diff --git a/src/gateway/server-startup.plugin-internal-hooks.test.ts b/src/gateway/server-startup.plugin-internal-hooks.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..bb048d5e7c1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/gateway/server-startup.plugin-internal-hooks.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,112 @@
+import fs from "node:fs/promises";
+import os from "node:os";
+import path from "node:path";
+import { afterEach, describe, expect, test, vi } from "vitest";
+import { createDefaultDeps } from "../cli/deps.js";
+import type { OpenClawConfig } from "../config/config.js";
+import {
+  clearInternalHooks,
+  createInternalHookEvent,
+  triggerInternalHook,
+} from "../hooks/internal-hooks.js";
+import { loadOpenClawPlugins } from "../plugins/loader.js";
+import { startGatewaySidecars } from "./server-startup.js";
+
+function createSilentLogger() {
+  return {
+    info: (_msg: string) => {},
+    warn: (_msg: string) => {},
+    error: (_msg: string) => {},
+    debug: (_msg: string) => {},
+  };
+}
+
+async function writeTestPlugin(params: {
+  dir: string;
+  id: string;
+  message: string;
+}): Promise<void> {
+  await fs.mkdir(params.dir, { recursive: true });
+  await fs.writeFile(
+    path.join(params.dir, "openclaw.plugin.json"),
+    JSON.stringify({ id: params.id, configSchema: {} }, null, 2),
+    "utf-8",
+  );
+  await fs.writeFile(
+    path.join(params.dir, "index.ts"),
+    [
+      "export default function register(api) {",
+      `  api.registerHook("session:start", async (event) => { event.messages.push(${JSON.stringify(params.message)}); }, { name: ${JSON.stringify(`${params.id}:session-start`)} });`,
+      "}",
+      "",
+    ].join("\n"),
+    "utf-8",
+  );
+}
+
+describe("gateway startup internal hooks", () => {
+  afterEach(() => {
+    clearInternalHooks();
+  });
+
+  test("does not clear plugin internal hooks when loading workspace hooks", async () => {
+    vi.stubEnv("OPENCLAW_SKIP_BROWSER_CONTROL_SERVER", "1");
+    vi.stubEnv("OPENCLAW_SKIP_GMAIL_WATCHER", "1");
+    vi.stubEnv("OPENCLAW_SKIP_CHANNELS", "1");
+
+    vi.useFakeTimers();
+    try {
+      clearInternalHooks();
+
+      const tmpRoot = await fs.mkdtemp(path.join(os.tmpdir(), "openclaw-hook-test-"));
+      try {
+        const workspaceDir = path.join(tmpRoot, "workspace");
+        const pluginDir = path.join(tmpRoot, "plugin");
+        const pluginId = "test-plugin-internal-hooks";
+        const marker = "plugin-hook-ran";
+
+        await fs.mkdir(workspaceDir, { recursive: true });
+        await writeTestPlugin({ dir: pluginDir, id: pluginId, message: marker });
+
+        const cfg: OpenClawConfig = {
+          hooks: { internal: { enabled: true } },
+          plugins: {
+            enabled: true,
+            allow: [pluginId],
+            load: { paths: [pluginDir] },
+          },
+        };
+
+        // Plugin registration may register internal hooks immediately.
+        const pluginRegistry = loadOpenClawPlugins({
+          config: cfg,
+          workspaceDir,
+          cache: false,
+          logger: createSilentLogger(),
+        });
+
+        await startGatewaySidecars({
+          cfg,
+          pluginRegistry,
+          defaultWorkspaceDir: workspaceDir,
+          deps: createDefaultDeps(),
+          startChannels: async () => {},
+          log: { warn: () => {} },
+          logHooks: createSilentLogger(),
+          logChannels: { info: () => {}, error: () => {} },
+          logBrowser: { error: () => {} },
+        });
+
+        await vi.runAllTimersAsync();
+
+        const event = createInternalHookEvent("session", "start", "test-session", {});
+        await triggerInternalHook(event);
+        expect(event.messages).toContain(marker);
+      } finally {
+        await fs.rm(tmpRoot, { recursive: true, force: true });
+      }
+    } finally {
+      vi.useRealTimers();
+    }
+  });
+});
diff --git a/src/gateway/server-startup.ts b/src/gateway/server-startup.ts
index 01ec6266df6..e65b6883227 100644
--- a/src/gateway/server-startup.ts
+++ b/src/gateway/server-startup.ts
@@ -13,11 +13,7 @@ import type { CliDeps } from "../cli/deps.js";
 import type { loadConfig } from "../config/config.js";
 import { resolveStateDir } from "../config/paths.js";
 import { startGmailWatcherWithLogs } from "../hooks/gmail-watcher-lifecycle.js";
-import {
-  clearInternalHooks,
-  createInternalHookEvent,
-  triggerInternalHook,
-} from "../hooks/internal-hooks.js";
+import { createInternalHookEvent, triggerInternalHook } from "../hooks/internal-hooks.js";
 import { loadInternalHooks } from "../hooks/loader.js";
 import { isTruthyEnvValue } from "../infra/env.js";
 import type { loadOpenClawPlugins } from "../plugins/loader.js";
@@ -110,8 +106,8 @@ export async function startGatewaySidecars(params: {
 
   // Load internal hook handlers from configuration and directory discovery.
   try {
-    // Clear any previously registered hooks to ensure fresh loading
-    clearInternalHooks();
+    // Internal hooks are cleared once at gateway startup before plugins load.
+    // Do not clear here: plugins may register internal hooks during plugin registration.
     const loadedCount = await loadInternalHooks(params.cfg, params.defaultWorkspaceDir);
     if (loadedCount > 0) {
       params.logHooks.info(
diff --git a/src/gateway/server.impl.ts b/src/gateway/server.impl.ts
index 7a4c18b6593..be65840d65a 100644
--- a/src/gateway/server.impl.ts
+++ b/src/gateway/server.impl.ts
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ import {
 import { formatConfigIssueLines } from "../config/issue-format.js";
 import { applyPluginAutoEnable } from "../config/plugin-auto-enable.js";
 import { resolveMainSessionKey } from "../config/sessions.js";
+import { clearInternalHooks } from "../hooks/internal-hooks.js";
 import { clearAgentRunContext, onAgentEvent } from "../infra/agent-events.js";
 import {
   ensureControlUiAssetsBuilt,
@@ -557,6 +558,10 @@ export async function startGatewayServer(
         env: process.env,
       });
   const baseMethods = listGatewayMethods();
+  // Reset internal hook registry before plugins register internal hooks.
+  // Plugins may call `api.registerHook(...)` during registration, so clearing later
+  // (e.g. during hook discovery) would wipe plugin-registered hooks like session:start.
+  clearInternalHooks();
   const emptyPluginRegistry = createEmptyPluginRegistry();
   let pluginRegistry = emptyPluginRegistry;
   let baseGatewayMethods = baseMethods;