fix: stabilize macos daemon onboarding

CHANGELOG.md

@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@
 Docs: https://docs.openclaw.ai
 
 ## Unreleased
-
 ### Changes
 
 - Android/chat settings: redesign the chat settings sheet with grouped device and media sections, refresh the Connect and Voice tabs, and tighten the chat composer/session header for a denser mobile layout. (#44894) Thanks @obviyus.
@@ -28,7 +27,7 @@ Docs: https://docs.openclaw.ai
 - Security/exec approvals: unwrap more `pnpm` runtime forms during approval binding, including `pnpm --reporter ... exec` and direct `pnpm node` file runs, with matching regression coverage and docs updates.
 - Security/exec approvals: fail closed for Perl `-M` and `-I` approval flows so preload and load-path module resolution stays outside approval-backed runtime execution unless the operator uses a broader explicit trust path.
 - Control UI/insecure auth: preserve explicit shared token and password auth on plain-HTTP Control UI connects so LAN and reverse-proxy sessions no longer drop shared auth before the first WebSocket handshake. (#45088) Thanks @velvet-shark.
-
+- macOS/onboarding: avoid self-restarting freshly bootstrapped launchd gateways and give new daemon installs longer to become healthy, so `openclaw onboard --install-daemon` no longer false-fails on slower Macs and fresh VM snapshots.
 ## 2026.3.12
 
 ### Changes

src/commands/onboard-non-interactive.gateway.test.ts

@@ -13,8 +13,9 @@ const gatewayClientCalls: Array<{
   onClose?: (code: number, reason: string) => void;
 }> = [];
 const ensureWorkspaceAndSessionsMock = vi.fn(async (..._args: unknown[]) => {});
+const installGatewayDaemonNonInteractiveMock = vi.hoisted(() => vi.fn(async () => {}));
 let waitForGatewayReachableMock:
-  | ((params: { url: string; token?: string; password?: string }) => Promise<{
+  | ((params: { url: string; token?: string; password?: string; deadlineMs?: number }) => Promise<{
       ok: boolean;
       detail?: string;
     }>)
@@ -59,6 +60,10 @@ vi.mock("./onboard-helpers.js", async (importOriginal) => {
   };
 });
 
+vi.mock("./onboard-non-interactive/local/daemon-install.js", () => ({
+  installGatewayDaemonNonInteractive: installGatewayDaemonNonInteractiveMock,
+}));
+
 const { runNonInteractiveOnboarding } = await import("./onboard-non-interactive.js");
 const { resolveConfigPath: resolveStateConfigPath } = await import("../config/paths.js");
 const { resolveConfigPath } = await import("../config/config.js");
@@ -128,6 +133,7 @@ describe("onboard (non-interactive): gateway and remote auth", () => {
 
   afterEach(() => {
     waitForGatewayReachableMock = undefined;
+    installGatewayDaemonNonInteractiveMock.mockClear();
   });
 
   it("writes gateway token auth into config", async () => {
@@ -343,6 +349,33 @@ describe("onboard (non-interactive): gateway and remote auth", () => {
     });
   }, 60_000);
 
+  it("uses a longer health deadline when daemon install was requested", async () => {
+    await withStateDir("state-local-daemon-health-", async (stateDir) => {
+      let capturedDeadlineMs: number | undefined;
+      waitForGatewayReachableMock = vi.fn(async (params: { deadlineMs?: number }) => {
+        capturedDeadlineMs = params.deadlineMs;
+        return { ok: true };
+      });
+
+      await runNonInteractiveOnboarding(
+        {
+          nonInteractive: true,
+          mode: "local",
+          workspace: path.join(stateDir, "openclaw"),
+          authChoice: "skip",
+          skipSkills: true,
+          skipHealth: false,
+          installDaemon: true,
+          gatewayBind: "loopback",
+        },
+        runtime,
+      );
+
+      expect(installGatewayDaemonNonInteractiveMock).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+      expect(capturedDeadlineMs).toBe(45_000);
+    });
+  }, 60_000);
+
   it("auto-generates token auth when binding LAN and persists the token", async () => {
     if (process.platform === "win32") {
       // Windows runner occasionally drops the temp config write in this flow; skip to keep CI green.

src/commands/onboard-non-interactive/local.ts

@@ -19,6 +19,9 @@ import { logNonInteractiveOnboardingJson } from "./local/output.js";
 import { applyNonInteractiveSkillsConfig } from "./local/skills-config.js";
 import { resolveNonInteractiveWorkspaceDir } from "./local/workspace.js";
 
+const INSTALL_DAEMON_HEALTH_DEADLINE_MS = 45_000;
+const ATTACH_EXISTING_GATEWAY_HEALTH_DEADLINE_MS = 15_000;
+
 export async function runNonInteractiveOnboardingLocal(params: {
   opts: OnboardOptions;
   runtime: RuntimeEnv;
@@ -107,7 +110,9 @@ export async function runNonInteractiveOnboardingLocal(params: {
     const probe = await waitForGatewayReachable({
       url: links.wsUrl,
       token: gatewayResult.gatewayToken,
-      deadlineMs: 15_000,
+      deadlineMs: opts.installDaemon
+        ? INSTALL_DAEMON_HEALTH_DEADLINE_MS
+        : ATTACH_EXISTING_GATEWAY_HEALTH_DEADLINE_MS,
     });
     if (!probe.ok) {
       const message = [

src/daemon/launchd.test.ts

@@ -250,7 +250,7 @@ describe("launchd install", () => {
     };
   }
 
-  it("enables service before bootstrap (clears persisted disabled state)", async () => {
+  it("enables service before bootstrap without self-restarting the fresh agent", async () => {
     const env = createDefaultLaunchdEnv();
     await installLaunchAgent({
       env,
@@ -269,9 +269,13 @@ describe("launchd install", () => {
     const bootstrapIndex = state.launchctlCalls.findIndex(
       (c) => c[0] === "bootstrap" && c[1] === domain && c[2] === plistPath,
     );
+    const installKickstartIndex = state.launchctlCalls.findIndex(
+      (c) => c[0] === "kickstart" && c[2] === serviceId,
+    );
     expect(enableIndex).toBeGreaterThanOrEqual(0);
     expect(bootstrapIndex).toBeGreaterThanOrEqual(0);
     expect(enableIndex).toBeLessThan(bootstrapIndex);
+    expect(installKickstartIndex).toBe(-1);
   });
 
   it("writes TMPDIR to LaunchAgent environment when provided", async () => {

src/daemon/launchd.ts

@@ -431,7 +431,9 @@ export async function installLaunchAgent({
     }
     throw new Error(`launchctl bootstrap failed: ${detail}`);
   }
-  await execLaunchctl(["kickstart", "-k", `${domain}/${label}`]);
+  // `bootstrap` already loads RunAtLoad agents. Avoid `kickstart -k` here:
+  // on slow macOS guests it SIGTERMs the freshly booted gateway and pushes the
+  // real listener startup past onboarding's health deadline.
 
   // Ensure we don't end up writing to a clack spinner line (wizards show progress without a newline).
   writeFormattedLines(