diff --git a/src/plugins/installed-plugin-index.test.ts b/src/plugins/installed-plugin-index.test.ts
index 6c30e914325..cc5bbf11c72 100644
--- a/src/plugins/installed-plugin-index.test.ts
+++ b/src/plugins/installed-plugin-index.test.ts
@@ -64,6 +64,7 @@ function createPluginCandidate(params: {
   origin?: PluginCandidate["origin"];
   packageName?: string;
   packageVersion?: string;
+  packageDir?: string;
   packageManifest?: OpenClawPackageManifest;
 }): PluginCandidate {
   return {
@@ -73,7 +74,7 @@ function createPluginCandidate(params: {
     origin: params.origin ?? "global",
     packageName: params.packageName,
     packageVersion: params.packageVersion,
-    packageDir: params.rootDir,
+    packageDir: params.packageDir ?? params.rootDir,
     packageManifest: params.packageManifest,
   };
 }
@@ -211,6 +212,33 @@ describe("installed plugin index", () => {
     expect(contributions.contracts.get("tools")).toEqual(["demo"]);
   });
 
+  it("keeps packageJson paths root-relative when packageDir is reached through a symlink", () => {
+    const fixture = createRichPluginFixture();
+    const linkParent = makeTempDir();
+    const linkRoot = path.join(linkParent, "linked-demo");
+    try {
+      fs.symlinkSync(fixture.rootDir, linkRoot, "dir");
+    } catch {
+      return;
+    }
+
+    const index = loadInstalledPluginIndex({
+      candidates: [
+        createPluginCandidate({
+          rootDir: fs.realpathSync(fixture.rootDir),
+          packageDir: linkRoot,
+          packageName: "@vendor/demo-plugin",
+          packageVersion: "1.2.3",
+        }),
+      ],
+      env: hermeticEnv(),
+    });
+
+    expect(index.plugins[0]?.packageJson).toMatchObject({
+      path: "package.json",
+    });
+  });
+
   it("exposes cold registry records and owners for existing plugins without install ledgers", () => {
     const fixture = createRichPluginFixture();
     const index = loadInstalledPluginIndex({
diff --git a/src/plugins/installed-plugin-index.ts b/src/plugins/installed-plugin-index.ts
index f437d538cc4..03ab686ff3b 100644
--- a/src/plugins/installed-plugin-index.ts
+++ b/src/plugins/installed-plugin-index.ts
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ import {
   type PluginManifestRegistry,
 } from "./manifest-registry.js";
 import type { PluginDiagnostic } from "./manifest-types.js";
+import { safeRealpathSync } from "./path-safety.js";
 import { hasKind } from "./slots.js";
 
 export const INSTALLED_PLUGIN_INDEX_VERSION = 1;
@@ -284,10 +285,17 @@ function resolvePackageJsonPath(candidate: PluginCandidate | undefined): string
   if (!candidate?.packageDir) {
     return undefined;
   }
-  const packageJsonPath = path.join(candidate.packageDir, "package.json");
+  const packageDir = safeRealpathSync(candidate.packageDir) ?? path.resolve(candidate.packageDir);
+  const packageJsonPath = path.join(packageDir, "package.json");
   return fs.existsSync(packageJsonPath) ? packageJsonPath : undefined;
 }
 
+function resolvePackageJsonRelativePath(rootDir: string, packageJsonPath: string): string {
+  const resolvedRootDir = safeRealpathSync(rootDir) ?? path.resolve(rootDir);
+  const relativePath = path.relative(resolvedRootDir, packageJsonPath) || "package.json";
+  return relativePath.split(path.sep).join("/");
+}
+
 function resolvePackageJsonRecord(params: {
   candidate: PluginCandidate | undefined;
   packageJsonPath: string | undefined;
@@ -307,7 +315,7 @@ function resolvePackageJsonRecord(params: {
     return undefined;
   }
   return {
-    path: path.relative(params.candidate.rootDir, params.packageJsonPath) || "package.json",
+    path: resolvePackageJsonRelativePath(params.candidate.rootDir, params.packageJsonPath),
     hash,
   };
 }