openclaw - 💡(How to fix) Fix [Bug]: Question: How to expose user mcp.servers tools to Anthropic provider in 2026.5.7? (route=native, policy=none)

Bug type

Behavior bug (incorrect output/state without crash)

Beta release blocker

No

Summary

User-configured mcp.servers tools register and launch successfully but are not exposed to the agent when the Anthropic provider routes via route=native policy=none (OpenClaw 2026.5.7).

Steps to reproduce

1. Install OpenClaw 2026.5.7 globally via npm.

2. Configure Anthropic provider with api_key auth:

   • auth.profiles."anthropic:default": { "provider": "anthropic", "mode": "api_key" }
   • agents.defaults.model.primary: "anthropic/claude-sonnet-4-6"
   • tools.profile: "coding"

3. Create a minimal stdio MCP server in Node that exposes one tool (e.g. say_hello). Confirm it works via node server.js (logs "hello MCP server running on stdio").

4. Register it with OpenClaw: openclaw mcp set hello '{"command":"node","args":["/path/to/server.js"]}'

5. Confirm registration: openclaw mcp list (output: "- hello")

6. Restart the gateway: systemctl --user restart openclaw-gateway

7. Confirm the gateway starts the MCP server. In /tmp/openclaw/openclaw-*.log: bundle-mcp:hello: hello MCP server running on stdio

8. From the configured channel (Telegram in this case), ask the agent: "What tools do you have available?"

9. Observe the agent's tool list does NOT include say_hello, nor any bundle-mcp:* or mcp:* prefixed tools.

Expected behavior

The say_hello tool (or bundle-mcp:hello:say_hello, or similar prefixed name) appears in the agent's tool inventory and can be invoked via Telegram.

Actual behavior

Agent's tool inventory contains only built-ins (read, write, edit, exec, process, sessions_, image). No say_hello, no bundle-mcp: tools, no mcp:* tools appear.

Gateway log confirms the MCP server launches successfully: bundle-mcp:hello: hello MCP server running on stdio

But every agent turn logs: embedded run prompt start: provider=anthropic api=anthropic-messages endpoint=anthropic-public route=native policy=none

And tool warnings show bundle-mcp identifiers aren't matched on this route: tools.allow allowlist contains unknown entries (bundle-mcp). These entries won't match any tool unless the plugin is enabled.

Attempts to switch the route did not change route=native:

• agents.defaults.agentRuntime: {"id":"pi"} — accepted, but log still shows route=native
• agents.defaults.models."anthropic/claude-sonnet-4-6".agentRuntime — schema rejected
• agents.defaults.providers.anthropic.agentRuntime — schema rejected ("Unrecognized key: providers")

Question: What config key switches the Anthropic provider off route=native so that user mcp.servers tools reach the agent?

OpenClaw version

OpenClaw 2026.5.7

Operating system

Ubuntu 24.04.4 LTS (Linux 6.8.0-111-generic, x86_64)

Install method

npm global

Model

anthropic/claude-sonnet-4-6

Provider / routing chain

openclaw -> anthropic (direct, route=native)

Additional provider/model setup details

Provider auth: Anthropic API key (api_key auth profile). Config lives in ~/.openclaw/openclaw.json under auth.profiles."anthropic:default" (provider=anthropic, mode=api_key) and agents.defaults.model.primary = "anthropic/claude-sonnet-4-6". No custom routing chain. tools.profile is "coding".

Logs, screenshots, and evidence

Gateway log shows the MCP server launches successfully:
bundle-mcp:hello: hello MCP server running on stdio

Every agent turn logs the same route:
embedded run prompt start: provider=anthropic api=anthropic-messages endpoint=anthropic-public route=native policy=none

Tool warnings on bundle-mcp identifiers:
tools.profile (coding) allowlist contains unknown entries (bundle-mcp). These entries won't match any tool unless the plugin is enabled.
tools.allow allowlist contains unknown entries (bundle-mcp:hello). These entries won't match any tool unless the plugin is enabled.

Agent's full reported tool inventory (queried via Telegram):
read, write, edit, exec, process, sessions_list, sessions_history, sessions_send, sessions_spawn, sessions_yield, subagents, session_status, image

No say_hello, no bundle-mcp:* tools, no mcp:* tools.

`openclaw mcp list` confirms hello is registered:
- hello

`openclaw mcp show hello` returns:
{
  "command": "node",
  "args": ["/home/openclaw/tools/prime-tools/mcp-servers/hello/server.js"]
}

Impact and severity

Affected: Users running OpenClaw 2026.5.7 with Anthropic provider (api_key auth) who register user MCP servers via openclaw mcp set. Severity: Blocks workflow — the documented user-MCP feature does not function for this provider/route combination. Frequency: Always reproducible. Every agent turn on this configuration takes the native route and excludes user MCP tools. Consequence: Cannot expose any user-built MCP tools to the agent. Forces alternative implementations (workspace skills, hardcoded plugins) instead of the documented MCP path.

Additional information

NOT_ENOUGH_INFO on whether this is a regression — I did not test prior versions.

Configuration attempts that did not change route=native:

• agents.defaults.agentRuntime: {"id":"pi"} — accepted by schema, but log still shows route=native
• agents.defaults.models."anthropic/claude-sonnet-4-6".agentRuntime — schema rejected ("Unrecognized key: agentRuntime")
• agents.defaults.providers.anthropic.agentRuntime — schema rejected ("Unrecognized key: providers")
• tools.alsoAllow values ["mcp"], ["bundle-mcp"], ["bundle-mcp:hello"] — all rejected as "unknown entries"
• tools.profile: "full" — no change

Question: What config key switches the Anthropic provider off route=native so user mcp.servers tools reach the agent? Or is mcp.servers simply not consumed by the Anthropic native route in 2026.5.7, in which case what is the documented path for user MCP with this provider?