diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 3099e069c91..44d6db3c2bb 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ Docs: https://docs.openclaw.ai
 ### Fixes
 
 - Agents/sessions: keep delayed `sessions_send` A2A replies alive after soft wait-window timeouts, while preserving terminal run timeouts and avoiding stale target replies in requester sessions. Fixes #76443. Thanks @ryswork1993 and @vincentkoc.
+- Config/doctor: cap `.clobbered.*` forensic snapshots per config path and serialize snapshot writes so repeated `doctor --fix` recovery loops cannot flood the config directory. Fixes #76454; carries forward #65649. Thanks @JUSTICEESSIELP, @rsnow, and @vincentkoc.
 - Channels/secrets: resolve SecretRef-backed channel credentials through external plugin secret contracts after the plugin split, covering runtime startup, target discovery, webhook auth, disabled-account enumeration, and late-bound web_search config. Fixes #76371. (#76449) Thanks @joshavant and @neeravmakwana.
 - Docker/Gateway: pass Docker setup `.env` values into gateway and CLI containers and preserve exec SecretRef `passEnv` keys in managed service plans, so 1Password Connect-backed Discord tokens keep resolving after doctor or plugin repair. Thanks @vincentkoc.
 - Control UI/WebChat: explain compaction boundaries in chat history and link directly to session checkpoint controls so pre-compaction turns no longer look silently lost after refresh. Fixes #76415. Thanks @BunsDev.
diff --git a/src/config/io.clobber-snapshot.test.ts b/src/config/io.clobber-snapshot.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..f9a8f4d67c0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/config/io.clobber-snapshot.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,86 @@
+import fs from "node:fs";
+import fsp from "node:fs/promises";
+import os from "node:os";
+import path from "node:path";
+import { afterAll, beforeAll, describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
+import {
+  CONFIG_CLOBBER_SNAPSHOT_LIMIT,
+  persistBoundedClobberedConfigSnapshot,
+  persistBoundedClobberedConfigSnapshotSync,
+} from "./io.clobber-snapshot.js";
+
+describe("config clobber snapshots", () => {
+  let fixtureRoot = "";
+  let caseId = 0;
+
+  beforeAll(async () => {
+    fixtureRoot = await fsp.mkdtemp(path.join(os.tmpdir(), "openclaw-config-clobber-"));
+  });
+
+  afterAll(async () => {
+    await fsp.rm(fixtureRoot, { recursive: true, force: true });
+  });
+
+  async function withCase<T>(fn: (configPath: string) => Promise<T>): Promise<T> {
+    const home = path.join(fixtureRoot, `case-${caseId++}`);
+    const configPath = path.join(home, ".openclaw", "openclaw.json");
+    await fsp.mkdir(path.dirname(configPath), { recursive: true });
+    await fsp.writeFile(configPath, "{}\n", "utf-8");
+    return await fn(configPath);
+  }
+
+  async function listClobberFiles(configPath: string): Promise<string[]> {
+    const entries = await fsp.readdir(path.dirname(configPath));
+    const prefix = `${path.basename(configPath)}.clobbered.`;
+    return entries.filter((entry) => entry.startsWith(prefix));
+  }
+
+  it("keeps concurrent async snapshots under the per-path cap", async () => {
+    await withCase(async (configPath) => {
+      const warn = vi.fn();
+      const observedAt = "2026-05-03T00:00:00.000Z";
+
+      await Promise.all(
+        Array.from({ length: CONFIG_CLOBBER_SNAPSHOT_LIMIT + 24 }, async (_, index) => {
+          await persistBoundedClobberedConfigSnapshot({
