diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index a5db8122cfd..8c95a09177f 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ Docs: https://docs.openclaw.ai
 
 ### Fixes
 
+- Constrain provider catalog entry paths [AI]. (#81884) Thanks @pgondhi987.
 - Require canonical node platform IDs [AI]. (#81880) Thanks @pgondhi987.
 - Agents/Azure OpenAI Responses: default unset Azure OpenAI API versions to `preview` so `/openai/v1/responses` calls use Azure's current Responses API route. (#82026) Thanks @leoge007.
 - Control UI/WebChat: compact the desktop chat header controls into a single aligned row so the session, model, thinking, and action controls no longer waste vertical space. Thanks @BunsDev.
diff --git a/src/plugins/manifest-registry.test.ts b/src/plugins/manifest-registry.test.ts
index 78a7f323c64..213bd535206 100644
--- a/src/plugins/manifest-registry.test.ts
+++ b/src/plugins/manifest-registry.test.ts
@@ -1427,6 +1427,243 @@ describe("loadPluginManifestRegistry", () => {
     );
   });
 
+  it("ignores legacy provider discovery entries outside the plugin root", () => {
+    const root = makeTempDir();
+    const pluginDir = path.join(root, "plugin");
+    const outsideDir = path.join(root, "outside");
+    mkdirSafe(pluginDir);
+    mkdirSafe(outsideDir);
+    writeManifest(pluginDir, {
+      id: "outside-provider",
+      providers: ["outside-provider"],
+      providerDiscoveryEntry: "../outside/provider-discovery.js",
+      configSchema: { type: "object" },
+    });
+    fs.writeFileSync(
+      path.join(outsideDir, "provider-discovery.js"),
+      "export default {};\n",
+      "utf8",
+    );
+
+    const registry = loadSingleCandidateRegistry({
+      idHint: "outside-provider",
+      rootDir: pluginDir,
+      origin: "bundled",
+    });
+
+    expect(registry.plugins[0]?.providerDiscoverySource).toBeUndefined();
+    expectDiagnosticFields(registry, {
+      level: "warn",
+      pluginId: "outside-provider",
+      source: path.join(pluginDir, "openclaw.plugin.json"),
+      messageIncludes: "providerDiscoveryEntry must resolve inside the plugin root",
+    });
+  });
+
+  it("ignores absolute provider discovery entries", () => {
+    const dir = makeTempDir();
+    const outsideDir = makeTempDir();
+    const outsideEntry = path.join(outsideDir, "provider-discovery.js");
+    fs.writeFileSync(outsideEntry, "export default {};\n", "utf8");
+    writeManifest(dir, {
+      id: "absolute-provider",
+      providers: ["absolute-provider"],
+      providerDiscoveryEntry: outsideEntry,
+      configSchema: { type: "object" },
+    });
+
+    const registry = loadSingleCandidateRegistry({
+      idHint: "absolute-provider",
+      rootDir: dir,
+      origin: "bundled",
+    });
+
+    expect(registry.plugins[0]?.providerDiscoverySource).toBeUndefined();
+    expectDiagnosticFields(registry, {
+      level: "warn",
+      pluginId: "absolute-provider",
+      source: path.join(dir, "openclaw.plugin.json"),
+      messageIncludes: "providerDiscoveryEntry must resolve inside the plugin root",
+    });
+  });
+
+  it("ignores provider catalog entries that resolve outside the plugin root", () => {
+    const dir = makeTempDir();
+    const outsideDir = makeTempDir();
+    const outsideEntry = path.join(outsideDir, "provider-catalog.js");
+    fs.writeFileSync(outsideEntry, "export default {};\n", "utf8");
+    writeManifest(dir, {
+      id: "absolute-catalog",
+      providers: ["absolute-catalog"],
+      providerCatalogEntry: outsideEntry,
+      configSchema: { type: "object" },
+    });
+
+    const registry = loadSingleCandidateRegistry({
+      idHint: "absolute-catalog",
+      rootDir: dir,
+      origin: "bundled",
+    });
+
+    expect(registry.plugins[0]?.providerDiscoverySource).toBeUndefined();
+    expectDiagnosticFields(registry, {
+      level: "warn",
