diff --git a/scripts/test-built-plugin-singleton.mts b/scripts/test-built-plugin-singleton.mts
index bb7bf912c90c..4502cfc64f7e 100644
--- a/scripts/test-built-plugin-singleton.mts
+++ b/scripts/test-built-plugin-singleton.mts
@@ -15,11 +15,13 @@ const smokeEntryPath = path.join(repoRoot, "dist", "plugins", "build-smoke-entry
 assert.ok(fs.existsSync(smokeEntryPath), `missing build output: ${smokeEntryPath}`);
 
 const {
+  buildPluginRuntimeLoadOptions,
   clearPluginCommands,
   getPluginCommandSpecs,
   getPluginModuleLoaderStats,
   loadOpenClawPlugins,
   matchPluginCommand,
+  resolvePluginRuntimeLoadContext,
 } = await import(pathToFileURL(smokeEntryPath).href);
 
 assert.equal(typeof loadOpenClawPlugins, "function", "built loader export missing");
@@ -126,24 +128,28 @@ assert.equal(
 clearPluginCommands();
 
 const smsStatsBefore = getPluginModuleLoaderStats();
-const smsRegistry = loadOpenClawPlugins({
-  cache: false,
-  preferBuiltPluginArtifacts: true,
-  workspaceDir: tempRoot,
-  env: {
-    ...process.env,
-    OPENCLAW_BUNDLED_PLUGINS_DIR: path.join(repoRoot, "dist-runtime", "extensions"),
-  },
-  config: {
-    plugins: {
-      enabled: true,
-      allow: ["sms"],
-      entries: {
-        sms: { enabled: true },
+// Prepared runtimes carry this context into late, plugin-scoped loads. Prove that the load-options
+// projection retains the built-artifact choice instead of reopening source transformation.
+const smsRegistry = loadOpenClawPlugins(
+  buildPluginRuntimeLoadOptions(
+    resolvePluginRuntimeLoadContext({
+      config: {
+        plugins: {
+          enabled: true,
+          allow: ["sms"],
+          entries: { sms: { enabled: true } },
+        },
       },
-    },
-  },
-});
+      env: {
+        ...process.env,
+        OPENCLAW_BUNDLED_PLUGINS_DIR: path.join(repoRoot, "extensions"),
+      },
+      preferBuiltPluginArtifacts: true,
+      workspaceDir: tempRoot,
+    }),
+    { cache: false, onlyPluginIds: ["sms"] },
+  ),
+);
 const smsRecord = smsRegistry.plugins.find((entry: { id: string }) => entry.id === "sms");
 assert.ok(smsRecord, "SMS plugin missing from registry");
 assert.equal(smsRecord.status, "loaded", smsRecord.error ?? "SMS plugin failed to load");
diff --git a/src/agents/prepared-model-runtime.build.ts b/src/agents/prepared-model-runtime.build.ts
index 5c4225d2f083..7e8264982ee2 100644
--- a/src/agents/prepared-model-runtime.build.ts
+++ b/src/agents/prepared-model-runtime.build.ts
@@ -342,10 +342,12 @@ async function buildSnapshotBatch(
     const prepareInboundPluginRegistry = groupInputs.some((input) =>
       inboundPluginRegistryInputs.has(input),
     );
+    const preferBuiltPluginArtifacts =
+      pluginGeneration?.preferBuiltPluginArtifacts ?? prepareInboundPluginRegistry;
     const prepared = await prepareWorkspaceBuildGroup(
       groupInputs,
       catalogMode,
-      {},
+      { preferBuiltPluginArtifacts },
       prepareInboundPluginRegistry ? loadInboundPluginRegistry : undefined,
