diff --git a/src/agents/skills/plugin-skills.test.ts b/src/agents/skills/plugin-skills.test.ts
index 2eee4b980ed..2bd79a43a4a 100644
--- a/src/agents/skills/plugin-skills.test.ts
+++ b/src/agents/skills/plugin-skills.test.ts
@@ -55,6 +55,7 @@ function createSinglePluginRegistry(params: {
   pluginRoot: string;
   skills: string[];
   format?: "openclaw" | "bundle";
+  legacyPluginIds?: string[];
 }): PluginManifestRegistry {
   return {
     diagnostics: [],
@@ -65,6 +66,7 @@ function createSinglePluginRegistry(params: {
         format: params.format,
         channels: [],
         providers: [],
+        legacyPluginIds: params.legacyPluginIds,
         cliBackends: [],
         skills: params.skills,
         hooks: [],
@@ -232,4 +234,31 @@ describe("resolvePluginSkillDirs", () => {
       path.resolve(pluginRoot, "commands"),
     ]);
   });
+
+  it("resolves enabled plugin skills through legacy manifest aliases", async () => {
+    const workspaceDir = await tempDirs.make("openclaw-");
+    const pluginRoot = await tempDirs.make("openclaw-legacy-plugin-");
+    await fs.mkdir(path.join(pluginRoot, "skills"), { recursive: true });
+
+    hoisted.loadPluginManifestRegistry.mockReturnValue(
+      createSinglePluginRegistry({
+        pluginRoot,
+        skills: ["./skills"],
+        legacyPluginIds: ["helper-legacy"],
+      }),
+    );
+
+    const dirs = resolvePluginSkillDirs({
+      workspaceDir,
+      config: {
+        plugins: {
+          entries: {
+            "helper-legacy": { enabled: true },
+          },
+        },
+      } as OpenClawConfig,
+    });
+
+    expect(dirs).toEqual([path.resolve(pluginRoot, "skills")]);
+  });
 });
diff --git a/src/agents/skills/plugin-skills.ts b/src/agents/skills/plugin-skills.ts
index e3604345c20..c773ab3cb63 100644
--- a/src/agents/skills/plugin-skills.ts
+++ b/src/agents/skills/plugin-skills.ts
@@ -3,16 +3,46 @@ import path from "node:path";
 import type { OpenClawConfig } from "../../config/config.js";
 import { createSubsystemLogger } from "../../logging/subsystem.js";
 import {
-  normalizePluginsConfig,
+  normalizePluginsConfigWithResolver,
   resolveEffectivePluginActivationState,
   resolveMemorySlotDecision,
-} from "../../plugins/config-state.js";
-import { loadPluginManifestRegistry } from "../../plugins/manifest-registry.js";
+} from "../../plugins/config-policy.js";
+import {
+  loadPluginManifestRegistry,
+  type PluginManifestRegistry,
+} from "../../plugins/manifest-registry.js";
 import { hasKind } from "../../plugins/slots.js";
 import { isPathInsideWithRealpath } from "../../security/scan-paths.js";
 
 const log = createSubsystemLogger("skills");
 
+function buildRegistryPluginIdAliases(
+  registry: PluginManifestRegistry,
+): Readonly<Record<string, string>> {
+  return Object.fromEntries(
+    registry.plugins
+      .flatMap((record) => [
+        ...record.providers
+          .filter((providerId) => providerId !== record.id)
+          .map((providerId) => [providerId, record.id] as const),
+        ...(record.legacyPluginIds ?? []).map(
+          (legacyPluginId) => [legacyPluginId, record.id] as const,
+        ),
+      ])
+      .toSorted(([left], [right]) => left.localeCompare(right)),
+  );
+}
+
+function createRegistryPluginIdNormalizer(
+  registry: PluginManifestRegistry,
+): (id: string) => string {
+  const aliases = buildRegistryPluginIdAliases(registry);
+  return (id: string) => {
+    const trimmed = id.trim();
+    return aliases[trimmed] ?? trimmed;
+  };
+}
+
 export function resolvePluginSkillDirs(params: {
   workspaceDir: string | undefined;
   config?: OpenClawConfig;
@@ -28,7 +58,10 @@ export function resolvePluginSkillDirs(params: {
   if (registry.plugins.length === 0) {
     return [];
   }
-  const normalizedPlugins = normalizePluginsConfig(params.config?.plugins);
+  const normalizedPlugins = normalizePluginsConfigWithResolver(
+    params.config?.plugins,
+    createRegistryPluginIdNormalizer(registry),
+  );
   const acpEnabled = params.config?.acp?.enabled !== false;
   const memorySlot = normalizedPlugins.slots.memory;
   let selectedMemoryPluginId: string | null = null;
diff --git a/src/agents/skills/refresh.test.ts b/src/agents/skills/refresh.test.ts
index 227b3412634..087f61221e3 100644
--- a/src/agents/skills/refresh.test.ts
