fix: infer perplexity baseUrl from api key

CHANGELOG.md

@@ -2,6 +2,11 @@
 
 Docs: https://docs.clawd.bot
 
+## 2026.1.20-1
+
+### Fixes
+- Web search: infer Perplexity base URL from API key source (direct vs OpenRouter).
+
 ## 2026.1.19-3
 
 ### Changes

docs/perplexity.md

@@ -64,8 +64,11 @@ If both `PERPLEXITY_API_KEY` and `OPENROUTER_API_KEY` are set, set
 `tools.web.search.perplexity.baseUrl` (or `tools.web.search.perplexity.apiKey`)
 to disambiguate.
 
-If `PERPLEXITY_API_KEY` is used from the environment and no base URL is set,
-Clawdbot defaults to the direct Perplexity endpoint. Set `baseUrl` to override.
+If no base URL is set, Clawdbot chooses a default based on the API key source:
+
+- `PERPLEXITY_API_KEY` or `pplx-...` → direct Perplexity (`https://api.perplexity.ai`)
+- `OPENROUTER_API_KEY` or `sk-or-...` → OpenRouter (`https://openrouter.ai/api/v1`)
+- Unknown key formats → OpenRouter (safe fallback)
 
 ## Models
 

docs/tools/web.md

@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ read_when:
 
 Clawdbot ships two lightweight web tools:
 
-- `web_search` — Search the web via Brave Search API (default) or Perplexity Sonar (via OpenRouter).
+- `web_search` — Search the web via Brave Search API (default) or Perplexity Sonar (direct or via OpenRouter).
 - `web_fetch` — HTTP fetch + readable extraction (HTML → markdown/text).
 
 These are **not** browser automation. For JS-heavy sites or logins, use the
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ These are **not** browser automation. For JS-heavy sites or logins, use the
 | Provider | Pros | Cons | API Key |
 |----------|------|------|---------|
 | **Brave** (default) | Fast, structured results, free tier | Traditional search results | `BRAVE_API_KEY` |
-| **Perplexity** | AI-synthesized answers, citations, real-time | Requires OpenRouter credits | `OPENROUTER_API_KEY` or `PERPLEXITY_API_KEY` |
+| **Perplexity** | AI-synthesized answers, citations, real-time | Requires Perplexity or OpenRouter access | `OPENROUTER_API_KEY` or `PERPLEXITY_API_KEY` |
 
 See [Brave Search setup](/brave-search) and [Perplexity Sonar](/perplexity) for provider-specific details.
 
@@ -110,7 +110,7 @@ crypto/prepaid).
         perplexity: {
           // API key (optional if OPENROUTER_API_KEY or PERPLEXITY_API_KEY is set)
           apiKey: "sk-or-v1-...",
-          // Base URL (defaults to OpenRouter)
+          // Base URL (key-aware default if omitted)
           baseUrl: "https://openrouter.ai/api/v1",
           // Model (defaults to perplexity/sonar-pro)
           model: "perplexity/sonar-pro"
@@ -124,8 +124,11 @@ crypto/prepaid).
 **Environment alternative:** set `OPENROUTER_API_KEY` or `PERPLEXITY_API_KEY` in the Gateway
 environment. For a daemon install, put it in `~/.clawdbot/.env`.
 
-If `PERPLEXITY_API_KEY` is used from the environment and no base URL is set,
-Clawdbot defaults to the direct Perplexity endpoint (`https://api.perplexity.ai`).
+If no base URL is set, Clawdbot chooses a default based on the API key source:
+
+- `PERPLEXITY_API_KEY` or `pplx-...` → `https://api.perplexity.ai`
+- `OPENROUTER_API_KEY` or `sk-or-...` → `https://openrouter.ai/api/v1`
+- Unknown key formats → OpenRouter (safe fallback)
 