+      pluginId: "absolute-catalog",
+      source: path.join(dir, "openclaw.plugin.json"),
+      messageIncludes: "providerCatalogEntry must resolve inside the plugin root",
+    });
+  });
+
+  it("ignores provider discovery entries that resolve through a symlink outside the plugin root", () => {
+    if (process.platform === "win32") {
+      return;
+    }
+    const dir = makeTempDir();
+    const outsideDir = makeTempDir();
+    const outsideEntry = path.join(outsideDir, "provider-discovery.js");
+    const linkedEntry = path.join(dir, "provider-discovery.js");
+    fs.writeFileSync(outsideEntry, "export default {};\n", "utf8");
+    try {
+      fs.symlinkSync(outsideEntry, linkedEntry);
+    } catch {
+      return;
+    }
+    writeManifest(dir, {
+      id: "symlink-provider",
+      providers: ["symlink-provider"],
+      providerDiscoveryEntry: "./provider-discovery.js",
+      configSchema: { type: "object" },
+    });
+
+    const registry = loadSingleCandidateRegistry({
+      idHint: "symlink-provider",
+      rootDir: dir,
+      origin: "bundled",
+    });
+
+    expect(registry.plugins[0]?.providerDiscoverySource).toBeUndefined();
+    expectDiagnosticFields(registry, {
+      level: "warn",
+      pluginId: "symlink-provider",
+      source: path.join(dir, "openclaw.plugin.json"),
+      messageIncludes: "providerDiscoveryEntry must resolve inside the plugin root",
+    });
+  });
+
+  it("ignores provider discovery .js fallbacks that resolve outside the plugin root", () => {
+    if (process.platform === "win32") {
+      return;
+    }
+    const dir = makeTempDir();
+    const outsideDir = makeTempDir();
+    const outsideEntry = path.join(outsideDir, "provider-discovery.js");
+    const linkedEntry = path.join(dir, "provider-discovery.js");
+    fs.writeFileSync(outsideEntry, "export default {};\n", "utf8");
+    try {
+      fs.symlinkSync(outsideEntry, linkedEntry);
+    } catch {
+      return;
+    }
+    writeManifest(dir, {
+      id: "fallback-symlink-provider",
+      providers: ["fallback-symlink-provider"],
+      providerDiscoveryEntry: "./provider-discovery.ts",
+      configSchema: { type: "object" },
+    });
+
+    const registry = loadSingleCandidateRegistry({
+      idHint: "fallback-symlink-provider",
+      rootDir: dir,
+      origin: "bundled",
+    });
+
+    expect(registry.plugins[0]?.providerDiscoverySource).toBeUndefined();
+    expectDiagnosticFields(registry, {
+      level: "warn",
+      pluginId: "fallback-symlink-provider",
+      source: path.join(dir, "openclaw.plugin.json"),
+      messageIncludes: "providerDiscoveryEntry must resolve inside the plugin root",
+    });
+  });
+
+  it("ignores non-bundled provider discovery entries that are hardlinked", () => {
+    if (process.platform === "win32") {
+      return;
+    }
+    const dir = makeTempDir();
+    const outsideDir = makeTempDir();
+    const outsideEntry = path.join(outsideDir, "provider-discovery.js");
+    const linkedEntry = path.join(dir, "provider-discovery.js");
+    fs.writeFileSync(outsideEntry, "export default {};\n", "utf8");
+    try {
+      fs.linkSync(outsideEntry, linkedEntry);
+    } catch (err) {
+      if ((err as NodeJS.ErrnoException).code === "EXDEV") {
+        return;
+      }
+      throw err;
+    }
+    writeManifest(dir, {
+      id: "hardlink-provider",
+      providers: ["hardlink-provider"],
+      providerDiscoveryEntry: "./provider-discovery.js",
+      configSchema: { type: "object" },
+    });
+
+    const registry = loadSingleCandidateRegistry({
+      idHint: "hardlink-provider",
+      rootDir: dir,
+      origin: "config",
+    });
+
+    expect(registry.plugins[0]?.providerDiscoverySource).toBeUndefined();
+    expectDiagnosticFields(registry, {
+      level: "warn",
+      pluginId: "hardlink-provider",
+      source: path.join(dir, "openclaw.plugin.json"),
