diff --git a/.github/workflows/openclaw-release-publish.yml b/.github/workflows/openclaw-release-publish.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..c1d44144b3b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/openclaw-release-publish.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,257 @@
+name: OpenClaw Release Publish
+
+on:
+  workflow_dispatch:
+    inputs:
+      tag:
+        description: Release tag to publish, for example v2026.5.1-beta.1
+        required: true
+        type: string
+      preflight_run_id:
+        description: Successful OpenClaw NPM Release preflight run id, required when publish_openclaw_npm=true
+        required: false
+        type: string
+      npm_dist_tag:
+        description: npm dist-tag for the OpenClaw package
+        required: true
+        default: beta
+        type: choice
+        options:
+          - beta
+          - latest
+      plugin_publish_scope:
+        description: Plugin publish scope to run before OpenClaw publish
+        required: true
+        default: all-publishable
+        type: choice
+        options:
+          - selected
+          - all-publishable
+      plugins:
+        description: Comma-separated plugin package names when plugin_publish_scope=selected
+        required: false
+        type: string
+      publish_openclaw_npm:
+        description: Publish the OpenClaw npm package after plugin npm and ClawHub publish complete
+        required: true
+        default: true
+        type: boolean
+
+permissions:
+  actions: write
+  contents: read
+
+concurrency:
+  group: openclaw-release-publish-${{ inputs.tag }}
+  cancel-in-progress: false
+
+env:
+  FORCE_JAVASCRIPT_ACTIONS_TO_NODE24: "true"
+  NODE_VERSION: "24.x"
+  PNPM_VERSION: "10.32.1"
+
+jobs:
+  resolve_release_target:
+    name: Resolve release target
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    timeout-minutes: 20
+    outputs:
+      sha: ${{ steps.ref.outputs.sha }}
+    steps:
+      - name: Validate inputs
+        env:
+          RELEASE_TAG: ${{ inputs.tag }}
+          PREFLIGHT_RUN_ID: ${{ inputs.preflight_run_id }}
+          PUBLISH_OPENCLAW_NPM: ${{ inputs.publish_openclaw_npm && 'true' || 'false' }}
+          PLUGIN_PUBLISH_SCOPE: ${{ inputs.plugin_publish_scope }}
+          PLUGINS: ${{ inputs.plugins }}
+          RELEASE_NPM_DIST_TAG: ${{ inputs.npm_dist_tag }}
+          WORKFLOW_REF: ${{ github.ref }}
+        run: |
+          set -euo pipefail
+          if [[ ! "${RELEASE_TAG}" =~ ^v[0-9]{4}\.[1-9][0-9]*\.[1-9][0-9]*((-beta\.[1-9][0-9]*)|(-[1-9][0-9]*))?$ ]]; then
+            echo "Invalid release tag: ${RELEASE_TAG}" >&2
+            exit 1
+          fi
+          if [[ "${RELEASE_TAG}" == *"-beta."* && "${RELEASE_NPM_DIST_TAG}" != "beta" ]]; then
+            echo "Beta prerelease tags must publish OpenClaw to npm dist-tag beta." >&2
+            exit 1
+          fi
+          if [[ "${PUBLISH_OPENCLAW_NPM}" == "true" && -z "${PREFLIGHT_RUN_ID}" ]]; then
+            echo "publish_openclaw_npm=true requires preflight_run_id." >&2
+            exit 1
+          fi
+          if [[ "${PUBLISH_OPENCLAW_NPM}" == "true" && "${WORKFLOW_REF}" != "refs/heads/main" && ! "${WORKFLOW_REF}" =~ ^refs/heads/release/[0-9]{4}\.[1-9][0-9]*\.[1-9][0-9]*$ ]]; then
+            echo "publish_openclaw_npm=true requires dispatching this workflow from main or release/YYYY.M.D." >&2
+            exit 1
+          fi
+          if [[ "${PLUGIN_PUBLISH_SCOPE}" == "selected" && -z "${PLUGINS}" ]]; then
+            echo "plugin_publish_scope=selected requires plugins." >&2
+            exit 1
+          fi
+          if [[ "${PLUGIN_PUBLISH_SCOPE}" == "all-publishable" && -n "${PLUGINS}" ]]; then
+            echo "plugin_publish_scope=all-publishable must not include plugins." >&2
+            exit 1
+          fi
+
+      - name: Checkout release tag
+        uses: actions/checkout@v6
+        with:
+          ref: refs/tags/${{ inputs.tag }}
+          fetch-depth: 0
+          persist-credentials: false
+
+      - name: Setup Node environment
+        uses: ./.github/actions/setup-node-env
+        with:
+          node-version: ${{ env.NODE_VERSION }}
+          pnpm-version: ${{ env.PNPM_VERSION }}
+          install-bun: "false"
+
+      - name: Resolve checked-out release ref
+        id: ref
+        run: echo "sha=$(git rev-parse HEAD)" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
+
+      - name: Validate release tag is reachable from main or release branch
+        run: |
+          set -euo pipefail
+          git fetch --no-tags origin \
+            +refs/heads/main:refs/remotes/origin/main \
+            '+refs/heads/release/*:refs/remotes/origin/release/*'
+          if git merge-base --is-ancestor HEAD origin/main; then
+            exit 0
+          fi
+          while IFS= read -r release_ref; do
+            if git merge-base --is-ancestor HEAD "${release_ref}"; then
+              exit 0
+            fi
+          done < <(git for-each-ref --format='%(refname)' refs/remotes/origin/release)
+          echo "Release tag must point to a commit reachable from main or release/*." >&2
+          exit 1
+
+      - name: Verify plugin versions were synced for this release
+        run: pnpm plugins:sync:check
+
+      - name: Summarize release target
+        env:
+          RELEASE_TAG: ${{ inputs.tag }}
+          TARGET_SHA: ${{ steps.ref.outputs.sha }}
+        run: |
+          {
+            echo "### Release target"
+            echo
+            echo "- Tag: \`${RELEASE_TAG}\`"
