fix(slack): improve bot parity

CHANGELOG.md

@@ -29,6 +29,8 @@ Docs: https://docs.openclaw.ai
 
 - Codex app-server: report Codex-native tool execution to diagnostics so long-running native `bash`, web, file, and MCP tools no longer look like stale embedded runs to the watchdog. (#80217)
 - Telegram: preserve blank lines between manually indented bullet blocks and following numbered sections in rendered replies. Fixes #76998. Thanks @evgyur.
+- Slack: pass configured agent identity through draft preview sends so partial streaming replies keep custom username/avatar on the initial Slack message. Fixes #38235. (#38237) Thanks @lacymorrow.
+- Slack: support `allowBots: "mentions"` for bot-authored messages that mention the receiving bot, matching the documented Discord-style mode without accepting every bot message. Fixes #43587. (#43588) Thanks @raw34.
 - Gateway/agents: keep structured reasons when active-run queueing fails and deprecate the legacy boolean queue helper, so steering and subagent wake diagnostics distinguish completed, non-streaming, and compacting runs. Fixes #80156. Thanks @markus-lassfolk.
 - Agents/UI: compact exec and tool progress rows by hiding redundant shell tool names, replacing known workspace paths with short context markers, and preserving Discord trace scrubbing for compact command lines.
 - ACPX: run and await the embedded ACP backend startup probe by default so the gateway `ready` signal no longer fires before the acpx runtime has either become usable or reported a probe failure; set `OPENCLAW_ACPX_RUNTIME_STARTUP_PROBE=0` to restore lazy startup. Fixes #79596. Thanks @bzelones.

docs/.generated/config-baseline.sha256

@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-da702349b376821e0bc1420a945287dea0bccc79298e269abb028718983e94a5  config-baseline.json
-8c647da77392bd4e87aac07fbdfc7592bbd656dc09f8844759d2c65dc374bd0d  config-baseline.core.json
-80f0f51caedf14dc2138d975b62852ff7c5cf085df1c734c9de279f5859a7eeb  config-baseline.channel.json
-dba159f639977bb96d79f0b78de2c6de48d25ed6ba1590f55812affb7ca6e4b0  config-baseline.plugin.json
+f8d50da8d51a648598ed9165a6994af254e73e64ad037dc26b4742198b078a8c  config-baseline.json
+67c58457ed2b525975cdb053489f92a5f840c8cf982666393e111fd327dd132e  config-baseline.core.json
+a543b4d5132b4b0bcafa38e20d9ad07c78df1dc2b73633a6fdb03990cf3af918  config-baseline.channel.json
+18f71e9d4a62fe68fbd5bf18d5833a4e380fc705ad641769e1cf05794286344c  config-baseline.plugin.json

extensions/slack/src/draft-stream.test.ts

@@ -88,6 +88,30 @@ describe("createSlackDraftStream", () => {
     );
   });
 
+  it("forwards identity to the initial send call", async () => {
+    const identity = { username: "test-agent", iconEmoji: ":robot_face:" };
+    const send = vi.fn<DraftSendFn>(async () => slackDraftSendResult("111.222"));
+    const stream = createSlackDraftStream({
+      target: "channel:C123",
+      cfg: TEST_CFG,
+      token: "xoxb-test",
+      throttleMs: 250,
+      identity,
+      send,
+      edit: vi.fn<DraftEditFn>(async () => {}),
+      remove: vi.fn<DraftRemoveFn>(async () => {}),
+    });
+
+    stream.update("hello");
+    await stream.flush();
+
+    expect(send).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+      "channel:C123",
+      "hello",
+      expect.objectContaining({ identity }),
+    );
+  });
+
   it("does not send duplicate text", async () => {
     const { stream, send, edit } = createDraftStreamHarness();
 