       pluginGeneration,
       pluginMetadataSnapshot,
diff --git a/src/agents/prepared-model-runtime.facts.ts b/src/agents/prepared-model-runtime.facts.ts
index d208e3fc1eef..8b46c07d9fc9 100644
--- a/src/agents/prepared-model-runtime.facts.ts
+++ b/src/agents/prepared-model-runtime.facts.ts
@@ -140,7 +140,10 @@ function prepareAgentFacts(
 export async function prepareWorkspaceBuildGroup(
   inputs: readonly PreparedModelRuntimeInput[],
   catalogMode: PreparedModelRuntimeCatalogMode,
-  options: { providerDiscoveryProviderIds?: readonly string[] } = {},
+  options: {
+    providerDiscoveryProviderIds?: readonly string[];
+    preferBuiltPluginArtifacts?: boolean;
+  } = {},
   loadInboundPluginRegistry?: PreparedInboundRegistryLoader,
   reusablePluginGeneration?: PreparedModelRuntimePluginGeneration,
   preparedPluginMetadataSnapshot?: PreparedModelRuntimePluginGeneration["pluginMetadataSnapshot"],
@@ -176,9 +179,23 @@ export async function prepareWorkspaceBuildGroup(
         inboundPluginRegistry: reusablePluginGeneration.inboundPluginRegistry,
         runtimePluginRegistry: reusablePluginGeneration.pluginRegistry,
       }
-    : prepareWorkspacePluginRegistries(input, pluginMetadataSnapshot, loadInboundPluginRegistry);
+    : prepareWorkspacePluginRegistries(
+        input,
+        pluginMetadataSnapshot,
+        loadInboundPluginRegistry,
+        options.preferBuiltPluginArtifacts === true,
+      );
   const runtimePluginMs = reusablePluginGeneration ? 0 : performance.now() - runtimePluginStartedAt;
-  prepareOwnedPluginLoadContext(input, env, runtimePluginRegistry, pluginMetadataSnapshot);
+  const preferBuiltPluginArtifacts =
+    reusablePluginGeneration?.preferBuiltPluginArtifacts ??
+    options.preferBuiltPluginArtifacts === true;
+  prepareOwnedPluginLoadContext(
+    input,
+    env,
+    runtimePluginRegistry,
+    pluginMetadataSnapshot,
+    preferBuiltPluginArtifacts,
+  );
   const prepare = async () => {
     const matchesStaticModelId = createStaticModelIdMatcher({
       manifestPlugins: pluginMetadataSnapshot.plugins,
@@ -386,6 +403,7 @@ export async function prepareWorkspaceBuildGroup(
       pluginMetadataSnapshot,
       preparedStaticProviderCatalog,
       providerStaticModels,
+      preferBuiltPluginArtifacts,
       reusablePluginGeneration,
       runtimePluginRegistry,
     });
diff --git a/src/agents/prepared-model-runtime.inbound-registry.test.ts b/src/agents/prepared-model-runtime.inbound-registry.test.ts
index aa1496ef70ea..f01006a357f2 100644
--- a/src/agents/prepared-model-runtime.inbound-registry.test.ts
+++ b/src/agents/prepared-model-runtime.inbound-registry.test.ts
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ import {
   registerPreparedModelRuntimePublicationListener,
   refreshPreparedModelRuntimeSnapshots,
 } from "./prepared-model-runtime.js";
+import { getPreparedPluginRuntimeLoadContext } from "./prepared-model-runtime.plugin-context.js";
 
 const mocks = getPreparedModelRuntimeMocks();
 
