> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.openclaw.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Troubleshooting

# Gateway troubleshooting

This page is the deep runbook.
Start at [/help/troubleshooting](/help/troubleshooting) if you want the fast triage flow first.

## Command ladder

Run these first, in this order:

```bash  theme={"theme":{"light":"min-light","dark":"min-dark"}}
openclaw status
openclaw gateway status
openclaw logs --follow
openclaw doctor
openclaw channels status --probe
```

Expected healthy signals:

* `openclaw gateway status` shows `Runtime: running` and `RPC probe: ok`.
* `openclaw doctor` reports no blocking config/service issues.
* `openclaw channels status --probe` shows connected/ready channels.

## No replies

If channels are up but nothing answers, check routing and policy before reconnecting anything.

```bash  theme={"theme":{"light":"min-light","dark":"min-dark"}}
openclaw status
openclaw channels status --probe
openclaw pairing list --channel <channel> [--account <id>]
openclaw config get channels
openclaw logs --follow
```

Look for:

* Pairing pending for DM senders.
* Group mention gating (`requireMention`, `mentionPatterns`).
* Channel/group allowlist mismatches.

Common signatures:

* `drop guild message (mention required` → group message ignored until mention.
* `pairing request` → sender needs approval.
* `blocked` / `allowlist` → sender/channel was filtered by policy.

Related:

* [/channels/troubleshooting](/channels/troubleshooting)
* [/channels/pairing](/channels/pairing)
* [/channels/groups](/channels/groups)

## Dashboard control ui connectivity

When dashboard/control UI will not connect, validate URL, auth mode, and secure context assumptions.

```bash  theme={"theme":{"light":"min-light","dark":"min-dark"}}
openclaw gateway status
openclaw status
openclaw logs --follow
openclaw doctor
openclaw gateway status --json
```

Look for:

* Correct probe URL and dashboard URL.
* Auth mode/token mismatch between client and gateway.
* HTTP usage where device identity is required.

Common signatures:

* `device identity required` → non-secure context or missing device auth.
* `device nonce required` / `device nonce mismatch` → client is not completing the
  challenge-based device auth flow (`connect.challenge` + `device.nonce`).
* `device signature invalid` / `device signature expired` → client signed the wrong
  payload (or stale timestamp) for the current handshake.
* `unauthorized` / reconnect loop → token/password mismatch.
* `gateway connect failed:` → wrong host/port/url target.

Device auth v2 migration check:

```bash  theme={"theme":{"light":"min-light","dark":"min-dark"}}
openclaw --version
openclaw doctor
openclaw gateway status
```

If logs show nonce/signature errors, update the connecting client and verify it:

1. waits for `connect.challenge`
2. signs the challenge-bound payload
3. sends `connect.params.device.nonce` with the same challenge nonce

Related:

* [/web/control-ui](/web/control-ui)
* [/gateway/authentication](/gateway/authentication)
* [/gateway/remote](/gateway/remote)

## Gateway service not running

Use this when service is installed but process does not stay up.

```bash  theme={"theme":{"light":"min-light","dark":"min-dark"}}
openclaw gateway status
openclaw status
openclaw logs --follow
openclaw doctor
openclaw gateway status --deep
```

Look for:

* `Runtime: stopped` with exit hints.
* Service config mismatch (`Config (cli)` vs `Config (service)`).
* Port/listener conflicts.

Common signatures:

* `Gateway start blocked: set gateway.mode=local` → local gateway mode is not enabled. Fix: set `gateway.mode="local"` in your config (or run `openclaw configure`). If you are running OpenClaw via Podman using the dedicated `openclaw` user, the config lives at `~openclaw/.openclaw/openclaw.json`.
* `refusing to bind gateway ... without auth` → non-loopback bind without token/password.
* `another gateway instance is already listening` / `EADDRINUSE` → port conflict.

Related:

* [/gateway/background-process](/gateway/background-process)
* [/gateway/configuration](/gateway/configuration)
* [/gateway/doctor](/gateway/doctor)

## Channel connected messages not flowing

If channel state is connected but message flow is dead, focus on policy, permissions, and channel specific delivery rules.

```bash  theme={"theme":{"light":"min-light","dark":"min-dark"}}
openclaw channels status --probe
openclaw pairing list --channel <channel> [--account <id>]
openclaw status --deep
openclaw logs --follow
openclaw config get channels
```

Look for:

* DM policy (`pairing`, `allowlist`, `open`, `disabled`).
* Group allowlist and mention requirements.
* Missing channel API permissions/scopes.

Common signatures:

* `mention required` → message ignored by group mention policy.
* `pairing` / pending approval traces → sender is not approved.
* `missing_scope`, `not_in_channel`, `Forbidden`, `401/403` → channel auth/permissions issue.

Related:

* [/channels/troubleshooting](/channels/troubleshooting)
* [/channels/whatsapp](/channels/whatsapp)
* [/channels/telegram](/channels/telegram)
* [/channels/discord](/channels/discord)

## Cron and heartbeat delivery

If cron or heartbeat did not run or did not deliver, verify scheduler state first, then delivery target.

```bash  theme={"theme":{"light":"min-light","dark":"min-dark"}}
openclaw cron status
openclaw cron list
openclaw cron runs --id <jobId> --limit 20
openclaw system heartbeat last
openclaw logs --follow
```

Look for:

* Cron enabled and next wake present.
* Job run history status (`ok`, `skipped`, `error`).
* Heartbeat skip reasons (`quiet-hours`, `requests-in-flight`, `alerts-disabled`).

