codex - 💡(How to fix) Fix Image paste fails on GNOME Wayland because arboard requires data-control; wl-paste works

codex2026-05-28 12:37:06

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Error Message

Pasting an image fails with error: ■ Failed to paste image: clipboard unavailable: Unknown error while interacting with the clipboard: X11 server connection timed out because it was unreachable On Linux, when arboard image paste fails and WAYLAND_DISPLAY is present, Codex should try wl-paste for image MIME types before returning the arboard/X11 error.

#12836: same X11 timeout error shape, though for /copy.

Root Cause

■ Failed to paste image: clipboard unavailable: Unknown error while interacting with the clipboard: X11 server connection timed out because it was unreachable

Fix Action

Fix / Workaround

Some other relevant, but not identical issues:

#4824: explains why upstream thinks Wayland was fixed by enabling arboard’s wayland-data-control.
#4818: original Wayland image-paste issue closed by #4824.
#12836: same X11 timeout error shape, though for /copy.

Code Example

]0;codex{
  "schemaVersion": 1,
  "generatedAt": "1779971214s since unix epoch",
  "overallStatus": "ok",
  "codexVersion": "0.134.0",
  "checks": {
    "app_server.status": {
      "id": "app_server.status",
      "category": "app-server",
      "status": "ok",
      "summary": "background server is not running",
      "details": {
        "control socket": "/state/shared/codex/profiles/personal/app-server-control/app-server-control.sock",
        "daemon state dir": "/state/shared/codex/profiles/personal/app-server-daemon",
        "mode": "ephemeral",
        "pid file": "/state/shared/codex/profiles/personal/app-server-daemon/app-server.pid (missing)",
        "settings": "/state/shared/codex/profiles/personal/app-server-daemon/settings.json (missing)",
        "status": "not running",
        "update-loop pid file": "/state/shared/codex/profiles/personal/app-server-daemon/app-server-updater.pid (missing)"
      },
      "remediation": null,
      "durationMs": 0
    },
    "auth.credentials": {
      "id": "auth.credentials",
      "category": "auth",
      "status": "ok",
      "summary": "auth is configured",
      "details": {
        "auth file": "/state/shared/codex/profiles/personal/auth.json",
        "auth storage mode": "File",
        "stored API key": "false",
        "stored ChatGPT tokens": "true",
        "stored agent identity": "false",
        "stored auth mode": "chatgpt"
      },
      "remediation": null,
      "durationMs": 0
    },
    "config.load": {
      "id": "config.load",
      "category": "config",
      "status": "ok",
      "summary": "config loaded",
      "details": {
        "CODEX_HOME": "/state/shared/codex/profiles/personal",
        "config.toml": "/state/shared/codex/profiles/personal/config.toml",
        "config.toml parse": "ok",
        "cwd": "/workspaces/harness-lab",
        "enabled feature flags": "shell_tool, unified_exec, shell_snapshot, terminal_resize_reflow, sqlite, hooks, enable_request_compression, multi_agent, tool_suggest, plugins, in_app_browser, browser_use, browser_use_external, computer_use, plugin_sharing, image_generation, skill_mcp_dependency_install, steer, guardian_approval, goals, collaboration_modes, tool_call_mcp_elicitation, personality, fast_mode, tui_app_server, workspace_dependencies",
        "feature flag overrides": "apps=false",
        "feature flags enabled": "26",
        "log dir": "/state/shared/codex/profiles/personal/log",
        "mcp servers": "1",
        "model": "gpt-5.5",
        "model provider": "openai",
        "sqlite home": "/home/devuser/.codex/shared/sqlite"
      },
      "remediation": null,
      "durationMs": 0
    },
