openclaw - 💡(How to fix) Fix Built-in exec from Control UI always fails with "pairing required" on local Windows gateway, even with auth disabled and full local exec approvals [1 participants]

Bug type

Regression (worked before, now fails)

Beta release blocker

No

Summary

Built-in exec from the local Windows Control UI fails with gateway closed (1008): pairing required even when gateway auth is disabled, device auth is disabled, and local exec approvals are set to full.

Steps to reproduce

1. On native Windows, start OpenClaw with a local loopback gateway.
2. Set gateway.mode=local.
3. Disable gateway auth and disable Control UI device auth.
4. Set local exec approvals to full (security=full, ask=off, askFallback=full).
5. Open the Control UI and start a fresh session.
6. Trigger built-in exec with a trivial command such as python -c "print('auto-op test ok')" or openclaw status.
7. Observe the exec request fail with gateway closed (1008): pairing required.

Expected behavior

Built-in exec from the local Control UI session should succeed for trivial local commands, or fail with a more specific authorization error if another trust requirement still applies.

Actual behavior

Built-in exec fails immediately with Exec approval registration failed: Error: gateway closed (1008): pairing required. The local CLI works normally, but the Control UI exec path does not.

OpenClaw version

2026.4.8 (9ece252)

Operating system

Windows 11 25H2 x64

Install method

npm global (npm install -g openclaw@latest --omit=optional), then manually installed missing runtime dependencies

Model

openrouter/xiaomi/mimo-v2-pro

Provider / routing chain

openclaw -> openrouter

Additional provider/model setup details

NOT_ENOUGH_INFO

Logs, screenshots, and evidence

Key error:
`Exec approval registration failed: Error: gateway closed (1008): pairing required`

Gateway target: ws://127.0.0.1:18789
Source: local loopback
Config: E:\OpenClaw_Data\openclaw.json
Bind: loopback

Also observed:
- `openclaw approvals get --gateway` fails with `pairing required`
- local terminal commands work normally
- Control UI chat works, but built-in exec fails

Impact and severity

Affected: local Windows Control UI sessions Severity: High (blocks built-in exec from the Control UI) Frequency: Always in observed attempts Consequence: assistant-side local command execution is unusable from the Control UI even though the gateway is local and approvals were relaxed

Additional information

This setup was migrated from an older machine/state directory.

Current active state dir: E:\OpenClaw_Data Old migrated dir: C:\Users\wan.openclaw

There was previously a warning about multiple state directories. This may be relevant if pairing or trust state survived migration inconsistently.