+++ b/src/agents/skills/refresh.test.ts
@@ -13,6 +13,10 @@ vi.mock("chokidar", () => ({
   default: { watch: watchMock },
 }));
 
+vi.mock("./plugin-skills.js", () => ({
+  resolvePluginSkillDirs: vi.fn(() => []),
+}));
+
 describe("ensureSkillsWatcher", () => {
   beforeAll(async () => {
     refreshModule = await import("./refresh.js");
diff --git a/src/plugins/config-policy.ts b/src/plugins/config-policy.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..87513bcb446
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/plugins/config-policy.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,409 @@
+import { normalizeChatChannelId } from "../channels/registry.js";
+import type { OpenClawConfig } from "../config/config.js";
+import { defaultSlotIdForKey, hasKind } from "./slots.js";
+import type { PluginKind, PluginOrigin } from "./types.js";
+
+export type PluginActivationSource = "disabled" | "explicit" | "auto" | "default";
+
+export type PluginActivationState = {
+  enabled: boolean;
+  activated: boolean;
+  explicitlyEnabled: boolean;
+  source: PluginActivationSource;
+  reason?: string;
+};
+
+export type NormalizedPluginsConfig = {
+  enabled: boolean;
+  allow: string[];
+  deny: string[];
+  loadPaths: string[];
+  slots: {
+    memory?: string | null;
+  };
+  entries: Record<
+    string,
+    {
+      enabled?: boolean;
+      hooks?: {
+        allowPromptInjection?: boolean;
+      };
+      subagent?: {
+        allowModelOverride?: boolean;
+        allowedModels?: string[];
+        hasAllowedModelsConfig?: boolean;
+      };
+      config?: unknown;
+    }
+  >;
+};
+
+type NormalizePluginId = (id: string) => string;
+
+const identityNormalizePluginId: NormalizePluginId = (id) => id.trim();
+
+const normalizeList = (value: unknown, normalizePluginId: NormalizePluginId): string[] => {
+  if (!Array.isArray(value)) {
+    return [];
+  }
+  return value
+    .map((entry) => (typeof entry === "string" ? normalizePluginId(entry) : ""))
+    .filter(Boolean);
+};
+
+const normalizeSlotValue = (value: unknown): string | null | undefined => {
+  if (typeof value !== "string") {
+    return undefined;
+  }
+  const trimmed = value.trim();
+  if (!trimmed) {
+    return undefined;
+  }
+  if (trimmed.toLowerCase() === "none") {
+    return null;
+  }
+  return trimmed;
+};
+
+const normalizePluginEntries = (
+  entries: unknown,
+  normalizePluginId: NormalizePluginId,
+): NormalizedPluginsConfig["entries"] => {
+  if (!entries || typeof entries !== "object" || Array.isArray(entries)) {
+    return {};
+  }
+  const normalized: NormalizedPluginsConfig["entries"] = {};
+  for (const [key, value] of Object.entries(entries)) {
+    const normalizedKey = normalizePluginId(key);
+    if (!normalizedKey) {
+      continue;
+    }
+    if (!value || typeof value !== "object" || Array.isArray(value)) {
+      normalized[normalizedKey] = {};
+      continue;
+    }
+    const entry = value as Record<string, unknown>;
+    const hooksRaw = entry.hooks;
+    const hooks =
+      hooksRaw && typeof hooksRaw === "object" && !Array.isArray(hooksRaw)
+        ? {
+            allowPromptInjection: (hooksRaw as { allowPromptInjection?: unknown })
+              .allowPromptInjection,
+          }
+        : undefined;
+    const normalizedHooks =
+      hooks && typeof hooks.allowPromptInjection === "boolean"
+        ? {
+            allowPromptInjection: hooks.allowPromptInjection,
+          }
+        : undefined;
+    const subagentRaw = entry.subagent;
+    const subagent =
+      subagentRaw && typeof subagentRaw === "object" && !Array.isArray(subagentRaw)
+        ? {
+            allowModelOverride: (subagentRaw as { allowModelOverride?: unknown })
+              .allowModelOverride,
+            hasAllowedModelsConfig: Array.isArray(
+              (subagentRaw as { allowedModels?: unknown }).allowedModels,
+            ),
+            allowedModels: Array.isArray((subagentRaw as { allowedModels?: unknown }).allowedModels)
+              ? ((subagentRaw as { allowedModels?: unknown }).allowedModels as unknown[])
+                  .map((model) => (typeof model === "string" ? model.trim() : ""))
+                  .filter(Boolean)
+              : undefined,
+          }
+        : undefined;
+    const normalizedSubagent =
+      subagent &&
