Slack Thread Metadata Missing in Agent Context

Summary

Agents cannot determine if a Slack message is a reply within a thread because thread metadata (thread_ts and parent_user_id) is not included in the message context passed to agents.

Current Behavior

When a user sends a Slack message that replies to another message in a thread, the agent receives:

[slack message id: 1769970942.286059 channel: C0ACKPWN3Q9]

Expected Behavior

The agent should receive thread context when available:

[slack message id: 1769970942.286059 channel: C0ACKPWN3Q9 thread_ts: 1769970000.123456 parent_user: U026H3AP1]

Root Cause

File: src/slack/monitor/message-handler/prepare.ts
Line: 399

const textWithId = `${rawBody}\n[slack message id: ${message.ts} channel: ${message.channel}]`;

OpenClaw internally uses these fields for routing and mention detection (lines 172-173):

const implicitMention = Boolean(!isDirectMessage &&
    ctx.botUserId &&
    message.thread_ts &&
    message.parent_user_id === ctx.botUserId);

But the metadata line only includes message.ts and message.channel.

Confirmation: Slack API Provides This Data

The Slack API does include thread_ts and parent_user_id in message events:

From @slack/types/dist/events/message.d.ts:

interface GenericMessageEvent {
    user: string;
    text?: string;
    ts: string;
    thread_ts?: string;        // ← Available
    parent_user_id?: string;   // ← Available
    channel_type: ChannelTypes;
    // ... other fields
}

OpenClaw already reads these fields internally, but doesn't expose them to agents.

Impact

• Current: Agents cannot determine conversation context for threaded replies
• With fix: Agents can detect threads and provide context-aware responses
• Breaking change: None (additive metadata only)

Reproduction

1. Send a message in a Slack channel
2. Reply to that message in a thread
3. Check agent context - thread metadata is missing
4. Agent has no way to know the message is part of a thread

Example Use Cases Enabled by Fix

• Agent can say "Regarding your original question about X..." when replying in thread
• Agent can fetch thread context to provide better answers
• Agent can distinguish between new topics vs thread continuations
• Tools can be built that operate on thread context

Environment:

• OpenClaw version: 2026.1.30
• Channel: Slack (Socket Mode)
• Reported by: @bennewton999