diff --git a/src/cli/update-cli.test.ts b/src/cli/update-cli.test.ts
index d3e4eb7b3191..9001103214a3 100644
--- a/src/cli/update-cli.test.ts
+++ b/src/cli/update-cli.test.ts
@@ -3728,6 +3728,12 @@ describe("update-cli", () => {
         "i",
       ),
     );
+    expect(vi.mocked(resolveNpmChannelTag)).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+      expect.objectContaining({ command: installCommand }),
+    );
+    expect(vi.mocked(fetchNpmPackageTargetStatus)).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+      expect.objectContaining({ command: installCommand }),
+    );
     const installOptions = requiredInstallCall[1] as { timeoutMs?: number };
     expect(typeof installOptions.timeoutMs).toBe("number");
   });
@@ -6397,7 +6403,9 @@ describe("update-cli", () => {
     expect(
       vi
         .mocked(runCommandWithTimeout)
-        .mock.calls.some((call) => Array.isArray(call[0]) && call[0][0] === "npm"),
+        .mock.calls.some(
+          (call) => Array.isArray(call[0]) && call[0][0] === "npm" && call[0][1] === "i",
+        ),
     ).toBe(shouldRunPackageUpdate);
   });
 
diff --git a/src/cli/update-cli/shared.ts b/src/cli/update-cli/shared.ts
index 55676f0c2a5f..7e5886c84c1f 100644
--- a/src/cli/update-cli/shared.ts
+++ b/src/cli/update-cli/shared.ts
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ export { readPackageName, readPackageVersion };
 export async function resolveTargetVersion(
   tag: string,
   timeoutMs?: number,
-  options: { spec?: string; cwd?: string; env?: NodeJS.ProcessEnv } = {},
+  options: { spec?: string; command?: string; cwd?: string; env?: NodeJS.ProcessEnv } = {},
 ): Promise<string | null> {
   if (!canResolveRegistryVersionForPackageTarget(tag)) {
     return null;
@@ -111,6 +111,7 @@ export async function resolveTargetVersion(
     tag,
     timeoutMs,
     spec: options.spec,
+    command: options.command,
     cwd: options.cwd,
     env: options.env,
   });
diff --git a/src/cli/update-cli/update-command.ts b/src/cli/update-cli/update-command.ts
index f53b949cb6a7..56b5955a5f0c 100644
--- a/src/cli/update-cli/update-command.ts
+++ b/src/cli/update-cli/update-command.ts
@@ -91,6 +91,7 @@ import {
   resolveGlobalInstallTarget,
   resolveGlobalInstallSpec,
   resolvePnpmGlobalDirFromGlobalRoot,
+  type ResolvedGlobalInstallTarget,
 } from "../../infra/update-global.js";
 import { cleanupStaleManagedServiceUpdateHandoffs } from "../../infra/update-managed-service-handoff-cleanup.js";
 import { runGatewayUpdate, type UpdateRunResult } from "../../infra/update-runner.js";
@@ -1046,6 +1047,7 @@ async function resolvePackageRuntimePreflightError(params: {
   timeoutMs?: number;
   nodeRunner?: string;
   spec?: string;
+  command?: string;
   cwd?: string;
   env?: NodeJS.ProcessEnv;
 }): Promise<string | null> {
@@ -1063,6 +1065,7 @@ async function resolvePackageRuntimePreflightError(params: {
     target,
     spec: params.spec,
     timeoutMs: params.timeoutMs,
+    command: params.command,
     cwd: params.cwd,
     env: params.env,
   });
@@ -1513,21 +1516,25 @@ async function runPackageInstallUpdate(params: {
   honorPackageRoot?: boolean;
   nodeRunner?: string;
   installEnv?: NodeJS.ProcessEnv;
+  installTarget?: ResolvedGlobalInstallTarget;
 }): Promise<UpdateRunResult> {
-  const manager = await resolveGlobalManager({
-    root: params.root,
-    installKind: params.installKind,
-    timeoutMs: params.timeoutMs,
-  });
   const installEnv = params.installEnv ?? (await createGlobalInstallEnv());
   const runCommand = createGlobalCommandRunner();
-  const installTarget = await resolveGlobalInstallTarget({
-    manager,
-    runCommand,
-    timeoutMs: params.timeoutMs,
-    pkgRoot: params.root,
-    honorPackageRoot: params.honorPackageRoot === true,
-  });
+  let installTarget = params.installTarget;
+  if (!installTarget) {
+    const manager = await resolveGlobalManager({
+      root: params.root,
+      installKind: params.installKind,
+      timeoutMs: params.timeoutMs,
+    });
+    installTarget = await resolveGlobalInstallTarget({
+      manager,
+      runCommand,
+      timeoutMs: params.timeoutMs,
+      pkgRoot: params.root,
+      honorPackageRoot: params.honorPackageRoot === true,
+    });
+  }
   const pkgRoot = installTarget.packageRoot;
   const packageName =
     (pkgRoot ? await readPackageName(pkgRoot) : await readPackageName(params.root)) ??
