diff --git a/extensions/irc/channel-plugin-api.ts b/extensions/irc/channel-plugin-api.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..89ce5ce14fb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/extensions/irc/channel-plugin-api.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+// Keep bundled channel entry imports narrow so bootstrap/discovery paths do
+// not drag IRC runtime/send/monitor surfaces into lightweight plugin loads.
+export { ircPlugin } from "./src/channel.js";
diff --git a/extensions/irc/index.test.ts b/extensions/irc/index.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..a097752a8cf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/extensions/irc/index.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+import { describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
+import entry from "./index.js";
+import setupEntry from "./setup-entry.js";
+
+describe("irc bundled entries", () => {
+  it("loads the channel plugin without importing the broad api barrel", () => {
+    const plugin = entry.loadChannelPlugin();
+    expect(plugin.id).toBe("irc");
+  });
+
+  it("loads the setup plugin without importing the broad api barrel", () => {
+    const plugin = setupEntry.loadSetupPlugin();
+    expect(plugin.id).toBe("irc");
+  });
+});
diff --git a/extensions/irc/index.ts b/extensions/irc/index.ts
index 2fe1f5e3c3b..0df2821a8d8 100644
--- a/extensions/irc/index.ts
+++ b/extensions/irc/index.ts
@@ -6,11 +6,11 @@ export default defineBundledChannelEntry({
   description: "IRC channel plugin",
   importMetaUrl: import.meta.url,
   plugin: {
-    specifier: "./api.js",
+    specifier: "./channel-plugin-api.js",
     exportName: "ircPlugin",
   },
   runtime: {
-    specifier: "./api.js",
+    specifier: "./runtime-api.js",
     exportName: "setIrcRuntime",
   },
 });
diff --git a/extensions/irc/runtime-api.ts b/extensions/irc/runtime-api.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..00cbd87af5e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/extensions/irc/runtime-api.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+// Keep the bundled runtime entry narrow so generic runtime activation does not
+// import the broad IRC API barrel just to install runtime state.
+export { setIrcRuntime } from "./src/runtime.js";
diff --git a/extensions/irc/setup-entry.ts b/extensions/irc/setup-entry.ts
index 2ea75121957..16e7732960a 100644
--- a/extensions/irc/setup-entry.ts
+++ b/extensions/irc/setup-entry.ts
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ import { defineBundledChannelSetupEntry } from "openclaw/plugin-sdk/channel-entr
 export default defineBundledChannelSetupEntry({
   importMetaUrl: import.meta.url,
   plugin: {
-    specifier: "./api.js",
+    specifier: "./channel-plugin-api.js",
     exportName: "ircPlugin",
   },
 });
diff --git a/extensions/irc/src/channel-runtime.ts b/extensions/irc/src/channel-runtime.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..26984c543ae
--- /dev/null
+++ b/extensions/irc/src/channel-runtime.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+// Runtime-only IRC helpers for lazy chat plugin hooks.
+// Keeping this boundary separate keeps bundled entry loads off monitor/send.
+export { monitorIrcProvider } from "./monitor.js";
+export { sendMessageIrc } from "./send.js";
diff --git a/extensions/irc/src/channel.ts b/extensions/irc/src/channel.ts
index 376ec08cab2..683a5654dce 100644
--- a/extensions/irc/src/channel.ts
+++ b/extensions/irc/src/channel.ts
@@ -37,7 +37,6 @@ import {
 } from "./channel-api.js";
 import { IrcChannelConfigSchema } from "./config-schema.js";
 import { collectIrcMutableAllowlistWarnings } from "./doctor.js";
-import { monitorIrcProvider } from "./monitor.js";
 import {
   normalizeIrcMessagingTarget,
   looksLikeIrcTargetId,
@@ -48,7 +47,6 @@ import { resolveIrcGroupMatch, resolveIrcRequireMention } from "./policy.js";
 import { probeIrc } from "./probe.js";
 import { getIrcRuntime } from "./runtime.js";
 import { collectRuntimeConfigAssignments, secretTargetRegistryEntries } from "./secret-contract.js";
-import { sendMessageIrc } from "./send.js";
 import { ircSetupAdapter } from "./setup-core.js";
 import { ircSetupWizard } from "./setup-surface.js";
 import type { CoreConfig, IrcProbe } from "./types.js";
@@ -66,6 +64,15 @@ const meta = {
   markdownCapable: true,
 };
 