@@ -195,6 +196,9 @@ describe("prepared reply dispatch runtime", () => {
       pluginGeneration: configuredRuntimeBefore.pluginGeneration,
     });
     const dynamicSelectedBefore = dynamicLease.snapshot.pluginRegistry;
+    expect(getPreparedPluginRuntimeLoadContext(dynamicSelectedBefore)).toMatchObject({
+      preferBuiltPluginArtifacts: true,
+    });
     dynamicLease.release();
     expect(mocks.loadAgentRuntimePluginRegistryHandle).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2);
     expect(dynamicPreparationRegistries.every(Boolean)).toBe(true);
diff --git a/src/agents/prepared-model-runtime.inbound-registry.ts b/src/agents/prepared-model-runtime.inbound-registry.ts
index 2c0161692106..8c602b0bc220 100644
--- a/src/agents/prepared-model-runtime.inbound-registry.ts
+++ b/src/agents/prepared-model-runtime.inbound-registry.ts
@@ -51,6 +51,7 @@ export function createPreparedInboundRegistryLoader(): PreparedInboundRegistryLo
       ...(input.workspaceDir ? { workspaceDir: input.workspaceDir } : {}),
       ...(input.allowGatewaySubagentBinding ? { allowGatewaySubagentBinding: true } : {}),
       metadataSnapshot,
+      preferBuiltPluginArtifacts: true,
     });
     registries.set(key, registry);
     return registry;
@@ -62,6 +63,7 @@ export function prepareWorkspacePluginRegistries(
   input: PreparedModelRuntimeInput,
   metadataSnapshot: PluginMetadataSnapshot,
   loadInboundRegistry?: PreparedInboundRegistryLoader,
+  preferBuiltPluginArtifacts = false,
 ): {
   runtimePluginRegistry?: PluginRegistry;
   inboundPluginRegistry?: PluginRegistry;
@@ -83,6 +85,7 @@ export function prepareWorkspacePluginRegistries(
           ...(input.workspaceDir ? { workspaceDir: input.workspaceDir } : {}),
           ...(input.allowGatewaySubagentBinding ? { allowGatewaySubagentBinding: true } : {}),
           metadataSnapshot,
+          ...(preferBuiltPluginArtifacts ? { preferBuiltPluginArtifacts: true } : {}),
           selections: input.runtimePluginSelections,
         })
       : inboundPluginRegistry;
diff --git a/src/agents/prepared-model-runtime.plugin-context.test.ts b/src/agents/prepared-model-runtime.plugin-context.test.ts
index 587c7bbf58a1..1570f26955e5 100644
--- a/src/agents/prepared-model-runtime.plugin-context.test.ts
+++ b/src/agents/prepared-model-runtime.plugin-context.test.ts
@@ -42,12 +42,13 @@ describe("prepared model runtime plugin metadata ownership", () => {
     try {
       for (const input of inputs) {
         const registry = createEmptyPluginRegistry();
-        expect(prepareOwnedPluginLoadContext(input, process.env, registry, gatewaySnapshot)).toBe(
-          gatewaySnapshot,
-        );
-        expect(getPreparedPluginRuntimeLoadContext(registry)?.metadataSnapshot).toBe(
-          gatewaySnapshot,
-        );
+        expect(
+          prepareOwnedPluginLoadContext(input, process.env, registry, gatewaySnapshot, true),
+        ).toBe(gatewaySnapshot);
+        expect(getPreparedPluginRuntimeLoadContext(registry)).toMatchObject({
+          metadataSnapshot: gatewaySnapshot,
+          preferBuiltPluginArtifacts: true,
+        });
         expect(
           withPreparedPluginGenerationScope({ input, pluginGeneration }, (snapshot) => snapshot),
         ).toBe(gatewaySnapshot);
@@ -71,6 +72,7 @@ describe("prepared model runtime plugin metadata ownership", () => {
     const resolveMetadata = vi
       .spyOn(pluginMetadata, "loadPluginMetadataSnapshot")
       .mockReturnValue(directSnapshot);
+    const registry = createEmptyPluginRegistry();
 
