Openclaw is sending blank responses fresh install | Friends of the Crustacean 🦞🤝 | Page 1

wheat creek Apr 19, 2026, 5:55 PM

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Fresh mac OS wipe, Fresh install of 4.15. When I type the initial input "Hi" into the openclaw native chat interface it returns a blank response. When i type the same input into telegram I get "agent couldn't generate a response. Please try again."

tardy vortexBOT Apr 19, 2026, 5:55 PM

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finite treeBOT Apr 19, 2026, 5:55 PM

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To help others find answers, you can mark your question as solved via Right click solution message -> Apps -> ✅ Mark Solution

random willowBOT Apr 19, 2026, 5:58 PM

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I’m checking the actual failure path so I don’t guess the wrong thing.

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That usually means the turn is reaching the agent, but the model/provider is failing before it produces visible text. The blank native chat and the Telegram error are often the same root problem.

Can you paste these outputs here:

openclaw --version
openclaw status --all
openclaw models status
openclaw doctor

Then run this in another terminal, send Hi again once, and paste the log lines around that turn:

openclaw logs --follow

#

Also tell me one detail from the native chat:

do tokens stay at 0, or
do they increase and you still get a blank reply?

One very common macOS gotcha after a fresh install: the launchd service does not inherit your shell env, so the gateway may be running without your API key even if Terminal has it. If openclaw models status shows missing auth, put the key in ~/.openclaw/.env or enable shell env import, then restart the gateway.

Docs:
https://docs.openclaw.ai/help/faq
https://docs.openclaw.ai/help/environment
https://docs.openclaw.ai/gateway/troubleshooting

wheat creek Apr 19, 2026, 6:02 PM

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OpenClaw 2026.4.15 (041266a), Overview

│ Item │ Value

│ Version │ 2026.4.15
│ OS │ macos 26.4.1 (arm64)
│ Node │ 22.22.2
│ Config │ ~/.openclaw/openclaw.json
│ Dashboard │ http://127.0.0.1:18789/
│ Tailscale │ off
│ Channel │ stable (default)
│ Update │ pnpm · up to date · npm latest 2026.4.15
│ Gateway │ local · ws://127.0.0.1:18789 (local loopback) · reachable 85ms · auth token · Warrens-Mac-mini. │
│ │ local (192.168.86.97) app 2026.4.15 macos 26.4.1
│ Security │ Run: openclaw security audit --deep
│ Gateway self │ unknown │
│ Gateway service │ LaunchAgent installed · loaded · running (pid 11198, state active) │
│ Node service │ LaunchAgent not installed
│ Agents │ 1 total · 1 bootstrapping · 0 active · 2 sessions │
│ Secrets │ none

Channels

│ Channel │ Enabled │ State │ Detail │

│ Telegram │ ON │ OK │ token config (sha256:be06a788 · len 46) · accounts 1/1 │

Telegram accounts

│ Account │ Status │ Notes │

│ default │ OK │ token:config │

Agents

│ Agent │ Bootstrap file │ Sessions │ Active │ Store │

│ main │ PRESENT │ 2 │ 13m ago │ ~/.openclaw/agents/main/sessions/sessions.json

#

warren@Warrens-Mac-mini ~ % openclaw models status

🦞 OpenClaw 2026.4.15 (041266a) — If something's on fire, I can't extinguish it—but I can write a beautiful postmortem.

Config : ~/.openclaw/openclaw.json
Agent dir : ~/.openclaw/agents/main/agent
Default : openrouter/minimax/minimax-m2.5
Fallbacks (0) : -
Image model : -
Image fallbacks (0): -
Aliases (1) : OpenRouter -> openrouter/auto
Configured models (3): openrouter/auto, openrouter/anthropic/claude-sonnet-4.6, openrouter/minimax/minimax-m2.5

Auth overview
Auth store : ~/.openclaw/agents/main/agent/auth-profiles.json
Shell env : off
Providers w/ OAuth/tokens (0): -

openrouter effective=profiles:~/.openclaw/agents/main/agent/auth-profiles.json | profiles=1 (oauth=0, token=0, api_key=1) | openrouter:default=sk-or-v1...f8d98ed1

OAuth/token status

random willowBOT Apr 19, 2026, 6:04 PM

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Nice, this narrows it down a lot.

Your gateway and Telegram transport look healthy, so this is probably not a channel problem. The two suspicious bits are:

1 bootstrapping
Bootstrap file: PRESENT

That agent should normally finish first-run bootstrap and remove BOOTSTRAP.md, not stay bootstrapping.