+      messageIncludes: "providerDiscoveryEntry must resolve inside the plugin root",
+    });
+  });
+
+  it("ignores non-bundled provider discovery .js fallbacks that are hardlinked", () => {
+    if (process.platform === "win32") {
+      return;
+    }
+    const dir = makeTempDir();
+    const outsideDir = makeTempDir();
+    const outsideEntry = path.join(outsideDir, "provider-discovery.js");
+    const linkedEntry = path.join(dir, "provider-discovery.js");
+    fs.writeFileSync(outsideEntry, "export default {};\n", "utf8");
+    try {
+      fs.linkSync(outsideEntry, linkedEntry);
+    } catch (err) {
+      if ((err as NodeJS.ErrnoException).code === "EXDEV") {
+        return;
+      }
+      throw err;
+    }
+    writeManifest(dir, {
+      id: "fallback-hardlink-provider",
+      providers: ["fallback-hardlink-provider"],
+      providerDiscoveryEntry: "./provider-discovery.ts",
+      configSchema: { type: "object" },
+    });
+
+    const registry = loadSingleCandidateRegistry({
+      idHint: "fallback-hardlink-provider",
+      rootDir: dir,
+      origin: "config",
+    });
+
+    expect(registry.plugins[0]?.providerDiscoverySource).toBeUndefined();
+    expectDiagnosticFields(registry, {
+      level: "warn",
+      pluginId: "fallback-hardlink-provider",
+      source: path.join(dir, "openclaw.plugin.json"),
+      messageIncludes: "providerDiscoveryEntry must resolve inside the plugin root",
+    });
+  });
+
   it("preserves activation and setup descriptors from plugin manifests", () => {
     const dir = makeTempDir();
     writeManifest(dir, {
diff --git a/src/plugins/manifest-registry.ts b/src/plugins/manifest-registry.ts
index 11e63e68e38..c29da59ed3f 100644
--- a/src/plugins/manifest-registry.ts
+++ b/src/plugins/manifest-registry.ts
@@ -50,16 +50,11 @@ import {
   resolveOfficialExternalPluginId,
   resolveOfficialExternalPluginInstall,
 } from "./official-external-plugin-catalog.js";
-import { isPathInside, safeRealpathSync } from "./path-safety.js";
+import { isPathInside, safeRealpathSync, safeStatSync } from "./path-safety.js";
 import type { PluginKind } from "./plugin-kind.types.js";
 import type { PluginOrigin } from "./plugin-origin.types.js";
 import type { PluginDependencySpecMap } from "./status-dependencies.js";
 
-/**
- * Resolve a plugin source path, falling back from .ts to .js when the
- * .ts file doesn't exist on disk (e.g. in dist builds where only .js
- * is emitted but the manifest still references the .ts entry).
- */
 function resolvePluginSourcePath(sourcePath: string): string {
   if (fs.existsSync(sourcePath)) {
     return sourcePath;
@@ -73,6 +68,89 @@ function resolvePluginSourcePath(sourcePath: string): string {
   return sourcePath;
 }
 
+function isPluginRootPath(params: {
+  rootPath: string;
+  targetPath: string;
+  rootRealPath: string;
+  rejectHardlinks?: boolean;
+  targetMustExist?: boolean;
+}): boolean {
+  const resolvedTargetPath = path.resolve(params.targetPath);
+  const resolvedRootPath = path.resolve(params.rootPath);
+  if (!isPathInside(resolvedRootPath, resolvedTargetPath)) {
+    return false;
+  }
+  const targetRealPath = safeRealpathSync(resolvedTargetPath);
+  if (!targetRealPath) {
+    return params.targetMustExist !== true;
+  }
+  if (!isPathInside(params.rootRealPath, targetRealPath)) {
+    return false;
+  }
+  if (params.rejectHardlinks === true) {
+    const targetStat = safeStatSync(resolvedTargetPath);
+    if (!targetStat || targetStat.nlink > 1) {
+      return false;
+    }
+  }
+  return true;
+}
+
+function resolveManifestPluginSourcePath(params: {
+  rootDir: string;
+  manifestPath: string;
+  pluginId: string;
+  entryName: "providerCatalogEntry" | "providerDiscoveryEntry";
+  entry: string;
+  rejectHardlinks: boolean;
+  diagnostics: PluginDiagnostic[];
+}): string | undefined {
