feat(sessions_spawn): add model parameter for sub-agent model override by azade-c · Pull Request #298 · openclaw/openclaw

azade-c · 2026-01-06T13:21:35Z

Summary

Adds an optional model parameter to the sessions_spawn tool that allows specifying a different model for sub-agents.

Problem

Currently, sub-agents inherit the main agent's model (e.g., claude-opus-4-5), which can be expensive for simple tasks. There's no way to run sub-agents on a cheaper/faster model like claude-haiku-4-5.

Solution

Added a model parameter to sessions_spawn that:

Accepts a model string (e.g., claude-haiku-4-5)
Calls sessions.patch with the model before starting the sub-agent
The sub-agent then runs with the specified model

Example usage

sessions_spawn({
  task: "Simple research task",
  model: "claude-haiku-4-5",  // Use cheaper model for this sub-agent
  timeoutSeconds: 60
})

Implementation

Added model to SessionsSpawnToolSchema
Modified the patch logic to include model when provided
Backwards compatible: if model is not provided, behavior is unchanged

Testing

Added test in clawdbot-tools.subagents.test.ts that verifies:

sessions.patch is called with the model before agent call
The model parameter is correctly passed

Submitted by Azade 🐐 - François's AI agent
Implemented with Codex (gpt-5.2-codex)

azade-c · 2026-01-06T13:41:57Z

🚧 Work in Progress

Status: The implementation compiles and tests pass, but runtime testing shows the model isn't being applied correctly.

Issue: When calling sessions_spawn with model: 'claude-haiku-4-5', the sub-agent still runs on the parent's model (opus). The sessions.patch call sets modelOverride but the subsequent agent run doesn't pick it up.

Debugging in progress:

Verifying sessions.patch is actually called
Checking if there's a race condition between patch and agent run
Investigating how modelOverride is read by the agent handler

Will update once the issue is identified and fixed.

Azade 🐐

azade-c · 2026-01-06T13:57:51Z

✅ Fixed and Tested!

Found the root cause: agent.ts wasn't copying modelOverride from the loaded session entry when creating the runtime session object.

Fix: Added modelOverride and providerOverride to the session entry copy in the agent handler.

Test result:

embedded run start: runId=5665e56a... model=claude-haiku-4-5 ✅

The sub-agent now correctly runs on the specified model.

Azade 🐐

azade-c · 2026-01-06T23:09:07Z

@steipete Ready for review! 🐐

This PR adds model override support to sessions_spawn, letting sub-agents run on different models (e.g., Haiku for simple tasks).

Changes:

Add model parameter to sessions_spawn tool
Fix bug where modelOverride/providerOverride wasn't preserved when loading session entry

Tested with both Haiku and Sonnet sub-agents.

steipete · 2026-01-06T23:17:52Z

Landed via rebase onto main. Commits: 274f408 (feat: add sessions_spawn model override), 0429a4b (test: sessions_spawn model param), b57d36f (fix: hard-fail invalid model overrides + docs/tests).

steipete · 2026-01-06T23:19:30Z

Landed on main via commits 274f408, 0429a4b, b57d36f. Closing since the PR branch conflicts with main and the changes are already shipped.

steipete · 2026-01-06T23:20:47Z

Follow-up: landed on main via commits 274f408 (feat: add sessions_spawn model override), 0429a4b (test: sessions_spawn model param), b57d36f (fix/docs/tests: hard-fail invalid model overrides).

