---
"@context": https://schema.org
"@type": TechArticle
"@id": https://www.twilio.com/docs/ai/ola/troubleshoot#article
headline: Ola Troubleshooting
description: ""
url: https://www.twilio.com/docs/ai/ola/troubleshoot
inLanguage: en
dateModified: 2026-10-05T19:07:43.000Z
author:
  "@type": Organization
  name: Twilio Developer Education Team
publisher:
  "@type": Organization
  name: Twilio
---

# Ola Troubleshooting

> \[!NOTE]

Ola provides the communication and trust layer that lets you delegate more to your AI agents.
Through Ola, you can talk to agents, set the agents' boundaries, and approve the agent's actions across mobile and desktop.

## General issues

The following issues may appear for any installation.

### Log displays `[ola] Gate error: Invalid API key - allowing (fail-open)`

**Reason**\
The plugin's key and the MCP bearer token don't match.

**Remedy**\
Re-run the installer. It writes both.

### Agent never connects

**Reason**\
The status stays "Waiting" as it uses the wrong key or gateway URL.

**Remedy**\
Confirm that the `OLA_API_KEY` value matches the key Ola issued and the Agent can reach `https://olachat.com`.

### 401 error appears in your agent's logs

**Reason**\
Either the key was rotated or the key belongs to a disconnected agent.

**Remedy**\
Rotate the key under the agent's Settings and re-run the installer with the updated key.

## Hermes issues

### Hermes never receives messages

**Reason**\
Hermes isn't in gateway mode

**Remedy**\
Start Hermes with `hermes gateway run`.

**Reason**\
Hermes Python environment lacks `aiohttp`

**Remedy**\
Install `aiohttp`, which the webhook listener needs to bind.

## Claude Code issues

### Claude Code never asks for approval

**Reason**\
On Claude Code, the channel isn't loaded.

**Remedy**\
Start the session with the following command:

```bash
claude --dangerously-load-development-channels plugin:ola@ola
```

Without the flag Ola's tools work but tool calls aren't gated.

### Claude Code runs some actions without asking

**Reason**\
Claude Code auto-approved them before Ola saw them.

1. Add
   ```json
   "permissions": {
     "ask": ["Bash", "Read", "Glob", "Grep", "WebFetch", "WebSearch"]
   }
   ```
   to `~/.claude/settings.json` so every action reaches the gate.
2. Restart any running session.

## Confirm plugin installation

## Claude Code

```bash
claude plugin list | grep ola
```

## OpenClaw

```bash
openclaw plugins list | grep -i ola
```

## Hermes

```bash
hermes plugins list | grep -i ola
```

If the command doesn't return a response, the plugin hasn't been installed.