Bug type
Regression (worked before, now fails)
Beta release blocker
No
Summary
On the same Ubuntu VPS and openai-codex OAuth setup, OpenClaw 2026.4.9 fails to return runtime chat replies in Control UI, WhatsApp, and WeCom, while 2026.3.28 works.
Steps to reproduce
- Start the same self-hosted Ubuntu VPS setup on OpenClaw 2026.4.9 with openai-codex OAuth.
- Open a fresh Control UI chat, or send
/new and then a simple text message in WhatsApp or WeCom.
- Observe that Control UI gets stuck on "writing" or the channel returns an error instead of a normal reply.
- Check gateway logs and observe repeated
403 <html>... for provider":"openai-codex" and model":"gpt-5.4".
- Downgrade the same setup to 2026.3.28 and repeat the same tests.
- Observe that replies work again on 2026.3.28.
Expected behavior
On the same VPS and same openai-codex OAuth setup, Control UI, WhatsApp, and WeCom should return normal replies, as observed on OpenClaw 2026.3.28.
Actual behavior
On 2026.4.9, Control UI main gets stuck on "writing" and WhatsApp/WeCom return misleading user-facing errors such as LLM request failed: DNS lookup for the provider endpoint failed. or ⚠️ API rate limit reached. Please try again later.; the gateway logs repeatedly show upstream 403 <html>... with failoverReason":"auth", provider":"openai-codex", and model":"gpt-5.4".
OpenClaw version
2026.4.9 (0512059)
Operating system
Ubuntu 22.04.5 LTS
Install method
npm global
Model
openai-codex/gpt-5.4
Provider / routing chain
openclaw -> openai-codex OAuth -> https://chatgpt.com/backend-api
Additional provider/model setup details
- Node version: v24.13.1
- Main LLM path is openai-codex OAuth only
- No non-Codex fallback is configured
openclaw models status --agent main --probe succeeds for the intended profile while runtime chats still fail- Per-agent probes for live handler agents also showed the intended Codex profile probing OK
- One malformed
main/agent/models.json entry (https:/chatgpt.com/backend-api) was found and fixed to https://chatgpt.com/backend-api, but the broader 2026.4.9 runtime failure persisted
- SSE transport was forced in config and did not resolve the issue
Logs, screenshots, and evidence
Observed log patterns on 2026.4.9 include:
- `embedded_run_agent_end`
- `error":"403 <html>..."`
- `failoverReason":"auth"`
- `provider":"openai-codex"`
- `model":"gpt-5.4"`
- Followed by surfaced user-facing messages such as:
- `LLM request failed: DNS lookup for the provider endpoint failed.`
- `⚠️ API rate limit reached. Please try again later.`
Other observed evidence:
- VPS resolver checks for `api.openai.com` succeeded
- `openclaw models status --agent main --probe` succeeded on the intended Codex OAuth profile
- Downgrading from 2026.4.9 to 2026.3.28 restored normal behavior on the same VPS and same setup
Impact and severity
Affected users/systems/channels:
- Control UI
main
- WhatsApp channel
- WeCom channel
- Same self-hosted Ubuntu VPS setup
Severity:
High; blocks normal agent replies across the main UI and both tested channels
Frequency:
Repeated across observed attempts on 2026.4.9
Consequence:
Control UI becomes unusable for normal chat replies and channel users receive misleading error messages instead of agent responses
Additional information
- Last known good version: 2026.3.28
- First known bad version observed: 2026.4.9
- Downgrading back to 2026.3.28 restored normal behavior
- This issue reproduced across Control UI, WhatsApp, and WeCom on the same VPS
- The repeated raw runtime symptom observed in logs was upstream
403 <html>..., while the surfaced user-facing error text varied
Bug type
Regression (worked before, now fails)
Beta release blocker
No
Summary
On the same Ubuntu VPS and openai-codex OAuth setup, OpenClaw 2026.4.9 fails to return runtime chat replies in Control UI, WhatsApp, and WeCom, while 2026.3.28 works.
Steps to reproduce
/newand then a simple text message in WhatsApp or WeCom.403 <html>...forprovider":"openai-codex"andmodel":"gpt-5.4".Expected behavior
On the same VPS and same openai-codex OAuth setup, Control UI, WhatsApp, and WeCom should return normal replies, as observed on OpenClaw 2026.3.28.
Actual behavior
On 2026.4.9, Control UI
maingets stuck on "writing" and WhatsApp/WeCom return misleading user-facing errors such asLLM request failed: DNS lookup for the provider endpoint failed.or⚠️ API rate limit reached. Please try again later.; the gateway logs repeatedly show upstream403 <html>...withfailoverReason":"auth",provider":"openai-codex", andmodel":"gpt-5.4".OpenClaw version
2026.4.9 (0512059)
Operating system
Ubuntu 22.04.5 LTS
Install method
npm global
Model
openai-codex/gpt-5.4
Provider / routing chain
openclaw -> openai-codex OAuth -> https://chatgpt.com/backend-api
Additional provider/model setup details
openclaw models status --agent main --probesucceeds for the intended profile while runtime chats still failmain/agent/models.jsonentry (https:/chatgpt.com/backend-api) was found and fixed tohttps://chatgpt.com/backend-api, but the broader 2026.4.9 runtime failure persistedLogs, screenshots, and evidence
Impact and severity
Affected users/systems/channels:
mainSeverity:
High; blocks normal agent replies across the main UI and both tested channels
Frequency:
Repeated across observed attempts on 2026.4.9
Consequence:
Control UI becomes unusable for normal chat replies and channel users receive misleading error messages instead of agent responses
Additional information
403 <html>..., while the surfaced user-facing error text varied