diff --git a/app/api/chat/[id]/route.ts b/app/api/chat/[id]/route.ts
index 481fc8b..89a28bc 100644
--- a/app/api/chat/[id]/route.ts
+++ b/app/api/chat/[id]/route.ts
@@ -3,14 +3,8 @@ export const runtime = 'nodejs'
 import { getAgent } from '@/lib/agents'
 import { validateChatMessages } from '@/lib/validation'
 import { hasImageContent, extractImageAttachments, buildTextPrompt, sendViaOpenClaw } from '@/lib/anthropic'
-import OpenAI from 'openai'
-import { gatewayBaseUrl } from '@/lib/env'
-
-// Route through the OpenClaw gateway — no separate API key needed
-const openai = new OpenAI({
-  baseURL: gatewayBaseUrl(),
-  apiKey: process.env.OPENCLAW_GATEWAY_TOKEN,
-})
+import { getOpenAIClient } from '@/lib/openai'
+import type OpenAI from 'openai'
 
 const GATEWAY_TOKEN = process.env.OPENCLAW_GATEWAY_TOKEN || ''
 
@@ -18,6 +12,7 @@ export async function POST(
   request: Request,
   { params }: { params: Promise<{ id: string }> }
 ) {
+  const openai = getOpenAIClient()
   const { id } = await params
   const agent = await getAgent(id)
 
diff --git a/app/api/kanban/chat/[id]/route.ts b/app/api/kanban/chat/[id]/route.ts
index f8336fe..f2fb890 100644
--- a/app/api/kanban/chat/[id]/route.ts
+++ b/app/api/kanban/chat/[id]/route.ts
@@ -1,13 +1,8 @@
 export const runtime = 'nodejs'
 
 import { getAgent } from '@/lib/agents'
-import OpenAI from 'openai'
-import { gatewayBaseUrl } from '@/lib/env'
-
-const openai = new OpenAI({
-  baseURL: gatewayBaseUrl(),
-  apiKey: process.env.OPENCLAW_GATEWAY_TOKEN,
-})
+import { getOpenAIClient } from '@/lib/openai'
+import type OpenAI from 'openai'
 
 const MAX_TITLE = 500
 const MAX_DESC = 5000
@@ -27,6 +22,7 @@ export async function POST(
   request: Request,
   { params }: { params: Promise<{ id: string }> }
 ) {
+  const openai = getOpenAIClient()
   const { id } = await params
   const agent = await getAgent(id)
 
diff --git a/app/api/transcribe/route.ts b/app/api/transcribe/route.ts
index b2fba72..50958f1 100644
--- a/app/api/transcribe/route.ts
+++ b/app/api/transcribe/route.ts
@@ -1,14 +1,9 @@
 export const runtime = 'nodejs'
 
-import OpenAI from 'openai'
-import { gatewayBaseUrl } from '@/lib/env'
-
-const openai = new OpenAI({
-  baseURL: gatewayBaseUrl(),
-  apiKey: process.env.OPENCLAW_GATEWAY_TOKEN,
-})
+import { getOpenAIClient } from '@/lib/openai'
 
 export async function POST(request: Request) {
+  const openai = getOpenAIClient()
   let formData: FormData
   try {
     formData = await request.formData()
diff --git a/app/api/tts/route.ts b/app/api/tts/route.ts
index ac36bcd..76a88d9 100644
--- a/app/api/tts/route.ts
+++ b/app/api/tts/route.ts
@@ -1,14 +1,9 @@
 export const runtime = 'nodejs'
 
-import OpenAI from 'openai'
-import { gatewayBaseUrl } from '@/lib/env'
-
-const openai = new OpenAI({
-  baseURL: gatewayBaseUrl(),
-  apiKey: process.env.OPENCLAW_GATEWAY_TOKEN,
-})
+import { getOpenAIClient } from '@/lib/openai'
 
 export async function POST(request: Request) {
+  const openai = getOpenAIClient()
   try {
     const { text, voice } = await request.json()
 
