basicmachines-co
diff --git a/‎src/basic_memory/config.py‎
Lines changed: 8 additions & 5 deletions b/‎src/basic_memory/config.py‎
Lines changed: 8 additions & 5 deletions
diff --git a/‎test-int/cli/test_project_commands_integration.py‎
Lines changed: 42 additions & 0 deletions b/‎test-int/cli/test_project_commands_integration.py‎
Lines changed: 42 additions & 0 deletions
diff --git a/‎tests/test_config.py‎
Lines changed: 24 additions & 9 deletions b/‎tests/test_config.py‎
Lines changed: 24 additions & 9 deletions
@@ -64,7 +64,9 @@ class BasicMemoryConfig(BaseSettings):
     projects: Dict[str, str] = Field(
         default_factory=lambda: {
             "main": Path(os.getenv("BASIC_MEMORY_HOME", Path.home() / "basic-memory")).as_posix()
-        },
+        }
+        if os.getenv("BASIC_MEMORY_HOME")
+        else {},
         description="Mapping of project names to their filesystem paths",
     )
     default_project: str = Field(
@@ -192,15 +194,16 @@ def get_project_path(self, project_name: Optional[str] = None) -> Path:  # pragm
 
     def model_post_init(self, __context: Any) -> None:
         """Ensure configuration is valid after initialization."""
-        # Ensure main project exists
-        if "main" not in self.projects:  # pragma: no cover
+        # Ensure at least one project exists; if none exist then create main
+        if not self.projects:  # pragma: no cover
             self.projects["main"] = (
                 Path(os.getenv("BASIC_MEMORY_HOME", Path.home() / "basic-memory"))
             ).as_posix()
 
-        # Ensure default project is valid
+        # Ensure default project is valid (i.e. points to an existing project)
         if self.default_project not in self.projects:  # pragma: no cover
-            self.default_project = "main"
+            # Set default to first available project
+            self.default_project = next(iter(self.projects.keys()))
 
     @property
     def app_database_path(self) -> Path:
 
@@ -119,3 +119,45 @@ def test_project_set_default(app_config, config_manager):
         for line in lines:
             if "another-project" in line:
                 assert "[X]" in line
+
+
+def test_remove_main_project(app_config, config_manager):
+    """Test that removing main project then listing projects prevents main from reappearing (issue #397)."""
+    runner = CliRunner()
+
+    # Create separate temp dirs for each project
+    with (
+        tempfile.TemporaryDirectory() as main_dir,
+        tempfile.TemporaryDirectory() as new_default_dir,
+    ):
+        main_path = Path(main_dir)
+        new_default_path = Path(new_default_dir)
+
+        # Ensure main exists
+        result = runner.invoke(app, ["project", "list"])
+        if "main" not in result.stdout:
+            result = runner.invoke(app, ["project", "add", "main", str(main_path)])
+            print(result.stdout)
+            assert result.exit_code == 0
+
+        # Confirm main is present
+        result = runner.invoke(app, ["project", "list"])
+        assert "main" in result.stdout
+
+        # Add a second project
+        result = runner.invoke(app, ["project", "add", "new_default", str(new_default_path)])
+        assert result.exit_code == 0
+
+        # Set new_default as default (if needed)
+        result = runner.invoke(app, ["project", "default", "new_default"])
+        assert result.exit_code == 0
+
+        # Remove main
+        result = runner.invoke(app, ["project", "remove", "main"])
+        assert result.exit_code == 0
+
+        # Confirm only new_default exists and main does not
+        result = runner.invoke(app, ["project", "list"])
+        assert result.exit_code == 0
+        assert "main" not in result.stdout
+        assert "new_default" in result.stdout
@@ -32,32 +32,47 @@ def test_respects_basic_memory_home_environment_variable(self, config_home, monk
         # Should use the custom path from environment variable
         assert config.projects["main"] == custom_path
 
-    def test_model_post_init_respects_basic_memory_home(self, config_home, monkeypatch):
-        """Test that model_post_init creates main project with BASIC_MEMORY_HOME when missing."""
+    def test_model_post_init_respects_basic_memory_home_creates_main(
+        self, config_home, monkeypatch
+    ):
+        """Test that model_post_init creates main project with BASIC_MEMORY_HOME when missing and no other projects."""
         custom_path = str(config_home / "custom" / "memory" / "path")
         monkeypatch.setenv("BASIC_MEMORY_HOME", custom_path)
 
         # Create config without main project
-        other_path = str(config_home / "some" / "path")
-        config = BasicMemoryConfig(projects={"other": other_path})
+        config = BasicMemoryConfig()
 
         # model_post_init should have added main project with BASIC_MEMORY_HOME
         assert "main" in config.projects
         assert config.projects["main"] == Path(custom_path).as_posix()
 
+    def test_model_post_init_respects_basic_memory_home_sets_non_main_default(
+        self, config_home, monkeypatch
+    ):
+        """Test that model_post_init does not create main project with BASIC_MEMORY_HOME when another project exists."""
+        custom_path = str(config_home / "custom" / "memory" / "path")
+        monkeypatch.setenv("BASIC_MEMORY_HOME", custom_path)
+
+        # Create config without main project
+        other_path = str(config_home / "some" / "path")
+        config = BasicMemoryConfig(projects={"other": Path(other_path).as_posix()})
+
+        # model_post_init should not add main project with BASIC_MEMORY_HOME
+        assert "main" not in config.projects
+        assert config.projects["other"] == Path(other_path).as_posix()
+
     def test_model_post_init_fallback_without_basic_memory_home(self, config_home, monkeypatch):
-        """Test that model_post_init falls back to default when BASIC_MEMORY_HOME is not set."""
+        """Test that model_post_init can set a non-main default when BASIC_MEMORY_HOME is not set."""
         # Ensure BASIC_MEMORY_HOME is not set
         monkeypatch.delenv("BASIC_MEMORY_HOME", raising=False)
 
         # Create config without main project
         other_path = (config_home / "some" / "path").as_posix()
         config = BasicMemoryConfig(projects={"other": other_path})
 
-        # model_post_init should have added main project with default path
-        expected_path = (config_home / "basic-memory").as_posix()
-        assert "main" in config.projects
-        assert config.projects["main"] == Path(expected_path).as_posix()
+        # model_post_init should not add main project, but "other" should now be the default
+        assert "main" not in config.projects
+        assert config.projects["other"] == Path(other_path).as_posix()
 
     def test_basic_memory_home_with_relative_path(self, config_home, monkeypatch):
         """Test that BASIC_MEMORY_HOME works with relative paths."""