diff --git a/extensions/matrix/src/matrix/client/file-sync-store.test.ts b/extensions/matrix/src/matrix/client/file-sync-store.test.ts
index 5bda781b5b2..632ec309210 100644
--- a/extensions/matrix/src/matrix/client/file-sync-store.test.ts
+++ b/extensions/matrix/src/matrix/client/file-sync-store.test.ts
@@ -91,6 +91,50 @@ describe("FileBackedMatrixSyncStore", () => {
       },
     ]);
     expect(savedSync?.roomsData.join?.["!room:example.org"]).toBeTruthy();
+    expect(secondStore.hasSavedSyncFromCleanShutdown()).toBe(false);
+  });
+
+  it("only treats sync state as restart-safe after a clean shutdown persist", async () => {
+    const tempDir = fs.mkdtempSync(path.join(os.tmpdir(), "openclaw-matrix-sync-store-"));
+    tempDirs.push(tempDir);
+    const storagePath = path.join(tempDir, "bot-storage.json");
+
+    const firstStore = new FileBackedMatrixSyncStore(storagePath);
+    await firstStore.setSyncData(createSyncResponse("s123"));
+    await firstStore.flush();
+
+    const afterDirtyPersist = new FileBackedMatrixSyncStore(storagePath);
+    expect(afterDirtyPersist.hasSavedSync()).toBe(true);
+    expect(afterDirtyPersist.hasSavedSyncFromCleanShutdown()).toBe(false);
+
+    firstStore.markCleanShutdown();
+    await firstStore.flush();
+
+    const afterCleanShutdown = new FileBackedMatrixSyncStore(storagePath);
+    expect(afterCleanShutdown.hasSavedSync()).toBe(true);
+    expect(afterCleanShutdown.hasSavedSyncFromCleanShutdown()).toBe(true);
+  });
+
+  it("clears the clean-shutdown marker once fresh sync data arrives", async () => {
+    const tempDir = fs.mkdtempSync(path.join(os.tmpdir(), "openclaw-matrix-sync-store-"));
+    tempDirs.push(tempDir);
+    const storagePath = path.join(tempDir, "bot-storage.json");
+
+    const firstStore = new FileBackedMatrixSyncStore(storagePath);
+    await firstStore.setSyncData(createSyncResponse("s123"));
+    firstStore.markCleanShutdown();
+    await firstStore.flush();
+
+    const restartedStore = new FileBackedMatrixSyncStore(storagePath);
+    expect(restartedStore.hasSavedSyncFromCleanShutdown()).toBe(true);
+
+    await restartedStore.setSyncData(createSyncResponse("s456"));
+    await restartedStore.flush();
+
+    const afterNewSync = new FileBackedMatrixSyncStore(storagePath);
+    expect(afterNewSync.hasSavedSync()).toBe(true);
+    expect(afterNewSync.hasSavedSyncFromCleanShutdown()).toBe(false);
+    await expect(afterNewSync.getSavedSyncToken()).resolves.toBe("s456");
   });
 
   it("coalesces background persistence until the debounce window elapses", async () => {
diff --git a/extensions/matrix/src/matrix/client/file-sync-store.ts b/extensions/matrix/src/matrix/client/file-sync-store.ts
index 411f4e0decd..cbb71e09727 100644
--- a/extensions/matrix/src/matrix/client/file-sync-store.ts
+++ b/extensions/matrix/src/matrix/client/file-sync-store.ts
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ type PersistedMatrixSyncStore = {
   version: number;
   savedSync: ISyncData | null;
   clientOptions?: IStoredClientOpts;
+  cleanShutdown?: boolean;
 };
 
 function createAsyncLock() {
@@ -76,6 +77,7 @@ function readPersistedStore(raw: string): PersistedMatrixSyncStore | null {
       version?: unknown;
       savedSync?: unknown;
       clientOptions?: unknown;
+      cleanShutdown?: unknown;
     };
     const savedSync = toPersistedSyncData(parsed.savedSync);
     if (parsed.version === STORE_VERSION) {
@@ -85,6 +87,7 @@ function readPersistedStore(raw: string): PersistedMatrixSyncStore | null {
         clientOptions: isRecord(parsed.clientOptions)
           ? (parsed.clientOptions as IStoredClientOpts)
           : undefined,
+        cleanShutdown: parsed.cleanShutdown === true,
       };
     }
 
