[cache-strategy] Fix cache miss in Smoke Claude

[github-actions]

Cache Strategy Problem: Smoke Claude

Severity: 🟠 High

Workflow: Smoke Claude
Analysis Date: 2026-05-14
Issue Type: Cache miss / No persisted cache files

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Problem Description

The last 24 hours show repeated cold starts for Smoke Claude despite cache-memory being enabled. The workflow uses the expected run-specific key plus restore-key fallback pattern, so the key shape itself is not the problem; the actionable issue is that no useful cache state is being persisted for later runs.

Evidence

• Miss streak: 4 cache-memory runs observed today with misses
• Miss rate (14d): 100% in the available cache-strategy history
• Last cache hit: never recorded in cache-strategy history
• Log signals: 2026-05-14T17:18:08.0212676Z Cache not found for input keys: memory-none-nopolicy-smokeclaude-25874070487, memory-none-nopolicy-smokeclaude-

Recent Run Evidence

Run	Cache Result	Signal
§25863489207	miss	2026-05-14T13:51:53.7365950Z Cache not found for input keys: memory-none-nopolicy-smokeclaude-25863489207, memory-none-nopolicy-smokeclaude-
§25863982829	miss	2026-05-14T13:56:00.3794335Z Cache not found for input keys: memory-none-nopolicy-smokeclaude-25863982829, memory-none-nopolicy-smokeclaude-
§25864876854	miss	2026-05-14T14:21:39.4105577Z Cache not found for input keys: memory-none-nopolicy-smokeclaude-25864876854, memory-none-nopolicy-smokeclaude-
§25874070487	miss	2026-05-14T17:18:08.0212676Z Cache not found for input keys: memory-none-nopolicy-smokeclaude-25874070487, memory-none-nopolicy-smokeclaude-

Recommended Fix

1. Persist meaningful state or disable cache-memory — If Smoke Claude does not need cross-run memory, remove cache-memory from the workflow so it stops paying cache setup/restore overhead. If it does need memory, write structured state under /tmp/gh-aw/cache-memory/<workflow>/ before the agent exits.
2. Keep the restore-key fallback — The observed key pattern includes a stable restore-key fallback, which is the valid last-write-wins design. Do not replace it with a run-specific key that lacks restore-keys.
3. Add a lightweight verification step — After the agent runs, verify that /tmp/gh-aw/cache-memory/ contains at least one useful file before uploading the cache-memory artifact.

Expected Impact

Fixing this should prevent repeated cold starts for this smoke workflow and reduce cache setup overhead and repeated work on future runs.

References: §25863982829, §25864876854, §25874070487

Generated by Daily Cache Strategy Analyzer · ◷

• expires on May 21, 2026, 7:12 PM UTC