    "installation": {
      "id": "installation",
      "category": "install",
      "status": "ok",
      "summary": "installation looks consistent",
      "details": {
        "PATH codex #1": "/home/devuser/.bun/bin/codex",
        "PATH codex #2": "/home/devuser/.bun/bin/codex",
        "PATH codex #3": "/home/devuser/.bun/bin/codex",
        "PATH codex entries": "3",
        "current executable": "/home/devuser/.bun/install/global/node_modules/@openai/codex-linux-x64/vendor/x86_64-unknown-linux-musl/bin/codex",
        "install context": "bun (package /home/devuser/.bun/install/global/node_modules/@openai/codex-linux-x64/vendor/x86_64-unknown-linux-musl, bin /home/devuser/.bun/install/global/node_modules/@openai/codex-linux-x64/vendor/x86_64-unknown-linux-musl/bin, resources /home/devuser/.bun/install/global/node_modules/@openai/codex-linux-x64/vendor/x86_64-unknown-linux-musl/codex-resources, path /home/devuser/.bun/install/global/node_modules/@openai/codex-linux-x64/vendor/x86_64-unknown-linux-musl/codex-path)",
        "managed by bun": "true",
        "managed by npm": "false",
        "managed package root": "/home/devuser/.bun/install/global/node_modules/@openai/codex"
      },
      "remediation": null,
      "durationMs": 0
    },
    "mcp.config": {
      "id": "mcp.config",
      "category": "mcp",
      "status": "ok",
      "summary": "MCP configuration is locally consistent",
      "details": {
        "configured servers": "1",
        "disabled servers": "0",
        "stdio servers": "1"
      },
      "remediation": null,
      "durationMs": 0
    },
    "network.env": {
      "id": "network.env",
      "category": "network",
      "status": "ok",
      "summary": "network-related environment looks readable",
      "details": {
        "proxy env vars": "none"
      },
      "remediation": null,
      "durationMs": 0
    },
    "network.provider_reachability": {
      "id": "network.provider_reachability",
      "category": "reachability",
      "status": "ok",
      "summary": "active provider endpoints are reachable over HTTP",
      "details": {
        "ChatGPT base URL": "https://chatgpt.com/backend-api/ reachable (HTTP 404)",
        "reachability mode": "ChatGPT auth"
      },
      "remediation": null,
      "durationMs": 120
    },
    "network.websocket_reachability": {
      "id": "network.websocket_reachability",
      "category": "websocket",
      "status": "ok",
      "summary": "Responses WebSocket handshake succeeded",
      "details": {
        "DNS": "2 IPv4, 2 IPv6, first IPv4",
        "auth mode": "chatgpt",
        "connect timeout": "15000 ms",
        "endpoint": "wss://chatgpt.com/backend-api/<redacted>",
        "handshake result": "HTTP 101 Switching Protocols",
        "model provider": "openai",
        "models etag present": "true",
        "provider name": "OpenAI",
        "proxy env vars": "none",
        "reasoning header": "false",
        "server model present": "false",
        "supports websockets": "true",
        "wire API": "responses"
      },
      "remediation": null,
      "durationMs": 476
    },
    "runtime.provenance": {
      "id": "runtime.provenance",
      "category": "runtime",
      "status": "ok",
      "summary": "running bun on linux-x86_64",
      "details": {
        "commit": "unknown",
        "current executable": "/home/devuser/.bun/install/global/node_modules/@openai/codex-linux-x64/vendor/x86_64-unknown-linux-musl/bin/codex",
        "install method": "bun (package /home/devuser/.bun/install/global/node_modules/@openai/codex-linux-x64/vendor/x86_64-unknown-linux-musl, bin /home/devuser/.bun/install/global/node_modules/@openai/codex-linux-x64/vendor/x86_64-unknown-linux-musl/bin, resources /home/devuser/.bun/install/global/node_modules/@openai/codex-linux-x64/vendor/x86_64-unknown-linux-musl/codex-resources, path /home/devuser/.bun/install/global/node_modules/@openai/codex-linux-x64/vendor/x86_64-unknown-linux-musl/codex-path)",
