diff --git a/AGENTS.md b/AGENTS.md
index 7427612..f696e1b 100644
--- a/AGENTS.md
+++ b/AGENTS.md
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ Git workflow:
 OpenClaw packaging:
 - The gateway package must include Control UI assets (run `pnpm ui:build` in the Nix build).
 - Product intent: ship a working Nix package for OpenClaw users, not just a pin mirror. `openclaw-gateway` is the source-built runnable gateway for Linux and macOS; `openclaw-app` is the Darwin-only desktop app from upstream's signed/notarized app artifact; `openclaw` is the batteries-included bundle.
-- User-facing docs should lead with one package: `openclaw`. Treat `openclaw-gateway`, `openclaw-tools`, and `openclaw-app` as advanced/component outputs for checks, modules, and debugging, not separate product tracks.
+- User-facing docs should lead with one package: `openclaw`. Treat `openclaw-gateway` and `openclaw-app` as advanced/component outputs for checks, modules, and debugging, not separate product tracks. Runtime tools are internal implementation detail, not a public package surface.
 - README should be agent-first: the main setup path is "tell your coding agent you want OpenClaw using Nix, then let it inspect/interview/configure/verify." Manual commands are reference material, not the primary onboarding path.
 - Do not split the repo into separate desktop/server tracks. Segment package outputs, keep one simple user-facing flake.
 - DJTBOT deployment freshness is downstream and out of scope unless explicitly requested; fix public packaging first.
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 79ca9ed..71c2a7c 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ Bot: *runs whisper, sends you text*
 
 You talk to Telegram, your machine does things.
 
-**One flake, everything works.** Gateway + tools everywhere; macOS app on macOS.
+**One flake, everything works.** Gateway everywhere; runtime dependencies bundled; macOS app on macOS.
 
 **Plugins are self-contained.** Each plugin declares its CLI tools in Nix. You enable it, the build and wiring happens automatically.
 
@@ -132,7 +132,7 @@ Repository: github:openclaw/nix-openclaw
 
 What nix-openclaw is:
 - Batteries-included Nix package for OpenClaw (AI assistant gateway)
-- Installs gateway + tools everywhere; macOS app only on macOS
+- Installs the gateway everywhere; macOS app only on macOS
 - Runs as a launchd service on macOS, systemd user service on Linux
 
 What I need you to do:
@@ -616,26 +616,6 @@ programs.openclaw = {
 
 Plugins are keyed by their declared `name`. If two plugins declare the same name, the **last entry wins** (use this to override a prod plugin with a local dev one).
 
-### Tool overrides (avoid collisions)
-
-Home Manager auto-excludes `git` when `programs.git.enable = true`.
-
-Drop built-in tools that you already install elsewhere:
-
-```nix
-programs.openclaw.excludeTools = [ "git" "jq" "ripgrep" ];
-```
-
-Or provide a custom list:
-
-```nix
-programs.openclaw.toolNames = [ "nodejs_22" "pnpm_10" "summarize" ];
-```
-
-If you override `programs.openclaw.package`, use `pkgs.openclawPackages.withTools { ... }.openclaw` to apply these lists.
-
----
-
 ## Packaging & Updates
 
 **Goal:** `nix-openclaw` is a great Nix package. Automation, promotion, and fleet rollout live elsewhere.
@@ -655,11 +635,10 @@ Outputs:
 ```
 .#openclaw
 .#openclaw-gateway
-.#openclaw-tools
 .#openclaw-app   # Darwin only
 ```
 
-`.#openclaw-gateway`, `.#openclaw-tools`, and `.#openclaw-app` are component outputs for modules, CI, debugging, and advanced use. Start with `.#openclaw`.
+`.#openclaw-gateway` and `.#openclaw-app` are component outputs for modules, CI, debugging, and advanced use. Start with `.#openclaw`.
 
 Pins live in:
 - `nix/sources/openclaw-source.nix`
@@ -714,9 +693,8 @@ home-manager switch --rollback  # revert
 
 | Package | Contents |
 | --- | --- |
-| `openclaw` (default) | Canonical package. macOS: gateway + app + tools. Linux: gateway + tools. |
+| `openclaw` (default) | Canonical package. Exposes `openclaw`; keeps runtime tools internal. macOS also links the app. |
 | `openclaw-gateway` | Component output: gateway CLI/service only |
-| `openclaw-tools` | Component output: toolchain bundle |
 | `openclaw-app` | Component output: macOS app only |
 
 ### What we manage vs what you manage
@@ -731,10 +709,12 @@ home-manager switch --rollback  # revert
 | Anthropic API key | | ✓ |
 | Chat IDs | | ✓ |
 
-### Included tools
+### Runtime tools
 
 > **Platform note:** the toolchain is filtered per platform. macOS-only tools are skipped on Linux.
 
