From ee36e12f81eba8d3e5e630feff844e70f69cd399 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Peter Steinberger <steipete@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 19 Jan 2026 00:15:15 +0000
Subject: [PATCH] fix: log plugin load errors in gateway

---
 CHANGELOG.md                       |  3 ++
 src/gateway/server-plugins.test.ts | 58 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
 src/gateway/server-plugins.ts      | 13 +++++--
 src/plugins/loader.ts              | 10 ++++++
 4 files changed, 82 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-)
 create mode 100644 src/gateway/server-plugins.test.ts

diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 49e7643e1..500d5090f 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -7,6 +7,9 @@ Docs: https://docs.clawd.bot
 ### Changes
 - Usage: add `/usage cost` summaries and macOS menu cost submenu with daily charting.
 
+### Fixes
+- Plugins: surface plugin load/register/config errors in gateway logs with plugin/source context.
+
 ## 2026.1.18-5
 
 ### Changes
diff --git a/src/gateway/server-plugins.test.ts b/src/gateway/server-plugins.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..b4cf95030
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/gateway/server-plugins.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,58 @@
+import { describe, expect, test, vi } from "vitest";
+import type { PluginRegistry } from "../plugins/registry.js";
+import type { PluginDiagnostic } from "../plugins/types.js";
+import { loadGatewayPlugins } from "./server-plugins.js";
+
+const loadClawdbotPlugins = vi.hoisted(() => vi.fn());
+
+vi.mock("../plugins/loader.js", () => ({
+  loadClawdbotPlugins,
+}));
+
+const createRegistry = (diagnostics: PluginDiagnostic[]): PluginRegistry => ({
+  plugins: [],
+  tools: [],
+  hooks: [],
+  typedHooks: [],
+  channels: [],
+  providers: [],
+  gatewayHandlers: {},
+  httpHandlers: [],
+  cliRegistrars: [],
+  services: [],
+  diagnostics,
+});
+
+describe("loadGatewayPlugins", () => {
+  test("logs plugin errors with details", () => {
+    const diagnostics: PluginDiagnostic[] = [
+      {
+        level: "error",
+        pluginId: "telegram",
+        source: "/tmp/telegram/index.ts",
+        message: "failed to load plugin: boom",
+      },
+    ];
+    loadClawdbotPlugins.mockReturnValue(createRegistry(diagnostics));
+
+    const log = {
+      info: vi.fn(),
+      warn: vi.fn(),
+      error: vi.fn(),
+      debug: vi.fn(),
+    };
+
+    loadGatewayPlugins({
+      cfg: {},
+      workspaceDir: "/tmp",
+      log,
+      coreGatewayHandlers: {},
+      baseMethods: [],
+    });
+
+    expect(log.error).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+      "[plugins] failed to load plugin: boom (plugin=telegram, source=/tmp/telegram/index.ts)",
+    );
+    expect(log.warn).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+  });
+});
diff --git a/src/gateway/server-plugins.ts b/src/gateway/server-plugins.ts
index 193b517c8..ce5728342 100644
--- a/src/gateway/server-plugins.ts
+++ b/src/gateway/server-plugins.ts
@@ -29,10 +29,19 @@ export function loadGatewayPlugins(params: {
   const gatewayMethods = Array.from(new Set([...params.baseMethods, ...pluginMethods]));
   if (pluginRegistry.diagnostics.length > 0) {
     for (const diag of pluginRegistry.diagnostics) {
+      const details = [
+        diag.pluginId ? `plugin=${diag.pluginId}` : null,
+        diag.source ? `source=${diag.source}` : null,
+      ]
+        .filter((entry): entry is string => Boolean(entry))
+        .join(", ");
+      const message = details
+        ? `[plugins] ${diag.message} (${details})`
+        : `[plugins] ${diag.message}`;
       if (diag.level === "error") {
-        params.log.warn(`[plugins] ${diag.message}`);
+        params.log.error(message);
       } else {
-        params.log.info(`[plugins] ${diag.message}`);
+        params.log.info(message);
       }
     }
   }
diff --git a/src/plugins/loader.ts b/src/plugins/loader.ts
index 4ea8c1816..2d316439d 100644
--- a/src/plugins/loader.ts
+++ b/src/plugins/loader.ts
@@ -376,6 +376,9 @@ export function loadClawdbotPlugins(options: PluginLoadOptions = {}): PluginRegi
     try {
       mod = jiti(candidate.source) as ClawdbotPluginModule;
     } catch (err) {
+      logger.error(
+        `[plugins] ${record.id} failed to load from ${record.source}: ${String(err)}`,
+      );
       record.status = "error";
       record.error = String(err);
       registry.plugins.push(record);
@@ -460,6 +463,9 @@ export function loadClawdbotPlugins(options: PluginLoadOptions = {}): PluginRegi
     });
 
     if (!validatedConfig.ok) {
+      logger.error(
+        `[plugins] ${record.id} invalid config: ${validatedConfig.errors?.join(", ")}`,
+      );
       record.status = "error";
       record.error = `invalid config: ${validatedConfig.errors?.join(", ")}`;
       registry.plugins.push(record);
@@ -474,6 +480,7 @@ export function loadClawdbotPlugins(options: PluginLoadOptions = {}): PluginRegi
     }
 
     if (typeof register !== "function") {
+      logger.error(`[plugins] ${record.id} missing register/activate export`);
       record.status = "error";
       record.error = "plugin export missing register/activate";
       registry.plugins.push(record);
@@ -505,6 +512,9 @@ export function loadClawdbotPlugins(options: PluginLoadOptions = {}): PluginRegi
       registry.plugins.push(record);
       seenIds.set(candidate.idHint, candidate.origin);
     } catch (err) {
+      logger.error(
+        `[plugins] ${record.id} failed during register from ${record.source}: ${String(err)}`,
+      );
       record.status = "error";
       record.error = String(err);
       registry.plugins.push(record);