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[GH-ISSUE #20143] issue: Folder documents prevent model from accessing chats #122411

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opened 2026-05-21 01:06:08 -05:00 by GiteaMirror · 2 comments
GiteaMirror commented 2026-05-21 01:06:08 -05:00
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Originally created by @chrisspen on GitHub (Dec 23, 2025).
Original GitHub issue: https://github.com/open-webui/open-webui/issues/20143

Check Existing Issues

  • I have searched for any existing and/or related issues.
  • I have searched for any existing and/or related discussions.
  • I have also searched in the CLOSED issues AND CLOSED discussions and found no related items (your issue might already be addressed on the development branch!).
  • I am using the latest version of Open WebUI.

Installation Method

Pip Install

Open WebUI Version

v0.6.43

Ollama Version (if applicable)

0.6.7

Operating System

Ubuntu 24.04.3

Browser (if applicable)

No response

Confirmation

  • I have read and followed all instructions in README.md.
  • I am using the latest version of both Open WebUI and Ollama.
  • I have included the browser console logs.
  • I have included the Docker container logs.
  • I have provided every relevant configuration, setting, and environment variable used in my setup.
  • I have clearly listed every relevant configuration, custom setting, environment variable, and command-line option that influences my setup (such as Docker Compose overrides, .env values, browser settings, authentication configurations, etc).
  • I have documented step-by-step reproduction instructions that are precise, sequential, and leave nothing to interpretation. My steps:
  • Start with the initial platform/version/OS and dependencies used,
  • Specify exact install/launch/configure commands,
  • List URLs visited, user input (incl. example values/emails/passwords if needed),
  • Describe all options and toggles enabled or changed,
  • Include any files or environmental changes,
  • Identify the expected and actual result at each stage,
  • Ensure any reasonably skilled user can follow and hit the same issue.

Expected Behavior

Folder documents should be assistive, not authoritative.

The model should be allowed to use chat history + attached/retrieved documents together.

If a fact is introduced in conversation, follow-up questions should be answered from chat memory unless the user explicitly requests “sources-only” behavior.

Actual Behavior

With folder documents attached, OpenWebUI injects a system instruction equivalent to “answer only from retrieved sources”.

Chat history is either ignored or treated as non-authoritative.

The model responds with phrases like “not explicitly mentioned in the provided context” even when the information was stated moments earlier in the same chat.

This happens even when RAG chunk sizes are small and context length is large.

Steps to Reproduce

  1. Create a Folder record in OpenWebUI.
  2. Attach documents (I tested with 6 that were .txt, .odt, and .pdf between 100kB-500kB in size) to that folder that do not contain the answer to some sample question.
  3. Start a new chat, and tell it something like, e.g. "Bob is my manager".
  4. In the same chat, ask it a sample question that mirrors what you just told it, e.g. "Who is my manager?"
  5. The model denies knowing the manager unless that fact exists in the retrieved documents, despite it being present in chat history.

Logs & Screenshots

Image

Additional Information

I tested using the Ollama Qwen 3:14b and built-in Arena model.

I thought I could fix this by tweaking OpenWebUI with these environment variables:

ENABLE_PERSISTENT_CONFIG=False
RAG_TOP_K=3
RAG_TOP_K_RERANKER=1
RAG_RELEVANCE_THRESHOLD=0.2
CHUNK_SIZE=400
CHUNK_OVERLAP=50
RAG_TEXT_SPLITTER=token

The idea was to stop RAG on the attached documents from pushing chat out of the context, but these settings had no meaningful effect.