     try {
       expect(
@@ -81,9 +83,13 @@ describe("prepared model runtime plugin metadata ownership", () => {
             workspaceDir,
           },
           process.env,
-          undefined,
+          registry,
         ),
       ).toBe(directSnapshot);
+      expect(getPreparedPluginRuntimeLoadContext(registry)).toMatchObject({
+        metadataSnapshot: directSnapshot,
+        preferBuiltPluginArtifacts: false,
+      });
       expect(resolveMetadata).toHaveBeenCalledWith({
         config,
         env: process.env,
diff --git a/src/agents/prepared-model-runtime.plugin-context.ts b/src/agents/prepared-model-runtime.plugin-context.ts
index a181f25e60a2..5af021c1ae89 100644
--- a/src/agents/prepared-model-runtime.plugin-context.ts
+++ b/src/agents/prepared-model-runtime.plugin-context.ts
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ function preparePluginLoadContext(
   env: NodeJS.ProcessEnv,
   registry: PluginRegistry | undefined,
   metadataSnapshot: PluginMetadataSnapshot,
+  preferBuiltPluginArtifacts: boolean,
 ): PluginRuntimeLoadContext & { metadataSnapshot: PluginMetadataSnapshot } {
   const { config } = input;
   const workspaceDir = metadataSnapshot.workspaceDir ?? input.workspaceDir;
@@ -44,6 +45,7 @@ function preparePluginLoadContext(
       workspaceDir,
       metadataSnapshot: preparedMetadataSnapshot,
       manifestRegistry: metadataSnapshot.manifestRegistry,
+      preferBuiltPluginArtifacts,
     }),
     metadataSnapshot,
     installRecords: extractPluginInstallRecordsFromInstalledPluginIndex(metadataSnapshot.index),
@@ -61,9 +63,10 @@ export function prepareOwnedPluginLoadContext(
   env: NodeJS.ProcessEnv,
   registry: PluginRegistry | undefined,
   preparedMetadataSnapshot?: PluginMetadataSnapshot,
+  preferBuiltPluginArtifacts = false,
 ): PluginMetadataSnapshot {
   const metadataSnapshot = preparedMetadataSnapshot ?? resolveColdMetadataSnapshot(input, env);
-  preparePluginLoadContext(input, env, registry, metadataSnapshot);
+  preparePluginLoadContext(input, env, registry, metadataSnapshot, preferBuiltPluginArtifacts);
   return metadataSnapshot;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/agents/prepared-model-runtime.plugin-generation.ts b/src/agents/prepared-model-runtime.plugin-generation.ts
index 62bdc040c000..be43871c4757 100644
--- a/src/agents/prepared-model-runtime.plugin-generation.ts
+++ b/src/agents/prepared-model-runtime.plugin-generation.ts
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ export function createPreparedPluginGeneration(params: {
   pluginMetadataSnapshot: PreparedModelRuntimePluginGeneration["pluginMetadataSnapshot"];
   preparedStaticProviderCatalog: PreparedModelRuntimePluginGeneration["preparedStaticProviderCatalog"];
   providerStaticModels: PreparedModelRuntimePluginGeneration["providerStaticModels"];
+  preferBuiltPluginArtifacts?: boolean;
   reusablePluginGeneration?: PreparedModelRuntimePluginGeneration;
   runtimePluginRegistry: PreparedModelRuntimePluginGeneration["pluginRegistry"];
 }): PreparedModelRuntimePluginGeneration {
@@ -35,6 +36,7 @@ export function createPreparedPluginGeneration(params: {
     ...(params.inboundPluginRegistry
       ? { inboundPluginRegistry: params.inboundPluginRegistry }
       : {}),
+    ...(params.preferBuiltPluginArtifacts ? { preferBuiltPluginArtifacts: true } : {}),
     ...(params.mediaCapabilityProviders
       ? { mediaCapabilityProviders: params.mediaCapabilityProviders }
       : {}),
diff --git a/src/agents/prepared-model-runtime.types.ts b/src/agents/prepared-model-runtime.types.ts
index 4082179b0666..cc08bea573fd 100644
--- a/src/agents/prepared-model-runtime.types.ts
+++ b/src/agents/prepared-model-runtime.types.ts
@@ -26,6 +26,8 @@ export type PreparedModelRuntimePluginGeneration = Readonly<{
   configuredCatalogEntries: readonly ModelCatalogEntry[];
   pluginRegistry?: PluginRegistry;
   inboundPluginRegistry?: PluginRegistry;
+  /** Immutable artifact choice for every registry reuse in this generation. */
+  preferBuiltPluginArtifacts?: boolean;
 }>;
 
