diff --git a/src/commands/doctor/shared/legacy-x-search-migrate.test.ts b/src/commands/doctor/shared/legacy-x-search-migrate.test.ts
index e6b26419559..d86ada5ca6c 100644
--- a/src/commands/doctor/shared/legacy-x-search-migrate.test.ts
+++ b/src/commands/doctor/shared/legacy-x-search-migrate.test.ts
@@ -80,6 +80,42 @@ describe("legacy x_search config migration", () => {
     });
   });
 
+  it("moves legacy x_search SecretRefs into the xai plugin auth slot unchanged", () => {
+    const res = migrateLegacyXSearchConfig({
+      tools: {
+        web: {
+          x_search: {
+            apiKey: {
+              source: "env",
+              provider: "default",
+              id: "X_SEARCH_KEY_REF",
+            },
+            enabled: true,
+          },
+        } as Record<string, unknown>,
+      },
+    } as OpenClawConfig);
+
+    expect((res.config.tools?.web as Record<string, unknown> | undefined)?.x_search).toEqual({
+      enabled: true,
+    });
+    expect(res.config.plugins?.entries?.xai).toEqual({
+      enabled: true,
+      config: {
+        webSearch: {
+          apiKey: {
+            source: "env",
+            provider: "default",
+            id: "X_SEARCH_KEY_REF",
+          },
+        },
+      },
+    });
+    expect(res.changes).toEqual([
+      "Moved tools.web.x_search.apiKey → plugins.entries.xai.config.webSearch.apiKey.",
+    ]);
+  });
+
   it("does nothing for knob-only x_search config without a legacy apiKey", () => {
     const config = {
       tools: {
diff --git a/src/config/config-misc.test.ts b/src/config/config-misc.test.ts
index d7dd4e0cc61..9a4a27d0342 100644
--- a/src/config/config-misc.test.ts
+++ b/src/config/config-misc.test.ts
@@ -651,6 +651,41 @@ describe("config strict validation", () => {
     });
   });
 
+  it("accepts legacy x_search SecretRefs via auto-migration and reports legacyIssues", async () => {
+    await withTempHome(async (home) => {
+      await writeOpenClawConfig(home, {
+        tools: {
+          web: {
+            x_search: {
+              apiKey: {
+                source: "env",
+                provider: "default",
+                id: "X_SEARCH_KEY_REF",
+              },
+            },
+          },
+        },
+      });
+
+      const snap = await readConfigFileSnapshot();
+
+      expect(snap.valid).toBe(true);
+      expect(snap.legacyIssues.some((issue) => issue.path === "tools.web.x_search.apiKey")).toBe(
+        true,
+      );
+      expect(snap.sourceConfig.plugins?.entries?.xai?.config?.webSearch).toMatchObject({
+        apiKey: {
+          source: "env",
+          provider: "default",
+          id: "X_SEARCH_KEY_REF",
+        },
+      });
+      expect(
+        (snap.sourceConfig.tools?.web?.x_search as Record<string, unknown> | undefined)?.apiKey,
+      ).toBeUndefined();
+    });
+  });
+
   it("accepts legacy thread binding ttlHours via auto-migration and reports legacyIssues", async () => {
     await withTempHome(async (home) => {
       await writeOpenClawConfig(home, {
diff --git a/src/secrets/runtime-web-tools.ts b/src/secrets/runtime-web-tools.ts
index 70582e16d1d..f4f9cbd2d68 100644
--- a/src/secrets/runtime-web-tools.ts
+++ b/src/secrets/runtime-web-tools.ts
@@ -382,16 +382,6 @@ export async function resolveRuntimeWebTools(params: {
 