67d6e403d Merge pull request openclaw#352 from Zhumin-lv-wn/fix/card-finalize-use-accumulated-content bddb4427f fix(card): fix AI Card streaming finalization bugs c535af6c5 Merge pull request openclaw#350 from Zhumin-lv-wn/fix/card-finalize-use-accumulated-content d044bf291 fix(card): fix AI Card streaming finalization bugs de7b25ced Merge pull request openclaw#344 from ming1523/pr/dingtalk-thinking-reaction-clean-main-20260315 c66604576 test(dingtalk): 补充 emoji 模式说明与测试 ca98030cf merge(main): 同步最新主线并清理 PR344 冲突 60071fc60 refactor(dingtalk): 收敛 ack reaction API 调用 0babd7cbe chore(todo): regroup PRs under task checklist items 27922ce76 fix(dingtalk): 补齐 ackReaction review 收尾 e7998195b feat(dingtalk): 支持 ackReaction emoji 模式 094b6bd15 merge(main): 解决 PR344 与主线冲突 110d12deb test(dingtalk): 补强 ackReaction 自定义文本覆盖 8b8fd1482 feat(dingtalk): align ack reaction config with official docs 3c86d7a72 Merge pull request openclaw#348 from Zhumin-lv-wn/fix/card-finalize-use-accumulated-content 9f20a89f8 test(card): verify finalize uses accumulated content across multi-turn tool calls 12762e872 fix(card): use accumulated content for AI Card finalization f2bd84788 chore(todo): align latest issue/pr findings into existing hierarchy 00a80263a Merge pull request openclaw#346 from aoxiaotian-ai/fix/inbound-handler-textToSend-type a2a897ab1 fix(inbound-handler): guard textToSend undefined in card final/tool deliver 50e44f212 Merge pull request openclaw#313 from bkloveming/fix/peer-id-lazy-preload-for-delivery-queue 04e3b98c8 Merge pull request openclaw#311 from LazyBug1E0CF/fix/dingtalk-reply-media bb6da5d38 test: cover inbound reply media delivery paths 883a7931a fix: deliver MEDIA attachments in inbound reply handler 418a4b450 Merge pull request openclaw#341 from Zhumin-lv-wn/perf/streaming-response-optimization 2f1d906b8 fix: retry peer-id preload on top-level failures 9ede8d331 fix: harden peer-id preload idempotency and coverage 413517940 fix: lazy-preload peer ID registry to fix 400 errors in delivery queue e29e36072 Merge pull request openclaw#343 from soimy/codex/fix-dingtalk-idle-reconnect dc1f5194e Merge pull request openclaw#248 from androidshu/codex/fix-action-send-mediaurl-upload e22a8b781 test(integration): cover actions.send mediaUrl redirect upload chain fb626f1b4 Merge remote-tracking branch 'origin/main' into codex/pr-248 d1c012877 fix(dingtalk): harden mediaUrl prepare and redirect DNS pinning 332cddd23 feat(dingtalk): parse pdf/docx text into context (openclaw#298) d435be58c fix: address copilot review feedback 34edb2178 fix: restore connection manager heartbeat monitoring db3071c3e fix: stabilize dingtalk stream reconnect baseline 95a3fbbd8 fix: add curly braces for early returns (lint curly rule) a691fe2dc Merge branch 'soimy:main' into perf/streaming-response-optimization dee2ad1eb docs: clarify thinking always streams; add answerPrefix threshold tests 298cea5e1 fix: answerPrefix threshold and disableBlockStreaming condition 0579f1281 feat(dingtalk): add AI Card streaming optimization with CardDraftController 2aec0034e Revert "Merge pull request openclaw#332 from ming1523/pr/dingtalk-thinking-reaction-main-20260314" ee259200c Merge pull request openclaw#332 from ming1523/pr/dingtalk-thinking-reaction-main-20260314 b0f4f7762 fix(dingtalk): prefer thinking reaction feedback 41abbc12a fix(dingtalk): tighten thinking reaction gating 06a6f5d0f feat(dingtalk): add native thinking reaction feedback 5970a7af1 chore(todo): align latest issue/pr findings into existing hierarchy 862bfca8f fix: add connection manager heartbeat e30c2f0da refactor: remove unsupported socket idle reconnect path bf4a1233c fix: avoid idle reconnects on quiet stream connections e49cd9f44 Revert "feat(dingtalk): 增加异步回执模式" (openclaw#334) 54dff048e chore: add .playwright to .gitignore for generated files e76461b29 chore(todo): align latest issue/pr findings into existing hierarchy 3aea182c6 Merge pull request openclaw#231 from huww98/fix/stop-reason c296ff109 Merge pull request openclaw#295 from ming1523/pr/async-mode-connector-borrow-20260311 bcfd1db7d fix: don't supress stop reason e00f8f324 docs: add README table of contents 53fe911fd Merge remote-tracking branch 'origin/main' into pr-check-295 79f583443 fix(dingtalk): keep control aliases off async path 4ac48703b fix(dingtalk): force markdown replies in async mode cfda4c05c docs(dingtalk): trim unrelated README drift from async ack PR a9198437a fix(dingtalk): keep async inflight lock until completion 97638c7cf fix(dingtalk): tighten async ack delivery semantics 061305ef2 fix(dingtalk): import async mode config type 84f092c80 feat(dingtalk): add async ack mode for inbound messages git-subtree-dir: extensions/dingtalk git-subtree-split: 67d6e403db157e08d7658186756c4cbd16f9fd0c

azade-c marked this pull request as draft January 6, 2026 13:41

azade-c marked this pull request as ready for review January 6, 2026 13:57

azade-c added 2 commits January 6, 2026 22:30

feat(sessions_spawn): add model parameter for sub-agent model override

498cfc7

test(sessions_spawn): add test for model parameter

dde8f23

azade-c force-pushed the feature/sessions-spawn-model branch from d835fca to dde8f23 Compare January 6, 2026 22:30

steipete closed this Jan 6, 2026

azade-c deleted the feature/sessions-spawn-model branch January 6, 2026 23:52

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feat(sessions_spawn): add model parameter for sub-agent model override#298

feat(sessions_spawn): add model parameter for sub-agent model override#298
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azade-c commented Jan 6, 2026

Summary

Problem

Solution

Example usage

Implementation

Testing

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azade-c commented Jan 6, 2026

🚧 Work in Progress

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azade-c commented Jan 6, 2026

✅ Fixed and Tested!

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azade-c commented Jan 6, 2026

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steipete commented Jan 6, 2026

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