+            echo "- SHA: \`${TARGET_SHA}\`"
+          } >> "$GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY"
+
+  publish:
+    name: Publish plugins, then OpenClaw
+    needs: [resolve_release_target]
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    timeout-minutes: 360
+    steps:
+      - name: Dispatch publish workflows
+        env:
+          GH_TOKEN: ${{ github.token }}
+          TARGET_SHA: ${{ needs.resolve_release_target.outputs.sha }}
+          CHILD_WORKFLOW_REF: ${{ github.ref_name }}
+          RELEASE_TAG: ${{ inputs.tag }}
+          PREFLIGHT_RUN_ID: ${{ inputs.preflight_run_id }}
+          RELEASE_NPM_DIST_TAG: ${{ inputs.npm_dist_tag }}
+          PLUGIN_PUBLISH_SCOPE: ${{ inputs.plugin_publish_scope }}
+          PLUGINS: ${{ inputs.plugins }}
+          PUBLISH_OPENCLAW_NPM: ${{ inputs.publish_openclaw_npm && 'true' || 'false' }}
+        run: |
+          set -euo pipefail
+
+          dispatch_and_wait() {
+            local workflow="$1"
+            shift
+
+            local before_json dispatch_output run_id status conclusion url
+            before_json="$(gh run list --workflow "$workflow" --event workflow_dispatch --limit 100 --json databaseId --jq '[.[].databaseId]')"
+
+            dispatch_output="$(gh workflow run "$workflow" --ref "$CHILD_WORKFLOW_REF" "$@" 2>&1)"
+            printf '%s\n' "$dispatch_output"
+            run_id="$(
+              printf '%s\n' "$dispatch_output" |
+                sed -nE 's#.*actions/runs/([0-9]+).*#\1#p' |
+                tail -n 1
+            )"
+
+            if [[ -z "$run_id" ]]; then
+              for _ in $(seq 1 60); do
+                run_id="$(
+                  BEFORE_IDS="$before_json" gh run list --workflow "$workflow" --event workflow_dispatch --limit 50 --json databaseId,createdAt \
+                    --jq 'map(select(.databaseId as $id | (env.BEFORE_IDS | fromjson | index($id) | not))) | sort_by(.createdAt) | reverse | .[0].databaseId // empty'
+                )"
+                if [[ -n "$run_id" ]]; then
+                  break
+                fi
+                sleep 5
+              done
+            fi
+
+            if [[ -z "${run_id:-}" ]]; then
+              echo "Could not find dispatched run for ${workflow}." >&2
+              exit 1
+            fi
+
+            echo "Dispatched ${workflow}: https://github.com/${GITHUB_REPOSITORY}/actions/runs/${run_id}"
+
+            cancel_child() {
+              if [[ -n "${run_id:-}" ]]; then
+                echo "Cancelling child workflow ${workflow}: ${run_id}" >&2
+                gh run cancel "$run_id" >/dev/null 2>&1 || true
+              fi
+            }
+            trap cancel_child EXIT INT TERM
+
+            while true; do
+              status="$(gh run view "$run_id" --json status --jq '.status')"
+              if [[ "$status" == "completed" ]]; then
+                break
+              fi
+              sleep 30
+            done
+            trap - EXIT INT TERM
+
+            conclusion="$(gh run view "$run_id" --json conclusion --jq '.conclusion')"
+            url="$(gh run view "$run_id" --json url --jq '.url')"
+            echo "${workflow} finished with ${conclusion}: ${url}"
+            {
+              echo "- ${workflow}: ${conclusion} (${url})"
+            } >> "$GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY"
+            if [[ "$conclusion" != "success" ]]; then
+              gh run view "$run_id" --json jobs --jq '.jobs[] | select(.conclusion != "success" and .conclusion != "skipped") | {name, conclusion, url}' || true
+              exit 1
+            fi
+          }
+
+          {
+            echo "### Publish sequence"
+            echo
+            echo "- Workflow ref: \`${CHILD_WORKFLOW_REF}\`"
+            echo "- Release tag: \`${RELEASE_TAG}\`"
+            echo "- Release SHA: \`${TARGET_SHA}\`"
+          } >> "$GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY"
+
+          npm_args=(-f publish_scope="${PLUGIN_PUBLISH_SCOPE}" -f ref="${TARGET_SHA}")
+          clawhub_args=(-f publish_scope="${PLUGIN_PUBLISH_SCOPE}" -f ref="${TARGET_SHA}")
+          if [[ -n "${PLUGINS}" ]]; then
+            npm_args+=(-f plugins="${PLUGINS}")
+            clawhub_args+=(-f plugins="${PLUGINS}")
+          fi
+
+          dispatch_and_wait plugin-npm-release.yml "${npm_args[@]}"
+          dispatch_and_wait plugin-clawhub-release.yml "${clawhub_args[@]}"
+
+          if [[ "${PUBLISH_OPENCLAW_NPM}" == "true" ]]; then
+            dispatch_and_wait openclaw-npm-release.yml \
+              -f tag="${RELEASE_TAG}" \
+              -f preflight_only=false \
+              -f preflight_run_id="${PREFLIGHT_RUN_ID}" \
+              -f npm_dist_tag="${RELEASE_NPM_DIST_TAG}"
+          else
+            echo "- OpenClaw npm publish: skipped by input" >> "$GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY"
+          fi
diff --git a/.github/workflows/plugin-clawhub-release.yml b/.github/workflows/plugin-clawhub-release.yml
index 9a3892060dc..ab041fa5544 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/plugin-clawhub-release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/plugin-clawhub-release.yml
@@ -15,9 +15,14 @@ on:
         description: Comma-separated plugin package names to publish when publish_scope=selected
         required: false
         type: string
+      ref:
+        description: Commit SHA on main or a release branch to publish from; defaults to the workflow ref
+        required: false
+        default: ""
+        type: string
 