+            deps: { fs, logger: { warn } },
+            configPath,
+            raw: `polluted-${index}\n`,
+            observedAt,
+          });
+        }),
+      );
+
+      const clobberFiles = await listClobberFiles(configPath);
+      expect(clobberFiles).toHaveLength(CONFIG_CLOBBER_SNAPSHOT_LIMIT);
+      const capWarnings = warn.mock.calls.filter(
+        ([message]) =>
+          typeof message === "string" && message.includes("Config clobber snapshot cap reached"),
+      );
+      expect(capWarnings).toHaveLength(1);
+    });
+  });
+
+  it("keeps sync snapshots under the per-path cap and warns once", async () => {
+    await withCase(async (configPath) => {
+      const warn = vi.fn();
+
+      for (let index = 0; index < CONFIG_CLOBBER_SNAPSHOT_LIMIT + 3; index++) {
+        persistBoundedClobberedConfigSnapshotSync({
+          deps: { fs, logger: { warn } },
+          configPath,
+          raw: `polluted-${index}\n`,
+          observedAt: `2026-05-03T00:00:${String(index).padStart(2, "0")}.000Z`,
+        });
+      }
+
+      const clobberFiles = await listClobberFiles(configPath);
+      expect(clobberFiles).toHaveLength(CONFIG_CLOBBER_SNAPSHOT_LIMIT);
+      const capWarnings = warn.mock.calls.filter(
+        ([message]) =>
+          typeof message === "string" && message.includes("Config clobber snapshot cap reached"),
+      );
+      expect(capWarnings).toHaveLength(1);
+    });
+  });
+});
diff --git a/src/config/io.clobber-snapshot.ts b/src/config/io.clobber-snapshot.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..39d42a727cd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/config/io.clobber-snapshot.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,239 @@
+import path from "node:path";
+
+export const CONFIG_CLOBBER_SNAPSHOT_LIMIT = 32;
+
+const CONFIG_CLOBBER_LOCK_STALE_MS = 30_000;
+const CONFIG_CLOBBER_LOCK_RETRY_MS = 10;
+const CONFIG_CLOBBER_LOCK_TIMEOUT_MS = 2_000;
+const clobberCapWarnedPaths = new Set<string>();
+
+type ConfigClobberSnapshotFs = {
+  promises: {
+    mkdir(path: string, options?: { recursive?: boolean; mode?: number }): Promise<unknown>;
+    readdir(path: string): Promise<string[]>;
+    rmdir(path: string): Promise<unknown>;
+    stat(path: string): Promise<{ mtimeMs?: number } | null>;
+    writeFile(
+      path: string,
+      data: string,
+      options?: { encoding?: BufferEncoding; mode?: number; flag?: string },
+    ): Promise<unknown>;
+  };
+  mkdirSync(path: string, options?: { recursive?: boolean; mode?: number }): unknown;
+  readdirSync(path: string): string[];
+  rmdirSync(path: string): unknown;
+  statSync(path: string, options?: { throwIfNoEntry?: boolean }): { mtimeMs?: number } | null;
+  writeFileSync(
+    path: string,
+    data: string,
+    options?: { encoding?: BufferEncoding; mode?: number; flag?: string },
+  ): unknown;
+};
+
+export type ConfigClobberSnapshotDeps = {
+  fs: ConfigClobberSnapshotFs;
+  logger: Pick<typeof console, "warn">;
+};
+
+function formatConfigArtifactTimestamp(ts: string): string {
+  return ts.replaceAll(":", "-").replaceAll(".", "-");
+}
+
+function isFsErrorCode(error: unknown, code: string): boolean {
+  return (
+    error instanceof Error &&
+    "code" in error &&
+    typeof (error as { code?: unknown }).code === "string" &&
+    (error as { code: string }).code === code
+  );
+}
+
+function sleep(ms: number): Promise<void> {
+  return new Promise((resolve) => setTimeout(resolve, ms));
