openclaw - 💡(How to fix) Fix [Bug]: 2026.4.5 Does not recognize cliBackends as a configuration option [2 comments, 2 participants]

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openclaw/openclaw#62199Fetched 2026-04-08 03:07:44
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After upgrading to 2026.4.5 it no longer recognized cliBackends as a cofiguration option under agents.defaults. This prevented the entire app from starting, forcing me to remove it from the openclaw.json file. Once I did, the gateway started, but none of the agents work (I'm using claude as my main agent).

Root Cause

After upgrading to 2026.4.5 it no longer recognized cliBackends as a cofiguration option under agents.defaults. This prevented the entire app from starting, forcing me to remove it from the openclaw.json file. Once I did, the gateway started, but none of the agents work (I'm using claude as my main agent).

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Bug type

Regression (worked before, now fails)

Beta release blocker

No

Summary

After upgrading to 2026.4.5 it no longer recognized cliBackends as a cofiguration option under agents.defaults. This prevented the entire app from starting, forcing me to remove it from the openclaw.json file. Once I did, the gateway started, but none of the agents work (I'm using claude as my main agent).

Steps to reproduce

  1. Create an openclaw.json file with a "cliBackends" config option.
  2. Try to start the gateway.

Expected behavior

The gateway should start and recognize cliBackends as a valid config option.

Actual behavior

The gateway does not start, saying cliBackends is not recognized as a config option.

OpenClaw version

2026.4.5

Operating system

Ubuntu 24.04

Install method

No response

Model

anthropic/claude-sonnet-4-6

Provider / routing chain

openclaw -> tailscale

Additional provider/model setup details

No response

Logs, screenshots, and evidence

Impact and severity

No response

Additional information

No response

extent analysis

TL;DR

The most likely fix is to update the configuration option in the openclaw.json file to match the expected format in version 2026.4.5, as the cliBackends option is no longer recognized.

Guidance

  • Review the documentation for OpenClaw version 2026.4.5 to determine the correct configuration option for specifying backend agents, as it may have changed from cliBackends.
  • Check the OpenClaw configuration schema or example configurations for version 2026.4.5 to ensure that the openclaw.json file is formatted correctly.
  • If the correct configuration option is found, update the openclaw.json file and attempt to start the gateway again to verify that it recognizes the new option.
  • Consider reaching out to the OpenClaw community or support team for further assistance if the issue persists.

Notes

The exact solution may depend on the specifics of the OpenClaw configuration and the openclaw.json file, which are not provided in the issue. Additionally, the issue may be related to a change in the OpenClaw configuration format or a bug in the 2026.4.5 release.

Recommendation

Apply workaround: Update the openclaw.json file to use the correct configuration option for specifying backend agents in OpenClaw version 2026.4.5, as the current cliBackends option is no longer recognized.

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FAQ

Expected behavior

The gateway should start and recognize cliBackends as a valid config option.

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