fix(agents): attach read tool images to replies

[aqilaziz]

Summary

Persist trusted read tool image content into the inbound media store when the tool result has image blocks but no MEDIA: path or details.path. Queue the saved media://inbound/... reference for the next assistant reply so shared outbound delivery — WhatsApp, Signal, Telegram, Discord, Slack, Teams, etc. — receives media URLs instead of text-only replies.

Fixes #81322

Changes

• src/agents/embedded-agent-subscribe.tools.ts
  • collectToolResultImageBlocks() — extracts {data, mimeType} pairs from content[] image blocks, canonicalises base64 via canonicalizeBase64()
  • extractReadToolImageContentMediaArtifact() — persists each block via saveMediaBuffer(..., "inbound") and returns { mediaUrls, trustedLocalMedia: true }; guards: tool must be read, must be a builtin, no existing media artifact
• src/agents/embedded-agent-subscribe.handlers.tools.ts
  • emitToolResultOutput() now falls through to extractReadToolImageContentMediaArtifact() when extractToolResultMediaArtifact() returns undefined; errors are swallowed with a warn log so reply delivery is never blocked
• src/agents/embedded-agent-subscribe.handlers.tools.media.test.ts
  • Regression test: read tool result with base64 PNG triggers saveMediaBuffer with correct buffer/mimeType/subdir, result lands in pendingToolMediaUrls as media://inbound/read-image.png, and pendingToolTrustedLocalMedia is set

Changes from original PR #81415

Rebased onto current main and transplanted from the removed src/agents/pi-embedded-subscribe.* file structure to the current src/agents/embedded-agent-subscribe.* files. The trustedLocalMediaToolNames filtering path is preserved. Branch is clean — exactly 3 files changed, no unrelated dependency or generated-file noise.

Behavioral Proof

Scenario addressed: A read tool result containing {type: "image", data: "<base64>", mimeType: "image/png"} was previously dropped as text-only output. After this fix it is saved to the inbound media store and queued for outbound delivery.

Test evidence:

persists read tool image content and queues it as inbound media
  ✓ saveMediaBuffer called with Buffer.from("iVBORw0KGgo=", "base64"), "image/png", "inbound"
  ✓ ctx.state.pendingToolMediaUrls === ["media://inbound/read-image.png"]
  ✓ ctx.state.pendingToolTrustedLocalMedia === true
  ✓ onToolResult not called (image is queued, not emitted as text)

Guard conditions verified:

• Only fires when toolName === "read" and it is in builtinToolNames
• Short-circuits if extractToolResultMediaArtifact() already found a media path
• Empty image blocks list → returns undefined, no side effects
• saveMediaBuffer failure → caught, logged as warn, reply continues without media

Verification

# Only 3 files changed, all scoped to agents handler and tools
git diff --stat origin/main...HEAD
# src/agents/embedded-agent-subscribe.handlers.tools.media.test.ts | 44 +++
# src/agents/embedded-agent-subscribe.handlers.tools.ts            | 13 ++-
# src/agents/embedded-agent-subscribe.tools.ts                     | 67 +++

# Run the media handler tests
pnpm vitest run src/agents/embedded-agent-subscribe.handlers.tools.media.test.ts

[clawsweeper]

Codex review: needs real behavior proof before merge. Reviewed July 2, 2026, 6:04 PM ET / 22:04 UTC.

Summary
The PR adds a read-tool image fallback that saves inline image content blocks to inbound media storage, queues media://inbound/... URLs for replies, and adds focused regression coverage.

PR surface: Source +78, Tests +44. Total +122 across 3 files.

Reproducibility: yes. at source level: current main can emit pathless inline read image blocks, and current media extraction does not turn that shape into media URLs. I did not run live WhatsApp or Telegram delivery in this read-only review.

Review metrics: 1 noteworthy metric.

• Trusted media promotion: 1 fallback added. The diff adds one path that turns inline read image bytes into trusted outbound media, which is the central delivery and trust boundary to verify before merge.

Root-cause cluster
Relationship: fixed_by_candidate
Canonical: #81322
Summary: This PR is the current clean candidate fix for the open WhatsApp/read-image media-loss issue, replacing the earlier polluted same-title attempt and overlapping the broader read-tool media promotion cluster.

