fix(update): rebuild stale Git runtimes when source is already current (#156996)

* fix(update): rebuild stale git runtimes through managed handoff

* fix(update): decide Git no-ops from build provenance

* fix(update): rebuild Git runtimes without provenance

docs/cli/update/how-updates-run.md

@@ -33,10 +33,31 @@ replacement. Choose an empty `OPENCLAW_GIT_DIR` and retry.
 
 If the resolved registry package version equals the installed version without changing
 the selected channel or installation method, or the Git target SHA equals
-`HEAD`, plugin convergence still runs; if plugins and runtime artifacts remain unchanged, the run finishes `skipped` with reason `already-current`. Runtime maintenance can therefore succeed without changing the Git revision. A same-version
+`HEAD` and the recorded build commit matches it, plugin convergence still runs; if plugins and runtime artifacts remain unchanged, the run finishes `skipped` with reason `already-current`. Runtime maintenance can therefore succeed without changing the Git revision. A same-version
 explicit `--channel` or installation-method change finishes successfully.
 Changed plugins restart a running managed Gateway unless `--no-restart` is set; retained exact pins produce the same advisories as a core update without requiring a restart.
 
+If a Git checkout advanced without rebuilding or its runtime has no recorded
+build commit, the matching source revision still needs an update. OpenClaw builds
+and validates a separate candidate, then stops the managed Gateway before
+replacing the runtime and restarting it. The new build records its commit, so
+the next update can finish as already current.
+`--no-restart` cannot replace runtime files used by a running Gateway in the same
+installation; the update leaves those files intact and reports the process and
+the stop/retry action.
+
+Source commands launched with `pnpm openclaw` also refuse an automatic rebuild
+while that installation's Gateway is running. Use the installed `openclaw update`
+or `node openclaw.mjs update` from the checkout to reach the updater's managed
+handoff without the source wrapper rebuilding first. Manual `pnpm build` remains
+an operator action: stop the Gateway before rebuilding its installation.
+
+This decision runs in the installed updater. An older updater that returns
+`already-current` with `runtime-verification-failed` cannot obtain the fix from a
+candidate it never builds. Stop the Gateway through its actual service manager,
+rebuild the checkout, and start the Gateway through that manager before retrying.
+Do not rebuild its installation while the old Gateway is still serving.
+
 Linux updates also refresh outdated OpenClaw-managed systemd policy when the core
 is already current or `--no-restart` is set. This policy-only refresh confirms
 `daemon-reload` without stopping the Gateway and preserves operator drop-ins.

scripts/run-node.mts

@@ -12,7 +12,10 @@ import path from "node:path";
 import process from "node:process";
 import { pathToFileURL } from "node:url";
 import { getCommandArgsWithRootOptions } from "../src/infra/cli-root-options.ts";
-import { withDistArtifactOwnership } from "./lib/dist-artifact-ownership.mts";
+import {
+  distArtifactEntryArgs,
+  withDistArtifactOwnership,
+} from "./lib/dist-artifact-ownership.mts";
 import {
   BUILD_STAMP_FILE,
   RUNTIME_POSTBUILD_STAMP_FILE,
@@ -42,6 +45,7 @@ import {
   runNodeWatchedPaths,
 } from "./run-node-watch-paths.mts";
 import { listCoreRuntimePostBuildOutputs, runRuntimePostBuild } from "./runtime-postbuild.mts";
+import { listTsdownOutputRoots } from "./tsdown-build.mts";
 
 type RunNodeInjectedChild = {
   kill?: (signal?: NodeJS.Signals) => boolean | void;
@@ -136,7 +140,6 @@ function asRunNodeChild(value: unknown): RunNodeChild {
 
 export { runNodeWatchedPaths };
 
-const runtimeBuildArgs = ["--import", "tsx", "scripts/build-all.mts", "qaRuntime"];
 const RUN_NODE_DEFAULT_SHUTDOWN_GRACE_MS = 5_000;
 const RUN_NODE_MAX_SHUTDOWN_GRACE_MS = 5 * 60_000;
 const RUN_NODE_SHUTDOWN_GRACE_MESSAGE_TYPE = "openclaw:shutdown-grace";
@@ -1348,6 +1351,32 @@ const withRunNodeBuildLock = async <T,>(deps: RunNodeDeps, callback: () => Promi
   }
 };
 
