Tool Use Error — Unexpected tool_use_id

• If OpenClaw shows “Tool Use Error — Unexpected tool_use_id”, the tool-call history is out of sync. Start a fresh session with /new or /reset, then check logs if the error returns.
• This error usually does not mean your tool is broken. It means OpenClaw, the model provider, or the session history has lost the correct link between a tool call and its tool result.

Try this first in the same chat where the error appears:

If that does not work, reset the current session:

Then retry your request.

This is the fastest fix because the error often comes from broken conversation history.

If the error still appears, check OpenClaw health:

The model says:

Then OpenClaw runs the tool and sends back:

The ID must match.

The error happens when OpenClaw sends a tool_result, but the provider cannot find the matching tool_use in the previous assistant message.

In simple words: A tool result exists, but its original tool call is missing.

You may see one of these:

OpenClaw GitHub issues show this exact error appearing when malformed tool_result blocks are sent without matching tool_use blocks.

This error usually happens when the session history becomes inconsistent.

• A tool call crashed before the result was saved
• A session was interrupted during tool execution
• The gateway restarted during a tool run
• A browser or web-fetch task timed out
• A provider stream was cut off mid-response
• A long conversation was compacted or truncated
• A tool_use was removed but its tool_result stayed
• A model was switched during a tool-heavy session
• A local OpenAI-compatible backend changed the message format
• A custom tool returned malformed output

OpenClaw issue reports describe orphan tool_result entries caused by interrupted tool calls, compaction, or corrupted session history.

Step 1: Start a Fresh Session

Run:

If needed, run:

Use this when:

• One chat keeps failing
• New chats work normally
• The error started after a long task
• The error repeats every time you reply
• The error started after a tool crash or timeout

Do not keep replying inside the same broken session. It can keep sending the same bad tool history again. Very brave. Very pointless.

Step 2: Check Gateway and Model Status

Run:

If the gateway looks unhealthy, restart it:

Step 3: Read the Logs

Run:

Look for:

If the issue happened recently, use:

The first error in the logs is usually more useful than the final summary message.

Step 4: Check If It Started After Switching Models

If you changed models before the error, check the current model:

Then reset the session:

After that, select a stable tool-capable model and retry:

• Do not switch models while tools are running
• Start a new session after changing providers
• Use one reliable model for tool-heavy workflows

Step 5: Check Local or OpenAI-Compatible Backends

If you use a local or OpenAI-compatible backend, a small direct prompt can work while a full OpenClaw tool run still fails. Tiny tests lie. Software does that for sport.

Check:

If logs say messages[].content expects a string, OpenClaw docs recommend:

If the backend fails only on full OpenClaw agent turns, OpenClaw docs recommend disabling tool support for that backend:

Use these settings only when the logs match the issue. Do not add random compatibility flags just because the config file looked lonely.

WhatsApp

Run:

If replies keep looping, restart the gateway:

Then check:

Avoid these mistakes:

• Do not keep retrying the same broken session
• Do not switch models while a tool run is active
• Do not assume the tool itself is broken
• Do not delete OpenClaw data before trying /new or /reset
• Do not disable tools globally unless logs prove the backend cannot handle tools
• Do not treat a small “hi” model test as proof that full tool workflows will work
• Do not manually edit session files unless you know exactly what you are doing

Use these habits for tool-heavy OpenClaw workflows:

• Keep OpenClaw updated
• Use models with reliable tool-calling support
• Avoid switching models mid-run
• Start a fresh session after major model/provider changes
• Split large browser or research tasks into smaller tasks
• Avoid killing the gateway during tool execution
• Give your server enough RAM
• Configure local/OpenAI-compatible backends correctly
• Check logs before changing random settings

Update or check your OpenClaw version if:

• /new does not fix the issue
• The error happens across multiple sessions
• The same channel keeps failing
• Logs show repeated malformed tool calls
• You are using an older OpenClaw version

Run:

For deeper gateway issues, use:

OpenClaw gateway troubleshooting docs recommend openclaw gateway status --deep, openclaw doctor --deep, and openclaw logs --follow when diagnosing stale clients or gateway process issues.

If this error keeps happening because of local setup problems, gateway restarts, weak VPS resources, Docker issues, channel instability, or backend configuration problems, managed hosting can reduce the operational work.

Ampere.sh managed OpenClaw hosting helps with:

• Faster OpenClaw setup
• Gateway uptime
• Model/provider setup
• Channel setup
• Restarts and maintenance
• Always-on workflows
• Less VPS, Docker, port, and service debugging

It does not magically fix every provider bug or weak local model. But it removes many setup and runtime problems that make tool-call errors harder to recover from.