fix: cron announce delivery path (#8540) (thanks @tyler6204)

docs/automation/cron-jobs.md

@@ -137,10 +137,13 @@ Key behaviors:
 
 - Prompt is prefixed with `[cron:<jobId> <job name>]` for traceability.
 - Each run starts a **fresh session id** (no prior conversation carry-over).
-- Default behavior: if `delivery` is omitted, isolated jobs announce a summary immediately (`delivery.mode = "announce"`).
+- Default behavior: if `delivery` is omitted, isolated jobs announce a summary (`delivery.mode = "announce"`).
 - `delivery.mode` (isolated-only) chooses what happens:
-  - `announce`: subagent-style summary delivered immediately to a chat.
-  - `none`: internal only (no delivery).
+  - `announce`: deliver a summary to the target channel and post a brief summary to the main session.
+  - `none`: internal only (no delivery, no main-session summary).
+- `wakeMode` controls when the main-session summary posts:
+  - `now`: immediate heartbeat.
+  - `next-heartbeat`: waits for the next scheduled heartbeat.
 
 Use isolated jobs for noisy, frequent, or "background chores" that shouldn't spam
 your main chat history.
@@ -166,10 +169,27 @@ Delivery config (isolated jobs only):
 - `delivery.bestEffort`: avoid failing the job if announce delivery fails.
 
 Announce delivery suppresses messaging tool sends for the run; use `delivery.channel`/`delivery.to`
-to target the chat instead.
+to target the chat instead. When `delivery.mode = "none"`, no summary is posted to the main session.
 
 If `delivery` is omitted for isolated jobs, OpenClaw defaults to `announce`.
 
+#### Announce delivery flow
+
+When `delivery.mode = "announce"`, cron delivers directly via the outbound channel adapters.
+The main agent is not spun up to craft or forward the message.
+
+Behavior details:
+
+- Content: delivery uses the isolated run's outbound payloads (text/media) with normal chunking and
+  channel formatting.
+- Heartbeat-only responses (`HEARTBEAT_OK` with no real content) are not delivered.
+- If the isolated run already sent a message to the same target via the message tool, delivery is
+  skipped to avoid duplicates.
+- Missing or invalid delivery targets fail the job unless `delivery.bestEffort = true`.
+- A short summary is posted to the main session only when `delivery.mode = "announce"`.
+- The main-session summary respects `wakeMode`: `now` triggers an immediate heartbeat and
+  `next-heartbeat` waits for the next scheduled heartbeat.
+
 ### Model and thinking overrides
 
 Isolated jobs (`agentTurn`) can override the model and thinking level:
@@ -191,7 +211,7 @@ Resolution priority:
 
 Isolated jobs can deliver output to a channel via the top-level `delivery` config:
 
-- `delivery.mode`: `announce` (subagent-style summary) or `none`.
+- `delivery.mode`: `announce` (deliver a summary) or `none`.
 - `delivery.channel`: `whatsapp` / `telegram` / `discord` / `slack` / `mattermost` (plugin) / `signal` / `imessage` / `last`.
 - `delivery.to`: channel-specific recipient target.
 

src/cron/isolated-agent.delivers-response-has-heartbeat-ok-but-includes.test.ts

@@ -5,6 +5,9 @@ import type { CliDeps } from "../cli/deps.js";
 import type { OpenClawConfig } from "../config/config.js";
 import type { CronJob } from "./types.js";
 import { withTempHome as withTempHomeBase } from "../../test/helpers/temp-home.js";
+import { telegramOutbound } from "../channels/plugins/outbound/telegram.js";
+import { setActivePluginRegistry } from "../plugins/runtime.js";
+import { createOutboundTestPlugin, createTestRegistry } from "../test-utils/channel-plugins.js";
 
 vi.mock("../agents/pi-embedded.js", () => ({
   abortEmbeddedPiRun: vi.fn().mockReturnValue(false),
@@ -14,13 +17,9 @@ vi.mock("../agents/pi-embedded.js", () => ({
 vi.mock("../agents/model-catalog.js", () => ({
   loadModelCatalog: vi.fn(),
 }));
-vi.mock("../agents/subagent-announce.js", () => ({
-  runSubagentAnnounceFlow: vi.fn(),
-}));
 
 import { loadModelCatalog } from "../agents/model-catalog.js";
 import { runEmbeddedPiAgent } from "../agents/pi-embedded.js";
-import { runSubagentAnnounceFlow } from "../agents/subagent-announce.js";
 import { runCronIsolatedAgentTurn } from "./isolated-agent.js";
 
