diff --git a/scripts/lib/live-docker-stage.sh b/scripts/lib/live-docker-stage.sh
index 74bb8a71472..73ab22c66dd 100644
--- a/scripts/lib/live-docker-stage.sh
+++ b/scripts/lib/live-docker-stage.sh
@@ -55,7 +55,9 @@ openclaw_live_stage_source_tree() {
 openclaw_live_link_runtime_tree() {
   local dest_dir="${1:?destination directory required}"
 
-  ln -s /app/node_modules "$dest_dir/node_modules"
+  if [ ! -e "$dest_dir/node_modules" ]; then
+    ln -s /app/node_modules "$dest_dir/node_modules"
+  fi
   ln -s /app/dist "$dest_dir/dist"
   if [ -d /app/dist-runtime/extensions ]; then
     export OPENCLAW_BUNDLED_PLUGINS_DIR=/app/dist-runtime/extensions
@@ -64,6 +66,16 @@ openclaw_live_link_runtime_tree() {
   fi
 }
 
+openclaw_live_stage_node_modules() {
+  local dest_dir="${1:?destination directory required}"
+  local target_dir="$dest_dir/node_modules"
+
+  mkdir -p "$target_dir"
+  find /app/node_modules -mindepth 1 -maxdepth 1 -exec ln -s {} "$target_dir" \;
+  rm -rf "$target_dir/.vite-temp"
+  mkdir -p "$target_dir/.vite-temp"
+}
+
 openclaw_live_stage_state_dir() {
   local dest_dir="${1:?destination directory required}"
   local source_dir="${HOME}/.openclaw"
diff --git a/scripts/test-live-acp-bind-docker.sh b/scripts/test-live-acp-bind-docker.sh
index 1152ca816b5..2d75ac6d8c7 100644
--- a/scripts/test-live-acp-bind-docker.sh
+++ b/scripts/test-live-acp-bind-docker.sh
@@ -163,13 +163,7 @@ esac
 tmp_dir="$(mktemp -d)"
 source /src/scripts/lib/live-docker-stage.sh
 openclaw_live_stage_source_tree "$tmp_dir"
-# Use a writable node_modules overlay in the temp repo. Vite writes bundled
-# config artifacts under the nearest node_modules/.vite-temp path, and the
-# build-stage /app/node_modules tree is root-owned in this Docker lane.
-mkdir -p "$tmp_dir/node_modules"
-cp -aRs /app/node_modules/. "$tmp_dir/node_modules"
-rm -rf "$tmp_dir/node_modules/.vite-temp"
-mkdir -p "$tmp_dir/node_modules/.vite-temp"
+openclaw_live_stage_node_modules "$tmp_dir"
 openclaw_live_link_runtime_tree "$tmp_dir"
 openclaw_live_stage_state_dir "$tmp_dir/.openclaw-state"
 openclaw_live_prepare_staged_config
@@ -285,6 +279,7 @@ for ACP_AGENT in "${ACP_AGENTS[@]}"; do
     -e OPENCLAW_DOCKER_AUTH_PRESTAGED="$DOCKER_AUTH_PRESTAGED" \
     -e OPENCLAW_DOCKER_AUTH_DIRS_RESOLVED="$AUTH_DIRS_CSV" \
     -e OPENCLAW_DOCKER_AUTH_FILES_RESOLVED="$AUTH_FILES_CSV" \
+    -e OPENCLAW_LIVE_DOCKER_SOURCE_STAGE_MODE="${OPENCLAW_LIVE_DOCKER_SOURCE_STAGE_MODE:-copy}" \
     -e OPENCLAW_LIVE_TEST=1 \
     -e OPENCLAW_LIVE_ACP_BIND=1 \
     -e OPENCLAW_LIVE_ACP_BIND_AGENT="$ACP_AGENT" \
diff --git a/scripts/test-live-cli-backend-docker.sh b/scripts/test-live-cli-backend-docker.sh
index 030befcfc3d..ee0da8d112e 100644
--- a/scripts/test-live-cli-backend-docker.sh
+++ b/scripts/test-live-cli-backend-docker.sh
@@ -371,10 +371,7 @@ openclaw_live_stage_source_tree "$tmp_dir"
