feat(core): --insecure flag and QWEN_TLS_INSECURE env var (#3535)

docs/users/support/troubleshooting.md

@@ -27,6 +27,10 @@ This guide provides solutions to common issues and debugging tips, including top
     - If you are behind a proxy, set it via `qwen --proxy <url>` (or the `proxy` setting in `settings.json`).
     - If your network uses a corporate TLS inspection CA, set `NODE_EXTRA_CA_CERTS` as described above.
 
+- **Self-signed model endpoint: `[API Error: Connection error. (cause: fetch failed)]`**
+  - **Cause:** A self-signed or otherwise untrusted TLS certificate on the model server (common in dev / lab / homelab setups). Setting `NODE_TLS_REJECT_UNAUTHORIZED=0` alone does **not** fix this for `fetch`-based code paths because Node's bundled HTTP client (`undici`) ignores that env var by design.
+  - **Solution:** Pass `--insecure` on the command line, set `QWEN_TLS_INSECURE=1`, or set `NODE_TLS_REJECT_UNAUTHORIZED=0` (Qwen Code now also honors the latter for parity with Claude Code / Node's legacy http stack). All three configure undici with `rejectUnauthorized: false` for outbound model API and MCP traffic. Only use this on networks you trust — it disables certificate verification for the entire process.
+
 - **Issue: Unable to display UI after authentication failure**
   - **Cause:** If authentication fails after selecting an authentication type, the `security.auth.selectedType` setting may be persisted in `settings.json`. On restart, the CLI may get stuck trying to authenticate with the failed auth type and fail to display the UI.
   - **Solution:** Clear the `security.auth.selectedType` configuration item in your `settings.json` file:

packages/cli/src/commands/auth/handler.ts

@@ -90,6 +90,7 @@ export async function handleQwenAuth(
       openaiBaseUrl: undefined,
       openaiLoggingDir: undefined,
       proxy: undefined,
+      insecure: undefined,
       includeDirectories: undefined,
       screenReader: undefined,
       inputFormat: undefined,

packages/cli/src/config/config.test.ts

@@ -800,6 +800,85 @@ describe('loadCliConfig', () => {
       expect(config.getProxy()).toBe('http://localhost:7890');
     });
   });
+
+  describe('Insecure / TLS-skip configuration (#3535)', () => {
+    const insecureEnvVars = [
+      'QWEN_TLS_INSECURE',
+      'NODE_TLS_REJECT_UNAUTHORIZED',
+    ];
+    const original: { [key: string]: string | undefined } = {};
+
+    beforeEach(() => {
+      for (const key of insecureEnvVars) {
+        original[key] = process.env[key];
+        delete process.env[key];
+      }
+    });
+
+    afterEach(() => {
+      for (const key of insecureEnvVars) {
+        if (original[key] !== undefined) {
+          process.env[key] = original[key];
+        } else {
+          delete process.env[key];
+        }
+      }
+    });
+
+    it('defaults to false', async () => {
+      process.argv = ['node', 'script.js'];
+      const argv = await parseArguments();
+      const config = await loadCliConfig({}, argv);
+      expect(config.getInsecure()).toBe(false);
+    });
+
+    it('honors --insecure flag', async () => {
+      process.argv = ['node', 'script.js', '--insecure'];
+      const argv = await parseArguments();
+      const config = await loadCliConfig({}, argv);
+      expect(config.getInsecure()).toBe(true);
+    });
+
+    it('honors QWEN_TLS_INSECURE=1', async () => {
+      vi.stubEnv('QWEN_TLS_INSECURE', '1');
+      process.argv = ['node', 'script.js'];
+      const argv = await parseArguments();
+      const config = await loadCliConfig({}, argv);
+      expect(config.getInsecure()).toBe(true);
+    });
+
+    it('honors NODE_TLS_REJECT_UNAUTHORIZED=0 (matches Claude Code/Node convention)', async () => {
+      vi.stubEnv('NODE_TLS_REJECT_UNAUTHORIZED', '0');
+      process.argv = ['node', 'script.js'];
+      const argv = await parseArguments();
+      const config = await loadCliConfig({}, argv);
+      expect(config.getInsecure()).toBe(true);
+    });
+
+    it('ignores QWEN_TLS_INSECURE=0 / arbitrary values', async () => {
+      vi.stubEnv('QWEN_TLS_INSECURE', '0');
+      process.argv = ['node', 'script.js'];
+      const argv = await parseArguments();
+      const config = await loadCliConfig({}, argv);
+      expect(config.getInsecure()).toBe(false);
+    });
+
+    it('ignores NODE_TLS_REJECT_UNAUTHORIZED=1', async () => {
+      vi.stubEnv('NODE_TLS_REJECT_UNAUTHORIZED', '1');
+      process.argv = ['node', 'script.js'];
+      const argv = await parseArguments();
+      const config = await loadCliConfig({}, argv);
+      expect(config.getInsecure()).toBe(false);
+    });
+
+    it('--insecure overrides explicit env=0', async () => {
+      vi.stubEnv('QWEN_TLS_INSECURE', '0');
+      process.argv = ['node', 'script.js', '--insecure'];
+      const argv = await parseArguments();
+      const config = await loadCliConfig({}, argv);
+      expect(config.getInsecure()).toBe(true);
+    });
+  });
 });
 
