Codex Desktop macOS: Browser node_repl/js fails with sandboxCwd must be an absolute file URI

What version of the Codex App are you using?

26.623.61825 (build 4548)

What platform is your computer?

macOS 26.5.1 (build 25F80)

What issue are you seeing?

Browser and computer-control automation in Codex Desktop on macOS is unusable across the bundled Browser, Chrome, and Computer Use plugins.

With Browser or Chrome, the underlying node_repl/js tool fails before browser-client setup can complete. I asked Codex to open Facebook using the bundled Browser plugin, and the required browser setup failed with:

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

Caused by:
    Mcp error: -32602: js: codex/sandbox-state-meta: sandboxCwd must be an absolute file URI: relative URL without a base

The same sandboxCwd failure prevents the bundled Chrome plugin from initializing.

The bundled Computer Use plugin is also unusable in the same Codex session. Its initial required app-state call fails with a different error:

Computer Use server error -10000: Sender process is not authenticated

These failures happen before any website or app interaction occurs.

What steps can reproduce the bug?

1. Open a local workspace in Codex Desktop on macOS.
2. Start a thread and ask Codex to open a website using the bundled Browser or Chrome plugin.
3. Browser setup invokes node_repl/js.
4. The tool fails immediately with the sandboxCwd must be an absolute file URI error.
5. Alternatively, ask Codex to control a local app using the bundled Computer Use plugin.
6. Its initial get_app_state call fails with Sender process is not authenticated.

What is the expected behavior?

• node_repl/js should accept the workspace sandbox metadata, initialize the Browser or Chrome runtime, and open the requested website.
• Computer Use should authenticate its sender process, return the requested app state, and allow local app interaction.

Diagnostic notes

• The bundled Browser skill and browser-client.mjs are present.
• The Browser/Chrome failure occurs at the node_repl/js boundary, before browser-client setup or website navigation.
• Computer Use fails independently at its initial app-state call.
• These failures do not appear specific to Facebook, Spotify, website authentication, or a particular local app.
• Retrying inside the same thread does not repair either failure.
• Together, these failures leave Browser, Chrome, and Computer Use unavailable in the affected session.

Related issue

This appears related to #30249, which reports the same sandbox metadata failure class on Windows. The macOS error differs slightly:

sandboxCwd must be an absolute file URI: relative URL without a base

This report documents that the issue also occurs in a local macOS workspace, affects both Browser and Chrome initialization, and coincides with an authentication failure in Computer Use.