diff --git a/src/cli/plugins-cli-test-helpers.ts b/src/cli/plugins-cli-test-helpers.ts
index a5bfcf5bcfa..1979e6b1078 100644
--- a/src/cli/plugins-cli-test-helpers.ts
+++ b/src/cli/plugins-cli-test-helpers.ts
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ type ListMarketplacePluginsFn =
   (typeof import("../plugins/marketplace.js"))["listMarketplacePlugins"];
 type ResolveMarketplaceInstallShortcutFn =
   (typeof import("../plugins/marketplace.js"))["resolveMarketplaceInstallShortcut"];
+type LoadPluginInstallRecordsParams = { config?: OpenClawConfig };
 
 // oxlint-disable-next-line typescript/no-unnecessary-type-parameters -- Test helper preserves mock call and result types.
 function invokeMock<TArgs extends unknown[], TResult>(mock: unknown, ...args: TArgs): TResult {
@@ -32,9 +33,9 @@ export const listMarketplacePlugins: Mock<ListMarketplacePluginsFn> = vi.fn();
 export const resolveMarketplaceInstallShortcut: Mock<ResolveMarketplaceInstallShortcutFn> = vi.fn();
 export const enablePluginInConfig: UnknownMock = vi.fn();
 export const recordPluginInstall: UnknownMock = vi.fn();
-export const loadPluginInstallRecords: AsyncUnknownMock = vi.fn(async ({ config }) => {
-  const cfg = config as OpenClawConfig | undefined;
-  return structuredClone(cfg?.plugins?.installs ?? {});
+export const loadPluginInstallRecords: AsyncUnknownMock = vi.fn(async (...args: unknown[]) => {
+  const params = args[0] as LoadPluginInstallRecordsParams | undefined;
+  return structuredClone(params?.config?.plugins?.installs ?? {});
 });
 export const writePersistedPluginInstallLedger: AsyncUnknownMock = vi.fn(async () => undefined);
 export const clearPluginManifestRegistryCache: UnknownMock = vi.fn();
@@ -518,9 +519,9 @@ export function resetPluginsCliTestState() {
   recordPluginInstall.mockImplementation(
     ((cfg: OpenClawConfig) => cfg) as (...args: unknown[]) => unknown,
   );
-  loadPluginInstallRecords.mockImplementation(async ({ config }) => {
-    const cfg = config as OpenClawConfig | undefined;
-    return structuredClone(cfg?.plugins?.installs ?? {});
+  loadPluginInstallRecords.mockImplementation(async (...args: unknown[]) => {
+    const params = args[0] as LoadPluginInstallRecordsParams | undefined;
+    return structuredClone(params?.config?.plugins?.installs ?? {});
   });
   writePersistedPluginInstallLedger.mockResolvedValue(undefined);
   loadPluginManifestRegistry.mockReturnValue({
diff --git a/src/cli/plugins-cli.install.test.ts b/src/cli/plugins-cli.install.test.ts
index d20f8202703..025f4d4ffe0 100644
--- a/src/cli/plugins-cli.install.test.ts
+++ b/src/cli/plugins-cli.install.test.ts
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ import {
   runtimeErrors,
   runtimeLogs,
   writeConfigFile,
+  writePersistedPluginInstallLedger,
 } from "./plugins-cli-test-helpers.js";
 
 const CLI_STATE_ROOT = "/tmp/openclaw-state";
@@ -53,22 +54,6 @@ function createEmptyPluginConfig(): OpenClawConfig {
   } as OpenClawConfig;
 }
 
-function createClawHubInstalledConfig(params: {
-  pluginId: string;
-  install: Record<string, unknown>;
-}): OpenClawConfig {
-  const enabledCfg = createEnabledPluginConfig(params.pluginId);
-  return {
-    ...enabledCfg,
-    plugins: {
-      ...enabledCfg.plugins,
-      installs: {
-        [params.pluginId]: params.install,
-      },
-    },
-  } as OpenClawConfig;
-}
-
 function createClawHubInstallResult(params: {
   pluginId: string;
   packageName: string;
@@ -320,19 +305,6 @@ describe("plugins cli install", () => {
         },
       },
     } as OpenClawConfig;
-    const installedCfg = {
-      ...enabledCfg,
-      plugins: {
-        ...enabledCfg.plugins,
-        installs: {
-          alpha: {
-            source: "marketplace",
-            installPath: cliInstallPath("alpha"),
-          },
-        },
-      },
-    } as OpenClawConfig;
-
     loadConfig.mockReturnValue(cfg);
     installPluginFromMarketplace.mockResolvedValue({
       ok: true,
@@ -345,20 +317,25 @@ describe("plugins cli install", () => {
       marketplacePlugin: "alpha",
     });
     enablePluginInConfig.mockReturnValue({ config: enabledCfg });
-    recordPluginInstall.mockReturnValue(installedCfg);
     buildPluginDiagnosticsReport.mockReturnValue({
       plugins: [{ id: "alpha", kind: "provider" }],
       diagnostics: [],
     });
     applyExclusiveSlotSelection.mockReturnValue({
-      config: installedCfg,
+      config: enabledCfg,
       warnings: ["slot adjusted"],
     });
 
     await runPluginsCommand(["plugins", "install", "alpha", "--marketplace", "local/repo"]);
 