Originally created by @chrisspen on GitHub (Dec 23, 2025). Original GitHub issue: https://github.com/open-webui/open-webui/issues/20143 ### Check Existing Issues - [x] I have searched for any existing and/or related issues. - [x] I have searched for any existing and/or related discussions. - [x] I have also searched in the CLOSED issues AND CLOSED discussions and found no related items (your issue might already be addressed on the development branch!). - [x] I am using the latest version of Open WebUI. ### Installation Method Pip Install ### Open WebUI Version v0.6.43 ### Ollama Version (if applicable) 0.6.7 ### Operating System Ubuntu 24.04.3 ### Browser (if applicable) _No response_ ### Confirmation - [x] I have read and followed all instructions in `README.md`. - [x] I am using the latest version of **both** Open WebUI and Ollama. - [x] I have included the browser console logs. - [x] I have included the Docker container logs. - [x] I have **provided every relevant configuration, setting, and environment variable used in my setup.** - [x] I have clearly **listed every relevant configuration, custom setting, environment variable, and command-line option that influences my setup** (such as Docker Compose overrides, .env values, browser settings, authentication configurations, etc). - [x] I have documented **step-by-step reproduction instructions that are precise, sequential, and leave nothing to interpretation**. My steps: - Start with the initial platform/version/OS and dependencies used, - Specify exact install/launch/configure commands, - List URLs visited, user input (incl. example values/emails/passwords if needed), - Describe all options and toggles enabled or changed, - Include any files or environmental changes, - Identify the expected and actual result at each stage, - Ensure any reasonably skilled user can follow and hit the same issue. ### Expected Behavior Folder documents should be assistive, not authoritative. The model should be allowed to use chat history + attached/retrieved documents together. If a fact is introduced in conversation, follow-up questions should be answered from chat memory unless the user explicitly requests “sources-only” behavior. ### Actual Behavior With folder documents attached, OpenWebUI injects a system instruction equivalent to “answer only from retrieved sources”. Chat history is either ignored or treated as non-authoritative. The model responds with phrases like “not explicitly mentioned in the provided context” even when the information was stated moments earlier in the same chat. This happens even when RAG chunk sizes are small and context length is large. ### Steps to Reproduce 1. Create a Folder record in OpenWebUI. 2. Attach documents (I tested with 6 that were .txt, .odt, and .pdf between 100kB-500kB in size) to that folder that do not contain the answer to some sample question. 3. Start a new chat, and tell it something like, e.g. "Bob is my manager". 4. In the same chat, ask it a sample question that mirrors what you just told it, e.g. "Who is my manager?" 5. The model denies knowing the manager unless that fact exists in the retrieved documents, despite it being present in chat history. ### Logs & Screenshots <img width="1022" height="391" alt="Image" src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/216ebe03-735b-417e-ac4b-2dc8d09276a2" /> ### Additional Information I tested using the Ollama Qwen 3:14b and built-in Arena model. I thought I could fix this by tweaking OpenWebUI with these environment variables: ENABLE_PERSISTENT_CONFIG=False RAG_TOP_K=3 RAG_TOP_K_RERANKER=1 RAG_RELEVANCE_THRESHOLD=0.2 CHUNK_SIZE=400 CHUNK_OVERLAP=50 RAG_TEXT_SPLITTER=token The idea was to stop RAG on the attached documents from pushing chat out of the context, but these settings had no meaningful effect.
GiteaMirror added the bug label 2026-05-21 01:06:08 -05:00
GiteaMirror commented 2026-05-21 01:06:12 -05:00
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@owui-terminator[bot] commented on GitHub (Dec 23, 2025):

🔍 Similar Issues Found

I found some existing issues that might be related to this one. Please check if any of these are duplicates or contain helpful solutions:

  1. #19588 issue: Model group permissions
    by apunkt • Nov 29, 2025 • bug

  2. #20059 issue: Chat response is not working
    by navilg • Dec 20, 2025 • bug

  3. #19987 issue: There is a lack of visual consistency between the home page and the chat interface.
    by i-iooi-i • Dec 16, 2025 • bug

  4. #20107 issue:
    by mengdeer589 • Dec 22, 2025 • bug

  5. #19393 issue: shared chats with images - images won't show
    by Classic298 • Nov 23, 2025 • bug

Show 5 more related issues

  1. #19925 issue: Model responses stop after web searches
    by tm-coder-484 • Dec 13, 2025 • bug

  2. #19511 issue: Sidebar not loading folders list past first page, only showing 10 latest chats.
    by CrushedAsian255 • Nov 26, 2025 • bug