 export type PreparedModelRuntimeSnapshot = Readonly<{
diff --git a/src/agents/runtime-plugins.test.ts b/src/agents/runtime-plugins.test.ts
index 9380cf6d0282..9ff17434dc04 100644
--- a/src/agents/runtime-plugins.test.ts
+++ b/src/agents/runtime-plugins.test.ts
@@ -162,7 +162,7 @@ describe("agent runtime plugin registries", () => {
     });
   });
 
-  it("preserves the gateway startup scope and ordering", () => {
+  it("keeps an explicit metadata generation source-default without Gateway selection", () => {
     const config = {} as never;
     const metadataSnapshot = createMetadataSnapshot();
 
@@ -184,6 +184,9 @@ describe("agent runtime plugin registries", () => {
         channelPluginLoadIntent: "full",
       }),
     );
+    expect(hoisted.loadPluginRegistryHandle).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+      expect.not.objectContaining({ preferBuiltPluginArtifacts: true }),
+    );
   });
 
   it("inherits the current request registry before process-wide startup metadata", () => {
@@ -242,6 +245,7 @@ describe("agent runtime plugin registries", () => {
       env,
       workspaceDir: "/tmp/agent-workspace",
       metadataSnapshot: snapshot as never,
+      preferBuiltPluginArtifacts: true,
     });
 
     expect(hoisted.resolveAgentRuntimePluginLoadPlan).toHaveBeenCalledWith({
@@ -261,6 +265,7 @@ describe("agent runtime plugin registries", () => {
       installRecords: {},
       manifestRegistry: snapshot.manifestRegistry,
       onlyPluginIds: ["codex", "memory-core"],
+      preferBuiltPluginArtifacts: true,
       runtimeOptions: undefined,
       workspaceDir: snapshot.workspaceDir,
     });
diff --git a/src/agents/runtime-plugins.ts b/src/agents/runtime-plugins.ts
index 2653adc2bca6..6d6fe5647d48 100644
--- a/src/agents/runtime-plugins.ts
+++ b/src/agents/runtime-plugins.ts
@@ -28,7 +28,8 @@ type AgentRuntimePluginRegistryParams = {
   /** Explicit base scope for hosts without a Gateway startup registry. */
   basePluginIds?: readonly string[];
   selections?: readonly AgentHarnessPluginSelection[];
-  /** Lifecycle-selected metadata. Omission selects one standalone cold generation. */
+  /** Lifecycle-owned selection; standalone/direct generations stay source-default. */
+  preferBuiltPluginArtifacts?: boolean;
   metadataSnapshot?: PluginMetadataSnapshot;
 };
 