Next 2 checks:

openclaw models status
openclaw logs --follow

Then send Hi once more and paste:

#

the full models status output
the log lines from that turn

Also check whether this file still exists:

ls -l ~/.openclaw/workspace/BOOTSTRAP.md

If it does, say so. Bootstrapping is supposed to remove it when finished:
https://docs.openclaw.ai/start/bootstrapping

My current guess is one of these:

model auth is not loaded into the gateway service
very common on macOS if the service does not see your shell env

#

first-run bootstrap is stuck
which matches the bootstrapping + BOOTSTRAP.md still present signal

Relevant docs:
https://docs.openclaw.ai/help/faq
https://docs.openclaw.ai/help/environment
https://docs.openclaw.ai/gateway/troubleshooting

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I’ve got enough to rule out “missing API key”, so I’m checking whether this looks like a stuck bootstrap or a provider-specific no-output path.

#

Perfect, this helps.

Your provider auth is loaded, so this is not the “missing API key / launchd lost env” problem. Shell env: off is fine here because the key is already coming from auth-profiles.json.

So the next split is:

provider can’t actually produce a usable reply, or
bootstrap is stuck

Please run these next:

openclaw models status --probe --probe-provider openrouter
ls -l ~/.openclaw/workspace/BOOTSTRAP.md

Then:

#

openclaw logs --follow

Send Hi once more, and paste the log lines from that turn.

Why I’m asking for the bootstrap file check: first-run bootstrap is supposed to remove BOOTSTRAP.md when it completes, and your status still shows the agent as bootstrapping:
https://docs.openclaw.ai/start/bootstrapping

Probe docs:
https://docs.openclaw.ai/cli/models

If the probe passes and BOOTSTRAP.md is still there, I’m pretty suspicious the workspace is stuck in bootstrap and I can give you the next exact fix.

wheat creek Apr 19, 2026, 6:04 PM

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OpenClaw doctor
│
◇ Update ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────╮
│ │
│ This install is not a git checkout. │
│ Run openclaw update to update via your package manager (npm/pnpm), then rerun doctor. │
│ │
├───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────╯
│
◇ Security ─────────────────────────────────╮
│ │
│ - No channel security warnings detected. │
│ - Run: openclaw security audit --deep │
│ │
├────────────────────────────────────────────╯
│
◇ Skills status ────────────╮
│ │
│ Eligible: 6 │
│ Missing requirements: 46 │
│ Blocked by allowlist: 0 │
│ │
├────────────────────────────╯
│
◇ Plugins ──────╮
│ │
│ Loaded: 59 │
│ Imported: 59 │
│ Disabled: 39 │
│ Errors: 0 │
│ │
├────────────────╯

random willowBOT Apr 19, 2026, 6:05 PM

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Doctor looks clean, which is actually helpful, it means the problem is narrower now.

The next important one is still this exact probe:

openclaw models status --probe --probe-provider openrouter

And this file check:

ls -l ~/.openclaw/workspace/BOOTSTRAP.md

If you paste those two, we can usually tell which branch this is:

probe fails → provider/runtime issue

#

probe passes + BOOTSTRAP.md still exists → stuck bootstrap

If you can do one more after that:

openclaw logs --follow

then send Hi once and paste the log lines from that turn.

Docs:
https://docs.openclaw.ai/cli/models
https://docs.openclaw.ai/start/bootstrapping

wheat creek Apr 19, 2026, 6:08 PM

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how do i post a screenshot here as the text can be long

random willowBOT Apr 19, 2026, 6:09 PM

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Yep, easiest is just:

drag the screenshot into this thread, or
paste it directly with Ctrl+V / Cmd+V

If it’s logs, even better than a screenshot is:

paste only the relevant lines in a code block:
```
like this
```
or attach a .txt file

If you share screenshots/logs, just make sure any API keys/tokens are redacted first.

wheat creek Apr 19, 2026, 6:10 PM

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openclaw models status --probe --probe-provider openrouter
ls -l ~/.openclaw/workspace/BOOTSTRAP.md

🦞 OpenClaw 2026.4.15 (041266a) — Runs on a Raspberry Pi. Dreams of a rack in Iceland.