 concurrency:
-  group: plugin-clawhub-release-${{ github.sha }}
+  group: plugin-clawhub-release-${{ github.event_name == 'workflow_dispatch' && inputs.ref || github.sha }}
   cancel-in-progress: false
 
 env:
@@ -45,7 +50,7 @@ jobs:
         uses: actions/checkout@v6
         with:
           persist-credentials: false
-          ref: ${{ github.sha }}
+          ref: ${{ github.event_name == 'workflow_dispatch' && inputs.ref || github.sha }}
           fetch-depth: 0
 
       - name: Setup Node environment
@@ -59,11 +64,22 @@ jobs:
         id: ref
         run: echo "sha=$(git rev-parse HEAD)" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
 
-      - name: Validate ref is on main
+      - name: Validate ref is on main or a release branch
         run: |
           set -euo pipefail
-          git fetch --no-tags origin +refs/heads/main:refs/remotes/origin/main
-          git merge-base --is-ancestor HEAD origin/main
+          git fetch --no-tags origin \
+            +refs/heads/main:refs/remotes/origin/main \
+            '+refs/heads/release/*:refs/remotes/origin/release/*'
+          if git merge-base --is-ancestor HEAD origin/main; then
+            exit 0
+          fi
+          while IFS= read -r release_ref; do
+            if git merge-base --is-ancestor HEAD "${release_ref}"; then
+              exit 0
+            fi
+          done < <(git for-each-ref --format='%(refname)' refs/remotes/origin/release)
+          echo "Plugin ClawHub publishes must target a commit reachable from main or release/*." >&2
+          exit 1
 
