diff --git a/.openclaw-sync/source.json b/.openclaw-sync/source.json
index 05b531ed7..6887ebc51 100644
--- a/.openclaw-sync/source.json
+++ b/.openclaw-sync/source.json
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 {
   "repository": "openclaw/openclaw",
-  "sha": "51f0037e61be6fdcc49debfe5c279972565f720b",
-  "syncedAt": "2026-04-12T16:11:32.563Z"
+  "sha": "b7b384679379871f9025f7d0c5e584124860789c",
+  "syncedAt": "2026-04-12T16:24:54.045Z"
 }
diff --git a/docs/plugins/architecture.md b/docs/plugins/architecture.md
index 2fb4c54b7..88ce9a749 100644
--- a/docs/plugins/architecture.md
+++ b/docs/plugins/architecture.md
@@ -527,10 +527,12 @@ actual behavior such as hooks, tools, commands, or provider flows.
 Optional manifest `activation` and `setup` blocks stay on the control plane.
 They are metadata-only descriptors for activation planning and setup discovery;
 they do not replace runtime registration, `register(...)`, or `setupEntry`.
-The first live activation consumers now use manifest command and provider hints
+The first live activation consumers now use manifest command, channel, and provider hints
 to narrow plugin loading before broader registry materialization:
 
 - CLI loading narrows to plugins that own the requested primary command
+- channel setup/plugin resolution narrows to plugins that own the requested
+  channel id
 - explicit provider setup/runtime resolution narrows to plugins that own the
   requested provider id
 
diff --git a/docs/plugins/manifest.md b/docs/plugins/manifest.md
index 1642db8f9..26c8fd98e 100644
--- a/docs/plugins/manifest.md
+++ b/docs/plugins/manifest.md
@@ -249,6 +249,8 @@ Current live consumers:
 
 - command-triggered CLI planning falls back to legacy
   `commandAliases[].cliCommand` or `commandAliases[].name`
+- channel-triggered setup/channel planning falls back to legacy `channels[]`
+  ownership when explicit channel activation metadata is missing
 - provider-triggered setup/runtime planning falls back to legacy
   `providers[]` and top-level `cliBackends[]` ownership when explicit provider
   activation metadata is missing