 describe('loadCliConfig telemetry', () => {

packages/cli/src/config/config.ts

@@ -136,6 +136,7 @@ export interface CliArgs {
   openaiBaseUrl: string | undefined;
   openaiLoggingDir: string | undefined;
   proxy: string | undefined;
+  insecure: boolean | undefined;
   includeDirectories: string[] | undefined;
   screenReader: boolean | undefined;
   inputFormat?: string | undefined;
@@ -163,6 +164,30 @@ export interface CliArgs {
   inputFile?: string | undefined;
 }
 
+/**
+ * Resolve the effective TLS-insecure setting from (in order):
+ *   1. ``--insecure`` CLI flag,
+ *   2. ``QWEN_TLS_INSECURE`` env var (truthy: ``1``, ``true``, ``yes``,
+ *      case-insensitive),
+ *   3. ``NODE_TLS_REJECT_UNAUTHORIZED=0`` for parity with Node's legacy
+ *      ``http`` stack and Claude Code -- undici (used by ``fetch``)
+ *      otherwise ignores this env var, leaving users surprised that the
+ *      flag they set "for everything" silently does nothing here (#3535).
+ */
+function resolveInsecureFlag(cliFlag: boolean | undefined): boolean {
+  if (cliFlag) {
+    return true;
+  }
+  const qwenEnv = process.env['QWEN_TLS_INSECURE']?.trim().toLowerCase();
+  if (qwenEnv === '1' || qwenEnv === 'true' || qwenEnv === 'yes') {
+    return true;
+  }
+  if (process.env['NODE_TLS_REJECT_UNAUTHORIZED']?.trim() === '0') {
+    return true;
+  }
+  return false;
+}
+
 function normalizeOutputFormat(
   format: string | OutputFormat | undefined,
 ): OutputFormat | undefined {
@@ -272,6 +297,14 @@ export async function parseArguments(): Promise<CliArgs> {
       'proxy',
       'Use the "proxy" setting in settings.json instead. This flag will be removed in a future version.',
     )
+    .option('insecure', {
+      type: 'boolean',
+      description:
+        'Skip TLS certificate verification for outbound HTTPS requests. ' +
+        'Use for self-signed dev/lab endpoints. Equivalent env vars: ' +
+        'QWEN_TLS_INSECURE=1 or NODE_TLS_REJECT_UNAUTHORIZED=0.',
+      default: false,
+    })
     .option('chat-recording', {
       type: 'boolean',
       description:
@@ -1158,6 +1191,7 @@ export async function loadCliConfig(
       process.env['https_proxy'] ||
       process.env['HTTP_PROXY'] ||
       process.env['http_proxy'],
+    insecure: resolveInsecureFlag(argv.insecure),
     cwd,
     fileDiscoveryService: fileService,
     bugCommand: settings.advanced?.bugCommand,

