fix(update): clear stale plugin refs after failed updates

src/plugins/update.test.ts

@@ -1729,6 +1729,64 @@ describe("updateNpmInstalledPlugins", () => {
     ]);
   });
 
+  it("clears stale plugin policy and slot references when disabling failed updates", async () => {
+    const warn = vi.fn();
+    installPluginFromNpmSpecMock.mockResolvedValue({
+      ok: false,
+      error: "security scan blocked install",
+    });
+    const config = {
+      plugins: {
+        allow: ["demo", "keep"],
+        deny: ["demo", "blocked"],
+        slots: {
+          memory: "demo",
+          contextEngine: "demo",
+        },
+        entries: {
+          demo: {
+            enabled: true,
+          },
+        },
+        installs: {
+          demo: {
+            source: "npm" as const,
+            spec: "@acme/demo",
+            installPath: "/tmp/demo",
+          },
+        },
+      },
+    } satisfies OpenClawConfig;
+
+    const result = await updateNpmInstalledPlugins({
+      config,
+      disableOnFailure: true,
+      logger: { warn },
+    });
+
+    const message =
+      'Disabled "demo" after plugin update failure; OpenClaw will continue without it. Failed to update demo: security scan blocked install';
+    expect(warn).toHaveBeenCalledWith(message);
+    expect(result.changed).toBe(true);
+    expect(result.config.plugins?.entries?.demo).toEqual({
+      enabled: false,
+    });
+    expect(result.config.plugins?.installs?.demo).toEqual(config.plugins.installs.demo);
+    expect(result.config.plugins?.allow).toEqual(["keep"]);
+    expect(result.config.plugins?.deny).toEqual(["blocked"]);
+    expect(result.config.plugins?.slots).toEqual({
+      memory: "memory-core",
+      contextEngine: "legacy",
+    });
+    expect(result.outcomes).toEqual([
+      {
+        pluginId: "demo",
+        status: "skipped",
+        message,
+      },
+    ]);
+  });
+
   it("aborts exact pinned npm plugin updates on integrity drift by default", async () => {
     const warn = vi.fn();
     installPluginFromNpmSpecMock.mockImplementation(

src/plugins/update.ts

@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@ import {
   resolveOfficialExternalPluginInstall,
 } from "./official-external-plugin-catalog.js";
 import { linkOpenClawPeerDependencies } from "./plugin-peer-link.js";
+import { defaultSlotIdForKey } from "./slots.js";
 
 export type PluginUpdateLogger = {
   info?: (message: string) => void;
@@ -760,14 +761,52 @@ function createPluginUpdateIntegrityDriftHandler(params: {
   };
 }
 
+function removeDisabledPluginIdFromList(
+  list: string[] | undefined,
+  pluginId: string,
+): string[] | undefined {
+  if (!Array.isArray(list) || !list.includes(pluginId)) {
+    return list;
+  }
+  const next = list.filter((id) => id !== pluginId);
+  return next.length > 0 ? next : undefined;
+}
+
+function resetDisabledPluginSlots(
+  slots: NonNullable<OpenClawConfig["plugins"]>["slots"] | undefined,
+  pluginId: string,
+): NonNullable<OpenClawConfig["plugins"]>["slots"] | undefined {
+  if (!slots) {
+    return slots;
+  }
+  let next = slots;
+  if (next.memory === pluginId) {
+    next = {
+      ...next,
+      memory: defaultSlotIdForKey("memory"),
+    };
+  }
+  if (next.contextEngine === pluginId) {
+    next = {
+      ...next,
+      contextEngine: defaultSlotIdForKey("contextEngine"),
+    };
+  }
+  return next;
+}
+
 function disablePluginConfigEntry(config: OpenClawConfig, pluginId: string): OpenClawConfig {
-  const existingEntry = config.plugins?.entries?.[pluginId];
+  const pluginsConfig = config.plugins ?? {};
+  const existingEntry = pluginsConfig.entries?.[pluginId];
   return {
     ...config,
     plugins: {
-      ...config.plugins,
+      ...pluginsConfig,
+      allow: removeDisabledPluginIdFromList(pluginsConfig.allow, pluginId),
+      deny: removeDisabledPluginIdFromList(pluginsConfig.deny, pluginId),
+      slots: resetDisabledPluginSlots(pluginsConfig.slots, pluginId),
       entries: {
-        ...config.plugins?.entries,
+        ...pluginsConfig.entries,
         [pluginId]: {
           ...existingEntry,
           enabled: false,