+const withRunNodeRuntimePublication = async <T,>(deps: RunNodeDeps, publish: () => Promise<T>) => {
+  const [{ withGatewayRuntimeArtifactPublication }, { parseCliProfileArgs, applyCliProfileEnv }] =
+    await Promise.all([
+      import("../src/cli/update-cli/update-command-service-publication.ts"),
+      import("../src/cli/profile.ts"),
+    ]);
+  const selected = parseCliProfileArgs([deps.execPath, "openclaw.mjs", ...deps.args]);
+  if (!selected.ok) {
+    throw new Error(selected.error);
+  }
+  const env = { ...deps.env };
+  if (selected.profile) {
+    applyCliProfileEnv({ profile: selected.profile, env });
+  }
+  return await withGatewayRuntimeArtifactPublication(
+    {
+      root: deps.cwd,
+      env,
+      timeoutMs: 60_000,
+      outputPaths: listTsdownOutputRoots(),
+      assertCurrent() {},
+    },
+    publish,
+  );
+};
+
 const syncRuntimeArtifacts = async (deps: RunNodeDeps) => {
   try {
     await deps.runRuntimePostBuild({ cwd: deps.cwd, env: deps.env });
@@ -1376,11 +1405,13 @@ const syncRuntimeArtifactsAndStamp = async (deps: RunNodeDeps) =>
     if (!resolveRuntimePostBuildRequirement(deps).shouldSync) {
       return true;
     }
-    const synced = await syncRuntimeArtifacts(deps);
-    if (synced) {
-      writeRuntimePostBuildStamp(deps);
-    }
-    return synced;
+    return await withRunNodeRuntimePublication(deps, async () => {
+      const synced = await syncRuntimeArtifacts(deps);
+      if (synced) {
+        writeRuntimePostBuildStamp(deps);
+      }
+      return synced;
+    });
   });
 
 const shouldSkipWatchRuntimeSync = (deps: RunNodeDeps, requirement: RuntimePostBuildRequirement) =>
@@ -1581,22 +1612,30 @@ export async function runNodeMain(params: RunNodeMainParams = {}): Promise<RunNo
         `Building TypeScript (dist is stale: ${lockedBuildRequirement.reason} - ${formatBuildReason(lockedBuildRequirement.reason)}).`,
         deps,
       );
-      return await withRunNodeProgress(deps, "Building local CLI artifacts", async () => {
-        const build = asRunNodeChild(
-          deps.spawn(deps.execPath, runtimeBuildArgs, {
-            cwd: deps.cwd,
-            detached: shouldUseRunNodeChildProcessGroup(deps),
-            env: {
-              ...deps.env,
-              [RUN_NODE_SKIP_DTS_BUILD_ENV]: deps.env[RUN_NODE_SKIP_DTS_BUILD_ENV] ?? "1",
-            },
-            stdio: ["inherit", "pipe", "pipe"],
+      return await withDistArtifactOwnership(deps.cwd, () =>
+        withRunNodeRuntimePublication(deps, () =>
+          withRunNodeProgress(deps, "Building local CLI artifacts", async () => {
+            const build = asRunNodeChild(
+              deps.spawn(
+                deps.execPath,
+                distArtifactEntryArgs(path.join(deps.cwd, "scripts/build-all.mts"), ["qaRuntime"]),
+                {
+                  cwd: deps.cwd,
+                  detached: shouldUseRunNodeChildProcessGroup(deps),
+                  env: {
+                    ...deps.env,
+                    [RUN_NODE_SKIP_DTS_BUILD_ENV]: deps.env[RUN_NODE_SKIP_DTS_BUILD_ENV] ?? "1",
+                  },
+                  stdio: ["inherit", "pipe", "pipe"],
+                },
+              ),
+            );
+            pipeSpawnedOutput(build, deps, { stdoutTarget: "stderr" });
+            const result = await waitForSpawnedProcess(build, deps);
+            return getInterruptedSpawnOutcome(result, deps.platform) ?? result.exitCode ?? 1;
           }),
-        );
-        pipeSpawnedOutput(build, deps, { stdoutTarget: "stderr" });
-        const result = await waitForSpawnedProcess(build, deps);
-        return getInterruptedSpawnOutcome(result, deps.platform) ?? result.exitCode ?? 1;
-      });
+        ),
+      );
     });
     if (buildExitCode !== 0) {
       return await closeRunNodeOutputTee(deps, buildExitCode);

src/cli/update-cli-state-snapshot.test-support.ts

@@ -23,6 +23,8 @@ export function createUpdateStateProfileInitializer(
     if (!fs.existsSync(databasePath) && fs.existsSync(preparedStateDatabase)) {
       fs.mkdirSync(path.dirname(databasePath), { recursive: true, mode: 0o700 });
       fs.copyFileSync(preparedStateDatabase, databasePath);
+      fixtureStateDatabases.add(databasePath);
+      return;
     }
     const database = openOpenClawStateDatabase({ env });
     fixtureStateDatabases.add(database.path);

src/cli/update-cli.test.ts

@@ -2140,7 +2140,6 @@ describe("update-cli", () => {
   );
 
   it.each([
-    { kind: "git", restart: false, capability: "sealed" },
     { kind: "git", restart: true, capability: "sealed" },
     { kind: "package", restart: false, capability: "sealed" },
     { kind: "package", restart: true, capability: "sealed" },
@@ -12478,21 +12477,21 @@ describe("update-cli", () => {
       },
     },
     {
-      name: "skips service env refresh when --no-restart is set",
+      name: "refuses a running Git installation with --no-restart",
       run: async () => {
         mockGitUpdateAfterMutation();
         serviceLoaded.mockResolvedValue(true);
         mockOwnedGitService();
 
