diff --git a/docs/gateway/cli-backends.md b/docs/gateway/cli-backends.md
index fa1672082ae..d2cc0bc66e8 100644
--- a/docs/gateway/cli-backends.md
+++ b/docs/gateway/cli-backends.md
@@ -181,10 +181,10 @@ child process environment for the run.
   - `always`: always send a session id (new UUID if none stored).
   - `existing`: only send a session id if one was stored before.
   - `none`: never send a session id.
-- The bundled `claude-cli` backend uses `liveSession: "claude-stdio"` so
-  follow-up turns reuse the live Claude process while it is active. If the
-  Gateway restarts or the idle process exits, OpenClaw resumes from the stored
-  Claude session id.
+- `claude-cli` defaults to `liveSession: "claude-stdio"`, `output: "jsonl"`,
+  and `input: "stdin"` so follow-up turns reuse the live Claude process while
+  it is active. If the Gateway restarts or the idle process exits, OpenClaw
+  resumes from the stored Claude session id.
 - Stored CLI sessions are provider-owned continuity. The implicit daily session
   reset does not cut them; `/reset` and explicit `session.reset` policies still
   do.
diff --git a/extensions/anthropic/cli-shared.test.ts b/extensions/anthropic/cli-shared.test.ts
index 0542a810077..306315e53bb 100644
--- a/extensions/anthropic/cli-shared.test.ts
+++ b/extensions/anthropic/cli-shared.test.ts
@@ -107,6 +107,21 @@ describe("normalizeClaudeBackendConfig", () => {
       "--permission-mode",
       "bypassPermissions",
     ]);
+    expect(normalized.output).toBe("jsonl");
+    expect(normalized.liveSession).toBe("claude-stdio");
+    expect(normalized.input).toBe("stdin");
+  });
+
+  it("does not infer live stdio when explicit transport overrides are incompatible", () => {
+    const normalized = normalizeClaudeBackendConfig({
+      command: "claude",
+      output: "json",
+      input: "arg",
+    });
+
+    expect(normalized.output).toBe("json");
+    expect(normalized.liveSession).toBeUndefined();
+    expect(normalized.input).toBe("arg");
   });
 
   it("is wired through the anthropic cli backend normalize hook", () => {
@@ -129,12 +144,16 @@ describe("normalizeClaudeBackendConfig", () => {
     expect(normalized?.resumeArgs).toContain("bypassPermissions");
     expect(normalized?.resumeArgs).toContain("--setting-sources");
     expect(normalized?.resumeArgs).toContain("user");
+    expect(normalized?.liveSession).toBe("claude-stdio");
   });
 
   it("leaves claude cli subscription-managed, restricts setting sources, and clears inherited env overrides", () => {
     const backend = buildAnthropicCliBackend();
 
     expect(backend.config.env).toBeUndefined();
+    expect(backend.config.liveSession).toBe("claude-stdio");
+    expect(backend.config.output).toBe("jsonl");
+    expect(backend.config.input).toBe("stdin");
     expect(backend.config.args).toContain("--setting-sources");
     expect(backend.config.args).toContain("user");
     expect(backend.config.resumeArgs).toContain("--setting-sources");
diff --git a/extensions/anthropic/cli-shared.ts b/extensions/anthropic/cli-shared.ts
index 737baae346d..44cab5c54f1 100644
--- a/extensions/anthropic/cli-shared.ts
+++ b/extensions/anthropic/cli-shared.ts
@@ -135,9 +135,15 @@ export function normalizeClaudeSettingSourcesArgs(args?: string[]): string[] | u
 }
 
 export function normalizeClaudeBackendConfig(config: CliBackendConfig): CliBackendConfig {
+  const output = config.output ?? "jsonl";
+  const input = config.input ?? "stdin";
   return {
     ...config,
     args: normalizeClaudePermissionArgs(normalizeClaudeSettingSourcesArgs(config.args)),
     resumeArgs: normalizeClaudePermissionArgs(normalizeClaudeSettingSourcesArgs(config.resumeArgs)),
+    output,
+    liveSession:
+      config.liveSession ?? (output === "jsonl" && input === "stdin" ? "claude-stdio" : undefined),
+    input,
   };
 }