Description

After upgrade/downgrade churn, repeated auth failures from an older UI client (openclaw-tui v2026.2.17) generated a storm of unauthorized connection errors. Gateway token changed during the version swap, but the stale client kept retrying with the old token.

Steps to Reproduce

1. Run mixed versions (gateway/CLI vs older TUI client)
2. Gateway auth token changes during upgrade/downgrade cycle
3. Stale TUI client attempts to reconnect with old token

Expected Behavior

Clear compatibility error and guided re-auth/token refresh. Ideally backoff/rate-limit repeated failures from the same client.

Actual Behavior

Repeated unauthorized failures flooding the log:

unauthorized conn=... client=openclaw-tui ui v2026.2.17 reason=token_mismatch
gateway connect failed: Error: unauthorized: gateway token mismatch
closed before connect ... code=1008 reason=unauthorized: gateway token mismatch

Environment

• OpenClaw: 2026.2.24/2026.2.26 (mixed during rollback)
• Stale client: openclaw-tui v2026.2.17
• Platform: macOS 26.3 (arm64), Mac mini M2

Suggested Fix

• Exponential backoff on repeated auth failures from same client
• Surface a user-facing notification: 'Client X needs to reconnect with updated token'
• Consider token compatibility across minor versions