Fix clw-prompt-disconnected: Resolve OpenClaw CLI Session Disconnection Error

Thu, 23 Jul 2026 12:44:04 +0800

1. Symptoms

The clw-prompt-disconnected error manifests when the OpenClaw CLI client (clw) loses its active session connection to the OpenClaw daemon or remote service endpoint. Users typically encounter this error during interactive sessions after an extended period of inactivity, network interruption, or when the underlying service undergoes maintenance or restarts.

Common indicators include a sudden halt in CLI operations with the following error message displayed in the terminal:

[ERROR] clw-prompt-disconnected: The CLI session has been disconnected from the OpenClaw service.
Unable to send request: connection reset by peer

Additional symptoms may accompany this error:

Fix clw-auth-disconnected: Authentication Session Lost or Connection Terminated

Mon, 25 May 2026 00:44:04 +0800

1. Symptoms

When the clw-auth-disconnected error occurs, users typically encounter one or more of the following symptoms:

Terminal Output

$ claw connect --project my-app
Error: clw-auth-disconnected
Authentication session lost. Please re-authenticate to continue.

$ claw status
✗ Connection lost - clw-auth-disconnected
  Session expired at: 2024-01-15T10:30:00Z

$ claw deploy --env production
[ERROR] clw-auth-disconnected
Remote authentication server closed the connection unexpectedly.
Operation aborted.
---

### Behavioral Symptoms

- **Sudden disconnection** during active CLI operations
- **Inability to execute authenticated commands** without re-authentication
- **Session status shows disconnected** even though network appears functional
- **Commands timeout** or fail with authentication-related messages
- **Background sync operations** fail silently or report disconnection

### Common Scenarios Where Error Appears

| Scenario | Frequency | Recovery Time |
|----------|-----------|---------------|
| Network interruption | High | 30-60 seconds |
| Idle session timeout | Medium | Immediate |
| Server-side session revocation | Low | 5-10 minutes |
| Token expiration mid-operation | High | Immediate |

---

## 2. Root Cause

The `clw-auth-disconnected` error stems from several potential root causes, each related to the breakdown of the authentication session between the OpenClaw client and the authentication server.

### Primary Causes

**1. Network Interruption During Active Session**

The most common cause is a network disruption that severs the connection between the client and authentication server. This can occur due to:
- WiFi or ethernet disconnection
- VPN tunnel instability
- Firewall or proxy interference
- DNS resolution failures

**2. Server-Side Session Invalidation**

The authentication server may invalidate sessions for various reasons:
- Security policy triggers (suspicious activity detection)
- Concurrent session limits exceeded
- Administrative session revocation
- Server-side maintenance or restart

**3. Token Expiration Without Grace Period**

OpenClaw uses bearer tokens for authentication. When tokens expire:

Token issued: 2024-01-15T09:00:00Z Token expires: 2024-01-15T10:00:00Z Actual request: 2024-01-15T10:05:00Z Result: clw-auth-disconnected

Session on ErrorVault — Developer Error Code Dictionary

Fix clw-prompt-disconnected: Resolve OpenClaw CLI Session Disconnection Error

1. Symptoms

Fix clw-auth-disconnected: Authentication Session Lost or Connection Terminated

1. Symptoms

Terminal Output