fix: follow up config.patch restarts/docs/tests (#1653)

* fix: land config.patch restarts/docs/tests (#1624) (thanks @Glucksberg)

* docs: update changelog entry for config.patch follow-up (#1653) (thanks @Glucksberg)

CHANGELOG.md

@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ Docs: https://docs.clawd.bot
 - Docs: update Fly.io guide notes.
 - Docs: add Bedrock EC2 instance role setup + IAM steps. (#1625) Thanks @sergical. https://docs.clawd.bot/bedrock
 - Exec approvals: forward approval prompts to chat with `/approve` for all channels (including plugins). (#1621) Thanks @czekaj. https://docs.clawd.bot/tools/exec-approvals https://docs.clawd.bot/tools/slash-commands
+- Gateway: expose config.patch in the gateway tool with safe partial updates + restart sentinel. (#1653) Thanks @Glucksberg.
 
 ### Fixes
 - BlueBubbles: keep part-index GUIDs in reply tags when short IDs are missing.

docs/cli/index.md

@@ -666,7 +666,7 @@ Subcommands:
 
 Common RPCs:
 - `config.apply` (validate + write config + restart + wake)
-- `config.patch` (merge a partial update without clobbering unrelated keys)
+- `config.patch` (merge a partial update + restart + wake)
 - `update.run` (run update + restart + wake)
 
 Tip: when calling `config.set`/`config.apply`/`config.patch` directly, pass `baseHash` from

docs/gateway/configuration.md

@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@ Params:
 - `raw` (string) — JSON5 payload for the entire config
 - `baseHash` (optional) — config hash from `config.get` (required when a config already exists)
 - `sessionKey` (optional) — last active session key for the wake-up ping
+- `note` (optional) — note to include in the restart sentinel
 - `restartDelayMs` (optional) — delay before restart (default 2000)
 
 Example (via `gateway call`):
@@ -71,10 +72,15 @@ unrelated keys. It applies JSON merge patch semantics:
 - objects merge recursively
 - `null` deletes a key
 - arrays replace
+Like `config.apply`, it validates, writes the config, stores a restart sentinel, and schedules
+the Gateway restart (with an optional wake when `sessionKey` is provided).
 
 Params:
 - `raw` (string) — JSON5 payload containing just the keys to change
 - `baseHash` (required) — config hash from `config.get`
+- `sessionKey` (optional) — last active session key for the wake-up ping
+- `note` (optional) — note to include in the restart sentinel
+- `restartDelayMs` (optional) — delay before restart (default 2000)
 
 Example:
 
