Gateway entrypoint problem | Friends of the Crustacean 🦞🤝 | Page 1

unborn tusk Apr 27, 2026, 6:00 PM

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Os: Ubuntu 24.04 LTS
local
openclaw version: 2026.4.25
last running version: 2026.4.22

the command 'openclaw doctor --fix' shows me this:

'Gateway service entrypoint does not match the current install. (/home/georges/.npm-global/lib/node_modules/openclaw/dist/index.js -> /usr/lib/node_modules/openclaw/dist/index.js)'

the command 'openclaw memory --deep' gives me this:

[openclaw] Failed to start CLI: Error [ERR_MODULE_NOT_FOUND]: Cannot find package 'chokidar' imported from /home/georges/.openclaw/plugin-runtime-deps/openclaw-2026.4.25-4eca5026e977/dist/manager-C6O7HXGc.js
Did you mean to import "chokidar/index.js"?
at Object.getPackageJSONURL (node:internal/modules/package_json_reader:314:9)
at packageResolve (node:internal/modules/esm/resolve:768:81)
at moduleResolve (node:internal/modules/esm/resolve:855:18)
at defaultResolve (node:internal/modules/esm/resolve:985:11)
at #cachedDefaultResolve (node:internal/modules/esm/loader:731:20)
at ModuleLoader.resolve (node:internal/modules/esm/loader:708:38)
at ModuleLoader.getModuleJobForImport (node:internal/modules/esm/loader:310:38)
at ModuleJob._link (node:internal/modules/esm/module_job:182:49)

what should i do?

steady snowBOT Apr 27, 2026, 6:00 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

reef furnaceBOT Apr 27, 2026, 6:01 PM

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This looks like two problems caused by a mixed install/update:

Gateway service still points at old user install:
~/.npm-global/...
Current CLI points at system install:
/usr/lib/node_modules/...
The chokidar error is likely a stale/corrupt staged plugin runtime deps folder.

I’d do this:

# sanity check what install you're actually using
command -v openclaw
readlink -f "$(command -v openclaw)"
npm root -g

#

# stop gateway before repairing staged deps
openclaw gateway stop

# move the corrupt runtime deps aside; OpenClaw can rebuild these
mv ~/.openclaw/plugin-runtime-deps ~/.openclaw/plugin-runtime-deps.bak.$(date +%Y%m%d-%H%M%S) 2>/dev/null || true

# repair using the SAME openclaw CLI you intend to use
openclaw doctor --fix --yes

# force the service to point at the current install
openclaw gateway install --force
openclaw gateway restart

# verify
openclaw gateway status --deep

#

openclaw memory --deep

Important: don’t mix sudo openclaw ... with normal openclaw ... unless you intentionally run a system-level service. Pick one install path and stick to it.

If it still fails, paste:

command -v openclaw
readlink -f "$(command -v openclaw)"
npm root -g
openclaw gateway status --deep
openclaw doctor --deep

Docs: https://docs.openclaw.ai/cli/doctor and https://docs.openclaw.ai/gateway/troubleshooting

unborn tusk Apr 27, 2026, 6:33 PM

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after all the commands, 'openclaw gateway status --deep':

File logs: /tmp/openclaw/openclaw-2026-04-27.log
Command: /usr/bin/node /usr/lib/node_modules/openclaw/dist/index.js gateway --port 18789
Service file: ~/.config/systemd/user/openclaw-gateway.service
Service env: OPENCLAW_GATEWAY_PORT=18789

Config (cli): ~/.openclaw/openclaw.json
Config (service): ~/.openclaw/openclaw.json

Gateway: bind=loopback (127.0.0.1), port=18789 (service args)
Probe target: ws://127.0.0.1:18789
Dashboard: http://127.0.0.1:18789/
Probe note: Loopback-only gateway; only local clients can connect.

Runtime: running (pid 11846, state active, sub running, last exit 0, reason 0)
Connectivity probe: ok
Capability: admin-capable

Listening: 127.0.0.1:18789

'openclaw status --all':

Overview
Item │ Value

Version │ 2026.4.25
OS │ linux 6.17.0-22-generic (x64)
Node │ 22.22.2
Config │ ~/.openclaw/openclaw.json
Dashboard │ http://127.0.0.1:18789/
Tailscale exposure │ off
Channel │ stable (default)
Update │ pnpm · up to date · npm latest 2026.4.25
Gateway │ local · ws://127.0.0.1:18789 (local loopback) · reachable 55ms · auth token · georges-openclaw (192.168.178.26) app 2026.4.25 linux 6.17.0-22-generic
Gateway self │ unknown
Gateway service │ systemd installed · enabled · running (pid 12423, state active)
Node service │ systemd not installed
Agents │ 1 total · 0 bootstrapping · 0 active · 10 sessions
Secrets │ none

#

openclaw memory status --deep

🦞 OpenClaw 2026.4.25 (aa36ee6) — I can't fix your code taste, but I can fix your build and your backlog.