+type IrcChannelRuntimeModule = typeof import("./channel-runtime.js");
+
+let ircChannelRuntimePromise: Promise<IrcChannelRuntimeModule> | undefined;
+
+async function loadIrcChannelRuntime(): Promise<IrcChannelRuntimeModule> {
+  ircChannelRuntimePromise ??= import("./channel-runtime.js");
+  return await ircChannelRuntimePromise;
+}
+
 function normalizePairingTarget(raw: string): string {
   const normalized = normalizeIrcAllowEntry(raw);
   if (!normalized) {
@@ -325,6 +332,7 @@ export const ircPlugin: ChannelPlugin<ResolvedIrcAccount, IrcProbe> = createChat
         ctx.log?.info(
           `[${account.accountId}] starting IRC provider (${account.host}:${account.port}${account.tls ? " tls" : ""})`,
         );
+        const { monitorIrcProvider } = await loadIrcChannelRuntime();
         await runStoppablePassiveMonitor({
           abortSignal: ctx.abortSignal,
           start: async () =>
@@ -349,6 +357,7 @@ export const ircPlugin: ChannelPlugin<ResolvedIrcAccount, IrcProbe> = createChat
         if (!target) {
           throw new Error(`invalid IRC pairing id: ${id}`);
         }
+        const { sendMessageIrc } = await loadIrcChannelRuntime();
         await sendMessageIrc(target, message);
       },
     },
@@ -367,18 +376,22 @@ export const ircPlugin: ChannelPlugin<ResolvedIrcAccount, IrcProbe> = createChat
     },
     attachedResults: {
       channel: "irc",
-      sendText: async ({ cfg, to, text, accountId, replyToId }) =>
-        await sendMessageIrc(to, text, {
+      sendText: async ({ cfg, to, text, accountId, replyToId }) => {
+        const { sendMessageIrc } = await loadIrcChannelRuntime();
+        return await sendMessageIrc(to, text, {
           cfg: cfg as CoreConfig,
           accountId: accountId ?? undefined,
           replyTo: replyToId ?? undefined,
-        }),
-      sendMedia: async ({ cfg, to, text, mediaUrl, accountId, replyToId }) =>
-        await sendMessageIrc(to, mediaUrl ? `${text}\n\nAttachment: ${mediaUrl}` : text, {
+        });
+      },
+      sendMedia: async ({ cfg, to, text, mediaUrl, accountId, replyToId }) => {
+        const { sendMessageIrc } = await loadIrcChannelRuntime();
+        return await sendMessageIrc(to, mediaUrl ? `${text}\n\nAttachment: ${mediaUrl}` : text, {
           cfg: cfg as CoreConfig,
           accountId: accountId ?? undefined,
           replyTo: replyToId ?? undefined,
-        }),
+        });
+      },
     },
   },
 });
diff --git a/extensions/irc/src/setup.test.ts b/extensions/irc/src/setup.test.ts
index 5bf534ba1bf..598c8b7faeb 100644
--- a/extensions/irc/src/setup.test.ts
+++ b/extensions/irc/src/setup.test.ts
@@ -28,13 +28,13 @@ import type { CoreConfig } from "./types.js";
 
 const hoisted = vi.hoisted(() => ({
   monitorIrcProvider: vi.fn(),
+  sendMessageIrc: vi.fn(),
 }));
 
-vi.mock("./monitor.js", async () => {
-  const actual = await vi.importActual<typeof import("./monitor.js")>("./monitor.js");
+vi.mock("./channel-runtime.js", () => {
   return {
-    ...actual,
     monitorIrcProvider: hoisted.monitorIrcProvider,
+    sendMessageIrc: hoisted.sendMessageIrc,
   };
 });
 
diff --git a/extensions/lobster/src/lobster-taskflow.test.ts b/extensions/lobster/src/lobster-taskflow.test.ts
index 3be9c46d7ea..73d771dbcf2 100644
--- a/extensions/lobster/src/lobster-taskflow.test.ts
+++ b/extensions/lobster/src/lobster-taskflow.test.ts
@@ -7,16 +7,6 @@ type BoundTaskFlow = ReturnType<
   NonNullable<OpenClawPluginApi["runtime"]>["taskFlow"]["bindSession"]
 >;
 
-function expectManagedFlowFailure(
-  result: Awaited<ReturnType<typeof runManagedLobsterFlow | typeof resumeManagedLobsterFlow>>,
-) {
-  expect(result.ok).toBe(false);
-  if (result.ok) {
-    throw new Error("Expected managed Lobster flow to fail");
-  }
-  return result;
-}
-
 function createFakeTaskFlow(overrides?: Partial<BoundTaskFlow>) {
   const baseFlow = {
     flowId: "flow-1",
@@ -170,8 +160,11 @@ describe("runManagedLobsterFlow", () => {
       goal: "Run Lobster workflow",
     });
 
-    const failure = expectManagedFlowFailure(result);
-    expect(failure.error.message).toBe("boom");
+    expect(result.ok).toBe(false);
+    if (result.ok) {
+      throw new Error("expected managed Lobster flow to fail");
+    }
+    expect(result.error.message).toBe("boom");
     expect(taskFlow.fail).toHaveBeenCalledWith({
       flowId: "flow-1",
       expectedRevision: 1,
@@ -198,8 +191,11 @@ describe("runManagedLobsterFlow", () => {
       goal: "Run Lobster workflow",
     });
 
-    const failure = expectManagedFlowFailure(result);
-    expect(failure.error.message).toBe("crashed");
+    expect(result.ok).toBe(false);
+    if (result.ok) {
+      throw new Error("expected managed Lobster flow to fail");
+    }
+    expect(result.error.message).toBe("crashed");
     expect(taskFlow.fail).toHaveBeenCalledWith({
       flowId: "flow-1",
       expectedRevision: 1,
@@ -274,8 +270,11 @@ describe("resumeManagedLobsterFlow", () => {
       },
     });
 
