fix(agents): gate optional media factories by tool policy

CHANGELOG.md

@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ Docs: https://docs.openclaw.ai
 - Release validation: let Windows packaged-upgrade checks continue after the shipped 2026.5.2 updater hits its native-module swap cleanup fallback, verifying the fallback-installed candidate through package metadata and downstream smoke instead of crashing on the immediate update-status probe. Thanks @vincentkoc.
 - Doctor/plugins: skip channel-derived official plugin installs when another configured plugin is the effective owner for the same channel, so `doctor --repair` does not reinstall `feishu` while `openclaw-lark` handles `channels.feishu`. Fixes #76623. Thanks @fuyizheng3120.
 - Agents/tools: use config-only runtime snapshots for plugin tool registration and live runtime config getters, avoiding expensive full secrets snapshot clones on the core-plugin-tools prep path. Fixes #76295.
+- Agents/tools: honor the effective tool denylist before constructing optional PDF/media tool factories, so `tools.deny: ["pdf"]` skips PDF setup before later policy filtering. Fixes #76997.
 - Agents/bootstrap: keep pending `BOOTSTRAP.md` and bootstrap truncation notices in system-prompt Project Context instead of copying setup text or raw warning diagnostics into WebChat user/runtime context. Fixes #76946.
 - Channels/WhatsApp: allow `@whiskeysockets/libsignal-node` in `onlyBuiltDependencies` so pnpm v9+ `blockExoticSubdeps` no longer rejects the baileys git-tarball subdep and silences all inbound agent replies. Fixes #76539. Thanks @ottodeng and @vincentkoc.
 - Gateway/install: keep `.env`-managed values in the macOS LaunchAgent env file while still tracking `OPENCLAW_SERVICE_MANAGED_ENV_KEYS`, so regenerated services do not boot without managed auth/provider keys. Fixes #75374.

src/agents/openclaw-tools.media-factory-plan.test.ts

@@ -276,6 +276,24 @@ describe("optional media tool factory planning", () => {
     });
   });
 
+  it("applies global tool policy before optional media factories run", () => {
+    const config: OpenClawConfig = { tools: { deny: ["pdf"] } };
+    installSnapshot(config, [
+      createPlugin({
+        id: "media-owner",
+        contracts: { mediaUnderstandingProviders: ["anthropic"] },
+        setupProviders: [{ id: "anthropic", envVars: ["ANTHROPIC_API_KEY"] }],
+      }),
+    ]);
+
+    expect(
+      __testing.resolveOptionalMediaToolFactoryPlan({
+        config,
+        authStore: createAuthStore(["anthropic"]),
+      }).pdf,
+    ).toBe(false);
+  });
+
   it("applies wildcard deny patterns to optional factory planning", () => {
     const config: OpenClawConfig = {};
     installSnapshot(config, [

src/agents/openclaw-tools.ts

@@ -94,6 +94,11 @@ function isToolAllowedByFactoryPolicy(params: {
   });
 }
 
+function mergeFactoryPolicyList(...lists: Array<string[] | undefined>): string[] | undefined {
+  const merged = lists.flatMap((list) => (Array.isArray(list) ? list : []));
+  return merged.length > 0 ? Array.from(new Set(merged)) : undefined;
+}
+
 function resolveImageToolFactoryAvailable(params: {
   config?: OpenClawConfig;
   agentDir?: string;
@@ -165,25 +170,27 @@ function resolveOptionalMediaToolFactoryPlan(params: {
   toolDenylist?: string[];
 }): OptionalMediaToolFactoryPlan {
   const defaults = params.config?.agents?.defaults;
+  const toolAllowlist = mergeFactoryPolicyList(params.config?.tools?.allow, params.toolAllowlist);
+  const toolDenylist = mergeFactoryPolicyList(params.config?.tools?.deny, params.toolDenylist);
   const allowImageGenerate = isToolAllowedByFactoryPolicy({
     toolName: "image_generate",
-    allowlist: params.toolAllowlist,
-    denylist: params.toolDenylist,
+    allowlist: toolAllowlist,
+    denylist: toolDenylist,
   });
   const allowVideoGenerate = isToolAllowedByFactoryPolicy({
     toolName: "video_generate",
-    allowlist: params.toolAllowlist,
-    denylist: params.toolDenylist,
+    allowlist: toolAllowlist,
+    denylist: toolDenylist,
   });
   const allowMusicGenerate = isToolAllowedByFactoryPolicy({
     toolName: "music_generate",
-    allowlist: params.toolAllowlist,
-    denylist: params.toolDenylist,
+    allowlist: toolAllowlist,
+    denylist: toolDenylist,
   });
   const allowPdf = isToolAllowedByFactoryPolicy({
     toolName: "pdf",
-    allowlist: params.toolAllowlist,
-    denylist: params.toolDenylist,
+    allowlist: toolAllowlist,
+    denylist: toolDenylist,
   });
   const explicitImageGeneration = hasExplicitToolModelConfig(defaults?.imageGenerationModel);
   const explicitVideoGeneration = hasExplicitToolModelConfig(defaults?.videoGenerationModel);