-        await updateCommand({ restart: false });
+        await expect(updateCommand({ restart: false })).rejects.toEqual(new ExitError(1));
       },
       assert: () => {
-        expectNoSideEffects(runDaemonInstall, runDaemonRestart);
+        expectNoSideEffects(runDaemonInstall, runDaemonRestart, serviceStop);
         expect(freshRestartCalls()).toHaveLength(0);
         expect(
           gatewayCommandCall(path.join(process.cwd(), "dist", "index.js"), "install"),
         ).toBeUndefined();
-        expect(getLogOutput()).toContain("Gateway: restart skipped (--no-restart).");
+        expect(getErrorOutput()).toContain("still running");
       },
     },
     {

src/cli/update-cli/update-command-execution.test.ts

@@ -25,6 +25,76 @@ describe("mutable update execution", () => {
   registerExecutionTimeoutTests();
 
   registerNativeAdmissionTests({ executionParams, mocks, successfulUpdate });
+  it.each(["same", "alias", "disjoint"] as const)(
+    "preserves a serving Git runtime when activation did not stop it: %s",
+    async (destination) => {
+      await withTestDir({ prefix: "git-live-runtime-custody-" }, async (dir) => {
+        const servingRoot = path.join(dir, "serving");
+        const targetRoot = destination === "same" ? servingRoot : path.join(dir, "target");
+        await fs.mkdir(path.join(servingRoot, "dist"), { recursive: true });
+        if (destination === "alias") {
+          await fs.symlink(
+            servingRoot,
+            targetRoot,
+            process.platform === "win32" ? "junction" : "dir",
+          );
+        } else if (destination === "disjoint") {
+          await fs.mkdir(path.join(targetRoot, "dist"), { recursive: true });
+        }
+        const artifact = path.join(servingRoot, "dist", "prepare.runtime.js");
+        await fs.writeFile(artifact, "retained serving runtime");
+        const target = { schemaVersions: { state: 15, agent: 19 } };
+        mocks.maybeStopService.mockImplementation(async () => ({
+          ...inspectOrStopService("inspect"),
+          servicePid: 23456,
+          serviceUpdateVerdict: {
+            kind: "owned",
+            root: servingRoot,
+            fingerprint: "serving-generation",
+            refreshDefinition: false,
+          },
+        }));
+        vi.spyOn(readiness, "verifyPreviousGatewayForUpdate").mockResolvedValue(true);
+        mocks.runGitUpdate.mockImplementation(
+          async (
+            options: Parameters<typeof import("./update-command-git.js").updateGitInstall>[0],
+          ) => {
+            await options.inspectGitTarget?.(target);
+            await options.beforeGitMutation?.(target);
+            await fs.writeFile(
+              path.join(targetRoot, "dist", "prepare.runtime.js"),
+              "candidate runtime",
+            );
+            return { ...successfulUpdate, mode: "git" };
+          },
+        );
+        const execution = await executeMutableUpdate({
+          ...executionParams("git"),
+          root: targetRoot,
+          shouldRestart: false,
+          opts: { json: true, restart: false },
+        });
+        expect(await fs.readFile(artifact, "utf8")).toBe("retained serving runtime");
+        expect(mocks.serviceStopped).toBe(false);
+        if (destination === "disjoint") {
+          expect(execution?.result.status).toBe("ok");
+          expect(
+            await fs.readFile(path.join(targetRoot, "dist", "prepare.runtime.js"), "utf8"),
+          ).toBe("candidate runtime");
+        } else {
+          expect(execution).toMatchObject({
+            mutationStarted: false,
+            result: { status: "error", reason: "runtime-artifact-publication" },
+          });
+          expect(execution?.result.steps).toEqual(
+            expect.arrayContaining([
+              expect.objectContaining({ stderrTail: expect.stringContaining("23456") }),
+            ]),
+          );
+        }
+      });
+    },
+  );
   it("retains the live update run when stopped-service context capture fails", async () => {
     await withTestDir({ prefix: "partial-stop-recovery-owner-" }, async (dir) => {
       const control = path.join(dir, "leases");

