fix(onboarding): restore post-wizard handoff and chat connection; properly bootstrap hatching prompt

src/OpenClaw.Shared/IOperatorGatewayClient.cs

@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ public interface IOperatorGatewayClient
     event EventHandler<JsonElement>? AgentsListUpdated;
     event EventHandler<JsonElement>? AgentFilesListUpdated;
     event EventHandler<JsonElement>? AgentFileContentUpdated;
+    event EventHandler<AgentEventInfo>? ChatEventReceived;
 
     // ─── Query ───
     string? OperatorDeviceId { get; }
@@ -53,6 +54,7 @@ public interface IOperatorGatewayClient
 
     // ─── Request Methods ───
     Task SendChatMessageAsync(string message, string? sessionKey = null);
+    Task<ChatSendResult> SendChatMessageForRunAsync(string message, string? sessionKey = null);
     Task CheckHealthAsync();
     Task RequestSessionsAsync(string? agentId = null);
     Task RequestUsageAsync();

src/OpenClaw.Shared/Models.cs

@@ -1660,6 +1660,13 @@ public string DataJson
     }
 }
 
+public sealed class ChatSendResult
+{
+    public string? RunId { get; init; }
+    public string? SessionKey { get; init; }
+    public bool Cached { get; init; }
+}
+
 // ── Node/Device Pairing ──
 
 public class PairingRequest

src/OpenClaw.Shared/OpenClawGatewayClient.cs

@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ public class OpenClawGatewayClient : WebSocketClientBase, IOperatorGatewayClient
     private GatewayUsageStatusInfo? _usageStatus;
     private GatewayCostUsageInfo? _usageCost;
     private readonly Dictionary<string, string> _pendingRequestMethods = new();
-    private readonly Dictionary<string, TaskCompletionSource<bool>> _pendingChatSendRequests = new();
+    private readonly Dictionary<string, TaskCompletionSource<ChatSendResult>> _pendingChatSendRequests = new();
     private readonly object _pendingRequestLock = new();
     private readonly object _pendingChatSendLock = new();
     private readonly object _sessionsLock = new();
@@ -175,6 +175,7 @@ protected override void OnDisposing()
     public event EventHandler<JsonElement>? AgentsListUpdated;
     public event EventHandler<JsonElement>? AgentFilesListUpdated;
     public event EventHandler<JsonElement>? AgentFileContentUpdated;
+    public event EventHandler<AgentEventInfo>? ChatEventReceived;
 
     /// <summary>Raised when a device token is received from the gateway during hello-ok handshake.</summary>
     public event EventHandler<DeviceTokenReceivedEventArgs>? DeviceTokenReceived;
@@ -251,6 +252,11 @@ public async Task CheckHealthAsync()
     }
 
     public async Task SendChatMessageAsync(string message, string? sessionKey = null)
+    {
+        _ = await SendChatMessageForRunAsync(message, sessionKey).ConfigureAwait(false);
+    }
+
+    public async Task<ChatSendResult> SendChatMessageForRunAsync(string message, string? sessionKey = null)
     {
         if (!IsConnected)
             throw new InvalidOperationException("Gateway connection is not open");
@@ -262,7 +268,7 @@ public async Task SendChatMessageAsync(string message, string? sessionKey = null
             : sessionKey.Trim();
 
         var requestId = Guid.NewGuid().ToString();
-        var completion = new TaskCompletionSource<bool>(TaskCreationOptions.RunContinuationsAsynchronously);
+        var completion = new TaskCompletionSource<ChatSendResult>(TaskCreationOptions.RunContinuationsAsynchronously);
         TrackPendingChatSend(requestId, completion);
 
         var req = new
@@ -287,8 +293,9 @@ public async Task SendChatMessageAsync(string message, string? sessionKey = null
             throw new TimeoutException("Timed out waiting for chat.send response from gateway");
         }
 
-        await completion.Task;
+        var result = await completion.Task.ConfigureAwait(false);
         _logger.Info($"Sent chat message ({message.Length} chars)");
+        return result;
     }
 
     /// <summary>
@@ -886,7 +893,7 @@ private void ClearPendingRequests()
         _pendingWizardResponses.Clear();
     }
 
-    private void TrackPendingChatSend(string requestId, TaskCompletionSource<bool> completion)
+    private void TrackPendingChatSend(string requestId, TaskCompletionSource<ChatSendResult> completion)
     {
         lock (_pendingChatSendLock)
         {
@@ -902,7 +909,7 @@ private void RemovePendingChatSend(string requestId)
         }
     }
 
-    private TaskCompletionSource<bool>? TakePendingChatSend(string? requestId)
+    private TaskCompletionSource<ChatSendResult>? TakePendingChatSend(string? requestId)
     {
         if (string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(requestId))
         {
@@ -975,7 +982,7 @@ private void HandleResponse(JsonElement root)
                 return;
             }
 
