openclaw - 💡(How to fix) Fix [Bug]: Bonjour is a mess but it's enabled by default [1 comments, 2 participants]

Bug type

Regression (worked before, now fails)

Beta release blocker

No

Summary

bonjour prevents openclaw from starting in environments where it isn't used, is enabled by default, anc can't be disabled via the openclaw config file. You have to set an environment variable 'OPENCLAW_DISABLE_BONJOUR=1" because it's special.

Steps to reproduce

1. Start openclaw in an environment that doesn't include mdns
2. wait 3 minutes while openclaw launches
3. return to shell prompt because it crashed.

10:59:17 [plugins] bonjour: advertised gateway fqdn=raspberrypi (OpenClaw)._openclaw-gw._tcp.local. host=openclaw.local. port=18789 state=unannounced 10:59:17 [openclaw] Unhandled promise rejection: CIAO PROBING CANCELLED

Expected behavior

If mdns must be enabled by default, it must handle situations where it doesn't work. It should also not be special, openclaw.json should be the single source of configuration.

Actual behavior

openclaw doesn't start successfully, if its run by the service manager it just loops and loops and loops.

OpenClaw version

2026.4.24

Operating system

linux

Install method

install script

Model

irrelevant

Provider / routing chain

irrelevant

Additional provider/model setup details

No response

Logs, screenshots, and evidence

10:59:17 [plugins] bonjour: advertised gateway fqdn=raspberrypi (OpenClaw)._openclaw-gw._tcp.local. host=openclaw.local. port=18789 state=unannounced
10:59:17 [openclaw] Unhandled promise rejection: CIAO PROBING CANCELLED
10:59:17 [openclaw] wrote stability bundle: /home/molt/.openclaw/logs/stability/openclaw-stability-2026-04-28T17-59-17-036Z-3894143-unhandled_rejection.json

Impact and severity

Very annoying and the solution isn't readily available

Additional information

No response