Version

2026.6.10 (macOS Apple Silicon, npm global install)

Summary

openclaw update succeeds at the core swap but fails during the post-update plugin sync: every format=bundle plugin (Claude-plugin layout — .claude-plugin/plugin.json + skills/, no package.json) is reported as a missing payload. The update exits 1 and leaves the gateway unloaded (down), even though those bundle plugins load fine at runtime.

Environment

• OpenClaw 2026.6.10, npm global (/opt/homebrew/lib/node_modules/openclaw)
• ~13 first-party format=bundle plugins under ~/.openclaw/extensions/*, each with .claude-plugin/plugin.json + skills/, no top-level package.json; all in plugins.allow, all status=loaded at runtime.

Steps to reproduce

1. Have at least one format=bundle plugin in ~/.openclaw/extensions/ (.claude-plugin/plugin.json, no package.json).
2. Run openclaw update --yes.

Actual

• Core update OK (✓ global update, ✓ global install swap).
• For each bundle plugin: Plugin install payload missing after update: package.json is missing under ~/.openclaw/extensions/<name> then failed post-core payload smoke check (missing-package-json).
• Update failed during plugin post-update sync., exit 1.
• Gateway left unloaded (launchctl list | grep ai.openclaw.gateway empty; openclaw daemon status → Runtime unknown / Connectivity failed) → outage until manual recovery.

Expected

• The smoke check should recognize format=bundle plugins (validate .claude-plugin/plugin.json), or skip the npm-payload check for non-npm plugin formats.
• A plugin-sync failure must NOT unload an already-healthy gateway.

Workaround

The core update actually succeeded and the bundle plugins load fine. Recover with:

openclaw daemon start

The gateway returns on the new version with all bundle plugins loaded.

Notes

openclaw plugins list --json shows the affected plugins as format=bundle status=loaded — confirming this is the update-time smoke check being npm-format-specific, not a real payload problem.