     expect(clearPluginManifestRegistryCache).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
-    expect(writeConfigFile).toHaveBeenCalledWith(installedCfg);
+    expect(writePersistedPluginInstallLedger).toHaveBeenCalledWith({
+      alpha: expect.objectContaining({
+        source: "marketplace",
+        installPath: cliInstallPath("alpha"),
+      }),
+    });
+    expect(writeConfigFile).toHaveBeenCalledWith(enabledCfg);
     expect(runtimeLogs.some((line) => line.includes("slot adjusted"))).toBe(true);
     expect(runtimeLogs.some((line) => line.includes("Installed plugin: alpha"))).toBe(true);
   });
@@ -384,18 +361,6 @@ describe("plugins cli install", () => {
       },
     } as OpenClawConfig;
     const enabledCfg = createEnabledPluginConfig("demo");
-    const installedCfg = createClawHubInstalledConfig({
-      pluginId: "demo",
-      install: {
-        source: "clawhub",
-        spec: "clawhub:demo@1.2.3",
-        installPath: cliInstallPath("demo"),
-        clawhubPackage: "demo",
-        clawhubFamily: "code-plugin",
-        clawhubChannel: "official",
-      },
-    });
-
     loadConfig.mockReturnValue(cfg);
     parseClawHubPluginSpec.mockReturnValue({ name: "demo" });
     installPluginFromClawHub.mockResolvedValue(
@@ -407,9 +372,8 @@ describe("plugins cli install", () => {
       }),
     );
     enablePluginInConfig.mockReturnValue({ config: enabledCfg });
-    recordPluginInstall.mockReturnValue(installedCfg);
     applyExclusiveSlotSelection.mockReturnValue({
-      config: installedCfg,
+      config: enabledCfg,
       warnings: [],
     });
 
@@ -420,18 +384,16 @@ describe("plugins cli install", () => {
         spec: "clawhub:demo",
       }),
     );
-    expect(recordPluginInstall).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
-      enabledCfg,
-      expect.objectContaining({
-        pluginId: "demo",
+    expect(writePersistedPluginInstallLedger).toHaveBeenCalledWith({
+      demo: expect.objectContaining({
         source: "clawhub",
         spec: "clawhub:demo@1.2.3",
         clawhubPackage: "demo",
         clawhubFamily: "code-plugin",
         clawhubChannel: "official",
       }),
-    );
-    expect(writeConfigFile).toHaveBeenCalledWith(installedCfg);
+    });
+    expect(writeConfigFile).toHaveBeenCalledWith(enabledCfg);
     expect(runtimeLogs.some((line) => line.includes("Installed plugin: demo"))).toBe(true);
     expect(installPluginFromNpmSpec).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
   });
@@ -478,16 +440,6 @@ describe("plugins cli install", () => {
       },
     } as OpenClawConfig;
     const enabledCfg = createEnabledPluginConfig("demo");
-    const installedCfg = createClawHubInstalledConfig({
-      pluginId: "demo",
-      install: {
-        source: "clawhub",
-        spec: "clawhub:demo@1.2.3",
-        installPath: cliInstallPath("demo"),
-        clawhubPackage: "demo",
-      },
-    });
-
     loadConfig.mockReturnValue(cfg);
     installPluginFromClawHub.mockResolvedValue(
       createClawHubInstallResult({
@@ -498,9 +450,8 @@ describe("plugins cli install", () => {
       }),
     );
     enablePluginInConfig.mockReturnValue({ config: enabledCfg });
-    recordPluginInstall.mockReturnValue(installedCfg);
     applyExclusiveSlotSelection.mockReturnValue({
-      config: installedCfg,
+      config: enabledCfg,
       warnings: [],
     });
 
@@ -512,7 +463,14 @@ describe("plugins cli install", () => {
       }),
     );
     expect(installPluginFromNpmSpec).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
-    expect(writeConfigFile).toHaveBeenCalledWith(installedCfg);
+    expect(writePersistedPluginInstallLedger).toHaveBeenCalledWith({
+      demo: expect.objectContaining({
+        source: "clawhub",
+        spec: "clawhub:demo@1.2.3",
+        clawhubPackage: "demo",
+      }),
+    });
+    expect(writeConfigFile).toHaveBeenCalledWith(enabledCfg);
   });
 
   it("falls back to npm when ClawHub does not have the package", async () => {
diff --git a/src/plugins/install-ledger-store.test.ts b/src/plugins/install-ledger-store.test.ts
index d0bd1928218..2453e1568ce 100644
--- a/src/plugins/install-ledger-store.test.ts
+++ b/src/plugins/install-ledger-store.test.ts
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ import fs from "node:fs";
 import os from "node:os";
 import path from "node:path";
 import { afterEach, describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
+import type { PluginInstallRecord } from "../config/types.plugins.js";
 import {
   loadPluginInstallRecords,
   loadPluginInstallRecordsSync,
@@ -127,7 +128,7 @@ describe("plugin install ledger store", () => {
         source: "npm",
         spec: "keep@1.0.0",
       },
-    };
+    } satisfies Record<string, PluginInstallRecord>;
     const withInstall = recordPluginInstallInRecords(records, {
       pluginId: "demo",
       source: "npm",