Bug Description

The Control UI (webchat) successfully authenticates with the gateway token for the default (main) agent, but when switching to a different agent session (e.g. navi-coder), the WebSocket reconnects without sending the stored token, resulting in:

unauthorized: gateway token missing (open the dashboard URL and paste the token in Control UI settings)

Steps to Reproduce

1. Configure gateway auth with mode: "token" (default after openclaw gateway install --force)
2. Open the dashboard via openclaw dashboard — main agent connects fine
3. Navigate to a second agent session, e.g.:

   http://127.0.0.1:18789/chat?session=agent%3Anavi-coder%3Amain
   

4. Control UI shows "unauthorized: gateway token missing"

Even appending #token=<token> to the navi-coder URL doesn't persist — the UI drops it on the WebSocket reconnect.

Gateway Error Logs

[ws] unauthorized conn=... remote=127.0.0.1 client=openclaw-control-ui webchat v2026.3.8 reason=token_missing
[ws] closed before connect conn=... code=1008 reason=unauthorized: gateway token missing

These repeat on every attempt to switch to a non-default agent session.

Expected Behavior

The Control UI should include the stored gateway token on all WebSocket connections, including when switching between agent sessions.

Workaround

Set gateway.auth.mode to "none" in ~/.openclaw/openclaw.json (safe when gateway bind is loopback):

"gateway": {
  "auth": {
    "mode": "none"
  }
}

Then restart the gateway (launchctl unload/load the plist or openclaw gateway install --force).

Environment

• OpenClaw: 2026.3.8 (3caab92)
• OS: macOS (Darwin 25.3.0)
• Browser: Chrome 145
• Gateway bind: loopback
• Agents: main (default) + navi-coder (secondary)