diff --git a/src/gateway/server-methods/tools-catalog.test.ts b/src/gateway/server-methods/tools-catalog.test.ts
index e3cedd61bdf..028a068dcda 100644
--- a/src/gateway/server-methods/tools-catalog.test.ts
+++ b/src/gateway/server-methods/tools-catalog.test.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,8 @@
 import { beforeEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
-import { resolvePluginTools } from "../../plugins/tools.js";
+import {
+  ensureStandalonePluginToolRegistryLoaded,
+  resolvePluginTools,
+} from "../../plugins/tools.js";
 import { ErrorCodes } from "../protocol/index.js";
 import { toolsCatalogHandlers } from "./tools-catalog.js";
 
@@ -19,6 +22,7 @@ const pluginToolMetaState = new Map<string, { pluginId: string; optional: boolea
 vi.mock("../../plugins/tools.js", () => ({
   buildPluginToolMetadataKey: (pluginId: string, toolName: string) =>
     JSON.stringify([pluginId, toolName]),
+  ensureStandalonePluginToolRegistryLoaded: vi.fn(),
   resolvePluginTools: vi.fn(() => [
     { name: "voice_call", label: "voice_call", description: "Plugin calling tool" },
     {
@@ -159,5 +163,10 @@ describe("tools.catalog handler", () => {
         allowGatewaySubagentBinding: true,
       }),
     );
+    expect(vi.mocked(ensureStandalonePluginToolRegistryLoaded)).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+      expect.objectContaining({
+        allowGatewaySubagentBinding: true,
+      }),
+    );
   });
 });
diff --git a/src/gateway/server-methods/tools-catalog.ts b/src/gateway/server-methods/tools-catalog.ts
index 66aaa112d29..9fc0a47c986 100644
--- a/src/gateway/server-methods/tools-catalog.ts
+++ b/src/gateway/server-methods/tools-catalog.ts
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ import type { OpenClawConfig } from "../../config/types.openclaw.js";
 import { getActivePluginRegistry } from "../../plugins/runtime.js";
 import {
   buildPluginToolMetadataKey,
+  ensureStandalonePluginToolRegistryLoaded,
   getPluginToolMeta,
   resolvePluginTools,
 } from "../../plugins/tools.js";
@@ -88,13 +89,19 @@ function buildPluginGroups(params: {
 }): ToolCatalogGroup[] {
   const workspaceDir = resolveAgentWorkspaceDir(params.cfg, params.agentId);
   const agentDir = resolveAgentDir(params.cfg, params.agentId);
+  const toolContext = {
+    config: params.cfg,
+    workspaceDir,
+    agentDir,
+    agentId: params.agentId,
+  };
+  ensureStandalonePluginToolRegistryLoaded({
+    context: toolContext,
+    toolAllowlist: ["group:plugins"],
+    allowGatewaySubagentBinding: true,
+  });
   const pluginTools = resolvePluginTools({
-    context: {
-      config: params.cfg,
-      workspaceDir,
-      agentDir,
-      agentId: params.agentId,
-    },
+    context: toolContext,
     existingToolNames: params.existingToolNames,
     toolAllowlist: ["group:plugins"],
     suppressNameConflicts: true,