 ### Available Perplexity models
 

src/agents/tools/web-search.test.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,59 @@
+import { describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
+
+import { __testing } from "./web-search.js";
+
+const { inferPerplexityBaseUrlFromApiKey, resolvePerplexityBaseUrl } = __testing;
+
+describe("web_search perplexity baseUrl defaults", () => {
+  it("detects a Perplexity key prefix", () => {
+    expect(inferPerplexityBaseUrlFromApiKey("pplx-123")).toBe("direct");
+  });
+
+  it("detects an OpenRouter key prefix", () => {
+    expect(inferPerplexityBaseUrlFromApiKey("sk-or-v1-123")).toBe("openrouter");
+  });
+
+  it("returns undefined for unknown key formats", () => {
+    expect(inferPerplexityBaseUrlFromApiKey("unknown-key")).toBeUndefined();
+  });
+
+  it("prefers explicit baseUrl over key-based defaults", () => {
+    expect(
+      resolvePerplexityBaseUrl(
+        { baseUrl: "https://example.com" },
+        "config",
+        "pplx-123",
+      ),
+    ).toBe("https://example.com");
+  });
+
+  it("defaults to direct when using PERPLEXITY_API_KEY", () => {
+    expect(resolvePerplexityBaseUrl(undefined, "perplexity_env")).toBe(
+      "https://api.perplexity.ai",
+    );
+  });
+
+  it("defaults to OpenRouter when using OPENROUTER_API_KEY", () => {
+    expect(resolvePerplexityBaseUrl(undefined, "openrouter_env")).toBe(
+      "https://openrouter.ai/api/v1",
+    );
+  });
+
+  it("defaults to direct when config key looks like Perplexity", () => {
+    expect(resolvePerplexityBaseUrl(undefined, "config", "pplx-123")).toBe(
+      "https://api.perplexity.ai",
+    );
+  });
+
+  it("defaults to OpenRouter when config key looks like OpenRouter", () => {
+    expect(resolvePerplexityBaseUrl(undefined, "config", "sk-or-v1-123")).toBe(
+      "https://openrouter.ai/api/v1",
+    );
+  });
+
+  it("defaults to OpenRouter for unknown config key formats", () => {
+    expect(resolvePerplexityBaseUrl(undefined, "config", "weird-key")).toBe(
+      "https://openrouter.ai/api/v1",
+    );
+  });
+});

src/agents/tools/web-search.ts

@@ -24,6 +24,8 @@ const BRAVE_SEARCH_ENDPOINT = "https://api.search.brave.com/res/v1/web/search";
 const DEFAULT_PERPLEXITY_BASE_URL = "https://openrouter.ai/api/v1";
 const PERPLEXITY_DIRECT_BASE_URL = "https://api.perplexity.ai";
 const DEFAULT_PERPLEXITY_MODEL = "perplexity/sonar-pro";
+const PERPLEXITY_KEY_PREFIXES = ["pplx-"];
+const OPENROUTER_KEY_PREFIXES = ["sk-or-"];
 
 const SEARCH_CACHE = new Map<string, CacheEntry<Record<string, unknown>>>();
 
@@ -90,6 +92,8 @@ type PerplexitySearchResponse = {
   citations?: string[];
 };
 
+type PerplexityBaseUrlHint = "direct" | "openrouter";
+
 function resolveSearchConfig(cfg?: ClawdbotConfig): WebSearchConfig {
   const search = cfg?.tools?.web?.search;
   if (!search || typeof search !== "object") return undefined;
@@ -147,20 +151,17 @@ function resolvePerplexityApiKey(perplexity?: PerplexityConfig): {
   apiKey?: string;
   source: PerplexityApiKeySource;
 } {
-  const fromConfig =
-    perplexity && "apiKey" in perplexity && typeof perplexity.apiKey === "string"
-      ? perplexity.apiKey.trim()
-      : "";
+  const fromConfig = normalizeApiKey(perplexity?.apiKey);
   if (fromConfig) {
     return { apiKey: fromConfig, source: "config" };
   }
 
-  const fromEnvPerplexity = (process.env.PERPLEXITY_API_KEY ?? "").trim();
+  const fromEnvPerplexity = normalizeApiKey(process.env.PERPLEXITY_API_KEY);
   if (fromEnvPerplexity) {
     return { apiKey: fromEnvPerplexity, source: "perplexity_env" };
   }
 
-  const fromEnvOpenRouter = (process.env.OPENROUTER_API_KEY ?? "").trim();
+  const fromEnvOpenRouter = normalizeApiKey(process.env.OPENROUTER_API_KEY);
   if (fromEnvOpenRouter) {
     return { apiKey: fromEnvOpenRouter, source: "openrouter_env" };
   }
@@ -168,9 +169,26 @@ function resolvePerplexityApiKey(perplexity?: PerplexityConfig): {
   return { apiKey: undefined, source: "none" };
 }
 
