diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index e372b7b21817..baf7d19c1f9c 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -2056,6 +2056,25 @@ jobs:
               });
             }
           }
+          // The trusted planner may name owners added after a frozen checkout.
+          // Project them out here so the runner never receives impossible work.
+          const projectFrozenNodeTestPlan = (plan) => {
+            const configs = plan.configs?.filter((config) => existsSync(config));
+            if (plan.configs?.length && !configs?.length) {
+              return null;
+            }
+            return { ...plan, configs };
+          };
+          const targetNodeTestShards = compatibilityTarget
+            ? rawNodeTestShards.flatMap((shard) => {
+                const groups = shard.groups
+                  ?.map(projectFrozenNodeTestPlan)
+                  .filter((group) => group !== null);
+                if (shard.groups?.length && !groups?.length) return [];
+                const projected = projectFrozenNodeTestPlan({ ...shard, groups });
+                return projected ? [projected] : [];
+              })
+            : rawNodeTestShards;
           // Node rows list every striped test file. Current targets pack the
           // projected runner contract; older targets keep their flat fields or
           // projected legacy groups because their shard runner predates the codec.
@@ -2069,7 +2088,7 @@ jobs:
                 })
               : null;
           const nodeTestGroupsCodec =
-            (rawNodeTestShards.length > 0 || uiTestGroups !== null) &&
+            (targetNodeTestShards.length > 0 || uiTestGroups !== null) &&
             existsSync(nodeTestGroupsCodecPath)
               ? await importTargetPlan(nodeTestGroupsCodecPath)
               : null;
@@ -2120,7 +2139,7 @@ jobs:
             "test/vitest/vitest.tooling-docker.config.ts",
           ]);
           // The same capped matrix owns compact and plugin work; admit its longest rows first.
-          const nodeTestShards = rawNodeTestShards
+          const nodeTestShards = targetNodeTestShards
             .toSorted((a, b) =>
               Number(b.runner === "runson-c8i-8xlarge") - Number(a.runner === "runson-c8i-8xlarge") ||
               (b.predictedSeconds ?? 0) - (a.predictedSeconds ?? 0))
@@ -2200,7 +2219,7 @@ jobs:
             !frozenTarget && !compatibilityTarget && !releaseGate &&
             /^[0-9a-f]{40}$/u.test(checkoutRevision) && checkoutRevision === workflowRevision &&
             typeof nodeTestPlan.hasCompleteStartupCorpusCoverage === "function" &&
-            nodeTestPlan.hasCompleteStartupCorpusCoverage(rawNodeTestShards, startupCorpusTestFiles)
+            nodeTestPlan.hasCompleteStartupCorpusCoverage(targetNodeTestShards, startupCorpusTestFiles)
               ? checkoutRevision : "";
           if (startupCorpusNodeRevision) {
             // The exact-tree Node receipt makes this row's only test step a no-op.
diff --git a/scripts/e2e/lib/plugin-update/consent-scenario.mjs b/scripts/e2e/lib/plugin-update/consent-scenario.mjs
index 622f530e9375..10a01f695d34 100644
--- a/scripts/e2e/lib/plugin-update/consent-scenario.mjs
+++ b/scripts/e2e/lib/plugin-update/consent-scenario.mjs
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ import { packFutureUpdateFixture } from "../update-first-hop-package-fixtures.mj
 import { observePostCoreCommand } from "./process-observer.mjs";
 
 // Without a core tarball, run only the plugin reinstall boundary against the supplied CLI.