 # Use a writable node_modules overlay in the temp repo. Vite writes bundled
 # config artifacts under the nearest node_modules/.vite-temp path, and the
 # build-stage /app/node_modules tree is root-owned in this Docker lane.
-mkdir -p "$tmp_dir/node_modules"
-cp -aRs /app/node_modules/. "$tmp_dir/node_modules"
-rm -rf "$tmp_dir/node_modules/.vite-temp"
-mkdir -p "$tmp_dir/node_modules/.vite-temp"
+openclaw_live_stage_node_modules "$tmp_dir"
 openclaw_live_link_runtime_tree "$tmp_dir"
 openclaw_live_stage_state_dir "$tmp_dir/.openclaw-state"
 openclaw_live_prepare_staged_config
@@ -444,6 +441,7 @@ DOCKER_RUN_ARGS=(docker run --rm -t \
   -e OPENCLAW_DOCKER_AUTH_PRESTAGED="$DOCKER_AUTH_PRESTAGED" \
   -e OPENCLAW_DOCKER_AUTH_DIRS_RESOLVED="$AUTH_DIRS_CSV" \
   -e OPENCLAW_DOCKER_AUTH_FILES_RESOLVED="$AUTH_FILES_CSV" \
+  -e OPENCLAW_LIVE_DOCKER_SOURCE_STAGE_MODE="${OPENCLAW_LIVE_DOCKER_SOURCE_STAGE_MODE:-copy}" \
   -e OPENCLAW_LIVE_CLI_BACKEND_USE_CI_SAFE_CODEX_CONFIG="$CLI_USE_CI_SAFE_CODEX_CONFIG" \
   -e OPENCLAW_DOCKER_CLI_BACKEND_PROVIDER="$CLI_PROVIDER" \
   -e OPENCLAW_DOCKER_CLI_BACKEND_COMMAND_DEFAULT="$CLI_DEFAULT_COMMAND" \
diff --git a/scripts/test-live-codex-harness-docker.sh b/scripts/test-live-codex-harness-docker.sh
index 1da4f4c85c9..46ba1b60c77 100644
--- a/scripts/test-live-codex-harness-docker.sh
+++ b/scripts/test-live-codex-harness-docker.sh
@@ -169,10 +169,7 @@ fi
 tmp_dir="$(mktemp -d)"
 source /src/scripts/lib/live-docker-stage.sh
 openclaw_live_stage_source_tree "$tmp_dir"
-mkdir -p "$tmp_dir/node_modules"
-cp -aRs /app/node_modules/. "$tmp_dir/node_modules"
-rm -rf "$tmp_dir/node_modules/.vite-temp"
-mkdir -p "$tmp_dir/node_modules/.vite-temp"
+openclaw_live_stage_node_modules "$tmp_dir"
 openclaw_live_link_runtime_tree "$tmp_dir"
 openclaw_live_stage_state_dir "$tmp_dir/.openclaw-state"
 openclaw_live_prepare_staged_config
@@ -220,6 +217,7 @@ DOCKER_RUN_ARGS=(docker run --rm -t \
   -e OPENCLAW_DOCKER_AUTH_PRESTAGED="$DOCKER_AUTH_PRESTAGED" \
   -e OPENCLAW_CODEX_APP_SERVER_BIN="${OPENCLAW_CODEX_APP_SERVER_BIN:-codex}" \
   -e OPENCLAW_DOCKER_AUTH_FILES_RESOLVED="$AUTH_FILES_CSV" \
+  -e OPENCLAW_LIVE_DOCKER_SOURCE_STAGE_MODE="${OPENCLAW_LIVE_DOCKER_SOURCE_STAGE_MODE:-copy}" \
   -e OPENCLAW_LIVE_CODEX_HARNESS_AUTH="$CODEX_HARNESS_AUTH_MODE" \
   -e OPENCLAW_LIVE_CODEX_HARNESS=1 \
   -e OPENCLAW_LIVE_CODEX_HARNESS_DEBUG="${OPENCLAW_LIVE_CODEX_HARNESS_DEBUG:-}" \
