diff --git a/scripts/run-node-watch-paths.mjs b/scripts/run-node-watch-paths.mjs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..c04af8e25d9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/run-node-watch-paths.mjs
@@ -0,0 +1,63 @@
+import path from "node:path";
+import {
+  BUNDLED_PLUGIN_PATH_PREFIX,
+  BUNDLED_PLUGIN_ROOT_DIR,
+} from "./lib/bundled-plugin-paths.mjs";
+
+export const runNodeSourceRoots = ["src", BUNDLED_PLUGIN_ROOT_DIR];
+export const runNodeConfigFiles = ["tsconfig.json", "package.json", "tsdown.config.ts"];
+export const runNodeWatchedPaths = [...runNodeSourceRoots, ...runNodeConfigFiles];
+export const extensionRestartMetadataFiles = new Set(["openclaw.plugin.json", "package.json"]);
+
+const ignoredRunNodeRepoPaths = new Set([
+  "src/canvas-host/a2ui/.bundle.hash",
+  "src/canvas-host/a2ui/a2ui.bundle.js",
+]);
+const extensionSourceFilePattern = /\.(?:[cm]?[jt]sx?)$/;
+
+export const normalizeRunNodePath = (filePath) => String(filePath ?? "").replaceAll("\\", "/");
+
+const isIgnoredSourcePath = (relativePath) => {
+  const normalizedPath = normalizeRunNodePath(relativePath);
+  return (
+    normalizedPath.endsWith(".test.ts") ||
+    normalizedPath.endsWith(".test.tsx") ||
+    normalizedPath.endsWith("test-helpers.ts")
+  );
+};
+
+const isBuildRelevantSourcePath = (relativePath) => {
+  const normalizedPath = normalizeRunNodePath(relativePath);
+  return extensionSourceFilePattern.test(normalizedPath) && !isIgnoredSourcePath(normalizedPath);
+};
+
+const isRestartRelevantExtensionPath = (relativePath) => {
+  const normalizedPath = normalizeRunNodePath(relativePath);
+  if (extensionRestartMetadataFiles.has(path.posix.basename(normalizedPath))) {
+    return true;
+  }
+  return isBuildRelevantSourcePath(normalizedPath);
+};
+
+const isRelevantRunNodePath = (repoPath, isRelevantBundledPluginPath) => {
+  const normalizedPath = normalizeRunNodePath(repoPath).replace(/^\.\/+/, "");
+  if (ignoredRunNodeRepoPaths.has(normalizedPath)) {
+    return false;
+  }
+  if (runNodeConfigFiles.includes(normalizedPath)) {
+    return true;
+  }
+  if (normalizedPath.startsWith("src/")) {
+    return !isIgnoredSourcePath(normalizedPath.slice("src/".length));
+  }
+  if (normalizedPath.startsWith(BUNDLED_PLUGIN_PATH_PREFIX)) {
+    return isRelevantBundledPluginPath(normalizedPath.slice(BUNDLED_PLUGIN_PATH_PREFIX.length));
+  }
+  return false;
+};
+
+export const isBuildRelevantRunNodePath = (repoPath) =>
+  isRelevantRunNodePath(repoPath, isBuildRelevantSourcePath);
+
+export const isRestartRelevantRunNodePath = (repoPath) =>
+  isRelevantRunNodePath(repoPath, isRestartRelevantExtensionPath);
diff --git a/scripts/run-node.mjs b/scripts/run-node.mjs
index 0f536e3772a..7b485805527 100644
--- a/scripts/run-node.mjs
+++ b/scripts/run-node.mjs
@@ -16,14 +16,22 @@ import {
   writeRuntimePostBuildStamp as writeDistRuntimePostBuildStamp,
 } from "./lib/local-build-metadata.mjs";
 import { listStaticExtensionAssetSources } from "./lib/static-extension-assets.mjs";
+import {
+  extensionRestartMetadataFiles,
+  isBuildRelevantRunNodePath,
+  isRestartRelevantRunNodePath,
+  normalizeRunNodePath as normalizePath,
+  runNodeConfigFiles,
+  runNodeSourceRoots,
+  runNodeWatchedPaths,
+} from "./run-node-watch-paths.mjs";
 import { runRuntimePostBuild } from "./runtime-postbuild.mjs";
 