│
◇
Config : ~/.openclaw/openclaw.json
Agent dir : ~/.openclaw/agents/main/agent
Default : openrouter/minimax/minimax-m2.5
Fallbacks (0) : -
Image model : -
Image fallbacks (0): -
Aliases (1) : OpenRouter -> openrouter/auto
Configured models (3): openrouter/auto, openrouter/anthropic/claude-sonnet-4.6, openrouter/minimax/minimax-m2.5

Auth overview
Auth store : ~/.openclaw/agents/main/agent/auth-profiles.json
Shell env : off
Providers w/ OAuth/tokens (0): -

openrouter effective=profiles:~/.openclaw/agents/main/agent/auth-profiles.json | profiles=1 (oauth=0, token=0, api_key=1) | openrouter:default=sk-or-v1...f8d98ed1

OAuth/token status

none

Auth probes
┌─────────────────────────────────┬──────────────────────────────┬────────────┐
│ Model │ Profile │ Status │
├─────────────────────────────────┼──────────────────────────────┼────────────┤
│ openrouter/minimax/minimax-m2.5 │ openrouter:default (api_key) │ ok · 7.4s │
└─────────────────────────────────┴──────────────────────────────┴────────────┘
Probed 1 target in 13.2s
-rw-r--r-- 1 warren staff 1471 Apr 19 10:42 /Users/warren/.openclaw/workspace/BOOTSTRAP.md

random willowBOT Apr 19, 2026, 6:11 PM

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Yep, I’m pretty confident we found it.

Your provider probe is OK, but BOOTSTRAP.md is still present, which means the workspace is stuck in first-run bootstrap. That file should normally be removed when bootstrap finishes.

Safest fix, move it aside instead of deleting it:

mv ~/.openclaw/workspace/BOOTSTRAP.md ~/.openclaw/workspace/BOOTSTRAP.md.bak
openclaw gateway restart
openclaw status

Then:

try the native chat again
if needed, send /new once to start a fresh session

#

What I’d expect after the restart:

openclaw status should stop showing bootstrapping
the blank reply / “couldn’t generate a response” behavior should go away

Bootstrapping docs:
https://docs.openclaw.ai/start/bootstrapping

If it still shows bootstrapping after that, paste the new openclaw status output and I’ll keep digging.

wheat creek Apr 19, 2026, 6:12 PM

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run those commands seperately correct?

random willowBOT Apr 19, 2026, 6:14 PM

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Yep, separately is perfect.

Run them one at a time in this order:

mv ~/.openclaw/workspace/BOOTSTRAP.md ~/.openclaw/workspace/BOOTSTRAP.md.bak

then

openclaw gateway restart

then

#

openclaw status

If anything looks weird after one step, stop there and paste it.

wheat creek Apr 19, 2026, 6:24 PM

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I'm unable to past the status here becuse it is too much text. And screenshot did nt work. can i attach it

random willowBOT Apr 19, 2026, 6:25 PM

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Yep, absolutely, attach it as a file.

Best options:

save it to a text file and upload the .txt
or paste just the Overview + Agents section from openclaw status

If you want to make a file quickly:

openclaw status > status.txt

Then drag status.txt into the thread.

If that’s still annoying, even just these two lines are enough for the next step:

#

the Agents line from the Overview
whether BOOTSTRAP.md is gone or still gone after the rename

wheat creek Apr 19, 2026, 6:25 PM

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Summary: 0 critical · 4 warn · 1 info
WARN Reverse proxy headers are not trusted
gateway.bind is loopback and gateway.trustedProxies is empty. If you expose the Control UI through a reverse proxy, configure trusted proxies so local-client c…
Fix: Set gateway.trustedProxies to your proxy IPs or keep the Control UI local-only.
WARN Control UI insecure auth toggle enabled
gateway.controlUi.allowInsecureAuth=true does not bypass secure context or device identity checks; only dangerouslyDisableDeviceAuth disables Control UI device…
Fix: Disable it or switch to HTTPS (Tailscale Serve) or localhost.
WARN Insecure or dangerous config flags enabled
Detected 1 enabled flag(s): gateway.controlUi.allowInsecureAuth=true.
Fix: Disable these flags when not actively debugging, or keep deployment scoped to trusted/local-only networks.
WARN Some gateway.nodes.denyCommands entries are ineffective
gateway.nodes.denyCommands uses exact node command-name matching only (for example system.run), not shell-text filtering inside a command payload. - Unknown …

random willowBOT Apr 19, 2026, 6:26 PM

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Those warnings are unrelated to the blank-response issue.

At this point I only need 2 tiny checks:

ls -l ~/.openclaw/workspace/BOOTSTRAP*
openclaw status | grep -i bootstrapping

Paste just that output.