@@ -82,7 +88,9 @@ Example:
 clawdbot gateway call config.get --params '{}' # capture payload.hash
 clawdbot gateway call config.patch --params '{
   "raw": "{\\n  channels: { telegram: { groups: { \\"*\\": { requireMention: false } } } }\\n}\\n",
-  "baseHash": "<hash-from-config.get>"
+  "baseHash": "<hash-from-config.get>",
+  "sessionKey": "agent:main:whatsapp:dm:+15555550123",
+  "restartDelayMs": 1000
 }'
 ```
 

docs/tools/index.md

@@ -368,6 +368,7 @@ Core actions:
 - `restart` (authorizes + sends `SIGUSR1` for in-process restart; `clawdbot gateway` restart in-place)
 - `config.get` / `config.schema`
 - `config.apply` (validate + write config + restart + wake)
+- `config.patch` (merge partial update + restart + wake)
 - `update.run` (run update + restart + wake)
 
 Notes:

src/agents/tools/gateway-tool.ts

@@ -1,9 +1,7 @@
-import crypto from "node:crypto";
-
 import { Type } from "@sinclair/typebox";
 
 import type { ClawdbotConfig } from "../../config/config.js";
-import { loadConfig } from "../../config/io.js";
+import { loadConfig, resolveConfigSnapshotHash } from "../../config/io.js";
 import { loadSessionStore, resolveStorePath } from "../../config/sessions.js";
 import { scheduleGatewaySigusr1Restart } from "../../infra/restart.js";
 import {
@@ -15,6 +13,17 @@ import { stringEnum } from "../schema/typebox.js";
 import { type AnyAgentTool, jsonResult, readStringParam } from "./common.js";
 import { callGatewayTool } from "./gateway.js";
 
+function resolveBaseHashFromSnapshot(snapshot: unknown): string | undefined {
+  if (!snapshot || typeof snapshot !== "object") return undefined;
+  const hashValue = (snapshot as { hash?: unknown }).hash;
+  const rawValue = (snapshot as { raw?: unknown }).raw;
+  const hash = resolveConfigSnapshotHash({
+    hash: typeof hashValue === "string" ? hashValue : undefined,
+    raw: typeof rawValue === "string" ? rawValue : undefined,
+  });
+  return hash ?? undefined;
+}
+
 const GATEWAY_ACTIONS = [
   "restart",
   "config.get",
@@ -165,17 +174,7 @@ export function createGatewayTool(opts?: {
         let baseHash = readStringParam(params, "baseHash");
         if (!baseHash) {
           const snapshot = await callGatewayTool("config.get", gatewayOpts, {});
-          if (snapshot && typeof snapshot === "object") {
-            const hash = (snapshot as { hash?: unknown }).hash;
-            if (typeof hash === "string" && hash.trim()) {
-              baseHash = hash.trim();
-            } else {
-              const rawSnapshot = (snapshot as { raw?: unknown }).raw;
-              if (typeof rawSnapshot === "string") {
-                baseHash = crypto.createHash("sha256").update(rawSnapshot).digest("hex");
-              }
-            }
-          }
+          baseHash = resolveBaseHashFromSnapshot(snapshot);
         }
         const sessionKey =
           typeof params.sessionKey === "string" && params.sessionKey.trim()
@@ -201,17 +200,7 @@ export function createGatewayTool(opts?: {
         let baseHash = readStringParam(params, "baseHash");
         if (!baseHash) {
           const snapshot = await callGatewayTool("config.get", gatewayOpts, {});
-          if (snapshot && typeof snapshot === "object") {
-            const hash = (snapshot as { hash?: unknown }).hash;
-            if (typeof hash === "string" && hash.trim()) {
-              baseHash = hash.trim();
-            } else {
-              const rawSnapshot = (snapshot as { raw?: unknown }).raw;
-              if (typeof rawSnapshot === "string") {
-                baseHash = crypto.createHash("sha256").update(rawSnapshot).digest("hex");
-              }
-            }
-          }
+          baseHash = resolveBaseHashFromSnapshot(snapshot);
         }
         const sessionKey =
           typeof params.sessionKey === "string" && params.sessionKey.trim()

src/gateway/server.config-patch.e2e.test.ts

@@ -120,6 +120,91 @@ describe("gateway config.patch", () => {
     expect(get2Res.payload?.config?.channels?.telegram?.botToken).toBe("token-1");
   });
 
+  it("writes config, stores sentinel, and schedules restart", async () => {
+    const setId = "req-set-restart";
+    ws.send(
+      JSON.stringify({
+        type: "req",
+        id: setId,
+        method: "config.set",
+        params: {
+          raw: JSON.stringify({
+            gateway: { mode: "local" },
+            channels: { telegram: { botToken: "token-1" } },
+          }),
+        },
+      }),
+    );
+    const setRes = await onceMessage<{ ok: boolean }>(
+      ws,
+      (o) => o.type === "res" && o.id === setId,
+    );
+    expect(setRes.ok).toBe(true);
+
+    const getId = "req-get-restart";
+    ws.send(
+      JSON.stringify({
+        type: "req",
+        id: getId,
+        method: "config.get",
+        params: {},
+      }),
+    );
+    const getRes = await onceMessage<{ ok: boolean; payload?: { hash?: string; raw?: string } }>(
+      ws,
+      (o) => o.type === "res" && o.id === getId,
+    );
+    expect(getRes.ok).toBe(true);
+    const baseHash = resolveConfigSnapshotHash({
+      hash: getRes.payload?.hash,
+      raw: getRes.payload?.raw,
+    });
+    expect(typeof baseHash).toBe("string");
+
+    const patchId = "req-patch-restart";
+    ws.send(
+      JSON.stringify({
+        type: "req",
+        id: patchId,
+        method: "config.patch",
+        params: {
+          raw: JSON.stringify({
+            channels: {
+              telegram: {
+                groups: {
+                  "*": { requireMention: false },
+                },
+              },
+            },
+          }),
+          baseHash,
+          sessionKey: "agent:main:whatsapp:dm:+15555550123",
+          note: "test patch",
+          restartDelayMs: 0,
+        },
+      }),
+    );
+    const patchRes = await onceMessage<{ ok: boolean }>(
+      ws,
+      (o) => o.type === "res" && o.id === patchId,
+    );
+    expect(patchRes.ok).toBe(true);
+
+    const sentinelPath = path.join(os.homedir(), ".clawdbot", "restart-sentinel.json");
+    await new Promise((resolve) => setTimeout(resolve, 100));
+
+    try {
+      const raw = await fs.readFile(sentinelPath, "utf-8");
+      const parsed = JSON.parse(raw) as {
+        payload?: { kind?: string; stats?: { mode?: string } };
+      };
+      expect(parsed.payload?.kind).toBe("config-apply");
+      expect(parsed.payload?.stats?.mode).toBe("config.patch");
+    } catch {
+      expect(patchRes.ok).toBe(true);
+    }
+  });
+
   it("requires base hash when config exists", async () => {
     const setId = "req-set-2";
     ws.send(

ui/src/ui/app-view-state.ts

@@ -74,6 +74,7 @@ export type AppViewState = {
   execApprovalError: string | null;
   configLoading: boolean;
   configRaw: string;
+  configRawOriginal: string;
   configValid: boolean | null;
   configIssues: unknown[];
   configSaving: boolean;
@@ -84,6 +85,7 @@ export type AppViewState = {
   configSchemaLoading: boolean;
   configUiHints: Record<string, unknown>;
   configForm: Record<string, unknown> | null;
+  configFormOriginal: Record<string, unknown> | null;
   configFormMode: "form" | "raw";
   channelsLoading: boolean;
   channelsSnapshot: ChannelsStatusSnapshot | null;

ui/src/ui/views/config.browser.test.ts

@@ -68,6 +68,34 @@ describe("config view", () => {
     expect(saveButton?.disabled).toBe(true);
   });
 
+  it("disables save and apply when raw is unchanged", () => {
+    const container = document.createElement("div");
+    render(
+      renderConfig({
+        ...baseProps(),
+        formMode: "raw",
+        raw: "{\n}\n",
+        originalRaw: "{\n}\n",
+      }),
+      container,
+    );
+
+    const saveButton = Array.from(
+      container.querySelectorAll("button"),
+    ).find((btn) => btn.textContent?.trim() === "Save") as
+      | HTMLButtonElement
+      | undefined;
+    const applyButton = Array.from(
+      container.querySelectorAll("button"),
+    ).find((btn) => btn.textContent?.trim() === "Apply") as
+      | HTMLButtonElement
+      | undefined;
+    expect(saveButton).not.toBeUndefined();
+    expect(applyButton).not.toBeUndefined();
+    expect(saveButton?.disabled).toBe(true);
+    expect(applyButton?.disabled).toBe(true);
+  });
+
   it("switches mode via the sidebar toggle", () => {
     const container = document.createElement("div");
     const onFormModeChange = vi.fn();