadPrompt(
 			'research',
-			promptParams,
-			variantKey
+			promptParams
 		);
 
 		// Count tokens for system and user prompts

scripts/modules/task-manager/update-subtask-by-id.js

@@ -214,7 +214,7 @@ async function updateSubtaskById(
 							title: parentTask.subtasks[subtaskIndex - 1].title,
 							status: parentTask.subtasks[subtaskIndex - 1].status
 						}
-					: null;
+					: undefined;
 			const nextSubtask =
 				subtaskIndex < parentTask.subtasks.length - 1
 					? {
@@ -222,7 +222,7 @@ async function updateSubtaskById(
 							title: parentTask.subtasks[subtaskIndex + 1].title,
 							status: parentTask.subtasks[subtaskIndex + 1].status
 						}
-					: null;
+					: undefined;
 
 			// Build prompts using PromptManager
 			const promptManager = getPromptManager();

src/task-master.js

@@ -218,7 +218,13 @@ export function initTaskMaster(overrides = {}) {
 		);
 	}
 
-	// Remaining paths - only resolve if key exists in overrides
+	// Always set default paths first
+	// These can be overridden below if needed
+	paths.configPath = path.join(paths.projectRoot, TASKMASTER_CONFIG_FILE);
+	paths.statePath = path.join(paths.taskMasterDir || path.join(paths.projectRoot, TASKMASTER_DIR), 'state.json');
+	paths.tasksPath = path.join(paths.projectRoot, TASKMASTER_TASKS_FILE);
+	
+	// Handle overrides - only validate/resolve if explicitly provided
 	if ('configPath' in overrides) {
 		paths.configPath = resolvePath(
 			'config file',