+}
+
+function resolveClobberPaths(configPath: string): {
+  dir: string;
+  prefix: string;
+  lockPath: string;
+} {
+  const dir = path.dirname(configPath);
+  const basename = path.basename(configPath);
+  return {
+    dir,
+    prefix: `${basename}.clobbered.`,
+    lockPath: path.join(dir, `${basename}.clobber.lock`),
+  };
+}
+
+function shouldRemoveStaleLock(mtimeMs: number | undefined, nowMs: number): boolean {
+  return typeof mtimeMs === "number" && nowMs - mtimeMs > CONFIG_CLOBBER_LOCK_STALE_MS;
+}
+
+async function acquireClobberLock(
+  deps: ConfigClobberSnapshotDeps,
+  lockPath: string,
+): Promise<boolean> {
+  const startedAt = Date.now();
+  while (Date.now() - startedAt < CONFIG_CLOBBER_LOCK_TIMEOUT_MS) {
+    try {
+      await deps.fs.promises.mkdir(lockPath, { mode: 0o700 });
+      return true;
+    } catch (error) {
+      if (!isFsErrorCode(error, "EEXIST")) {
+        return false;
+      }
+      const stat = await deps.fs.promises.stat(lockPath).catch(() => null);
+      if (shouldRemoveStaleLock(stat?.mtimeMs, Date.now())) {
+        await deps.fs.promises.rmdir(lockPath).catch(() => {});
+        continue;
+      }
+      await sleep(CONFIG_CLOBBER_LOCK_RETRY_MS);
+    }
+  }
+  return false;
+}
+
+function acquireClobberLockSync(deps: ConfigClobberSnapshotDeps, lockPath: string): boolean {
+  for (let attempt = 0; attempt < 2; attempt++) {
+    try {
+      deps.fs.mkdirSync(lockPath, { mode: 0o700 });
+      return true;
+    } catch (error) {
+      if (!isFsErrorCode(error, "EEXIST")) {
+        return false;
+      }
+      const stat = deps.fs.statSync(lockPath, { throwIfNoEntry: false });
+      if (!shouldRemoveStaleLock(stat?.mtimeMs, Date.now())) {
+        return false;
+      }
+      try {
+        deps.fs.rmdirSync(lockPath);
+      } catch {
+        return false;
+      }
+    }
+  }
+  return false;
+}
+
+async function countClobberedSiblings(
+  deps: ConfigClobberSnapshotDeps,
+  dir: string,
+  prefix: string,
+): Promise<number> {
+  try {
+    const entries = await deps.fs.promises.readdir(dir);
+    return entries.filter((entry) => entry.startsWith(prefix)).length;
+  } catch {
+    return 0;
+  }
+}
+
+function countClobberedSiblingsSync(
+  deps: ConfigClobberSnapshotDeps,
+  dir: string,
+  prefix: string,
+): number {
+  try {
+    return deps.fs.readdirSync(dir).filter((entry) => entry.startsWith(prefix)).length;
+  } catch {
+    return 0;
+  }
+}
+
+function warnClobberCapReached(
+  deps: ConfigClobberSnapshotDeps,
+  configPath: string,
+  existing: number,
+): void {
+  if (clobberCapWarnedPaths.has(configPath)) {
+    return;
+  }
+  clobberCapWarnedPaths.add(configPath);
+  deps.logger.warn(
+    `Config clobber snapshot cap reached for ${configPath}: ${existing} existing .clobbered.* files; skipping additional forensic snapshots.`,
+  );
+}
+
+function buildClobberedTargetPath(configPath: string, observedAt: string, attempt: number): string {
+  const basePath = `${configPath}.clobbered.${formatConfigArtifactTimestamp(observedAt)}`;
+  return attempt === 0 ? basePath : `${basePath}-${String(attempt).padStart(2, "0")}`;
+}
+
+export async function persistBoundedClobberedConfigSnapshot(params: {
+  deps: ConfigClobberSnapshotDeps;
+  configPath: string;
+  raw: string;
+  observedAt: string;
+}): Promise<string | null> {
+  const paths = resolveClobberPaths(params.configPath);
+  const locked = await acquireClobberLock(params.deps, paths.lockPath);
+  if (!locked) {
+    return null;
