fix: honor profile plugin install roots

CHANGELOG.md

@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ Docs: https://docs.openclaw.ai
 
 - Google Meet: route local Chrome joins through OpenClaw browser control instead of raw default Chrome, so agents use the configured OpenClaw browser profile when opening Meet.
 - Plugins/discovery: follow symlinked plugin directories in global and workspace plugin roots while keeping broken links ignored and existing package safety checks in place. Fixes #36754; carries forward #72695 and #63206. Thanks @Quackstro, @ming1523, and @xsfX20.
+- Plugins/install: resolve plugin install destinations from the active profile state dir across CLI, ClawHub, marketplace, local path, and channel setup installs, so `openclaw --profile <name> plugins install ...` no longer writes into the default profile. Fixes #69960; carries forward #69971. Thanks @FrancisLyman and @Sanjays2402.
 - Plugins/startup: reuse canonical realpath lookups throughout each plugin discovery pass, including package and manifest boundary checks, so Windows npm-global startups no longer repeat expensive path resolution for the same plugin roots. Fixes #65733. Thanks @welfo-beo.
 - Reply/link understanding: keep media and link preprocessing on stable runtime entrypoints and continue with raw message content if optional enrichment fails, so URL-bearing messages are no longer dropped after stale runtime chunk upgrades. Fixes #68466. Thanks @songshikang0111.
 - Discord: persist routed model-picker overrides when the hidden `/model` dispatch succeeds but the bound thread session store is still stale, including LM Studio suffixed model ids. Carries forward #61473. Thanks @Nanako0129.

src/cli/plugins-cli.install.test.ts

@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import fs from "node:fs";
 import os from "node:os";
 import path from "node:path";
-import { beforeEach, describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
+import { afterEach, beforeEach, describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
 import { installedPluginRoot } from "../../test/helpers/bundled-plugin-paths.js";
 import type { OpenClawConfig } from "../config/config.js";
 import {
@@ -30,11 +30,18 @@ import {
 } from "./plugins-cli-test-helpers.js";
 
 const CLI_STATE_ROOT = "/tmp/openclaw-state";
+const ORIGINAL_OPENCLAW_STATE_DIR = process.env.OPENCLAW_STATE_DIR;
+const PROFILE_STATE_ROOT = "/tmp/openclaw-ledger-profile";
 
 function cliInstallPath(pluginId: string): string {
   return installedPluginRoot(CLI_STATE_ROOT, pluginId);
 }
 
+function useProfileExtensionsDir(): string {
+  process.env.OPENCLAW_STATE_DIR = PROFILE_STATE_ROOT;
+  return path.join(PROFILE_STATE_ROOT, "extensions");
+}
+
 function createEnabledPluginConfig(pluginId: string): OpenClawConfig {
   return {
     plugins: {
@@ -227,6 +234,14 @@ describe("plugins cli install", () => {
     resetPluginsCliTestState();
   });
 
+  afterEach(() => {
+    if (ORIGINAL_OPENCLAW_STATE_DIR === undefined) {
+      delete process.env.OPENCLAW_STATE_DIR;
+    } else {
+      process.env.OPENCLAW_STATE_DIR = ORIGINAL_OPENCLAW_STATE_DIR;
+    }
+  });
+
   it("shows the force overwrite option in install help", async () => {
     const { Command } = await import("commander");
     const { registerPluginsCli } = await import("./plugins-cli.js");
@@ -275,6 +290,22 @@ describe("plugins cli install", () => {
     expect(writeConfigFile).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
   });
 
+  it("passes the active profile extensions dir to marketplace installs", async () => {
+    const extensionsDir = useProfileExtensionsDir();
+
+    await expect(
+      runPluginsCommand(["plugins", "install", "alpha", "--marketplace", "local/repo"]),
+    ).rejects.toThrow("__exit__:1");
+
+    expect(installPluginFromMarketplace).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+      expect.objectContaining({
+        extensionsDir,
+        marketplace: "local/repo",
+        plugin: "alpha",
+      }),
+    );
+  });
+
   it("fails closed for unrelated invalid config before installer side effects", async () => {
     const invalidConfigErr = new Error("config invalid");
     (invalidConfigErr as { code?: string }).code = "INVALID_CONFIG";
@@ -421,6 +452,37 @@ describe("plugins cli install", () => {
     expect(installPluginFromNpmSpec).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
   });
 