        "platform": "linux-x86_64",
        "version": "0.134.0"
      },
      "remediation": null,
      "durationMs": 0
    },
    "runtime.search": {
      "id": "runtime.search",
      "category": "search",
      "status": "ok",
      "summary": "search is OK (bundled)",
      "details": {
        "search command": "/home/devuser/.bun/install/global/node_modules/@openai/codex-linux-x64/vendor/x86_64-unknown-linux-musl/codex-path/rg",
        "search command readiness": "file exists",
        "search provider": "bundled"
      },
      "remediation": null,
      "durationMs": 0
    },
    "sandbox.helpers": {
      "id": "sandbox.helpers",
      "category": "sandbox",
      "status": "ok",
      "summary": "sandbox configuration is readable",
      "details": {
        "approval policy": "OnRequest",
        "codex-linux-sandbox helper": "/state/shared/codex/profiles/personal/tmp/arg0/codex-arg0oDjr9f/codex-linux-sandbox",
        "execve wrapper helper": "/state/shared/codex/profiles/personal/tmp/arg0/codex-arg0oDjr9f/codex-execve-wrapper",
        "filesystem sandbox": "restricted",
        "network sandbox": "enabled"
      },
      "remediation": null,
      "durationMs": 0
    },
    "state.paths": {
      "id": "state.paths",
      "category": "state",
      "status": "ok",
      "summary": "state paths and databases are inspectable",
      "details": {
        "CODEX_HOME": "/state/shared/codex/profiles/personal (dir)",
        "active rollout files": "1435 files, 1233390863 total bytes, 859505 average bytes",
        "archived rollout files": "9 files, 1396272 total bytes, 155141 average bytes",
        "goals DB": "/home/devuser/.codex/shared/sqlite/goals_1.sqlite (file)",
        "goals DB integrity": "ok",
        "log DB": "/home/devuser/.codex/shared/sqlite/logs_2.sqlite (file)",
        "log DB integrity": "ok",
        "log dir": "/state/shared/codex/profiles/personal/log (dir)",
        "sqlite home": "/home/devuser/.codex/shared/sqlite (dir)",
        "state DB": "/home/devuser/.codex/shared/sqlite/state_5.sqlite (file)",
        "state DB integrity": "ok"
      },
      "remediation": null,
      "durationMs": 446
    },
    "terminal.env": {
      "id": "terminal.env",
      "category": "terminal",
      "status": "ok",
      "summary": "terminal metadata was detected",
      "details": {
        "COLORTERM": "truecolor",
        "DISPLAY": "present",
        "TERM_PROGRAM": "vscode",
        "VSCODE_IPC_HOOK_CLI": "present",
        "WAYLAND_DISPLAY": "present",
        "color output": "disabled (stdout is not a terminal)",
        "effective locale": "en_AU.UTF-8",
        "stderr is terminal": "true",
        "stdin is terminal": "true",
        "stdout is terminal": "false",
        "terminal": "VS Code",
        "terminal size": "124x71",
        "terminal version": "1.121.0"
      },
      "remediation": null,
      "durationMs": 0
    },
    "updates.status": {
      "id": "updates.status",
      "category": "updates",
      "status": "ok",
      "summary": "update configuration is locally consistent",
      "details": {
        "cached latest version": "0.134.0",
        "check for update on startup": "true",
        "last checked at": "2026-05-28T03:50:04.494553265Z",
        "latest version": "0.134.0",
        "latest version status": "current version is not older",
        "update action": "bun install -g @openai/codex",
        "version cache": "/state/shared/codex/profiles/personal/version.json"
      },
      "remediation": null,
      "durationMs": 149
    }
  }
}