+  }
+  try {
+    const existing = await countClobberedSiblings(params.deps, paths.dir, paths.prefix);
+    if (existing >= CONFIG_CLOBBER_SNAPSHOT_LIMIT) {
+      warnClobberCapReached(params.deps, params.configPath, existing);
+      return null;
+    }
+    for (let attempt = 0; attempt < CONFIG_CLOBBER_SNAPSHOT_LIMIT; attempt++) {
+      const targetPath = buildClobberedTargetPath(params.configPath, params.observedAt, attempt);
+      try {
+        await params.deps.fs.promises.writeFile(targetPath, params.raw, {
+          encoding: "utf-8",
+          mode: 0o600,
+          flag: "wx",
+        });
+        return targetPath;
+      } catch (error) {
+        if (!isFsErrorCode(error, "EEXIST")) {
+          return null;
+        }
+      }
+    }
+    return null;
+  } finally {
+    await params.deps.fs.promises.rmdir(paths.lockPath).catch(() => {});
+  }
+}
+
+export function persistBoundedClobberedConfigSnapshotSync(params: {
+  deps: ConfigClobberSnapshotDeps;
+  configPath: string;
+  raw: string;
+  observedAt: string;
+}): string | null {
+  const paths = resolveClobberPaths(params.configPath);
+  if (!acquireClobberLockSync(params.deps, paths.lockPath)) {
+    return null;
+  }
+  try {
+    const existing = countClobberedSiblingsSync(params.deps, paths.dir, paths.prefix);
+    if (existing >= CONFIG_CLOBBER_SNAPSHOT_LIMIT) {
+      warnClobberCapReached(params.deps, params.configPath, existing);
+      return null;
+    }
+    for (let attempt = 0; attempt < CONFIG_CLOBBER_SNAPSHOT_LIMIT; attempt++) {
+      const targetPath = buildClobberedTargetPath(params.configPath, params.observedAt, attempt);
+      try {
+        params.deps.fs.writeFileSync(targetPath, params.raw, {
+          encoding: "utf-8",
+          mode: 0o600,
+          flag: "wx",
+        });
+        return targetPath;
+      } catch (error) {
+        if (!isFsErrorCode(error, "EEXIST")) {
+          return null;
+        }
+      }
+    }
+    return null;
+  } finally {
+    try {
+      params.deps.fs.rmdirSync(paths.lockPath);
+    } catch {}
+  }
+}
diff --git a/src/config/io.observe-recovery.test.ts b/src/config/io.observe-recovery.test.ts
index 89de8f02c1d..a7f188082b7 100644
--- a/src/config/io.observe-recovery.test.ts
+++ b/src/config/io.observe-recovery.test.ts
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import os from "node:os";
 import path from "node:path";
 import JSON5 from "json5";
 import { afterAll, beforeAll, describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
+import { CONFIG_CLOBBER_SNAPSHOT_LIMIT } from "./io.clobber-snapshot.js";
 import {
   maybeRecoverSuspiciousConfigRead,
   maybeRecoverSuspiciousConfigReadSync,
@@ -71,6 +72,12 @@ describe("config observe recovery", () => {
       .filter((line) => line.event === "config.observe");
   }
 
+  async function listClobberFiles(configPath: string): Promise<string[]> {
+    const entries = await fsp.readdir(path.dirname(configPath));
+    const prefix = `${path.basename(configPath)}.clobbered.`;
+    return entries.filter((entry) => entry.startsWith(prefix));
+  }
+
   async function readLastObserveEvent(
     auditPath: string,
   ): Promise<Record<string, unknown> | undefined> {
@@ -409,6 +416,31 @@ describe("config observe recovery", () => {
     });
   });
 
+  it("caps concurrent recovery clobber snapshots while preserving audit records", async () => {
+    await withSuiteHome(async (home) => {
+      const { deps, configPath, auditPath, warn } = makeDeps(home);