-export async function runConsentScenario(entry, coreTarball) {
+export async function runConsentScenario(entry, coreTarball, options = {}) {
   assert(entry, "expected CLI entry");
   let coreTarballSha256;
   if (coreTarball) {
@@ -280,10 +280,27 @@ export async function runConsentScenario(entry, coreTarball) {
         "accepted forced reinstall replaces package and acceptance while remaining disabled",
         "explicit enable activates the reviewed replacement",
       ];
-      if (!coreTarball) {
+      if (!coreTarball || options.coreUpdateConsent === false) {
         console.log(
           JSON.stringify(
-            { status: "passed", root, assertions: reinstallAssertions, runs, snapshots },
+            {
+              status: "passed",
+              root,
+              assertions: reinstallAssertions,
+              ...(coreTarball && options.coreUpdateConsent === false
+                ? {
+                    omissions: [
+                      {
+                        scenario: "core-update-consent",
+                        reason:
+                          "selected frozen target predates the recorded update compatibility contract",
+                      },
+                    ],
+                  }
+                : {}),
+              runs,
+              snapshots,
+            },
             null,
             2,
           ),
diff --git a/scripts/e2e/lib/plugin-update/probe.mjs b/scripts/e2e/lib/plugin-update/probe.mjs
index 3e9f0e91bbc3..9850ca4cf308 100644
--- a/scripts/e2e/lib/plugin-update/probe.mjs
+++ b/scripts/e2e/lib/plugin-update/probe.mjs
@@ -303,7 +303,10 @@ function assertCorruptPluginPolicyPreserved(configPath, pluginId) {
 
 const [command, arg, arg2] = process.argv.slice(2);
 const commands = {
-  consent: () => runConsentScenario(arg, arg2),
+  consent: () =>
+    runConsentScenario(arg, arg2, {
+      coreUpdateConsent: process.env.OPENCLAW_E2E_CORE_UPDATE_CONSENT !== "0",
+    }),
   seed: seedInstallState,
   "wait-registry": waitRegistry,
   snapshot: () => process.stdout.write(JSON.stringify(pluginRecordSnapshot(), null, 2)),
diff --git a/scripts/e2e/plugin-update-unchanged-docker.sh b/scripts/e2e/plugin-update-unchanged-docker.sh
index 0013034edfdc..3eea8e3d631e 100755
--- a/scripts/e2e/plugin-update-unchanged-docker.sh
+++ b/scripts/e2e/plugin-update-unchanged-docker.sh
@@ -22,12 +22,33 @@ PACKAGE_TGZ="$(docker_e2e_prepare_package_tgz plugin-update "${OPENCLAW_CURRENT_
 # Bare lanes mount the package artifact instead of baking app sources into the image.
 docker_e2e_package_mount_args "$PACKAGE_TGZ"
 
+CORE_UPDATE_CONSENT=1
+source "$ROOT_DIR/scripts/lib/frozen-target-compat.sh"
+TARGET_ROOT_DIR="$(cd "${OPENCLAW_DOCKER_E2E_REPO_ROOT:-$ROOT_DIR}" && pwd)"
+context_status=0
+openclaw_prepare_frozen_target_context "$TARGET_ROOT_DIR" || context_status=$?
+case "$context_status" in
+  0)
+    source_status=0
+    openclaw_frozen_target_source_has_path \
+      "$TARGET_ROOT_DIR" scripts/lib/update-compat-contract.mjs || source_status=$?
+    case "$source_status" in
+      0) ;;
+      1) CORE_UPDATE_CONSENT=0 ;;
+      *) exit "$source_status" ;;
+    esac
+    ;;
+  1) ;;
+  *) exit "$context_status" ;;
+esac
+
 docker_e2e_build_or_reuse "$IMAGE_NAME" plugin-update "$ROOT_DIR/scripts/e2e/Dockerfile" "$ROOT_DIR" "bare" "$SKIP_BUILD"
 OPENCLAW_TEST_STATE_SCRIPT_B64="$(docker_e2e_test_state_shell_b64 plugin-update empty)"
 
 echo "Running unchanged plugin update and capability consent smoke..."