+  it("passes the active profile extensions dir to ClawHub installs", async () => {
+    const extensionsDir = useProfileExtensionsDir();
+    const cfg = createEmptyPluginConfig();
+    const enabledCfg = createEnabledPluginConfig("demo");
+
+    loadConfig.mockReturnValue(cfg);
+    parseClawHubPluginSpec.mockReturnValue({ name: "demo" });
+    installPluginFromClawHub.mockResolvedValue(
+      createClawHubInstallResult({
+        pluginId: "demo",
+        packageName: "demo",
+        version: "1.2.3",
+        channel: "official",
+      }),
+    );
+    enablePluginInConfig.mockReturnValue({ config: enabledCfg });
+    applyExclusiveSlotSelection.mockReturnValue({
+      config: enabledCfg,
+      warnings: [],
+    });
+
+    await runPluginsCommand(["plugins", "install", "clawhub:demo"]);
+
+    expect(installPluginFromClawHub).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+      expect.objectContaining({
+        extensionsDir,
+        spec: "clawhub:demo",
+      }),
+    );
+  });
+
   it("does not persist incomplete config entries for config-gated bundled installs", async () => {
     const cfg = {
       plugins: {
@@ -664,6 +726,30 @@ describe("plugins cli install", () => {
     expect(writeConfigFile).toHaveBeenCalledWith(enabledCfg);
   });
 
+  it("passes the active profile extensions dir to npm installs", async () => {
+    const extensionsDir = useProfileExtensionsDir();
+    const cfg = createEmptyPluginConfig();
+    const enabledCfg = createEnabledPluginConfig("demo");
+
+    loadConfig.mockReturnValue(cfg);
+    installPluginFromNpmSpec.mockResolvedValue(createNpmPluginInstallResult("demo"));
+    enablePluginInConfig.mockReturnValue({ config: enabledCfg });
+    recordPluginInstall.mockReturnValue(enabledCfg);
+    applyExclusiveSlotSelection.mockReturnValue({
+      config: enabledCfg,
+      warnings: [],
+    });
+
+    await runPluginsCommand(["plugins", "install", "npm:demo"]);
+
+    expect(installPluginFromNpmSpec).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+      expect.objectContaining({
+        extensionsDir,
+        spec: "demo",
+      }),
+    );
+  });
+
   it("passes npm: prefix installs through npm options without ClawHub lookup", async () => {
     const cfg = createEmptyPluginConfig();
     const enabledCfg = createEnabledPluginConfig("demo");
@@ -903,6 +989,41 @@ describe("plugins cli install", () => {
       }),
     );
   });
+
+  it("passes the active profile extensions dir to local path installs", async () => {
+    const extensionsDir = useProfileExtensionsDir();
+    const localPluginDir = fs.mkdtempSync(path.join(os.tmpdir(), "openclaw-local-plugin-"));
+    const cfg = createEmptyPluginConfig();
+    const enabledCfg = createEnabledPluginConfig("demo");
+
+    loadConfig.mockReturnValue(cfg);
+    installPluginFromPath.mockResolvedValue({
+      ok: true,
+      pluginId: "demo",
+      targetDir: path.join(extensionsDir, "demo"),
+      version: "1.2.3",
+      extensions: ["./dist/index.js"],
+    });
+    enablePluginInConfig.mockReturnValue({ config: enabledCfg });
+    recordPluginInstall.mockReturnValue(enabledCfg);
+    applyExclusiveSlotSelection.mockReturnValue({
+      config: enabledCfg,
+      warnings: [],
+    });
+
+    try {
+      await runPluginsCommand(["plugins", "install", localPluginDir]);
+    } finally {
+      fs.rmSync(localPluginDir, { recursive: true, force: true });
+    }
+
+    expect(installPluginFromPath).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+      expect.objectContaining({
+        extensionsDir,
+        path: localPluginDir,
+      }),
+    );
+  });
   it("passes force through as overwrite mode for npm installs", async () => {
     primeNpmPluginFallback();
 

src/cli/plugins-install-command.ts

@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import { parseClawHubPluginSpec } from "../infra/clawhub.js";
 import { formatErrorMessage } from "../infra/errors.js";
 import { type BundledPluginSource, findBundledPluginSource } from "../plugins/bundled-sources.js";
 import { installPluginFromClawHub } from "../plugins/clawhub.js";
+import { resolveDefaultPluginExtensionsDir } from "../plugins/install-paths.js";
 import type { InstallSafetyOverrides } from "../plugins/install-security-scan.js";
 import {
   PLUGIN_INSTALL_ERROR_CODE,
@@ -271,11 +272,13 @@ async function tryInstallPluginOrHookPackFromNpmSpec(params: {
   pin?: boolean;
   safetyOverrides: InstallSafetyOverrides;
   allowBundledFallback: boolean;
+  extensionsDir: string;
 }): Promise<{ ok: true } | { ok: false }> {
   const result = await installPluginFromNpmSpec({
     ...params.safetyOverrides,
     mode: params.installMode,
     spec: params.spec,
+    extensionsDir: params.extensionsDir,
     logger: createPluginInstallLogger(),
   });
   if (!result.ok) {
@@ -468,6 +471,7 @@ export async function runPluginInstallCommand(params: {
   const cfg = snapshot.config;
   const installMode = resolveInstallMode(opts.force);
   const safetyOverrides = resolveInstallSafetyOverrides(opts);
+  const extensionsDir = resolveDefaultPluginExtensionsDir();
 
