diff --git a/src/cli/program/preaction.test.ts b/src/cli/program/preaction.test.ts
index 24d5d09413d..3e15eac2bc8 100644
--- a/src/cli/program/preaction.test.ts
+++ b/src/cli/program/preaction.test.ts
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ const setVerboseMock = vi.fn();
 const emitCliBannerMock = vi.fn();
 const ensureConfigReadyMock = vi.fn(async () => {});
 const ensurePluginRegistryLoadedMock = vi.fn();
+const routeLogsToStderrMock = vi.fn();
 
 const runtimeMock = {
   log: vi.fn(),
@@ -24,6 +25,10 @@ vi.mock("../banner.js", () => ({
   emitCliBanner: emitCliBannerMock,
 }));
 
+vi.mock("../../logging/console.js", () => ({
+  routeLogsToStderr: routeLogsToStderrMock,
+}));
+
 vi.mock("../cli-name.js", () => ({
   resolveCliName: () => "openclaw",
 }));
@@ -270,6 +275,35 @@ describe("registerPreActionHooks", () => {
     });
   });
 
+  it("routes logs to stderr in --json mode so stdout stays clean", async () => {
+    await runPreAction({
+      parseArgv: ["agents"],
+      processArgv: ["node", "openclaw", "agents", "--json"],
+    });
+
+    expect(routeLogsToStderrMock).toHaveBeenCalledOnce();
+
+    vi.clearAllMocks();
+
+    // config set --json is parse-only (not JSON output mode), should not route
+    await runPreAction({
+      parseArgv: ["config", "set", "gateway.auth.mode", "local", "--json"],
+      processArgv: ["node", "openclaw", "config", "set", "gateway.auth.mode", "local", "--json"],
+    });
+
+    expect(routeLogsToStderrMock).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+
+    vi.clearAllMocks();
+
+    // non-json command should not route
+    await runPreAction({
+      parseArgv: ["agents"],
+      processArgv: ["node", "openclaw", "agents"],
+    });
+
+    expect(routeLogsToStderrMock).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+  });
+
   it("bypasses config guard for config validate", async () => {
     await runPreAction({
       parseArgv: ["config", "validate"],
diff --git a/src/cli/program/preaction.ts b/src/cli/program/preaction.ts
index 650c8f52686..c3a15427da4 100644
--- a/src/cli/program/preaction.ts
+++ b/src/cli/program/preaction.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import type { Command } from "commander";
 import { setVerbose } from "../../globals.js";
 import { isTruthyEnvValue } from "../../infra/env.js";
+import { routeLogsToStderr } from "../../logging/console.js";
 import type { LogLevel } from "../../logging/levels.js";
 import { defaultRuntime } from "../../runtime.js";
 import {
@@ -123,6 +124,9 @@ export function registerPreActionHooks(program: Command, programVersion: string)
       return;
     }
     const commandPath = getCommandPathWithRootOptions(argv, 2);
+    if (isJsonOutputMode(commandPath, argv)) {
+      routeLogsToStderr();
+    }
     const hideBanner =
       isTruthyEnvValue(process.env.OPENCLAW_HIDE_BANNER) ||
       commandPath[0] === "update" ||