[Bug]: claude-cli backend fails to register model catalog — Unknown model: claude-cli/* (model_not_found)

[bhenne22]

Bug type

Regression (worked before, now fails)

Beta release blocker

No

Summary

After updating to 2026.4.2, the claude-cli backend registers zero models at gateway startup, causing all claude-cli/* requests to fail with model_not_found.

Steps to reproduce

1. Install or update to OpenClaw 2026.4.2
2. Run: openclaw models set claude-cli/claude-sonnet-4-6
3. Run: openclaw models fallbacks add claude-cli/claude-opus-4-6
4. Run: openclaw gateway restart
5. Send any message
6. Observe: all claude-cli/* model attempts fail
7. Confirm: openclaw models list --provider claude-cli --all --plain → "No models found."

Expected behavior

openclaw models list --provider claude-cli --all --plain should return the available claude-cli models, and messages should route successfully through the claude-cli backend (as observed prior to 2026.4.2).

Actual behavior

openclaw models list --provider claude-cli --all --plain returns No models found. The gateway log shows:

All models failed (2): claude-cli/sonnet: Unknown model: claude-cli/sonnet (model_not_found) | claude-cli/opus: Unknown model: claude-cli/opus (model_not_found)

This occurs with all tested model ID formats: claude-cli/claude-sonnet-4-6, claude-cli/claude-opus-4-6, claude-cli/sonnet, claude-cli/opus.

OpenClaw version

2026.4.2 (d74a122)

Operating system

macOS (arm64) — Darwin 25.3.0

Install method

Homebrew (/opt/homebrew/lib/node_modules/openclaw), running as LaunchAgent

Model

claude-cli/claude-sonnet-4-6 (primary), claude-cli/claude-opus-4-6 (fallback)

Provider / routing chain

claude-cli → local Claude CLI binary → Anthropic

Additional provider/model setup details

Auth store: ~/.openclaw/agents/main/agent/auth-profiles.json
Providers with tokens: anthropic (1 token profile), openai (1 token profile)
models status shows: Missing auth — claude-cli
claude-cli binary is present and functional in shell ($PATH)
openclaw models auth login --provider anthropic --method cli --set-default completes without error but does not resolve "No models found"
openclaw plugins doctor → No plugin issues detected
openclaw doctor --fix → no change

Logs, screenshots, and evidence

# models status (abbreviated)
Default       : anthropic/claude-sonnet-4-6  ← switched to workaround
Configured models (6): anthropic/claude-sonnet-4-6, anthropic/claude-opus-4-6,
  claude-cli/claude-sonnet-4-6, claude-cli/claude-opus-4-6, claude-cli/sonnet, claude-cli/opus

Missing auth  : claude-cli

# models list --provider claude-cli --all --plain
No models found.

# gateway log error line
Embedded agent failed before reply: All models failed (2):
  claude-cli/claude-sonnet-4-6: Unknown model: claude-cli/claude-sonnet-4-6 (model_not_found) |
  claude-cli/claude-opus-4-6: Unknown model: claude-cli/claude-opus-4-6 (model_not_found)

# gateway status
Service: LaunchAgent (not loaded at time of check)
Config (cli): ~/.openclaw/openclaw.json
Config (service): ~/.openclaw/openclaw.json  ← no drift
Command: /opt/homebrew/opt/node/bin/node /opt/homebrew/lib/node_modules/openclaw/dist/index.js gateway --port 18789

Impact and severity

• Affects any user routing through claude-cli/* models on 2026.4.2
• Severity: blocks workflow — claude-cli is completely non-functional as a backend
• Frequency: always reproducible
• Consequence: forced fallback to direct anthropic/* API key routing; users with Claude Pro/Max subscriptions relying on CLI auth cannot use their subscription credits through OpenClaw

Additional information

Workaround confirmed: switching default and fallbacks to anthropic/claude-sonnet-4-6 + anthropic/claude-opus-4-6 (direct API token auth) works correctly. The issue onset coincided with Anthropic's usage/credits change on 2026-04-04, though it is unknown whether that change is causal or coincidental. Last known good behavior: prior to 2026.4.2. First known bad: 2026.4.2 (d74a122).

[davidstosik]

Ahah! Thanks for opening this issue! I'm having the same issue and was starting to go crazy.

Even on a fresh OpenClaw install, Peter's suggestion does not work:

% openclaw models auth login --provider anthropic --method cli --set-default

🦞 OpenClaw 2026.4.2 (d74a122) — Your .env is showing; don't worry, I'll pretend I didn't see it.