+export { isBuildRelevantRunNodePath, isRestartRelevantRunNodePath, runNodeWatchedPaths };
+
 const buildScript = "scripts/tsdown-build.mjs";
 const compilerArgs = [buildScript, "--no-clean"];
 
-const runNodeSourceRoots = ["src", BUNDLED_PLUGIN_ROOT_DIR];
-const runNodeConfigFiles = ["tsconfig.json", "package.json", "tsdown.config.ts"];
-export const runNodeWatchedPaths = [...runNodeSourceRoots, ...runNodeConfigFiles];
 const runtimePostBuildWatchedPaths = [
   "scripts/copy-bundled-plugin-metadata.mjs",
   "scripts/copy-plugin-sdk-root-alias.mjs",
@@ -40,63 +48,10 @@ const runtimePostBuildWatchedPaths = [
   "src/plugin-sdk/root-alias.cjs",
   BUNDLED_PLUGIN_ROOT_DIR,
 ];
-const ignoredRunNodeRepoPaths = new Set([
-  "src/canvas-host/a2ui/.bundle.hash",
-  "src/canvas-host/a2ui/a2ui.bundle.js",
-]);
 const runtimePostBuildScriptPaths = new Set(
   runtimePostBuildWatchedPaths.filter((entry) => entry.startsWith("scripts/")),
 );
 const runtimePostBuildStaticAssetPaths = new Set(listStaticExtensionAssetSources());
-const extensionSourceFilePattern = /\.(?:[cm]?[jt]sx?)$/;
-const extensionRestartMetadataFiles = new Set(["openclaw.plugin.json", "package.json"]);
-
-const normalizePath = (filePath) => String(filePath ?? "").replaceAll("\\", "/");
-
-const isIgnoredSourcePath = (relativePath) => {
-  const normalizedPath = normalizePath(relativePath);
-  return (
-    normalizedPath.endsWith(".test.ts") ||
-    normalizedPath.endsWith(".test.tsx") ||
-    normalizedPath.endsWith("test-helpers.ts")
-  );
-};
-
-const isBuildRelevantSourcePath = (relativePath) => {
-  const normalizedPath = normalizePath(relativePath);
-  return extensionSourceFilePattern.test(normalizedPath) && !isIgnoredSourcePath(normalizedPath);
-};
-
-const isRestartRelevantExtensionPath = (relativePath) => {
-  const normalizedPath = normalizePath(relativePath);
-  if (extensionRestartMetadataFiles.has(path.posix.basename(normalizedPath))) {
-    return true;
-  }
-  return isBuildRelevantSourcePath(normalizedPath);
-};
-
-const isRelevantRunNodePath = (repoPath, isRelevantBundledPluginPath) => {
-  const normalizedPath = normalizePath(repoPath).replace(/^\.\/+/, "");
-  if (ignoredRunNodeRepoPaths.has(normalizedPath)) {
-    return false;
-  }
-  if (runNodeConfigFiles.includes(normalizedPath)) {
-    return true;
-  }
-  if (normalizedPath.startsWith("src/")) {
-    return !isIgnoredSourcePath(normalizedPath.slice("src/".length));
-  }
-  if (normalizedPath.startsWith(BUNDLED_PLUGIN_PATH_PREFIX)) {
-    return isRelevantBundledPluginPath(normalizedPath.slice(BUNDLED_PLUGIN_PATH_PREFIX.length));
-  }
-  return false;
-};
-
-export const isBuildRelevantRunNodePath = (repoPath) =>
-  isRelevantRunNodePath(repoPath, isBuildRelevantSourcePath);
-
-export const isRestartRelevantRunNodePath = (repoPath) =>
-  isRelevantRunNodePath(repoPath, isRestartRelevantExtensionPath);
 