What I’m looking for:

BOOTSTRAP.md should be gone, and ideally only BOOTSTRAP.md.bak remains
bootstrapping should no longer appear in status

Also, after the rename + restart, does sending Hi still fail the same way, or did anything change?

wheat creek Apr 19, 2026, 6:27 PM

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warren@Warrens-Mac-mini ~ % ls -l ~/.openclaw/workspace/BOOTSTRAP*
openclaw status | grep -i bootstrapping
-rw-r--r-- 1 warren staff 1471 Apr 19 10:42 /Users/warren/.openclaw/workspace/BOOTSTRAP.md.bak
warren@Warrens-Mac-mini ~ %

random willowBOT Apr 19, 2026, 6:28 PM

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Nice, that’s a good sign.

That means:

BOOTSTRAP.md is out of the way
status is not showing bootstrapping anymore

So the stuck-bootstrap part is cleared.

Next step, please test again:

in the native chat, send /new once, then send Hi
try Telegram again too

If it works now, we’re done 🎉

If it still fails, then the next thing I want is:

#

openclaw logs --follow

Then send Hi once and paste just the fresh log lines from that turn.

wheat creek Apr 19, 2026, 6:33 PM

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I typed /new and got below response. When I type Hi i goet no response in the native or telegram

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A new session was started via /new or /reset. If runtime-provided startup context is included for this first turn, use it before responding to the user. Then greet the user in your configured persona, if one is provided. Be yourself - use your defined voice, mannerisms, and mood. Keep it to 1-3 sentences and ask what they want to do. If the runtime model differs from default_model in the system prompt, mention the default model. Do not mention internal steps, files, tools, or reasoning.
Current time: Sunday, April 19th, 2026 - 2:29 PM (America/New_York) / 2026-04-19 18:29 UTC

random willowBOT Apr 19, 2026, 6:34 PM

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Got it. I don’t see the /new response attached here, so the next useful thing is the gateway log from one failed turn.

Easiest way to capture it as a file:

openclaw logs --follow > logs.txt

Then:

send Hi once
wait 5 to 10 seconds
press Ctrl+C
attach logs.txt in this thread

If you can, also attach or paste the exact /new response you got. That plus the log should show the real failure.

#

That’s very helpful. The /new reply is leaking the internal session-startup prompt instead of producing a normal assistant reply, so this is not just “no output”, it’s the startup path misfiring. I’m checking whether there’s a known fix or log signature for that exact leak.

#

Ah, that’s the smoking gun.

What /new returned is the internal session-startup prompt. That is a bug, not expected behavior.

You’re on 2026.4.15, and this exact bootstrap/startup path got fixes in 2026.4.18. I’d update before we do anything more invasive.

Run these, one at a time:

openclaw update

then

openclaw gateway restart

#

then

openclaw --version

After that, try:

/new
Hi

and tell me what changed.

For now, leave BOOTSTRAP.md.bak as-is, don’t restore it yet.

Docs:
https://docs.openclaw.ai/install/updating

#

https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/blob/main/CHANGELOG.md

If openclaw update says there’s no newer version available, paste that, because then we’ll switch to the next suspect, which is a wedged session store rather than bootstrap itself.

wheat creek Apr 19, 2026, 6:39 PM

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sorry I dont see where i can retieve that log from

random willowBOT Apr 19, 2026, 6:39 PM

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No worries. You don’t need a special place to retrieve the update output from, it prints directly in Terminal.

So just run:

openclaw update

and copy whatever it prints.

If you meant the gateway logs, there are two ways:

openclaw logs --follow

or on macOS the file is usually:

#

/tmp/openclaw/openclaw-gateway.log

You can also save it to a file and attach it:

cp /tmp/openclaw/openclaw-gateway.log gateway-log.txt

Then upload gateway-log.txt here.

Docs:
https://docs.openclaw.ai/logging

wheat creek Apr 19, 2026, 6:46 PM

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warren@Warrens-Mac-mini ~ % openclaw update
Updating OpenClaw...

│
◇ ✓ Updating via package manager (84.14s)
│
◇ ✓ Running doctor checks (15.57s)

Update Result: OK
Root: /opt/homebrew/lib/node_modules/openclaw
Before: 2026.4.15
After: 2026.4.15

Total time: 100.16s

Updating plugins...
No plugin updates needed.

Restarting service...
Daemon restart completed.

Version bump! Same chaos energy, fewer crashes (probably).
warren@Warrens-Mac-mini ~ % openclaw gateway restart

🦞 OpenClaw 2026.4.15 (041266a)
I'm the middleware between your ambition and your attention span.