-            pendingChatSend.TrySetResult(true);
+            pendingChatSend.TrySetResult(ParseChatSendResult(root));
             return;
         }
 
@@ -1205,6 +1212,36 @@ private bool HandleKnownResponse(string method, JsonElement payload)
         }
     }
 
+    private static ChatSendResult ParseChatSendResult(JsonElement root)
+    {
+        string? runId = null;
+        string? sessionKey = null;
+        var cached = false;
+
+        if (root.TryGetProperty("payload", out var payload) && payload.ValueKind == JsonValueKind.Object)
+        {
+            if (payload.TryGetProperty("runId", out var runIdProp))
+                runId = runIdProp.GetString();
+            if (payload.TryGetProperty("sessionKey", out var sessionKeyProp))
+                sessionKey = sessionKeyProp.GetString();
+        }
+
+        if (root.TryGetProperty("meta", out var meta) &&
+            meta.ValueKind == JsonValueKind.Object &&
+            meta.TryGetProperty("cached", out var cachedProp) &&
+            cachedProp.ValueKind is JsonValueKind.True or JsonValueKind.False)
+        {
+            cached = cachedProp.GetBoolean();
+        }
+
+        return new ChatSendResult
+        {
+            RunId = runId,
+            SessionKey = sessionKey,
+            Cached = cached
+        };
+    }
+
     private void HandleRequestError(string? method, JsonElement root)
     {
         var message = TryGetErrorMessage(root) ?? "request failed";
@@ -1979,6 +2016,7 @@ private void HandleChatEvent(JsonElement root)
         _logger.Debug($"Chat event received: {rawText[..Math.Min(200, rawText.Length)]}");
 
         if (!root.TryGetProperty("payload", out var payload)) return;
+        EmitRawChatEvent(payload);
 
         // Try new format: payload.message.role + payload.message.content[].text
         if (payload.TryGetProperty("message", out var message))
@@ -2021,6 +2059,38 @@ private void HandleChatEvent(JsonElement root)
         }
     }
 
+    private void EmitRawChatEvent(JsonElement payload)
+    {
+        try
+        {
+            var stream = "chat";
+            if (payload.TryGetProperty("message", out var message) &&
+                message.TryGetProperty("role", out var roleProp))
+            {
+                stream = roleProp.GetString() ?? stream;
+            }
+            else if (payload.TryGetProperty("role", out var legacyRoleProp))
+            {
+                stream = legacyRoleProp.GetString() ?? stream;
+            }
+
+            var evt = new AgentEventInfo
+            {
+                RunId = payload.TryGetProperty("runId", out var rid) ? rid.GetString() ?? "" : "",
+                Seq = payload.TryGetProperty("seq", out var seqProp) && seqProp.ValueKind == JsonValueKind.Number ? seqProp.GetInt32() : 0,
+                Stream = stream,
+                Ts = DateTimeOffset.UtcNow.ToUnixTimeMilliseconds(),
+                Data = payload.Clone(),
+                SessionKey = payload.TryGetProperty("sessionKey", out var sk) ? sk.GetString() : null
+            };
+            ChatEventReceived?.Invoke(this, evt);
+        }
+        catch (Exception ex)
+        {
+            _logger.Warn($"Failed to emit chat event: {ex.Message}");
+        }
+    }
+
     private void EmitChatNotification(string text)
     {
         var displayText = text.Length > 200 ? text[..200] + "…" : text;

src/OpenClaw.Tray.WinUI/App.xaml.cs

@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@
     /// Ensures the managed SSH tunnel is started using the current settings.
     /// Used by the onboarding ConnectionPage when the user picks the SSH topology.
     /// </summary>
     public void EnsureSshTunnelStarted() => _sshTunnelService?.EnsureStarted(_settings);
 
     /// <summary>
     /// Creates the WSL local gateway setup engine using the current tray settings.
@@ -243,7 +243,7 @@
             if (allowedLocales.Contains(langOverride.ToLowerInvariant()))
                 LocalizationHelper.SetLanguageOverride(langOverride);
             else
                 Logger.Warn($"[App] Ignoring invalid OPENCLAW_LANGUAGE value: {langOverride}");
         }
 
         InitializeComponent();
@@ -280,7 +280,7 @@
         MarkRunEnded();
         try
         {
             Logger.Info($"Process exiting (ExitCode={Environment.ExitCode})");
         }
         catch { }
     }
@@ -302,11 +302,11 @@
         {
             if (ex != null)
             {
                 Logger.Error($"CRASH {source}: {ex}");
             }
             else
             {
                 Logger.Error($"CRASH {source}");
             }
         }
         catch { /* Ignore logging failures */ }
@@ -319,7 +319,7 @@
             if (File.Exists(RunMarkerPath))
             {
                 var startedAt = File.ReadAllText(RunMarkerPath);
                 Logger.Error($"Previous session did not exit cleanly (started {startedAt})");
                 File.Delete(RunMarkerPath);
             }
         }
@@ -482,7 +482,8 @@
             nodeConnector: nodeConnector,
             isNodeEnabled: ShouldInitializeNodeService,
             diagnostics: diagnostics,
-            tunnelManager: tunnelManager);
+            tunnelManager: tunnelManager,
+            shouldStartNodeConnection: ShouldInitializeNodeService);
         _connectionManager.OperatorClientChanged += OnOperatorClientChanged;
         _connectionManager.StateChanged += OnManagerStateChanged;
 
