diff --git a/src/plugins/installed-plugin-index-record-builder.ts b/src/plugins/installed-plugin-index-record-builder.ts
index 3f0d1434be5..3147df8452b 100644
--- a/src/plugins/installed-plugin-index-record-builder.ts
+++ b/src/plugins/installed-plugin-index-record-builder.ts
@@ -55,8 +55,9 @@ function hasRuntimeContractSurface(record: PluginManifestRecord): boolean {
  * startup decision so Gateway boot can avoid importing inert plugins.
  */
 function isLegacyImplicitStartupSidecar(record: PluginManifestRecord): boolean {
+  const channels = Array.isArray(record.channels) ? record.channels : [];
   return (
-    record.channels.length === 0 &&
+    channels.length === 0 &&
     !hasRuntimeContractSurface(record) &&
     record.activation?.onStartup === undefined
   );
diff --git a/src/plugins/installed-plugin-index.test.ts b/src/plugins/installed-plugin-index.test.ts
index 83dbfc52af6..8c0faaf5385 100644
--- a/src/plugins/installed-plugin-index.test.ts
+++ b/src/plugins/installed-plugin-index.test.ts
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ import fs from "node:fs";
 import path from "node:path";
 import { afterEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
 import type { PluginCandidate } from "./discovery.js";
+import { buildInstalledPluginIndexRecords } from "./installed-plugin-index-record-builder.js";
 import {
   loadInstalledPluginIndexInstallRecordsSync,
   writePersistedInstalledPluginIndexInstallRecords,
@@ -16,6 +17,7 @@ import {
   refreshInstalledPluginIndex,
 } from "./installed-plugin-index.js";
 import { recordPluginInstall } from "./installs.js";
+import type { PluginManifestRecord } from "./manifest-registry.js";
 import type { OpenClawPackageManifest } from "./manifest.js";
 import { cleanupTrackedTempDirs, makeTrackedTempDir } from "./test-helpers/fs-fixtures.js";
 
@@ -289,6 +291,42 @@ describe("installed plugin index", () => {
     });
   });
 
+  it("tolerates stale manifest records without normalized channels", () => {
+    const rootDir = makeTempDir();
+    writeRuntimeEntry(rootDir);
+    const manifestPath = path.join(rootDir, "openclaw.plugin.json");
+
+    const records = buildInstalledPluginIndexRecords({
+      candidates: [createPluginCandidate({ rootDir })],
+      registry: {
+        plugins: [
+          {
+            id: "stale-record",
+            providers: [],
+            cliBackends: [],
+            skills: [],
+            hooks: [],
+            origin: "global",
+            rootDir,
+            source: path.join(rootDir, "index.ts"),
+            manifestPath,
+          } as unknown as PluginManifestRecord,
+        ],
+        diagnostics: [],
+      },
+      diagnostics: [],
+      installRecords: {},
+    });
+
+    expect(records[0]).toMatchObject({
+      pluginId: "stale-record",
+      startup: {
+        sidecar: true,
+      },
+      compat: ["legacy-implicit-startup-sidecar"],
+    });
+  });
+
   it("does not classify or tag explicit startup opt-outs as deprecated implicit sidecars", () => {
     const rootDir = makeTempDir();
     writeRuntimeEntry(rootDir);