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OpenClaw config

Recovering from bad config without making it worse

Use this page when a config change broke OpenClaw and you need to recover the smallest broken layer first instead of widening the outage with panic edits.

Recovery gets worse when scope gets too big Do not turn one broken field into a whole-file rewrite.
First recovery move

Stop broad edits before doing anything else

If config is broken, pause before making more changes. Identify the smallest recent edit that could explain the failure and classify whether it is parse failure, schema/path failure, missing sibling settings, ignored change, or runtime mismatch.

Recovery principle

Restore minimal working state first

If startup broke or a critical feature went down, the first goal is not perfect final state. It is minimal working state. Restore the narrow broken layer, validate the structure, and prove the system works again before reintroducing the intended change in smaller steps.

Different failures need different repairs

Parse, path, map-clobber, and runtime failures are not the same job

Parse

Syntax repair only

Fix malformed JSON5 first instead of redesigning surrounding config.

Path / type

Schema-guided correction

Wrong-path and wrong-type issues usually need precise field correction, not broader rewrites.

Map clobber

Restore siblings first

Bring back sibling settings and return to narrow keyed edits.

Runtime

Check restart and overrides

Some recoveries fail because the file looks better but the live system still needs restart or override inspection.

Anti-drift recovery rules

Smaller, slower, and more explicit usually wins