fix(exec): respect OPENCLAW_STATE_DIR for exec approvals

vincentkoc · vincentkoc · commit b826cfae8b49 · 2026-04-28T18:27:30.000Z
diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ Docs: https://docs.openclaw.ai
 
 ### Fixes
 
+- Exec approvals: honor explicit `OPENCLAW_STATE_DIR` for default JSON and socket paths while keeping the legacy `~/.openclaw` fallback when unset, so custom state roots report and store approvals consistently. Fixes #62917; carries forward #65736. Thanks @oinoom.
 - CLI/plugins: use plugin metadata snapshots for install slot selection and add opt-in plugin lifecycle timing traces, so plugin install avoids runtime-loading the plugin registry for metadata-only decisions. Thanks @shakkernerd.
 - fix(plugins): restrict bundled plugin dir resolution to trusted package roots. (#73275) Thanks @pgondhi987.
 - fix(security): prevent workspace PATH injection via service env and trash helpers. (#73264) Thanks @pgondhi987.
diff --git a/docs/tools/exec-approvals.md b/docs/tools/exec-approvals.md
@@ -74,6 +74,9 @@ Approvals live in a local JSON file on the execution host:
 ~/.openclaw/exec-approvals.json
 ```
 
+If `OPENCLAW_STATE_DIR` is set explicitly, the default approvals JSON file
+and socket move under that state directory instead.
+
 Example schema:
 
 ```json
diff --git a/src/config/paths.ts b/src/config/paths.ts
@@ -52,6 +52,17 @@ export function resolveNewStateDir(homedir: () => string = resolveDefaultHomeDir
   return newStateDir(homedir);
 }
 
+export function resolveExplicitStateDir(
+  env: NodeJS.ProcessEnv = process.env,
+  homedir: () => string = envHomedir(env),
+): string | null {
+  const override = env.OPENCLAW_STATE_DIR?.trim();
+  if (!override) {
+    return null;
+  }
+  return resolveUserPath(override, env, () => resolveRequiredHomeDir(env, homedir));
+}
+
 /**
  * State directory for mutable data (sessions, logs, caches).
  * Can be overridden via OPENCLAW_STATE_DIR.
@@ -62,9 +73,9 @@ export function resolveStateDir(
   homedir: () => string = envHomedir(env),
 ): string {
   const effectiveHomedir = () => resolveRequiredHomeDir(env, homedir);
-  const override = env.OPENCLAW_STATE_DIR?.trim();
+  const override = resolveExplicitStateDir(env, homedir);
   if (override) {
-    return resolveUserPath(override, env, effectiveHomedir);
+    return override;
   }
   const newDir = newStateDir(effectiveHomedir);
   if (env.OPENCLAW_TEST_FAST === "1") {
diff --git a/src/infra/exec-approvals-effective.ts b/src/infra/exec-approvals-effective.ts
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ import { DEFAULT_AGENT_ID } from "../routing/session-key.js";
 import {
   DEFAULT_EXEC_APPROVAL_ASK_FALLBACK,
   resolveExecApprovalAllowedDecisions,
-  resolveExecApprovalsPath,
+  resolveExecApprovalsDefaultHostPath,
   type ExecApprovalDecision,
   maxAsk,
   minSecurity,
@@ -16,7 +16,6 @@ import {
 
 const DEFAULT_REQUESTED_SECURITY: ExecSecurity = "full";
 const DEFAULT_REQUESTED_ASK: ExecAsk = "off";
-const DEFAULT_HOST_PATH = "~/.openclaw/exec-approvals.json";
 const REQUESTED_DEFAULT_LABEL = {
   security: DEFAULT_REQUESTED_SECURITY,
   ask: DEFAULT_REQUESTED_ASK,
@@ -149,10 +148,6 @@ function resolveAskNote(params: {
   return "more aggressive ask wins";
 }
 
-function resolveDefaultExecApprovalsHostPath(): string {
-  return process.env.OPENCLAW_STATE_DIR?.trim() ? resolveExecApprovalsPath() : DEFAULT_HOST_PATH;
-}
-
 export function collectExecPolicyScopeSnapshots(params: {
   cfg: OpenClawConfig;
   approvals: ExecApprovalsFile;
@@ -239,7 +234,7 @@ export function resolveExecPolicyScopeSnapshot(params: {
       ask: requestedAsk.value,
     },
   });
-  const hostPath = params.hostPath ?? resolveDefaultExecApprovalsHostPath();
+  const hostPath = params.hostPath ?? resolveExecApprovalsDefaultHostPath();
   const effectiveSecurity = minSecurity(requestedSecurity.value, resolved.agent.security);
   const effectiveAsk = maxAsk(requestedAsk.value, resolved.agent.ask);
   const effectiveAskFallback = minSecurity(effectiveSecurity, resolved.agent.askFallback);
diff --git a/src/infra/exec-approvals-store.test.ts b/src/infra/exec-approvals-store.test.ts
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ vi.mock("./jsonl-socket.js", () => ({
 import type { ExecApprovalsFile } from "./exec-approvals.js";
 
