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[Bug]: macOS menu bar app flashes credentials gate on open (login screen flickers before Control UI) #85352

Description

@xilopaint

Bug type

Behavior bug (incorrect output/state without crash)

Beta release blocker

No

Summary

When clicking the OpenClaw menu bar icon on macOS, the login/credentials gate screen flashes briefly (~200-500ms) before the Control UI is displayed. This happens every time the app is opened, even when the user is already authenticated and connected.

Steps to reproduce

  1. Open the OpenClaw macOS app (menu bar icon)
  2. Ensure the app is already authenticated and connected to a gateway
  3. Click the menu bar icon to open the Control UI
  4. Observe the credentials/login screen flash briefly before the normal Control UI appears

Expected behavior

An already-authenticated macOS app should show the Control UI directly without flashing the credentials gate. The login screen should only appear when the user has never authenticated or when auth explicitly fails.

Actual behavior

The credentials gate appears on every open, causing a visible flicker. The app is already authenticated, so the login screen should not appear at all.

Related issue

#72500 — Describes a similar credentials gate flash in the webchat UI. That issue seems to be resolved for the webchat, but a similar flicker persists in the macOS native app.

OpenClaw version

v2026.5.20

Operating system

macOS 26.4.1 (Apple Silicon)

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    P2Normal backlog priority with limited blast radius.clawsweeper:fix-shape-clearClawSweeper found a clear likely implementation shape for this issue.clawsweeper: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.clawsweeper:source-reproClawSweeper found a high-confidence source-level issue reproduction.impact:session-stateSession, memory, transcript, context, or agent state can drift or corrupt.issue-rating: 🦞 diamond lobsterVery strong issue quality with high-confidence source-level or clear reproduction.

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