       - name: Validate publishable plugin metadata
         env:
diff --git a/.github/workflows/plugin-npm-release.yml b/.github/workflows/plugin-npm-release.yml
index 87fade32691..1dab78d08ea 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/plugin-npm-release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/plugin-npm-release.yml
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ on:
           - selected
           - all-publishable
       ref:
-        description: Commit SHA on main to publish from (copy from the preview run)
+        description: Commit SHA on main or a release branch to publish from (copy from the preview run)
         required: true
         type: string
       plugins:
@@ -70,11 +70,22 @@ jobs:
         id: ref
         run: echo "sha=$(git rev-parse HEAD)" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
 
-      - name: Validate ref is on main
+      - name: Validate ref is on main or a release branch
         run: |
           set -euo pipefail
-          git fetch --no-tags origin +refs/heads/main:refs/remotes/origin/main
-          git merge-base --is-ancestor HEAD origin/main
+          git fetch --no-tags origin \
+            +refs/heads/main:refs/remotes/origin/main \
+            '+refs/heads/release/*:refs/remotes/origin/release/*'
+          if git merge-base --is-ancestor HEAD origin/main; then
+            exit 0
+          fi
+          while IFS= read -r release_ref; do
+            if git merge-base --is-ancestor HEAD "${release_ref}"; then
+              exit 0
+            fi
+          done < <(git for-each-ref --format='%(refname)' refs/remotes/origin/release)
+          echo "Plugin npm publishes must target a commit reachable from main or release/*." >&2
+          exit 1
 
       - name: Validate publishable plugin metadata
         env:
diff --git a/docs/ci.md b/docs/ci.md
index 78562743cb9..8b7ec9b17f2 100644
--- a/docs/ci.md
+++ b/docs/ci.md
@@ -134,6 +134,13 @@ See [Full release validation](/reference/full-release-validation) for the
 stage matrix, exact workflow job names, profile differences, artifacts, and
 focused rerun handles.
 
+`OpenClaw Release Publish` is the manual mutating release workflow. Dispatch it
+from `release/YYYY.M.D` or `main` after the release tag exists and after the
+OpenClaw npm preflight has succeeded. It verifies `pnpm plugins:sync:check`,
+dispatches `Plugin NPM Release` for all publishable plugin packages, dispatches
+`Plugin ClawHub Release` for the same release SHA, and only then dispatches
+`OpenClaw NPM Release` with the saved `preflight_run_id`.
+
 For pinned commit proof on a fast-moving branch, use the helper instead of
 `gh workflow run ... --ref main -f ref=<sha>`:
 
