If you are switching providers and refreshing the whole install at the same time, keep the order strict. Reinstall the gateway, reconnect the model provider, verify the model path, then attach Telegram and test the channel.
Quick answer
Backup, uninstall, reinstall, reconnect the provider, verify the model state, and only then add the Telegram channel token back.
Command line steps
1. Create a backup and remove the current install
This gives you one clean rollback point before you change both provider and channel state.
BASH
$openclaw backup create
openclaw uninstall --all --yes --non-interactive
2. Reinstall and reconnect the model provider
Finish the provider side first so you can verify model resolution before channel traffic enters the picture.
BASH
$curl -fsSL https://openclaw.ai/install.sh | bash
openclaw onboard
openclaw models scan --provider openrouter --no-probe --set-default --yes
3. Add Telegram back and test the end-to-end path
Once the model path is clean, add the channel token and verify the probe.
BASH
$openclaw channels add --channel telegram --token "$TELEGRAM_BOT_TOKEN"
openclaw gateway restart
openclaw channels status --probe
What to check if it still fails
- If the OpenRouter scan does not return candidates, check credentials or rerun without provider filters first.
- If Telegram connects but replies fail, debug the model path with
openclaw models status --probebefore you touch the bot config. - If you only changed providers, you may not need a full uninstall at all. A provider reconfigure plus gateway restart is often enough.