Members:

• canonical: [Bug]: WhatsApp image sending broken - images processed but not attached to outbound messages #81322 - The issue reports the same read-image attachment loss and this PR uses closing syntax for it.
• superseded: fix(agents): attach read tool images to replies #81415 - The earlier same-title PR is closed unmerged, dirty, and explicitly closed by the author in favor of this PR.
• same_root_cause: Feishu: read image tool result loses media before final outbound payload #41744 - The Feishu report tracks the same shared pathless read-image media promotion gap in the embedded-agent pipeline.
• partial_overlap: Feishu DM: MEDIA: attachment silently fails; streaming-card discard drops the image #94894 - The newer Feishu DM report includes the read-tool media gap but also covers direct MEDIA: and streaming-card behavior outside this PR's narrow fix.
• superseded: Telegram channel cannot send images via read tool #48979 - The closed Telegram report was previously closed as duplicate/superseded by the shared read-image media promotion work.

Proposal only: this assessment does not dispatch repair, suppress jobs, mutate sibling items, close, or merge anything.

Merge readiness
Overall: 🧂 unranked krab
Proof: 🧂 unranked krab
Patch quality: 🦐 gold shrimp
Result: blocked until real behavior proof from a real setup is added.

Overall follows the weaker of proof and patch quality, so missing proof can cap an otherwise strong patch.

Rank-up moves:

• Type the Promise catch callback parameter as unknown.
• [P1] Add redacted terminal, live-output, log, recording, or linked artifact proof from a real OpenClaw setup for the current head.

Proof guidance:

• [P1] Needs real behavior proof before merge: The PR currently provides focused test/CI evidence only; add redacted real setup proof and update the PR body so ClawSweeper can re-review.

Mantis proof suggestion
A Telegram Desktop proof would materially show that queued read-tool media reaches a real transport reply. A maintainer can ask Mantis to capture proof by posting this exact PR comment:

@openclaw-mantis telegram desktop proof: verify that a read tool image result is delivered as an attached image in the next assistant reply.

Risk before merge

• [P1] The current head fails check-lint because the new Promise catch callback parameter is not typed as unknown.
• [P1] The PR promotes inline read image bytes into trusted outbound media, so maintainers still need current-head real behavior proof that the saved media reaches the intended reply path.
• [P1] The external PR proof check fails because the body lacks required authored problem/evidence sections and the supplied proof is test/CI-only for this head.

Maintainer options:

1. Fix lint and add real bridge proof (recommended)
   Type the catch callback as unknown, update the PR body sections, and add redacted terminal, live-output, log, recording, or artifact proof showing the real handler saves a read image and queues media://inbound/....
2. Accept unit-only proof deliberately
   Maintainers could waive the external-PR real behavior proof gate, but that would accept a shared message-delivery and trusted-media change without current-head runtime evidence.
3. Pause for maintainer transport proof
   If contributor-side proof remains blocked, keep the linked issue open and have a maintainer or Mantis provide live transport proof before revisiting merge.

Next step before merge

• [P1] Contributor or maintainer action is needed for proof and the lint fix; automation should not replace the external PR's real behavior proof gate.

Security
Cleared: No dependency, workflow, secret, or package-supply-chain change was introduced; the trusted-media boundary still needs merge-risk proof but no concrete security defect was found.

Review findings

• [P2] Type the catch callback variable as unknown — src/agents/embedded-agent-subscribe.handlers.tools.ts:748

Review details

Best possible solution:

Land the shared embedded-agent bridge after typing the catch callback, adding the required PR-body proof sections, and supplying redacted real handler or transport proof for the current head.

Do we have a high-confidence way to reproduce the issue?

Yes, at source level: current main can emit pathless inline read image blocks, and current media extraction does not turn that shape into media URLs. I did not run live WhatsApp or Telegram delivery in this read-only review.

Is this the best way to solve the issue?

No, not merge-ready as submitted: the shared embedded-agent bridge is the right layer, but the current head needs the lint fix and real behavior proof before merge.

Full review comments:

• [P2] Type the catch callback variable as unknown — src/agents/embedded-agent-subscribe.handlers.tools.ts:748
  The new Promise .catch((err) => ...) triggers oxlint's use-unknown-in-catch-callback-variable rule on the current head, so check-lint is failing. Annotate the callback as (err: unknown) before merge.
  Confidence: 0.96

Overall correctness: patch is incorrect
Overall confidence: 0.9

AGENTS.md: found and applied where relevant.

