From b9d2e0f86d0ca4f3097c4f1f253164a902b779fe Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Ayaan Zaidi <hi@obviy.us>
Date: Tue, 21 Apr 2026 11:52:02 +0530
Subject: [PATCH] fix(cron): gate delivery prompt on message tool availability

---
 .../run.message-tool-policy.test.ts           | 30 +++++++++++++++++--
 src/cron/isolated-agent/run.ts                | 15 +++++++++-
 2 files changed, 42 insertions(+), 3 deletions(-)

diff --git a/src/cron/isolated-agent/run.message-tool-policy.test.ts b/src/cron/isolated-agent/run.message-tool-policy.test.ts
index ec87cc131f9..b482e264f1d 100644
--- a/src/cron/isolated-agent/run.message-tool-policy.test.ts
+++ b/src/cron/isolated-agent/run.message-tool-policy.test.ts
@@ -19,13 +19,16 @@ import {
 const runCronIsolatedAgentTurn = await loadRunCronIsolatedAgentTurn();
 const { createCronPromptExecutor } = await import("./run-executor.js");
 
-function makeMessageToolPolicyJob(delivery: Record<string, unknown> = { mode: "none" }) {
+function makeMessageToolPolicyJob(
+  delivery: Record<string, unknown> = { mode: "none" },
+  payload: Record<string, unknown> = { kind: "agentTurn", message: "send a message" },
+) {
   return {
     id: "message-tool-policy",
     name: "Message Tool Policy",
     schedule: { kind: "every", everyMs: 60_000 },
     sessionTarget: "isolated",
-    payload: { kind: "agentTurn", message: "send a message" },
+    payload,
     delivery,
   } as never;
 }
@@ -565,6 +568,29 @@ describe("runCronIsolatedAgentTurn delivery instruction", () => {
     expect(prompt).not.toContain("note who/where");
   });
 
+  it("does not prompt for the message tool when toolsAllow excludes it", async () => {
+    mockRunCronFallbackPassthrough();
+    resolveCronDeliveryPlanMock.mockReturnValue({
+      requested: true,
+      mode: "announce",
+      channel: "telegram",
+      to: "123",
+    });
+
+    await runCronIsolatedAgentTurn({
+      ...makeParams(),
+      job: makeMessageToolPolicyJob(
+        { mode: "announce", channel: "telegram", to: "123" },
+        { kind: "agentTurn", message: "send a message", toolsAllow: ["read"] },
+      ),
+    });
+
+    expect(runEmbeddedPiAgentMock).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+    const prompt: string = runEmbeddedPiAgentMock.mock.calls[0]?.[0]?.prompt ?? "";
+    expect(prompt).not.toContain("Use the message tool");
+    expect(prompt).toContain("Return your response as plain text");
+  });
+
   it("does not append a delivery instruction when delivery is not requested", async () => {
     mockRunCronFallbackPassthrough();
     resolveCronDeliveryPlanMock.mockReturnValue({ requested: false, mode: "none" });
diff --git a/src/cron/isolated-agent/run.ts b/src/cron/isolated-agent/run.ts
index 9a6e27b199d..07d5c24271a 100644
--- a/src/cron/isolated-agent/run.ts
+++ b/src/cron/isolated-agent/run.ts
@@ -241,6 +241,16 @@ function resolveCronToolPolicy(params: { deliveryMode: "announce" | "webhook" |
   };
 }
 
+function canPromptForMessageTool(params: {
+  disableMessageTool: boolean;
+  toolsAllow?: string[];
+}): boolean {
+  if (params.disableMessageTool) {
+    return false;
+  }
+  return !params.toolsAllow?.length || params.toolsAllow.includes("message");
+}
+
 async function resolveCronDeliveryContext(params: {
   cfg: OpenClawConfig;
   job: CronJob;
@@ -561,7 +571,10 @@ async function prepareCronRunContext(params: {
   commandBody = appendCronDeliveryInstruction({
     commandBody,
     deliveryRequested,
-    messageToolEnabled: !toolPolicy.disableMessageTool,
+    messageToolEnabled: canPromptForMessageTool({
+      disableMessageTool: toolPolicy.disableMessageTool,
+      toolsAllow: agentPayload?.toolsAllow,
+    }),
     resolvedDeliveryOk: resolvedDelivery.ok,
   });