extensions/slack/src/draft-stream.ts

@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import type { OpenClawConfig } from "openclaw/plugin-sdk/config-contracts";
 import { formatErrorMessage } from "openclaw/plugin-sdk/error-runtime";
 import { deleteSlackMessage, editSlackMessage } from "./actions.js";
 import { SLACK_TEXT_LIMIT } from "./limits.js";
+import type { SlackSendIdentity } from "./send.js";
 import { sendMessageSlack } from "./send.js";
 
 const DEFAULT_THROTTLE_MS = 1000;
@@ -32,6 +33,7 @@ export function createSlackDraftStream(params: {
   cfg: OpenClawConfig;
   token: string;
   accountId?: string;
+  identity?: SlackSendIdentity;
   maxChars?: number;
   throttleMs?: number;
   resolveThreadTs?: () => string | undefined;
@@ -92,6 +94,7 @@ export function createSlackDraftStream(params: {
         token: params.token,
         accountId: params.accountId,
         threadTs: params.resolveThreadTs?.(),
+        identity: params.identity,
         ...(blocks ? { blocks } : {}),
       });
       streamChannelId = sent.channelId || streamChannelId;

extensions/slack/src/monitor/channel-config.ts

@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ import { normalizeSlackSlug } from "./allow-list.js";
 export type SlackChannelConfigResolved = {
   allowed: boolean;
   requireMention: boolean;
-  allowBots?: boolean;
+  allowBots?: boolean | "mentions";
   users?: Array<string | number>;
   skills?: string[];
   systemPrompt?: string;
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ export type SlackChannelConfigResolved = {
 type SlackChannelConfigEntry = {
   enabled?: boolean;
   requireMention?: boolean;
-  allowBots?: boolean;
+  allowBots?: boolean | "mentions";
   users?: Array<string | number>;
   skills?: string[];
   systemPrompt?: string;

extensions/slack/src/monitor/message-handler/dispatch.ts

@@ -921,6 +921,7 @@ export async function dispatchPreparedSlackMessage(prepared: PreparedSlackMessag
         cfg,
         token: ctx.botToken,
         accountId: account.accountId,
+        identity: slackIdentity,
         maxChars: Math.min(ctx.textLimit, SLACK_TEXT_LIMIT),
         resolveThreadTs: () => {
           const ts = replyPlan.peekThreadTs();

extensions/slack/src/monitor/message-handler/prepare.test.ts

@@ -618,6 +618,84 @@ describe("slack prepareSlackMessage inbound contract", () => {
     expect(members).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
   });
 
+  it("drops bot-authored room messages without mention when allowBots is mentions", async () => {
+    const members = vi.fn();
+    const slackCtx = createInboundSlackCtx({
+      cfg: {
+        channels: {
+          slack: { enabled: true },
+        },
+      } as OpenClawConfig,
+      appClient: { conversations: { members } } as unknown as App["client"],
+      defaultRequireMention: false,
+      channelsConfig: {
+        C123: { users: ["B0AGV8EQYA3"] },
+      },
+    });
+
+    const prepared = await prepareMessageWith(
+      slackCtx,
+      createSlackAccount({ allowBots: "mentions" }),
+      createBotRoomMessage({ text: "status failed" }),
+    );
+
+    expect(prepared).toBeNull();
+    expect(members).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+  });
+
+  it("allows bot-authored room messages with explicit mention when allowBots is mentions", async () => {
+    const members = vi.fn();
+    const slackCtx = createInboundSlackCtx({
+      cfg: {
+        channels: {
+          slack: { enabled: true },
+        },
+      } as OpenClawConfig,
+      appClient: { conversations: { members } } as unknown as App["client"],
+      defaultRequireMention: false,
+      channelsConfig: {
+        C123: { users: ["B0AGV8EQYA3"] },
+      },
+    });
+
+    const prepared = await prepareMessageWith(
+      slackCtx,
+      createSlackAccount({ allowBots: "mentions" }),
+      createBotRoomMessage({ text: "hey <@B1> status failed" }),
+    );
+
+    assertPrepared(prepared);
+    expect(prepared.ctxPayload.RawBody).toContain("status failed");
+    expect(members).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+  });
+
+  it("allows bot-authored DM messages when allowBots is mentions", async () => {
+    const slackCtx = createInboundSlackCtx({
+      cfg: {
+        channels: {
+          slack: { enabled: true },
+        },
+      } as OpenClawConfig,
+      defaultRequireMention: false,
+    });
+    slackCtx.resolveUserName = async () => ({ name: "Bot" }) as any;
+
+    const prepared = await prepareMessageWith(
+      slackCtx,
+      createSlackAccount({ allowBots: "mentions" }),
+      createSlackMessage({
+        channel: "D123",
+        channel_type: "im",
+        text: "bot DM",
+        bot_id: "B0AGV8EQYA3",
+        subtype: "bot_message",
+      }),
+    );
+
+    assertPrepared(prepared);
+    expect(prepared.ctxPayload.RawBody).toContain("bot DM");
+  });
+
   it("drops bot-authored room messages when owner presence lookup fails (#59284)", async () => {
     const members = vi.fn().mockRejectedValue(new Error("missing_scope"));
     const slackCtx = createInboundSlackCtx({