Config overwrite: /Users/openclaw/.openclaw/openclaw.json (sha256 1cf81797d92792ff9a592274c589d7843ccc647c789ff8887e1e8ab256419c1a -> 31adbae3557d02e7c5e617b64cf4708283ae09b94659dbf03c7091f5dadb15ac, backup=/Users/openclaw/.openclaw/openclaw.json.bak)
Updated ~/.openclaw/openclaw.json                                                                                                                                                           
Default model set to claude-cli/claude-sonnet-4-6                                                                                                                                           
│                                                                                                                                                                                           
◇  Provider notes ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────╮
│                                                                                        │
│  Claude CLI auth detected; switched Anthropic model selection to the local Claude CLI  │
│  backend.                                                                              │
│  Existing Anthropic auth profiles are kept for rollback.                               │                                                                                                  
│  Migrated allowlist entries: claude-cli/claude-sonnet-4-6.                             │                                                                                                  
│                                                                                        │                                                                                                  
├────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────╯

% openclaw tui

🦞 OpenClaw 2026.4.2 (d74a122) — If it works, it's automation; if it breaks, it's a "learning opportunity."

 openclaw tui - ws://127.0.0.1:18789 - agent main - session main

 session agent:main:main

 ⚠️ Agent failed before reply: Unknown model: claude-cli/claude-sonnet-4-6.
 Logs: openclaw logs --follow

 ⚠️ Agent failed before reply: Unknown model: claude-cli/claude-sonnet-4-6.
 Logs: openclaw logs --follow

 ⚠️ Agent failed before reply: No API key found for provider "anthropic". Auth store: /Users/openclaw/.openclaw/agents/main/agent/auth-profiles.json (agentDir:
 /Users/openclaw/.openclaw/agents/main/agent). Configure auth for this agent (openclaw agents add <id>) or copy auth-profiles.json from the main agentDir.
 Logs: openclaw logs --follow

 ⚠️ Agent failed before reply: Unknown model: claude-cli/claude-sonnet-4-6.
 Logs: openclaw logs --follow
 gateway connected | idle
 agent main | session main (openclaw-tui) | claude-cli/claude-sonnet-4-6 | tokens ?/200k

[eniatec]

mesmo erro

[bobbercheng]

Guys, please add claude-cli path in your openclaw.json. Here is my config:

      "cliBackends": {
        "claude-cli": {
          "command": "/home/bobber/.local/bin/claude"
       }
      }

refer to https://docs.openclaw.ai/providers/anthropic#option-b-claude-cli-as-the-message-provider. I confirmed it works.

[indiko-pa]

unfortunately doesent work for me:
OpenClaw calls Claude CLI, but passes the prompt incorrectly – as an MCP file path instead of as message text.

[phips28]

also doesnt work for me.

[bobbercheng]

Please make sure you install openclaw 2026.4.2 by openclaw update --tag v2026.4.2 for Claude CLI. Do not install the latest 2026.4.5 as it just removed cliBackends.

[bhbs-helper]

Still broken on 2026.4.5 (3e72c03). Reporting back after attempting the expected migration path.

What I tried on 2026.4.5:

1. openclaw models auth login --provider anthropic --method cli --set-default (completed successfully, set default to claude-cli/claude-sonnet-4-6)
2. openclaw doctor --fix
3. openclaw gateway restart

Result:

• openclaw models list --provider claude-cli --all --plain → No models found.
• All messages fail with Unknown model: claude-cli/claude-sonnet-4-6 (model_not_found)
• Same behavior as originally reported on 2026.4.2

Additional context on 2026.4.5:

• The old cliBackends config workaround (suggested earlier in this thread) is rejected as Unrecognized key: "cliBackends" — confirmed removed in 2026.4.5 changelog.
• Claude CLI binary is present and functional: /Users/bobhenne/.local/bin/claude
• openclaw plugins doctor → No plugin issues detected
• The bundled plugin auto-load (per changelog: "auto-load bundled provider and CLI-backend plugins") does not appear to be registering claude-cli models.

Workaround: Falling back to anthropic/claude-sonnet-4-6 (direct API token auth) continues to work fine.

Could this be reopened? The 2026.4.5 changelog suggests this should be resolved, but the claude-cli provider still registers zero models on a clean config.

[bobbercheng]

Still broken on 2026.4.5 (3e72c03). Reporting back after attempting the expected migration path.

What I tried on 2026.4.5:

1. openclaw models auth login --provider anthropic --method cli --set-default (completed successfully, set default to claude-cli/claude-sonnet-4-6)
2. openclaw doctor --fix
3. openclaw gateway restart

Result:

• openclaw models list --provider claude-cli --all --plain → No models found.
• All messages fail with Unknown model: claude-cli/claude-sonnet-4-6 (model_not_found)
• Same behavior as originally reported on 2026.4.2

Additional context on 2026.4.5:

• The old cliBackends config workaround (suggested earlier in this thread) is rejected as Unrecognized key: "cliBackends" — confirmed removed in 2026.4.5 changelog.
• Claude CLI binary is present and functional: /Users/bobhenne/.local/bin/claude
• openclaw plugins doctor → No plugin issues detected
• The bundled plugin auto-load (per changelog: "auto-load bundled provider and CLI-backend plugins") does not appear to be registering claude-cli models.

Workaround: Falling back to anthropic/claude-sonnet-4-6 (direct API token auth) continues to work fine.

Could this be reopened? The 2026.4.5 changelog suggests this should be resolved, but the claude-cli provider still registers zero models on a clean config.

2026.4.5 version just removed cliBackends, please down-grade to v2026.4.2 or wait for next new version.