@@ -2189,6 +2190,27 @@
         return _settings?.EnableNodeMode == true || _settings?.EnableMcpServer == true;
     }
 
+    private bool ShouldInitializeNodeService(GatewayRecord activeGateway, string managerIdentityPath)
+    {
+        if (!ShouldInitializeNodeService()) return false;
+
+        if (LocalNodeServiceOwnsIdentityFor(activeGateway))
+        {
+            Logger.Info("[ConnMgr] Suppressing manager-owned NodeConnector because local NodeService owns the active local gateway identity");
+            return false;
+        }
+
+        return true;
+    }
+
+    private bool LocalNodeServiceOwnsIdentityFor(GatewayRecord activeGateway)
+    {
+        if (!activeGateway.IsLocal || _settings == null) return false;
+        if (!StartupSetupState.HasStoredNodeDeviceToken(IdentityDataPath)) return false;
+
+        return EnsureNodeServiceForLocalGatewaySetup(_settings) != null;
+    }
+
     private void OnNodeStatusChanged(object? sender, ConnectionStatus status)
     {
         Logger.Info($"Node status: {status}");
@@ -4391,9 +4413,9 @@
 
 internal class AppLogger : IOpenClawLogger
 {
     public void Info(string message) => Logger.Info(message);
     public void Debug(string message) => Logger.Debug(message);
     public void Warn(string message) => Logger.Warn(message);
     public void Error(string message, Exception? ex = null) => 
         Logger.Error(ex != null ? $"{message}: {ex.Message}" : message);
 }

src/OpenClaw.Tray.WinUI/Onboarding/OnboardingWindow.cs

@@ -446,7 +446,6 @@ private async Task InitializeChatWebViewAsync()
                             })();
                         ");
 
-                        _ = SendBootstrapMessageAsync();
                     }
                 });
             };
@@ -517,25 +516,6 @@ private void ShowChatError(string message)
         }
     }
 
-    private bool _bootstrapSent;
-
-    /// <summary>
-    /// Auto-sends the bootstrap kickoff message after the web chat loads.
-    /// Delegates to <see cref="BootstrapMessageInjector"/> so the same gated
-    /// kickoff fires from both the (legacy) onboarding chat overlay and from
-    /// post-wizard HubWindow chat navigation — guarded by
-    /// <see cref="SettingsManager.HasInjectedFirstRunBootstrap"/>.
-    /// </summary>
-    private async Task SendBootstrapMessageAsync()
-    {
-        if (_bootstrapSent || _chatWebView?.CoreWebView2 == null) return;
-        _bootstrapSent = true;
-
-        await BootstrapMessageInjector.InjectAsync(
-            script => _chatWebView.CoreWebView2.ExecuteScriptAsync(script).AsTask(),
-            _settings);
-    }
-
     /// <summary>
     /// Captures the current window content to a PNG file.
     /// Called automatically on page navigation when OPENCLAW_VISUAL_TEST=1.

src/OpenClaw.Tray.WinUI/Pages/ChatPage.xaml

@@ -56,7 +56,23 @@
 
         <!-- Loading -->
         <ProgressRing x:Name="LoadingRing" Grid.Row="1" IsActive="False"
-                      HorizontalAlignment="Center" VerticalAlignment="Center"/>
+                       HorizontalAlignment="Center" VerticalAlignment="Center"/>
+
+        <StackPanel x:Name="WaitingPanel" Grid.Row="1"
+                    Visibility="Collapsed"
+                    VerticalAlignment="Center" HorizontalAlignment="Center" Spacing="12">
+            <TextBlock Text="💬" FontSize="48" HorizontalAlignment="Center"/>
+            <TextBlock Text="Waiting for chat to start…"
+                       Style="{StaticResource SubtitleTextBlockStyle}"
+                       HorizontalAlignment="Center"/>
+            <TextBlock x:Name="WaitingStatusText"
+                       Text="The gateway is connected; the chat surface is still coming online."
+                       Style="{StaticResource CaptionTextBlockStyle}"
+                       Foreground="{ThemeResource TextFillColorSecondaryBrush}"
+                       HorizontalAlignment="Center" TextWrapping="Wrap" MaxWidth="360"/>
+            <Button x:Name="RetryChatButton" Content="Retry" Click="OnRetryChat" Visibility="Collapsed"
+                    HorizontalAlignment="Center"/>
+        </StackPanel>
 
         <!-- Placeholder (shown when not connected) -->
         <StackPanel x:Name="PlaceholderPanel" Grid.Row="1"