---

wayland-info | rg 'ext_data_control|zwlr_data_control|wl_data_device_manager'
  interface: 'wl_data_device_manager', version: 3, name: 5

  wayland-info | rg -q 'ext_data_control_manager_v1|zwlr_data_control_manager_v1' \
    && echo 'data-control supported' \
    || echo 'data-control not exposed'
  data-control not exposed

RAW_BUFFERClick to expand / collapse

What version of Codex CLI is running?

v0.134.0

What subscription do you have?

Pro 200

Which model were you using?

gpt-5.5

What platform is your computer?

Linux 7.0.9-204.fc44.x86_64 x86_64 unknown

What terminal emulator and version are you using (if applicable)?

VS Code

Codex doctor report

]0;codex{
  "schemaVersion": 1,
  "generatedAt": "1779971214s since unix epoch",
  "overallStatus": "ok",
  "codexVersion": "0.134.0",
  "checks": {
    "app_server.status": {
      "id": "app_server.status",
      "category": "app-server",
      "status": "ok",
      "summary": "background server is not running",
      "details": {
        "control socket": "/state/shared/codex/profiles/personal/app-server-control/app-server-control.sock",
        "daemon state dir": "/state/shared/codex/profiles/personal/app-server-daemon",
        "mode": "ephemeral",
        "pid file": "/state/shared/codex/profiles/personal/app-server-daemon/app-server.pid (missing)",
        "settings": "/state/shared/codex/profiles/personal/app-server-daemon/settings.json (missing)",
        "status": "not running",
        "update-loop pid file": "/state/shared/codex/profiles/personal/app-server-daemon/app-server-updater.pid (missing)"
      },
      "remediation": null,
      "durationMs": 0
    },
    "auth.credentials": {
      "id": "auth.credentials",
      "category": "auth",
      "status": "ok",
      "summary": "auth is configured",
      "details": {
        "auth file": "/state/shared/codex/profiles/personal/auth.json",
        "auth storage mode": "File",
        "stored API key": "false",
        "stored ChatGPT tokens": "true",
        "stored agent identity": "false",
        "stored auth mode": "chatgpt"
      },
      "remediation": null,
      "durationMs": 0
    },
    "config.load": {
      "id": "config.load",
      "category": "config",
      "status": "ok",
      "summary": "config loaded",
      "details": {
        "CODEX_HOME": "/state/shared/codex/profiles/personal",
        "config.toml": "/state/shared/codex/profiles/personal/config.toml",
        "config.toml parse": "ok",
        "cwd": "/workspaces/harness-lab",
        "enabled feature flags": "shell_tool, unified_exec, shell_snapshot, terminal_resize_reflow, sqlite, hooks, enable_request_compression, multi_agent, tool_suggest, plugins, in_app_browser, browser_use, browser_use_external, computer_use, plugin_sharing, image_generation, skill_mcp_dependency_install, steer, guardian_approval, goals, collaboration_modes, tool_call_mcp_elicitation, personality, fast_mode, tui_app_server, workspace_dependencies",
        "feature flag overrides": "apps=false",
        "feature flags enabled": "26",
        "log dir": "/state/shared/codex/profiles/personal/log",
        "mcp servers": "1",
        "model": "gpt-5.5",
        "model provider": "openai",
        "sqlite home": "/home/devuser/.codex/shared/sqlite"
      },
      "remediation": null,
      "durationMs": 0
    },
    "installation": {
      "id": "installation",
      "category": "install",
      "status": "ok",
      "summary": "installation looks consistent",
      "details": {
        "PATH codex #1": "/home/devuser/.bun/bin/codex",
        "PATH codex #2": "/home/devuser/.bun/bin/codex",
        "PATH codex #3": "/home/devuser/.bun/bin/codex",
        "PATH codex entries": "3",
        "current executable": "/home/devuser/.bun/install/global/node_modules/@openai/codex-linux-x64/vendor/x86_64-unknown-linux-musl/bin/codex",
        "install context": "bun (package /home/devuser/.bun/install/global/node_modules/@openai/codex-linux-x64/vendor/x86_64-unknown-linux-musl, bin /home/devuser/.bun/install/global/node_modules/@openai/codex-linux-x64/vendor/x86_64-unknown-linux-musl/bin, resources /home/devuser/.bun/install/global/node_modules/@openai/codex-linux-x64/vendor/x86_64-unknown-linux-musl/codex-resources, path /home/devuser/.bun/install/global/node_modules/@openai/codex-linux-x64/vendor/x86_64-unknown-linux-musl/codex-path)",
        "managed by bun": "true",
        "managed by npm": "false",
        "managed package root": "/home/devuser/.bun/install/global/node_modules/@openai/codex"
      },
      "remediation": null,
      "durationMs": 0
    },
    "mcp.config": {
      "id": "mcp.config",
      "category": "mcp",
      "status": "ok",
      "summary": "MCP configuration is locally consistent",
      "details": {
        "configured servers": "1",
        "disabled servers": "0",
        "stdio servers": "1"
      },
      "remediation": null,
      "durationMs": 0
    },
    "network.env": {
      "id": "network.env",
      "category": "network",
      "status": "ok",
      "summary": "network-related environment looks readable",
      "details": {
        "proxy env vars": "none"
      },
      "remediation": null,
      "durationMs": 0
    },
    "network.provider_reachability": {
      "id": "network.provider_reachability",
      "category": "reachability",
      "status": "ok",
      "summary": "active provider endpoints are reachable over HTTP",
      "details": {