diff --git a/scripts/test-live-gateway-models-docker.sh b/scripts/test-live-gateway-models-docker.sh
index 777f5209b7b..686090090d2 100755
--- a/scripts/test-live-gateway-models-docker.sh
+++ b/scripts/test-live-gateway-models-docker.sh
@@ -139,10 +139,7 @@ fi
 tmp_dir="$(mktemp -d)"
 source /src/scripts/lib/live-docker-stage.sh
 openclaw_live_stage_source_tree "$tmp_dir"
-mkdir -p "$tmp_dir/node_modules"
-cp -aRs /app/node_modules/. "$tmp_dir/node_modules"
-rm -rf "$tmp_dir/node_modules/.vite-temp"
-mkdir -p "$tmp_dir/node_modules/.vite-temp"
+openclaw_live_stage_node_modules "$tmp_dir"
 openclaw_live_link_runtime_tree "$tmp_dir"
 openclaw_live_stage_state_dir "$tmp_dir/.openclaw-state"
 openclaw_live_prepare_staged_config
@@ -167,6 +164,7 @@ DOCKER_RUN_ARGS=(docker run --rm -t \
   -e OPENCLAW_DOCKER_AUTH_PRESTAGED="$DOCKER_AUTH_PRESTAGED" \
   -e OPENCLAW_DOCKER_AUTH_DIRS_RESOLVED="$AUTH_DIRS_CSV" \
   -e OPENCLAW_DOCKER_AUTH_FILES_RESOLVED="$AUTH_FILES_CSV" \
+  -e OPENCLAW_LIVE_DOCKER_SOURCE_STAGE_MODE="${OPENCLAW_LIVE_DOCKER_SOURCE_STAGE_MODE:-copy}" \
   -e OPENCLAW_LIVE_TEST=1 \
   -e OPENCLAW_LIVE_GATEWAY_MODELS="${OPENCLAW_LIVE_GATEWAY_MODELS:-modern}" \
   -e OPENCLAW_LIVE_GATEWAY_PROVIDERS="${OPENCLAW_LIVE_GATEWAY_PROVIDERS:-}" \
diff --git a/scripts/test-live-models-docker.sh b/scripts/test-live-models-docker.sh
index 7808cb13c3b..3e50892209b 100755
--- a/scripts/test-live-models-docker.sh
+++ b/scripts/test-live-models-docker.sh
@@ -169,10 +169,7 @@ fi
 tmp_dir="$(mktemp -d)"
 source /src/scripts/lib/live-docker-stage.sh
 openclaw_live_stage_source_tree "$tmp_dir"
-mkdir -p "$tmp_dir/node_modules"
-cp -aRs /app/node_modules/. "$tmp_dir/node_modules"
-rm -rf "$tmp_dir/node_modules/.vite-temp"
-mkdir -p "$tmp_dir/node_modules/.vite-temp"
+openclaw_live_stage_node_modules "$tmp_dir"
 openclaw_live_link_runtime_tree "$tmp_dir"
 openclaw_live_stage_state_dir "$tmp_dir/.openclaw-state"
 openclaw_live_prepare_staged_config
@@ -198,6 +195,7 @@ DOCKER_RUN_ARGS=(docker run --rm -t \
   -e OPENCLAW_DOCKER_AUTH_PRESTAGED="$DOCKER_AUTH_PRESTAGED" \
   -e OPENCLAW_DOCKER_AUTH_DIRS_RESOLVED="$AUTH_DIRS_CSV" \
   -e OPENCLAW_DOCKER_AUTH_FILES_RESOLVED="$AUTH_FILES_CSV" \
+  -e OPENCLAW_LIVE_DOCKER_SOURCE_STAGE_MODE="${OPENCLAW_LIVE_DOCKER_SOURCE_STAGE_MODE:-copy}" \
   -e OPENCLAW_LIVE_TEST=1 \
   -e OPENCLAW_LIVE_MODELS="${OPENCLAW_LIVE_MODELS:-modern}" \
   -e OPENCLAW_LIVE_PROVIDERS="${OPENCLAW_LIVE_PROVIDERS:-}" \