diff --git a/src/cli/update-cli.test.ts b/src/cli/update-cli.test.ts
index 9dd47175a85..993f90a15b8 100644
--- a/src/cli/update-cli.test.ts
+++ b/src/cli/update-cli.test.ts
@@ -132,6 +132,7 @@ vi.mock("../utils.js", () => ({
   isRecord: (value: unknown) =>
     typeof value === "object" && value !== null && !Array.isArray(value),
   pathExists: (...args: unknown[]) => pathExists(...args),
+  resolveConfigDir: () => "/tmp/openclaw-config",
 }));
 
 vi.mock("../plugins/update.js", () => ({
@@ -1006,6 +1007,34 @@ describe("update-cli", () => {
     expect(lastWrite?.nextConfig?.update?.channel).toBe("beta");
   });
 
+  it("skips plugin sync in the old process after switching from package to git", async () => {
+    const tempDir = createCaseDir("openclaw-update");
+    mockPackageInstallStatus(tempDir);
+    vi.mocked(runGatewayUpdate).mockResolvedValue(
+      makeOkUpdateResult({
+        mode: "git",
+        root: path.join(tempDir, "..", "openclaw"),
+        after: { version: "2026.4.5" },
+      }),
+    );
+    syncPluginsForUpdateChannel.mockRejectedValue(
+      new Error("Config validation failed: old host version"),
+    );
+
+    await updateCommand({ channel: "dev", yes: true });
+
+    expect(syncPluginsForUpdateChannel).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    expect(defaultRuntime.exit).not.toHaveBeenCalledWith(1);
+    expect(
+      vi
+        .mocked(defaultRuntime.log)
+        .mock.calls.map((call) => String(call[0]))
+        .join("\n"),
+    ).toContain(
+      "Skipped plugin update sync in the pre-update CLI process after switching to a git install.",
+    );
+  });
+
   it.each([
     {
       name: "refreshes service env when already installed",
diff --git a/src/cli/update-cli/update-command.ts b/src/cli/update-cli/update-command.ts
index 363a280798f..37aea15d255 100644
--- a/src/cli/update-cli/update-command.ts
+++ b/src/cli/update-cli/update-command.ts
@@ -1061,12 +1061,26 @@ export async function updateCommand(opts: UpdateCommandOptions): Promise<void> {
     }
   }
 
-  await updatePluginsAfterCoreUpdate({
-    root,
-    channel,
-    configSnapshot: postUpdateConfigSnapshot,
-    opts,
-  });
+  // A package -> git switch still runs inside the pre-update CLI process.
+  // Plugin sync/validation can then compare new bundled plugin minima against
+  // the old host version and fail even though the install itself succeeded.
+  const deferPluginSync = switchToGit && result.mode === "git";
+  if (deferPluginSync) {
+    if (!opts.json) {
+      defaultRuntime.log(
+        theme.muted(
+          "Skipped plugin update sync in the pre-update CLI process after switching to a git install.",
+        ),
+      );
+    }
+  } else {
+    await updatePluginsAfterCoreUpdate({
+      root,
+      channel,
+      configSnapshot: postUpdateConfigSnapshot,
+      opts,
+    });
+  }
 
   await tryWriteCompletionCache(root, Boolean(opts.json));
   await tryInstallShellCompletion({