+      await seedConfigBackup(configPath, recoverableTelegramConfig);
+      await writeClobberedUpdateChannel(configPath);
+
+      await Promise.all(
+        Array.from({ length: CONFIG_CLOBBER_SNAPSHOT_LIMIT + 18 }, async () => {
+          await recoverClobberedUpdateChannel({ deps, configPath });
+        }),
+      );
+
+      const clobberFiles = await listClobberFiles(configPath);
+      expect(clobberFiles.length).toBeLessThanOrEqual(CONFIG_CLOBBER_SNAPSHOT_LIMIT);
+      const observeEvents = await readObserveEvents(auditPath);
+      expect(observeEvents.length).toBeGreaterThan(0);
+      expect(observeEvents.at(-1)).toHaveProperty("clobberedPath");
+      const capWarnings = warn.mock.calls.filter(
+        ([message]) =>
+          typeof message === "string" && message.includes("Config clobber snapshot cap reached"),
+      );
+      expect(capWarnings.length).toBeLessThanOrEqual(1);
+    });
+  });
+
   it("sync recovery uses backup baseline when health state is absent", async () => {
     await withSuiteHome(async (home) => {
       const { deps, configPath, auditPath } = makeDeps(home);
diff --git a/src/config/io.observe-recovery.ts b/src/config/io.observe-recovery.ts
index 028b1f1025e..a9f676139bd 100644
--- a/src/config/io.observe-recovery.ts
+++ b/src/config/io.observe-recovery.ts
@@ -7,6 +7,10 @@ import {
   snapshotConfigAuditProcessInfo,
   type ConfigObserveAuditRecord,
 } from "./io.audit.js";
+import {
+  persistBoundedClobberedConfigSnapshot,
+  persistBoundedClobberedConfigSnapshotSync,
+} from "./io.clobber-snapshot.js";
 import { formatConfigIssueSummary } from "./issue-format.js";
 import { resolveStateDir } from "./paths.js";
 import {
@@ -37,6 +41,8 @@ export type ObserveRecoveryDeps = {
       copyFile(src: string, dest: string): Promise<unknown>;
       chmod?(path: string, mode: number): Promise<unknown>;
       mkdir(path: string, options?: { recursive?: boolean; mode?: number }): Promise<unknown>;
+      readdir(path: string): Promise<string[]>;
+      rmdir(path: string): Promise<unknown>;
       appendFile(
         path: string,
         data: string,
@@ -65,6 +71,8 @@ export type ObserveRecoveryDeps = {
     copyFileSync(src: string, dest: string): unknown;
     chmodSync?(path: string, mode: number): unknown;
     mkdirSync(path: string, options?: { recursive?: boolean; mode?: number }): unknown;
+    readdirSync(path: string): string[];
+    rmdirSync(path: string): unknown;
     appendFileSync(
       path: string,
       data: string,
@@ -530,10 +538,6 @@ function readConfigFingerprintForPathSync(
   }
 }
 
-function formatConfigArtifactTimestamp(ts: string): string {
-  return ts.replaceAll(":", "-").replaceAll(".", "-");
-}
-
 export function resolveLastKnownGoodConfigPath(configPath: string): string {
   return `${configPath}.last-good`;
 }
@@ -575,44 +579,6 @@ function collectPollutedSecretPlaceholders(
   return output;
 }
 
-async function persistClobberedConfigSnapshot(params: {
-  deps: ObserveRecoveryDeps;
-  configPath: string;
-  raw: string;
-  observedAt: string;
-}): Promise<string | null> {
-  const targetPath = `${params.configPath}.clobbered.${formatConfigArtifactTimestamp(params.observedAt)}`;
-  try {
-    await params.deps.fs.promises.writeFile(targetPath, params.raw, {
-      encoding: "utf-8",
-      mode: 0o600,
-      flag: "wx",
-    });
-    return targetPath;
-  } catch {
-    return null;
-  }
-}
-
-function persistClobberedConfigSnapshotSync(params: {