@@ -93,6 +96,7 @@ function readPersistedStore(raw: string): PersistedMatrixSyncStore | null {
     return {
       version: STORE_VERSION,
       savedSync: toPersistedSyncData(parsed),
+      cleanShutdown: false,
     };
   } catch {
     return null;
@@ -119,6 +123,8 @@ export class FileBackedMatrixSyncStore extends MemoryStore {
   private savedSync: ISyncData | null = null;
   private savedClientOptions: IStoredClientOpts | undefined;
   private readonly hadSavedSyncOnLoad: boolean;
+  private readonly hadCleanShutdownOnLoad: boolean;
+  private cleanShutdown = false;
   private dirty = false;
   private persistTimer: NodeJS.Timeout | null = null;
   private persistPromise: Promise<void> | null = null;
@@ -128,11 +134,13 @@ export class FileBackedMatrixSyncStore extends MemoryStore {
 
     let restoredSavedSync: ISyncData | null = null;
     let restoredClientOptions: IStoredClientOpts | undefined;
+    let restoredCleanShutdown = false;
     try {
       const raw = readFileSync(this.storagePath, "utf8");
       const persisted = readPersistedStore(raw);
       restoredSavedSync = persisted?.savedSync ?? null;
       restoredClientOptions = persisted?.clientOptions;
+      restoredCleanShutdown = persisted?.cleanShutdown === true;
     } catch {
       // Missing or unreadable sync cache should not block startup.
     }
@@ -140,6 +148,8 @@ export class FileBackedMatrixSyncStore extends MemoryStore {
     this.savedSync = restoredSavedSync;
     this.savedClientOptions = restoredClientOptions;
     this.hadSavedSyncOnLoad = restoredSavedSync !== null;
+    this.hadCleanShutdownOnLoad = this.hadSavedSyncOnLoad && restoredCleanShutdown;
+    this.cleanShutdown = this.hadCleanShutdownOnLoad;
 
     if (this.savedSync) {
       this.accumulator.accumulate(syncDataToSyncResponse(this.savedSync), true);
@@ -154,6 +164,10 @@ export class FileBackedMatrixSyncStore extends MemoryStore {
     return this.hadSavedSyncOnLoad;
   }
 
+  hasSavedSyncFromCleanShutdown(): boolean {
+    return this.hadCleanShutdownOnLoad;
+  }
+
   override getSavedSync(): Promise<ISyncData | null> {
     return Promise.resolve(this.savedSync ? cloneJson(this.savedSync) : null);
   }
@@ -205,9 +219,15 @@ export class FileBackedMatrixSyncStore extends MemoryStore {
     await super.deleteAllData();
     this.savedSync = null;
     this.savedClientOptions = undefined;
+    this.cleanShutdown = false;
     await fs.rm(this.storagePath, { force: true }).catch(() => undefined);
   }
 
+  markCleanShutdown(): void {
+    this.cleanShutdown = true;
+    this.dirty = true;
+  }
+
   async flush(): Promise<void> {
     if (this.persistTimer) {
       clearTimeout(this.persistTimer);
@@ -224,6 +244,7 @@ export class FileBackedMatrixSyncStore extends MemoryStore {
   }
 
   private markDirtyAndSchedulePersist(): void {
+    this.cleanShutdown = false;
     this.dirty = true;
     if (this.persistTimer) {
       return;
@@ -242,6 +263,7 @@ export class FileBackedMatrixSyncStore extends MemoryStore {
     const payload: PersistedMatrixSyncStore = {
       version: STORE_VERSION,
       savedSync: this.savedSync ? cloneJson(this.savedSync) : null,
+      cleanShutdown: this.cleanShutdown === true,
       ...(this.savedClientOptions ? { clientOptions: cloneJson(this.savedClientOptions) } : {}),
     };
     try {
diff --git a/extensions/matrix/src/matrix/monitor/index.test.ts b/extensions/matrix/src/matrix/monitor/index.test.ts
index 6d6779de445..34538ed5b80 100644
--- a/extensions/matrix/src/matrix/monitor/index.test.ts
+++ b/extensions/matrix/src/matrix/monitor/index.test.ts
@@ -17,17 +17,17 @@ const hoisted = vi.hoisted(() => {
     debug: vi.fn(),
   };
   const stopThreadBindingManager = vi.fn();
-  const stopSharedClientInstance = vi.fn();
+  const releaseSharedClientInstance = vi.fn(async () => true);
   const setActiveMatrixClient = vi.fn();
   return {
     callOrder,
     client,
     createMatrixRoomMessageHandler,
     logger,
+    releaseSharedClientInstance,
     resolveTextChunkLimit,
     setActiveMatrixClient,
     startClientError: null as Error | null,
-    stopSharedClientInstance,
     stopThreadBindingManager,
   };
 });
@@ -127,7 +127,10 @@ vi.mock("../client.js", () => ({
     hoisted.callOrder.push("start-client");
     return hoisted.client;
   }),
-  stopSharedClientInstance: hoisted.stopSharedClientInstance,
+}));
+
+vi.mock("../client/shared.js", () => ({
+  releaseSharedClientInstance: hoisted.releaseSharedClientInstance,
 }));
 
 vi.mock("../config-update.js", () => ({
@@ -206,8 +209,8 @@ describe("monitorMatrixProvider", () => {
     hoisted.callOrder.length = 0;
     hoisted.startClientError = null;
     hoisted.resolveTextChunkLimit.mockReset().mockReturnValue(4000);
+    hoisted.releaseSharedClientInstance.mockReset().mockResolvedValue(true);
     hoisted.setActiveMatrixClient.mockReset();
-    hoisted.stopSharedClientInstance.mockReset();
     hoisted.stopThreadBindingManager.mockReset();
     hoisted.client.hasPersistedSyncState.mockReset().mockReturnValue(false);
     hoisted.createMatrixRoomMessageHandler.mockReset().mockReturnValue(vi.fn());
@@ -251,12 +254,13 @@ describe("monitorMatrixProvider", () => {
     await expect(monitorMatrixProvider()).rejects.toThrow("start failed");
 
