node_repl js fails with missing codex/sandbox-state-meta sandboxPolicy

Summary

Codex desktop's shared node_repl JavaScript bridge fails before user JavaScript runs. This blocks both Browser Use and Chrome Use automation.

Environment

• Codex bundled CLI: codex-cli 0.142.0-alpha.6
• Browser plugin bundle observed: openai-bundled/browser/26.616.41845
• Chrome plugin bundle observed: openai-bundled/chrome/26.616.41845
• Platform: macOS
• Browser/Chrome automation target: local unauthenticated web app on 127.0.0.1

Failure

mcp__node_repl.js_reset succeeds, but mcp__node_repl.js fails before user code executes.

Minimal repro attempted:

nodeRepl.write("node runtime ok");

Observed error:

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

The same failure occurs before either of these browser bootstrap paths can run:

// Browser Use / in-app browser
const { setupBrowserRuntime } = await import("<browser-plugin>/scripts/browser-client.mjs");
await setupBrowserRuntime({ globals: globalThis });
globalThis.browser = await agent.browsers.get("iab");
nodeRepl.write(await browser.documentation());

// Chrome plugin
const { setupBrowserRuntime } = await import("<chrome-plugin>/scripts/browser-client.mjs");
await setupBrowserRuntime({ globals: globalThis });
globalThis.browser = await agent.browsers.get("extension");
nodeRepl.write(await browser.documentation());

Expected behavior

mcp__node_repl.js should execute JavaScript, allowing Browser Use or Chrome Use to bootstrap and control a browser tab.

Actual behavior

The tool call fails at the Codex metadata boundary before any user JavaScript or browser plugin code executes.

Recovery attempted

• Restarted Codex multiple times
• Started a fresh thread
• Toggled Browser plugin off/on
• Reinstalled Codex desktop
• Removed and recreated the Browser plugin cache
• Installed and tried the Chrome plugin
• Tried both agent.browsers.get("iab") and agent.browsers.get("extension")

The error persisted across all attempts.

Impact

Browser Use and Chrome Use automation cannot control a local web app because the shared JavaScript bridge fails before browser connection setup.