From e94e9347a4fbabb612a7c3293636698370ac9bc7 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Peter Steinberger <steipete@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 29 Apr 2026 01:25:48 +0100
Subject: [PATCH] fix(cli): load plugins for local JSON agent runs

---
 src/cli/command-catalog.ts             |  2 +-
 src/cli/command-path-policy.test.ts    |  2 +-
 src/cli/command-startup-policy.test.ts | 21 +++++++++++++++++++++
 3 files changed, 23 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-)

diff --git a/src/cli/command-catalog.ts b/src/cli/command-catalog.ts
index eacfc9fe3c7..3407ebf406c 100644
--- a/src/cli/command-catalog.ts
+++ b/src/cli/command-catalog.ts
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ export const cliCommandCatalog: readonly CliCommandCatalogEntry[] = [
   {
     commandPath: ["agent"],
     policy: {
-      loadPlugins: "text-only",
+      loadPlugins: ({ argv, jsonOutputMode }) => hasFlag(argv, "--local") || !jsonOutputMode,
       networkProxy: ({ argv }) => (hasFlag(argv, "--local") ? "default" : "bypass"),
     },
   },
diff --git a/src/cli/command-path-policy.test.ts b/src/cli/command-path-policy.test.ts
index 009550b1478..9a2f4c0a2be 100644
--- a/src/cli/command-path-policy.test.ts
+++ b/src/cli/command-path-policy.test.ts
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ describe("command-path-policy", () => {
     expect(resolveCliCommandPathPolicy(["agent"])).toEqual({
       bypassConfigGuard: false,
       routeConfigGuard: "never",
-      loadPlugins: "text-only",
+      loadPlugins: expect.any(Function),
       hideBanner: false,
       ensureCliPath: true,
       networkProxy: expect.any(Function),
diff --git a/src/cli/command-startup-policy.test.ts b/src/cli/command-startup-policy.test.ts
index daa0183937b..1b48c2ef845 100644
--- a/src/cli/command-startup-policy.test.ts
+++ b/src/cli/command-startup-policy.test.ts
@@ -92,6 +92,27 @@ describe("command-startup-policy", () => {
         jsonOutputMode: true,
       }),
     ).toBe(false);
+    expect(
+      shouldLoadPluginsForCommandPath({
+        argv: ["node", "openclaw", "agent", "--json"],
+        commandPath: ["agent"],
+        jsonOutputMode: true,
+      }),
+    ).toBe(false);
+    expect(
+      shouldLoadPluginsForCommandPath({
+        argv: ["node", "openclaw", "agent", "--json", "--local"],
+        commandPath: ["agent"],
+        jsonOutputMode: true,
+      }),
+    ).toBe(true);
+    expect(
+      shouldLoadPluginsForCommandPath({
+        argv: ["node", "openclaw", "agent"],
+        commandPath: ["agent"],
+        jsonOutputMode: false,
+      }),
+    ).toBe(true);
     expect(
       shouldLoadPluginsForCommandPath({
         commandPath: ["agents", "list"],