src/cli/update-cli/update-command-execution.ts

@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ import {
   canResolveRegistryVersionForPackageTarget,
   verifyPackageUpdateRecovery,
 } from "../../infra/update-global.js";
+import { updateInstallRootsMatch } from "../../infra/update-install-root.js";
 import { recordUpdateRunPhase } from "../../infra/update-run-ledger.js";
 import { isFailedUpdateStep } from "../../infra/update-run-step.js";
 import { readCurrentGitUpdateRecovery } from "../../infra/update-runner-git-recovery.js";
@@ -539,6 +540,20 @@ export async function executeMutableUpdate(
     await stopManagedServiceBeforeMutableUpdate(roots);
     await recheckSchemas(admittedTargetSchemaVersions);
     assertExecutionCurrent();
+    const serving = preManagedServiceStop;
+    const servingVerdict = serving?.serviceUpdateVerdict;
+    if (
+      params.updateInstallKind === "git" &&
+      serving?.running &&
+      !serving.stopped &&
+      servingVerdict?.kind === "owned" &&
+      roots.some((root) => updateInstallRootsMatch(root, servingVerdict.root))
+    ) {
+      throw new UpdatePreMutationError(
+        "runtime-artifact-publication",
+        `Cannot replace Git runtime artifacts in ${servingVerdict.root}: its Gateway${serving.servicePid === undefined ? "" : ` (PID ${serving.servicePid})`} is still running and this update did not stop it. Stop that Gateway through its service manager, then rerun \`${formatCliCommand("openclaw update", serving.serviceEnv)}\` without \`--no-restart\`. The serving runtime was left unchanged.`,
+      );
+    }
     // Both install paths enter mutation only after the post-stop schema/authority fence.
     preManagedServiceStop?.windowsTaskAutoStartRecovery?.beginMutation();
     mutationStarted = true;

src/cli/update-cli/update-command-git-snapshot.test.ts

@@ -19,9 +19,13 @@ async function git(root: string, ...args: string[]): Promise<string> {
   return result.stdout.trim();
 }
 
-it.each([true, false])(
-  "checks snapshot space after the Git no-op decision (current=%s)",
-  async (current) => {
+it.each([
+  { current: true, recorded: true, noOp: true },
+  { current: false, recorded: true, noOp: false },
+  { current: true, recorded: false, noOp: false },
+])(
+  "checks snapshot space after the Git no-op decision (current=$current, recorded=$recorded)",
+  async ({ current, recorded, noOp }) => {
     await withTestDir({ prefix: "git-update-snapshot-" }, async (base) => {
       const root = path.join(base, "checkout");
       const stateDir = path.join(base, "state");
@@ -46,6 +50,13 @@ it.each([true, false])(
       await git(root, "add", ".");
       await git(root, "commit", "-m", "fixture");
       const before = await git(root, "rev-parse", "HEAD");
+      if (recorded) {
+        await fs.mkdir(path.join(root, "dist"));
+        await fs.writeFile(
+          path.join(root, "dist", "build-info.json"),
+          JSON.stringify({ commit: before }),
+        );
+      }
       let target = before;
       if (!current) {
         await fs.writeFile(path.join(root, "candidate.txt"), "candidate\n");
@@ -105,13 +116,13 @@ it.each([true, false])(
             : headCommandOptions?.timeoutMs,
         ).toBe(20 * 60_000);
         expect(result).toMatchObject(
-          current
+          noOp
             ? { status: "skipped", reason: "already-current" }
             : { status: "error", reason: "snapshot-capacity-insufficient" },
         );
-        expect(capacity.mock.calls.length === 0).toBe(current);
-        expect(getSnapshotSource).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(current ? 0 : 1);
-        if (!current) {
+        expect(capacity.mock.calls.length === 0).toBe(noOp);
+        expect(getSnapshotSource).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(noOp ? 0 : 1);
+        if (!noOp) {
           expect(result.steps).toContainEqual(
             expect.objectContaining({
               name: "snapshot-space-preflight",

src/cli/update-cli/update-command-service-publication.test.ts

@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import fs from "node:fs/promises";
 import path from "node:path";
 import { afterEach, beforeEach, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
+import { runNodeMain } from "../../../scripts/run-node.mts";
 import { useAutoCleanupTempDirTracker } from "../../../test/helpers/temp-dir.js";
 import { withGatewayServiceOperationLock } from "../../daemon/service-operation-lock.js";
 import type { GatewayService } from "../../daemon/service.js";
@@ -97,6 +98,67 @@ async function withRuntimePublicationFixture(
   });
 }
 