   if (opts.marketplace) {
     const result = await installPluginFromMarketplace({
@@ -475,6 +479,7 @@ export async function runPluginInstallCommand(params: {
       marketplace: opts.marketplace,
       mode: installMode,
       plugin: raw,
+      extensionsDir,
       logger: createPluginInstallLogger(),
     });
     if (!result.ok) {
@@ -508,6 +513,7 @@ export async function runPluginInstallCommand(params: {
         mode: installMode,
         path: resolved,
         dryRun: true,
+        extensionsDir,
         logger: createPluginInstallLogger(),
       });
       if (!probe.ok) {
@@ -561,6 +567,7 @@ export async function runPluginInstallCommand(params: {
       ...safetyOverrides,
       mode: installMode,
       path: resolved,
+      extensionsDir,
       logger: createPluginInstallLogger(),
     });
     if (!result.ok) {
@@ -616,6 +623,7 @@ export async function runPluginInstallCommand(params: {
       pin: opts.pin,
       safetyOverrides,
       allowBundledFallback: false,
+      extensionsDir,
     });
     if (!npmPrefixResult.ok) {
       return defaultRuntime.exit(1);
@@ -659,6 +667,7 @@ export async function runPluginInstallCommand(params: {
       ...safetyOverrides,
       mode: installMode,
       spec: raw,
+      extensionsDir,
       logger: createPluginInstallLogger(),
     });
     if (!result.ok) {
@@ -692,6 +701,7 @@ export async function runPluginInstallCommand(params: {
       ...safetyOverrides,
       mode: installMode,
       spec: preferredClawHubSpec,
+      extensionsDir,
       logger: createPluginInstallLogger(),
     });
     if (clawhubResult.ok) {
@@ -727,6 +737,7 @@ export async function runPluginInstallCommand(params: {
     pin: opts.pin,
     safetyOverrides,
     allowBundledFallback: true,
+    extensionsDir,
   });
   if (!npmResult.ok) {
     return defaultRuntime.exit(1);

src/commands/channel-setup/plugin-install.test.ts

@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import path from "node:path";
-import { beforeEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
+import { afterEach, beforeEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
 import {
   bundledPluginRoot,
   bundledPluginRootAt,
@@ -120,6 +120,7 @@ const bundledChatNpmSpec = "@openclaw/bundled-chat@1.2.3";
 const bundledChatIntegrity = "sha512-bundled-chat";
 const bundledChatForkNpmSpec = "@vendor/bundled-chat-fork@1.2.3";
 const bundledChatForkIntegrity = "sha512-vendor-bundled-chat-fork";
+const ORIGINAL_OPENCLAW_STATE_DIR = process.env.OPENCLAW_STATE_DIR;
 
 const baseEntry: ChannelPluginCatalogEntry = {
   id: "bundled-chat",
@@ -240,6 +241,14 @@ beforeEach(() => {
   setActivePluginRegistry(createEmptyPluginRegistry());
 });
 
+afterEach(() => {
+  if (ORIGINAL_OPENCLAW_STATE_DIR === undefined) {
+    delete process.env.OPENCLAW_STATE_DIR;
+  } else {
+    process.env.OPENCLAW_STATE_DIR = ORIGINAL_OPENCLAW_STATE_DIR;
+  }
+});
+
 function mockRepoLocalPathExists() {
   execFileSync.mockImplementation((command: string, args: string[]) => {
     expect(command).toBe("git");
@@ -352,6 +361,36 @@ describe("ensureChannelSetupPluginInstalled", () => {
     );
   });
 
