Error: --input-format=stream-json requires output-format=stream-json | Friends of the Crustacean 🦞🤝 | Page 1

white stratus Apr 23, 2026, 11:13 PM

#

Upon updating to 2026.4.22 this error is now being thrown when talking to my claw.

23:11:09+00:00 info agent/cli-backend {"subsystem":"agent/cli-backend"} claude live session start: provider=claude-cli model=claude-opus-4-7 activeSessions=1
23:11:09+00:00 warn agent/cli-backend {"subsystem":"agent/cli-backend"} claude live session turn failed: provider=claude-cli model=claude-opus-4-7 durationMs=181 error=FailoverError
23:11:09+00:00 warn model-fallback/decision {"subsystem":"model-fallback/decision"} {"event":"model_fallback_decision","tags":["error_handling","model_fallback","candidate_failed"],"runId":"27d34f1a-e1ae-47e1-9a5d-cb4cfac9270f","decision":"candidate_failed","requestedProvider":"claude-cli","requestedModel":"claude-opus-4-7","candidateProvider":"claude-cli","candidateModel":"claude-opus-4-7","attempt":1,"total":3,"reason":"unknown","errorPreview":"Error: --input-format=stream-json requires output-format=stream-json.","errorHash":"sha256:a2901756e248","nextCandidateProvider":"claude-cli","nextCandidateModel":"claude-sonnet-4-6","isPrimary":true,"requestedModelMatched":true,"fallbackConfigured":true} model fallback decision```

woeful oracleBOT Apr 23, 2026, 11:13 PM

#

chilly totemBOT Apr 23, 2026, 11:16 PM

#

Let me check the current docs and source for this exact error.

#

This looks like a claude-cli backend config mismatch after the 2026.4.22 Claude live-session change.

I checked current source, claude-cli now uses a warm stdio session and OpenClaw adds:

--input-format stream-json

So if your resolved claude-cli args still have old settings like --output-format json or no --output-format stream-json, Claude throws exactly:

--input-format=stream-json requires output-format=stream-json

Fastest likely fix, if you do not intentionally override claude-cli:

openclaw config unset agents.defaults.cliBackends.claude-cli
openclaw gateway restart

#

Then please paste these so we can verify:

openclaw --version
claude --version
openclaw config get agents.defaults.cliBackends.claude-cli --json

If you do keep a custom claude-cli backend, make sure both args and resumeArgs include:

--output-format stream-json

and that it resolves to:

output: "jsonl"

#

input: "stdin"
liveSession: "claude-stdio"

Docs:

If you paste the config block, I can tell you the exact line to change.

white stratus Apr 23, 2026, 11:18 PM

#

cat@cats-Mac-mini ~ % openclaw --version
OpenClaw 2026.4.22 (00bd2cf)
cat@cats-Mac-mini ~ % claude --version
openclaw config get agents.defaults.cliBackends.claude-cli --json
2.1.118 (Claude Code)
Config path not found: agents.defaults.cliBackends.claude-cli
cat@cats-Mac-mini ~ %

#

looks like that resolved it

23:20:25+00:00 info agent/cli-backend {"subsystem":"agent/cli-backend"} claude live session reuse: provider=claude-cli model=claude-opus-4-7
23:20:27+00:00 info agent/cli-backend {"subsystem":"agent/cli-backend"} claude live session turn: provider=claude-cli model=claude-opus-4-7 durationMs=2342 rawLines=12```

chilly totemBOT Apr 23, 2026, 11:22 PM

#

I’m checking whether 2026.4.22 shipped in a weird in-between state here.

#

I want to verify whether this is a Claude Code version issue versus an OpenClaw regression.

#

Nice, that narrows it down a lot.

Since:

claude-cli has no user override
claude --version is current (2.1.118 is the latest npm release right now)
the log is specifically from the new Claude live session path

this really looks like a 2026.4.22 OpenClaw regression, not bad local config.

I would not spend time hand-editing claude-cli config here.

Best next options:

Try main/dev first, recommended:

#

   openclaw update --channel dev

If you want to stay off dev, roll back temporarily:
```
openclaw update --tag 2026.4.21
```

Docs:

If neither fixes it, please file a GitHub issue with:

the log snippet
openclaw --version
claude --version

#

Config path not found: agents.defaults.cliBackends.claude-cli

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

If you want, paste the result of openclaw update status too, and I can tell you which path is least annoying from your install method.

#

Nice, glad we caught it 🦐

That pretty much confirms this was a 2026.4.22 Claude live-session regression, not a bad local claude-cli setup.

If you fixed it by switching to dev, I’d stay there until the next stable release. If you fixed it by rolling back, same conclusion, .22 was the problem.

Docs:

Glad that helped! 🎉
If this fixed it, please right-click the solution message → Apps → ✅ Mark Solution.
This helps Answer Overflow index the solution for future users.

white stratus Apr 23, 2026, 11:25 PM

#

running this suggestion seemed to have fixed it:

claude --version
openclaw config get agents.defaults.cliBackends.claude-cli --json```
although the config path was not found

chilly totemBOT Apr 23, 2026, 11:26 PM

#

Yep, Config path not found is expected there.

It just means you do not have a custom override at agents.defaults.cliBackends.claude-cli, so OpenClaw is using the bundled default backend config.

Also, those three commands are read-only, they shouldn’t fix anything by themselves. So the real fix was probably one of these happening around the same time:

a restart
a fresh Claude live session getting created
the earlier version change (dev / rollback)

So the short version is:

Config path not found here is normal
the command itself did not repair config
if it’s working now, I’d just keep an eye on it

If it comes back, grab:

#

openclaw status --all
openclaw gateway status
openclaw logs --follow

Docs:

Glad that helped! 🎉
If this fixed it, please right-click the solution message → Apps → ✅ Mark Solution.
This helps Answer Overflow index the solution for future users.

#Error: --input-format=stream-json requires output-format=stream-json