Restarted LaunchAgent: gui/501/ai.openclaw.gateway
warren@Warrens-Mac-mini ~ %

random willowBOT Apr 19, 2026, 6:48 PM

#

Update staying on 2026.4.15 rules out “just upgrade and retry”, so I’m checking the cleanest supported way to reset or replace a wedged session store before I tell them to touch anything.

#

Thanks, that helps.

Since openclaw update still leaves you on 2026.4.15, the next likely culprit is a bad fresh-session state stuck in the session store. Given this is a fresh install with basically no history to preserve, the fastest test is to back up the session store and let OpenClaw recreate it.

I’d do this next, one at a time:

mv ~/.openclaw/agents/main/sessions ~/.openclaw/agents/main/sessions.bak

then

openclaw gateway restart

then

#

openclaw status

After that, try:

/new
Hi

Why this step: the session store lives under ~/.openclaw/agents/main/sessions/, and your /new output strongly suggests that startup state is wedged there.

Docs:
https://docs.openclaw.ai/cli/sessions
https://docs.openclaw.ai/start/openclaw

If you’d rather do the slower but safer route first, I can have you attach /tmp/openclaw/openclaw-gateway.log instead, but honestly for a brand new install I’d try the session-store reset first.

wheat creek Apr 19, 2026, 6:54 PM

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hold for second part: │ Item │ Value

│ OS │ macos 26.4.1 (arm64) · node 22.22.2
│ Dashboard │ http://127.0.0.1:18789/
│ Tailscale │ off
│ Channel │ stable (default)
│ Update │ pnpm · up to date · npm latest 2026.4.15 │
│ Gateway │ local · ws://127.0.0.1:18789 (local loopback) · reachable │
│ │ 48ms · auth token · Warrens-Mac-mini.local (192.168.86.97) │
│ │ app 2026.4.15 macos 26.4.1 │
│ Gateway self │ Warrens-Mac-mini.local (192.168.86.97) app 2026.4.15 macos │
│ │ 26.4.1
│ Gateway service │ LaunchAgent installed · loaded · running (pid 13396, state │
│ │ active) │
│ Node service │ LaunchAgent not installed │
│ Agents │ 1 · no bootstrap files · sessions 0 · default main active │
│ │ unknown │
│ Memory │ 0 files · 0 chunks · dirty · sources memory · plugin memory- │
│ │ core · vector unknown · fts ready · cache on (0) │
│ Plugin compatibility │ none │
│ Probes │ skipped (use --deep) │
│ Events │ none │
│ Tasks │ none │
│ Heartbeat │ 30m (main) │
│ Sessions │ 0 active · default minimax/minimax-m2.5 (200k ctx) · ~/. │
│ │ openclaw/agents/main/sessions/sessions.json │

#

Security audit
Summary: 0 critical · 4 warn · 1 info
WARN Reverse proxy headers are not trusted
gateway.bind is loopback and gateway.trustedProxies is empty. If you expose the Control UI through a reverse proxy, configure trusted proxies so local-client c…
Fix: Set gateway.trustedProxies to your proxy IPs or keep the Control UI local-only.
WARN Control UI insecure auth toggle enabled
gateway.controlUi.allowInsecureAuth=true does not bypass secure context or device identity checks; only dangerouslyDisableDeviceAuth disables Control UI device…
Fix: Disable it or switch to HTTPS (Tailscale Serve) or localhost.
WARN Insecure or dangerous config flags enabled
Detected 1 enabled flag(s): gateway.controlUi.allowInsecureAuth=true.
Fix: Disable these flags when not actively debugging, or keep deployment scoped to trusted/local-only networks.
WARN Some gateway.nodes.denyCommands entries are ineffective
gateway.nodes.denyCommands uses exact node command-name matching only (for example system.run), not shell-text filtering inside a command payload. - Unknown …
Fix: Use exact command names (for example: canvas.present, canvas.hide, canvas.navigate, canvas.eval, canvas.snapshot, canvas.a2ui.push, canvas.a2ui.pushJSONL, canvas.a2ui.reset). If you need broader restrictions, remove risky command IDs from allowCommands/default workflows and tighten tools.exec policy.
Full report: openclaw security audit
Deep probe: openclaw security audit --deep

Channels
┌──────────┬─────────┬────────┬───────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ Channel │ Enabled │ State │ Detail │
├──────────┼─────────┼────────┼───────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ Telegram │ ON │ OK │ token config (8711…S6sY · len 46) · accounts 1/1 │

Sessions

│ Key │ Kind │ Age │ Model │ Tokens │

│ no sessions yet

#

hello where did you go

random willowBOT Apr 19, 2026, 7:05 PM

#

Still here, sorry 😅

The next step I’d try is this, one at a time:

mv ~/.openclaw/agents/main/sessions ~/.openclaw/agents/main/sessions.bak

then

openclaw gateway restart

then

#

openclaw status

Because at this point the most likely issue is a wedged session store on this fresh install.

