fix(paths): structurally resolve home dir to prevent Windows path bugs (#12125)

* fix(paths): structurally resolve home dir to prevent Windows path bugs

Extract resolveRawHomeDir as a private function and gate the public
resolveEffectiveHomeDir through a single path.resolve() exit point.
This makes it structurally impossible for unresolved paths (missing
drive letter on Windows) to escape the function, regardless of how
many return paths exist in the raw lookup logic.

Simplify resolveRequiredHomeDir to only resolve the process.cwd()
fallback, since resolveEffectiveHomeDir now returns resolved values.

Fix shortenMeta in tool-meta.ts: the colon-based split for file:line
patterns (e.g. file.txt:12) conflicts with Windows drive letters
(C:\...) because indexOf(":") matches the drive colon first.
shortenHomeInString already handles file:line patterns correctly via
split/join, so the colon split was both unnecessary and harmful.

Update test assertions across all affected files to use path.resolve()
in expected values and input strings so they match the now-correct
resolved output on both Unix and Windows.

Fixes #12119

* fix(changelog): add paths Windows fix entry (#12125)

---------

Co-authored-by: Sebastian <19554889+sebslight@users.noreply.github.com>

CHANGELOG.md

@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ Docs: https://docs.openclaw.ai
 - Config: clamp `maxTokens` to `contextWindow` to prevent invalid model configs. (#5516) Thanks @lailoo.
 - Docs: fix language switcher ordering and Japanese locale flag in Mintlify nav. (#12023) Thanks @joshp123.
 - Paths: make internal path resolution respect `HOME`/`USERPROFILE` before `os.homedir()` across config, agents, sessions, pairing, cron, and CLI profiles. (#12091) Thanks @sebslight.
+- Paths: structurally resolve `OPENCLAW_HOME`-derived home paths and fix Windows drive-letter handling in tool meta shortening. (#12125) Thanks @mcaxtr.
 - Thinking: allow xhigh for `github-copilot/gpt-5.2-codex` and `github-copilot/gpt-5.2`. (#11646) Thanks @seans-openclawbot.
 - Discord: support forum/media `thread create` starter messages, wire `message thread create --message`, and harden thread-create routing. (#10062) Thanks @jarvis89757.
 - Gateway: stabilize chat routing by canonicalizing node session keys for node-originated chat methods. (#11755) Thanks @mbelinky.

src/agents/agent-scope.test.ts

@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import path from "node:path";
 import { afterEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
 import type { OpenClawConfig } from "../config/config.js";
 import {
@@ -212,14 +213,17 @@ describe("resolveAgentConfig", () => {
     vi.stubEnv("OPENCLAW_HOME", "/srv/openclaw-home");
 
     const workspace = resolveAgentWorkspaceDir({} as OpenClawConfig, "main");
-    expect(workspace).toBe("/srv/openclaw-home/.openclaw/workspace");
+    expect(workspace).toBe(path.join(path.resolve("/srv/openclaw-home"), ".openclaw", "workspace"));
   });
 
   // Unix-style paths behave differently on Windows; skip there
   it.skipIf(process.platform === "win32")("uses OPENCLAW_HOME for default agentDir", () => {
     vi.stubEnv("OPENCLAW_HOME", "/srv/openclaw-home");
+    vi.stubEnv("OPENCLAW_STATE_DIR", "");
 
     const agentDir = resolveAgentDir({} as OpenClawConfig, "main");
-    expect(agentDir).toBe("/srv/openclaw-home/.openclaw/agents/main/agent");
+    expect(agentDir).toBe(
+      path.join(path.resolve("/srv/openclaw-home"), ".openclaw", "agents", "main", "agent"),
+    );
   });
 });

src/agents/workspace.defaults.test.ts

@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import path from "node:path";
 import { afterEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
 
 afterEach(() => {
@@ -13,6 +14,8 @@ describe("DEFAULT_AGENT_WORKSPACE_DIR", () => {
     vi.resetModules();
 
     const mod = await import("./workspace.js");
-    expect(mod.DEFAULT_AGENT_WORKSPACE_DIR).toBe("/srv/openclaw-home/.openclaw/workspace");
+    expect(mod.DEFAULT_AGENT_WORKSPACE_DIR).toBe(
+      path.join(path.resolve("/srv/openclaw-home"), ".openclaw", "workspace"),
+    );
   });
 });

src/agents/workspace.test.ts

@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ describe("resolveDefaultAgentWorkspaceDir", () => {
       HOME: "/home/other",
     } as NodeJS.ProcessEnv);
 