@@ -63,6 +64,7 @@ function resolveAgentRuntimePluginRegistryLoad(params: AgentRuntimePluginRegistr
     ...(metadataSnapshot.discovery ? { discovery: metadataSnapshot.discovery } : {}),
     installRecords: extractPluginInstallRecordsFromInstalledPluginIndex(metadataSnapshot.index),
     manifestRegistry: metadataSnapshot.manifestRegistry,
+    ...(params.preferBuiltPluginArtifacts ? { preferBuiltPluginArtifacts: true } : {}),
     ...(workspaceDir ? { workspaceDir } : {}),
   };
   const requestPluginRegistry = getPluginRuntimeGatewayRequestScope()?.pluginRegistry;
diff --git a/src/plugins/build-smoke-entry.ts b/src/plugins/build-smoke-entry.ts
index 348c7db77128..a9ff5629c25c 100644
--- a/src/plugins/build-smoke-entry.ts
+++ b/src/plugins/build-smoke-entry.ts
@@ -3,3 +3,7 @@ export { clearPluginCommands, executePluginCommand, matchPluginCommand } from ".
 export { getPluginCommandSpecs } from "./command-specs.js";
 export { loadOpenClawPlugins, loadPluginRegistryHandle } from "./loader.js";
 export { getPluginModuleLoaderStats } from "./plugin-module-loader-cache.js";
+export {
+  buildPluginRuntimeLoadOptions,
+  resolvePluginRuntimeLoadContext,
+} from "./runtime/load-context.js";
diff --git a/src/plugins/runtime/load-context.test.ts b/src/plugins/runtime/load-context.test.ts
index 44e907049368..ff50a3f9ee80 100644
--- a/src/plugins/runtime/load-context.test.ts
+++ b/src/plugins/runtime/load-context.test.ts
@@ -136,6 +136,7 @@ describe("resolvePluginRuntimeLoadContext", () => {
       manifestRegistry,
       metadataSnapshot,
       installRecords: {},
+      preferBuiltPluginArtifacts: false,
     });
     expect(loadPluginMetadataSnapshotMock).toHaveBeenCalledWith({
       allowWorkspaceScopedCurrent: true,
@@ -314,6 +315,7 @@ describe("resolvePluginRuntimeLoadContext", () => {
     const context = resolvePluginRuntimeLoadContext({
       config: { plugins: {} },
       env: { HOME: "/tmp/openclaw-home" } as NodeJS.ProcessEnv,
+      preferBuiltPluginArtifacts: true,
       workspaceDir: "/explicit-workspace",
     });
 
@@ -332,6 +334,7 @@ describe("resolvePluginRuntimeLoadContext", () => {
       logger: context.logger,
       manifestRegistry,
       installRecords: {},
+      preferBuiltPluginArtifacts: true,
       cache: false,
       activate: false,
       onlyPluginIds: ["demo"],
diff --git a/src/plugins/runtime/load-context.ts b/src/plugins/runtime/load-context.ts
index 65ee63766eea..5989e46ea464 100644
--- a/src/plugins/runtime/load-context.ts
+++ b/src/plugins/runtime/load-context.ts
@@ -137,6 +137,7 @@ export type PluginRuntimeLoadContext = {
   manifestRegistry?: PluginManifestRegistry;
   metadataSnapshot?: PluginMetadataSnapshot;
   installRecords?: Record<string, PluginInstallRecord>;
+  preferBuiltPluginArtifacts?: boolean;
 };
 
 /** Runtime load option values that can be passed directly to plugin loading. */
@@ -150,6 +151,7 @@ type PluginRuntimeResolvedLoadValues = Pick<
   | "logger"
   | "manifestRegistry"
   | "installRecords"
+  | "preferBuiltPluginArtifacts"
 >;
 
 /** Options accepted while resolving plugin runtime load context. */
@@ -162,6 +164,7 @@ type PluginRuntimeLoadContextOptions = {
   logger?: PluginLogger;
   manifestRegistry?: PluginManifestRegistry;
   metadataSnapshot?: PluginMetadataSnapshot;
+  preferBuiltPluginArtifacts?: boolean;
 };
 
 /** Creates the default plugin runtime loader logger. */
@@ -262,6 +265,7 @@ export function resolvePluginRuntimeLoadContext(
     ...(finalManifestRegistry ? { manifestRegistry: finalManifestRegistry } : {}),
     ...(metadataSnapshot ? { metadataSnapshot } : {}),
     installRecords,
+    preferBuiltPluginArtifacts: options?.preferBuiltPluginArtifacts === true,
   };
 }
 
@@ -287,6 +291,7 @@ export function buildPluginRuntimeLoadOptionsFromValues(
     logger: values.logger,
     manifestRegistry: values.manifestRegistry,
     installRecords: values.installRecords,
+    preferBuiltPluginArtifacts: values.preferBuiltPluginArtifacts,
     ...overrides,
   };
 }