extensions/slack/src/monitor/message-handler/prepare.ts

@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ type SlackConversationContext = {
   isRoom: boolean;
   isRoomish: boolean;
   channelConfig: ReturnType<typeof resolveSlackChannelConfig> | null;
-  allowBots: boolean;
+  allowBotsMode: "off" | "all" | "mentions";
   isBotMessage: boolean;
 };
 
@@ -149,11 +149,13 @@ async function resolveSlackConversationContext(params: {
         allowNameMatching: ctx.allowNameMatching,
       })
     : null;
-  const allowBots =
+  const allowBotsSetting =
     channelConfig?.allowBots ??
     account.config?.allowBots ??
     cfg.channels?.slack?.allowBots ??
     false;
+  const allowBotsMode: "off" | "all" | "mentions" =
+    allowBotsSetting === "mentions" ? "mentions" : allowBotsSetting ? "all" : "off";
 
   return {
     channelInfo,
@@ -164,7 +166,7 @@ async function resolveSlackConversationContext(params: {
     isRoom,
     isRoomish,
     channelConfig,
-    allowBots,
+    allowBotsMode,
     isBotMessage: Boolean(message.bot_id),
   };
 }
@@ -176,14 +178,14 @@ async function authorizeSlackInboundMessage(params: {
   conversation: SlackConversationContext;
 }): Promise<SlackAuthorizationContext | null> {
   const { ctx, account, message, conversation } = params;
-  const { isDirectMessage, channelName, resolvedChannelType, isBotMessage, allowBots } =
+  const { isDirectMessage, channelName, resolvedChannelType, isBotMessage, allowBotsMode } =
     conversation;
 
   if (isBotMessage) {
     if (message.user && ctx.botUserId && message.user === ctx.botUserId) {
       return null;
     }
-    if (!allowBots) {
+    if (allowBotsMode === "off") {
       logVerbose(`slack: drop bot message ${message.bot_id ?? "unknown"} (allowBots=false)`);
       return null;
     }
@@ -273,7 +275,7 @@ export async function prepareSlackMessage(params: {
     isRoom,
     isRoomish,
     channelConfig,
-    allowBots,
+    allowBotsMode,
     isBotMessage,
   } = conversation;
   const authorization = await authorizeSlackInboundMessage({
@@ -463,6 +465,8 @@ export async function prepareSlackMessage(params: {
       ...(ctx.threadRequireExplicitMention ? { allowedImplicitMentionKinds: [] } : {}),
     },
   });
+  const effectiveWasMentioned = messageIngress.activationAccess.effectiveWasMentioned ?? false;
+  const shouldBypassMention = messageIngress.activationAccess.shouldBypassMention ?? false;
   const senderGate = messageIngress.senderAccess.gate;
   if (isRoom && senderGate?.allowed === false) {
     logVerbose(`Blocked unauthorized slack sender ${senderId} (not in channel users)`);
@@ -471,7 +475,7 @@ export async function prepareSlackMessage(params: {
   if (
     isRoom &&
     isBotMessage &&
-    allowBots &&
+    allowBotsMode !== "off" &&
     !(await authorizeSlackBotRoomMessage({
       ctx,
       channelId: message.channel,
@@ -484,6 +488,14 @@ export async function prepareSlackMessage(params: {
     return null;
   }
 