@@ -1630,7 +1637,7 @@ async function runPackageInstallUpdate(params: {
 
   return {
     status: packageUpdate.failedStep ? "error" : "ok",
-    mode: manager,
+    mode: installTarget.manager,
     root: packageUpdate.verifiedPackageRoot ?? params.root,
     reason: packageUpdate.failedStep ? packageUpdate.failedStep.name : undefined,
     before: { version: beforeVersion },
@@ -3298,6 +3305,7 @@ async function updateCommandInternal(opts: UpdateCommandOptions): Promise<void>
   let packageInstallSpec: string | null = null;
   let packageInstallEnv: NodeJS.ProcessEnv | undefined;
   let packageInstallCwd: string | undefined;
+  let packageInstallTarget: ResolvedGlobalInstallTarget | undefined;
   let packageAlreadyCurrent = false;
   let managedServiceRootRedirect: ManagedServiceRootRedirect | null = null;
   // Resolved independently of the root redirect so it covers the common case
@@ -3354,6 +3362,23 @@ async function updateCommandInternal(opts: UpdateCommandOptions): Promise<void>
   if (updateInstallKind !== "git") {
     packageInstallEnv = await createGlobalInstallEnv();
     packageInstallCwd = tryResolveInvocationCwd();
+    if (updateInstallKind === "package") {
+      const manager = await resolveGlobalManager({
+        root,
+        installKind,
+        timeoutMs: updateStepTimeoutMs,
+      });
+      packageInstallTarget = await resolveGlobalInstallTarget({
+        manager,
+        runCommand: createGlobalCommandRunner(),
+        timeoutMs: updateStepTimeoutMs,
+        pkgRoot: root,
+        honorPackageRoot:
+          managedServiceRootRedirect !== null || managedServiceNodeRunner !== undefined,
+      });
+    }
+    const npmMetadataCommand =
+      packageInstallTarget?.manager === "npm" ? packageInstallTarget.command : undefined;
     currentVersion = switchToPackage ? null : await readPackageVersion(root);
     if (explicitTag) {
       const explicitSpec = resolveGlobalInstallSpec({
@@ -3363,6 +3388,7 @@ async function updateCommandInternal(opts: UpdateCommandOptions): Promise<void>
       });
       targetVersion = await resolveTargetVersion(tag, timeoutMs, {
         spec: explicitSpec,
+        command: npmMetadataCommand,
         cwd: packageInstallCwd,
         env: packageInstallEnv,
       });
@@ -3370,6 +3396,7 @@ async function updateCommandInternal(opts: UpdateCommandOptions): Promise<void>
       targetVersion = await resolveNpmChannelTag({
         channel,
         timeoutMs,
+        command: npmMetadataCommand,
         cwd: packageInstallCwd,
         env: packageInstallEnv,
       }).then((resolved) => {
@@ -3516,6 +3543,7 @@ async function updateCommandInternal(opts: UpdateCommandOptions): Promise<void>
       spec: packageInstallSpec ?? undefined,
       timeoutMs,
       nodeRunner: managedServiceNodeRunner,
+      command: packageInstallTarget?.manager === "npm" ? packageInstallTarget.command : undefined,
       cwd: packageInstallCwd,
       env: packageInstallEnv,
     });
@@ -3623,6 +3651,7 @@ async function updateCommandInternal(opts: UpdateCommandOptions): Promise<void>
               managedServiceRootRedirect !== null || managedServiceNodeRunner !== undefined,
             nodeRunner: managedServiceNodeRunner,
             installEnv: packageInstallEnv,
+            installTarget: packageInstallTarget,
           })
         : await runGitUpdate({
             root,
diff --git a/src/infra/update-check.test.ts b/src/infra/update-check.test.ts
index 23150747a483..113b732af9a4 100644