[openclaw] Failed to start CLI: Error [ERR_MODULE_NOT_FOUND]: Cannot find package 'chokidar' imported from /home/georges/.openclaw/plugin-runtime-deps/openclaw-2026.4.25-4eca5026e977/dist/manager-C6O7HXGc.js
Did you mean to import "chokidar/index.js"?
at Object.getPackageJSONURL (node:internal/modules/package_json_reader:314:9)
at packageResolve (node:internal/modules/esm/resolve:768:81)
at moduleResolve (node:internal/modules/esm/resolve:855:18)
at defaultResolve (node:internal/modules/esm/resolve:985:11)
at #cachedDefaultResolve (node:internal/modules/esm/loader:731:20)
at ModuleLoader.resolve (node:internal/modules/esm/loader:708:38)
at ModuleLoader.getModuleJobForImport (node:internal/modules/esm/loader:310:38)
at ModuleJob._link (node:internal/modules/esm/module_job:182:49)

reef furnaceBOT Apr 27, 2026, 6:33 PM

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That output looks healthy now: the service entrypoint is fixed and the gateway is reachable.

Next check the original failing command again:

openclaw memory --deep

If that works, you’re done 🎉

If it still shows the Cannot find package 'chokidar' error, run one more repair pass:

openclaw gateway stop
mv ~/.openclaw/plugin-runtime-deps ~/.openclaw/plugin-runtime-deps.bak.$(date +%Y%m%d-%H%M%S) 2>/dev/null || true
openclaw doctor --fix --deep --yes

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openclaw gateway restart
openclaw memory --deep

The important bit is: don’t switch between sudo openclaw and normal openclaw. Your current service is the normal user systemd service, which is good.

If memory --deep still fails after that, paste that new output plus:

openclaw doctor --deep
openclaw logs --tail 120

#

Service is fixed now — this remaining error is specifically the memory-core staged runtime deps missing chokidar.

Try the targeted repair first:

openclaw gateway stop

mv ~/.openclaw/plugin-runtime-deps/openclaw-2026.4.25-4eca5026e977 \
  ~/.openclaw/plugin-runtime-deps/openclaw-2026.4.25-4eca5026e977.bak.$(date +%Y%m%d-%H%M%S) 2>/dev/null || true

openclaw doctor --fix --deep --yes
openclaw memory status --fix
openclaw gateway restart
openclaw memory status --deep

If it still fails with the same chokidar error, use this workaround to install the missing staged deps:

#

cd ~/.openclaw/plugin-runtime-deps/openclaw-2026.4.25-4eca5026e977
npm install --omit=dev --ignore-scripts --no-package-lock chokidar@^5.0.0 typebox@1.1.33

openclaw memory status --deep

If the manual workaround fixes it, I’d file this as a bug: doctor --fix should be repairing the memory-core bundled runtime deps automatically.
Issue tracker: https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/issues

unborn tusk Apr 27, 2026, 6:46 PM

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the manual workaround fixed it

reef furnaceBOT Apr 27, 2026, 6:46 PM

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Nice — that confirms it was the staged memory-core runtime deps, not the gateway service anymore.

I’d leave the manual install in place for now. On the next OpenClaw update, run:

openclaw doctor --fix --deep --yes
openclaw memory status --deep

If you have a minute, please file this as a GitHub issue because doctor --fix should have repaired chokidar automatically: https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/issues

Include:

OpenClaw 2026.4.25
Ubuntu 24.04
the Cannot find package 'chokidar' stack trace
that manual npm install ... chokidar typebox inside ~/.openclaw/plugin-runtime-deps/... fixed it

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Glad we got it unstuck 🦐
If this fixed it, please right-click the solution message → Apps → ✅ Mark Solution so Answer Overflow indexes it for future users.

unborn tusk Apr 27, 2026, 6:50 PM

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can you file the Github issue for me?

reef furnaceBOT Apr 27, 2026, 6:51 PM

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I can’t file GitHub issues on behalf of users, sorry — read-only policy on my side.

But here’s a paste-ready issue draft:

Title: 2026.4.25: memory-core staged runtime deps missing chokidar after update

Body:

## Environment
- OS: Ubuntu 24.04 LTS
- OpenClaw version: 2026.4.25
- Last working/running version: 2026.4.22
- Install path after repair: /usr/lib/node_modules/openclaw

## Problem
After updating, `openclaw memory status --deep` failed with:

#


Error [ERR_MODULE_NOT_FOUND]: Cannot find package 'chokidar' imported from:
/home/georges/.openclaw/plugin-runtime-deps/openclaw-2026.4.25-4eca5026e977/dist/manager-C6O7HXGc.js

## Also observed
`openclaw doctor --fix` initially reported:

Gateway service entrypoint does not match the current install.
(/home/georges/.npm-global/lib/node_modules/openclaw/dist/index.js -> /usr/lib/node_modules/openclaw/dist/index.js)

After repairing the gateway service, the gateway was healthy, but memory still failed with missing `chokidar`.

## Workaround that fixed it
Manually installing the missing staged deps inside the plugin runtime deps dir fixed it:

#

cd ~/.openclaw/plugin-runtime-deps/openclaw-2026.4.25-4eca5026e977
npm install --omit=dev --ignore-scripts --no-package-lock chokidar@^5.0.0 typebox@1.1.33

After that, `openclaw memory status --deep` worked.

## Expected
`openclaw doctor --fix` / `openclaw memory status --fix` should repair missing bundled memory-core runtime deps automatically.

File it here: https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/issues

#Gateway entrypoint problem