If you run those and paste what changed, I’m with you.

wheat creek Apr 19, 2026, 7:09 PM

#

verview

│ Item │ Value │
│ OS │ macos 26.4.1 (arm64) · node 22.22.2 │
│ Dashboard │ http://127.0.0.1:18789/ │
│ Tailscale │ off │
│ Channel │ stable (default) │
│ Update │ pnpm · up to date · npm latest 2026.4.15 │
│ Gateway │ local · ws://127.0.0.1:18789 (local loopback) · reachable 50ms · auth token ·
Warrens-Mac-mini.local (192.168.86.97) app 2026.4.15 macos 26.4.1 │
│ Gateway self │ Warrens-Mac-mini.local (192.168.86.97) app 2026.4.15 macos 26.4.1
│ Gateway service │ LaunchAgent installed · loaded · running (pid 13768, state active)
│ Node service │ LaunchAgent not installed │
│ Agents │ 1 · no bootstrap files · sessions 0 · default main active unknown │
│ Memory │ 0 files · 0 chunks · dirty · sources memory · plugin memory-core · vector unknown · │
│ │ fts ready · cache on (0)
│ Plugin compatibility │ none
│ Probes │ skipped (use --deep)
│ Events │ none
│ Tasks │ none
│ Heartbeat │ 30m (main) │
│ Sessions │ 0 active · default minimax/minimax-m2.5 (200k ctx) · ~/.openclaw/agents/main/ │
│ │ sessions/sessions.json

random willowBOT Apr 19, 2026, 7:09 PM

#

This actually looks much better now.

The important bits are:

no bootstrap files
sessions 0
fresh sessions.json

So the stuck bootstrap/session-state problem is cleared.

Next, please do this:

fully close and reopen the native chat/dashboard
send Hi again
try Telegram once more too

If it still gives no reply, then we’re finally at the point where I want the real gateway log from a failed turn.

#

On macOS, the log file is usually:

/tmp/openclaw/openclaw-gateway.log

If needed, make it easy to upload with:

cp /tmp/openclaw/openclaw-gateway.log ~/Desktop/gateway-log.txt

then attach gateway-log.txt here.

Docs:
https://docs.openclaw.ai/logging

wheat creek Apr 19, 2026, 7:13 PM

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can you give me a command to copy it to my documents folder and I'll get it from there.

random willowBOT Apr 19, 2026, 7:14 PM

#

Yep, use this:

cp /tmp/openclaw/openclaw-gateway.log ~/Documents/gateway-log.txt

Then grab gateway-log.txt from your Documents folder and attach it here.

If that file doesn’t exist, use this fallback instead:

cp "$(ls -t /tmp/openclaw/openclaw-*.log | head -1)" ~/Documents/gateway-log.txt

wheat creek Apr 19, 2026, 7:16 PM

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that commad dosent work

random willowBOT Apr 19, 2026, 7:17 PM

#

Got it. Try these one at a time.

First, see what log files are actually there:

ls -la /tmp/openclaw

Then copy the newest one to Documents:

cp "$(ls -t /tmp/openclaw/*.log | head -1)" "$HOME/Documents/gateway-log.txt"

If that still fails, paste the exact error text it prints and I’ll adjust the command.

wheat creek Apr 19, 2026, 7:17 PM

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let just out it on the desktop

random willowBOT Apr 19, 2026, 7:17 PM

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Yep, use this for Desktop:

cp "$(ls -t /tmp/openclaw/*.log | head -1)" "$HOME/Desktop/gateway-log.txt"

That should create gateway-log.txt on your Desktop. Then attach that file here.

wheat creek Apr 19, 2026, 7:18 PM

#

ok now.. I domnt see a way to attach a file

random willowBOT Apr 19, 2026, 7:19 PM

#

No problem. Two easy options:

Option 1, attach in Discord

drag gateway-log.txt into the message box, or
click the + next to the chat box and choose the file from Desktop

Option 2, easier right now
just print the end of the log and paste it here:

tail -n 80 "$HOME/Desktop/gateway-log.txt"

If that’s still too much, use:

#

tail -n 40 "$HOME/Desktop/gateway-log.txt"

Paste that output here and I’ll work from it.

wheat creek Apr 19, 2026, 7:20 PM

#

there no file from desktop option under the + sign

#

I cant attach that file here

#

I think its disable in your interface

random willowBOT Apr 19, 2026, 7:23 PM

#

Got it, let’s skip file upload entirely then.

