fix(deps): patch gaxios to use globalThis.fetch on Node.js 18+ (fixes #32245) by whongj · Pull Request #33116 · openclaw/openclaw

whongj · 2026-03-03T14:44:09Z

Summary

Fixes #32245 — Cannot convert undefined or null to object on all Vertex AI embedded runs (Node.js v22+).

Root Cause

gaxios 7.1.x decides which fetch implementation to use in its private static #getFetch():

static async #getFetch() {
    const hasWindow = typeof window !== "undefined" && !!window;
    this.#fetch ||= hasWindow
        ? window.fetch
        : (await import("node-fetch")).default;  // ← crashes Node.js v22.22.0
    return this.#fetch;
}

In a Node.js environment, window is undefined, so it falls back to await import("node-fetch"). On Node.js v22.22.0, this dynamic ESM import of node-fetch v3.3.2 crashes the ESM module loader:

TypeError: Cannot convert undefined or null to object
    at hasOwnProperty (<anonymous>)
    at ModuleWrap.<anonymous> (node:internal/modules/esm/translators:213:12)
    at ModuleJob.run (node:internal/modules/esm/module_job:343:25)

This crashes google-auth-library JWT token exchange before any Vertex AI API call is made, causing every Vertex-backed embedded run to fail with:

embedded run agent end: isError=true error=Cannot convert undefined or null to object

Node.js v18+ ships native fetch as globalThis.fetch. gaxios never checks for it.

Fix

A one-liner postinstall script (scripts/patch-gaxios-node22.mjs) that idempotently patches gaxios/build/cjs/src/gaxios.js:

- : (await import("node-fetch")).default;
+ : (typeof globalThis.fetch === "function" ? globalThis.fetch : (await import("node-fetch")).default);

The script:

Is a no-op if already patched or if gaxios has been updated upstream
Runs via postinstall in package.json
Prints a clear status message on each install

Verification

# Before patch: fails
node -e "const { JWT } = require(google-auth-library); ..."
# → Error: Cannot convert undefined or null to object

# After patch: succeeds  
node -e "const { JWT } = require(google-auth-library); ..."
# → ✅ Token OK: ya29.c.c0AZ4bNp...

All Vertex AI models (gemini-3-flash-preview, gemini-2.0-flash, etc.) resume working normally.

Notes

The proper long-term fix is upstream in googleapis/gaxios — a PR has been filed there
This postinstall patch is the shortest path to unblocking affected users on Node.js v22+
Tested on: Node.js v22.22.0, Debian 12, OpenClaw 2026.3.2

gaxios 7.1.x checks for `window` to decide whether to use native fetch. In Node.js (no `window`), it falls back to `await import('node-fetch')`. On Node.js v22.22.0, this dynamic ESM import crashes the module loader: TypeError: Cannot convert undefined or null to object at ModuleWrap.<anonymous> (node:internal/modules/esm/translators:213:12) This kills `google-auth-library` JWT token exchange before any Vertex AI call is made, causing ALL Vertex-backed embedded runs to fail with: embedded run agent end: isError=true error=Cannot convert undefined or null to object Node.js 18+ ships native `fetch` as `globalThis.fetch`. The fix is a one-liner: check `globalThis.fetch` before attempting the broken ESM import. The postinstall script `scripts/patch-gaxios-node22.mjs` applies this patch idempotently after `npm install`. It is a no-op if gaxios has been fixed upstream or if the pattern has changed. Fixes: openclaw#32245 Upstream issue: googleapis/gaxios (pending PR)

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chatgpt-codex-connector · 2026-03-03T14:46:39Z

scripts/patch-gaxios-node22.mjs

+
+const content = fs.readFileSync(gaxiosPath, "utf8");
+
+const BROKEN = ": (await import('node-fetch')).default;";


Match gaxios import string before patching

The patcher never applies on the affected gaxios@7.1.3 builds because BROKEN looks for import('node-fetch') (single quotes), while the compiled file uses import("node-fetch") in #getFetch(); this makes content.includes(BROKEN) false and exits with "Pattern not found", so installs remain vulnerable to the Node 22 crash this commit is intended to fix.

Useful? React with 👍 / 👎.

greptile-apps · 2026-03-03T14:47:41Z

Greptile Summary

This PR adds a postinstall script that patches gaxios@7.1.3 to prefer globalThis.fetch (available natively since Node.js 18) over a dynamic import('node-fetch') that crashes the ESM loader on Node.js v22+.

The core fix logic is sound and addresses a real blocker for Vertex AI embedded runs on Node.js v22+. The idempotency checks (already patched, pattern not found) are well-thought-out.

One minor cleanup: the path module is imported but unused and should be removed to avoid lint warnings.

Confidence Score: 4/5

Safe to merge after removing the unused import. The patch is idempotent and benign.
The fix correctly addresses the Node.js v22+ ESM loader crash and is properly guarded with idempotency checks. Only a minor code cleanliness issue remains (unused import). The patch itself is beneficial and does not introduce functional risks.
scripts/patch-gaxios-node22.mjs — remove unused path import

_{Last reviewed commit: 369ac04}

greptile-apps

_{2 files reviewed, 1 comment}

_{Edit Code Review Agent Settings | Greptile}

greptile-apps · 2026-03-03T14:47:45Z

scripts/patch-gaxios-node22.mjs

+ * Fix: https://github.com/googleapis/gaxios/issues/<upstream>
+ */
+import fs from "node:fs";
+import path from "node:path";


path is imported but never referenced in the script. Remove unused import:

Suggested change

import path from "node:path";

import { createRequire } from "node:module";

Prompt To Fix With AI

This is a comment left during a code review. Path: scripts/patch-gaxios-node22.mjs Line: 10 Comment: `path` is imported but never referenced in the script. Remove unused import: ```suggestion import { createRequire } from "node:module"; ``` How can I resolve this? If you propose a fix, please make it concise.

openclaw-barnacle bot added scripts Repository scripts size: XS labels Mar 3, 2026

whongj mentioned this pull request Mar 3, 2026

fix(gaxios): prefer globalThis.fetch over import('node-fetch') on Node.js 18+ googleapis/google-cloud-node-core#916

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fix(deps): patch gaxios to use globalThis.fetch on Node.js 18+ (fixes #32245)#33116

fix(deps): patch gaxios to use globalThis.fetch on Node.js 18+ (fixes #32245)#33116
whongj wants to merge 1 commit intoopenclaw:mainfrom
whongj:fix/gaxios-node22-globalthis-fetch

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		const content = fs.readFileSync(gaxiosPath, "utf8");

		const BROKEN = ": (await import('node-fetch')).default;";

	import path from "node:path";
	import { createRequire } from "node:module";

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whongj commented Mar 3, 2026

Summary

Root Cause

Fix

Verification

Notes

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Confidence Score: 4/5

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