        "ChatGPT base URL": "https://chatgpt.com/backend-api/ reachable (HTTP 404)",
        "reachability mode": "ChatGPT auth"
      },
      "remediation": null,
      "durationMs": 120
    },
    "network.websocket_reachability": {
      "id": "network.websocket_reachability",
      "category": "websocket",
      "status": "ok",
      "summary": "Responses WebSocket handshake succeeded",
      "details": {
        "DNS": "2 IPv4, 2 IPv6, first IPv4",
        "auth mode": "chatgpt",
        "connect timeout": "15000 ms",
        "endpoint": "wss://chatgpt.com/backend-api/<redacted>",
        "handshake result": "HTTP 101 Switching Protocols",
        "model provider": "openai",
        "models etag present": "true",
        "provider name": "OpenAI",
        "proxy env vars": "none",
        "reasoning header": "false",
        "server model present": "false",
        "supports websockets": "true",
        "wire API": "responses"
      },
      "remediation": null,
      "durationMs": 476
    },
    "runtime.provenance": {
      "id": "runtime.provenance",
      "category": "runtime",
      "status": "ok",
      "summary": "running bun on linux-x86_64",
      "details": {
        "commit": "unknown",
        "current executable": "/home/devuser/.bun/install/global/node_modules/@openai/codex-linux-x64/vendor/x86_64-unknown-linux-musl/bin/codex",
        "install method": "bun (package /home/devuser/.bun/install/global/node_modules/@openai/codex-linux-x64/vendor/x86_64-unknown-linux-musl, bin /home/devuser/.bun/install/global/node_modules/@openai/codex-linux-x64/vendor/x86_64-unknown-linux-musl/bin, resources /home/devuser/.bun/install/global/node_modules/@openai/codex-linux-x64/vendor/x86_64-unknown-linux-musl/codex-resources, path /home/devuser/.bun/install/global/node_modules/@openai/codex-linux-x64/vendor/x86_64-unknown-linux-musl/codex-path)",
        "platform": "linux-x86_64",
        "version": "0.134.0"
      },
      "remediation": null,
      "durationMs": 0
    },
    "runtime.search": {
      "id": "runtime.search",
      "category": "search",
      "status": "ok",
      "summary": "search is OK (bundled)",
      "details": {
        "search command": "/home/devuser/.bun/install/global/node_modules/@openai/codex-linux-x64/vendor/x86_64-unknown-linux-musl/codex-path/rg",
        "search command readiness": "file exists",
        "search provider": "bundled"
      },
      "remediation": null,
      "durationMs": 0
    },
    "sandbox.helpers": {
      "id": "sandbox.helpers",
      "category": "sandbox",
      "status": "ok",
      "summary": "sandbox configuration is readable",
      "details": {
        "approval policy": "OnRequest",
        "codex-linux-sandbox helper": "/state/shared/codex/profiles/personal/tmp/arg0/codex-arg0oDjr9f/codex-linux-sandbox",
        "execve wrapper helper": "/state/shared/codex/profiles/personal/tmp/arg0/codex-arg0oDjr9f/codex-execve-wrapper",
        "filesystem sandbox": "restricted",
        "network sandbox": "enabled"
      },
      "remediation": null,
      "durationMs": 0
    },
    "state.paths": {
      "id": "state.paths",
      "category": "state",
      "status": "ok",
      "summary": "state paths and databases are inspectable",
      "details": {
        "CODEX_HOME": "/state/shared/codex/profiles/personal (dir)",
        "active rollout files": "1435 files, 1233390863 total bytes, 859505 average bytes",
        "archived rollout files": "9 files, 1396272 total bytes, 155141 average bytes",
        "goals DB": "/home/devuser/.codex/shared/sqlite/goals_1.sqlite (file)",
        "goals DB integrity": "ok",
        "log DB": "/home/devuser/.codex/shared/sqlite/logs_2.sqlite (file)",
        "log DB integrity": "ok",
        "log dir": "/state/shared/codex/profiles/personal/log (dir)",
        "sqlite home": "/home/devuser/.codex/shared/sqlite (dir)",
        "state DB": "/home/devuser/.codex/shared/sqlite/state_5.sqlite (file)",
        "state DB integrity": "ok"
      },
      "remediation": null,
      "durationMs": 446
    },
    "terminal.env": {
      "id": "terminal.env",
      "category": "terminal",
      "status": "ok",
      "summary": "terminal metadata was detected",
      "details": {
        "COLORTERM": "truecolor",
        "DISPLAY": "present",
        "TERM_PROGRAM": "vscode",
        "VSCODE_IPC_HOOK_CLI": "present",
        "WAYLAND_DISPLAY": "present",
        "color output": "disabled (stdout is not a terminal)",
        "effective locale": "en_AU.UTF-8",
        "stderr is terminal": "true",
        "stdin is terminal": "true",
        "stdout is terminal": "false",
        "terminal": "VS Code",
        "terminal size": "124x71",
        "terminal version": "1.121.0"
      },
      "remediation": null,
      "durationMs": 0
    },
    "updates.status": {
      "id": "updates.status",
      "category": "updates",
      "status": "ok",
      "summary": "update configuration is locally consistent",
      "details": {
        "cached latest version": "0.134.0",
        "check for update on startup": "true",
        "last checked at": "2026-05-28T03:50:04.494553265Z",
        "latest version": "0.134.0",
        "latest version status": "current version is not older",
        "update action": "bun install -g @openai/codex",
        "version cache": "/state/shared/codex/profiles/personal/version.json"
      },
      "remediation": null,
      "durationMs": 149
    }
  }
}