 type ExecApprovalsModule = typeof import("./exec-approvals.js");
+type ExecApprovalsEffectiveModule = typeof import("./exec-approvals-effective.js");
 
 let addAllowlistEntry: ExecApprovalsModule["addAllowlistEntry"];
 let addDurableCommandApproval: ExecApprovalsModule["addDurableCommandApproval"];
@@ -26,6 +27,7 @@ let requestExecApprovalViaSocket: ExecApprovalsModule["requestExecApprovalViaSoc
 let resolveExecApprovalsPath: ExecApprovalsModule["resolveExecApprovalsPath"];
 let resolveExecApprovalsSocketPath: ExecApprovalsModule["resolveExecApprovalsSocketPath"];
 let saveExecApprovals: ExecApprovalsModule["saveExecApprovals"];
+let resolveExecPolicyScopeSummary: ExecApprovalsEffectiveModule["resolveExecPolicyScopeSummary"];
 
 const tempDirs: string[] = [];
 const originalOpenClawHome = process.env.OPENCLAW_HOME;
@@ -47,6 +49,7 @@ beforeAll(async () => {
     resolveExecApprovalsSocketPath,
     saveExecApprovals,
   } = await import("./exec-approvals.js"));
+  ({ resolveExecPolicyScopeSummary } = await import("./exec-approvals-effective.js"));
 });
 
 beforeEach(() => {
@@ -122,6 +125,45 @@ describe("exec approvals store helpers", () => {
     );
   });
 
+  it("reports explicit OPENCLAW_STATE_DIR exec approvals path in host policy sources", () => {
+    const dir = createHomeDir();
+    const stateDir = path.join(dir, "state-root");
+    process.env.OPENCLAW_STATE_DIR = stateDir;
+
+    const summary = resolveExecPolicyScopeSummary({
+      approvals: {
+        version: 1,
+        defaults: {
+          security: "allowlist",
+        },
+      },
+      configPath: "tools.exec",
+      scopeLabel: "tools.exec",
+    });
+
+    expect(summary.security.hostSource).toBe(
+      `${path.join(stateDir, "exec-approvals.json")} defaults.security`,
+    );
+  });
+
+  it("keeps legacy fallback out of default exec approvals host policy sources", () => {
+    const dir = createHomeDir();
+    fs.mkdirSync(path.join(dir, ".clawdbot"), { recursive: true });
+
+    const summary = resolveExecPolicyScopeSummary({
+      approvals: {
+        version: 1,
+        defaults: {
+          security: "allowlist",
+        },
+      },
+      configPath: "tools.exec",
+      scopeLabel: "tools.exec",
+    });
+
+    expect(summary.security.hostSource).toBe("~/.openclaw/exec-approvals.json defaults.security");
+  });
+
   it("merges socket defaults from normalized, current, and built-in fallback", () => {
     const normalized = normalizeExecApprovals({
       version: 1,
diff --git a/src/infra/exec-approvals.ts b/src/infra/exec-approvals.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import crypto from "node:crypto";
 import fs from "node:fs";
 import path from "node:path";
-import { resolveStateDir } from "../config/paths.js";
+import { resolveExplicitStateDir } from "../config/paths.js";
 import { DEFAULT_AGENT_ID } from "../routing/session-key.js";
 import {
   normalizeLowercaseStringOrEmpty,
@@ -184,15 +184,25 @@ function hashExecApprovalsRaw(raw: string | null): string {
 }
 
 export function resolveExecApprovalsPath(): string {
-  if (process.env.OPENCLAW_STATE_DIR?.trim()) {
-    return path.join(resolveStateDir(), DEFAULT_FILE_FILENAME);
+  const stateDir = resolveExplicitStateDir();
+  if (stateDir) {
+    return path.join(stateDir, DEFAULT_FILE_FILENAME);
   }
   return expandHomePrefix(DEFAULT_FILE);
 }
 
+export function resolveExecApprovalsDefaultHostPath(): string {
+  const stateDir = resolveExplicitStateDir();
+  if (stateDir) {
+    return path.join(stateDir, DEFAULT_FILE_FILENAME);
+  }
+  return DEFAULT_FILE;
+}
+
 export function resolveExecApprovalsSocketPath(): string {
-  if (process.env.OPENCLAW_STATE_DIR?.trim()) {
-    return path.join(resolveStateDir(), DEFAULT_SOCKET_FILENAME);
+  const stateDir = resolveExplicitStateDir();
+  if (stateDir) {
+    return path.join(stateDir, DEFAULT_SOCKET_FILENAME);
   }
   return expandHomePrefix(DEFAULT_SOCKET);
 }
