Default Conversation Agent Fallback does not work anymore

[jlpouffier]

The problem

If you have an assistant configured with an LLM-based conversation agent with the option "Prefer handling commands locally", then, since the 2025.3 beta, the commands are always sent to the LLM-based agent even if they could have been processed locally.

How to reproduce.

• Create an Assistant with a LLM-based conversation agen
• Tick the box (IT should be ticked by default) "Prefer handling commands locally"
• Save it
• Open the Assist chat box, you do not even need special voice hardware to reproduce this issue, you can simply write to it.
• Write a very simple, locally understood command. Such as "Turn on the lights in the living room". (OR even "Hello")

Result

• The command is sent to the LLM instead of being processed locally.

Expected results

• "Prefer handling commands locally" works as expected. Commands are processed locally if possible before being sent to the LLM.

What version of Home Assistant Core has the issue?

core-2025.3.0b0

What was the last working version of Home Assistant Core?

core-2025.2

What type of installation are you running?

Home Assistant OS

Integration causing the issue

assist_pipeline

Link to integration documentation on our website

https://www.home-assistant.io/integrations/assist_pipeline/

Diagnostics information

No particular logs related to that. It seems to fail "silently"

Example YAML snippet

Anything in the logs that might be useful for us?

Additional information

No response

[home-assistant]

Hey there @balloob, @synesthesiam, mind taking a look at this issue as it has been labeled with an integration (assist_pipeline) you are listed as a code owner for? Thanks!

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[balloob]

Probably related to #137763