     expect(hoisted.stopThreadBindingManager).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
-    expect(hoisted.stopSharedClientInstance).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+    expect(hoisted.releaseSharedClientInstance).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+    expect(hoisted.releaseSharedClientInstance).toHaveBeenCalledWith(hoisted.client, "persist");
     expect(hoisted.setActiveMatrixClient).toHaveBeenNthCalledWith(1, hoisted.client, "default");
     expect(hoisted.setActiveMatrixClient).toHaveBeenNthCalledWith(2, null, "default");
   });
 
-  it("disables cold-start backlog dropping when sync state already exists", async () => {
+  it("disables cold-start backlog dropping only when sync state is cleanly persisted", async () => {
     hoisted.client.hasPersistedSyncState.mockReturnValue(true);
     const { monitorMatrixProvider } = await import("./index.js");
     const abortController = new AbortController();
diff --git a/extensions/matrix/src/matrix/monitor/index.ts b/extensions/matrix/src/matrix/monitor/index.ts
index cb0b22734be..957d629440c 100644
--- a/extensions/matrix/src/matrix/monitor/index.ts
+++ b/extensions/matrix/src/matrix/monitor/index.ts
@@ -17,8 +17,8 @@ import {
   resolveMatrixAuth,
   resolveMatrixAuthContext,
   resolveSharedMatrixClient,
-  stopSharedClientInstance,
 } from "../client.js";
+import { releaseSharedClientInstance } from "../client/shared.js";
 import { createMatrixThreadBindingManager } from "../thread-bindings.js";
 import { registerMatrixAutoJoin } from "./auto-join.js";
 import { resolveMatrixMonitorConfig } from "./config.js";
@@ -131,7 +131,7 @@ export async function monitorMatrixProvider(opts: MonitorMatrixOpts = {}): Promi
   setActiveMatrixClient(client, auth.accountId);
   let cleanedUp = false;
   let threadBindingManager: { accountId: string; stop: () => void } | null = null;
-  const cleanup = () => {
+  const cleanup = async () => {
     if (cleanedUp) {
       return;
     }
@@ -139,7 +139,7 @@ export async function monitorMatrixProvider(opts: MonitorMatrixOpts = {}): Promi
     try {
       threadBindingManager?.stop();
     } finally {
-      stopSharedClientInstance(client);
+      await releaseSharedClientInstance(client, "persist");
       setActiveMatrixClient(null, auth.accountId);
     }
   };
@@ -273,19 +273,32 @@ export async function monitorMatrixProvider(opts: MonitorMatrixOpts = {}): Promi
     });
 
     await new Promise<void>((resolve) => {
-      const onAbort = () => {
-        logVerboseMessage("matrix: stopping client");
-        cleanup();
-        resolve();
+      const stopAndResolve = async () => {
+        try {
+          logVerboseMessage("matrix: stopping client");
+          await cleanup();
+        } catch (err) {
+          logger.warn("matrix: failed during monitor shutdown cleanup", {
+            error: String(err),
+          });
+        } finally {
+          resolve();
+        }
       };
       if (opts.abortSignal?.aborted) {
-        onAbort();
+        void stopAndResolve();
         return;
       }
-      opts.abortSignal?.addEventListener("abort", onAbort, { once: true });
+      opts.abortSignal?.addEventListener(
+        "abort",
+        () => {
+          void stopAndResolve();
+        },
+        { once: true },
+      );
     });
   } catch (err) {
-    cleanup();
+    await cleanup();
     throw err;
   }
 }
diff --git a/extensions/matrix/src/matrix/sdk.ts b/extensions/matrix/src/matrix/sdk.ts
index b2084e5c210..5b56e07d5d8 100644
--- a/extensions/matrix/src/matrix/sdk.ts
+++ b/extensions/matrix/src/matrix/sdk.ts
@@ -350,7 +350,9 @@ export class MatrixClient {
   }
 
   hasPersistedSyncState(): boolean {
-    return this.syncStore?.hasSavedSync() === true;
+    // Only trust restart replay when the previous process completed a final
+    // sync-store persist. A stale cursor can make Matrix re-surface old events.
+    return this.syncStore?.hasSavedSyncFromCleanShutdown() === true;
   }
 
   private async ensureStartedForCryptoControlPlane(): Promise<void> {
@@ -367,6 +369,7 @@ export class MatrixClient {
     }
     this.decryptBridge.stop();
     // Final persist on shutdown
+    this.syncStore?.markCleanShutdown();
     this.stopPersistPromise = Promise.all([
       persistIdbToDisk({
         snapshotPath: this.idbSnapshotPath,