 async function withTempHome<T>(fn: (home: string) => Promise<T>): Promise<T> {
@@ -87,7 +86,15 @@ describe("runCronIsolatedAgentTurn", () => {
   beforeEach(() => {
     vi.mocked(runEmbeddedPiAgent).mockReset();
     vi.mocked(loadModelCatalog).mockResolvedValue([]);
-    vi.mocked(runSubagentAnnounceFlow).mockReset().mockResolvedValue(true);
+    setActivePluginRegistry(
+      createTestRegistry([
+        {
+          pluginId: "telegram",
+          plugin: createOutboundTestPlugin({ id: "telegram", outbound: telegramOutbound }),
+          source: "test",
+        },
+      ]),
+    );
   });
 
   it("delivers when response has HEARTBEAT_OK but includes media", async () => {
@@ -128,7 +135,7 @@ describe("runCronIsolatedAgentTurn", () => {
       });
 
       expect(res.status).toBe("ok");
-      expect(runSubagentAnnounceFlow).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+      expect(deps.sendMessageTelegram).toHaveBeenCalled();
     });
   });
 
@@ -178,7 +185,7 @@ describe("runCronIsolatedAgentTurn", () => {
       });
 
       expect(res.status).toBe("ok");
-      expect(runSubagentAnnounceFlow).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+      expect(deps.sendMessageTelegram).toHaveBeenCalled();
     });
   });
 });

src/cron/isolated-agent.skips-delivery-without-whatsapp-recipient-besteffortdeliver-true.test.ts

@@ -4,16 +4,10 @@ import { beforeEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
 import type { CliDeps } from "../cli/deps.js";
 import type { OpenClawConfig } from "../config/config.js";
 import type { CronJob } from "./types.js";
-import { discordPlugin } from "../../extensions/discord/src/channel.js";
-import { setDiscordRuntime } from "../../extensions/discord/src/runtime.js";
-import { telegramPlugin } from "../../extensions/telegram/src/channel.js";
-import { setTelegramRuntime } from "../../extensions/telegram/src/runtime.js";
-import { whatsappPlugin } from "../../extensions/whatsapp/src/channel.js";
-import { setWhatsAppRuntime } from "../../extensions/whatsapp/src/runtime.js";
 import { withTempHome as withTempHomeBase } from "../../test/helpers/temp-home.js";
+import { telegramOutbound } from "../channels/plugins/outbound/telegram.js";
 import { setActivePluginRegistry } from "../plugins/runtime.js";
-import { createPluginRuntime } from "../plugins/runtime/index.js";
-import { createTestRegistry } from "../test-utils/channel-plugins.js";
+import { createOutboundTestPlugin, createTestRegistry } from "../test-utils/channel-plugins.js";
 
 vi.mock("../agents/pi-embedded.js", () => ({
   abortEmbeddedPiRun: vi.fn().mockReturnValue(false),
@@ -23,13 +17,9 @@ vi.mock("../agents/pi-embedded.js", () => ({
 vi.mock("../agents/model-catalog.js", () => ({
   loadModelCatalog: vi.fn(),
 }));
-vi.mock("../agents/subagent-announce.js", () => ({
-  runSubagentAnnounceFlow: vi.fn(),
-}));
 
 import { loadModelCatalog } from "../agents/model-catalog.js";
 import { runEmbeddedPiAgent } from "../agents/pi-embedded.js";
-import { runSubagentAnnounceFlow } from "../agents/subagent-announce.js";
 import { runCronIsolatedAgentTurn } from "./isolated-agent.js";
 
 async function withTempHome<T>(fn: (home: string) => Promise<T>): Promise<T> {
@@ -96,16 +86,13 @@ describe("runCronIsolatedAgentTurn", () => {
   beforeEach(() => {
     vi.mocked(runEmbeddedPiAgent).mockReset();
     vi.mocked(loadModelCatalog).mockResolvedValue([]);
-    vi.mocked(runSubagentAnnounceFlow).mockReset().mockResolvedValue(true);
-    const runtime = createPluginRuntime();
-    setDiscordRuntime(runtime);
-    setTelegramRuntime(runtime);
-    setWhatsAppRuntime(runtime);
     setActivePluginRegistry(
       createTestRegistry([
-        { pluginId: "whatsapp", plugin: whatsappPlugin, source: "test" },
-        { pluginId: "telegram", plugin: telegramPlugin, source: "test" },
-        { pluginId: "discord", plugin: discordPlugin, source: "test" },
+        {
+          pluginId: "telegram",
+          plugin: createOutboundTestPlugin({ id: "telegram", outbound: telegramOutbound }),
+          source: "test",
+        },
       ]),
     );
   });
@@ -143,9 +130,7 @@ describe("runCronIsolatedAgentTurn", () => {
       });
 
       expect(res.status).toBe("ok");
-      expect(runSubagentAnnounceFlow).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
-      const call = vi.mocked(runSubagentAnnounceFlow).mock.calls[0]?.[0];
-      expect(call?.label).toBe("Cron: job-1");
+      expect(deps.sendMessageTelegram).toHaveBeenCalled();
     });
   });
 