+function normalizeApiKey(key: unknown): string {
+  return typeof key === "string" ? key.trim() : "";
+}
+
+function inferPerplexityBaseUrlFromApiKey(apiKey?: string): PerplexityBaseUrlHint | undefined {
+  if (!apiKey) return undefined;
+  const normalized = apiKey.toLowerCase();
+  if (PERPLEXITY_KEY_PREFIXES.some((prefix) => normalized.startsWith(prefix))) {
+    return "direct";
+  }
+  if (OPENROUTER_KEY_PREFIXES.some((prefix) => normalized.startsWith(prefix))) {
+    return "openrouter";
+  }
+  return undefined;
+}
+
 function resolvePerplexityBaseUrl(
   perplexity?: PerplexityConfig,
   apiKeySource: PerplexityApiKeySource = "none",
+  apiKey?: string,
 ): string {
   const fromConfig =
     perplexity && "baseUrl" in perplexity && typeof perplexity.baseUrl === "string"
@@ -178,6 +196,12 @@ function resolvePerplexityBaseUrl(
       : "";
   if (fromConfig) return fromConfig;
   if (apiKeySource === "perplexity_env") return PERPLEXITY_DIRECT_BASE_URL;
+  if (apiKeySource === "openrouter_env") return DEFAULT_PERPLEXITY_BASE_URL;
+  if (apiKeySource === "config") {
+    const inferred = inferPerplexityBaseUrlFromApiKey(apiKey);
+    if (inferred === "direct") return PERPLEXITY_DIRECT_BASE_URL;
+    if (inferred === "openrouter") return DEFAULT_PERPLEXITY_BASE_URL;
+  }
   return DEFAULT_PERPLEXITY_BASE_URL;
 }
 
@@ -385,10 +409,19 @@ export function createWebSearchTool(options?: {
         country,
         search_lang,
         ui_lang,
-        perplexityBaseUrl: resolvePerplexityBaseUrl(perplexityConfig, perplexityAuth?.source),
+        perplexityBaseUrl: resolvePerplexityBaseUrl(
+          perplexityConfig,
+          perplexityAuth?.source,
+          perplexityAuth?.apiKey,
+        ),
         perplexityModel: resolvePerplexityModel(perplexityConfig),
       });
       return jsonResult(result);
     },
   };
 }
+
+export const __testing = {
+  inferPerplexityBaseUrlFromApiKey,
+  resolvePerplexityBaseUrl,
+} as const;

src/agents/tools/web-tools.enabled-defaults.test.ts

@@ -194,7 +194,7 @@ describe("web_search perplexity baseUrl defaults", () => {
     expect(mockFetch.mock.calls[0]?.[0]).toBe("https://example.com/pplx/chat/completions");
   });
 
-  it("defaults to OpenRouter when apiKey is configured without baseUrl", async () => {
+  it("defaults to Perplexity direct when apiKey looks like Perplexity", async () => {
     const mockFetch = vi.fn(() =>
       Promise.resolve({
         ok: true,
@@ -219,6 +219,35 @@ describe("web_search perplexity baseUrl defaults", () => {
     });
     await tool?.execute?.(1, { query: "test-config-apikey" });
 
+    expect(mockFetch).toHaveBeenCalled();
+    expect(mockFetch.mock.calls[0]?.[0]).toBe("https://api.perplexity.ai/chat/completions");
+  });
+
+  it("defaults to OpenRouter when apiKey looks like OpenRouter", async () => {
+    const mockFetch = vi.fn(() =>
+      Promise.resolve({
+        ok: true,
+        json: () => Promise.resolve({ choices: [{ message: { content: "ok" } }], citations: [] }),
+      } as Response),
+    );
+    // @ts-expect-error mock fetch
+    global.fetch = mockFetch;
+
+    const tool = createWebSearchTool({
+      config: {
+        tools: {
+          web: {
+            search: {
+              provider: "perplexity",
+              perplexity: { apiKey: "sk-or-v1-test" },
+            },
+          },
+        },
+      },
+      sandboxed: true,
+    });
+    await tool?.execute?.(1, { query: "test-openrouter-config" });
+
     expect(mockFetch).toHaveBeenCalled();
     expect(mockFetch.mock.calls[0]?.[0]).toBe("https://openrouter.ai/api/v1/chat/completions");
   });