-    expect(dir).toBe(path.join("/srv/openclaw-home", ".openclaw", "workspace"));
+    expect(dir).toBe(path.join(path.resolve("/srv/openclaw-home"), ".openclaw", "workspace"));
   });
 });
 

src/auto-reply/tool-meta.test.ts

@@ -1,31 +1,35 @@
+import path from "node:path";
 import { beforeEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
 import { formatToolAggregate, formatToolPrefix, shortenMeta, shortenPath } from "./tool-meta.js";
 
+// Use path.resolve so inputs match the resolved HOME on every platform.
+const home = path.resolve("/Users/test");
+
 describe("tool meta formatting", () => {
   beforeEach(() => {
     vi.unstubAllEnvs();
   });
 
   it("shortens paths under HOME", () => {
-    vi.stubEnv("HOME", "/Users/test");
-    expect(shortenPath("/Users/test")).toBe("~");
-    expect(shortenPath("/Users/test/a/b.txt")).toBe("~/a/b.txt");
+    vi.stubEnv("HOME", home);
+    expect(shortenPath(home)).toBe("~");
+    expect(shortenPath(`${home}/a/b.txt`)).toBe("~/a/b.txt");
     expect(shortenPath("/opt/x")).toBe("/opt/x");
   });
 
   it("shortens meta strings with optional colon suffix", () => {
-    vi.stubEnv("HOME", "/Users/test");
-    expect(shortenMeta("/Users/test/a.txt")).toBe("~/a.txt");
-    expect(shortenMeta("/Users/test/a.txt:12")).toBe("~/a.txt:12");
-    expect(shortenMeta("cd /Users/test/dir && ls")).toBe("cd ~/dir && ls");
+    vi.stubEnv("HOME", home);
+    expect(shortenMeta(`${home}/a.txt`)).toBe("~/a.txt");
+    expect(shortenMeta(`${home}/a.txt:12`)).toBe("~/a.txt:12");
+    expect(shortenMeta(`cd ${home}/dir && ls`)).toBe("cd ~/dir && ls");
     expect(shortenMeta("")).toBe("");
   });
 
   it("formats aggregates with grouping and brace-collapse", () => {
-    vi.stubEnv("HOME", "/Users/test");
+    vi.stubEnv("HOME", home);
     const out = formatToolAggregate("  fs  ", [
-      "/Users/test/dir/a.txt",
-      "/Users/test/dir/b.txt",
+      `${home}/dir/a.txt`,
+      `${home}/dir/b.txt`,
       "note",
       "a→b",
     ]);
@@ -36,22 +40,22 @@ describe("tool meta formatting", () => {
   });
 
   it("wraps aggregate meta in backticks when markdown is enabled", () => {
-    vi.stubEnv("HOME", "/Users/test");
-    const out = formatToolAggregate("fs", ["/Users/test/dir/a.txt"], { markdown: true });
+    vi.stubEnv("HOME", home);
+    const out = formatToolAggregate("fs", [`${home}/dir/a.txt`], { markdown: true });
     expect(out).toContain("`~/dir/a.txt`");
   });
 
   it("keeps exec flags outside markdown and moves them to the front", () => {
-    vi.stubEnv("HOME", "/Users/test");
-    const out = formatToolAggregate("exec", ["cd /Users/test/dir && gemini 2>&1 · elevated"], {
+    vi.stubEnv("HOME", home);
+    const out = formatToolAggregate("exec", [`cd ${home}/dir && gemini 2>&1 · elevated`], {
       markdown: true,
     });
     expect(out).toBe("🛠️ Exec: elevated · `cd ~/dir && gemini 2>&1`");
   });
 
   it("formats prefixes with default labels", () => {
-    vi.stubEnv("HOME", "/Users/test");
+    vi.stubEnv("HOME", home);
     expect(formatToolPrefix(undefined, undefined)).toBe("🧩 Tool");
-    expect(formatToolPrefix("x", "/Users/test/a.txt")).toBe("🧩 X: ~/a.txt");
+    expect(formatToolPrefix("x", `${home}/a.txt`)).toBe("🧩 X: ~/a.txt");
   });
 });