+it.each([undefined, "stale-profile"])(
+  "preserves the serving installation when a source command requests an automatic rebuild (profile=%s)",
+  (profile) =>
+    withRuntimePublicationFixture(async ({ root, env, service }) => {
+      vi.mocked(service.readRuntime).mockResolvedValue({
+        status: "running",
+        pid: 23456,
+        systemd: { managerUid: 2001 },
+      });
+      const entry = path.join(root, "dist", "entry.js");
+      const before = await fs.readFile(entry, "utf8");
+      const spawn = vi.fn(() => {
+        throw new Error("Automatic build started under the serving Gateway");
+      });
+      await expect(
+        runNodeMain({
+          cwd: root,
+          args: [...(profile ? ["--profile", profile] : []), "doctor"],
+          env: { ...env, OPENCLAW_RUNNER_LOG: "0" },
+          spawn,
+        }),
+      ).rejects.toThrow(/affected Gateway.*running/);
+      expect(spawn).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+      expect(
+        vi
+          .mocked(service.readRuntime)
+          .mock.calls.some(([observedEnv]) => observedEnv?.OPENCLAW_PROFILE === profile),
+      ).toBe(true);
+      expect(await fs.readFile(entry, "utf8")).toBe(before);
+    }),
+);
+
+it("holds Gateway startup custody until the automatic source build exits", () =>
+  withRuntimePublicationFixture(async ({ root, env, coordinatorPath }) => {
+    let builds = 0;
+    const spawn = (_command: string, args: string[]) => {
+      if (args.some((arg) => arg.endsWith("scripts/build-all.mts"))) {
+        builds += 1;
+        const competingStartup = tryAcquireExclusiveSqliteCoordinator(coordinatorPath);
+        competingStartup?.release();
+        expect(competingStartup).toBeNull();
+      }
+      return {
+        on(event: string, listener: (code: number, signal: null) => void) {
+          if (event === "exit") {
+            queueMicrotask(() => listener(0, null));
+          }
+        },
+      };
+    };
+    expect(
+      await runNodeMain({
+        cwd: root,
+        args: ["doctor"],
+        env: { ...env, OPENCLAW_RUNNER_LOG: "0" },
+        spawn,
+      }),
+    ).toBe(0);
+    expect(builds).toBe(1);
+  }));
+
 it.each([true, false])(
   "parks the foreground Gateway before source runtime publication only when artifacts change: %s",
   (changed) =>

src/cli/update-cli/update-command-service-publication.ts

@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@ export async function withGatewayRuntimeArtifactPublication<T>(
     env: NodeJS.ProcessEnv;
     timeoutMs: number;
     assertCurrent: () => void;
+    outputPaths?: readonly string[];
   },
   publish: (assertPublicationCurrent: () => Promise<void>) => Promise<T>,
 ): Promise<T> {
@@ -104,21 +105,24 @@ export async function withGatewayRuntimeArtifactPublication<T>(
     const same = (a: PathIdentity, b: PathIdentity) =>
       a.real === b.real ||
       Boolean(a.stat && b.stat && a.stat.dev === b.stat.dev && a.stat.ino === b.stat.ino);
-    const outputPaths = [
+    const outputPaths = params.outputPaths ?? [
       "dist-runtime",
       path.join("dist", "extensions", "node_modules", "openclaw"),
     ];
+    const parentPaths = new Set([""]);
+    for (const output of outputPaths) {
+      for (let parent = path.dirname(output); parent !== "."; parent = path.dirname(parent)) {
+        if (!outputPaths.some((replaced) => isPathInside(replaced, parent))) {
+          parentPaths.add(parent);
+        }
+      }
+    }
     const readInspection = async () => {
       assertCurrent();
       // Parents are stable across publication; output roots themselves are renamed.
       // Record missing descendants too, so creating them cannot redirect a later effect.
       const parents = await Promise.all(
-        [
-          "",
-          "dist",
-          path.join("dist", "extensions"),
-          path.join("dist", "extensions", "node_modules"),
-        ].map((relative) =>
+        [...parentPaths].map((relative) =>
           relative ? outputIdentity(path.join(params.root, relative)) : identity(params.root),
         ),
       );

src/commands/doctor-stale-runtime-build.ts

@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ export async function collectStaleRuntimeBuildFindings(
       message: `Running build came from commit ${builtCommit.slice(0, 7)}, but the checkout is at ${checkoutCommit.slice(0, 7)}; the loaded runtime is older than its source.`,
       path: root,
       fixHint:
-        "Rebuild with `pnpm build` so the running runtime matches the checkout, then restart the Gateway.",
+        "Run `openclaw update` to rebuild and restart through the update lifecycle. For a manual build, stop the Gateway before running `pnpm build`, then start it again.",
     },
   ];
 }

src/infra/update-runner-git-candidate.test.ts

@@ -256,6 +256,57 @@ describe("Git candidate activation", () => {
     },
   );
 
