Problem

The macOS app's first-run flow can finish "setup" without working inference. The Crestodian gate only checks that config was authored (wizard metadata or gateway auth), not that a model actually answers — so the very first agent chat can greet a new user with a raw error:

Something went wrong — No API key found for provider "openai". Auth store: …/openclaw-agent.sqlite …

Additional first-run issues observed while walking the flow on a clean macOS VM:

• The Local/Remote page shows a permanent discovery spinner ("Searching for nearby gateways…"), which reads as "the app is stuck loading" instead of a choice.
• When several AI credentials exist on the machine (Claude Code, Codex, Gemini CLI, API keys), there is no way to see or choose between them; the conversation silently picks the first.
• No manual API-key path exists in the app when nothing is detected.
• Nothing is ever live-tested: a logged-in-but-broken CLI (expired subscription, misconfig) is only discovered at first chat.
• Install-page errors and chat errors show raw strings with no docs link; there are no confirmations when quitting mid-install.
• Crestodian (the always-works setup helper) is only reachable during onboarding, not later.

Proposal

• Make inference the one gated onboarding step: a structured "Connect your AI" page that detects reusable access (env keys, Claude Code, Codex, Gemini CLI), live-tests the best candidate with a real completion, persists config only after the test passes, auto-falls back down the ladder on failure, and offers a verified manual API-key step (Anthropic/OpenAI/Google) when nothing works.
• Gateway RPCs so GUI clients drive the same ladder as openclaw crestodian setup: crestodian.setup.detect / crestodian.setup.activate (additive protocol).
• Connection page: "On this Mac (Recommended)" preselected, quiet no-spinner discovery, remote options collapsed, "Set up later" as a link.
• Install page: sequential step checklist with a single active spinner, friendly error card with retry + docs.openclaw.ai link, close-confirmation while work is in flight.
• Keep "Meet your agent" in the dialog (it cannot hit the auth error anymore) and open the main chat on Finish.
• Add Crestodian as a Settings pane so users can always talk to something that works.