packages/cli/src/gemini.test.tsx

@@ -594,6 +594,7 @@ describe('gemini.tsx main function kitty protocol', () => {
       openaiBaseUrl: undefined,
       openaiLoggingDir: undefined,
       proxy: undefined,
+      insecure: undefined,
       includeDirectories: undefined,
       screenReader: undefined,
       inputFormat: undefined,

packages/core/src/config/config.ts

@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ import * as path from 'node:path';
 import process from 'node:process';
 
 // External dependencies
-import { ProxyAgent, setGlobalDispatcher } from 'undici';
+import { Agent, ProxyAgent, setGlobalDispatcher } from 'undici';
 
 // Types
 import type {
@@ -372,6 +372,13 @@ export interface ConfigParameters {
   };
   checkpointing?: boolean;
   proxy?: string;
+  /**
+   * Disable TLS certificate verification for outbound HTTPS requests
+   * (model APIs, MCP servers reached over HTTPS, and similar). Intended for
+   * self-signed dev/lab endpoints. See ``getInsecure`` for the resolution
+   * order applied at the CLI layer (#3535).
+   */
+  insecure?: boolean;
   cwd: string;
   fileDiscoveryService?: FileDiscoveryService;
   includeDirectories?: string[];
@@ -613,6 +620,7 @@ export class Config {
   private chatRecordingService: ChatRecordingService | undefined = undefined;
   private readonly checkpointing: boolean;
   private readonly proxy: string | undefined;
+  private readonly insecure: boolean;
   private readonly cwd: string;
   private readonly explicitIncludeDirectories: string[];
   private readonly bugCommand: BugCommandSettings | undefined;
@@ -759,6 +767,7 @@ export class Config {
     };
     this.checkpointing = params.checkpointing ?? false;
     this.proxy = params.proxy;
+    this.insecure = params.insecure ?? false;
     this.cwd = params.cwd ?? process.cwd();
     this.fileDiscoveryService = params.fileDiscoveryService ?? null;
     this.bugCommand = params.bugCommand;
@@ -850,8 +859,22 @@ export class Config {
     }
 
     const proxyUrl = this.getProxy();
+    // The global dispatcher backs every ``fetch`` call that does not provide
+    // its own dispatcher (MCP transports, streaming endpoints, telemetry).
+    // Apply both proxy and insecure-TLS here so they take effect uniformly,
+    // not only for the SDK clients we control directly (#3535).
+    const connect = this.insecure ? { rejectUnauthorized: false } : undefined;
     if (proxyUrl) {
-      setGlobalDispatcher(new ProxyAgent(proxyUrl));
+      setGlobalDispatcher(
+        new ProxyAgent({
+          uri: proxyUrl,
+          ...(connect ? { connect } : {}),
+        }),
+      );
+    } else if (this.insecure) {
+      setGlobalDispatcher(
+        new Agent({ connect: { rejectUnauthorized: false } }),
+      );
     }
     this.geminiClient = new GeminiClient(this);
     this.chatRecordingService = this.chatRecordingEnabled
@@ -2035,6 +2058,20 @@ export class Config {
     return normalizeProxyUrl(this.proxy);
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Whether outbound HTTPS connections should skip TLS certificate
+   * verification. Useful for self-signed dev/lab model endpoints (#3535).
+   *
+   * Resolution order is applied by the CLI layer:
+   *   1. ``--insecure`` flag
+   *   2. ``QWEN_TLS_INSECURE`` env var (truthy: ``1``, ``true``, ``yes``)
+   *   3. ``NODE_TLS_REJECT_UNAUTHORIZED=0`` for parity with Node's
+   *      legacy http stack and Claude Code.
+   */
+  getInsecure(): boolean {
+    return this.insecure;
+  }
+
   getWorkingDir(): string {
     return this.cwd;
   }

packages/core/src/core/anthropicContentGenerator/anthropicContentGenerator.test.ts