+  it.each([
+    { channel: "dev", recorded: true },
+    { channel: "stable", recorded: true },
+    { channel: "dev", recorded: false },
+    { channel: "stable", recorded: false },
+  ] as const)(
+    "rebuilds a source-current $channel checkout before activating its stale runtime (recorded=$recorded)",
+    async ({ channel, recorded }) => {
+      const builtSha = beforeSha;
+      const target = await advanceRemote();
+      await git(remote, "tag", "v2026.9.1");
+      await git(root, "pull", "--ff-only");
+      beforeSha = target;
+      const buildInfoPath = path.join(root, "dist", "build-info.json");
+      if (!recorded) {
+        await fs.writeFile(buildInfoPath, JSON.stringify({ buildId: builtSha }));
+      }
+      await expectRuntime(root, builtSha);
+
+      const result = await update({
+        channel,
+        beforeGitMutation: async () => {
+          expect(stopped).toBe(false);
+          await expectRuntime(root, builtSha);
+          stopped = true;
+          events.push("stop");
+        },
+      });
+
+      expect(result.status, JSON.stringify(result)).toBe("ok");
+      expect(result.before).toMatchObject({ sha: target, buildId: builtSha });
+      expect(result.after).toMatchObject({ sha: target, buildId: target });
+      expect(events).toEqual(["build", "validate", "stop", "migrate"]);
+      await expectRuntime(root, target);
+      expect(JSON.parse(await fs.readFile(buildInfoPath, "utf8"))).toMatchObject({
+        commit: target,
+      });
+
+      stopped = false;
+      events.length = 0;
+      expect(await update({ channel })).toMatchObject({
+        status: "skipped",
+        reason: "already-current",
+        before: { sha: target, buildId: target },
+      });
+      expect(stopped).toBe(false);
+      expect(events).toEqual([]);
+      await expectNoRuntimeStagingPaths();
+    },
+  );
+
   it("keeps build and exposure source selection in the admitted candidate", async () => {
     vi.stubEnv("OPENCLAW_DEV_SOURCE_ROOT", root);
     await advanceRemote();

src/infra/update-runner-git-preflight.ts

@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import { normalizeStringEntries } from "@openclaw/normalization-core/string-norm
 import { stripAnsi } from "../../packages/terminal-core/src/ansi.js";
 import { resolveControlUiAssetHealth } from "./control-ui-assets.js";
 import { hasErrnoCode } from "./errno.js";
+import { gitCommitPrefixesMatch } from "./git-commit.js";
 import { DEV_BRANCH, resolveDevUpstreamRefs } from "./update-channels.js";
 import { resolveDevUpdateTargetRevision, type DevUpdateTarget } from "./update-dev-target.js";
 import {
@@ -527,6 +528,7 @@ export async function runGitCandidatePreflight(params: {
   refreshedRemotes: readonly string[];
   targetRevision?: string;
   beforeSha?: string | null;
+  beforeBuiltCommit: string | null;
   beforeGitStaging?: UpdateRunnerOptions["beforeGitStaging"];
   validateCandidate: UpdateRunnerOptions["validateCandidate"];
   prepareGitExposure?: UpdateRunnerOptions["prepareGitExposure"];
@@ -599,8 +601,12 @@ export async function runGitCandidatePreflight(params: {
     localDevBranchExists = upstream.localDevBranchExists;
   }
 
-  // A resolved no-op must not enter validation, stop the service, or rewrite its runtime.
-  if (!params.prepareGitExposure && preflightBaseSha === params.beforeSha) {
+  // A matching source revision cannot prove an unrecorded runtime is current.
+  const canSkipActivation =
+    !params.prepareGitExposure &&
+    params.beforeBuiltCommit !== null &&
+    gitCommitPrefixesMatch(params.beforeBuiltCommit, params.beforeSha ?? "");
+  if (canSkipActivation && preflightBaseSha === params.beforeSha) {
     return { status: "skipped", reason: "already-current" };
   }
   if (params.beforeGitStaging) {
@@ -651,7 +657,7 @@ export async function runGitCandidatePreflight(params: {
       };
     }
     for (const sha of candidates) {
-      if (!params.prepareGitExposure && sha === params.beforeSha) {
+      if (canSkipActivation && sha === params.beforeSha) {
         return { status: "skipped", reason: "already-current" };
       }
       if (sha !== preflightBaseSha) {

src/infra/update-runner-git.tags.test.ts

@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import { spawnSync } from "node:child_process";
-import { writeFileSync } from "node:fs";
+import { mkdirSync, writeFileSync } from "node:fs";
 import os from "node:os";
 import path from "node:path";
 import { afterEach, describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
@@ -56,6 +56,7 @@ describe("Git updater release tag refresh", () => {
       path.join(seed, "package.json"),
       JSON.stringify({ name: "openclaw", version: "2026.9.1" }),
     );
+    writeFileSync(path.join(seed, ".gitignore"), "dist/\n");
     git(seed, "add", ".");
     git(seed, "commit", "-m", "original release");
     const oldTag = git(seed, "rev-parse", "HEAD");
@@ -65,6 +66,17 @@ describe("Git updater release tag refresh", () => {
     git(seed, "push", "origin", "main", "--tags");
     git(directory, "clone", "--origin", releaseRemote, upstream, root);
     git(root, "checkout", "--detach");
+    const dist = path.join(root, "dist");
+    mkdirSync(path.join(dist, "control-ui"), { recursive: true });
+    writeFileSync(path.join(dist, "entry.js"), "export {};\n");
+    writeFileSync(
+      path.join(dist, "build-info.json"),
+      JSON.stringify({ commit: release, buildId: release }),
+    );
+    for (const stamp of [".buildstamp", ".runtime-postbuildstamp"]) {
+      writeFileSync(path.join(dist, stamp), JSON.stringify({ head: release }));
+    }
+    writeFileSync(path.join(dist, "control-ui", "index.html"), "ready");
     git(root, "tag", "local-only", oldTag);
     if (forkRemote) {
       const fork = path.join(directory, "fork.git");

