openclaw - 💡(How to fix) Fix Gateway blocks HTTP server startup while reinstalling 63 bundled runtime deps on every restart [1 comments, 2 participants]

2026-04-27T21:32:38.931+00:00 [gateway] starting...
2026-04-27T21:33:07.665+00:00 [plugins] acpx staging bundled runtime deps (1 missing, 62 install specs)
2026-04-27T21:37:10.468+00:00 [gateway] starting HTTP server...

Total startup delay: ~4.5 minutes from 'starting' to HTTP server binding.

TL;DR

Implementing a background installation of bundled runtime dependencies or an incremental cache can significantly reduce the startup delay of the OpenClaw gateway.

Guidance

• Consider implementing a background install mechanism to run bundled runtime dep installation without blocking the main event loop, allowing the HTTP server to start sooner.
• Explore incremental cache approaches to only install packages that have changed between restarts, reducing the number of installations required.
• Evaluate the feasibility of early HTTP bind, where the server binds early and returns a 503 status or a 'starting' message until all dependencies are installed and the server is fully ready.
• Review the startup grace period concept for the health monitor to avoid marking the gateway as 'failed' during the initial startup delay.

Example

No specific code example is provided due to the lack of detailed implementation details in the issue description. However, the concept would involve modifying the startup script or the dependency installation process to run in parallel with the HTTP server initialization.

Notes

The effectiveness of these suggestions may depend on the specific implementation details of the OpenClaw gateway and its dependency management system. Testing and validation would be necessary to ensure that any changes do not introduce new issues or affect the stability of the gateway.

Recommendation

Apply a background install workaround to immediately address the startup delay issue, as it seems to be the most direct approach to prevent the blocking installation of dependencies from delaying the HTTP server startup.