diff --git a/src/plugins/installed-plugin-index-store.test.ts b/src/plugins/installed-plugin-index-store.test.ts
index 62d61f56a1c..56b946265f8 100644
--- a/src/plugins/installed-plugin-index-store.test.ts
+++ b/src/plugins/installed-plugin-index-store.test.ts
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ import path from "node:path";
 import { afterEach, describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
 import type { PluginCandidate } from "./discovery.js";
 import {
+  inspectPersistedInstalledPluginIndex,
   readPersistedInstalledPluginIndex,
   refreshPersistedInstalledPluginIndex,
   resolveInstalledPluginIndexStorePath,
@@ -111,6 +112,76 @@ describe("installed plugin index persistence", () => {
     await expect(readPersistedInstalledPluginIndex({ stateDir })).resolves.toBeNull();
   });
 
+  it("inspects missing, fresh, and stale persisted index state without loading runtime", async () => {
+    const stateDir = makeTempDir();
+    const pluginDir = path.join(stateDir, "plugins", "demo");
+    fs.mkdirSync(pluginDir, { recursive: true });
+    const candidate = createCandidate(pluginDir);
+    const env = {
+      OPENCLAW_BUNDLED_PLUGINS_DIR: undefined,
+      OPENCLAW_DISABLE_PLUGIN_DISCOVERY_CACHE: "1",
+      OPENCLAW_DISABLE_PLUGIN_MANIFEST_CACHE: "1",
+      OPENCLAW_VERSION: "2026.4.25",
+      VITEST: "true",
+    };
+
+    await expect(
+      inspectPersistedInstalledPluginIndex({ stateDir, candidates: [candidate], env }),
+    ).resolves.toMatchObject({
+      state: "missing",
+      refreshReasons: ["missing"],
+      persisted: null,
+      current: {
+        plugins: [expect.objectContaining({ pluginId: "demo" })],
+      },
+    });
+
+    const current = await refreshPersistedInstalledPluginIndex({
+      reason: "manual",
+      stateDir,
+      candidates: [candidate],
+      env,
+    });
+
+    await expect(
+      inspectPersistedInstalledPluginIndex({ stateDir, candidates: [candidate], env }),
+    ).resolves.toMatchObject({
+      state: "fresh",
+      refreshReasons: [],
+      persisted: current,
+      current: {
+        plugins: [expect.objectContaining({ pluginId: "demo" })],
+      },
+    });
+
+    fs.writeFileSync(
+      path.join(pluginDir, "openclaw.plugin.json"),
+      JSON.stringify({
+        id: "demo",
+        name: "Demo",
+        configSchema: { type: "object" },
+        providers: ["demo", "demo-next"],
+      }),
+      "utf8",
+    );
+
+    await expect(
+      inspectPersistedInstalledPluginIndex({ stateDir, candidates: [candidate], env }),
+    ).resolves.toMatchObject({
+      state: "stale",
+      refreshReasons: ["stale-manifest"],
+      persisted: current,
+      current: {
+        plugins: [
+          expect.objectContaining({
+            pluginId: "demo",
+            contributions: expect.objectContaining({ providers: ["demo", "demo-next"] }),
+          }),
+        ],
+      },
+    });
+  });
+
   it("refreshes and persists a rebuilt index without loading plugin runtime", async () => {
     const stateDir = makeTempDir();
     const pluginDir = path.join(stateDir, "plugins", "demo");
diff --git a/src/plugins/installed-plugin-index-store.ts b/src/plugins/installed-plugin-index-store.ts
index 5d73f76d236..0bfc602f60a 100644
--- a/src/plugins/installed-plugin-index-store.ts
+++ b/src/plugins/installed-plugin-index-store.ts
@@ -4,13 +4,17 @@ import { resolveStateDir } from "../config/paths.js";
 import { readJsonFile, writeJsonAtomic } from "../infra/json-files.js";
 import { safeParseWithSchema } from "../utils/zod-parse.js";
 import {
+  diffInstalledPluginIndexInvalidationReasons,
   INSTALLED_PLUGIN_INDEX_VERSION,
+  loadInstalledPluginIndex,
   refreshInstalledPluginIndex,
   type InstalledPluginIndex,
+  type InstalledPluginIndexRefreshReason,
+  type LoadInstalledPluginIndexParams,
   type RefreshInstalledPluginIndexParams,
 } from "./installed-plugin-index.js";
 
-const INSTALLED_PLUGIN_INDEX_STORE_PATH = path.join("plugins", "installed-index.json");
+export const INSTALLED_PLUGIN_INDEX_STORE_PATH = path.join("plugins", "installed-index.json");
 
 export type InstalledPluginIndexStoreOptions = {
   env?: NodeJS.ProcessEnv;
@@ -18,6 +22,15 @@ export type InstalledPluginIndexStoreOptions = {
   filePath?: string;
 };
 
+export type InstalledPluginIndexStoreState = "missing" | "fresh" | "stale";
+
+export type InstalledPluginIndexStoreInspection = {
+  state: InstalledPluginIndexStoreState;
+  refreshReasons: readonly InstalledPluginIndexRefreshReason[];
+  persisted: InstalledPluginIndex | null;
+  current: InstalledPluginIndex;
+};
+
 const ContributionArraySchema = z.array(z.string());
 
 const InstalledPluginIndexContributionsSchema = z
@@ -109,6 +122,29 @@ export async function writePersistedInstalledPluginIndex(
   return filePath;
 }
 
+export async function inspectPersistedInstalledPluginIndex(
+  params: LoadInstalledPluginIndexParams & InstalledPluginIndexStoreOptions = {},
+): Promise<InstalledPluginIndexStoreInspection> {
+  const persisted = await readPersistedInstalledPluginIndex(params);
+  const current = loadInstalledPluginIndex(params);
+  if (!persisted) {
+    return {
+      state: "missing",
+      refreshReasons: ["missing"],
+      persisted: null,
+      current,
+    };
+  }
+
+  const refreshReasons = diffInstalledPluginIndexInvalidationReasons(persisted, current);
+  return {
+    state: refreshReasons.length > 0 ? "stale" : "fresh",
+    refreshReasons,
+    persisted,
+    current,
+  };
+}
+
 export async function refreshPersistedInstalledPluginIndex(
   params: RefreshInstalledPluginIndexParams & InstalledPluginIndexStoreOptions,
 ): Promise<InstalledPluginIndex> {