   const sourceTools = isRecord(params.sourceConfig.tools) ? params.sourceConfig.tools : undefined;
   const sourceWeb = isRecord(sourceTools?.web) ? sourceTools.web : undefined;
-  const resolvedTools = isRecord(params.resolvedConfig.tools)
-    ? params.resolvedConfig.tools
-    : undefined;
-  const resolvedWeb = isRecord(resolvedTools?.web) ? resolvedTools.web : undefined;
-  const legacyXSearchSourceRaw: unknown = sourceWeb?.x_search;
-  const legacyXSearchResolvedRaw: unknown = resolvedWeb?.x_search;
-  const legacyXSearchSource = isRecord(legacyXSearchSourceRaw) ? legacyXSearchSourceRaw : undefined;
-  const legacyXSearchResolved = isRecord(legacyXSearchResolvedRaw)
-    ? legacyXSearchResolvedRaw
-    : undefined;
   if (!sourceWeb && !hasPluginWebToolConfig(params.sourceConfig)) {
     return {
       search: {
@@ -405,24 +395,6 @@ export async function resolveRuntimeWebTools(params: {
       diagnostics,
     };
   }
-  if (
-    legacyXSearchSource &&
-    legacyXSearchResolved &&
-    Object.prototype.hasOwnProperty.call(legacyXSearchSource, "apiKey")
-  ) {
-    const apiKey = legacyXSearchSource["apiKey"];
-    const resolution = await resolveSecretInputWithEnvFallback({
-      sourceConfig: params.sourceConfig,
-      context: params.context,
-      defaults,
-      value: apiKey,
-      path: "tools.web.x_search.apiKey",
-      envVars: ["XAI_API_KEY"],
-    });
-    if (resolution.value) {
-      legacyXSearchResolved["apiKey"] = resolution.value;
-    }
-  }
   const search = isRecord(sourceWeb?.search) ? sourceWeb.search : undefined;
   const rawProvider =
     typeof search?.provider === "string" ? search.provider.trim().toLowerCase() : "";
diff --git a/src/secrets/runtime.test.ts b/src/secrets/runtime.test.ts
index 9e9743d4317..b2ad2e1c59f 100644
--- a/src/secrets/runtime.test.ts
+++ b/src/secrets/runtime.test.ts
@@ -1947,7 +1947,7 @@ describe("secrets runtime snapshot", () => {
     }
   });
 
-  it("keeps legacy x_search SecretRefs in place until doctor repairs them", async () => {
+  it("leaves legacy x_search SecretRefs untouched so doctor owns the migration", async () => {
     const snapshot = await prepareSecretsRuntimeSnapshot({
       config: asConfig({
         tools: {
@@ -1968,45 +1968,13 @@ describe("secrets runtime snapshot", () => {
     });
 
     expect((snapshot.config.tools?.web as Record<string, unknown> | undefined)?.x_search).toEqual({
-      apiKey: "xai-runtime-key",
+      apiKey: { source: "env", provider: "default", id: "X_SEARCH_KEY_REF" },
       enabled: true,
       model: "grok-4-1-fast",
     });
     expect(snapshot.config.plugins?.entries?.xai).toBeUndefined();
   });
 
-  it("still resolves legacy x_search auth in place even when unrelated legacy config is present", async () => {
-    const snapshot = await prepareSecretsRuntimeSnapshot({
-      config: asConfig({
-        tools: {
-          web: {
-            x_search: {
-              apiKey: { source: "env", provider: "default", id: "X_SEARCH_KEY_REF" },
-              enabled: true,
-            },
-          },
-        },
-        channels: {
-          telegram: {
-            groupMentionsOnly: true,
-            groups: [],
-          },
-        },
-      }),
-      env: {
-        X_SEARCH_KEY_REF: "xai-runtime-key-invalid-config",
-      },
-      agentDirs: ["/tmp/openclaw-agent-main"],
-      loadAuthStore: () => ({ version: 1, profiles: {} }),
-    });
-
-    expect((snapshot.config.tools?.web as Record<string, unknown> | undefined)?.x_search).toEqual({
-      apiKey: "xai-runtime-key-invalid-config",
-      enabled: true,
-    });
-    expect(snapshot.config.plugins?.entries?.xai).toBeUndefined();
-  });
-
   it("does not force-enable xai at runtime for knob-only x_search config", async () => {
     const snapshot = await prepareSecretsRuntimeSnapshot({
       config: asConfig({