-    const failure = expectManagedFlowFailure(result);
-    expect(failure.error.message).toMatch(/revision_conflict/);
+    expect(result.ok).toBe(false);
+    if (result.ok) {
+      throw new Error("expected resumed Lobster flow to fail");
+    }
+    expect(result.error.message).toMatch(/revision_conflict/);
     expect(runner.run).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
   });
 
diff --git a/extensions/lobster/src/lobster-taskflow.ts b/extensions/lobster/src/lobster-taskflow.ts
index 04c7e62a854..1dfd2f8e488 100644
--- a/extensions/lobster/src/lobster-taskflow.ts
+++ b/extensions/lobster/src/lobster-taskflow.ts
@@ -101,8 +101,6 @@ function toJsonLike(value: unknown, seen = new WeakSet<object>()): JsonLike {
       seen.delete(value);
       return jsonObject;
     }
-    default:
-      return null;
   }
   return null;
 }
diff --git a/extensions/matrix/channel-plugin-api.ts b/extensions/matrix/channel-plugin-api.ts
index 20c485c90b8..4129dc75cc5 100644
--- a/extensions/matrix/channel-plugin-api.ts
+++ b/extensions/matrix/channel-plugin-api.ts
@@ -1,3 +1,3 @@
 // Keep bundled channel entry imports narrow so bootstrap/discovery paths do
-// not drag Matrix setup and onboarding helpers into lightweight plugin loads.
+// not pull the broad Matrix API barrel into lightweight plugin loads.
 export { matrixPlugin } from "./src/channel.js";
diff --git a/extensions/matrix/cli-metadata.ts b/extensions/matrix/cli-metadata.ts
index aad8ffba7ef..a3f03a9ceaf 100644
--- a/extensions/matrix/cli-metadata.ts
+++ b/extensions/matrix/cli-metadata.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 import { definePluginEntry } from "openclaw/plugin-sdk/core";
 import { registerMatrixCliMetadata } from "./src/cli-metadata.js";
 
+export { registerMatrixCliMetadata } from "./src/cli-metadata.js";
+
 export default definePluginEntry({
   id: "matrix",
   name: "Matrix",
diff --git a/extensions/matrix/index.ts b/extensions/matrix/index.ts
index 86a4e52f1b4..1395ae4084c 100644
--- a/extensions/matrix/index.ts
+++ b/extensions/matrix/index.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import { defineBundledChannelEntry } from "openclaw/plugin-sdk/channel-entry-contract";
 import type { OpenClawPluginApi } from "openclaw/plugin-sdk/channel-entry-contract";
-import { registerMatrixCliMetadata } from "./src/cli-metadata.js";
+import { registerMatrixCliMetadata } from "./cli-metadata.js";
 
 export default defineBundledChannelEntry({
   id: "matrix",
diff --git a/scripts/lib/bundled-runtime-sidecar-paths.json b/scripts/lib/bundled-runtime-sidecar-paths.json
index 15d7bfe17a8..bcf07ed612f 100644
--- a/scripts/lib/bundled-runtime-sidecar-paths.json
+++ b/scripts/lib/bundled-runtime-sidecar-paths.json
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
   "dist/extensions/google/runtime-api.js",
   "dist/extensions/googlechat/runtime-api.js",
   "dist/extensions/imessage/runtime-api.js",
+  "dist/extensions/irc/runtime-api.js",
   "dist/extensions/line/runtime-api.js",
   "dist/extensions/lobster/runtime-api.js",
   "dist/extensions/matrix/helper-api.js",
diff --git a/src/plugins/contracts/plugin-sdk-runtime-api-guardrails.test.ts b/src/plugins/contracts/plugin-sdk-runtime-api-guardrails.test.ts
index eeceb833dc7..fbe4bc96e73 100644
--- a/src/plugins/contracts/plugin-sdk-runtime-api-guardrails.test.ts
+++ b/src/plugins/contracts/plugin-sdk-runtime-api-guardrails.test.ts
@@ -89,6 +89,9 @@ const RUNTIME_API_EXPORT_GUARDS: Record<string, readonly string[]> = {
     'export { createWebhookInFlightLimiter, readJsonWebhookBodyOrReject, type WebhookInFlightLimiter } from "openclaw/plugin-sdk/webhook-request-guards";',
     'export { setGoogleChatRuntime } from "./src/runtime.js";',
   ],
+  [bundledPluginFile("irc", "runtime-api.ts")]: [
+    'export { setIrcRuntime } from "./src/runtime.js";',
+  ],
   [bundledPluginFile("matrix", "runtime-api.ts")]: [
     'export * from "./src/auth-precedence.js";',
     'export { requiresExplicitMatrixDefaultAccount, resolveMatrixDefaultOrOnlyAccountId } from "./src/account-selection.js";',