@@ -97,6 +97,7 @@ describe('AnthropicContentGenerator', () => {
     mockConfig = {
       getCliVersion: vi.fn().mockReturnValue('1.2.3'),
       getProxy: vi.fn().mockReturnValue(undefined),
+      getInsecure: vi.fn().mockReturnValue(false),
     } as unknown as Config;
   });
 

packages/core/src/core/anthropicContentGenerator/anthropicContentGenerator.ts

@@ -66,10 +66,10 @@ export class AnthropicContentGenerator implements ContentGenerator {
     const baseURL = contentGeneratorConfig.baseUrl;
     // Configure runtime options to ensure user-configured timeout works as expected
     // bodyTimeout is always disabled (0) to let Anthropic SDK timeout control the request
-    const runtimeOptions = buildRuntimeFetchOptions(
-      'anthropic',
-      this.cliConfig.getProxy(),
-    );
+    const runtimeOptions = buildRuntimeFetchOptions('anthropic', {
+      proxyUrl: this.cliConfig.getProxy(),
+      insecure: this.cliConfig.getInsecure(),
+    });
 
     this.client = new Anthropic({
       apiKey: contentGeneratorConfig.apiKey,

packages/core/src/core/openaiContentGenerator/provider/dashscope.test.ts

@@ -69,6 +69,7 @@ describe('DashScopeOpenAICompatibleProvider', () => {
         enableCacheControl: true,
       }),
       getProxy: vi.fn().mockReturnValue(undefined),
+      getInsecure: vi.fn().mockReturnValue(false),
     } as unknown as Config;
 
     provider = new DashScopeOpenAICompatibleProvider(

packages/core/src/core/openaiContentGenerator/provider/dashscope.ts

@@ -63,10 +63,10 @@ export class DashScopeOpenAICompatibleProvider extends DefaultOpenAICompatiblePr
     const defaultHeaders = this.buildHeaders();
     // Configure fetch options to ensure user-configured timeout works as expected
     // bodyTimeout is always disabled (0) to let OpenAI SDK timeout control the request
-    const runtimeOptions = buildRuntimeFetchOptions(
-      'openai',
-      this.cliConfig.getProxy(),
-    );
+    const runtimeOptions = buildRuntimeFetchOptions('openai', {
+      proxyUrl: this.cliConfig.getProxy(),
+      insecure: this.cliConfig.getInsecure(),
+    });
     return new OpenAI({
       apiKey,
       baseURL: baseUrl,

packages/core/src/core/openaiContentGenerator/provider/default.test.ts

@@ -62,6 +62,7 @@ describe('DefaultOpenAICompatibleProvider', () => {
     mockCliConfig = {
       getCliVersion: vi.fn().mockReturnValue('1.0.0'),
       getProxy: vi.fn().mockReturnValue(undefined),
+      getInsecure: vi.fn().mockReturnValue(false),
     } as unknown as Config;
 
     provider = new DefaultOpenAICompatibleProvider(

packages/core/src/core/openaiContentGenerator/provider/default.ts

@@ -51,10 +51,10 @@ export class DefaultOpenAICompatibleProvider
     const defaultHeaders = this.buildHeaders();
     // Configure fetch options to ensure user-configured timeout works as expected
     // bodyTimeout is always disabled (0) to let OpenAI SDK timeout control the request
-    const runtimeOptions = buildRuntimeFetchOptions(
-      'openai',
-      this.cliConfig.getProxy(),
-    );
+    const runtimeOptions = buildRuntimeFetchOptions('openai', {
+      proxyUrl: this.cliConfig.getProxy(),
+      insecure: this.cliConfig.getInsecure(),
+    });
     return new OpenAI({
       apiKey,
       baseURL: baseUrl,