 const statMtime = (filePath, fsImpl = fs) => {
   try {
diff --git a/scripts/watch-node.mjs b/scripts/watch-node.mjs
index 92131ff39de..6cb65d6dbc9 100644
--- a/scripts/watch-node.mjs
+++ b/scripts/watch-node.mjs
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ import fs from "node:fs";
 import path from "node:path";
 import process from "node:process";
 import { pathToFileURL } from "node:url";
-import { isRestartRelevantRunNodePath, runNodeWatchedPaths } from "./run-node.mjs";
+import { isRestartRelevantRunNodePath, runNodeWatchedPaths } from "./run-node-watch-paths.mjs";
 
 const WATCH_NODE_RUNNER = "scripts/run-node.mjs";
 const WATCH_RESTART_SIGNAL = "SIGTERM";
@@ -255,19 +255,6 @@ const releaseWatchLock = (lockHandle) => {
  * }} [params]
  */
 export async function runWatchMain(params = {}) {
-  let createWatcher = params.createWatcher;
-  if (!createWatcher) {
-    try {
-      const chokidarModule = await (params.loadChokidar ?? loadChokidar)();
-      createWatcher = (watchPaths, options) => chokidarModule.watch(watchPaths, options);
-    } catch (err) {
-      if (isInvalidPackageConfigError(err)) {
-        printFriendlyWatchStartupError(err);
-      }
-      throw err;
-    }
-  }
-
   const deps = {
     spawn: params.spawn ?? spawn,
     process: params.process ?? process,
@@ -278,7 +265,8 @@ export async function runWatchMain(params = {}) {
     sleep: params.sleep ?? sleep,
     signalProcess: params.signalProcess ?? ((pid, signal) => process.kill(pid, signal)),
     lockDisabled: params.lockDisabled === true,
-    createWatcher,
+    createWatcher: params.createWatcher,
+    loadChokidar: params.loadChokidar ?? loadChokidar,
     watchPaths: params.watchPaths ?? runNodeWatchedPaths,
   };
 
@@ -293,7 +281,7 @@ export async function runWatchMain(params = {}) {
     childEnv.OPENCLAW_WATCH_COMMAND = deps.args.join(" ");
   }
 
-  return await new Promise((resolve) => {
+  return await new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
     let settled = false;
     let shuttingDown = false;
     let restartRequested = false;
@@ -357,6 +345,38 @@ export async function runWatchMain(params = {}) {
       settle(1);
     };
 
+    const rejectWatcherStartupError = (err) => {
+      if (settled) {
+        return;
+      }
+      settled = true;
+      shuttingDown = true;
+      if (watchProcess && typeof watchProcess.kill === "function") {
+        watchProcess.kill(WATCH_RESTART_SIGNAL);
+      }
+      releaseWatchLock(lockHandle);
+      watcher?.close?.().catch?.(() => {});
+      if (onSigInt) {
+        deps.process.off("SIGINT", onSigInt);
+      }
+      if (onSigTerm) {
+        deps.process.off("SIGTERM", onSigTerm);
+      }
+      reject(err);
+    };
+
+    const resolveCreateWatcher = async () => {
+      try {
+        const chokidarModule = await deps.loadChokidar();
+        return (watchPaths, options) => chokidarModule.watch(watchPaths, options);
+      } catch (err) {
+        if (isInvalidPackageConfigError(err)) {
+          printFriendlyWatchStartupError(err);
+        }
+        throw err;
+      }
+    };
+
     const runAutoDoctorAndRestart = () => {
       autoDoctorAttempted = true;
       logWatcher(
@@ -405,8 +425,11 @@ export async function runWatchMain(params = {}) {
       }
     };
 
-    const startWatcher = () => {
-      watcher = deps.createWatcher(deps.watchPaths, {
+    const attachWatcher = (createWatcher) => {
+      if (settled) {
+        return;
+      }
+      watcher = createWatcher(deps.watchPaths, {
         ignoreInitial: true,
         ignored: (watchPath, stats) =>
           isIgnoredWatchPath(watchPath, deps.cwd, deps.watchPaths, stats),
@@ -417,6 +440,14 @@ export async function runWatchMain(params = {}) {
       watcher.on("error", handleWatcherError);
     };
 