src/infra/update-runner-git.ts

@@ -4,7 +4,11 @@ import { readPackageVersion } from "./package-json.js";
 import { DEV_BRANCH, type UpdateChannel } from "./update-channels.js";
 import { getUpdateDoctorConfigFailureReason } from "./update-doctor-config.js";
 import { createUpdateErrorFact } from "./update-failure-facts.js";
-import { readBuiltGatewayBuildId, verifyGitUpdateRecovery } from "./update-git-runtime.js";
+import {
+  readBuiltGatewayBuildId,
+  readBuiltRuntimeCommit,
+  verifyGitUpdateRecovery,
+} from "./update-git-runtime.js";
 import { UpdateRequesterRevokedError } from "./update-requester-authority.js";
 import { isFailedUpdateStep } from "./update-run-step.js";
 import { runStep } from "./update-runner-command.js";
@@ -65,9 +69,10 @@ export async function updateGitCheckout(params: {
     timeoutMs,
   });
   const beforeSha = beforeShaResult.stdout.trim() || null;
-  const [beforeVersion, beforeBuildId] = await Promise.all([
+  const [beforeVersion, beforeBuildId, beforeBuiltCommit] = await Promise.all([
     readPackageVersion(gitRoot),
     readBuiltGatewayBuildId(gitRoot),
+    readBuiltRuntimeCommit(gitRoot),
   ]);
   const before = {
     sha: beforeSha,
@@ -406,6 +411,7 @@ export async function updateGitCheckout(params: {
         devTarget,
         refreshedRemotes: fetched.refreshedRemotes,
         beforeSha,
+        beforeBuiltCommit,
         beforeGitStaging: opts.beforeGitStaging,
         needsCheckoutMain,
         timeoutMs,

test/scripts/build-all.test.ts

@@ -38,6 +38,13 @@ import {
 import { resolveTestNodeExecPath } from "../../src/test-utils/node-process.js";
 import { toolingProbeRuntimeEntrypoints } from "./tooling-probe-runtime.test-support.mts";
 
+vi.mock("../../src/cli/update-cli/update-command-service-publication.js", () => ({
+  withGatewayRuntimeArtifactPublication: async (
+    _params: unknown,
+    publish: () => Promise<unknown>,
+  ) => publish(),
+}));
+
 const testNodeExecPath = resolveTestNodeExecPath();
 const buildAllUrl = resolveRuntimeWorkerUrl(toolingProbeRuntimeEntrypoints.buildAll);
 const buildArtifactCacheUrl = resolveRuntimeWorkerUrl(
@@ -884,7 +891,13 @@ describe("resolveBuildAllSteps", () => {
           }),
         ).toBe(0);
         expect(spawn.mock.calls.map(([, args]) => args)).toEqual([
-          ["--import", "tsx", "scripts/build-all.mts", "qaRuntime"],
+          [
+            "--import",
+            expect.stringMatching(/\/scripts\/tsx\.mjs$/),
+            expect.stringMatching(/[\\/]scripts[\\/]lib[\\/]dist-artifact-ownership\.mts$/),
+            expect.stringMatching(/\/scripts\/build-all\.mts$/),
+            "qaRuntime",
+          ],
           ["openclaw.mjs", "status"],
         ]);
         const env = spawn.mock.calls[0]![2].env!;

test/scripts/dist-artifact-ownership.test.ts

@@ -527,6 +527,8 @@ describe.skipIf(process.platform === "win32")("dist artifact ownership", () => {
         import fs from 'node:fs';
         import { createRequire } from 'node:module';
         const require = createRequire(import.meta.url);
+        const { registerSourceRunnerServiceFixture } = await import(${JSON.stringify(path.join(sourceRoot, "test/scripts/fixtures/source-runner-service.mjs"))});
+        registerSourceRunnerServiceFixture(${JSON.stringify(sourceRoot)});
         const { runNodeMain } = await import(${JSON.stringify(path.join(sourceRoot, "scripts/run-node.mts"))});
         process.exitCode = await runNodeMain({
           cwd: process.cwd(), args: ['artifact-fixture'],

test/scripts/fixtures/native-runner-signals.mjs

@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ import fs from "node:fs";
 import { syncBuiltinESMExports } from "node:module";
 import path from "node:path";
 import { fileURLToPath } from "node:url";
+import { registerSourceRunnerServiceFixture } from "./source-runner-service.mjs";
 