+      (typeof subagent.allowModelOverride === "boolean" ||
+        subagent.hasAllowedModelsConfig ||
+        (Array.isArray(subagent.allowedModels) && subagent.allowedModels.length > 0))
+        ? {
+            ...(typeof subagent.allowModelOverride === "boolean"
+              ? { allowModelOverride: subagent.allowModelOverride }
+              : {}),
+            ...(subagent.hasAllowedModelsConfig ? { hasAllowedModelsConfig: true } : {}),
+            ...(Array.isArray(subagent.allowedModels) && subagent.allowedModels.length > 0
+              ? { allowedModels: subagent.allowedModels }
+              : {}),
+          }
+        : undefined;
+    normalized[normalizedKey] = {
+      ...normalized[normalizedKey],
+      enabled:
+        typeof entry.enabled === "boolean" ? entry.enabled : normalized[normalizedKey]?.enabled,
+      hooks: normalizedHooks ?? normalized[normalizedKey]?.hooks,
+      subagent: normalizedSubagent ?? normalized[normalizedKey]?.subagent,
+      config: "config" in entry ? entry.config : normalized[normalizedKey]?.config,
+    };
+  }
+  return normalized;
+};
+
+export function normalizePluginsConfigWithResolver(
+  config?: OpenClawConfig["plugins"],
+  normalizePluginId: NormalizePluginId = identityNormalizePluginId,
+): NormalizedPluginsConfig {
+  const memorySlot = normalizeSlotValue(config?.slots?.memory);
+  return {
+    enabled: config?.enabled !== false,
+    allow: normalizeList(config?.allow, normalizePluginId),
+    deny: normalizeList(config?.deny, normalizePluginId),
+    loadPaths: normalizeList(config?.load?.paths, identityNormalizePluginId),
+    slots: {
+      memory: memorySlot === undefined ? defaultSlotIdForKey("memory") : memorySlot,
+    },
+    entries: normalizePluginEntries(config?.entries, normalizePluginId),
+  };
+}
+
+function resolveExplicitPluginSelection(params: {
+  id: string;
+  origin: PluginOrigin;
+  config: NormalizedPluginsConfig;
+  rootConfig?: OpenClawConfig;
+}): { explicitlyEnabled: boolean; reason?: string } {
+  if (params.config.entries[params.id]?.enabled === true) {
+    return { explicitlyEnabled: true, reason: "enabled in config" };
+  }
+  if (
+    params.origin === "bundled" &&
+    isBundledChannelEnabledByChannelConfig(params.rootConfig, params.id)
+  ) {
+    return { explicitlyEnabled: true, reason: "channel enabled in config" };
+  }
+  if (params.config.slots.memory === params.id) {
+    return { explicitlyEnabled: true, reason: "selected memory slot" };
+  }
+  if (params.origin !== "bundled" && params.config.allow.includes(params.id)) {
+    return { explicitlyEnabled: true, reason: "selected in allowlist" };
+  }
+  return { explicitlyEnabled: false };
+}
+
+export function resolvePluginActivationState(params: {
+  id: string;
+  origin: PluginOrigin;
+  config: NormalizedPluginsConfig;
+  rootConfig?: OpenClawConfig;
+  enabledByDefault?: boolean;
+  sourceConfig?: NormalizedPluginsConfig;
+  sourceRootConfig?: OpenClawConfig;
+  autoEnabledReason?: string;
+}): PluginActivationState {
+  const explicitSelection = resolveExplicitPluginSelection({
+    id: params.id,
+    origin: params.origin,
+    config: params.sourceConfig ?? params.config,
+    rootConfig: params.sourceRootConfig ?? params.rootConfig,
+  });
+
+  if (!params.config.enabled) {
+    return {
+      enabled: false,
+      activated: false,
+      explicitlyEnabled: explicitSelection.explicitlyEnabled,
+      source: "disabled",
+      reason: "plugins disabled",
+    };
+  }
+  if (params.config.deny.includes(params.id)) {
+    return {
+      enabled: false,
+      activated: false,
+      explicitlyEnabled: explicitSelection.explicitlyEnabled,
+      source: "disabled",
+      reason: "blocked by denylist",
+    };
+  }
+  const entry = params.config.entries[params.id];
+  if (entry?.enabled === false) {
+    return {
+      enabled: false,
+      activated: false,
+      explicitlyEnabled: explicitSelection.explicitlyEnabled,
+      source: "disabled",
+      reason: "disabled in config",
+    };
+  }
+  const explicitlyAllowed = params.config.allow.includes(params.id);
+  if (params.origin === "workspace" && !explicitlyAllowed && entry?.enabled !== true) {
+    return {
+      enabled: false,
+      activated: false,
+      explicitlyEnabled: explicitSelection.explicitlyEnabled,
