diff --git a/packages/cli/src/commands/doctor.ts b/packages/cli/src/commands/doctor.ts
index d0e7fcc07..5bdaa0dd9 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/commands/doctor.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/commands/doctor.ts
@@ -343,7 +343,9 @@ async function sendTestNotifications(
   const targets = new Map<string, NotifierTarget>();
 
   for (const [name, notifierConfig] of configuredNotifiers) {
-    targets.set(notifierConfig.plugin, { label: name, pluginName: notifierConfig.plugin });
+    if (notifierConfig.plugin) {
+      targets.set(notifierConfig.plugin, { label: name, pluginName: notifierConfig.plugin });
+    }
   }
 
   for (const name of activeNotifierNames) {
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/commands/status.ts b/packages/cli/src/commands/status.ts
index 625e06370..0e17d10a1 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/commands/status.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/commands/status.ts
@@ -386,7 +386,7 @@ export function registerStatus(program: Command): void {
             let unverifiedTotal = 0;
             for (const projectId of projectIds) {
               const project: ProjectConfig | undefined = config.projects[projectId];
-              if (!project?.tracker) continue;
+              if (!project?.tracker?.plugin) continue;
               const tracker = registry.get<Tracker>("tracker", project.tracker.plugin);
               if (!tracker?.listIssues) continue;
               try {
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/commands/verify.ts b/packages/cli/src/commands/verify.ts
index 40d6ee043..c82223a87 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/commands/verify.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/commands/verify.ts
@@ -60,6 +60,10 @@ async function getTracker(
   const registry = createPluginRegistry();
   await registry.loadFromConfig(config, importPluginModuleFromSource);
 
+  if (!project.tracker.plugin) {
+    console.error(chalk.red("Project tracker plugin not configured."));
+    process.exit(1);
+  }
   const tracker = registry.get<Tracker>("tracker", project.tracker.plugin);
   if (!tracker) {
     console.error(chalk.red(`Tracker plugin "${project.tracker.plugin}" not found.`));
diff --git a/packages/web/src/app/api/issues/route.ts b/packages/web/src/app/api/issues/route.ts
index 892d3f6c8..3212afd34 100644
--- a/packages/web/src/app/api/issues/route.ts
+++ b/packages/web/src/app/api/issues/route.ts
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ export async function GET(request: NextRequest) {
 
     for (const [projectId, project] of Object.entries(config.projects)) {
       if (projectFilter && projectId !== projectFilter) continue;
-      if (!project.tracker) continue;
+      if (!project.tracker?.plugin) continue;
 
       const tracker = registry.get<Tracker>("tracker", project.tracker.plugin);
       if (!tracker?.listIssues) continue;
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ export async function POST(request: NextRequest) {
     }
     const project = config.projects[projectId];
 
-    if (!project.tracker) {
+    if (!project.tracker?.plugin) {
       return NextResponse.json({ error: "No tracker configured for this project" }, { status: 422 });
     }
 
diff --git a/packages/web/src/app/api/verify/route.ts b/packages/web/src/app/api/verify/route.ts
index f0c00e847..44c0ef627 100644
--- a/packages/web/src/app/api/verify/route.ts
+++ b/packages/web/src/app/api/verify/route.ts
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ export async function POST(req: NextRequest) {
       return NextResponse.json({ error: projectErr }, { status: 404 });
     }
     const project = config.projects[projectId];
-    if (!project.tracker) {
+    if (!project.tracker?.plugin) {
       return NextResponse.json({ error: `Project ${projectId} has no tracker` }, { status: 422 });
     }
 
diff --git a/packages/web/src/lib/scm-webhooks.ts b/packages/web/src/lib/scm-webhooks.ts
index 105dca848..06534e4e9 100644
--- a/packages/web/src/lib/scm-webhooks.ts
+++ b/packages/web/src/lib/scm-webhooks.ts
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ export function findWebhookProjects(
   pathname: string,
 ): WebhookProjectMatch[] {
   return Object.entries(config.projects).flatMap(([projectId, project]) => {
-    if (!project.scm) return [];
+    if (!project.scm?.plugin) return [];
     const webhookPath = getProjectWebhookPath(project);
     if (!webhookPath || webhookPath !== pathname) return [];
     const scm = registry.get<SCM>("scm", project.scm.plugin);
diff --git a/packages/web/src/lib/serialize.ts b/packages/web/src/lib/serialize.ts
index d8668cb49..6cce47e10 100644
--- a/packages/web/src/lib/serialize.ts
+++ b/packages/web/src/lib/serialize.ts
@@ -364,7 +364,7 @@ export async function enrichSessionsMetadata(
 