src/auto-reply/tool-meta.ts

@@ -13,13 +13,7 @@ export function shortenMeta(meta: string): string {
   if (!meta) {
     return meta;
   }
-  const colonIdx = meta.indexOf(":");
-  if (colonIdx === -1) {
-    return shortenHomeInString(meta);
-  }
-  const base = meta.slice(0, colonIdx);
-  const rest = meta.slice(colonIdx);
-  return `${shortenHomeInString(base)}${rest}`;
+  return shortenHomeInString(meta);
 }
 
 export function formatToolAggregate(

src/cli/profile.test.ts

@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ describe("applyCliProfileEnv", () => {
       env,
       homedir: () => "/home/peter",
     });
-    const expectedStateDir = path.join("/home/peter", ".openclaw-dev");
+    const expectedStateDir = path.join(path.resolve("/home/peter"), ".openclaw-dev");
     expect(env.OPENCLAW_PROFILE).toBe("dev");
     expect(env.OPENCLAW_STATE_DIR).toBe(expectedStateDir);
     expect(env.OPENCLAW_CONFIG_PATH).toBe(path.join(expectedStateDir, "openclaw.json"));
@@ -94,9 +94,10 @@ describe("applyCliProfileEnv", () => {
       homedir: () => "/home/fallback",
     });
 
-    expect(env.OPENCLAW_STATE_DIR).toBe(path.join("/srv/openclaw-home", ".openclaw-work"));
+    const resolvedHome = path.resolve("/srv/openclaw-home");
+    expect(env.OPENCLAW_STATE_DIR).toBe(path.join(resolvedHome, ".openclaw-work"));
     expect(env.OPENCLAW_CONFIG_PATH).toBe(
-      path.join("/srv/openclaw-home", ".openclaw-work", "openclaw.json"),
+      path.join(resolvedHome, ".openclaw-work", "openclaw.json"),
     );
   });
 });

src/config/paths.test.ts

@@ -49,10 +49,11 @@ describe("state + config path candidates", () => {
       OPENCLAW_HOME: "/srv/openclaw-home",
     } as NodeJS.ProcessEnv;
 
-    expect(resolveStateDir(env)).toBe(path.join("/srv/openclaw-home", ".openclaw"));
+    const resolvedHome = path.resolve("/srv/openclaw-home");
+    expect(resolveStateDir(env)).toBe(path.join(resolvedHome, ".openclaw"));
 
     const candidates = resolveDefaultConfigCandidates(env);
-    expect(candidates[0]).toBe(path.join("/srv/openclaw-home", ".openclaw", "openclaw.json"));
+    expect(candidates[0]).toBe(path.join(resolvedHome, ".openclaw", "openclaw.json"));
   });
 
   it("prefers OPENCLAW_HOME over HOME for default state/config locations", () => {
@@ -61,32 +62,34 @@ describe("state + config path candidates", () => {
       HOME: "/home/other",
     } as NodeJS.ProcessEnv;
 
-    expect(resolveStateDir(env)).toBe(path.join("/srv/openclaw-home", ".openclaw"));
+    const resolvedHome = path.resolve("/srv/openclaw-home");
+    expect(resolveStateDir(env)).toBe(path.join(resolvedHome, ".openclaw"));
 
     const candidates = resolveDefaultConfigCandidates(env);
-    expect(candidates[0]).toBe(path.join("/srv/openclaw-home", ".openclaw", "openclaw.json"));
+    expect(candidates[0]).toBe(path.join(resolvedHome, ".openclaw", "openclaw.json"));
   });
 