@@ -184,7 +169,7 @@ describe("runCronIsolatedAgentTurn", () => {
       });
 
       expect(res.status).toBe("ok");
-      expect(runSubagentAnnounceFlow).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+      expect(deps.sendMessageTelegram).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
     });
   });
 
@@ -221,7 +206,7 @@ describe("runCronIsolatedAgentTurn", () => {
       });
 
       expect(res.status).toBe("ok");
-      expect(runSubagentAnnounceFlow).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+      expect(deps.sendMessageTelegram).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
     });
   });
 
@@ -230,7 +215,7 @@ describe("runCronIsolatedAgentTurn", () => {
       const storePath = await writeSessionStore(home);
       const deps: CliDeps = {
         sendMessageWhatsApp: vi.fn(),
-        sendMessageTelegram: vi.fn(),
+        sendMessageTelegram: vi.fn().mockRejectedValue(new Error("boom")),
         sendMessageDiscord: vi.fn(),
         sendMessageSignal: vi.fn(),
         sendMessageIMessage: vi.fn(),
@@ -242,8 +227,6 @@ describe("runCronIsolatedAgentTurn", () => {
           agentMeta: { sessionId: "s", provider: "p", model: "m" },
         },
       });
-      vi.mocked(runSubagentAnnounceFlow).mockResolvedValue(false);
-
       const res = await runCronIsolatedAgentTurn({
         cfg: makeCfg(home, storePath, {
           channels: { telegram: { botToken: "t-1" } },
@@ -259,7 +242,7 @@ describe("runCronIsolatedAgentTurn", () => {
       });
 
       expect(res.status).toBe("error");
-      expect(res.error).toBe("cron announce delivery failed");
+      expect(res.error).toBe("Error: boom");
     });
   });
 
@@ -268,7 +251,7 @@ describe("runCronIsolatedAgentTurn", () => {
       const storePath = await writeSessionStore(home);
       const deps: CliDeps = {
         sendMessageWhatsApp: vi.fn(),
-        sendMessageTelegram: vi.fn(),
+        sendMessageTelegram: vi.fn().mockRejectedValue(new Error("boom")),
         sendMessageDiscord: vi.fn(),
         sendMessageSignal: vi.fn(),
         sendMessageIMessage: vi.fn(),
@@ -280,8 +263,6 @@ describe("runCronIsolatedAgentTurn", () => {
           agentMeta: { sessionId: "s", provider: "p", model: "m" },
         },
       });
-      vi.mocked(runSubagentAnnounceFlow).mockResolvedValue(false);
-
       const res = await runCronIsolatedAgentTurn({
         cfg: makeCfg(home, storePath, {
           channels: { telegram: { botToken: "t-1" } },
@@ -302,7 +283,7 @@ describe("runCronIsolatedAgentTurn", () => {
       });
 
       expect(res.status).toBe("ok");
-      expect(runSubagentAnnounceFlow).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+      expect(deps.sendMessageTelegram).toHaveBeenCalled();
     });
   });
 });

src/cron/isolated-agent/run.ts

@@ -31,10 +31,6 @@ import {
 import { runEmbeddedPiAgent } from "../../agents/pi-embedded.js";
 import { buildWorkspaceSkillSnapshot } from "../../agents/skills.js";
 import { getSkillsSnapshotVersion } from "../../agents/skills/refresh.js";
-import {
-  runSubagentAnnounceFlow,
-  type SubagentRunOutcome,
-} from "../../agents/subagent-announce.js";
 import { resolveAgentTimeoutMs } from "../../agents/timeout.js";
 import { hasNonzeroUsage } from "../../agents/usage.js";
 import { ensureAgentWorkspace } from "../../agents/workspace.js";
@@ -44,13 +40,10 @@ import {
   normalizeVerboseLevel,
   supportsXHighThinking,
 } from "../../auto-reply/thinking.js";
-import { type CliDeps } from "../../cli/outbound-send-deps.js";
-import {
-  resolveAgentMainSessionKey,
-  resolveSessionTranscriptPath,
-  updateSessionStore,
-} from "../../config/sessions.js";
+import { createOutboundSendDeps, type CliDeps } from "../../cli/outbound-send-deps.js";
+import { resolveSessionTranscriptPath, updateSessionStore } from "../../config/sessions.js";
 import { registerAgentRunContext } from "../../infra/agent-events.js";
+import { deliverOutboundPayloads } from "../../infra/outbound/deliver.js";
 import { getRemoteSkillEligibility } from "../../infra/skills-remote.js";
 import { logWarn } from "../../logger.js";
 import { buildAgentMainSessionKey, normalizeAgentId } from "../../routing/session-key.js";
@@ -314,7 +307,7 @@ export async function runCronIsolatedAgentTurn(params: {
   }
   if (deliveryRequested) {
     commandBody =
-      `${commandBody}\n\nReturn your summary as plain text; it will be delivered by the main agent. If the task explicitly calls for messaging a specific external recipient, note who/where it should go instead of sending it yourself.`.trim();
+      `${commandBody}\n\nReturn your summary as plain text; it will be delivered automatically. If the task explicitly calls for messaging a specific external recipient, note who/where it should go instead of sending it yourself.`.trim();
   }
 