Codex review notes: model internal, reasoning high; reviewed against 7bee4f67d4cd.

Label changes

Label justifications:

• P1: The PR targets a broken user-facing channel media workflow where image replies can be delivered without the intended attachment.
• merge-risk: 🚨 message-delivery: Merging changes the shared path that attaches tool media to final replies, so unproven behavior could still drop or mis-deliver media.
• merge-risk: 🚨 security-boundary: Merging changes how local read-tool image bytes become trusted outbound media://inbound references.
• rating: 🧂 unranked krab: Overall readiness is 🧂 unranked krab; proof is 🧂 unranked krab and patch quality is 🦐 gold shrimp.
• status: 📣 needs proof: The PR needs real behavior proof before ClawSweeper can clear the contributor ask. Needs real behavior proof before merge: The PR currently provides focused test/CI evidence only; add redacted real setup proof and update the PR body so ClawSweeper can re-review.
• mantis: telegram-visible-proof: Mantis should capture Telegram visible proof. The shared media reply change is visible in Telegram as an attached image in the next assistant reply and can be shown in a short Telegram Desktop proof.

Evidence reviewed

PR surface:

Source +78, Tests +44. Total +122 across 3 files.

View PR surface stats

Area	Files	Added	Removed	Net
Source	2	79	1	+78
Tests	1	44	0	+44
Docs	0	0	0	0
Config	0	0	0	0
Generated	0	0	0	0
Other	0	0	0	0
Total	3	123	1	+122

What I checked:

• Repository policy read: Root AGENTS.md and scoped src/agents/AGENTS.md were read fully; their whole-path agents review, proof, trusted-media, and merge-risk guidance applies to this PR. (AGENTS.md:1, 7bee4f67d4cd)
• Current read output shape: Current main can return image files as text plus inline image content blocks without adding a media path into result details. (src/agents/sessions/tools/read.ts:329, 7bee4f67d4cd)
• Current extractor gap: Current main extracts structured media or legacy details.path only; pathless inline image blocks return no media artifact. (src/agents/embedded-agent-subscribe.tools.ts:766, 7bee4f67d4cd)
• Reply consumer path: Queued pending tool media is merged into non-reasoning assistant reply payloads and carries trustedLocalMedia forward. (src/agents/embedded-agent-subscribe.handlers.messages.ts:382, 7bee4f67d4cd)
• Live PR diff: The current PR head wires the fallback into the active embedded-agent handler and adds a media handler regression test, but the new catch callback is untyped. (src/agents/embedded-agent-subscribe.handlers.tools.ts:738, 19ce0df47008)
• Lint failure: The current head's check-lint job fails on src/agents/embedded-agent-subscribe.handlers.tools.ts:748 with use-unknown-in-catch-callback-variable. (src/agents/embedded-agent-subscribe.handlers.tools.ts:748, 19ce0df47008)

Likely related people:

• Peter Steinberger: Authored the refactor that unified pending tool-media reply delivery, and shortlog history shows heavy work on the relevant agent media files. (role: shared media pipeline contributor; confidence: high; commits: 3cd4978fc212; files: src/agents/pi-embedded-subscribe.handlers.tools.ts, src/agents/pi-embedded-subscribe.handlers.messages.ts, src/agents/pi-embedded-subscribe.tools.ts)
• Christian Klotz: Authored the earlier fix that delivered tool-result media when verbose output is off, touching the predecessor extractor and handler tests this PR extends. (role: original media-delivery contributor; confidence: high; commits: 68c78c4b43a2; files: src/agents/pi-embedded-subscribe.handlers.tools.ts, src/agents/pi-embedded-subscribe.tools.ts, src/agents/pi-embedded-subscribe.handlers.tools.media.test.ts)
• Devin Robison: Authored the trusted tool-media passthrough tightening on the same local-media trust boundary changed by this PR. (role: trusted media gate contributor; confidence: high; commits: 52ef42302ead; files: src/agents/pi-embedded-subscribe.tools.ts, src/agents/pi-embedded-subscribe.handlers.tools.ts, src/agents/pi-embedded-subscribe.tools.media.test.ts)
• Shadow: Authored prior hardening of tool media paths in the predecessor media extraction helper, adjacent to this trusted-media promotion path. (role: security hardening contributor; confidence: medium; commits: c378439246bb; files: src/agents/pi-embedded-subscribe.tools.ts, src/agents/pi-embedded-subscribe.handlers.tools.ts)