   it("orders default config candidates in a stable order", () => {
     const home = "/home/test";
+    const resolvedHome = path.resolve(home);
     const candidates = resolveDefaultConfigCandidates({} as NodeJS.ProcessEnv, () => home);
     const expected = [
-      path.join(home, ".openclaw", "openclaw.json"),
-      path.join(home, ".openclaw", "clawdbot.json"),
-      path.join(home, ".openclaw", "moltbot.json"),
-      path.join(home, ".openclaw", "moldbot.json"),
-      path.join(home, ".clawdbot", "openclaw.json"),
-      path.join(home, ".clawdbot", "clawdbot.json"),
-      path.join(home, ".clawdbot", "moltbot.json"),
-      path.join(home, ".clawdbot", "moldbot.json"),
-      path.join(home, ".moltbot", "openclaw.json"),
-      path.join(home, ".moltbot", "clawdbot.json"),
-      path.join(home, ".moltbot", "moltbot.json"),
-      path.join(home, ".moltbot", "moldbot.json"),
-      path.join(home, ".moldbot", "openclaw.json"),
-      path.join(home, ".moldbot", "clawdbot.json"),
-      path.join(home, ".moldbot", "moltbot.json"),
-      path.join(home, ".moldbot", "moldbot.json"),
+      path.join(resolvedHome, ".openclaw", "openclaw.json"),
+      path.join(resolvedHome, ".openclaw", "clawdbot.json"),
+      path.join(resolvedHome, ".openclaw", "moltbot.json"),
+      path.join(resolvedHome, ".openclaw", "moldbot.json"),
+      path.join(resolvedHome, ".clawdbot", "openclaw.json"),
+      path.join(resolvedHome, ".clawdbot", "clawdbot.json"),
+      path.join(resolvedHome, ".clawdbot", "moltbot.json"),
+      path.join(resolvedHome, ".clawdbot", "moldbot.json"),
+      path.join(resolvedHome, ".moltbot", "openclaw.json"),
+      path.join(resolvedHome, ".moltbot", "clawdbot.json"),
+      path.join(resolvedHome, ".moltbot", "moltbot.json"),
+      path.join(resolvedHome, ".moltbot", "moldbot.json"),
+      path.join(resolvedHome, ".moldbot", "openclaw.json"),
+      path.join(resolvedHome, ".moldbot", "clawdbot.json"),
+      path.join(resolvedHome, ".moldbot", "moltbot.json"),
+      path.join(resolvedHome, ".moldbot", "moldbot.json"),
     ];
     expect(candidates).toEqual(expected);
   });

src/gateway/session-utils.fs.test.ts

@@ -502,6 +502,8 @@ describe("resolveSessionTranscriptCandidates", () => {
 
     const candidates = resolveSessionTranscriptCandidates("sess-1", undefined);
     const fallback = candidates[candidates.length - 1];
-    expect(fallback).toBe(path.join("/srv/openclaw-home", ".openclaw", "sessions", "sess-1.jsonl"));
+    expect(fallback).toBe(
+      path.join(path.resolve("/srv/openclaw-home"), ".openclaw", "sessions", "sess-1.jsonl"),
+    );
   });
 });

src/infra/home-dir.test.ts

@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import path from "node:path";
 import { describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
 import { expandHomePrefix, resolveEffectiveHomeDir, resolveRequiredHomeDir } from "./home-dir.js";
 
@@ -9,17 +10,21 @@ describe("resolveEffectiveHomeDir", () => {
       USERPROFILE: "C:/Users/other",
     } as NodeJS.ProcessEnv;
 
-    expect(resolveEffectiveHomeDir(env, () => "/fallback")).toBe("/srv/openclaw-home");
+    expect(resolveEffectiveHomeDir(env, () => "/fallback")).toBe(
+      path.resolve("/srv/openclaw-home"),
+    );
   });
 
   it("falls back to HOME then USERPROFILE then homedir", () => {
     expect(resolveEffectiveHomeDir({ HOME: "/home/alice" } as NodeJS.ProcessEnv)).toBe(
-      "/home/alice",
+      path.resolve("/home/alice"),
     );
     expect(resolveEffectiveHomeDir({ USERPROFILE: "C:/Users/alice" } as NodeJS.ProcessEnv)).toBe(
-      "C:/Users/alice",
+      path.resolve("C:/Users/alice"),
+    );
+    expect(resolveEffectiveHomeDir({} as NodeJS.ProcessEnv, () => "/fallback")).toBe(
+      path.resolve("/fallback"),
     );
-    expect(resolveEffectiveHomeDir({} as NodeJS.ProcessEnv, () => "/fallback")).toBe("/fallback");
   });
 
   it("expands OPENCLAW_HOME when set to ~", () => {
@@ -28,7 +33,7 @@ describe("resolveEffectiveHomeDir", () => {
       HOME: "/home/alice",
     } as NodeJS.ProcessEnv;
 