-  deps: ObserveRecoveryDeps;
-  configPath: string;
-  raw: string;
-  observedAt: string;
-}): string | null {
-  const targetPath = `${params.configPath}.clobbered.${formatConfigArtifactTimestamp(params.observedAt)}`;
-  try {
-    params.deps.fs.writeFileSync(targetPath, params.raw, {
-      encoding: "utf-8",
-      mode: 0o600,
-      flag: "wx",
-    });
-    return targetPath;
-  } catch {
-    return null;
-  }
-}
-
 export async function maybeRecoverSuspiciousConfigRead(params: {
   deps: ObserveRecoveryDeps;
   configPath: string;
@@ -663,7 +629,7 @@ export async function maybeRecoverSuspiciousConfigRead(params: {
     return { raw: params.raw, parsed: params.parsed };
   }
 
-  const clobberedPath = await persistClobberedConfigSnapshot({
+  const clobberedPath = await persistBoundedClobberedConfigSnapshot({
     deps: params.deps,
     configPath: params.configPath,
     raw: params.raw,
@@ -770,7 +736,7 @@ export function maybeRecoverSuspiciousConfigReadSync(params: {
     return { raw: params.raw, parsed: params.parsed };
   }
 
-  const clobberedPath = persistClobberedConfigSnapshotSync({
+  const clobberedPath = persistBoundedClobberedConfigSnapshotSync({
     deps: params.deps,
     configPath: params.configPath,
     raw: params.raw,
@@ -924,7 +890,7 @@ export async function recoverConfigFromLastKnownGood(params: {
     stat: stat as ConfigStatMetadataSource,
     observedAt: now,
   });
-  const clobberedPath = await persistClobberedConfigSnapshot({
+  const clobberedPath = await persistBoundedClobberedConfigSnapshot({
     deps,
     configPath: snapshot.path,
     raw: snapshot.raw,
diff --git a/src/config/io.ts b/src/config/io.ts
index 494e806cf2f..d66ed79401c 100644
--- a/src/config/io.ts
+++ b/src/config/io.ts
@@ -50,6 +50,10 @@ import {
   snapshotConfigAuditProcessInfo,
   type ConfigWriteAuditResult,
 } from "./io.audit.js";
+import {
+  persistBoundedClobberedConfigSnapshot,
+  persistBoundedClobberedConfigSnapshotSync,
+} from "./io.clobber-snapshot.js";
 import { throwInvalidConfig } from "./io.invalid-config.js";
 import {
   maybeRecoverSuspiciousConfigRead,
@@ -579,44 +583,6 @@ function formatConfigArtifactTimestamp(ts: string): string {
   return ts.replaceAll(":", "-").replaceAll(".", "-");
 }
 
-async function persistClobberedConfigSnapshot(params: {
-  deps: Required<ConfigIoDeps>;
-  configPath: string;
-  raw: string;
-  observedAt: string;
-}): Promise<string | null> {
-  const targetPath = `${params.configPath}.clobbered.${formatConfigArtifactTimestamp(params.observedAt)}`;
-  try {
-    await params.deps.fs.promises.writeFile(targetPath, params.raw, {
-      encoding: "utf-8",
-      mode: 0o600,
-      flag: "wx",
-    });
-    return targetPath;
-  } catch {
-    return null;
-  }
-}
-
-function persistClobberedConfigSnapshotSync(params: {
-  deps: Required<ConfigIoDeps>;
-  configPath: string;
-  raw: string;
-  observedAt: string;
-}): string | null {
-  const targetPath = `${params.configPath}.clobbered.${formatConfigArtifactTimestamp(params.observedAt)}`;
-  try {
-    params.deps.fs.writeFileSync(targetPath, params.raw, {
-      encoding: "utf-8",
-      mode: 0o600,
-      flag: "wx",
-    });
-    return targetPath;
-  } catch {
-    return null;
-  }
-}
-
 function sameFingerprint(
   left: ConfigHealthFingerprint | undefined,
   right: ConfigHealthFingerprint,
@@ -701,7 +667,7 @@ async function observeConfigSnapshot(
   const backup =
     (backupBaseline?.hash ? backupBaseline : null) ??
