OpenClaw 3.22 Upgrade Checklist: Practical Steps from a Developer Who Got Burned

Before Updating to OpenClaw 3.22

Check your .env file for any CLAWDBOT_ or MOLTBOT_ prefixed variables. Version 3.22 removed all of these variables with no fallback or compatibility. If you have them, your agent won't start and the error message won't be helpful. Rename everything to OPENCLAW_ first. If you set up OpenClaw before mid-February, you almost certainly have at least one of these variables.

Run openclaw backup create before touching anything. Consider tagging your current Docker image as :pre-upgrade so you can roll back instantly if needed.

After Updating to OpenClaw 3.22

Run openclaw doctor --fix which catches most config migrations automatically.

Check /tools in any channel to see what tools are actually available. Version 3.22 changed the plugin SDK surface (moved from openclaw/extension-api to openclaw/plugin-sdk/*) so third-party plugins using old import paths will just silently not load.

Run openclaw secrets audit to find plaintext API keys in your workspace. The developer found two that were completely forgotten, sitting in skill config files.

New Features in 3.22

• /btw side conversations
• Native ClawHub install from CLI (openclaw skills install instead of manually downloading skill.md files)
• Dead session cleanup
• Cron retry backoff so a failing job doesn't drain your API budget overnight
• 48-hour agent timeout instead of 10 minutes, which means long tasks actually complete now

The developer recommends budgeting 30-45 minutes for a careful upgrade instead of assuming it will be smooth, noting that after it's done, "it's genuinely better."