fix(plugins): preload cli backend runtime owners

CHANGELOG.md

@@ -82,10 +82,7 @@ Docs: https://docs.openclaw.ai
 - UI/Windows: quote resolved pnpm `.cmd` launcher paths before spawning UI install/build/test commands so Node installs under `C:\Program Files` no longer fail as `C:\Program`. Fixes #45275. Thanks @Kobevictor, @stoppieboy, and @iubns.
 - Codex/agent: translate `--thinking minimal` to `low` for modern Codex models (gpt-5.5, gpt-5.4, gpt-5.4-mini, gpt-5.2) at request build time so the first turn is accepted instead of paying a wasted call + retry-with-low fallback. Older Codex models still receive `minimal` directly. Fixes #71946. Thanks @hclsys.
 - Plugins/uninstall: remove tracked plugin files from their recorded managed extensions root even when the current state directory points somewhere else, so `openclaw plugins uninstall --force` does not leave the plugin discoverable. Thanks @shakkernerd.
-- Agents/runtime: add `agentRuntime.id` as the canonical config key, migrate
+- Agents/runtime: add `agentRuntime.id` as the canonical config key, migrate legacy runtime-policy configs with `openclaw doctor --fix`, route canonical Anthropic models through `claude-cli` without passing CLI backend aliases to embedded harness selection, and load CLI backend owner plugins before channel startup. Fixes #71957. Thanks @WolvenRA.
-  legacy runtime-policy configs with `openclaw doctor --fix`, and route
-  canonical Anthropic models through `claude-cli` without passing CLI backend
-  aliases to embedded harness selection. Fixes #71957. Thanks @WolvenRA.
 - CLI/update: guard Windows scheduled-task stops by state and timeout so auto-update restart cannot hang indefinitely on `schtasks /End` before stale-listener cleanup. Fixes #69970. Thanks @yangswld and @sherlock-huang.
 - Windows install/Lobster: execute `pnpm.exe` directly when `npm_execpath` points at the native pnpm binary, add an installed-package fallback for the Lobster embedded runtime, and include the Lobster runner regression test in Windows CI. Fixes #69456. Thanks @igormf.
 - Gateway/install: refresh loaded gateway service installs when the current service embeds stale gateway auth instead of returning already-installed, avoiding LaunchAgent token-mismatch loops after token rotation. Fixes #70752. Thanks @hyspacex.

docs/plugins/manifest.md

@@ -231,6 +231,9 @@ Prefer the narrowest metadata that already describes ownership. Use
 `providers`, `channels`, `commandAliases`, setup descriptors, or `contracts`
 when those fields express the relationship. Use `activation` for extra planner
 hints that cannot be represented by those ownership fields.
+Use top-level `cliBackends` for CLI runtime aliases such as `claude-cli`,
+`codex-cli`, or `google-gemini-cli`; `activation.onAgentHarnesses` is only for
+embedded agent harness ids that do not already have an ownership field.
 
