diff --git a/scripts/postinstall-bundled-plugins.mjs b/scripts/postinstall-bundled-plugins.mjs
index 3b7b51bbb14..4f542c8a3bc 100644
--- a/scripts/postinstall-bundled-plugins.mjs
+++ b/scripts/postinstall-bundled-plugins.mjs
@@ -34,7 +34,16 @@ const DEFAULT_PACKAGE_ROOT = join(__dirname, "..");
 const DISABLE_POSTINSTALL_ENV = "OPENCLAW_DISABLE_BUNDLED_PLUGIN_POSTINSTALL";
 const EAGER_BUNDLED_PLUGIN_DEPS_ENV = "OPENCLAW_EAGER_BUNDLED_PLUGIN_DEPS";
 const DIST_INVENTORY_PATH = "dist/postinstall-inventory.json";
-const LEGACY_UPDATE_COMPAT_SIDECARS = [];
+const LEGACY_UPDATE_COMPAT_SIDECARS = [
+  {
+    path: "dist/extensions/qa-channel/runtime-api.js",
+    content: "export {};\n",
+  },
+  {
+    path: "dist/extensions/qa-lab/runtime-api.js",
+    content: "export {};\n",
+  },
+];
 const BAILEYS_MEDIA_FILE = join(
   "node_modules",
   "@whiskeysockets",
diff --git a/src/infra/npm-update-compat-sidecars.ts b/src/infra/npm-update-compat-sidecars.ts
index a378fc5270c..d3f63866c71 100644
--- a/src/infra/npm-update-compat-sidecars.ts
+++ b/src/infra/npm-update-compat-sidecars.ts
@@ -5,7 +5,18 @@ type NpmUpdateCompatSidecar = {
   content: string;
 };
 
-export const NPM_UPDATE_COMPAT_SIDECARS = [] as readonly NpmUpdateCompatSidecar[];
+const EMPTY_RUNTIME_SIDECAR = "export {};\n";
+
+export const NPM_UPDATE_COMPAT_SIDECARS = [
+  {
+    path: "dist/extensions/qa-channel/runtime-api.js",
+    content: EMPTY_RUNTIME_SIDECAR,
+  },
+  {
+    path: `dist/extensions/${LEGACY_QA_LAB_DIR}/runtime-api.js`,
+    content: EMPTY_RUNTIME_SIDECAR,
+  },
+] as const satisfies readonly NpmUpdateCompatSidecar[];
 
 export const NPM_UPDATE_COMPAT_SIDECAR_PATHS = new Set<string>(
   NPM_UPDATE_COMPAT_SIDECARS.map((entry) => entry.path),
diff --git a/test/scripts/postinstall-bundled-plugins.test.ts b/test/scripts/postinstall-bundled-plugins.test.ts
index 4cf5dea3ba9..1a644e96fd0 100644
--- a/test/scripts/postinstall-bundled-plugins.test.ts
+++ b/test/scripts/postinstall-bundled-plugins.test.ts
@@ -291,8 +291,10 @@ describe("bundled plugin postinstall", () => {
     await expect(fs.stat(stalePackage)).rejects.toMatchObject({ code: "ENOENT" });
     await expect(fs.stat(staleManifest)).rejects.toMatchObject({ code: "ENOENT" });
     await expect(
-      fs.stat(path.join(packageRoot, "dist", "extensions", "qa-channel", "runtime-api.js")),
-    ).rejects.toMatchObject({ code: "ENOENT" });
+      fs.readFile(path.join(packageRoot, "dist", "extensions", "qa-channel", "runtime-api.js"), {
+        encoding: "utf8",
+      }),
+    ).resolves.toBe("export {};\n");
     await expect(
       fs.stat(path.join(packageRoot, "dist", "extensions", "qa-channel", "package.json")),
     ).rejects.toMatchObject({ code: "ENOENT" });
@@ -300,8 +302,10 @@ describe("bundled plugin postinstall", () => {
       fs.stat(path.join(packageRoot, "dist", "extensions", "qa-channel", "openclaw.plugin.json")),
     ).rejects.toMatchObject({ code: "ENOENT" });
     await expect(
-      fs.stat(path.join(packageRoot, "dist", "extensions", "qa-lab", "runtime-api.js")),
-    ).rejects.toMatchObject({ code: "ENOENT" });
+      fs.readFile(path.join(packageRoot, "dist", "extensions", "qa-lab", "runtime-api.js"), {
+        encoding: "utf8",
+      }),
+    ).resolves.toBe("export {};\n");
   });
 
   it("keeps packaged postinstall non-fatal when the dist inventory is missing", async () => {