Bug type

Regression (worked before, now fails)

Beta release blocker

Yes

Summary

Summary

After upgrading from pre-2026.5.5 to 2026.5.5, plugin-registered agent tools (via api.registerTool) that are listed in agents.list[].tools.alsoAllow are no longer available in sessionTarget: "isolated" cron runs. The same tools work correctly in regular chat sessions.

Regression Point

Commit(s) #77519, #77532 (2026.5.4 changelog entry, shipped in 2026.5.5):

Agents/tools: honor narrow runtime tool allowlists when constructing embedded-runner tool families and bundled MCP/LSP runtimes, so cron/subagent runs that request tools such as update_plan, browser, x_search, channel login tools, or group:plugins no longer start with missing tools or unrelated bootstrap work.

Environment

• OpenClaw version: 2026.5.5 (b1abf9d)
• Plugin: @wecom/[email protected] (unchanged across working/broken versions)
• OS: macOS 15 (arm64)
• Node: v25.5.0

Reproduction

1. Install and enable a plugin that registers an agent tool via api.registerTool(). In this case: @wecom/wecom-openclaw-plugin, which registers wecom_mcp.

2. Configure the agent to allow the plugin tool:

   {
     "agents": {
       "list": [{
         "id": "main",
         "tools": {
           "alsoAllow": ["wecom_mcp"]
         }
       }]
     }
   }

3. Create an isolated cron job whose payload message instructs the agent to use wecom_mcp:

   {
     "sessionTarget": "isolated",
     "payload": {
       "kind": "agentTurn",
       "message": "Use wecom_mcp to create a document..."
     }
   }

4. Expected: The cron run has wecom_mcp available and can call it.

5. Actual: The cron run reports wecom_mcp is not available. Cron status shows tool-policy failure.

Timeline (confirmed from cron status files)

Analysis

The "honor narrow runtime tool allowlists" change (#77519, #77532) tightened the tool-construction logic for embedded runners (used by cron isolated sessions and subagents). The new logic appears to filter out plugin-registered tools for channel-less sessions, even when alsoAllow explicitly opts in to those tools.

Key observations:

• wecom_mcp is a plugin tool (registered via api.registerTool in the wecom plugin's index.js), not a core tool.
• It works in regular chat sessions (telegram, wecom direct) where channel context is available.
• It fails in cron isolated sessions which have no channel context.
• The plugin version (2026.4.8) was not updated between the working and broken states.
• The tools.alsoAllow config was not changed.

This suggests the embedded runner's tool-family construction now filters out plugin tools that it cannot resolve in a channel-less context, even when alsoAllow explicitly opts in to those tools.

Possible Fix Direction

When constructing tool families for embedded runners (cron isolated / subagent), the alsoAllow list should be treated as an explicit opt-in that overrides channel-based availability checks for plugin tools. A plugin tool that is:

1. Successfully registered at Gateway startup
2. Listed in the agent's tools.alsoAllow

should be available in all session types, not just channel-bound sessions.

Workaround

Using sessions_send to delegate wecom_mcp calls to a wecom-channel-bound session works as a temporary workaround.

Steps to reproduce

1. Install and enable @wecom/wecom-openclaw-plugin (or any plugin that registers an agent tool via api.registerTool()). In this case the plugin registers wecom_mcp.

2. Configure the agent to allow the plugin tool via alsoAllow: { "agents": { "list": [{ "id": "main", "tools": { "alsoAllow": ["wecom_mcp"] } }] } }

3. Create an isolated cron job whose payload instructs the agent to use wecom_mcp: { "sessionTarget": "isolated", "payload": { "kind": "agentTurn", "message": "Use wecom_mcp to create a document..." } }

4. Wait for the cron to run (or trigger manually with openclaw cron run <jobId>).

Expected behavior

The cron isolated run should have wecom_mcp available as a callable tool, since:

• The plugin successfully registers the tool at Gateway startup • The agent's tools.alsoAllow explicitly opts in to wecom_mcp • The tool works correctly in regular chat sessions (telegram, wecom direct)

Actual behavior

The cron isolated run reports wecom_mcp is not available. The tool is filtered out during embedded-runner tool-family construction, even though alsoAllow explicitly lists it. Cron status records a tool-policy failure.

Confirmed timeline from cron status files:

Workaround: Using sessions_send to delegate wecom_mcp calls to a wecom-channel-bound session works.

Environment: OpenClaw 2026.5.5 (b1abf9d) · plugin @wecom/[email protected] · macOS 15 arm64 · Node v25.5.0

OpenClaw version

2026.5.5

Operating system

MACOS 16

Install method

No response

Model

glm5.1

Provider / routing chain

openclaw->glm

Additional provider/model setup details

No response

Logs, screenshots, and evidence

Impact and severity

No response

Additional information

No response