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[Bug]: OpenClaw CLI commands remain alive as node.exe processes after execution on Windows #74378

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[Bug]: OpenClaw CLI commands remain alive as node.exe processes after execution on Windows#74378
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P2Normal backlog priority with limited blast radius.bugSomething isn't workingclawsweeper:needs-maintainer-reviewClawSweeper marked this issue as needing maintainer review before automation.clawsweeper:no-new-fix-prClawSweeper does not recommend queueing a new automated fix PR for this issue.impact:crash-loopCrash, hang, restart loop, or process-level availability failure.issue-rating: 🦪 silver shellfishThin issue quality; more reproduction proof or environment detail is needed.regressionBehavior that previously worked and now fails

Description

@2ndNuts
2ndNuts
opened on Apr 29, 2026

Bug type

Regression (worked before, now fails)

Beta release blocker

No

Summary

OpenClaw CLI commands such as version and status remain alive as node.exe ... openclaw.mjs <command> processes after execution on Windows.

Steps to reproduce

  1. Run OpenClaw 2026.4.26 on Windows.

  2. Confirm the gateway is healthy:

    curl http://127.0.0.1:18789/health

{"ok":true,"status":"live"}

node "C:\Users\k\AppData\Roaming\npm\node_modules\openclaw\openclaw.mjs" version

  1. Run the CLI entrypoint directly:
    node "C:\Users\k\AppData\Roaming\npm\node_modules\openclaw\openclaw.mjs" version

  2. Observe the process after 3 seconds and 13 seconds.

  3. Repeat with:
    node "C:\Users\k\AppData\Roaming\npm\node_modules\openclaw\openclaw.mjs" status

  4. Observe the process after 3 seconds and 13 seconds.
    Expected behavior

CLI commands should terminate after completing or after returning an error.

### Expected behavior

**Expected behavior**

```txt
CLI commands should terminate after completing or after returning an error.

### Actual behavior

`openclaw.mjs version` remained alive after 3 seconds and 13 seconds.

Observed process:

PID 22300 node.exe ... openclaw.mjs version

Observed memory:

After 3s: WorkingSet ~406MB
After 13s: WorkingSet ~459MB
Before cleanup: WorkingSet ~581MB

`openclaw.mjs status` also remained alive after 3 seconds and 13 seconds.

Observed process:

PID 26840 node.exe ... openclaw.mjs status

Observed memory:

After 3s: WorkingSet ~369MB
After 13s: WorkingSet ~454MB
Before cleanup: WorkingSet ~457MB

The gateway process was separate and remained healthy:

PID 20356 node.exe ... openclaw dist/index.js gateway --port 18789

Only the stuck CLI processes were manually stopped.

### OpenClaw version

OpenClaw 2026.4.26 

### Operating system

Windows11

### Install method

npm

### Model

cliproxyapi/Codex GPT5.5

### Provider / routing chain

OpenClaw -> CLIProxyAPI -> Codex GPT5.5

### Additional provider/model setup details

Health checks observed as OK:

```powershell
openclaw --version

### Logs, screenshots, and evidence

```shell

Impact and severity

No response

Additional information

No response

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    P2Normal backlog priority with limited blast radius.bugSomething isn't workingclawsweeper:needs-maintainer-reviewClawSweeper marked this issue as needing maintainer review before automation.clawsweeper:no-new-fix-prClawSweeper does not recommend queueing a new automated fix PR for this issue.impact:crash-loopCrash, hang, restart loop, or process-level availability failure.issue-rating: 🦪 silver shellfishThin issue quality; more reproduction proof or environment detail is needed.regressionBehavior that previously worked and now fails

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