Common signatures:

* `cron: scheduler disabled; jobs will not run automatically` → cron disabled.
* `cron: timer tick failed` → scheduler tick failed; check file/log/runtime errors.
* `heartbeat skipped` with `reason=quiet-hours` → outside active hours window.
* `heartbeat: unknown accountId` → invalid account id for heartbeat delivery target.
* `heartbeat skipped` with `reason=dm-blocked` → heartbeat target resolved to a DM-style destination while `agents.defaults.heartbeat.directPolicy` (or per-agent override) is set to `block`.

Related:

* [/automation/troubleshooting](/automation/troubleshooting)
* [/automation/cron-jobs](/automation/cron-jobs)
* [/gateway/heartbeat](/gateway/heartbeat)

## Node paired tool fails

If a node is paired but tools fail, isolate foreground, permission, and approval state.

```bash  theme={"theme":{"light":"min-light","dark":"min-dark"}}
openclaw nodes status
openclaw nodes describe --node <idOrNameOrIp>
openclaw approvals get --node <idOrNameOrIp>
openclaw logs --follow
openclaw status
```

Look for:

* Node online with expected capabilities.
* OS permission grants for camera/mic/location/screen.
* Exec approvals and allowlist state.

Common signatures:

* `NODE_BACKGROUND_UNAVAILABLE` → node app must be in foreground.
* `*_PERMISSION_REQUIRED` / `LOCATION_PERMISSION_REQUIRED` → missing OS permission.
* `SYSTEM_RUN_DENIED: approval required` → exec approval pending.
* `SYSTEM_RUN_DENIED: allowlist miss` → command blocked by allowlist.

Related:

* [/nodes/troubleshooting](/nodes/troubleshooting)
* [/nodes/index](/nodes/index)
* [/tools/exec-approvals](/tools/exec-approvals)

## Browser tool fails

Use this when browser tool actions fail even though the gateway itself is healthy.

```bash  theme={"theme":{"light":"min-light","dark":"min-dark"}}
openclaw browser status
openclaw browser start --browser-profile openclaw
openclaw browser profiles
openclaw logs --follow
openclaw doctor
```

Look for:

* Valid browser executable path.
* CDP profile reachability.
* Extension relay tab attachment for `profile="chrome"`.

Common signatures:

* `Failed to start Chrome CDP on port` → browser process failed to launch.
* `browser.executablePath not found` → configured path is invalid.
* `Chrome extension relay is running, but no tab is connected` → extension relay not attached.
* `Browser attachOnly is enabled ... not reachable` → attach-only profile has no reachable target.

Related:

* [/tools/browser-linux-troubleshooting](/tools/browser-linux-troubleshooting)
* [/tools/chrome-extension](/tools/chrome-extension)
* [/tools/browser](/tools/browser)

## If you upgraded and something suddenly broke

Most post-upgrade breakage is config drift or stricter defaults now being enforced.

### 1) Auth and URL override behavior changed

```bash  theme={"theme":{"light":"min-light","dark":"min-dark"}}
openclaw gateway status
openclaw config get gateway.mode
openclaw config get gateway.remote.url
openclaw config get gateway.auth.mode
```

What to check:

* If `gateway.mode=remote`, CLI calls may be targeting remote while your local service is fine.
* Explicit `--url` calls do not fall back to stored credentials.

Common signatures:

* `gateway connect failed:` → wrong URL target.
* `unauthorized` → endpoint reachable but wrong auth.

### 2) Bind and auth guardrails are stricter

```bash  theme={"theme":{"light":"min-light","dark":"min-dark"}}
openclaw config get gateway.bind
openclaw config get gateway.auth.token
openclaw gateway status
openclaw logs --follow
```

What to check:

* Non-loopback binds (`lan`, `tailnet`, `custom`) need auth configured.
* Old keys like `gateway.token` do not replace `gateway.auth.token`.

Common signatures:

* `refusing to bind gateway ... without auth` → bind+auth mismatch.
* `RPC probe: failed` while runtime is running → gateway alive but inaccessible with current auth/url.

### 3) Pairing and device identity state changed

```bash  theme={"theme":{"light":"min-light","dark":"min-dark"}}
openclaw devices list
openclaw pairing list --channel <channel> [--account <id>]
openclaw logs --follow
openclaw doctor
```

What to check:

* Pending device approvals for dashboard/nodes.
* Pending DM pairing approvals after policy or identity changes.

Common signatures:

* `device identity required` → device auth not satisfied.
* `pairing required` → sender/device must be approved.

If the service config and runtime still disagree after checks, reinstall service metadata from the same profile/state directory:

```bash  theme={"theme":{"light":"min-light","dark":"min-dark"}}
openclaw gateway install --force
openclaw gateway restart
```

Related:

* [/gateway/pairing](/gateway/pairing)
* [/gateway/authentication](/gateway/authentication)
* [/gateway/background-process](/gateway/background-process)
