diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 9f2ce3147..a9a7bdf2a 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -163,6 +163,7 @@
     "proper-lockfile": "^4.1.2",
     "qrcode-terminal": "^0.12.0",
     "sharp": "^0.34.5",
+    "tar": "^7.5.2",
     "tslog": "^4.10.2",
     "undici": "^7.18.2",
     "ws": "^8.19.0",
diff --git a/pnpm-lock.yaml b/pnpm-lock.yaml
index 1de373b74..70669f9e1 100644
--- a/pnpm-lock.yaml
+++ b/pnpm-lock.yaml
@@ -130,6 +130,9 @@ importers:
       sharp:
         specifier: ^0.34.5
         version: 0.34.5
+      tar:
+        specifier: ^7.5.2
+        version: 7.5.2
       tslog:
         specifier: ^4.10.2
         version: 4.10.2
@@ -755,6 +758,10 @@ packages:
     resolution: {integrity: sha512-O8jcjabXaleOG9DQ0+ARXWZBTfnP4WNAqzuiJK7ll44AmxGKv/J2M4TPjxjY3znBCfvBXFzucm1twdyFybFqEA==}
     engines: {node: '>=12'}
 
+  '@isaacs/fs-minipass@4.0.1':
+    resolution: {integrity: sha512-wgm9Ehl2jpeqP3zw/7mo3kRHFp5MEDhqAdwy1fTGkHAwnkGOVsgpvQhL8B5n1qlb01jV3n/bI0ZfZp5lWA1k4w==}
+    engines: {node: '>=18.0.0'}
+
   '@jridgewell/resolve-uri@3.1.2':
     resolution: {integrity: sha512-bRISgCIjP20/tbWSPWMEi54QVPRZExkuD9lJL+UIxUKtwVJA8wW1Trb1jMs1RFXo1CBTNZ/5hpC9QvmKWdopKw==}
     engines: {node: '>=6.0.0'}
@@ -1653,6 +1660,10 @@ packages:
     resolution: {integrity: sha512-TQMmc3w+5AxjpL8iIiwebF73dRDF4fBIieAqGn9RGCWaEVwQ6Fb2cGe31Yns0RRIzii5goJ1Y7xbMwo1TxMplw==}
     engines: {node: '>= 20.19.0'}
 
+  chownr@3.0.0:
+    resolution: {integrity: sha512-+IxzY9BZOQd/XuYPRmrvEVjF/nqj5kgT4kEq7VofrDoM1MxoRjEWkrCC3EtLi59TVawxTAn+orJwFQcrqEN1+g==}
+    engines: {node: '>=18'}
+
   chromium-bidi@12.0.1:
     resolution: {integrity: sha512-fGg+6jr0xjQhzpy5N4ErZxQ4wF7KLEvhGZXD6EgvZKDhu7iOhZXnZhcDxPJDcwTcrD48NPzOCo84RP2lv3Z+Cg==}
     peerDependencies:
@@ -2433,6 +2444,10 @@ packages:
     resolution: {integrity: sha512-qOOzS1cBTWYF4BH8fVePDBOO9iptMnGUEZwNc/cMWnTV2nVLZ7VoNWEPHkYczZA0pdoA7dl6e7FL659nX9S2aw==}
     engines: {node: '>=16 || 14 >=14.17'}
 
+  minizlib@3.1.0:
+    resolution: {integrity: sha512-KZxYo1BUkWD2TVFLr0MQoM8vUUigWD3LlD83a/75BqC+4qE0Hb1Vo5v1FgcfaNXvfXzr+5EhQ6ing/CaBijTlw==}
+    engines: {node: '>= 18'}
+
   mitt@3.0.1:
     resolution: {integrity: sha512-vKivATfr97l2/QBCYAkXYDbrIWPM2IIKEl7YPhjCvKlG3kE2gm+uBo6nEXK3M5/Ffh/FLpKExzOQ3JJoJGFKBw==}
 
@@ -2980,6 +2995,10 @@ packages:
   tailwindcss@4.1.17:
     resolution: {integrity: sha512-j9Ee2YjuQqYT9bbRTfTZht9W/ytp5H+jJpZKiYdP/bpnXARAuELt9ofP0lPnmHjbga7SNQIxdTAXCmtKVYjN+Q==}
 
+  tar@7.5.2:
+    resolution: {integrity: sha512-7NyxrTE4Anh8km8iEy7o0QYPs+0JKBTj5ZaqHg6B39erLg0qYXN3BijtShwbsNSvQ+LN75+KV+C4QR/f6Gwnpg==}
+    engines: {node: '>=18'}
+
   thenify-all@1.6.0:
     resolution: {integrity: sha512-RNxQH/qI8/t3thXJDwcstUO4zeqo64+Uy/+sNVRBx4Xn2OX+OZ9oP+iJnNFqplFra2ZUVeKCSa2oVWi3T4uVmA==}
     engines: {node: '>=0.8'}
@@ -3247,6 +3266,10 @@ packages:
   yallist@4.0.0:
     resolution: {integrity: sha512-3wdGidZyq5PB084XLES5TpOSRA3wjXAlIWMhum2kRcv/41Sn2emQ0dycQW4uZXLejwKvg6EsvbdlVL+FYEct7A==}
 
