Why is OpenClaw v2026.4.5 npm install broken?

The v2026.4.5 npm package fails to include runtime dependencies for bundled plugins. After updating, the CLI crashes with missing module errors for packages like grammy, discord.js, and larksuiteoapi.

How to fix OpenClaw CLI after 2026.4.5 update?

Run npm install -g for each missing dependency (grammy, @buape/carbon, @larksuiteoapi/node-sdk, etc.) then run openclaw doctor to recover. Alternatively, roll back to v2026.4.2 which works correctly.

Is this the first time OpenClaw npm updates have broken?

No. This is the fourth npm packaging regression since v2026.3.31. Issues #58701, #59081, #59286, and now #61686 all report the same pattern of missing bundled plugin dependencies after update.

Which OpenClaw plugins are affected by the v2026.4.5 bug?

Telegram (grammy), Discord (discord.js), Slack (@slack/web-api), Lark (@larksuiteoapi/node-sdk), WhatsApp (@whiskeysockets/baileys), and AWS Bedrock plugins all fail to load after the update.

What is the safest OpenClaw version to use right now?

As of April 6 2026, v2026.4.2 is the last stable version before the packaging regression. Many users recommend pinning to this version until the dependency issue is resolved upstream.

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clawsmith.com/signal/openclaw-v2026-4-5-npm-cli-broken-bundled-plugin-deps

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OpenClaw v2026.4.5 npm update breaks CLI with missing bundled plugin deps

Updating OpenClaw to v2026.4.5 via npm leaves the CLI broken on global installs. Core commands fail because bundled plugin runtime dependencies are missing from the dependency tree. Users must manually install 10+ packages before the doctor command can recover. Fourth npm packaging regression since v2026.3.31.

Product Idea from this Signal

A CLI tool that dry-runs OpenClaw upgrades against your config and skills before applying them

97 ▲

Every OpenClaw release breaks something different. pnpm users lose dependencies, npm users get broken CLI, permissions decouple after updates, CPU spikes from plugin registration, and device management commands fail. Users have no way to test if an upgrade will break their specific setup. This tool snapshots your current config, installed skills, environment, and package manager, spins up the target version in an isolated environment, runs your workflows against it, and reports exactly what will break before you commit to the upgrade.

developer-toolsupgrade-testingregression-preventionclicompatibility

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