 const root = process.env.OPENCLAW_TEST_NATIVE_RUNNER_ROOT;
 const sourceRoot = process.env.OPENCLAW_TEST_NATIVE_RUNNER_SOURCE;
@@ -10,6 +11,7 @@ const mode = process.env.OPENCLAW_TEST_NATIVE_RUNNER_MODE;
 if (!root || !sourceRoot || (mode !== "runner" && mode !== "watch")) {
   throw new Error("Native runner signal fixture is missing its private scope");
 }
+registerSourceRunnerServiceFixture(sourceRoot);
 const fixture = fileURLToPath(import.meta.url);
 const release = path.join(root, "release");
 const terminate = path.join(root, "terminate");

test/scripts/fixtures/source-runner-service.mjs

@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+import { registerHooks } from "node:module";
+import path from "node:path";
+import { pathToFileURL } from "node:url";
+
+// Compiler and process fixtures own no Gateway; its custody has separate boundary tests.
+export function registerSourceRunnerServiceFixture(sourceRoot) {
+  const rootUrl = pathToFileURL(sourceRoot + path.sep).href;
+  const modules = new Map([
+    [
+      "src/cli/update-cli/update-command-service-publication",
+      "export async function withGatewayRuntimeArtifactPublication(_params, publish) { return publish(async () => {}); }",
+    ],
+    [
+      "src/cli/profile",
+      "export function parseCliProfileArgs(argv) { return { ok: true, profile: null, argv }; } export function applyCliProfileEnv() { throw new Error('This fixture has no profile'); }",
+    ],
+  ]);
+  registerHooks({
+    load(url, context, nextLoad) {
+      // The real wrappers load both source and prepared legacy-finalizer modules.
+      const source = url.startsWith(rootUrl)
+        ? [...modules].find(
+            ([name]) => url.endsWith(`/${name}.ts`) || url.endsWith(`/${name}.js`),
+          )?.[1]
+        : undefined;
+      return source === undefined
+        ? nextLoad(url, context)
+        : { format: "module", source, shortCircuit: true };
+    },
+  });
+}

test/scripts/run-node-lifecycle.test.ts

@@ -239,7 +239,14 @@ it.runIf(process.platform !== "win32").each(["runner", "watch"] as const)(
     );
     await runQaGatewayFixture(
       async () => {
-        const worker = await waitForPidFile(path.join(root, "worker.pid"), 5_000);
+        const worker = await Promise.race([
+          waitForPidFile(path.join(root, "worker.pid"), 5_000),
+          command.then((result) => {
+            throw new Error(
+              `Native ${mode} exited before its worker started: ${formatShimResult(result)}`,
+            );
+          }),
+        ]);
         expect(isProcessAlive(worker)).toBe(true);
         writeFileSync(path.join(root, "terminate"), "terminate");
         const result = await command;

test/scripts/run-node.test-support.ts

@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ import {
   bundledPluginFile,
   bundledPluginRoot,
 } from "openclaw/plugin-sdk/test-fixtures";
-import { expect, it as baseIt } from "vitest";
+import { expect, it as baseIt, vi } from "vitest";
 import { copyBundledPluginMetadata } from "../../scripts/copy-bundled-plugin-metadata.mts";
 import {
   BUILD_STAMP_FILE,
@@ -26,6 +26,13 @@ import {
 } from "../../scripts/lib/update-compat-chunks.mts";
 import { runNodeMain } from "../../scripts/run-node.mts";
 import { withTestDir } from "../../src/test-helpers/temp-dir.js";
+// These launcher fixtures have no service. Publication custody is covered at its owner.
+vi.mock("../../src/cli/update-cli/update-command-service-publication.js", () => ({
+  withGatewayRuntimeArtifactPublication: async (
+    _params: unknown,
+    publish: () => Promise<unknown>,
+  ) => publish(),
+}));
 import {
   previousReleaseInventory,
   writeUpdateCompatibilityBuildFixture,
@@ -210,7 +217,14 @@ export async function writeRuntimePostBuildScaffold(tmp: string): Promise<void>
 }
 
 export function expectedBuildSpawn() {
-  return [process.execPath, "--import", "tsx", "scripts/build-all.mts", "qaRuntime"];
+  return [
+    process.execPath,
+    "--import",
+    expect.stringMatching(/\/scripts\/tsx\.mjs$/),
+    expect.stringMatching(/[\\/]scripts[\\/]lib[\\/]dist-artifact-ownership\.mts$/),
+    expect.stringMatching(/\/scripts\/build-all\.mts$/),
+    "qaRuntime",
+  ];
 }
 
 export function statusCommandSpawn() {
@@ -234,7 +248,7 @@ export function resolvePath(tmp: string, relativePath: string) {
 }
 
 export function isTsxScriptArgs(args: string[], scriptPath: string): boolean {
-  return args[0] === "--import" && args[1] === "tsx" && args[2] === scriptPath;
+  return args[0] === "--import" && args.some((arg) => arg.endsWith(scriptPath));
 }
 
 export async function expectPathMissing(targetPath: string): Promise<void> {