 docker_e2e_run_with_harness \
   -e COREPACK_ENABLE_DOWNLOAD_PROMPT=0 \
+  -e "OPENCLAW_E2E_CORE_UPDATE_CONSENT=$CORE_UPDATE_CONSENT" \
   -e OPENCLAW_SKIP_CHANNELS=1 \
   -e OPENCLAW_SKIP_PROVIDERS=1 \
   -e "OPENCLAW_TEST_STATE_SCRIPT_B64=$OPENCLAW_TEST_STATE_SCRIPT_B64" \
diff --git a/test/scripts/ci-workflow-manifest.test-support.ts b/test/scripts/ci-workflow-manifest.test-support.ts
index 64501432bc8e..56cba081bb30 100644
--- a/test/scripts/ci-workflow-manifest.test-support.ts
+++ b/test/scripts/ci-workflow-manifest.test-support.ts
@@ -71,6 +71,8 @@ export function runCiManifestFixture(options: {
   nodeRunnerBackend?: "blacksmith" | "github" | "hybrid" | "runson";
   runnerProfile?: "blacksmith" | "github" | "hybrid";
   targetHostedRunnerProfileContract?: boolean;
+  targetFiles?: string[];
+  missingTargetFiles?: string[];
   uiE2eProjectsCapability?: boolean;
   uiReleaseTier?: boolean;
   uiRealGatewayShards?: boolean;
@@ -81,6 +83,45 @@ export function runCiManifestFixture(options: {
   try {
     const scriptsDir = path.join(root, "scripts", "lib");
     mkdirSync(scriptsDir, { recursive: true });
+    const selectedTargetFiles = new Set(options.targetFiles ?? []);
+    if (!options.nodeTestShards) {
+      selectedTargetFiles.add(
+        options.bundledPlanner
+          ? options.runnerBackend === "runson"
+            ? "test/vitest/vitest.cron.config.ts"
+            : "test/vitest/bundled.config.ts"
+          : "test/vitest/legacy.config.ts",
+      );
+    }
+    const collectSelectedTargetFiles = (plan: Record<string, unknown>) => {
+      const configs = plan.configs;
+      if (Array.isArray(configs)) {
+        for (const config of configs) {
+          if (typeof config === "string") {
+            selectedTargetFiles.add(config);
+          }
+        }
+      }
+      const groups = plan.groups;
+      if (Array.isArray(groups)) {
+        for (const group of groups) {
+          if (group && typeof group === "object") {
+            collectSelectedTargetFiles(group as Record<string, unknown>);
+          }
+        }
+      }
+    };
+    for (const shard of options.nodeTestShards ?? []) {
+      collectSelectedTargetFiles(shard);
+    }
+    for (const missing of options.missingTargetFiles ?? []) {
+      selectedTargetFiles.delete(missing);
+    }
+    for (const file of selectedTargetFiles) {
+      const target = path.join(root, file);
+      mkdirSync(path.dirname(target), { recursive: true });
+      writeFileSync(target, "export {};\n");
+    }
     if (options.bunTestRuntime) {
       writeFileSync(
         path.join(scriptsDir, "ci-test-runtime.mts"),
diff --git a/test/scripts/ci-workflow-planning.test.ts b/test/scripts/ci-workflow-planning.test.ts
index 9ed3c1b6a594..005da457af07 100644
--- a/test/scripts/ci-workflow-planning.test.ts
+++ b/test/scripts/ci-workflow-planning.test.ts
@@ -9512,6 +9512,93 @@ describe("ci workflow guards", () => {
     ).toEqual(row.groups);
   });
 
+  it.each([
+    { label: "verified release candidate", releaseCandidateCompatibility: true },
+    { label: "unverified manual target", releaseCandidateCompatibility: false },
+  ])("projects current-only test owners only for $label", ({ releaseCandidateCompatibility }) => {
+    const currentConfig = "test/vitest/vitest.current.config.ts";
+    const currentTest = "src/current.test.ts";
+    const missingConfig = "test/vitest/vitest.future.config.ts";
+    const missingTest = "src/future.test.ts";
+    const result = runCiManifestFixture({
+      bundledPlanner: true,
+      historicalCompatibility: false,
+      missingTargetFiles: [missingConfig],
+      nodeTestGroupsCodec: false,