Please run this:

tail -n 60 "$HOME/Desktop/gateway-log.txt"

and paste the output here.

If 60 lines is too much, use:

tail -n 30 "$HOME/Desktop/gateway-log.txt"

That’ll be enough for me to spot the failure.

wheat creek Apr 19, 2026, 7:24 PM

#

{"runtime":"node","runtimeVersion":"22.22.2","hostname":"unknown","name":"openclaw","date":"2026-04-19T14:20:39.612Z","logLevelId":3,"logLevelName":"INFO","path":{"fullFilePath":"file:///opt/homebrew/lib/node_modules/openclaw/dist/subsystem-Cgmckbux.js:153:46","fileName":"subsystem-Cgmckbux.js","fileNameWithLine":"subsystem-Cgmckbux.js:153","fileColumn":"46","fileLine":"153","filePath":"/opt/homebrew/lib/node_modules/openclaw/dist/subsystem-Cgmckbux.js","filePathWithLine":"/opt/homebrew/lib/node_modules/openclaw/dist/subsystem-Cgmckbux.js:153","method":"console.log"}},"time":"2026-04-19T10:20:39.613-04:00"}
{"0":"Updated ~/.openclaw/openclaw.json","_meta":{"runtime":"node","runtimeVersion":"22.22.2","hostname":"unknown","name":"openclaw","date":"2026-04-19T14:42:00.464Z","logLevelId":3,"logLevelName":"INFO","path":{"fullFilePath":"file:///opt/homebrew/lib/node_modules/openclaw/dist/subsystem-Cgmckbux.js:153:46","fileName":"subsystem-Cgmckbux.js","fileNameWithLine":"subsystem-Cgmckbux.js:153","fileColumn":"46","fileLine":"153","filePath":"/opt/homebrew/lib/node_modules/openclaw/dist/subsystem-Cgmckbux.js","filePathWithLine":"/opt/homebrew/lib/node_modules/openclaw/dist/subsystem-Cgmckbux.js:153","method":"console.log"}},"time":"2026-04-19T10:42:00.465-04:00"}
{"0":"Workspace OK: ~/.openclaw/workspace","_meta":{"runtime":"node","runtimeVersion":"22.22.2","hostname":"unknown","name":"openclaw","date":"2026-04-19T14:42:00.527Z","logLevelId":3,"logLevelName":"INFO","path":{"fullFilePath":"file:///opt/homebrew/lib/node_modules/openclaw/dist/subsystem-Cgmckbux.js:153:46","fileName":"subsystem-Cgmckbux.js","fileNameWithLine":"subsystem-Cgmckbux.js:153","fileColumn":"46","fileLine":"153","filePath":"/opt/homebrew/lib/node_modules/openclaw/dist/subsystem-Cgmckbux.js","filePathWithLine":"/opt/homebrew/lib/node_modules/openclaw/dist/subsystem-Cgmckbux.js:153","method":"console.log"}},"time":"2026-04-19T10:42:00.528-04:00"}

#

best I could do

random willowBOT Apr 19, 2026, 7:25 PM

#

That’s okay, don’t attach it.

Just run this and paste the text output here:

tail -n 30 "$HOME/Desktop/gateway-log.txt"

If you want it even shorter:

tail -n 20 "$HOME/Desktop/gateway-log.txt"

No file upload needed, just copy the text it prints and drop it in the thread.

#

Yeah, that’s very possible.

No worries, we can do this without attachments.

Please run:

tail -n 20 "$HOME/Desktop/gateway-log.txt"

Then just copy the text it prints and paste it here in the thread. That’s enough for me to read the error.

#

Thanks, this helps a bit, but these are just startup/config lines, not the failing Hi turn yet.

Please do this exact order:

send Hi
immediately after, run:

tail -n 80 /tmp/openclaw/openclaw-gateway.log

paste that output here

We’re very close, I just need the log right after a failed message, not the earlier setup lines.

wheat creek Apr 19, 2026, 7:28 PM

#

thats waaay too much text to post here. morer than 2000 characters

random willowBOT Apr 19, 2026, 7:28 PM

#

That’s okay, you’ve already done enough to narrow this down.

At this point I don’t think this is your config anymore. We proved:

the provider auth is loaded
the provider probe succeeds
bootstrap got unstuck
the session store was reset
/new leaked internal startup text on 2026.4.15

That smells like a real 2026.4.15 bug, not user error.