--- a/src/infra/update-check.test.ts
+++ b/src/infra/update-check.test.ts
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ import fs from "node:fs/promises";
 import http from "node:http";
 import type { AddressInfo } from "node:net";
 import path from "node:path";
-import { beforeEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
+import { afterEach, beforeEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
 import { runCommandWithTimeout } from "../process/exec.js";
 import { withTempDir } from "../test-helpers/temp-dir.js";
 import {
@@ -74,6 +74,10 @@ describe("resolveNpmChannelTag", () => {
     runCommand = runCommandMock as unknown as NpmMetadataCommandRunner;
   });
 
+  afterEach(() => {
+    vi.unstubAllGlobals();
+  });
+
   it("delegates package target metadata to npm view with global config scope", async () => {
     versionByTag.latest = "1.0.4";
     const env = { ...process.env, NPM_CONFIG_USERCONFIG: "/tmp/openclaw-user-npmrc" };
@@ -82,6 +86,7 @@ describe("resolveNpmChannelTag", () => {
       fetchNpmPackageTargetStatus({
         target: "latest",
         spec: "openclaw@latest",
+        command: "/opt/openclaw/node/bin/npm",
         timeoutMs: 1000,
         cwd: "/tmp/openclaw-project",
         env,
@@ -94,7 +99,15 @@ describe("resolveNpmChannelTag", () => {
     });
 
     expect(runCommandMock).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
-      ["npm", "view", "openclaw@latest", "version", "engines.node", "--json", "--global"],
+      [
+        "/opt/openclaw/node/bin/npm",
+        "view",
+        "openclaw@latest",
+        "version",
+        "engines.node",
+        "--json",
+        "--global",
+      ],
       expect.objectContaining({
         timeoutMs: 1000,
         cwd: "/tmp/openclaw-project",
@@ -153,6 +166,7 @@ describe("resolveNpmChannelTag", () => {
         await expect(
           fetchNpmPackageTargetStatus({
             target: "latest",
+            command: "npm",
             timeoutMs: 10_000,
             cwd: project,
             env: {
@@ -180,6 +194,31 @@ describe("resolveNpmChannelTag", () => {
     });
   });
 
+  it("uses the public registry when no npm command is available", async () => {
+    const fetch = vi.fn(async () => {
+      return {
+        ok: true,
+        json: async () => ({
+          version: "2026.6.8",
+          engines: { node: ">=22.19.0" },
+        }),
+      } as Response;
+    });
+    vi.stubGlobal("fetch", fetch);
+
+    await expect(
+      fetchNpmPackageTargetStatus({ target: "latest", timeoutMs: 1000 }),
+    ).resolves.toEqual({
+      target: "latest",
+      version: "2026.6.8",
+      nodeEngine: ">=22.19.0",
+    });
+    expect(fetch).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+      "https://registry.npmjs.org/openclaw/latest",
+      expect.objectContaining({ signal: expect.any(AbortSignal) }),
+    );
+  });
+
   it("falls back to latest when beta is older", async () => {
     versionByTag.beta = "1.0.0-beta.1";
     versionByTag.latest = "1.0.1-1";
diff --git a/src/infra/update-check.ts b/src/infra/update-check.ts
index 22601ea772d2..66d9fa714b00 100644
--- a/src/infra/update-check.ts
+++ b/src/infra/update-check.ts
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 import fs from "node:fs/promises";
 import path from "node:path";
 import { runCommandWithTimeout } from "../process/exec.js";
+import { fetchWithTimeout } from "../utils/fetch-timeout.js";
 import { detectPackageManager as detectPackageManagerImpl } from "./detect-package-manager.js";
