Skip to content

Windows Codex node_repl/js fails: missing sandboxPolicy in codex/sandbox-state-meta #29274

Closed

Description

@HerbertExtrem

Bug Report: Windows Codex node_repl/js fails with missing sandboxPolicy

Summary

On Windows, both Codex stable and Codex beta fail immediately when invoking node_repl/js. This breaks @Chrome, @Browser, and @Computer, because all of them depend on the Node REPL MCP tool.

Error

tool call error: tool call failed for `node_repl/js`

Caused by:
    Mcp error: -32602: js: codex/sandbox-state-meta: missing field `sandboxPolicy`

Environment

  • OS: Windows
  • Codex app: Stable and Beta both affected
  • Beta path observed:
    C:\Program Files\WindowsApps\OpenAI.CodexBeta_26.616.5445.0_x64__2p2nqsd0c76g0\app\Codex (Beta).exe
  • Affected tool:
    node_repl/js
  • Affected features:
    @Chrome, @Browser, @Computer
  • Codex home:
    C:\Users\HerbertExtrem\.codex

Minimal Reproduction

In a new Codex thread, ask Codex to run a minimal Node REPL test:

nodeRepl.write(JSON.stringify({ ok: true, cwd: nodeRepl.cwd }, null, 2));

Expected:

{
  "ok": true,
  "cwd": "..."
}

Actual:

tool call error: tool call failed for `node_repl/js`

Caused by:
    Mcp error: -32602: js: codex/sandbox-state-meta: missing field `sandboxPolicy`

Reset Attempts Already Tried

The issue reproduces after restarting:

  • Codex app
  • Windows PC
  • Codex login session

The issue also reproduces after regenerating the relevant local Codex runtime/plugin state. These paths were backed up and renamed so Codex could recreate them:

C:\Users\HerbertExtrem\.codex\config.toml
C:\Users\HerbertExtrem\.codex\chrome-native-hosts-v2.json
C:\Users\HerbertExtrem\.codex\plugins\cache
C:\Users\HerbertExtrem\AppData\Local\OpenAI\Codex\runtimes

The latest repair run completed and logged:

Renamed: C:\Users\HerbertExtrem\.codex\chrome-native-hosts-v2.json
Renamed: C:\Users\HerbertExtrem\.codex\plugins\cache
Renamed: C:\Users\HerbertExtrem\AppData\Local\OpenAI\Codex\runtimes
Repair complete.

After Codex recreated these folders/files, node_repl/js still failed with the same missing field sandboxPolicy error.

Configuration Detail

Freshly generated C:\Users\HerbertExtrem\.codex\config.toml contains a node_repl MCP registration similar to:

[features]
js_repl = false

[mcp_servers.node_repl]
args = []
command = 'C:\Users\HerbertExtrem\AppData\Local\OpenAI\Codex\runtimes\cua_node\a89897d3d9baa117\bin\node_repl.exe'
startup_timeout_sec = 120

[mcp_servers.node_repl.env]
NODE_REPL_NATIVE_PIPE_CONNECT_TIMEOUT_MS = "1000"
NODE_REPL_NODE_MODULE_DIRS = 'C:\Users\HerbertExtrem\AppData\Local\OpenAI\Codex\runtimes\cua_node\a89897d3d9baa117\bin\node_modules'
NODE_REPL_NODE_PATH = 'C:\Users\HerbertExtrem\AppData\Local\OpenAI\Codex\runtimes\cua_node\a89897d3d9baa117\bin\node.exe'
CODEX_HOME = 'C:\Users\HerbertExtrem\.codex'
BROWSER_USE_AVAILABLE_BACKENDS = "chrome,iab"

Manually changing js_repl = false to js_repl = true did not resolve the issue; Codex regenerated or restored js_repl = false on restart.

Why this looks like an app/plugin bug

The runtime and plugin caches were fully regenerated, and the failure still happens before any browser-specific code runs. The app appears to start/register node_repl, but the MCP call metadata passed to node_repl/js is missing codex/sandbox-state-meta.sandboxPolicy.

This blocks all browser and GUI automation features that depend on the Node REPL bridge.

Requested Help

Please check whether the Windows Codex app is failing to include sandboxPolicy in codex/sandbox-state-meta for node_repl/js MCP calls, especially when Browser/Chrome/Computer Use plugins register the Node REPL MCP server.

Activity

  1. added
    bugSomething isn't working
    appIssues related to the Codex desktop app
    windows-osIssues related to Codex on Windows systems
    mcpIssues related to the use of model context protocol (MCP) servers
    tool-callsIssues related to tool calling
    sandboxIssues related to permissions or sandboxing
    on Jun 20, 2026
  2. RatziFatzi02 commented on Jun 21, 2026

    @RatziFatzi02

    i found the same Problem on my side. im not very into the tech on this module. but updating to the newest version did break it for me

  3. ID-jasmine commented on Jun 21, 2026

    @ID-jasmine

    I have the same issue. It started after the update.

  4. danieldilly commented on Jun 21, 2026

    @danieldilly

    New release just fixed it!

  5. Ben2248 commented on Jun 21, 2026

    @Ben2248

    FIXEDDDDDD

  6. HerbertExtrem commented on Jun 21, 2026

    @HerbertExtrem
    Author

    Yep thx, latest update fixed it 👍

Sign up for free to join this conversation on GitHub. Already have an account? Sign in to comment

Metadata

Metadata

Assignees

No one assigned

    Labels

    appIssues related to the Codex desktop appbugSomething isn't workingmcpIssues related to the use of model context protocol (MCP) serverssandboxIssues related to permissions or sandboxingtool-callsIssues related to tool callingwindows-osIssues related to Codex on Windows systems

    Type

    No type

    Projects

    No projects

      Milestone

      No milestone

      Relationships

      None yet

      Development

      No branches or pull requests

      Issue actions