Summary

OpenClawChannelBridge (src/mcp/channel-bridge.ts) holds two instance-bound pending Maps that lack the same three guards their siblings already have, so a long-running openclaw mcp serve process accumulates entries monotonically.

Why it matters

• pendingClaudePermissions: Claude SDK sends a notifications/claude/channel/permission_request for every tool call (channel-server.ts:42-49). The entry is only removed when the operator replies with yes <id> / no <id> matching /^(yes|no)\s+([a-km-z]{5})$/i (channel-bridge.ts:455-459). Missed/typo'd/cross-channel responses leave the entry forever. requestId is fresh per request so there is no overwrite.
• pendingApprovals: trackApproval (L369-) sets the entry on exec.approval.requested / plugin.approval.requested and only deletes on the matching *.resolved event (L389). A gateway WebSocket drop (channel-bridge.ts:122-124 onClose is reject-only) silently loses the resolved frame and the entry persists.
• close() (L136-152) clears pendingWaiters but does not clear either pending Map.

In a long-running openclaw mcp serve process (operator hours-units, claudeChannelMode != 'off' busy automation), both Maps grow monotonically.

Affected paths

• src/mcp/channel-bridge.ts:50 (pendingClaudePermissions decl)
• src/mcp/channel-bridge.ts:51 (pendingApprovals decl)
• src/mcp/channel-bridge.ts:136-152 (close() body — pending Map clears missing)
• src/mcp/channel-bridge.ts:273-295 (handleClaudePermissionRequest set without TTL)
• src/mcp/channel-bridge.ts:369-391 (trackApproval stores expiresAtMs but no expiry mechanism)

Severity

P2 — slow memory-growth leak in opt-in long-running CLI path. Not an immediate OOM, but unbounded over time. Maintainer-priority axes hit: memory + reliability + plugin loading (MCP).

Notes

• AI-assisted (openclaw-audit pipeline, FIND-mcp-memory-001/002 → CAND-025 epic).
• 5-agent post-harness cross-review and 3-agent pre-PR cross-review both proceed (consensus on real problem + fix sufficient).
• Upstream-dup check clean: 6w channel-bridge.ts commits all refactor/seam-split (no leak axis); PR fix: bind Claude permission replies to session #56420 (sessionKey binding, OPEN) is orthogonal.
• Fix PR follows.