openclaw - 💡(How to fix) Fix Session crashes with Context overflow when large Project Context is injected at session start [1 participants]

Session crashes with the error: Context overflow: estimated context size exceeds safe threshold during tool loop when a large Project Context file (MEMORY.md, ~50KB+) is injected at session startup.

Error Log

1. Context estimation pre-check: Warn user/agent when estimated context is approaching overflow threshold before tool execution fails

TL;DR

Implementing a Project Context size limit, such as summarizing large files like MEMORY.md to 20KB, can help prevent session crashes due to context overflow.

Guidance

• Verify the issue: Confirm that the session crash is indeed caused by the large Project Context file by checking the error log for the "Context overflow" message and analyzing the session store rotation and cleanup patterns.
• Test size limits: Experiment with different size limits for Project Context injection to find a balance between data retention and preventing context overflow.
• Monitor circuit breaker behavior: Observe how the circuit breaker interacts with session store backups to understand how data loss can be mitigated, potentially by adjusting the backup retention policy.
• Explore pre-check mechanisms: Investigate implementing a warning system when the estimated context size approaches the overflow threshold to prevent tool execution failures.

Example

No specific code snippet is provided due to the lack of explicit code references in the issue, but adjusting the Project Context size limit could involve modifying configuration settings or implementing a summarization function for large files.

Notes

The effectiveness of these suggestions may depend on the specific requirements of the project and the constraints of the OpenClaw system, particularly its handling of large Project Context files and circuit breaker mechanisms.

Recommendation

Apply a workaround by implementing a Project Context size limit, as directly addressing the root cause may require significant changes to the system's architecture or the OpenClaw agent's behavior. This approach can help mitigate the issue until a more comprehensive solution is available.