Validation error: A conversation must start with a user message. Try again with a conversation that | Friends of the Crustacean 🦞🤝 | Page 1

paper helm Apr 28, 2026, 5:31 PM

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Getting this error message after updating to 4.26 when I try to run /new in a slack DM to an agent.

Validation error: A conversation must start with a user message. Try again with a conversation that starts with a user message.

pallid saddleBOT Apr 28, 2026, 5:31 PM

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wet heathBOT Apr 28, 2026, 5:35 PM

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That smells like a bare /new regression in 2026.4.26, not a Slack scopes/config issue.

Quick workaround: try sending the reset with a first real user prompt, e.g.

/new hi

or

/new continue from here

instead of a bare /new. That should make the new conversation start with a user-visible message.

Can you paste:

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openclaw --version
openclaw status --all

and the relevant log tail around the failed Slack DM? Also mention which model/provider you’re using — especially if it’s Bedrock/Anthropic.

Docs for the normal triage path: https://docs.openclaw.ai/help/faq and https://docs.openclaw.ai/gateway/troubleshooting. If this repros cleanly on exact 2026.4.26, it’s worth filing with those details: https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/issues

paper helm Apr 28, 2026, 5:38 PM

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yea that works

wet heathBOT Apr 28, 2026, 5:39 PM

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Nice — that confirms it’s specifically the bare /new path.

For now, use:

/new hi

or any actual prompt after /new.

Please file this as a regression with:

#Validation error: A conversation must start with a user message. Try again with a conversation that