+The default `openclaw` package uses these tools internally and does not expose them as separate user commands.
+
 **Core**: nodejs, pnpm, git, curl, jq, python3, ffmpeg, sox, ripgrep
 
 **Default first-party tools** come from `nix-openclaw-tools`: gogcli (`gog`), goplaces, summarize, camsnap, sonoscli.
diff --git a/flake.nix b/flake.nix
index f05042a..3c5ff61 100644
--- a/flake.nix
+++ b/flake.nix
@@ -75,6 +75,9 @@
           let
             baseChecks = {
               gateway = packageSetStable.openclaw-gateway;
+              bin-surface = pkgs.callPackage ./nix/checks/openclaw-bin-surface.nix {
+                openclawPackage = packageSetStable.openclaw;
+              };
               package-contents = pkgs.callPackage ./nix/checks/openclaw-package-contents.nix {
                 openclawGateway = packageSetStable.openclaw-gateway;
               };
@@ -114,7 +117,6 @@
               paths = [
                 packageSetStable.openclaw
                 packageSetStable.openclaw-gateway
-                packageSetStable.openclaw-tools
               ]
               ++ (builtins.attrValues baseChecks);
             };
diff --git a/nix/checks/openclaw-bin-surface.nix b/nix/checks/openclaw-bin-surface.nix
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..647ad41
--- /dev/null
+++ b/nix/checks/openclaw-bin-surface.nix
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+{
+  lib,
+  stdenvNoCC,
+  openclawPackage,
+}:
+
+stdenvNoCC.mkDerivation {
+  pname = "openclaw-bin-surface";
+  version = lib.getVersion openclawPackage;
+
+  dontUnpack = true;
+  dontConfigure = true;
+  dontBuild = true;
+
+  env = {
+    OPENCLAW_PACKAGE = openclawPackage;
+  };
+
+  doCheck = true;
+  checkPhase = "${../scripts/check-openclaw-bin-surface.sh}";
+  installPhase = "${../scripts/empty-install.sh}";
+}
diff --git a/nix/packages/default.nix b/nix/packages/default.nix
index c5eb613..dce025c 100644
--- a/nix/packages/default.nix
+++ b/nix/packages/default.nix
@@ -17,11 +17,6 @@ let
     pnpmDepsHash = sourceInfo.pnpmDepsHash or null;
   };
   openclawApp = if isDarwin then pkgs.callPackage ./openclaw-app.nix { } else null;
-  openclawTools = pkgs.buildEnv {
-    name = "openclaw-tools";
-    paths = toolSets.tools;
-    pathsToLink = [ "/bin" ];
-  };
   openclawBundle = pkgs.callPackage ./openclaw-batteries.nix {
     openclaw-gateway = openclawGateway;
     openclaw-app = openclawApp;
@@ -32,6 +27,5 @@ in
 {
   openclaw-gateway = openclawGateway;
   openclaw = openclawBundle;
-  openclaw-tools = openclawTools;
 }
 // (if isDarwin then { openclaw-app = openclawApp; } else { })
diff --git a/nix/packages/openclaw-batteries.nix b/nix/packages/openclaw-batteries.nix
index 0168cd7..8d4d01b 100644
--- a/nix/packages/openclaw-batteries.nix
+++ b/nix/packages/openclaw-batteries.nix
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 {
   lib,
-  buildEnv,
+  stdenvNoCC,
+  makeWrapper,
   openclaw-gateway,
   openclaw-app ? null,
   extendedTools ? [ ],
@@ -8,20 +9,34 @@
 }:
 
 let
-  appPaths = lib.optional (openclaw-app != null) openclaw-app;
-  appLinks = lib.optional (openclaw-app != null) "/Applications";
   bundleVersion =
     if version != null && version != "" then version else lib.getVersion openclaw-gateway;
+  toolsPath = lib.makeBinPath extendedTools;
 in
-buildEnv {
-  name = "openclaw-${bundleVersion}";
-  paths = [ openclaw-gateway ] ++ appPaths ++ extendedTools;
-  pathsToLink = [ "/bin" ] ++ appLinks;
+stdenvNoCC.mkDerivation {
+  pname = "openclaw";
+  version = bundleVersion;
+
+  dontUnpack = true;
+  dontConfigure = true;
+  dontBuild = true;
+
+  nativeBuildInputs = [ makeWrapper ];
+
+  env = {
+    OPENCLAW_APP_PACKAGE = lib.optionalString (openclaw-app != null) "${openclaw-app}";
+    OPENCLAW_GATEWAY_BIN = "${openclaw-gateway}/bin/openclaw";
+    OPENCLAW_TOOLS_PATH = toolsPath;
+    STDENV_SETUP = "${stdenvNoCC}/setup";
+  };
+
+  installPhase = "${../scripts/openclaw-batteries-install.sh}";
 
