diff --git a/portable/config-server/public/index.html b/portable/config-server/public/index.html
index e3b1b0b..9a970c4 100644
--- a/portable/config-server/public/index.html
+++ b/portable/config-server/public/index.html
@@ -499,7 +499,7 @@ function togglePw(id) {
 // --- Build OpenClaw config ---
 function buildConfig(provider, base, model, apiKey) {
     var baseConfig = {
-        gateway: { auth: { mode: 'token', token: 'uclaw' }, remote: { token: 'uclaw' } },
+        gateway: { mode: 'local', auth: { mode: 'token', token: 'uclaw' }, remote: { token: 'uclaw' } },
         commands: { native: 'auto', nativeSkills: 'auto', restart: true, ownerDisplay: 'raw' },
         meta: { lastTouchedVersion: '2026.3.13', lastTouchedAt: new Date().toISOString() }
     };
diff --git a/portable/setup.bat b/portable/setup.bat
index 7acfbf2..6103fd4 100644
--- a/portable/setup.bat
+++ b/portable/setup.bat
@@ -105,8 +105,9 @@ if exist "%CORE_DIR%\node_modules\openclaw" goto skip_openclaw_install
 echo   [INSTALL] Installing OpenClaw...
 if not exist "%CORE_DIR%" mkdir "%CORE_DIR%" 2>nul
 
-REM Read pinned OpenClaw version from repo root
-set "OPENCLAW_VERSION_FILE=%~dp0..\OPENCLAW_VERSION"
+REM Read pinned OpenClaw version from portable root, then repo root in dev checkouts
+set "OPENCLAW_VERSION_FILE=%~dp0OPENCLAW_VERSION"
+if not exist "%OPENCLAW_VERSION_FILE%" set "OPENCLAW_VERSION_FILE=%~dp0..\OPENCLAW_VERSION"
 set "OPENCLAW_VERSION=2026.4.29"
 if exist "%OPENCLAW_VERSION_FILE%" (
     for /f "usebackq delims=" %%v in ("%OPENCLAW_VERSION_FILE%") do set "OPENCLAW_VERSION=%%v"
diff --git a/portable/setup.ps1 b/portable/setup.ps1
index c27d462..3b949cd 100644
--- a/portable/setup.ps1
+++ b/portable/setup.ps1
@@ -204,7 +204,10 @@ if ($AllPlatforms) {
 
 $packageJsonPath = Join-Path $coreDir "package.json"
 if (-not (Test-Path -Path $packageJsonPath -PathType Leaf)) {
-    $openclawVersionFile = Join-Path $PSScriptRoot "..\OPENCLAW_VERSION"
+    $openclawVersionFile = Join-Path $PSScriptRoot "OPENCLAW_VERSION"
+    if (-not (Test-Path -Path $openclawVersionFile -PathType Leaf)) {
+        $openclawVersionFile = Join-Path $PSScriptRoot "..\OPENCLAW_VERSION"
+    }
     $openclawVersion = "2026.4.29"
     if (Test-Path -Path $openclawVersionFile -PathType Leaf) {
         $openclawVersion = (Get-Content -Path $openclawVersionFile -Raw).Trim()
diff --git a/portable/setup.sh b/portable/setup.sh
index 3907326..cb06154 100755
--- a/portable/setup.sh
+++ b/portable/setup.sh
@@ -110,7 +110,10 @@ else
     mkdir -p "$CORE_DIR"
 
     # Init package.json if not exists (pinned OpenClaw version from OPENCLAW_VERSION)
-    OPENCLAW_VERSION_FILE="$(dirname "$0")/../OPENCLAW_VERSION"
+    OPENCLAW_VERSION_FILE="$(dirname "$0")/OPENCLAW_VERSION"
+    if [ ! -f "$OPENCLAW_VERSION_FILE" ]; then
+        OPENCLAW_VERSION_FILE="$(dirname "$0")/../OPENCLAW_VERSION"
+    fi
     OPENCLAW_VERSION="2026.4.29"
     if [ -f "$OPENCLAW_VERSION_FILE" ]; then
         OPENCLAW_VERSION="$(tr -d '[:space:]' < "$OPENCLAW_VERSION_FILE")"