Bug type

Behavior bug (incorrect output/state without crash)

Beta release blocker

No

Summary

The iOS Chat surface can look idle after a user sends a message and returns to the chat while the session still has a long-running active run but no chat in-flight snapshot.

Steps to reproduce

1. Open the OpenClaw iOS app on an iOS device.
2. Open a chat session.
3. Send a message that causes a longer-running tool/session run.
4. Navigate away from the chat while the run is still active.
5. Return to the same chat before an assistant response is visible.

Expected behavior

The chat should continue to show visible assistant activity while the latest user message is still unanswered and the session reports an active run. The user should not be left with an idle-looking transcript after returning to the chat.

Actual behavior

The redacted iOS recording shows the latest user message visible in the chat, but no assistant response, typing bubble, tool-running indicator, or other visible in-progress state after returning to the chat. The UI appears to be sitting idle even though the session is still in a long-running work state.

OpenClaw version

Current main source investigated on 2026-07-09; exact installed iOS build version from the device recording is NOT_ENOUGH_INFO.

Operating system

iOS device recording; exact iOS version is NOT_ENOUGH_INFO.

Install method

Native iOS app; exact install channel is NOT_ENOUGH_INFO.

Model

NOT_ENOUGH_INFO from the redacted evidence. The observed defect is in the mobile chat pending-state UI rather than model output quality.

Provider / routing chain

NOT_ENOUGH_INFO from the redacted evidence. Setup-specific provider/routing details were intentionally omitted from the public report.

Additional provider/model setup details

Setup-specific details were redacted from the evidence. The relevant UI condition is: chat history/session refresh can report session activity while the chat in-flight run snapshot is absent.

Logs

No gateway logs are included. Visual evidence is attached below.

Screenshots, recordings, and evidence

Redacted evidence bundle:

• Recording: https://github.com/jmcte/openclaw/releases/download/proof-ios-chat-pending-state-2026-07-09/ios-chat-pending-state-minimal.mp4
• Still after returning to the chat: https://github.com/jmcte/openclaw/releases/download/proof-ios-chat-pending-state-2026-07-09/ios-chat-pending-state-minimal-return.jpg
• Still showing the idle-looking state: https://github.com/jmcte/openclaw/releases/download/proof-ios-chat-pending-state-2026-07-09/ios-chat-pending-state-minimal-idle.jpg
• Evidence host release: https://github.com/jmcte/openclaw/releases/tag/proof-ios-chat-pending-state-2026-07-09

Redactions applied before upload:

• AxiomLang
• pnb
• omt-assist.org

Impact and severity

Affected: iOS users using the Chat surface during long-running tool/session runs.

Severity: Medium usability defect. The run may still be active, but the chat gives no visible indication that work is continuing.

Frequency: Observed in the attached recording when leaving and returning to the chat during a long-running session. Broader frequency is NOT_ENOUGH_INFO.

Consequence: Users can interpret an active run as stalled or lost, resend messages, switch contexts unnecessarily, or lose trust in whether the mobile client is still connected to the session.

Additional information

A fix should keep the Chat surface visibly active when session history reports an active run but no chat in-flight run snapshot is available, while avoiding stale indicators once the latest user turn is answered, the run becomes terminal, the session changes, or the state times out.