 import { compareOpenClawReleaseVersions } from "./npm-registry-spec.js";
 import { compareComparableSemver, parseComparableSemver } from "./semver-compare.js";
@@ -105,6 +106,38 @@ function packageTargetSpec(params: { target: string; spec?: string }): string {
   return spec || `openclaw@${params.target.trim() || "latest"}`;
 }
 
+async function fetchPublicNpmPackageTargetStatus(params: {
+  target: string;
+  timeoutMs: number;
+}): Promise<NpmPackageTargetStatus> {
+  try {
+    const res = await fetchWithTimeout(
+      `https://registry.npmjs.org/openclaw/${encodeURIComponent(params.target)}`,
+      {},
+      Math.max(250, params.timeoutMs),
+    );
+    if (!res.ok) {
+      return {
+        target: params.target,
+        version: null,
+        nodeEngine: null,
+        error: `HTTP ${res.status}`,
+      };
+    }
+    const json = (await res.json()) as {
+      version?: unknown;
+      engines?: { node?: unknown };
+    };
+    return {
+      target: params.target,
+      version: toOptionalTrimmedString(json.version),
+      nodeEngine: toOptionalTrimmedString(json.engines?.node),
+    };
+  } catch (err) {
+    return { target: params.target, version: null, nodeEngine: null, error: String(err) };
+  }
+}
+
 export function formatGitInstallLabel(update: UpdateCheckResult): string | null {
   if (update.installKind !== "git") {
     return null;
@@ -387,17 +420,21 @@ export async function fetchNpmPackageTargetStatus(params: {
   target: string;
   timeoutMs?: number;
   spec?: string;
+  command?: string;
   cwd?: string;
   env?: NodeJS.ProcessEnv;
   runCommand?: NpmMetadataCommandRunner;
 }): Promise<NpmPackageTargetStatus> {
   const timeoutMs = params.timeoutMs ?? 3500;
   const target = params.target;
+  if (!params.command && !params.runCommand) {
+    return await fetchPublicNpmPackageTargetStatus({ target, timeoutMs });
+  }
   const runCommand = params.runCommand ?? runCommandWithTimeout;
   try {
     const res = await runCommand(
       [
-        "npm",
+        params.command ?? "npm",
         "view",
         packageTargetSpec({ target, spec: params.spec }),
         "version",
@@ -431,6 +468,7 @@ export async function fetchNpmTagVersion(params: {
   tag: string;
   timeoutMs?: number;
   spec?: string;
+  command?: string;
   cwd?: string;
   env?: NodeJS.ProcessEnv;
   runCommand?: NpmMetadataCommandRunner;
@@ -439,6 +477,7 @@ export async function fetchNpmTagVersion(params: {
     target: params.tag,
     timeoutMs: params.timeoutMs,
     spec: params.spec,
+    command: params.command,
     cwd: params.cwd,
     env: params.env,
     runCommand: params.runCommand,
@@ -453,6 +492,7 @@ export async function fetchNpmTagVersion(params: {
 export async function resolveNpmChannelTag(params: {
   channel: UpdateChannel;
   timeoutMs?: number;
+  command?: string;
   cwd?: string;
   env?: NodeJS.ProcessEnv;
   runCommand?: NpmMetadataCommandRunner;
@@ -461,6 +501,7 @@ export async function resolveNpmChannelTag(params: {
   const channelStatus = await fetchNpmTagVersion({
     tag: channelTag,
     timeoutMs: params.timeoutMs,
+    command: params.command,
     cwd: params.cwd,
     env: params.env,
     runCommand: params.runCommand,
@@ -472,6 +513,7 @@ export async function resolveNpmChannelTag(params: {
   const latestStatus = await fetchNpmTagVersion({
     tag: "latest",
     timeoutMs: params.timeoutMs,
+    command: params.command,
     cwd: params.cwd,
     env: params.env,
     runCommand: params.runCommand,