diff --git a/packages/core/src/__tests__/plugin-registry.test.ts b/packages/core/src/__tests__/plugin-registry.test.ts
index 58720f002..4298e4a4e 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/__tests__/plugin-registry.test.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/__tests__/plugin-registry.test.ts
@@ -262,7 +262,7 @@ describe("loadBuiltins", () => {
     });
   });
 
-  it("strips package and path loading metadata from notifier config", async () => {
+  it("strips package loading metadata from notifier config", async () => {
     const registry = createPluginRegistry();
     const fakeWebhook = makePlugin("notifier", "webhook");
     const cfg = makeOrchestratorConfig({
@@ -270,9 +270,8 @@ describe("loadBuiltins", () => {
       notifiers: {
         mywebhook: {
           plugin: "webhook",
-          // These are loading metadata fields that should be stripped:
+          // package field is allowed for resolution but should be stripped:
           package: "@composio/ao-plugin-notifier-webhook",
-          path: "./plugins/custom-webhook", // Filesystem path that could leak
           // These are plugin-specific fields that should be passed through:
           url: "https://webhook.example.com/notify",
           retries: 3,
@@ -285,7 +284,7 @@ describe("loadBuiltins", () => {
       throw new Error(`Not found: ${pkg}`);
     });
 
-    // Loading metadata (package, path) should be stripped to prevent leakage
+    // Loading metadata (package) should be stripped to prevent leakage
     // Plugin-specific fields (url, retries) should be passed through
     expect(fakeWebhook.create).toHaveBeenCalledWith({
       url: "https://webhook.example.com/notify",
@@ -294,6 +293,26 @@ describe("loadBuiltins", () => {
     });
   });
 
+  it("throws when path is used alongside plugin name in notifier config", async () => {
+    const registry = createPluginRegistry();
+    const fakeWebhook = makePlugin("notifier", "webhook");
+    const cfg = makeOrchestratorConfig({
+      notifiers: {
+        mywebhook: {
+          plugin: "webhook",
+          path: "./some/path", // This triggers the collision check
+        },
+      },
+    });
+
+    await expect(
+      registry.loadBuiltins(cfg, async (pkg: string) => {
+        if (pkg === "@composio/ao-plugin-notifier-webhook") return fakeWebhook;
+        return null;
+      })
+    ).rejects.toThrow(/path" is reserved/);
+  });
+
   it("does not match notifier key when explicit plugin points to another notifier", async () => {
     const registry = createPluginRegistry();
     const fakeOpenClaw = makePlugin("notifier", "openclaw");
diff --git a/packages/core/src/plugin-registry.ts b/packages/core/src/plugin-registry.ts
index 6b01d55a0..abb582742 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/plugin-registry.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/plugin-registry.ts
@@ -78,7 +78,8 @@ function extractPluginConfig(
       if (matches) {
         const rawConfig = notifierConfig as Record<string, unknown>;
 
-        // Explicitly check for reserved fields to prevent silent stripping/collision
+        // Explicitly check for reserved fields to prevent silent stripping/collision.
+        // 'path' is reserved for local resolution; 'package' is reserved for npm resolution.
         if ("package" in rawConfig && "path" in rawConfig) {
           throw new Error(
             `In notifier "${notifierName}": both "package" and "path" are specified. ` +
@@ -86,13 +87,15 @@ function extractPluginConfig(
           );
         }
 
-        if (hasExplicitPlugin || rawConfig.package) {
-          if ("path" in rawConfig) {
-            throw new Error(
-              `In notifier "${notifierName}": "path" is reserved for plugin loading. ` +
-                `Rename your configuration field to something else (e.g., "apiPath").`
-            );
-          }
+        // If loading via built-in name or npm package, 'path' is a collision.
+        // We detect this by checking if 'package' is present OR if no 'path' was 
+        // intended for local resolution (i.e. name refers to a built-in).
+        const isBuiltin = BUILTIN_PLUGINS.some((b) => b.slot === slot && b.name === name);
+        if ((rawConfig.package || isBuiltin) && "path" in rawConfig) {
+          throw new Error(
+            `In notifier "${notifierName}": "path" is reserved for plugin loading. ` +
+              `Rename your configuration field to something else (e.g., "apiPath").`
+          );
         }
 
         // Strip loading metadata fields (plugin, package, path) from config passed to plugin.
@@ -344,16 +347,19 @@ export function createPluginRegistry(): PluginRegistry {
     ): Promise<void> {
       const doImport = importFn ?? ((pkg: string) => import(pkg));
       for (const builtin of BUILTIN_PLUGINS) {
+        let mod;
         try {
-          const mod = normalizeImportedPluginModule(await doImport(builtin.pkg));
-          if (mod) {
-            const pluginConfig = orchestratorConfig
-              ? extractPluginConfig(builtin.slot, builtin.name, orchestratorConfig)
-              : undefined;
-            this.register(mod, pluginConfig);
-          }
+          mod = normalizeImportedPluginModule(await doImport(builtin.pkg));
         } catch {
           // Plugin not installed — that's fine, only load what's available
+          continue;
+        }
+
+        if (mod) {
+          const pluginConfig = orchestratorConfig
+            ? extractPluginConfig(builtin.slot, builtin.name, orchestratorConfig)
+            : undefined;
+          this.register(mod, pluginConfig);
         }
       }
     },