diff --git a/docs/reference/RELEASING.md b/docs/reference/RELEASING.md
index 187da06dfd3..8e681d9fea9 100644
--- a/docs/reference/RELEASING.md
+++ b/docs/reference/RELEASING.md
@@ -59,10 +59,12 @@ the maintainer-only release runbook.
    intentionally carried.
 4. Create `release/YYYY.M.D` from current `main`; do not do normal release work
    directly on `main`.
-5. Bump every required version location for the intended tag, then run the
-   local deterministic preflight:
+5. Bump every required version location for the intended tag, run
+   `pnpm plugins:sync` so publishable plugin packages share the release
+   version and compatibility metadata, then run the local deterministic preflight:
    `pnpm check:test-types`, `pnpm check:architecture`,
-   `pnpm build && pnpm ui:build`, and `pnpm release:check`.
+   `pnpm build && pnpm ui:build`, `pnpm plugins:sync:check`, and
+   `pnpm release:check`.
 6. Run `OpenClaw NPM Release` with `preflight_only=true`. Before a tag exists,
    a full 40-character release-branch SHA is allowed for validation-only
    preflight. Save the successful `preflight_run_id`.
@@ -73,15 +75,19 @@ the maintainer-only release runbook.
    file, lane, workflow job, package profile, provider, or model allowlist that
    proves the fix. Rerun the full umbrella only when the changed surface makes
    prior evidence stale.
-9. For beta, tag `vYYYY.M.D-beta.N`, publish with npm dist-tag `beta`, then run
-   post-publish package acceptance against the published `openclaw@YYYY.M.D-beta.N`
-   or `openclaw@beta` package. If a pushed or published beta needs a fix, cut
-   the next `-beta.N`; do not delete or rewrite the old beta.
+9. For beta, tag `vYYYY.M.D-beta.N`, then run `OpenClaw Release Publish` from
+   the matching `release/YYYY.M.D` branch. It verifies `pnpm plugins:sync:check`,
+   publishes all publishable plugin packages to npm first, publishes the same
+   set to ClawHub second, and then promotes the prepared OpenClaw npm preflight
+   artifact with dist-tag `beta`. After publish, run post-publish package
+   acceptance against the published `openclaw@YYYY.M.D-beta.N` or `openclaw@beta`
+   package. If a pushed or published beta needs a fix, cut the next `-beta.N`;
+   do not delete or rewrite the old beta.
 10. For stable, continue only after the vetted beta or release candidate has the
-    required validation evidence. Stable npm publish reuses the successful
-    preflight artifact via `preflight_run_id`; stable macOS release readiness
-    also requires the packaged `.zip`, `.dmg`, `.dSYM.zip`, and updated
-    `appcast.xml` on `main`.
+    required validation evidence. Stable npm publish also goes through
+    `OpenClaw Release Publish`, reusing the successful preflight artifact via
+    `preflight_run_id`; stable macOS release readiness also requires the
+    packaged `.zip`, `.dmg`, `.dSYM.zip`, and updated `appcast.xml` on `main`.
 11. After publish, run the npm post-publish verifier, optional standalone
     published-npm Telegram E2E when you need post-publish channel proof,
     dist-tag promotion when needed, GitHub release/prerelease notes from the
@@ -143,6 +149,14 @@ the maintainer-only release runbook.
   span names, bounded attributes, and content/identifier redaction without
   requiring Opik, Langfuse, or another external collector.
 - Run `pnpm release:check` before every tagged release
+- Run `OpenClaw Release Publish` for the mutating publish sequence after the
+  tag exists. Dispatch it from `release/YYYY.M.D` (or `main` when publishing a
+  main-reachable tag), pass the release tag and successful OpenClaw npm
+  `preflight_run_id`, and keep the default plugin publish scope
+  `all-publishable` unless you are deliberately running a focused repair. The
+  workflow serializes plugin npm publish, plugin ClawHub publish, and OpenClaw
+  npm publish so the core package is not published before its externalized
+  plugins.
 - Release checks now run in a separate manual workflow:
   `OpenClaw Release Checks`
 - `OpenClaw Release Checks` also runs the QA Lab mock parity gate plus the fast
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index c08cea4455f..93dacfeca7a 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -1412,6 +1412,7 @@
     "plugins:boundary-report:json": "node --import tsx scripts/plugin-boundary-report.ts --json",
     "plugins:boundary-report:summary": "node --import tsx scripts/plugin-boundary-report.ts --summary",
     "plugins:sync": "node --import tsx scripts/sync-plugin-versions.ts",
+    "plugins:sync:check": "node --import tsx scripts/sync-plugin-versions.ts --check",
     "postinstall": "node scripts/postinstall-bundled-plugins.mjs",
     "preinstall": "node scripts/preinstall-package-manager-warning.mjs",
     "prepack": "node --import tsx scripts/openclaw-prepack.ts",
diff --git a/scripts/sync-plugin-versions.ts b/scripts/sync-plugin-versions.ts
index 24c7d5976ba..803659806c7 100644
--- a/scripts/sync-plugin-versions.ts
+++ b/scripts/sync-plugin-versions.ts
@@ -19,6 +19,10 @@ type PackageJson = {
   };
 };
 
+type SyncPluginVersionsOptions = {
+  write?: boolean;
+};
+
 const OPENCLAW_VERSION_RANGE_RE = /^>=\d{4}\.\d{1,2}\.\d{1,2}(?:[-.][^"\s]+)?$/u;
 
 function syncOpenClawDependencyRange(
@@ -64,7 +68,7 @@ function syncBuildOpenClawVersion(pkg: PackageJson, targetVersion: string): bool
   return true;
 }
 
-function ensureChangelogEntry(changelogPath: string, version: string): boolean {
+function ensureChangelogEntry(changelogPath: string, version: string, write: boolean): boolean {
   if (!existsSync(changelogPath)) {
     return false;
   }
@@ -75,15 +79,23 @@ function ensureChangelogEntry(changelogPath: string, version: string): boolean {
   const entry = `## ${version}\n\n### Changes\n- Version alignment with core OpenClaw release numbers.\n\n`;
   if (content.startsWith("# Changelog\n\n")) {
     const next = content.replace("# Changelog\n\n", `# Changelog\n\n${entry}`);
-    writeFileSync(changelogPath, next);
+    if (write) {
+      writeFileSync(changelogPath, next);
+    }
     return true;
   }
   const next = `# Changelog\n\n${entry}${content.trimStart()}`;
-  writeFileSync(changelogPath, `${next}\n`);
+  if (write) {
+    writeFileSync(changelogPath, `${next}\n`);
+  }
   return true;
 }
 