   meta = with lib; {
     description = "OpenClaw batteries-included bundle (gateway + app + tools)";
     homepage = "https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw";
     license = licenses.mit;
     platforms = platforms.darwin ++ platforms.linux;
+    mainProgram = "openclaw";
   };
 }
diff --git a/nix/scripts/check-openclaw-bin-surface.sh b/nix/scripts/check-openclaw-bin-surface.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..415bb61
--- /dev/null
+++ b/nix/scripts/check-openclaw-bin-surface.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+set -eu
+
+if [ -z "${OPENCLAW_PACKAGE:-}" ]; then
+  echo "OPENCLAW_PACKAGE is not set" >&2
+  exit 1
+fi
+
+bin_dir="${OPENCLAW_PACKAGE}/bin"
+openclaw_bin="${bin_dir}/openclaw"
+
+if [ ! -x "$openclaw_bin" ]; then
+  echo "Missing executable: $openclaw_bin" >&2
+  exit 1
+fi
+
+extra_bins="$(find "$bin_dir" -mindepth 1 -maxdepth 1 -print | while IFS= read -r entry; do
+  name="$(basename "$entry")"
+  if [ "$name" != "openclaw" ]; then
+    printf '%s\n' "$name"
+  fi
+done)"
+
+if [ -n "$extra_bins" ]; then
+  echo "openclaw package exposes internal runtime tools in bin:" >&2
+  printf '%s\n' "$extra_bins" >&2
+  exit 1
+fi
+
+if ! grep -q 'PATH' "$openclaw_bin"; then
+  echo "openclaw wrapper does not set the internal runtime tool PATH" >&2
+  exit 1
+fi
+
+echo "openclaw bin surface: ok"
diff --git a/nix/scripts/openclaw-batteries-install.sh b/nix/scripts/openclaw-batteries-install.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..e9c9ffe
--- /dev/null
+++ b/nix/scripts/openclaw-batteries-install.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,48 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+set -eu
+
+if [ -z "${OPENCLAW_GATEWAY_BIN:-}" ]; then
+  echo "OPENCLAW_GATEWAY_BIN is not set" >&2
+  exit 1
+fi
+if [ ! -x "$OPENCLAW_GATEWAY_BIN" ]; then
+  echo "OPENCLAW_GATEWAY_BIN is not executable: $OPENCLAW_GATEWAY_BIN" >&2
+  exit 1
+fi
+if [ -z "${STDENV_SETUP:-}" ]; then
+  echo "STDENV_SETUP is not set" >&2
+  exit 1
+fi
+if [ ! -f "$STDENV_SETUP" ]; then
+  echo "STDENV_SETUP not found: $STDENV_SETUP" >&2
+  exit 1
+fi
+
+mkdir -p "$out/bin"
+
+if [ -n "${OPENCLAW_TOOLS_PATH:-}" ]; then
+  bash -e -c '. "$STDENV_SETUP"; makeWrapper "$OPENCLAW_GATEWAY_BIN" "$out/bin/openclaw" --prefix PATH : "$OPENCLAW_TOOLS_PATH"'
+else
+  bash -e -c '. "$STDENV_SETUP"; makeWrapper "$OPENCLAW_GATEWAY_BIN" "$out/bin/openclaw"'
+fi
+
+if [ -n "${OPENCLAW_APP_PACKAGE:-}" ]; then
+  app_dir="${OPENCLAW_APP_PACKAGE}/Applications"
+  if [ ! -d "$app_dir" ]; then
+    echo "OpenClaw app package has no Applications directory: $OPENCLAW_APP_PACKAGE" >&2
+    exit 1
+  fi
+
+  mkdir -p "$out/Applications"
+  found_app=0
+  for app in "$app_dir"/*.app; do
+    [ -e "$app" ] || continue
+    ln -s "$app" "$out/Applications/$(basename "$app")"
+    found_app=1
+  done
+
+  if [ "$found_app" -ne 1 ]; then
+    echo "OpenClaw app package has no .app under: $app_dir" >&2
+    exit 1
+  fi
+fi