+  it("installs npm channel plugins into the active profile extensions dir", async () => {
+    const runtime = makeRuntime();
+    const prompter = makePrompter({
+      select: vi.fn(async () => "npm") as WizardPrompter["select"],
+    });
+    const profileStateDir = "/tmp/openclaw-ledger-channel";
+    process.env.OPENCLAW_STATE_DIR = profileStateDir;
+    vi.mocked(fs.existsSync).mockReturnValue(false);
+    installPluginFromNpmSpec.mockResolvedValue({
+      ok: true,
+      pluginId: "bundled-chat",
+      targetDir: path.join(profileStateDir, "extensions", "bundled-chat"),
+      extensions: [],
+    });
+
+    await ensureChannelSetupPluginInstalled({
+      cfg: {},
+      entry: baseEntry,
+      prompter,
+      runtime,
+    });
+
+    expect(installPluginFromNpmSpec).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+      expect.objectContaining({
+        extensionsDir: path.join(profileStateDir, "extensions"),
+        spec: bundledChatNpmSpec,
+      }),
+    );
+  });
+
   it("uses local path when selected", async () => {
     const runtime = makeRuntime();
     const prompter = makePrompter({

src/commands/onboarding-plugin-install.ts

@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import {
   resolveBundledPluginSources,
 } from "../plugins/bundled-sources.js";
 import { enablePluginInConfig, type PluginEnableResult } from "../plugins/enable.js";
+import { resolveDefaultPluginExtensionsDir } from "../plugins/install-paths.js";
 import { installPluginFromNpmSpec } from "../plugins/install.js";
 import { buildNpmResolutionInstallFields, recordPluginInstall } from "../plugins/installs.js";
 import type { PluginPackageInstall } from "../plugins/manifest.js";
@@ -393,6 +394,7 @@ async function installPluginFromNpmSpecWithProgress(params: {
         spec: params.npmSpec,
         timeoutMs: ONBOARDING_PLUGIN_INSTALL_TIMEOUT_MS,
         expectedIntegrity: params.entry.install.expectedIntegrity,
+        extensionsDir: resolveDefaultPluginExtensionsDir(),
         logger: {
           info: updateProgress,
           warn: (message) => {

src/plugins/install-paths.ts

@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ import {
   safePathSegmentHashed,
   unscopedPackageName,
 } from "../infra/install-safe-path.js";
-import { CONFIG_DIR, resolveUserPath } from "../utils.js";
+import { resolveConfigDir, resolveUserPath } from "../utils.js";
 
 export function safePluginInstallFileName(input: string): string {
   return safeDirName(input);
@@ -73,10 +73,17 @@ export function matchesExpectedPluginId(params: {
   );
 }
 
+export function resolveDefaultPluginExtensionsDir(
+  env: NodeJS.ProcessEnv = process.env,
+  homedir?: () => string,
+): string {
+  return path.join(resolveConfigDir(env, homedir), "extensions");
+}
+
 export function resolvePluginInstallDir(pluginId: string, extensionsDir?: string): string {
   const extensionsBase = extensionsDir
     ? resolveUserPath(extensionsDir)
-    : path.join(CONFIG_DIR, "extensions");
+    : resolveDefaultPluginExtensionsDir();
   const pluginIdError = validatePluginId(pluginId);
   if (pluginIdError) {
     throw new Error(pluginIdError);

src/plugins/install.ts

@@ -4,10 +4,11 @@ import { packageNameMatchesId } from "../infra/install-safe-path.js";
 import { type NpmIntegrityDrift, type NpmSpecResolution } from "../infra/install-source-utils.js";
 import { resolveOpenClawPackageRootSync } from "../infra/openclaw-root.js";
 import { normalizeOptionalString } from "../shared/string-coerce.js";
-import { CONFIG_DIR, resolveUserPath } from "../utils.js";
+import { resolveUserPath } from "../utils.js";
 import {
   encodePluginInstallDirName,
   matchesExpectedPluginId,
+  resolveDefaultPluginExtensionsDir,
   safePluginInstallFileName,
   validatePluginId,
 } from "./install-paths.js";
@@ -389,7 +390,7 @@ async function resolvePluginInstallTarget(params: {
 }): Promise<{ ok: true; targetDir: string } | { ok: false; error: string }> {
   const extensionsDir = params.extensionsDir
     ? resolveUserPath(params.extensionsDir)
-    : path.join(CONFIG_DIR, "extensions");
+    : resolveDefaultPluginExtensionsDir();
   return await params.runtime.resolveCanonicalInstallTarget({
     baseDir: extensionsDir,
     id: params.pluginId,
@@ -874,7 +875,7 @@ export async function installPluginFromFile(params: {
 
   const extensionsDir = params.extensionsDir
     ? resolveUserPath(params.extensionsDir)
-    : path.join(CONFIG_DIR, "extensions");
+    : resolveDefaultPluginExtensionsDir();
   await fs.mkdir(extensionsDir, { recursive: true });
 
   const base = path.basename(filePath, path.extname(filePath));