-    expect(resolveEffectiveHomeDir(env)).toBe("/home/alice/svc");
+    expect(resolveEffectiveHomeDir(env)).toBe(path.resolve("/home/alice/svc"));
   });
 });
 
@@ -41,6 +46,14 @@ describe("resolveRequiredHomeDir", () => {
     ).toBe(process.cwd());
   });
 
+  it("returns a fully resolved path for OPENCLAW_HOME", () => {
+    const result = resolveRequiredHomeDir(
+      { OPENCLAW_HOME: "/custom/home" } as NodeJS.ProcessEnv,
+      () => "/fallback",
+    );
+    expect(result).toBe(path.resolve("/custom/home"));
+  });
+
   it("returns cwd when OPENCLAW_HOME is tilde-only and no fallback home exists", () => {
     expect(
       resolveRequiredHomeDir({ OPENCLAW_HOME: "~" } as NodeJS.ProcessEnv, () => {
@@ -55,7 +68,7 @@ describe("expandHomePrefix", () => {
     const value = expandHomePrefix("~/x", {
       env: { OPENCLAW_HOME: "/srv/openclaw-home" } as NodeJS.ProcessEnv,
     });
-    expect(value).toBe("/srv/openclaw-home/x");
+    expect(value).toBe(`${path.resolve("/srv/openclaw-home")}/x`);
   });
 
   it("keeps non-tilde values unchanged", () => {

src/infra/home-dir.ts

@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import os from "node:os";
+import path from "node:path";
 
 function normalize(value: string | undefined): string | undefined {
   const trimmed = value?.trim();
@@ -9,6 +10,11 @@ export function resolveEffectiveHomeDir(
   env: NodeJS.ProcessEnv = process.env,
   homedir: () => string = os.homedir,
 ): string | undefined {
+  const raw = resolveRawHomeDir(env, homedir);
+  return raw ? path.resolve(raw) : undefined;
+}
+
+function resolveRawHomeDir(env: NodeJS.ProcessEnv, homedir: () => string): string | undefined {
   const explicitHome = normalize(env.OPENCLAW_HOME);
   if (explicitHome) {
     if (explicitHome === "~" || explicitHome.startsWith("~/") || explicitHome.startsWith("~\\")) {
@@ -47,7 +53,7 @@ export function resolveRequiredHomeDir(
   env: NodeJS.ProcessEnv = process.env,
   homedir: () => string = os.homedir,
 ): string {
-  return resolveEffectiveHomeDir(env, homedir) ?? process.cwd();
+  return resolveEffectiveHomeDir(env, homedir) ?? path.resolve(process.cwd());
 }
 
 export function expandHomePrefix(

src/utils.test.ts

@@ -142,7 +142,7 @@ describe("resolveHomeDir", () => {
     vi.stubEnv("OPENCLAW_HOME", "/srv/openclaw-home");
     vi.stubEnv("HOME", "/home/other");
 
-    expect(resolveHomeDir()).toBe("/srv/openclaw-home");
+    expect(resolveHomeDir()).toBe(path.resolve("/srv/openclaw-home"));
 
     vi.unstubAllEnvs();
   });
@@ -153,7 +153,7 @@ describe("shortenHomePath", () => {
     vi.stubEnv("OPENCLAW_HOME", "/srv/openclaw-home");
     vi.stubEnv("HOME", "/home/other");
 
-    expect(shortenHomePath("/srv/openclaw-home/.openclaw/openclaw.json")).toBe(
+    expect(shortenHomePath(`${path.resolve("/srv/openclaw-home")}/.openclaw/openclaw.json`)).toBe(
       "$OPENCLAW_HOME/.openclaw/openclaw.json",
     );
 
@@ -166,9 +166,9 @@ describe("shortenHomeInString", () => {
     vi.stubEnv("OPENCLAW_HOME", "/srv/openclaw-home");
     vi.stubEnv("HOME", "/home/other");
 
-    expect(shortenHomeInString("config: /srv/openclaw-home/.openclaw/openclaw.json")).toBe(
-      "config: $OPENCLAW_HOME/.openclaw/openclaw.json",
-    );
+    expect(
+      shortenHomeInString(`config: ${path.resolve("/srv/openclaw-home")}/.openclaw/openclaw.json`),
+    ).toBe("config: $OPENCLAW_HOME/.openclaw/openclaw.json");
 
     vi.unstubAllEnvs();
   });