+  yallist@5.0.0:
+    resolution: {integrity: sha512-YgvUTfwqyc7UXVMrB+SImsVYSmTS8X/tSrtdNZMImM+n7+QTriRXyXim0mBrTXNeqzVF0KWGgHPeiyViFFrNDw==}
+    engines: {node: '>=18'}
+
   yaml@2.8.2:
     resolution: {integrity: sha512-mplynKqc1C2hTVYxd0PU2xQAc22TI1vShAYGksCCfxbn/dFwnHTNi1bvYsBTkhdUNtGIf5xNOg938rrSSYvS9A==}
     engines: {node: '>= 14.6'}
@@ -3690,6 +3713,10 @@ snapshots:
       wrap-ansi: 8.1.0
       wrap-ansi-cjs: wrap-ansi@7.0.0
 
+  '@isaacs/fs-minipass@4.0.1':
+    dependencies:
+      minipass: 7.1.2
+
   '@jridgewell/resolve-uri@3.1.2': {}
 
   '@jridgewell/sourcemap-codec@1.5.5': {}
@@ -4684,6 +4711,8 @@ snapshots:
     dependencies:
       readdirp: 5.0.0
 
+  chownr@3.0.0: {}
+
   chromium-bidi@12.0.1(devtools-protocol@0.0.1561482):
     dependencies:
       devtools-protocol: 0.0.1561482
@@ -5475,6 +5504,10 @@ snapshots:
 
   minipass@7.1.2: {}
 
+  minizlib@3.1.0:
+    dependencies:
+      minipass: 7.1.2
+
   mitt@3.0.1: {}
 
   mpg123-decoder@1.0.3:
@@ -6107,6 +6140,14 @@ snapshots:
 
   tailwindcss@4.1.17: {}
 
+  tar@7.5.2:
+    dependencies:
+      '@isaacs/fs-minipass': 4.0.1
+      chownr: 3.0.0
+      minipass: 7.1.2
+      minizlib: 3.1.0
+      yallist: 5.0.0
+
   thenify-all@1.6.0:
     dependencies:
       thenify: 3.3.1
@@ -6313,6 +6354,8 @@ snapshots:
 
   yallist@4.0.0: {}
 
+  yallist@5.0.0: {}
+
   yaml@2.8.2: {}
 
   yargs-parser@20.2.9: {}
diff --git a/src/plugins/install.ts b/src/plugins/install.ts
index b16f650ff..dfb5accec 100644
--- a/src/plugins/install.ts
+++ b/src/plugins/install.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import fs from "node:fs/promises";
 import os from "node:os";
 import path from "node:path";
+import * as tar from "tar";
 import { runCommandWithTimeout } from "../process/exec.js";
 import { CONFIG_DIR, resolveUserPath } from "../utils.js";
 
@@ -85,6 +86,27 @@ async function ensureClawdbotExtensions(manifest: PackageManifest) {
   return list;
 }
 
+async function withTimeout<T>(
+  promise: Promise<T>,
+  timeoutMs: number,
+  label: string,
+): Promise<T> {
+  let timeoutId: ReturnType<typeof setTimeout> | undefined;
+  try {
+    return await Promise.race([
+      promise,
+      new Promise<T>((_, reject) => {
+        timeoutId = setTimeout(
+          () => reject(new Error(`${label} timed out after ${timeoutMs}ms`)),
+          timeoutMs,
+        );
+      }),
+    ]);
+  } finally {
+    if (timeoutId) clearTimeout(timeoutId);
+  }
+}
+
 export async function installPluginFromArchive(params: {
   archivePath: string;
   extensionsDir?: string;
@@ -109,15 +131,14 @@ export async function installPluginFromArchive(params: {
   await fs.mkdir(extractDir, { recursive: true });
 
   logger.info?.(`Extracting ${archivePath}…`);
-  const tarRes = await runCommandWithTimeout(
-    ["tar", "-xzf", archivePath, "-C", extractDir],
-    { timeoutMs },
-  );
-  if (tarRes.code !== 0) {
-    return {
-      ok: false,
-      error: `failed to extract archive: ${tarRes.stderr.trim() || tarRes.stdout.trim()}`,
-    };
+  try {
+    await withTimeout(
+      tar.x({ file: archivePath, cwd: extractDir }),
+      timeoutMs,
+      "extract archive",
+    );
+  } catch (err) {
+    return { ok: false, error: `failed to extract archive: ${String(err)}` };
   }
 
   let packageDir = "";