Errors / Gateway Connect Failed
Fix: Gateway Connect Failed
Error: "gateway connect failed"
What It Means
The CLI or client tried to connect to the gateway, but the gateway said "no." Unlike ECONNREFUSED (where nothing is listening), this means the gateway IS running but is rejecting the connection — usually due to authentication or configuration issues.
Common Causes
- •Gateway auth token doesn't match what the client is sending
- •Gateway is still starting up
- •Wrong bind address (localhost vs IP)
- •TLS/SSL mismatch when using HTTPS
Ask Your Agent to Fix This
Copy this prompt and send it to your OpenClaw agent:
Check the gateway status and authentication config. Make sure
the gateway is running, then verify that the auth token in my
config is correct. If there's a mismatch, fix it and restart
the gateway.
How to Fix It
1. Start the Gateway
openclaw gateway start
2. Check Gateway Status
openclaw gateway status
3. Check Authentication Token
Make sure your gateway.auth.token matches your config:
{
"gateway": {
"auth": {
"token": "your-token-here"
}
}
}
4. Run Diagnostics
openclaw doctor
How to Prevent This
- ✓Set auth token once and reuse it consistently
- ✓Run
openclaw security auditafter config changes - ✓Use
openclaw gateway startinstead of running manually
Related Errors
Related Guides
Still having trouble?
Ask on Discord