Channel docking is call forwarding for one OpenClaw session. It keeps the same conversation context, but changes where future replies for that session are delivered. Docking only works from a direct chat; it does not run from a group chat.
Example
Alice can message OpenClaw on Telegram and Discord:
{
session: {
identityLinks: {
alice: ["telegram:123", "discord:456"],
},
},
}
If Alice sends this from a Telegram direct chat:
/dock_discord
OpenClaw keeps the current session context and changes the reply route:
| Before docking | After /dock_discord |
|---|---|
Replies go to Telegram 123 |
Replies go to Discord 456 |
The session is not recreated. The transcript history stays attached to the same session.
Why use it
Use docking when a task starts in one chat app but the next replies should land somewhere else.
Common flow:
- Start an agent task from Telegram.
- Move to Discord where you are coordinating work.
- Send
/dock_discordfrom the Telegram direct chat. - Keep the same OpenClaw session, but receive future replies in Discord.
Required config
Docking requires session.identityLinks. The source sender and target peer
must be in the same identity group:
{
session: {
identityLinks: {
alice: ["telegram:123", "discord:456", "slack:U123"],
},
},
}
The values are channel-prefixed peer ids:
| Value | Meaning |
|---|---|
telegram:123 |
Telegram sender id 123 |
discord:456 |
Discord direct peer id 456 |
slack:U123 |
Slack user id U123 |
The canonical key (alice above) is only the shared identity group name. Dock
commands use the channel-prefixed values to prove that the source sender and
target peer are the same person.
Commands
OpenClaw generates one /dock-<channel> command for every loaded channel plugin
that supports native commands, so the list grows as plugins are added. Bundled
plugins that currently support it:
| Target channel | Command | Alias |
|---|---|---|
| Discord | /dock-discord |
/dock_discord |
| Mattermost | /dock-mattermost |
/dock_mattermost |
| Slack | /dock-slack |
/dock_slack |
| Telegram | /dock-telegram |
/dock_telegram |
The underscore form is also the native command name on surfaces like Telegram that expose slash commands directly.
What changes
Docking updates the active session delivery fields:
| Session field | Example after /dock_discord |
|---|---|
lastChannel |
discord |
lastTo |
456 |
lastAccountId |
the target channel account, or default |
Those fields are persisted in the session store and used by later reply delivery for that session.
What does not change
Docking does not:
- create channel accounts
- connect a new Discord, Telegram, Slack, or Mattermost bot
- grant access to a user
- bypass channel allowlists or DM policies
- move transcript history to another session
- make unrelated users share a session
It only changes the delivery route for the current session.
Troubleshooting
The command says the sender is not linked.
Add both the current sender and the target peer to the same
session.identityLinks group. For example, if Telegram sender 123 should dock
to Discord peer 456, include both telegram:123 and discord:456.
The command says docking is only available from direct chats.
Send the dock command from a direct chat with OpenClaw, not from a group chat.
The command says no active session exists.
Dock from an existing direct-chat session. The command needs an active session entry so it can persist the new route.
Replies still go to the old channel.
Check that the command replied with a success message, and confirm the target peer id matches the id used by that channel. Docking only changes the active session route; another session may still route elsewhere.
I need to switch back.
Send the matching command for the original channel, such as /dock_telegram or
/dock-telegram, from a linked sender.
Source: docs/concepts/channel-docking.md