+      source: "disabled",
+      reason: "workspace plugin (disabled by default)",
+    };
+  }
+  if (params.config.slots.memory === params.id) {
+    return {
+      enabled: true,
+      activated: true,
+      explicitlyEnabled: true,
+      source: "explicit",
+      reason: "selected memory slot",
+    };
+  }
+  if (params.config.allow.length > 0 && !explicitlyAllowed) {
+    return {
+      enabled: false,
+      activated: false,
+      explicitlyEnabled: explicitSelection.explicitlyEnabled,
+      source: "disabled",
+      reason: "not in allowlist",
+    };
+  }
+  if (explicitSelection.explicitlyEnabled) {
+    return {
+      enabled: true,
+      activated: true,
+      explicitlyEnabled: true,
+      source: "explicit",
+      reason: explicitSelection.reason,
+    };
+  }
+  if (params.autoEnabledReason) {
+    return {
+      enabled: true,
+      activated: true,
+      explicitlyEnabled: false,
+      source: "auto",
+      reason: params.autoEnabledReason,
+    };
+  }
+  if (entry?.enabled === true) {
+    return {
+      enabled: true,
+      activated: true,
+      explicitlyEnabled: false,
+      source: "auto",
+      reason: "enabled by effective config",
+    };
+  }
+  if (
+    params.origin === "bundled" &&
+    isBundledChannelEnabledByChannelConfig(params.rootConfig, params.id)
+  ) {
+    return {
+      enabled: true,
+      activated: true,
+      explicitlyEnabled: false,
+      source: "auto",
+      reason: "channel configured",
+    };
+  }
+  if (params.origin === "bundled" && params.enabledByDefault === true) {
+    return {
+      enabled: true,
+      activated: true,
+      explicitlyEnabled: false,
+      source: "default",
+      reason: "bundled default enablement",
+    };
+  }
+  if (params.origin === "bundled") {
+    return {
+      enabled: false,
+      activated: false,
+      explicitlyEnabled: false,
+      source: "disabled",
+      reason: "bundled (disabled by default)",
+    };
+  }
+  return {
+    enabled: true,
+    activated: true,
+    explicitlyEnabled: explicitSelection.explicitlyEnabled,
+    source: "default",
+  };
+}
+
+export function resolveEnableState(
+  id: string,
+  origin: PluginOrigin,
+  config: NormalizedPluginsConfig,
+  enabledByDefault?: boolean,
+): { enabled: boolean; reason?: string } {
+  const state = resolvePluginActivationState({
+    id,
+    origin,
+    config,
+    enabledByDefault,
+  });
+  return state.enabled ? { enabled: true } : { enabled: false, reason: state.reason };
+}
+
+export function isBundledChannelEnabledByChannelConfig(
+  cfg: OpenClawConfig | undefined,
+  pluginId: string,
+): boolean {
+  if (!cfg) {
+    return false;
+  }
+  const channelId = normalizeChatChannelId(pluginId);
+  if (!channelId) {
+    return false;
+  }
+  const channels = cfg.channels as Record<string, unknown> | undefined;
+  const entry = channels?.[channelId];
+  if (!entry || typeof entry !== "object" || Array.isArray(entry)) {
+    return false;
+  }
+  return (entry as Record<string, unknown>).enabled === true;
+}
+
+export function resolveEffectiveEnableState(params: {
+  id: string;
+  origin: PluginOrigin;
+  config: NormalizedPluginsConfig;
+  rootConfig?: OpenClawConfig;
+  enabledByDefault?: boolean;
+}): { enabled: boolean; reason?: string } {
+  const state = resolveEffectivePluginActivationState(params);
+  return state.enabled ? { enabled: true } : { enabled: false, reason: state.reason };
+}
+
+export function resolveEffectivePluginActivationState(params: {
+  id: string;
+  origin: PluginOrigin;
+  config: NormalizedPluginsConfig;
+  rootConfig?: OpenClawConfig;
+  enabledByDefault?: boolean;
+  sourceConfig?: NormalizedPluginsConfig;
+  sourceRootConfig?: OpenClawConfig;
+  autoEnabledReason?: string;
+}): PluginActivationState {
+  return resolvePluginActivationState(params);
+}
+
+export function resolveMemorySlotDecision(params: {
+  id: string;
+  kind?: PluginKind | PluginKind[];
+  slot: string | null | undefined;
+  selectedId: string | null;
+}): { enabled: boolean; reason?: string; selected?: boolean } {
+  if (!hasKind(params.kind, "memory")) {
+    return { enabled: true };
+  }
+  // A dual-kind plugin (e.g. ["memory", "context-engine"]) that lost the
+  // memory slot must stay enabled so its other slot role can still load.
