OpenClaw 2026.3.7 breaks Kimi tool calls, downgrade to 2026.3.2 fixes regression

Problem: Kimi tool call regression in OpenClaw 2026.3.7
OpenClaw 2026.3.7 has a regression where the Kimi API provider outputs raw <function_calls> XML instead of executing tools. This affects all tool calls (exec, read, write, etc.) when using kimi-coding/k2p5 or other Kimi models.
Solution: Downgrade to OpenClaw 2026.3.2
Prerequisites:
- OpenClaw currently installed (version 2026.3.7)
- Terminal access with sudo privileges
- Backup config available (
openclaw.json.bakor similar)
Step 0: Confirm current version
node -p "require('/usr/lib/node_modules/openclaw/package.json').version"Expected output: 2026.3.7
Step 1: Create a full backup
ts=$(date +%Y%m%d-%H%M%S)
mkdir -p ~/.openclaw/backup/$ts
cp ~/.openclaw/openclaw.json ~/.openclaw/backup/$ts/openclaw.json.2026.3.7
cp ~/.openclaw/openclaw.json.bak ~/.openclaw/backup/$ts/openclaw.json.bak || true
cp ~/.openclaw/agents/main/sessions/sessions.json ~/.openclaw/backup/$ts/sessions.json || true
cp ~/.config/systemd/user/openclaw-gateway.service ~/.openclaw/backup/$ts/openclaw-gateway.service || true
echo "Backup saved to ~/.openclaw/backup/$ts"Step 2: Stop the gateway
openclaw gateway stopIf that fails with systemd bus errors:
systemctl --user stop openclaw-gatewayStep 3: Downgrade OpenClaw package
sudo npm install -g [email protected]Verify the downgrade:
node -p "require('/usr/lib/node_modules/openclaw/package.json').version"Expected output: 2026.3.2
Step 4: Restore compatible config
cp ~/.openclaw/openclaw.json.bak ~/.openclaw/openclaw.jsonStep 5: Reinstall service and restart
openclaw gateway install --force
openclaw gateway restartVerify status:
openclaw gateway statusLook for Runtime: running and correct version in output.
Step 6: Test tool calls
In Telegram (or your configured channel):
- Switch to Kimi:
/model kimi-coding/k2p5 - Send:
exec echo "testing with Kimi on 2026.3.2"
Expected result: You get the echo output, not raw XML.
What this fixes
- Kimi outputs raw
<function_calls>XML → Fixed - exec tool not executing → Fixed
- read/write tools not working → Fixed
- Context file truncation (with bootstrapMaxChars fix) → Fixed
Important notes
- Don't run
openclaw updateuntil a patched version is released (likely 2026.3.8+) - The config warning "Config was last written by a newer OpenClaw" is harmless — it's just noting the version mismatch
- Your sessions and memory should remain intact through this process
- This only affects Kimi provider — other models (GPT-5.2, Sonnet, etc.) work fine on 2026.3.7
Rollback (if needed)
If something goes wrong, restore from backup:
cp ~/.openclaw/backup/20260308-XXXXXX/openclaw.json.2026.3.7 ~/.openclaw/openclaw.json
sudo npm install -g [email protected]
openclaw gateway install --force
openclaw gateway restart📖 Read the full source: r/openclaw
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