+      releaseCandidateCompatibility,
+      targetFiles: [currentConfig],
+      nodeTestShards: [
+        {
+          checkName: "mixed-flat",
+          configs: [currentConfig, missingConfig],
+          includePatterns: [currentTest, missingTest, "src/**/*.integration.test.ts"],
+          requiresDist: false,
+          runner: "ubuntu-24.04",
+          shardName: "mixed-flat",
+        },
+        {
+          checkName: "missing-flat",
+          configs: [missingConfig],
+          includePatterns: [missingTest],
+          requiresDist: false,
+          runner: "ubuntu-24.04",
+          shardName: "missing-flat",
+        },
+        {
+          checkName: "mixed-groups",
+          groups: [
+            {
+              configs: [currentConfig, missingConfig],
+              includePatterns: [currentTest, missingTest],
+              shard_name: "current-group",
+            },
+            {
+              configs: [missingConfig],
+              includePatterns: [missingTest],
+              shard_name: "missing-group",
+            },
+          ],
+          requiresDist: false,
+          runner: "ubuntu-24.04",
+          shardName: "mixed-groups",
+        },
+      ],
+    });
+    expect(result.status, result.output).toBe(0);
+    const rows = JSON.parse(
+      expectDefined(result.outputs.checks_node_core_nondist_matrix, "frozen Node matrix"),
+    ).include;
+    expect(rows.map((row: { check_name: string }) => row.check_name)).toEqual(
+      releaseCandidateCompatibility
+        ? ["mixed-flat", "mixed-groups"]
+        : ["mixed-flat", "missing-flat", "mixed-groups"],
+    );
+    expect(rows[0].configs).toEqual(
+      releaseCandidateCompatibility ? [currentConfig] : [currentConfig, missingConfig],
+    );
+    expect(rows[0].includePatterns).toEqual([
+      currentTest,
+      missingTest,
+      "src/**/*.integration.test.ts",
+    ]);
+    const groupedRow = releaseCandidateCompatibility ? rows[1] : rows[2];
+    expect(groupedRow.groups).toEqual([
+      expect.objectContaining({
+        configs: releaseCandidateCompatibility ? [currentConfig] : [currentConfig, missingConfig],
+        includePatterns: [currentTest, missingTest],
+        shard_name: "current-group",
+      }),
+      ...(releaseCandidateCompatibility
+        ? []
+        : [
+            expect.objectContaining({
+              configs: [missingConfig],
+              shard_name: "missing-group",
+            }),
+          ]),
+    ]);
+  });
+
   it("provisions ripgrep for real filesystem contract selections", () => {
     const contract = "src/agents/filesystem-tools-output-contract.test.ts";
     const nativeTools = "src/agents/sessions/tools/index.test.ts";
diff --git a/test/scripts/plugin-update-consent-scenario.test.ts b/test/scripts/plugin-update-consent-scenario.test.ts
index 7e5508238bea..63346e5e431a 100644
--- a/test/scripts/plugin-update-consent-scenario.test.ts
+++ b/test/scripts/plugin-update-consent-scenario.test.ts
@@ -288,6 +288,15 @@ describe("installed-CLI consent scenario report contract", () => {
     expect(fs.existsSync(path.join(installPath, "index.js"))).toBe(true);
   });
 
+  it("retains plugin consent proof when a frozen target predates core update consent", async () => {
+    await expect(
+      runConsentScenario(entry, coreTarball, { coreUpdateConsent: false }),
+    ).resolves.toBeUndefined();
+    expect(installed).toBe(2);
+    expect(adapters.future).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    expect(console.log).toHaveBeenCalledWith(expect.stringContaining('"core-update-consent"'));
+  });
+
   it.each([
     [
       "missing plugin warning",