+  const isMultiKind = Array.isArray(params.kind) && params.kind.length > 1;
+  if (params.slot === null) {
+    return isMultiKind ? { enabled: true } : { enabled: false, reason: "memory slot disabled" };
+  }
+  if (typeof params.slot === "string") {
+    if (params.slot === params.id) {
+      return { enabled: true, selected: true };
+    }
+    return isMultiKind
+      ? { enabled: true }
+      : { enabled: false, reason: `memory slot set to "${params.slot}"` };
+  }
+  if (params.selectedId && params.selectedId !== params.id) {
+    return isMultiKind
+      ? { enabled: true }
+      : { enabled: false, reason: `memory slot already filled by "${params.selectedId}"` };
+  }
+  return { enabled: true, selected: true };
+}
diff --git a/src/plugins/manifest-registry.ts b/src/plugins/manifest-registry.ts
index 1bc1e90c805..ec4e5e6cdf1 100644
--- a/src/plugins/manifest-registry.ts
+++ b/src/plugins/manifest-registry.ts
@@ -4,7 +4,10 @@ import type { OpenClawConfig } from "../config/config.js";
 import { resolveUserPath } from "../utils.js";
 import { resolveCompatibilityHostVersion } from "../version.js";
 import { loadBundleManifest } from "./bundle-manifest.js";
-import { normalizePluginsConfig, type NormalizedPluginsConfig } from "./config-state.js";
+import {
+  normalizePluginsConfigWithResolver,
+  type NormalizedPluginsConfig,
+} from "./config-policy.js";
 import { discoverOpenClawPlugins, type PluginCandidate } from "./discovery.js";
 import {
   loadPluginManifest,
@@ -46,6 +49,7 @@ export type PluginManifestRecord = {
   version?: string;
   enabledByDefault?: boolean;
   autoEnableWhenConfiguredProviders?: string[];
+  legacyPluginIds?: string[];
   format?: PluginFormat;
   bundleFormat?: PluginBundleFormat;
   bundleCapabilities?: string[];
@@ -206,6 +210,7 @@ function buildRecord(params: {
     version: normalizeManifestLabel(params.manifest.version) ?? params.candidate.packageVersion,
     enabledByDefault: params.manifest.enabledByDefault === true ? true : undefined,
     autoEnableWhenConfiguredProviders: params.manifest.autoEnableWhenConfiguredProviders,
+    legacyPluginIds: params.manifest.legacyPluginIds,
     format: params.candidate.format ?? "openclaw",
     bundleFormat: params.candidate.bundleFormat,
     kind: params.manifest.kind,
@@ -356,7 +361,7 @@ export function loadPluginManifestRegistry(
   } = {},
 ): PluginManifestRegistry {
   const config = params.config ?? {};
-  const normalized = normalizePluginsConfig(config.plugins);
+  const normalized = normalizePluginsConfigWithResolver(config.plugins);
   const env = params.env ?? process.env;
   const cacheKey = buildCacheKey({ workspaceDir: params.workspaceDir, plugins: normalized, env });
   const cacheEnabled = params.cache !== false && shouldUseManifestCache(env);