  3. #19558 issue: When using the “Upload a document” feature in the chat, it returns the following message: “Please provide the content of the attachment. I will prepare a summary based on the information in the file.”
    by jiunmoon • Nov 28, 2025 • bug

  4. #19127 issue: /api/v1/chats/ keeps getting called
    by HelifeWasTaken • Nov 11, 2025 • bug

  5. #19461 issue: Models shared with write permission to group no longer visible in workspace
    by destination-one • Nov 25, 2025 • bug

💡 Tips:

  • If this is a duplicate, please consider closing this issue and adding any additional details to the existing one
  • If you found a solution in any of these issues, please share it here to help others

This comment was generated automatically by a bot. Please react with a 👍 if this comment was helpful, or a 👎 if it was not.

<!-- gh-comment-id:3687812481 --> @owui-terminator[bot] commented on GitHub (Dec 23, 2025): 🔍 **Similar Issues Found** I found some existing issues that might be related to this one. Please check if any of these are duplicates or contain helpful solutions: 1. [#19588](https://github.com/open-webui/open-webui/issues/19588) **issue: Model group permissions** *by apunkt • Nov 29, 2025 • `bug`* 2. [#20059](https://github.com/open-webui/open-webui/issues/20059) **issue: Chat response is not working** *by navilg • Dec 20, 2025 • `bug`* 3. [#19987](https://github.com/open-webui/open-webui/issues/19987) **issue: There is a lack of visual consistency between the home page and the chat interface.** *by i-iooi-i • Dec 16, 2025 • `bug`* 4. [#20107](https://github.com/open-webui/open-webui/issues/20107) **issue:** *by mengdeer589 • Dec 22, 2025 • `bug`* 5. [#19393](https://github.com/open-webui/open-webui/issues/19393) **issue: shared chats with images - images won't show** *by Classic298 • Nov 23, 2025 • `bug`* <details> <summary>Show 5 more related issues</summary> 6. [#19925](https://github.com/open-webui/open-webui/issues/19925) **issue: Model responses stop after web searches** *by tm-coder-484 • Dec 13, 2025 • `bug`* 7. [#19511](https://github.com/open-webui/open-webui/issues/19511) **issue: Sidebar not loading folders list past first page, only showing 10 latest chats.** *by CrushedAsian255 • Nov 26, 2025 • `bug`* 8. [#19558](https://github.com/open-webui/open-webui/issues/19558) **issue: When using the “Upload a document” feature in the chat, it returns the following message: “Please provide the content of the attachment. I will prepare a summary based on the information in the file.”** *by jiunmoon • Nov 28, 2025 • `bug`* 9. [#19127](https://github.com/open-webui/open-webui/issues/19127) **issue: /api/v1/chats/ keeps getting called** *by HelifeWasTaken • Nov 11, 2025 • `bug`* 10. [#19461](https://github.com/open-webui/open-webui/issues/19461) **issue: Models shared with write permission to group no longer visible in workspace** *by destination-one • Nov 25, 2025 • `bug`* </details> --- 💡 **Tips:** - If this is a duplicate, please consider closing this issue and adding any additional details to the existing one - If you found a solution in any of these issues, please share it here to help others *This comment was generated automatically by a bot.* Please react with a 👍 if this comment was helpful, or a 👎 if it was not.
GiteaMirror commented 2026-05-21 01:06:13 -05:00
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@Classic298 commented on GitHub (Dec 30, 2025):

The model should be allowed to use chat history + attached/retrieved documents together.

I am pretty sure this is the case.
Chat history doesn't vanish just because folder-provided files are present, as well as attached files inside that chat.

This is most likely a model dependent behaviour, try with larger sized models (if you have access to them) and especially larger context size. Many such issues are often re: small models

<!-- gh-comment-id:3699221107 --> @Classic298 commented on GitHub (Dec 30, 2025): > The model should be allowed to use chat history + attached/retrieved documents together. I am pretty sure this is the case. Chat history doesn't vanish just because folder-provided files are present, as well as attached files inside that chat. This is most likely a model dependent behaviour, try with larger sized models (if you have access to them) and especially larger context size. Many such issues are often re: small models
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