What is the openclaw doctor --fix stack overflow bug?

After v2026.3.28, running openclaw doctor --fix triggers a plugin stack overflow error that prevents gateway recovery, making the self-repair tool itself broken.

What causes the clobbered backup files bug in openclaw doctor?

When config validation fails and you run openclaw doctor --fix --yes, thousands of openclaw.json.clobbered.* files are generated instead of properly repairing the configuration.

How do I work around the openclaw doctor --fix bug?

Roll back to a stable version: npm i -g openclaw@2026.3.13, then run openclaw doctor --non-interactive and restart with openclaw gateway restart.

Is the openclaw doctor bug related to the v2026.3.22 update?

Yes. The v2026.3.22 update introduced 13 breaking changes and 82 bug fixes, but created new issues. The doctor --fix stack overflow compounds frustration from the WhatsApp and Dashboard UI breakage.

Which OpenClaw versions are affected by the doctor bug?

The stack overflow bug was reported on v2026.3.28. The clobbered backup files bug was reported on v2026.3.11. Both versions after the major v2026.3.22 release.

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clawsmith.com/signal/openclaw-doctor-fix-stack-overflow-gateway-fails

⚠ IssueWide OpenLive

openclaw doctor --fix Hits Plugin Stack Overflow — Gateway Recovery Fails on v2026.3.28

On March 28-29, 2026, openclaw doctor --fix started hitting plugin stack overflow errors, preventing gateway recovery. Related bug: doctor --fix also generates thousands of clobbered backup files. The self-repair tool breaking compounds frustration from the v2026.3.22 update issues.

Product Idea from this Signal

A process supervisor that keeps the OpenClaw gateway alive through crashes, silent restarts, and update-induced failures

396.9k ▲

The OpenClaw gateway silently restarts every 50 minutes killing all active ACP sessions. Telegram integration crashes with AbortError every 20-30 minutes. The doctor --fix command hits a stack overflow and generates thousands of clobbered backup files instead of recovering. After updates, the gateway fails to restart because npm overwrites dist/ while the process is still running. There is no reliable supervision layer that keeps the gateway running, detects crash loops, and recovers gracefully. This tool wraps the gateway in a battle-tested supervisor that handles all known failure modes and keeps your agents online.

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