Best possible solution:

Land a corrected test-only change that uses a consistent symlink capability/type helper for every guarded directory link, then attach redacted Windows terminal proof showing the workspace-load test file runs or skips as intended.

Do we have a high-confidence way to reproduce the issue?

Yes from source inspection: on Windows, the new directory capability probe uses junction, but two newly guarded tests still create "dir" symlinks. I did not run a Windows host in this read-only review.

Is this the best way to solve the issue?

No. The narrow maintainable fix is to align the remaining fs.symlink(..., "dir") calls with directorySymlinkType, or intentionally probe true directory-symlink privileges and keep junction-only hosts skipped.

Full review comments:

• [P2] Use the junction-safe link type in this guarded test — src/skills/loading/workspace-load.test.ts:1011
  The new guard proves that directorySymlinkType works, which is junction on Windows, but this test still creates the repo-root escape with fs.symlink(..., "dir") later in the body. On a Windows host where junctions work but directory symlinks need elevated privilege, the guard passes and the test fails with EPERM; use directorySymlinkType here too, or make the guard probe actual "dir" symlink support.
  Confidence: 0.91
• [P2] Keep the configured-roots guard aligned with its setup — src/skills/loading/workspace-load.test.ts:1043
  This guard has the same mismatch: it allows Windows when junction creation succeeds, but the test setup below still calls fs.symlink(..., "dir"). That means a junction-only Windows environment will run the test and fail during setup instead of skipping gracefully; use the same directory link type as the probe or keep this case skipped unless true directory symlinks are available.
  Confidence: 0.9

Overall correctness: patch is incorrect
Overall confidence: 0.88

AGENTS.md: found and applied where relevant.

Codex review notes: model internal, reasoning high; reviewed against 9c95abd49d45.

Label changes:

• add P3: This is a low-risk test-portability cleanup with no user-visible product behavior change.
• add merge-risk: 🚨 automation: The diff changes test execution behavior and can make Windows test automation run cases guarded by a junction probe while still creating true directory symlinks.
• add rating: 🧂 unranked krab: Overall readiness is 🧂 unranked krab; proof is 🧂 unranked krab and patch quality is 🦪 silver shellfish.
• add status: 📣 needs proof: The PR needs real behavior proof before ClawSweeper can clear the contributor ask. Needs real behavior proof before merge: The PR body asserts a Windows run and a Vitest command but includes no terminal output, screenshot, log, or linked artifact showing the after-fix Windows behavior; the contributor should add redacted proof and then trigger re-review. After adding proof, update the PR body; ClawSweeper should re-review automatically. If it does not, the PR author or someone with repository write access can comment @clawsweeper re-review.

Label justifications:

• P3: This is a low-risk test-portability cleanup with no user-visible product behavior change.
• merge-risk: 🚨 automation: The diff changes test execution behavior and can make Windows test automation run cases guarded by a junction probe while still creating true directory symlinks.
• rating: 🧂 unranked krab: Overall readiness is 🧂 unranked krab; proof is 🧂 unranked krab and patch quality is 🦪 silver shellfish.
• status: 📣 needs proof: The PR needs real behavior proof before ClawSweeper can clear the contributor ask. Needs real behavior proof before merge: The PR body asserts a Windows run and a Vitest command but includes no terminal output, screenshot, log, or linked artifact showing the after-fix Windows behavior; the contributor should add redacted proof and then trigger re-review. After adding proof, update the PR body; ClawSweeper should re-review automatically. If it does not, the PR author or someone with repository write access can comment @clawsweeper re-review.

PR surface:

Tests +47. Total +47 across 1 file.

What I checked:

• Repository policy read: Root AGENTS.md was read fully and applied; it requires whole-module PR review, sibling pattern checks, and dependency-backed behavior checks for concrete verdicts. (AGENTS.md:1, 9c95abd49d45)
• PR head guard/type mismatch: The PR head defines directorySymlinkType as junction on Windows and uses canCreateDirectorySymlinks to guard this test, but the test body still creates a directory link with literal "dir" later in the same case. (src/skills/loading/workspace-load.test.ts:1011, 7d5f2f3933a7)
• Second PR head guard/type mismatch: The second repo-root symlink test has the same new junction-capability guard while its setup still calls fs.symlink(..., "dir"), so the same Windows EPERM failure path remains. (src/skills/loading/workspace-load.test.ts:1043, 7d5f2f3933a7)
• Sibling pattern evidence: A sibling test file probes directorySymlinkType before declaration-time skipIf and uses the same type for directory symlink setup, which is the pattern this PR should apply consistently. (src/infra/install-safe-path.test.ts:17, 9c95abd49d45)
• Current main behavior: Current main unconditionally skips the affected workspace-load symlink cases on Windows, so the PR is changing test execution behavior rather than product runtime behavior. (src/skills/loading/workspace-load.test.ts:492, 9c95abd49d45)
• Dependency contract check: Local Node's fs.symlinkSync implementation validates dir, file, and junction as distinct symlink types, supporting the conclusion that a junction probe does not prove literal "dir" symlink creation.

Likely related people:

• ooiuuii: git blame attributes the current workspace-load symlink tests and their Windows skips to merge commit 9d800b71c060bdebcfabb9b363dd004c74e3c1bd, whose source PR was authored by this login. (role: recent area contributor; confidence: medium; commits: 9d800b71c060; files: src/skills/loading/workspace-load.test.ts)
• vincentkoc: Live metadata for https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/pull/95534 shows this login merged the commit that introduced the current test-file lines in the local history. (role: merger; confidence: medium; commits: 9d800b71c060; files: src/skills/loading/workspace-load.test.ts)
• stevenepalmer: This login authored a recently merged skill symlink repair touching src/skills/loading/plugin-skills.ts and its tests, which is adjacent to the symlink behavior covered here. (role: recent adjacent contributor; confidence: low; commits: 39328ed69285; files: src/skills/loading/plugin-skills.ts, src/skills/loading/plugin-skills.test.ts)

• 🦀 challenger crab: rare, exceptional readiness with strong proof, clean implementation, and convincing validation.
• 🦞 diamond lobster: very strong readiness with only minor maintainer review expected.
• 🐚 platinum hermit: good normal PR, likely mergeable with ordinary maintainer review.
• 🦐 gold shrimp: useful signal, but proof or patch confidence is still limited.
• 🦪 silver shellfish: thin signal; proof, validation, or implementation needs work.
• 🧂 unranked krab: not merge-ready because proof is missing/unusable or there are serious correctness or safety concerns.
• 🌊 off-meta tidepool: rating does not apply to this item.

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