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openclaw - 💡(How to fix) Fix [Bug]: SYSTEM_RUN_DENIED: approval requires an existing canonical cwd (Linux gateway → Windows node) [1 participants]

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openclaw/openclaw#63209•Fetched 2026-04-09 07:56:58
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OpenClaw version:

  • Windows node: 2026.4.2 (d74a122)
  • Gateway: Hostinger VPS (Docker)

Topology:

  • Linux gateway → Windows node (different machines)

What works:

  • Gateway reachable
  • Token set via OPENCLAW_GATEWAY_TOKEN
  • Approvals configured:
    • security=full
    • ask=off
    • askFallback=full

What fails:

  • system.run with tools.exec.host=node

Error: SYSTEM_RUN_DENIED: approval requires an existing canonical cwd

Notes:

  • Node started manually from C:\Users\Lenovo
  • Cross-platform setup (Linux → Windows)
  • Appears to be cwd validation/runtime issue

Error Message

Error: 5. Observe error:

Root Cause

OpenClaw version:

  • Windows node: 2026.4.2 (d74a122)
  • Gateway: Hostinger VPS (Docker)

Topology:

  • Linux gateway → Windows node (different machines)

What works:

  • Gateway reachable
  • Token set via OPENCLAW_GATEWAY_TOKEN
  • Approvals configured:
    • security=full
    • ask=off
    • askFallback=full

What fails:

  • system.run with tools.exec.host=node

Error: SYSTEM_RUN_DENIED: approval requires an existing canonical cwd

Notes:

  • Node started manually from C:\Users\Lenovo
  • Cross-platform setup (Linux → Windows)
  • Appears to be cwd validation/runtime issue
RAW_BUFFERClick to expand / collapse

Bug type

Regression (worked before, now fails)

Beta release blocker

No

Summary

OpenClaw version:

  • Windows node: 2026.4.2 (d74a122)
  • Gateway: Hostinger VPS (Docker)

Topology:

  • Linux gateway → Windows node (different machines)

What works:

  • Gateway reachable
  • Token set via OPENCLAW_GATEWAY_TOKEN
  • Approvals configured:
    • security=full
    • ask=off
    • askFallback=full

What fails:

  • system.run with tools.exec.host=node

Error: SYSTEM_RUN_DENIED: approval requires an existing canonical cwd

Notes:

  • Node started manually from C:\Users\Lenovo
  • Cross-platform setup (Linux → Windows)
  • Appears to be cwd validation/runtime issue

Steps to reproduce

  1. Start OpenClaw gateway on Linux (Docker, Hostinger VPS).
  2. Start Windows node manually from PowerShell: cd C:\Users\Lenovo npx openclaw node run
  3. Set tools.exec.host=node on gateway.
  4. Execute system.run command targeting Windows node.
  5. Observe error: SYSTEM_RUN_DENIED: approval requires an existing canonical cwd

Expected behavior

system.run should execute successfully on Windows node when approvals are configured (security=full, ask=off), without requiring additional cwd validation errors.

Actual behavior

system.run fails with: SYSTEM_RUN_DENIED: approval requires an existing canonical cwd

OpenClaw version

2026.4.2

Operating system

windows 11

Install method

No response

Model

Open Ai

Provider / routing chain

openclaw -> gateway (Docker, Hostinger VPS) -> Windows node

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 issue can be resolved by ensuring a valid canonical current working directory (cwd) exists on the Windows node before executing the system.run command.

Guidance

  • Verify that the Windows node is started from a directory that has a valid canonical path, as the error suggests a cwd validation issue.
  • Check the C:\Users\Lenovo directory from which the node is started manually to ensure it has the necessary permissions and is a valid working directory.
  • Consider setting a specific, existing directory as the cwd before running the system.run command to test if this resolves the issue.
  • Review the OpenClaw documentation for any specific requirements or configurations related to cross-platform setups and cwd validation.

Example

No specific code example is provided due to the lack of detailed implementation details in the issue.

Notes

The exact cause of the cwd validation issue is not clear from the provided information, and further investigation into the OpenClaw configuration and the Windows node's environment may be necessary.

Recommendation

Apply workaround: Ensure a valid canonical cwd exists before executing system.run, as this directly addresses the error message and is a straightforward step to mitigate the issue.

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FAQ

Expected behavior

system.run should execute successfully on Windows node when approvals are configured (security=full, ask=off), without requiring additional cwd validation errors.

#prompt issue#agent setup#task chaining#parallel task#integration issue

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