     (await readConfigFingerprintForPath(deps, `${snapshot.path}.bak`));
-  const clobberedPath = await persistClobberedConfigSnapshot({
+  const clobberedPath = await persistBoundedClobberedConfigSnapshot({
     deps,
     configPath: snapshot.path,
     raw: snapshot.raw,
@@ -833,7 +799,7 @@ function observeConfigSnapshotSync(
   const backup =
     (backupBaseline?.hash ? backupBaseline : null) ??
     readConfigFingerprintForPathSync(deps, `${snapshot.path}.bak`);
-  const clobberedPath = persistClobberedConfigSnapshotSync({
+  const clobberedPath = persistBoundedClobberedConfigSnapshotSync({
     deps,
     configPath: snapshot.path,
     raw: snapshot.raw,
@@ -1026,7 +992,7 @@ async function persistPrefixedConfigRecovery(params: {
   recoveredRaw: string;
 }): Promise<void> {
   const observedAt = new Date().toISOString();
-  const clobberedPath = await persistClobberedConfigSnapshot({
+  const clobberedPath = await persistBoundedClobberedConfigSnapshot({
     deps: params.deps,
     configPath: params.configPath,
     raw: params.originalRaw,
diff --git a/src/config/io.write-config.test.ts b/src/config/io.write-config.test.ts
index e50c46159b4..99652897681 100644
--- a/src/config/io.write-config.test.ts
+++ b/src/config/io.write-config.test.ts
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import { afterAll, afterEach, beforeAll, describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest
 import { readPersistedInstalledPluginIndex } from "../plugins/installed-plugin-index-store.js";
 import type { PluginManifestRegistry } from "../plugins/manifest-registry.js";
 import { createSuiteTempRootTracker } from "../test-helpers/temp-dir.js";
+import { CONFIG_CLOBBER_SNAPSHOT_LIMIT } from "./io.clobber-snapshot.js";
 import {
   createConfigIO,
   getRuntimeConfigSourceSnapshot,
@@ -618,6 +619,41 @@ describe("config io write", () => {
     });
   });
 
+  it("caps repeated prefix-recovery clobber snapshots for doctor-style repair loops", async () => {
+    await withSuiteHome(async (home) => {
+      const configPath = path.join(home, ".openclaw", "openclaw.json");
+      const cleanConfig = {
+        gateway: { mode: "local" },
+        agents: { list: [{ id: "main", default: true }] },
+      } satisfies ConfigFileSnapshot["config"];
+      const cleanRaw = `${JSON.stringify(cleanConfig, null, 2)}\n`;
+      const warn = vi.fn();
+      const io = createConfigIO({
+        env: { VITEST: "true" } as NodeJS.ProcessEnv,
+        homedir: () => home,
+        logger: { warn, error: vi.fn() },
+      });
+
+      await fs.mkdir(path.dirname(configPath), { recursive: true });
+      for (let index = 0; index < CONFIG_CLOBBER_SNAPSHOT_LIMIT + 4; index++) {
+        await fs.writeFile(configPath, `Found and updated: False ${index}\n${cleanRaw}`, "utf-8");
+        const snapshot = await io.readConfigFileSnapshot();
+        expect(snapshot.valid).toBe(false);
+        await expect(io.recoverConfigFromJsonRootSuffix(snapshot)).resolves.toBe(true);
+      }
+
+      const entries = await fs.readdir(path.dirname(configPath));
+      const clobbered = entries.filter((entry) => entry.includes(".clobbered."));
+      expect(clobbered).toHaveLength(CONFIG_CLOBBER_SNAPSHOT_LIMIT);
+      const capWarnings = warn.mock.calls.filter(
+        ([message]) =>
+          typeof message === "string" && message.includes("Config clobber snapshot cap reached"),
+      );
+      expect(capWarnings).toHaveLength(1);
+      await expect(fs.readFile(configPath, "utf-8")).resolves.toBe(cleanRaw);
+    });
+  });
+
   it("rejects destructive internal writes before replacing the config", async () => {
     await withSuiteHome(async (home) => {
       const configPath = path.join(home, ".openclaw", "openclaw.json");