fix(web_search): Fix invalid model name sent to Perplexity (#12795)

* fix(web_search): Fix invalid model name sent to Perplexity

* chore: Only apply fix to direct Perplexity calls

* fix(web_search): normalize direct Perplexity model IDs

* fix: add changelog note for perplexity model normalization (#12795) (thanks @cdorsey)

* fix: align tests and fetch type for gate stability (#12795) (thanks @cdorsey)

* chore: keep #12795 scoped to web_search changes

---------

Co-authored-by: Sebastian <19554889+sebslight@users.noreply.github.com>

src/agents/tools/web-search.ts

@@ -280,6 +280,25 @@ function resolvePerplexityModel(perplexity?: PerplexityConfig): string {
   return fromConfig || DEFAULT_PERPLEXITY_MODEL;
 }
 
+function isDirectPerplexityBaseUrl(baseUrl: string): boolean {
+  const trimmed = baseUrl.trim();
+  if (!trimmed) {
+    return false;
+  }
+  try {
+    return new URL(trimmed).hostname.toLowerCase() === "api.perplexity.ai";
+  } catch {
+    return false;
+  }
+}
+
+function resolvePerplexityRequestModel(baseUrl: string, model: string): string {
+  if (!isDirectPerplexityBaseUrl(baseUrl)) {
+    return model;
+  }
+  return model.startsWith("perplexity/") ? model.slice("perplexity/".length) : model;
+}
+
 function resolveGrokConfig(search?: WebSearchConfig): GrokConfig {
   if (!search || typeof search !== "object") {
     return {};
@@ -379,7 +398,9 @@ async function runPerplexitySearch(params: {
   model: string;
   timeoutSeconds: number;
 }): Promise<{ content: string; citations: string[] }> {
-  const endpoint = `${params.baseUrl.replace(/\/$/, "")}/chat/completions`;
+  const baseUrl = params.baseUrl.trim().replace(/\/$/, "");
+  const endpoint = `${baseUrl}/chat/completions`;
+  const model = resolvePerplexityRequestModel(baseUrl, params.model);
 
   const res = await fetch(endpoint, {
     method: "POST",
@@ -390,7 +411,7 @@ async function runPerplexitySearch(params: {
       "X-Title": "OpenClaw Web Search",
     },
     body: JSON.stringify({
-      model: params.model,
+      model,
       messages: [
         {
           role: "user",
@@ -686,6 +707,8 @@ export function createWebSearchTool(options?: {
 export const __testing = {
   inferPerplexityBaseUrlFromApiKey,
   resolvePerplexityBaseUrl,
+  isDirectPerplexityBaseUrl,
+  resolvePerplexityRequestModel,
   normalizeFreshness,
   resolveGrokApiKey,
   resolveGrokModel,