+    const startWatcher = () => {
+      if (deps.createWatcher) {
+        attachWatcher(deps.createWatcher);
+        return;
+      }
+      void resolveCreateWatcher().then(attachWatcher).catch(rejectWatcherStartupError);
+    };
+
     onSigInt = () => {
       shuttingDown = true;
       if (watchProcess && typeof watchProcess.kill === "function") {
diff --git a/src/infra/watch-node.test.ts b/src/infra/watch-node.test.ts
index 3c573da5e43..3e6f787e3c9 100644
--- a/src/infra/watch-node.test.ts
+++ b/src/infra/watch-node.test.ts
@@ -155,6 +155,49 @@ describe("watch-node script", () => {
     });
   });
 
+  it("starts the runner before loading chokidar", async () => {
+    const child = Object.assign(new EventEmitter(), {
+      kill: vi.fn(() => {}),
+    });
+    const spawn = vi.fn(() => child);
+    const watcher = Object.assign(new EventEmitter(), {
+      close: vi.fn(async () => {}),
+    });
+    const watch = vi.fn(() => watcher);
+    let resolveLoadChokidar: (value: { watch: typeof watch }) => void = () => {};
+    const loadChokidar = vi.fn(
+      () =>
+        new Promise<{ watch: typeof watch }>((resolve) => {
+          resolveLoadChokidar = resolve;
+        }),
+    );
+    const fakeProcess = createFakeProcess();
+
+    const runPromise = runWatch({
+      args: ["gateway", "--force"],
+      loadChokidar,
+      lockDisabled: true,
+      process: fakeProcess,
+      spawn,
+    });
+
+    expect(spawn).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+    expect(loadChokidar).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+    expect(spawn.mock.invocationCallOrder[0]).toBeLessThan(
+      loadChokidar.mock.invocationCallOrder[0],
+    );
+
+    resolveLoadChokidar({ watch });
+    await new Promise((resolve) => setImmediate(resolve));
+    expect(watch).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+
+    fakeProcess.emit("SIGINT");
+    const exitCode = await runPromise;
+    expect(exitCode).toBe(130);
+    expect(child.kill).toHaveBeenCalledWith("SIGTERM");
+    expect(watcher.close).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+  });
+
   it("terminates child on SIGINT and returns shell interrupt code", async () => {
     const { child, spawn, watcher, createWatcher, fakeProcess } = createWatchHarness();
 
@@ -412,6 +455,10 @@ describe("watch-node script", () => {
       ),
       { code: "ERR_INVALID_PACKAGE_CONFIG" },
     );
+    const child = Object.assign(new EventEmitter(), {
+      kill: vi.fn(() => {}),
+    });
+    const spawn = vi.fn(() => child);
     const errorSpy = vi.spyOn(console, "error").mockImplementation(() => {});
 
     try {
@@ -423,9 +470,12 @@ describe("watch-node script", () => {
             throw error;
           }),
           process: createFakeProcess(),
+          spawn,
         }),
       ).rejects.toBe(error);
 
+      expect(spawn).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+      expect(child.kill).toHaveBeenCalledWith("SIGTERM");
       expect(errorSpy.mock.calls).toEqual([
         [""],
         [
@@ -450,6 +500,10 @@ describe("watch-node script", () => {
     const error = Object.assign(new Error("Cannot find package 'chokidar'"), {
       code: "ERR_MODULE_NOT_FOUND",
     });
+    const child = Object.assign(new EventEmitter(), {
+      kill: vi.fn(() => {}),
+    });
+    const spawn = vi.fn(() => child);
     const errorSpy = vi.spyOn(console, "error").mockImplementation(() => {});
 
     try {
@@ -459,9 +513,12 @@ describe("watch-node script", () => {
             throw error;
           }),
           process: createFakeProcess(),
+          spawn,
         }),
       ).rejects.toBe(error);
 
+      expect(spawn).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+      expect(child.kill).toHaveBeenCalledWith("SIGTERM");
       expect(errorSpy).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
     } finally {
       errorSpy.mockRestore();