fix(core): harden env loading, OpenAI compatibility, and runtime recovery

src/gateway/ui/pages/dashboard.js

@@ -192,6 +192,23 @@ function valuesMatch(expected, actual) {
   return expected === actual;
 }
 
+function valuesMatchForPath(path, expected, actual) {
+  if (valuesMatch(expected, actual)) {
+    return true;
+  }
+
+  // Some optional string paths are normalized by config handlers:
+  // writing "" is persisted as "unset" (undefined).
+  if (typeof expected === 'string' && expected.trim().length === 0 && (actual === undefined || actual === null)) {
+    const optionalStringSuffixes = ['scaffold_path'];
+    if (optionalStringSuffixes.some((suffix) => path.endsWith(suffix))) {
+      return true;
+    }
+  }
+
+  return false;
+}
+
 function setAssistantSaveState(message, tone = 'neutral') {
   _assistantSaveState = {
     message,
@@ -714,7 +731,7 @@ async function applyAssistantPatch(patches, statusEl) {
           const mismatches = [];
           for (const [key, value] of Object.entries(patches)) {
             const actual = getByPath(fresh, key);
-            if (!valuesMatch(value, actual)) {
+            if (!valuesMatchForPath(key, value, actual)) {
               mismatches.push(`${key} expected=${JSON.stringify(value)} actual=${JSON.stringify(actual)}`);
             }
           }