   const existingSnapshot = cronSession.sessionEntry.skillsSnapshot;
@@ -480,42 +473,21 @@ export async function runCronIsolatedAgentTurn(params: {
       logWarn(`[cron:${params.job.id}] ${deliveryFailure.message}`);
       return { status: "ok", summary, outputText };
     }
-    const requesterSessionKey = resolveAgentMainSessionKey({
-      cfg: cfgWithAgentDefaults,
-      agentId,
-    });
-    const useExplicitOrigin = deliveryPlan.channel !== "last" || Boolean(deliveryPlan.to?.trim());
-    const requesterOrigin = useExplicitOrigin
-      ? {
-          channel: resolvedDelivery.channel,
-          to: resolvedDelivery.to,
-          accountId: resolvedDelivery.accountId,
-          threadId: resolvedDelivery.threadId,
-        }
-      : undefined;
-    const outcome: SubagentRunOutcome = { status: "ok" };
-    const taskLabel = params.job.name?.trim() || "cron job";
-    const didAnnounce = await runSubagentAnnounceFlow({
-      childSessionKey: agentSessionKey,
-      childRunId: cronSession.sessionEntry.sessionId,
-      requesterSessionKey,
-      requesterOrigin,
-      requesterDisplayKey: requesterSessionKey,
-      task: taskLabel,
-      timeoutMs: 30_000,
-      cleanup: "keep",
-      roundOneReply: outputText ?? summary,
-      waitForCompletion: false,
-      label: `Cron: ${taskLabel}`,
-      outcome,
-    });
-    if (!didAnnounce && !deliveryBestEffort) {
-      return {
-        status: "error",
-        error: "cron announce delivery failed",
-        summary,
-        outputText,
-      };
+    try {
+      await deliverOutboundPayloads({
+        cfg: cfgWithAgentDefaults,
+        channel: resolvedDelivery.channel,
+        to: resolvedDelivery.to,
+        accountId: resolvedDelivery.accountId,
+        threadId: resolvedDelivery.threadId,
+        payloads,
+        bestEffort: deliveryBestEffort,
+        deps: createOutboundSendDeps(params.deps),
+      });
+    } catch (err) {
+      if (!deliveryBestEffort) {
+        return { status: "error", summary, outputText, error: String(err) };
+      }
     }
   }
 

src/cron/service.runs-one-shot-main-job-disables-it.test.ts

@@ -211,7 +211,8 @@ describe("CronService", () => {
       schedule: { kind: "at", at: new Date(atMs).toISOString() },
       sessionTarget: "isolated",
       wakeMode: "now",
-      payload: { kind: "agentTurn", message: "do it", deliver: false },
+      payload: { kind: "agentTurn", message: "do it" },
+      delivery: { mode: "announce" },
     });
 
     vi.setSystemTime(new Date("2025-12-13T00:00:01.000Z"));
@@ -359,7 +360,8 @@ describe("CronService", () => {
       schedule: { kind: "at", at: new Date(atMs).toISOString() },
       sessionTarget: "isolated",
       wakeMode: "now",
-      payload: { kind: "agentTurn", message: "do it", deliver: false },
+      payload: { kind: "agentTurn", message: "do it" },
+      delivery: { mode: "announce" },
     });
 
     vi.setSystemTime(new Date("2025-12-13T00:00:01.000Z"));

src/cron/service/timer.ts

@@ -188,12 +188,15 @@ export async function executeJob(
     // Post a short summary back to the main session so the user sees
     // the cron result without opening the isolated session.
     const summaryText = res.summary?.trim();
-    if (summaryText) {
+    const deliveryMode = job.delivery?.mode ?? "announce";
+    if (summaryText && deliveryMode !== "none") {
       const prefix = "Cron";
       const label =
         res.status === "error" ? `${prefix} (error): ${summaryText}` : `${prefix}: ${summaryText}`;
       state.deps.enqueueSystemEvent(label, { agentId: job.agentId });
-      state.deps.requestHeartbeatNow({ reason: `cron:${job.id}` });
+      if (job.wakeMode === "now") {
+        state.deps.requestHeartbeatNow({ reason: `cron:${job.id}` });
+      }
     }
 
     if (res.status === "ok") {

ui/src/ui/format.test.ts

@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
+import { describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
 import { formatAgo, stripThinkingTags } from "./format.ts";
 
 describe("formatAgo", () => {