diff --git a/src/commands/doctor/shared/release-configured-plugin-installs.test.ts b/src/commands/doctor/shared/release-configured-plugin-installs.test.ts
index 2db87b5e384..a83221168ab 100644
--- a/src/commands/doctor/shared/release-configured-plugin-installs.test.ts
+++ b/src/commands/doctor/shared/release-configured-plugin-installs.test.ts
@@ -271,6 +271,46 @@ describe("configured plugin install release step", () => {
     expect(result.completed).toBe(true);
   });
 
+  it("does not stamp config during update-time deferred install repair", async () => {
+    mocks.repairMissingPluginInstallsForIds.mockResolvedValue({
+      changes: [
+        'Deferred missing configured plugin "codex" install repair until post-update doctor.',
+      ],
+      warnings: [],
+    });
+
+    const { maybeRunConfiguredPluginInstallReleaseStep } =
+      await import("./release-configured-plugin-installs.js");
+    const result = await maybeRunConfiguredPluginInstallReleaseStep({
+      cfg: {
+        agents: {
+          defaults: {
+            model: "openai/gpt-5.4",
+            agentRuntime: { id: "codex" },
+          },
+        },
+      },
+      currentVersion: "2026.5.2-beta.1",
+      touchedVersion: "2026.5.1",
+      env: { OPENCLAW_UPDATE_IN_PROGRESS: "1" },
+    });
+
+    expect(mocks.repairMissingPluginInstallsForIds).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+      expect.objectContaining({
+        pluginIds: ["codex"],
+        env: { OPENCLAW_UPDATE_IN_PROGRESS: "1" },
+      }),
+    );
+    expect(result).toEqual({
+      changes: [
+        'Deferred missing configured plugin "codex" install repair until post-update doctor.',
+      ],
+      warnings: [],
+      completed: false,
+      touchedConfig: false,
+    });
+  });
+
   it("does not touch config when install repair warns", async () => {
     mocks.detectPluginAutoEnableCandidates.mockReturnValue([
       { pluginId: "matrix", kind: "channel-configured", channelId: "matrix" },
diff --git a/src/commands/doctor/shared/release-configured-plugin-installs.ts b/src/commands/doctor/shared/release-configured-plugin-installs.ts
index e755bc60666..88a13f98bf1 100644
--- a/src/commands/doctor/shared/release-configured-plugin-installs.ts
+++ b/src/commands/doctor/shared/release-configured-plugin-installs.ts
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import { isChannelConfigured } from "../../../config/channel-configured.js";
 import { detectPluginAutoEnableCandidates } from "../../../config/plugin-auto-enable.js";
 import type { OpenClawConfig } from "../../../config/types.openclaw.js";
 import { compareOpenClawVersions } from "../../../config/version.js";
+import { isTruthyEnvValue } from "../../../infra/env.js";
 import { resolveProviderInstallCatalogEntries } from "../../../plugins/provider-install-catalog.js";
 import { resolveWebSearchInstallCatalogEntry } from "../../../plugins/web-search-install-catalog.js";
 import { VERSION } from "../../../version.js";
@@ -12,6 +13,7 @@ import { repairMissingPluginInstallsForIds } from "./missing-configured-plugin-i
 import { asObjectRecord } from "./object.js";
 
 export const CONFIGURED_PLUGIN_INSTALL_RELEASE_VERSION = "2026.5.2-beta.1";
+const UPDATE_IN_PROGRESS_ENV = "OPENCLAW_UPDATE_IN_PROGRESS";
 
 const AGENT_HARNESS_RUNTIME_PLUGIN_IDS: Readonly<Record<string, string>> = {
   // Codex can be selected as a harness for OpenAI models without a plugin entry.
@@ -343,9 +345,10 @@ export async function maybeRunConfiguredPluginInstallReleaseStep(params: {
     return { changes: [], warnings: [], completed: false, touchedConfig: false };
   }
   const env = params.env ?? process.env;
+  const updateInProgress = isTruthyEnvValue(env[UPDATE_IN_PROGRESS_ENV]);
   const configured = collectReleaseConfiguredPluginIds({ cfg: params.cfg, env });
   if (configured.pluginIds.length === 0 && configured.channelIds.length === 0) {
-    return { changes: [], warnings: [], completed: true, touchedConfig: true };
+    return { changes: [], warnings: [], completed: true, touchedConfig: !updateInProgress };
   }
   const repaired = await repairMissingPluginInstallsForIds({
     cfg: params.cfg,
@@ -354,7 +357,7 @@ export async function maybeRunConfiguredPluginInstallReleaseStep(params: {
     blockedPluginIds: collectBlockedPluginIds(params.cfg),
     env,
   });
-  const completed = repaired.warnings.length === 0;
+  const completed = repaired.warnings.length === 0 && !updateInProgress;
   return {
     changes: repaired.changes,
     warnings: repaired.warnings,