diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index 37d48a346f2..18695bdef0b 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -1404,8 +1404,12 @@ jobs:
               pnpm lint --threads=8
               ;;
             dependencies)
-              pnpm deadcode:dependencies
-              pnpm deadcode:unused-files
+              if pnpm run --silent 2>/dev/null | grep -q '^  deadcode:dependencies$'; then
+                pnpm deadcode:dependencies
+                pnpm deadcode:unused-files
+              else
+                pnpm deadcode:ci
+              fi
               ;;
             policy-guards)
               pnpm lint:webhook:no-low-level-body-read
diff --git a/test/scripts/plugin-prerelease-test-plan.test.ts b/test/scripts/plugin-prerelease-test-plan.test.ts
index a2cf3b506d5..fabb22fb355 100644
--- a/test/scripts/plugin-prerelease-test-plan.test.ts
+++ b/test/scripts/plugin-prerelease-test-plan.test.ts
@@ -192,6 +192,14 @@ describe("scripts/lib/plugin-prerelease-test-plan.mjs", () => {
     expect(manifestEnv).not.toHaveProperty("OPENCLAW_CI_FULL_RELEASE_VALIDATION");
     expect(manifestScript).toContain("includeReleaseOnlyPluginShards: false");
     expect(manifestScript).not.toContain("plugin-prerelease-test-plan.mjs");
+    expect(workflow.jobs["check-shard"].strategy.matrix.include).toContainEqual({
+      check_name: "check-dependencies",
+      task: "dependencies",
+      runner: "ubuntu-24.04",
+    });
+    expect(
+      workflow.jobs["check-shard"].steps.find((step) => step.name === "Run check shard").run,
+    ).toContain("pnpm deadcode:ci");
     expect(normalCiScript).toContain(
       'dispatch_and_wait ci.yml -f target_ref="$TARGET_SHA" -f include_android=true',
     );