CLI "pairing required" error on Windows - agent session works, CLI/subagent fails
Hi, I'm getting a persistent pairing required error on Windows.
Environment:
• OpenClaw 2026.2.21-2 (npm global install, Windows 10)
• Gateway: local loopback ws://127.0.0.1:18789, auth mode: token
• Node v24.13.0
What works:
• Agent main session (Telegram, exec, file ops - all normal)
• openclaw health --token <gateway-auth-token> works fine
• openclaw status shows Gateway reachable
What fails:
• Any CLI command that connects to gateway: openclaw browser start, openclaw devices list, etc.
• sessions_spawn (subagent) - same error
• All fail with: gateway closed (1008): pairing required
What I tried:
1. Updated scopes in both ~/.openclaw/devices/paired.json and ~/.openclaw/identity/device-auth.json to ["operator.read", "operator.admin"]
2. Deleted devices/ + identity/ folders, ran openclaw onboard fresh
3. Gateway stop/start multiple times
4. Updated from 2026.2.19-2 to 2026.2.21-2
5. Passing --token <gateway-auth-token> explicitly to CLI commands - still fails
Gateway log shows:
security audit: device access upgrade requested reason=scope-upgrade
deviceId and publicKey match between device.json and paired.json. The main agent session works perfectly, only new connections (CLI/subagent) fail. Any ideas?
Environment:
• OpenClaw 2026.2.21-2 (npm global install, Windows 10)
• Gateway: local loopback ws://127.0.0.1:18789, auth mode: token
• Node v24.13.0
What works:
• Agent main session (Telegram, exec, file ops - all normal)
• openclaw health --token <gateway-auth-token> works fine
• openclaw status shows Gateway reachable
What fails:
• Any CLI command that connects to gateway: openclaw browser start, openclaw devices list, etc.
• sessions_spawn (subagent) - same error
• All fail with: gateway closed (1008): pairing required
What I tried:
1. Updated scopes in both ~/.openclaw/devices/paired.json and ~/.openclaw/identity/device-auth.json to ["operator.read", "operator.admin"]
2. Deleted devices/ + identity/ folders, ran openclaw onboard fresh
3. Gateway stop/start multiple times
4. Updated from 2026.2.19-2 to 2026.2.21-2
5. Passing --token <gateway-auth-token> explicitly to CLI commands - still fails
Gateway log shows:
security audit: device access upgrade requested reason=scope-upgrade
deviceId and publicKey match between device.json and paired.json. The main agent session works perfectly, only new connections (CLI/subagent) fail. Any ideas?
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