+  const pushDiagnostic = () => {
+    params.diagnostics.push({
+      level: "warn",
+      pluginId: sanitizeForLog(params.pluginId),
+      source: sanitizeForLog(params.manifestPath),
+      message: `plugin manifest ${params.entryName} must resolve inside the plugin root; ignoring entry`,
+    });
+  };
+
+  if (path.isAbsolute(params.entry)) {
+    pushDiagnostic();
+    return undefined;
+  }
+
+  const rootPath = path.resolve(params.rootDir);
+  const rootRealPath = safeRealpathSync(rootPath) ?? rootPath;
+  const sourcePath = path.resolve(rootPath, params.entry);
+  if (
+    !isPluginRootPath({
+      rootPath,
+      targetPath: sourcePath,
+      rootRealPath,
+      rejectHardlinks: params.rejectHardlinks,
+      targetMustExist: fs.existsSync(sourcePath),
+    })
+  ) {
+    pushDiagnostic();
+    return undefined;
+  }
+
+  const resolvedSourcePath = resolvePluginSourcePath(sourcePath);
+  if (
+    !isPluginRootPath({
+      rootPath,
+      targetPath: resolvedSourcePath,
+      rootRealPath,
+      rejectHardlinks: params.rejectHardlinks,
+      targetMustExist: fs.existsSync(resolvedSourcePath),
+    })
+  ) {
+    pushDiagnostic();
+    return undefined;
+  }
+  return resolvedSourcePath;
+}
+
 export type PluginManifestContractListKey =
   | "speechProviders"
   | "externalAuthProviders"
@@ -366,11 +444,25 @@ function buildRecord(params: {
   manifest: PluginManifest;
   candidate: PluginCandidate;
   manifestPath: string;
+  diagnostics: PluginDiagnostic[];
+  rejectHardlinks: boolean;
   schemaCacheKey?: string;
   configSchema?: Record<string, unknown>;
   bundledChannelConfigCollector?: BundledChannelConfigCollector;
   trustedOfficialInstall?: boolean;
 }): PluginManifestRecord {
+  const providerSourceEntry =
+    params.manifest.providerCatalogEntry !== undefined
+      ? {
+          entryName: "providerCatalogEntry" as const,
+          entry: params.manifest.providerCatalogEntry,
+        }
+      : params.manifest.providerDiscoveryEntry !== undefined
+        ? {
+            entryName: "providerDiscoveryEntry" as const,
+            entry: params.manifest.providerDiscoveryEntry,
+          }
+        : undefined;
   const manifestChannelConfigs =
     params.candidate.origin === "bundled" && params.bundledChannelConfigCollector
       ? params.bundledChannelConfigCollector({
@@ -413,15 +505,17 @@ function buildRecord(params: {
     kind: params.manifest.kind,
     channels: params.manifest.channels ?? [],
     providers: params.manifest.providers ?? [],
-    providerDiscoverySource:
-      (params.manifest.providerCatalogEntry ?? params.manifest.providerDiscoveryEntry)
-        ? resolvePluginSourcePath(
-            path.resolve(
-              params.candidate.rootDir,
-              params.manifest.providerCatalogEntry ?? params.manifest.providerDiscoveryEntry!,
-            ),
-          )
-        : undefined,
+    providerDiscoverySource: providerSourceEntry
+      ? resolveManifestPluginSourcePath({
+          rootDir: params.candidate.rootDir,
+          manifestPath: params.manifestPath,
+          pluginId: params.manifest.id,
+          entryName: providerSourceEntry.entryName,
+          entry: providerSourceEntry.entry,
+          rejectHardlinks: params.rejectHardlinks,
+          diagnostics: params.diagnostics,
+        })
+      : undefined,
     modelSupport: params.manifest.modelSupport,
     modelCatalog: params.manifest.modelCatalog,
     modelPricing: params.manifest.modelPricing,
@@ -941,6 +1035,8 @@ export function loadPluginManifestRegistry(
           manifest: manifest as PluginManifest,
           candidate,
           manifestPath: manifestRes.manifestPath,
+          diagnostics,
+          rejectHardlinks,
           schemaCacheKey,
           configSchema,
           trustedOfficialInstall: isTrustedOfficialPluginInstall({