openclaw - 💡(How to fix) Fix [Bug]: Isolated cron jobs using payload.model: "XXXX" can start without the requested exec tool

Bug type

Regression (worked before, now fails)

Beta release blocker

No

Summary

Isolated cron jobs with payload.model: "XXXXXX" and toolsAllow: ["exec"] can start with toolCount: 0, causing the job to fail before the requested local command runs.

Steps to reproduce

Create or use an isolated cron job with payload.kind: "agentTurn", payload.model: "XXXXX", and payload.toolsAllow: ["exec"]. Use a prompt that tells the agent to run a simple local command and return stdout exactly. Force-run the job. Inspect the resulting session metadata. Observe that the failing run can resolve to correct OpenAI model with toolCount: 0 and no usable exec tool.

Expected behavior

An isolated cron job that requests toolsAllow: ["exec"] should start with a usable exec tool and be able to run the requested local command.

Actual behavior

In the observed failing run, the isolated cron session resolved to correct openai model and started with toolCount: 0. The model did not receive a usable shell tool, attempted dummy.read_mcp_resource, got resources/read failed: unknown MCP server 'dummy', and then returned Unable to execute the command in this environment because no shell/terminal tool is available here.

OpenClaw version

2026.5.19

Operating system

Linux 6.6.87.2-microsoft-standard-WSL2

Install method

npm global

Model

openai/gpt-5.4-mini

Provider / routing chain

openclaw -> openai-codex

Additional provider/model setup details

The failing job used payload.model: "XXXXX", which resolved to openai-codex / gpt-5.4-mini in the observed failing session. The job used sessionTarget: "isolated" and payload.toolsAllow: ["exec"].

Logs, screenshots, and evidence

Observed failing job:

Job id: 2ec127d4-47a4-41d7-8195-3b036707ba29
Job name: ********
Failing session id: 49705d06-96dc-4724-ab74-ead7168470dd
Failing run time: 2026-05-21 15:15 XXXXX
Failing run resolved model/runtime: openai-codex / gpt-5.4-mini
Session metadata showed: toolCount: 0
Tool call observed: dummy.read_mcp_resource
Tool error observed: resources/read failed: unknown MCP server 'dummy'
Final assistant text observed: Unable to execute the command in this environment because no shell/terminal tool is available here.

Impact and severity

Affected: Observed on isolated cron jobs that request exec and use payload.model: "XXXXX" Severity: High Frequency: Intermittent Consequence: The cron job can fail before executing the requested local command, resulting in missed or delayed cron outputs

Additional information

This behavior was also observed on another isolated cron job that used payload.model: "XXXXX" and needed local shell execution. In the observed successful comparison, changing only the model to economy allowed the job to run normally.