Gateway launch start timeout and WhatsApp Web channel cannot connect to ws://127.0.0.1:18789
Environment
OpenClaw Mac desktop app, macOS 26.2 (MacBook Pro 14‑inch, 2021), Gateway mode: Local (this Mac), Node: 22.22.0 (as detected by the app), WhatsApp Web channel configured with my personal number (+351…)
Symptoms
In General → OpenClaw runs → Local (this Mac) I consistently see: “Last failure: launch start timeout”, “Health check failed: Cannot reach gateway at localhost:18789; ensure the gateway is running.” In Channels → WhatsApp Web, I see: “Last check never – Error: logged out” In the “Linking” box:
gateway connect: connect to gateway @ ws://127.0.0.1:18789: Could not connect to the server. Clicking Show QR or Relink just “thinks” and nothing changes; no QR appears.
I also get Mac notifications like:
Agent request failed – gateway connect: connect to gateway @ ws://127.0.0.1:18789: Could not connect to the server. This happens even when I close all browser tabs, quit the browser, toggle “OpenClaw active” off/on, and use the app’s Debug → Restart Gateway button.
In Debug, I have: Attach only (skip launch install) currently: (mention your exact state, e.g. ON/OFF). Health: Health check failed: Cannot reach gateway at localhost:18789; ensure the gateway is running. Status: Failed: Gateway did not start in time
However, the log output right below shows the gateway and WhatsApp starting successfully:
[heartbeat] started, [gateway] agent model: anthropic/claude-sonnet-4~5, [gateway] listening on ws://127.0.0.1:18789 (PID 17852), [gateway] listening on wss://127.0.0.1:18789, [gateway] log file: /private/tmp/openclaw/openclaw-2026-02-08.log, [whatsapp] [default] starting provider (-453914469094), [webchat] connected conn=b7d5... remote=127.0.0.1 client=openclaw-control-ui webchat vdev, [whatsapp] Listening for personal WhatsApp inbound messages., [gateway] enabling launchd job (ai.openclaw.gateway) on port 18789, [gateway] enabling launchd job (ai.openclaw.gateway) on port 18789
OpenClaw Mac desktop app, macOS 26.2 (MacBook Pro 14‑inch, 2021), Gateway mode: Local (this Mac), Node: 22.22.0 (as detected by the app), WhatsApp Web channel configured with my personal number (+351…)
Symptoms
In General → OpenClaw runs → Local (this Mac) I consistently see: “Last failure: launch start timeout”, “Health check failed: Cannot reach gateway at localhost:18789; ensure the gateway is running.” In Channels → WhatsApp Web, I see: “Last check never – Error: logged out” In the “Linking” box:
gateway connect: connect to gateway @ ws://127.0.0.1:18789: Could not connect to the server. Clicking Show QR or Relink just “thinks” and nothing changes; no QR appears.
I also get Mac notifications like:
Agent request failed – gateway connect: connect to gateway @ ws://127.0.0.1:18789: Could not connect to the server. This happens even when I close all browser tabs, quit the browser, toggle “OpenClaw active” off/on, and use the app’s Debug → Restart Gateway button.
In Debug, I have: Attach only (skip launch install) currently: (mention your exact state, e.g. ON/OFF). Health: Health check failed: Cannot reach gateway at localhost:18789; ensure the gateway is running. Status: Failed: Gateway did not start in time
However, the log output right below shows the gateway and WhatsApp starting successfully:
[heartbeat] started, [gateway] agent model: anthropic/claude-sonnet-4~5, [gateway] listening on ws://127.0.0.1:18789 (PID 17852), [gateway] listening on wss://127.0.0.1:18789, [gateway] log file: /private/tmp/openclaw/openclaw-2026-02-08.log, [whatsapp] [default] starting provider (-453914469094), [webchat] connected conn=b7d5... remote=127.0.0.1 client=openclaw-control-ui webchat vdev, [whatsapp] Listening for personal WhatsApp inbound messages., [gateway] enabling launchd job (ai.openclaw.gateway) on port 18789, [gateway] enabling launchd job (ai.openclaw.gateway) on port 18789
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