   // Enrich issue labels (synchronous — must run before async title enrichment)
   projects.forEach((project, i) => {
-    if (!dashboardSessions[i].issueUrl || !project?.tracker) return;
+    if (!dashboardSessions[i].issueUrl || !project?.tracker?.plugin) return;
     const tracker = registry.get<Tracker>("tracker", project.tracker.plugin);
     if (!tracker) return;
     enrichSessionIssue(dashboardSessions[i], tracker, project);
@@ -385,7 +385,7 @@ export async function enrichSessionsMetadata(
     if (!dashboardSessions[i].issueUrl || !dashboardSessions[i].issueLabel) {
       return Promise.resolve();
     }
-    if (!project?.tracker) return Promise.resolve();
+    if (!project?.tracker?.plugin) return Promise.resolve();
     const tracker = registry.get<Tracker>("tracker", project.tracker.plugin);
     if (!tracker) return Promise.resolve();
     return enrichSessionIssueTitle(dashboardSessions[i], tracker, project);
diff --git a/packages/web/src/lib/services.ts b/packages/web/src/lib/services.ts
index e815bf69f..e6a274b92 100644
--- a/packages/web/src/lib/services.ts
+++ b/packages/web/src/lib/services.ts
@@ -137,7 +137,7 @@ async function labelIssuesForVerification(
   for (const session of mergedSessions) {
     const key = `${session.projectId}:${session.issueId}`;
     const project = config.projects[session.projectId];
-    if (!project?.tracker) {
+    if (!project?.tracker?.plugin) {
       processedIssues.add(key);
       continue;
     }
@@ -180,7 +180,7 @@ async function relabelReopenedIssues(
   registry: PluginRegistry,
 ): Promise<void> {
   for (const [, project] of Object.entries(config.projects)) {
-    if (!project.tracker) continue;
+    if (!project.tracker?.plugin) continue;
     const tracker = registry.get<Tracker>("tracker", project.tracker.plugin);
     if (!tracker?.listIssues || !tracker.updateIssue) continue;
 
@@ -240,7 +240,7 @@ export async function pollBacklog(): Promise<void> {
 
     for (const [projectId, project] of Object.entries(config.projects)) {
       if (availableSlots <= 0) break;
-      if (!project.tracker) continue;
+      if (!project.tracker?.plugin) continue;
 
       const tracker = registry.get<Tracker>("tracker", project.tracker.plugin);
       if (!tracker?.listIssues) continue;
@@ -352,7 +352,7 @@ export async function getBacklogIssues(): Promise<Array<Issue & { projectId: str
   try {
     const { config, registry } = await getServices();
     for (const [projectId, project] of Object.entries(config.projects)) {
-      if (!project.tracker) continue;
+      if (!project.tracker?.plugin) continue;
       const tracker = registry.get<Tracker>("tracker", project.tracker.plugin);
       if (!tracker?.listIssues) continue;
 
@@ -380,7 +380,7 @@ export async function getVerifyIssues(): Promise<Array<Issue & { projectId: stri
   try {
     const { config, registry } = await getServices();
     for (const [projectId, project] of Object.entries(config.projects)) {
-      if (!project.tracker) continue;
+      if (!project.tracker?.plugin) continue;
       const tracker = registry.get<Tracker>("tracker", project.tracker.plugin);
       if (!tracker?.listIssues) continue;
 
@@ -404,6 +404,6 @@ export async function getVerifyIssues(): Promise<Array<Issue & { projectId: stri
 
 /** Resolve the SCM plugin for a project. Returns null if not configured. */
 export function getSCM(registry: PluginRegistry, project: ProjectConfig | undefined): SCM | null {
-  if (!project?.scm) return null;
+  if (!project?.scm?.plugin) return null;
   return registry.get<SCM>("scm", project.scm.plugin);
 }