Ask OpenClaw about a customer from the channel already open.

OpenClaw puts an always-available assistant in WhatsApp, Telegram, Slack, Discord, and other channels. Add Pathbound as a remote MCP server and it can read the contact, company, timeline, conversations, and recent activity behind the name in the message.

Why connect it

The answer comes from the customer record, not one app.

OpenClaw is built to receive work from the channels you already use. Pathbound supplies the customer record underneath that work, with identities resolved across the sources you have connected.

Connect

Connect Pathbound to OpenClaw.

This path uses OpenClaw’s built-in outbound MCP registry. You do not need a Pathbound or OpenClaw plugin.

  1. Create a read-only Pathbound key

    In Pathbound, open REST API keys and create a key with contacts:read, companies:read, and events:read. Leave write and action scopes off.

  2. Make the key available to the Gateway

    Add the following line to ~/.openclaw/.env. OpenClaw loads this global file when a Gateway managed by launchd or systemd starts.

    ~/.openclaw/.env
    PATHBOUND_API_KEY=sk_your_api_key
  3. Add Pathbound as a remote MCP server

    Register the endpoint with Streamable HTTP transport. The tool filter removes common write-tool names from the catalog; the read-only key remains the enforcement layer.

    Terminal
    openclaw mcp set pathbound \
      '{"url":"https://mcp.pathbound.ai/mcp","transport":"streamable-http","headers":{"Authorization":"Bearer ${PATHBOUND_API_KEY}"},"toolFilter":{"exclude":["create_*","update_*","delete_*","gmail_send_email","resend_*"]}}'
  4. Probe the connection, then restart

    The live probe should connect and report the Pathbound tools. Restart the Gateway so new messaging sessions receive the updated tool catalog.

    Terminal
    openclaw mcp doctor pathbound --probe
    openclaw gateway restart

OpenClaw also exposes this registry in its Control UI under MCP. See the OpenClaw MCP reference for transport, filtering, and diagnostics.

First checks

Start with one customer you know.

Send one of these questions from an allowed OpenClaw channel. Confirm that the answer names the Pathbound record and matches what you see in the dashboard before relying on it in a recurring task.

For a repeatable workflow, use the tested trial-signup research recipe as the starting instruction.

Access

Keep the first connection read-only.

OpenClaw can receive instructions through real messaging accounts. Treat channel access and customer-data access as separate controls.

In Pathbound

Use the smallest API key scope that serves the job. Revoke or rotate the key from the Pathbound dashboard. Keys without actions:write do not receive action tools.

In OpenClaw

Restrict who can message the agent, keep group behavior explicit, and review the active tool profile. OpenClaw’s security guide covers channel allowlists, file permissions, and Gateway exposure.

OpenClaw and Pathbound.

Can Pathbound connect directly to OpenClaw?

Yes. OpenClaw can consume remote Streamable HTTP MCP servers. Add https://mcp.pathbound.ai/mcp to OpenClaw’s MCP registry, authenticate with a scoped Pathbound API key, and verify the live tool catalog with openclaw mcp doctor pathbound --probe.

Do I need an OpenClaw plugin?

No. OpenClaw already has an outbound MCP client, and Pathbound already exposes its tools over MCP. A plugin would package setup or instructions; it is not required for the connection.

Why does this guide use an API key instead of OAuth?

A scoped API key is predictable for a long-running OpenClaw Gateway and can be limited to read-only contact, company, and event access. Store it in OpenClaw’s global runtime environment, not in a project repository.

Can OpenClaw write through Pathbound?

Only when the Pathbound key includes the required write scopes and the connected source allows the tool. Start read-only. If you later allow writes, review OpenClaw’s channel access and tool policy first. Versioning and rollback are not live yet.

Which OpenClaw channels can use Pathbound?

The configured OpenClaw agent can use Pathbound from its eligible messaging sessions, subject to OpenClaw’s tool profile and channel policy. That can include WhatsApp, Telegram, Slack, Discord, Signal, iMessage, Microsoft Teams, and WebChat.

Related
Try it on your own data

Within five minutes, your agent is querying real customer context.

Sign up, connect one CRM or drop the events snippet, and point your MCP client at mcp.pathbound.ai/mcp.