"tool read/write/exec does not exist"
Looking for "Model tried to call unavailable tool"? That is a different error, from the Vercel AI SDK. See its fix
This means the exec, read, or write tools aren't registered. Since OpenClaw's January 2026 security update they are disabled by default under a restrictive tool policy, and they can also drop out after a restart or version regression. Add "profile": "coding" to your tools config to opt them back in, then restart the gateway so the tools re-register.
Likely cause
Since OpenClaw's January 2026 security update, the exec / read / write tools are disabled by default under a restrictive tool policy. They can also drop out after a gateway restart or version regression, surfacing as 'tool does not exist' / 'Tool not found'.
The fix
- 1 Add "profile": "coding" to your tools config block to opt the filesystem / exec tools back in.
- 2 Restart the gateway so the tools re-register.
- 3 If tools vanish a few minutes after restart, it is a known gateway registration bug - restart again or pin a known-good version.
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Frequently asked questions
Why did these tools work before and suddenly stop?
OpenClaw's January 2026 security update disabled exec, read, and write by default under a restrictive tool policy. You now have to explicitly opt back in with a coding profile.
The tools disappear a few minutes after I restart. Is that normal?
No, that's a known gateway registration bug where tools drop out shortly after startup. Restart again, or pin a known-good OpenClaw version until it's fixed.
Is this the same as the agent hallucinating that it used a tool?
No. Here the tool genuinely isn't registered and you get an explicit error. Hallucinated tool use is when the agent claims it acted without ever calling the tool, which is a separate problem.
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