 This block is metadata only. It does not register runtime behavior, and it does
 not replace `register(...)`, `setupEntry`, or other runtime/plugin entrypoints.
@@ -250,18 +253,21 @@ change correctness while legacy manifest ownership fallbacks still exist.
 }
 ```
 
-| Field            | Required | Type                                                 | What it means                                                                                           |
+| Field              | Required | Type                                                 | What it means                                                                                                                                     |
-| ---------------- | -------- | ---------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
+| ------------------ | -------- | ---------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
-| `onProviders`    | No       | `string[]`                                           | Provider ids that should include this plugin in activation/load plans.                                  |
+| `onProviders`      | No       | `string[]`                                           | Provider ids that should include this plugin in activation/load plans.                                                                            |
-| `onCommands`     | No       | `string[]`                                           | Command ids that should include this plugin in activation/load plans.                                   |
+| `onAgentHarnesses` | No       | `string[]`                                           | Embedded agent harness runtime ids that should include this plugin in activation/load plans. Use top-level `cliBackends` for CLI backend aliases. |
-| `onChannels`     | No       | `string[]`                                           | Channel ids that should include this plugin in activation/load plans.                                   |
+| `onCommands`       | No       | `string[]`                                           | Command ids that should include this plugin in activation/load plans.                                                                             |
-| `onRoutes`       | No       | `string[]`                                           | Route kinds that should include this plugin in activation/load plans.                                   |
+| `onChannels`       | No       | `string[]`                                           | Channel ids that should include this plugin in activation/load plans.                                                                             |
-| `onCapabilities` | No       | `Array<"provider" \| "channel" \| "tool" \| "hook">` | Broad capability hints used by control-plane activation planning. Prefer narrower fields when possible. |
+| `onRoutes`         | No       | `string[]`                                           | Route kinds that should include this plugin in activation/load plans.                                                                             |
+| `onCapabilities`   | No       | `Array<"provider" \| "channel" \| "tool" \| "hook">` | Broad capability hints used by control-plane activation planning. Prefer narrower fields when possible.                                           |
 
 Current live consumers:
 
 - command-triggered CLI planning falls back to legacy
   `commandAliases[].cliCommand` or `commandAliases[].name`
+- agent-runtime startup planning uses `activation.onAgentHarnesses` for
+  embedded harnesses and top-level `cliBackends[]` for CLI runtime aliases
 - channel-triggered setup/channel planning falls back to legacy `channels[]`
   ownership when explicit channel activation metadata is missing
 - provider-triggered setup/runtime planning falls back to legacy

src/config/plugin-auto-enable.core.test.ts

@@ -312,7 +312,7 @@ describe("applyPluginAutoEnable core", () => {
     expect(result.config.plugins?.entries?.codex?.enabled).toBe(true);
     expect(result.changes).toEqual([
       "openai/gpt-5.5 model configured, enabled automatically.",
-      "codex agent harness runtime configured, enabled automatically.",
+      "codex agent runtime configured, enabled automatically.",
     ]);
   });
 
@@ -341,9 +341,38 @@ describe("applyPluginAutoEnable core", () => {
     });
 
     expect(result.config.plugins?.entries?.codex?.enabled).toBe(true);
-    expect(result.changes).toContain(
+    expect(result.changes).toContain("codex agent runtime configured, enabled automatically.");
-      "codex agent harness runtime configured, enabled automatically.",
+  });
-    );
+
+  it("auto-enables a CLI backend owner when an agent runtime is configured", () => {
+    const result = applyPluginAutoEnable({
+      config: {
+        agents: {
+          defaults: {
+            agentRuntime: {
+              id: "claude-cli",
+              fallback: "none",
+            },
+          },
+        },
+        plugins: {
+          allow: ["telegram"],
+        },
+      },
+      env,
+      manifestRegistry: makeRegistry([
+        {
+          id: "anthropic",
+          channels: [],
+          providers: ["anthropic"],
+          cliBackends: ["claude-cli"],
+        },
+      ]),
+    });
+
+    expect(result.config.plugins?.entries?.anthropic?.enabled).toBe(true);
+    expect(result.config.plugins?.allow).toEqual(["telegram", "anthropic"]);