-export function syncPluginVersions(rootDir = resolve(".")) {
+export function syncPluginVersions(
+  rootDir = resolve("."),
+  options: SyncPluginVersionsOptions = {},
+) {
+  const write = options.write ?? true;
   const rootPackagePath = join(rootDir, "package.json");
   const rootPackage = JSON.parse(readFileSync(rootPackagePath, "utf8")) as PackageJson;
   const targetVersion = rootPackage.version;
@@ -115,7 +127,7 @@ export function syncPluginVersions(rootDir = resolve(".")) {
     }
 
     const changelogPath = join(extensionsDir, dir.name, "CHANGELOG.md");
-    if (ensureChangelogEntry(changelogPath, targetVersion)) {
+    if (ensureChangelogEntry(changelogPath, targetVersion, write)) {
       changelogged.push(pkg.name);
     }
 
@@ -140,7 +152,9 @@ export function syncPluginVersions(rootDir = resolve(".")) {
     if (versionChanged) {
       pkg.version = targetVersion;
     }
-    writeFileSync(packagePath, `${JSON.stringify(pkg, null, 2)}\n`);
+    if (write) {
+      writeFileSync(packagePath, `${JSON.stringify(pkg, null, 2)}\n`);
+    }
     updated.push(pkg.name);
   }
 
@@ -153,8 +167,19 @@ export function syncPluginVersions(rootDir = resolve(".")) {
 }
 
 if (import.meta.main) {
-  const summary = syncPluginVersions();
+  const check = process.argv.includes("--check");
+  const summary = syncPluginVersions(resolve("."), { write: !check });
   console.log(
     `Synced plugin versions to ${summary.targetVersion}. Updated: ${summary.updated.length}. Changelogged: ${summary.changelogged.length}. Skipped: ${summary.skipped.length}.`,
   );
+  if (check && (summary.updated.length > 0 || summary.changelogged.length > 0)) {
+    for (const packageName of summary.updated) {
+      console.error(`  update required: ${packageName}`);
+    }
+    for (const packageName of summary.changelogged) {
+      console.error(`  changelog entry required: ${packageName}`);
+    }
+    console.error("Run `pnpm plugins:sync` and commit the plugin version alignment.");
+    process.exit(1);
+  }
 }
diff --git a/src/scripts/sync-plugin-versions.test.ts b/src/scripts/sync-plugin-versions.test.ts
index 5fb9c0597ab..e5dfd465948 100644
--- a/src/scripts/sync-plugin-versions.test.ts
+++ b/src/scripts/sync-plugin-versions.test.ts
@@ -73,4 +73,43 @@ describe("syncPluginVersions", () => {
     expect(updatedPackage.openclaw?.compat?.pluginApi).toBe(">=2026.4.1");
     expect(updatedPackage.openclaw?.build?.openclawVersion).toBe("2026.4.1");
   });
+
+  it("reports pending version sync without writing in check mode", () => {
+    const rootDir = makeTempDir(tempDirs, "openclaw-sync-plugin-versions-check-");
+
+    writeJson(path.join(rootDir, "package.json"), {
+      name: "openclaw",
+      version: "2026.4.2",
+    });
+    writeJson(path.join(rootDir, "extensions/discord/package.json"), {
+      name: "@openclaw/discord",
+      version: "2026.4.1",
+      peerDependencies: {
+        openclaw: ">=2026.4.1",
+      },
+      openclaw: {
+        compat: {
+          pluginApi: ">=2026.4.1",
+        },
+      },
+    });
+
+    const summary = syncPluginVersions(rootDir, { write: false });
+    const unchangedPackage = JSON.parse(
+      fs.readFileSync(path.join(rootDir, "extensions/discord/package.json"), "utf8"),
+    ) as {
+      version?: string;
+      peerDependencies?: Record<string, string>;
+      openclaw?: {
+        compat?: {
+          pluginApi?: string;
+        };
+      };
+    };
+
+    expect(summary.updated).toEqual(["@openclaw/discord"]);
+    expect(unchangedPackage.version).toBe("2026.4.1");
+    expect(unchangedPackage.peerDependencies?.openclaw).toBe(">=2026.4.1");
+    expect(unchangedPackage.openclaw?.compat?.pluginApi).toBe(">=2026.4.1");
+  });
 });