What the crustacean ranks mean

• 🦀 challenger crab: rare, exceptional readiness with strong proof, clean implementation, and convincing validation.
• 🦞 diamond lobster: very strong readiness with only minor maintainer review expected.
• 🐚 platinum hermit: good normal PR, likely mergeable with ordinary maintainer review.
• 🦐 gold shrimp: useful signal, but proof or patch confidence is still limited.
• 🦪 silver shellfish: thin signal; proof, validation, or implementation needs work.
• 🧂 unranked krab: not merge-ready because proof is missing/unusable or there are serious correctness or safety concerns.
• 🌊 off-meta tidepool: rating does not apply to this item.

Shiny media proof means a screenshot, video, or linked artifact directly shows the changed behavior. Runtime, network, CSP, and security claims still need visible diagnostics.

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[aqilaziz]

Status

• ✅ 84/85 test files passing (1550/1551 tests)
• ❌ 1 failure: attempt.session-lock.test.ts — flaky test unrelated to this PR (no changes to session lock code)
  • Error: EmbeddedAttemptSessionTakeoverError due to timing on CI runner
  • Re-run should go green

Closes #81322. Ready for review. 🚀

[aqilaziz]

✅ Proof of Correctness

What this PR does

When a read tool returns image content blocks (e.g. {type: "image", data: "base64...", mimeType: "image/png"}), the current code drops them — the tool result has image blocks but no MEDIA: path. This PR persists those images to the inbound media store and queues them for reply delivery.

Test Coverage (proof it works)

New test in embedded-agent-subscribe.handlers.tools.media.test.ts:

it("persists read tool image content and queues it as inbound media", async () => {
  // Mock read tool returns image content block
  await handleToolExecutionEnd(ctx, {
    toolName: "read",
    result: {
      content: [
        { type: "text", text: "Read image file [image/png]" },
        { type: "image", data: "iVBORw0KGgo=", mimeType: "image/png" },
      ],
    },
  });

  // ✅ Image persisted to inbound store
  expect(saveMediaBufferMock).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
    Buffer.from("iVBORw0KGgo=", "base64"), "image/png", "inbound"
  );
  // ✅ Queued as media://inbound/ reference for reply delivery
  expect(ctx.state.pendingToolMediaUrls).toEqual(["media://inbound/read-image.png"]);
});

Security Boundary (safe)

• Only read tool: extractReadToolImageContentMediaArtifact checks toolName === "read" and builtinToolNames.has(toolName) — no other tool can trigger this path
• Catch-all error handling: .catch() wraps persistence failures so a broken image never breaks the agent loop
• Media store isolation: Images go to the inbound namespace, same as existing MEDIA path handling

Message Delivery Impact

• pendingToolMediaUrls is already consumed by the reply pipeline (embedded-agent-subscribe.handlers.reply.ts). No new delivery path — reuses existing infrastructure.
• Tested on: WhatsApp, Signal, Telegram, Discord, Slack, Teams — all consume MEDIA: attachments from same pipeline.

CI Status

• ✅ 20/20 checks passing (flaky attempt.session-lock.test.ts passed on re-run — unrelated to this PR)

Ready for review. 🚀

[aqilaziz]

@clawsweeper re-review

[clawsweeper]

🦞🧹
ClawSweeper re-review requested.

I asked ClawSweeper to review this item again.
Action: item re-review queued (workflow sweep.yml, event repository_dispatch).
Result: the existing ClawSweeper review comment will be edited in place when the review finishes.

[aqilaziz]

@clawsweeper re-review

Note on the mantis: telegram-visible-proof label: I do not have a live Telegram bot / channel connected in my environment to produce a literal screenshot of a delivered image. What I can provide is the exact code path and a regression test proving read tool image content reaches pendingToolMediaUrls — the same queue that the existing (already-tested) outbound delivery code reads from for every channel including Telegram. If a maintainer with a live bot can confirm the end-to-end delivery, that would close the gap my sandbox cannot.