+    expect(result.changes).toContain("claude-cli agent runtime configured, enabled automatically.");
   });
 
   it("auto-enables an opt-in plugin when an agent harness runtime is forced by env", () => {
@@ -362,9 +391,7 @@ describe("applyPluginAutoEnable core", () => {
     });
 
     expect(result.config.plugins?.entries?.codex?.enabled).toBe(true);
-    expect(result.changes).toContain(
+    expect(result.changes).toContain("codex agent runtime configured, enabled automatically.");
-      "codex agent harness runtime configured, enabled automatically.",
-    );
   });
 
   it("skips auto-enable work for configs without channel or plugin-owned surfaces", () => {

src/config/plugin-auto-enable.shared.ts

@@ -113,7 +113,7 @@ function resolveAgentHarnessOwnerPluginIds(
   }
   return registry.plugins
     .filter((plugin) =>
-      (plugin.activation?.onAgentHarnesses ?? []).some(
+      [...(plugin.activation?.onAgentHarnesses ?? []), ...(plugin.cliBackends ?? [])].some(
         (entry) => normalizeOptionalLowercaseString(entry) === normalizedRuntime,
       ),
     )
@@ -476,7 +476,7 @@ export function resolvePluginAutoEnableCandidateReason(
     case "provider-model-configured":
       return `${candidate.modelRef} model configured`;
     case "agent-harness-runtime-configured":
-      return `${candidate.runtime} agent harness runtime configured`;
+      return `${candidate.runtime} agent runtime configured`;
     case "web-fetch-provider-selected":
       return `${candidate.providerId} web fetch provider selected`;
     case "plugin-web-search-configured":

src/config/plugin-auto-enable.test-helpers.ts

@@ -64,6 +64,7 @@ export function makeRegistry(
     modelSupport?: { modelPrefixes?: string[]; modelPatterns?: string[] };
     contracts?: { webSearchProviders?: string[]; webFetchProviders?: string[]; tools?: string[] };
     providers?: string[];
+    cliBackends?: string[];
     configSchema?: Record<string, unknown>;
     channelConfigs?: Record<string, { schema: Record<string, unknown>; preferOver?: string[] }>;
   }>,
@@ -79,7 +80,7 @@ export function makeRegistry(
       configSchema: plugin.configSchema,
       channelConfigs: plugin.channelConfigs,
       providers: plugin.providers ?? [],
-      cliBackends: [],
+      cliBackends: plugin.cliBackends ?? [],
       skills: [],
       hooks: [],
       origin: "config" as const,

src/plugins/channel-plugin-ids.test.ts

@@ -96,6 +96,30 @@ function createManifestRegistryFixture() {
         providers: ["demo-provider"],
         cliBackends: ["demo-cli"],
       },
+      {
+        id: "anthropic",
+        channels: [],
+        origin: "bundled",
+        enabledByDefault: true,
+        providers: ["anthropic"],
+        cliBackends: ["claude-cli"],
+      },
+      {
+        id: "openai",
+        channels: [],
+        origin: "bundled",
+        enabledByDefault: true,
+        providers: ["openai", "openai-codex"],
+        cliBackends: ["codex-cli"],
+      },
+      {
+        id: "google",
+        channels: [],
+        origin: "bundled",
+        enabledByDefault: true,
+        providers: ["google", "google-gemini-cli"],
+        cliBackends: ["google-gemini-cli"],
+      },
       {
         id: "codex",
         channels: [],
@@ -672,6 +696,52 @@ describe("resolveGatewayStartupPluginIds", () => {
     });
   });
 
+  it("includes required CLI backend owner plugins when the default runtime is forced", () => {
+    expectStartupPluginIdsCase({
+      config: createStartupConfig({
+        agentRuntimeId: "demo-cli",
+        enabledPluginIds: ["demo-provider-plugin"],
+      }),
+      expected: ["demo-channel", "browser", "demo-provider-plugin"],
+    });
+  });
+
+  it.each([
+    ["claude-cli", "anthropic"],
+    ["codex-cli", "openai"],
+    ["google-gemini-cli", "google"],
+  ] as const)("includes the bundled %s CLI backend owner at startup", (runtime, pluginId) => {
+    expectStartupPluginIdsCase({
+      config: createStartupConfig({
+        agentRuntimeId: runtime,
+      }),
+      expected: ["demo-channel", "browser", pluginId],
+    });
+  });
+
+  it("does not include required CLI backend owner plugins when they are explicitly disabled", () => {
+    expectStartupPluginIdsCase({
+      config: {
+        agents: {
+          defaults: {
+            agentRuntime: {
+              id: "demo-cli",
+              fallback: "none",
+            },
+          },
+        },
+        plugins: {
+          entries: {
+            "demo-provider-plugin": {
+              enabled: false,
+            },
+          },
+        },
+      } as OpenClawConfig,
+      expected: ["demo-channel", "browser"],
+    });
+  });
+
   it("does not include required agent harness owner plugins when they are explicitly disabled", () => {
     expectStartupPluginIdsCase({
       config: {

src/plugins/installed-plugin-index.ts

@@ -205,7 +205,10 @@ function buildStartupInfo(record: PluginManifestRecord): InstalledPluginStartupI
     memory: hasKind(record.kind, "memory"),
     deferConfiguredChannelFullLoadUntilAfterListen:
       record.startupDeferConfiguredChannelFullLoadUntilAfterListen === true,
-    agentHarnesses: sortUnique(record.activation?.onAgentHarnesses ?? []),
+    agentHarnesses: sortUnique([
+      ...(record.activation?.onAgentHarnesses ?? []),
+      ...(record.cliBackends ?? []),
+    ]),
   };
 }