If I were you, I’d stop burning time on this build and do one of these:

Recommended
Use the git install path the docs recommend, so you’re on the newer codepath:

#

curl -fsSL https://openclaw.ai/install.sh | bash -s -- --install-method git

Then rerun onboarding.

Or, if you want to stay on the packaged build, I’d call it a bug and file it here:
https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/issues

Useful links:
https://docs.openclaw.ai/install
https://docs.openclaw.ai/help/faq#i-am-stuck-fastest-way-to-get-unstuck

If you want, I can help you write a short bug report summary from everything we already found so you can paste it into GitHub.

#

Yep, fair. Here’s a short version you can paste into a GitHub issue:

Fresh macOS wipe, fresh OpenClaw install, version 2026.4.15, Node 22.22.2, arm64.

Problem:
- In native chat, sending "Hi" returns a blank response.
- In Telegram, sending "Hi" returns: "Agent couldn't generate a response. Please try again."

What I checked:
- Gateway is reachable and Telegram channel is OK.
- Model auth is configured and loaded.
- `openclaw models status --probe --probe-provider openrouter` returns OK.
- `BOOTSTRAP.md` was present and agent showed as bootstrapping.
- Moved `~/.openclaw/workspace/BOOTSTRAP.md` aside and restarted gateway.
- Reset the main session store by moving `~/.openclaw/agents/main/sessions` aside and restarting gateway.

#

- After reset, status showed no bootstrap files and 0 sessions.

Important symptom:
- `/new` returned internal startup prompt text instead of a normal assistant reply:
  "A new session was started via /new or /reset..."

Update path:
- `openclaw update` completed successfully but stayed on 2026.4.15 (Before 2026.4.15, After 2026.4.15).

Result:
- Even after clearing bootstrap and session state, native chat still gives blank replies and Telegram still fails.

Issue link:
https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/issues

#

If you want, I can also compress it even further into a super short title + body.

wheat creek Apr 19, 2026, 7:32 PM

#

Im just goign to downgrade to v2026.4.12

random willowBOT Apr 19, 2026, 7:33 PM

#

Honestly, that’s a reasonable move.

Since this is a fresh install, downgrading is pretty low-risk, and if 2026.4.12 works it gives a strong regression signal.

After you downgrade, I’d test in this order:

openclaw gateway restart
/new
Hi in native chat
Hi in Telegram

If 2026.4.12 works, please file the GitHub issue with that detail, it’s super useful because it narrows the break to a version range.

And if that downgrade fixes it, please right-click the solution message → Apps → ✅ Mark Solution so Answer Overflow can index it for the next person.

wheat creek Apr 19, 2026, 7:34 PM

#

what woul be the command to install that version

random willowBOT Apr 19, 2026, 7:34 PM

#

I’d do one of these, not both.

Preferred:

pnpm add -g openclaw@2026.4.12

If that doesn’t replace the current install, your existing global looks npm-based, so use:

npm install -g openclaw@2026.4.12

Then run:

openclaw gateway restart

#

openclaw --version

and make sure it actually says 2026.4.12.

Docs:
https://docs.openclaw.ai/install/updating

wheat creek Apr 19, 2026, 7:36 PM

#

I'm going to do this after a fll system wipe so what would be the command to install a fresh copy of v2026.4.12

random willowBOT Apr 19, 2026, 7:36 PM

#

After a full wipe, once you’ve reinstalled Node 22+ and pnpm, the fresh install command would be:

pnpm add -g openclaw@2026.4.12

Then verify and onboard:

openclaw --version
openclaw onboard --install-daemon

That should give you a clean 2026.4.12 install.

Docs:
https://docs.openclaw.ai/install

#

https://docs.openclaw.ai/install/updating

wheat creek Apr 19, 2026, 7:38 PM

#

isnt there a command that will do node 22+ & NPM and openclaw all in one go similar to this command "curl -fsSL https://openclaw.ai/install.sh | bash"

random willowBOT Apr 19, 2026, 7:39 PM

#

I’m checking the installer docs so I give the real flag instead of guessing.

#

Yep, there is.

For a one-shot install of that exact version, use:

curl -fsSL --proto '=https' --tlsv1.2 https://openclaw.ai/install.sh | bash -s -- --version 2026.4.12

That installer handles Node for you if needed, then installs that OpenClaw version.

If you want it to skip onboarding during install:

curl -fsSL --proto '=https' --tlsv1.2 https://openclaw.ai/install.sh | bash -s -- --version 2026.4.12 --no-onboard

Docs:

#Openclaw is sending blank responses fresh install