diff --git a/lib/openai.ts b/lib/openai.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..63c1576
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/openai.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+import OpenAI from 'openai'
+import { gatewayBaseUrl } from './env'
+
+/**
+ * Lazy-initialized OpenAI client routed through the OpenClaw gateway.
+ *
+ * Call inside route handlers, not at module top level, so builds don't
+ * fail when environment variables aren't set.
+ */
+let _openai: OpenAI | null = null
+
+export function getOpenAIClient(): OpenAI {
+  if (!_openai) {
+    _openai = new OpenAI({
+      baseURL: gatewayBaseUrl(),
+      apiKey: process.env.OPENCLAW_GATEWAY_TOKEN || '',
+    })
+  }
+  return _openai
+}
diff --git a/lib/setup-detection.ts b/lib/setup-detection.ts
index aba020c..b0c9cc7 100644
--- a/lib/setup-detection.ts
+++ b/lib/setup-detection.ts
@@ -21,15 +21,28 @@ import { execSync } from 'child_process'
  * Detect the default workspace path.
  *
  * Checks in order:
- *   1. ~/.openclaw/agents/main/workspace  (current agent-scoped layout)
- *   2. ~/.openclaw/workspace-main         (multi-agent layout, main agent)
- *   3. ~/.openclaw/workspace-*            (multi-agent layout, any agent)
- *   4. ~/.openclaw/workspace              (legacy single-workspace layout)
+ *   1. ~/.openclaw/openclaw.json agents.defaults.workspace (canonical)
+ *   2. ~/.openclaw/agents/main/workspace  (current agent-scoped layout)
+ *   3. ~/.openclaw/workspace-main         (multi-agent layout, main agent)
+ *   4. ~/.openclaw/workspace-*            (multi-agent layout, any agent)
+ *   5. ~/.openclaw/workspace              (legacy single-workspace layout)
  */
 export function detectWorkspacePath(): string | null {
   const base = join(homedir(), '.openclaw')
 
-  // 1. Current agent-scoped layout
+  // 1. Read from openclaw.json (canonical source)
+  const configPath = join(base, 'openclaw.json')
+  if (existsSync(configPath)) {
+    try {
+      const config = JSON.parse(readFileSync(configPath, 'utf-8'))
+      const ws = config?.agents?.defaults?.workspace
+      if (typeof ws === 'string' && existsSync(ws)) return ws
+    } catch {
+      // Invalid JSON, fall through
+    }
+  }
+
+  // 2. Current agent-scoped layout
   const agentPath = join(base, 'agents', 'main', 'workspace')
   if (existsSync(agentPath)) return agentPath
 
diff --git a/package-lock.json b/package-lock.json
index 30f870a..9144d8d 100644
--- a/package-lock.json
+++ b/package-lock.json
@@ -1,12 +1,12 @@
 {
   "name": "clawport-ui",
-  "version": "0.8.7",
+  "version": "0.8.8",
   "lockfileVersion": 3,
   "requires": true,
   "packages": {
     "": {
       "name": "clawport-ui",
-      "version": "0.8.7",
+      "version": "0.8.8",
       "license": "MIT",
       "dependencies": {
         "@dagrejs/dagre": "^2.0.4",
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index b6d4ef0..3c41c72 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "clawport-ui",
-  "version": "0.8.7",
+  "version": "0.8.8",
   "description": "Open-source dashboard for managing, monitoring, and chatting with your OpenClaw AI agents.",
   "homepage": "https://clawport.dev",
   "repository": {
diff --git a/scripts/setup.mjs b/scripts/setup.mjs
index 6d7e5e4..6e4f91c 100644
--- a/scripts/setup.mjs
+++ b/scripts/setup.mjs
@@ -45,7 +45,19 @@ function exec(cmd) {
 function detectWorkspacePath() {
   const base = join(homedir(), '.openclaw')
 
-  // 1. Current agent-scoped layout
+  // 1. Read from openclaw.json (canonical source)
+  const configPath = join(base, 'openclaw.json')
+  if (existsSync(configPath)) {
+    try {
+      const config = JSON.parse(readFileSync(configPath, 'utf-8'))
+      const ws = config?.agents?.defaults?.workspace
+      if (typeof ws === 'string' && existsSync(ws)) return ws
+    } catch {
+      // Invalid JSON, fall through
+    }
+  }
+
+  // 2. Current agent-scoped layout
   const agentPath = join(base, 'agents', 'main', 'workspace')
   if (existsSync(agentPath)) return agentPath