Fix JSON Parse Errors in OpenClaw

Common Error Messages

You might see one of these:

• SyntaxError: Unexpected token
• JSON.parse: unexpected character
• Unexpected end of JSON input
• Unexpected token , in JSON at position X

Top 5 Causes

1. Trailing Commas

Most common mistake. JSON doesn't allow commas after the last item.

{
  "llm": {
    "provider": "openai",
    "model": "gpt-4o",  ← Extra comma!
  }
}

{
  "llm": {
    "provider": "openai",
    "model": "gpt-4o"
  }
}

2. Unescaped Backslashes (Windows Paths)

Windows paths need double backslashes.

"path": "C:\Users\name"

"path": "C:\\Users\\name"

3. Missing Quotes

All keys and string values must be in double quotes.

{
  provider: 'openai'
}

{
  "provider": "openai"
}

4. Comments (Not Allowed)

Standard JSON doesn't support comments.

{
  "model": "gpt-4o"  // This is my preferred model ← ERROR!
}

5. Missing Closing Brackets

Every { needs a matching }.

How to Fix

Option 1: Use Config Wizard (Recommended)

Option 2: Use a JSON Validator

Copy your config to JSONLint.com to find the exact error.

Option 3: Manual Debugging

node -e "JSON.parse(require('fs').readFileSync('clawhub.json'))"

This will show the exact line number of the error.

Prevention Tips

Still Getting Errors?

Run our Local Doctor for automated diagnosis:

npx clawkit-doctor@latest

Last Updated: February 2026 | Time to Fix: 30 seconds (with Config Wizard) or 5 minutes (manual)