What issue are you seeing?

Pasting an image fails with error:

■ Failed to paste image: clipboard unavailable: Unknown error while interacting with the clipboard: X11 server connection timed out because it was unreachable

What steps can reproduce the bug?

Using codex within a vscode devcontainer

Host compositor does not expose arboard-required data-control protocols:

  wayland-info | rg 'ext_data_control|zwlr_data_control|wl_data_device_manager'
  interface: 'wl_data_device_manager', version: 3, name: 5

  wayland-info | rg -q 'ext_data_control_manager_v1|zwlr_data_control_manager_v1' \
    && echo 'data-control supported' \
    || echo 'data-control not exposed'
  data-control not exposed

Inside the devcontainer: WAYLAND_DISPLAY is set and the socket exists. wl-paste --list-types works, including with DISPLAY unset. xclip against DISPLAY fails because VS Code X11 forwarding is not usable/authorized.

Could probably reproduce on a Gnome desktop by unsetting DISPLAY.

What is the expected behavior?

Codex should paste images on GNOME Wayland when wl-paste can read the image clipboard.

On Linux, when arboard image paste fails and WAYLAND_DISPLAY is present, Codex should try wl-paste for image MIME types before returning the arboard/X11 error.

Additional information

Host: Fedora GNOME Wayland / Mutter Container: VS Code devcontainer with forwarded Wayland socket

Codex uses arboard. arboard requires Wayland data-control, which GNOME/Mutter does not expose (for security?), then falls back to X11 and fails (VS code isn't forwarding X11 properly for some unknown reason).

Claude Code image pasting works as they have a wl-paste fallback.

Some other relevant, but not identical issues:

#4824: explains why upstream thinks Wayland was fixed by enabling arboard’s wayland-data-control.
#4818: original Wayland image-paste issue closed by #4824.
#12836: same X11 timeout error shape, though for /copy.

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