+  if (isBotMessage && allowBotsMode === "mentions") {
+    const botMentioned = isDirectMessage || effectiveWasMentioned || shouldBypassMention;
+    if (!botMentioned) {
+      logVerbose("slack: drop bot message (allowBots=mentions, missing mention)");
+      return null;
+    }
+  }
+
   const threadContextAllowFromLower = isRoom
     ? channelUsersAllowlistConfigured
       ? normalizeAllowListLower(channelConfig?.users)
@@ -508,8 +520,6 @@ export async function prepareSlackMessage(params: {
     return null;
   }
 
-  const effectiveWasMentioned = messageIngress.activationAccess.effectiveWasMentioned ?? false;
-  const shouldBypassMention = messageIngress.activationAccess.shouldBypassMention ?? false;
   if (isRoom && shouldRequireMention && messageIngress.activationAccess.shouldSkip) {
     ctx.logger.info({ channel: message.channel, reason: "no-mention" }, "skipping channel message");
     const pendingText = (message.text ?? "").trim();

src/config/types.slack.ts

@@ -36,8 +36,8 @@ export type SlackChannelConfig = {
   /** Optional tool policy overrides for this channel. */
   tools?: GroupToolPolicyConfig;
   toolsBySender?: GroupToolPolicyBySenderConfig;
-  /** Allow bot-authored messages to trigger replies (default: false). */
-  allowBots?: boolean;
+  /** Allow bot-authored messages to trigger replies (default: false). Set to "mentions" to only allow bot messages that @mention this bot. */
+  allowBots?: boolean | "mentions";
   /** Allowlist of users that can invoke the bot in this channel. */
   users?: Array<string | number>;
   /** Optional skill filter for this channel. */
@@ -143,8 +143,8 @@ export type SlackAccountConfig = {
   userToken?: string;
   /** If true, restrict user token to read operations only. Default: true. */
   userTokenReadOnly?: boolean;
-  /** Allow bot-authored messages to trigger replies (default: false). */
-  allowBots?: boolean;
+  /** Allow bot-authored messages to trigger replies (default: false). Set to "mentions" to only allow bot messages that @mention this bot. */
+  allowBots?: boolean | "mentions";
   /**
    * Break-glass override: allow mutable identity matching (name/slug) in allowlists.
    * Default behavior is ID-only matching.

src/config/zod-schema.providers-core.ts

@@ -952,7 +952,7 @@ export const SlackChannelSchema = z
     requireMention: z.boolean().optional(),
     tools: ToolPolicySchema,
     toolsBySender: ToolPolicyBySenderSchema,
-    allowBots: z.boolean().optional(),
+    allowBots: z.union([z.boolean(), z.literal("mentions")]).optional(),
     users: z.array(z.union([z.string(), z.number()])).optional(),
     skills: z.array(z.string()).optional(),
     systemPrompt: z.string().optional(),
@@ -1010,7 +1010,7 @@ export const SlackAccountSchema = z
     appToken: SecretInputSchema.optional().register(sensitive),
     userToken: SecretInputSchema.optional().register(sensitive),
     userTokenReadOnly: z.boolean().optional().default(true),
-    allowBots: z.boolean().optional(),
+    allowBots: z.union([z.boolean(), z.literal("mentions")]).optional(),
     dangerouslyAllowNameMatching: z.boolean().optional(),
     requireMention: z.boolean().optional(),
     groupPolicy: GroupPolicySchema.optional(),