Route plugins list JSON parse errors to stdout (#3194)

ROADMAP.md

@@ -7814,3 +7814,15 @@ Original filing (2026-04-18): the session emitted `SessionStart hook (completed)
     **Required fix shape.** In JSON mode for config/list surfaces that already include `warnings[]`, suppress eager prose emission of the same config warning on stderr or mark it as already collected. Text mode should keep the human stderr warning. Add regression coverage asserting `claw --output-format json config` returns exactly one structured warning and zero duplicate `enabledPlugins` prose lines on stderr.
 
     **Acceptance.** With a deprecated `enabledPlugins` key present, `claw --output-format json config` exits 0, stdout parses from byte 0 and includes `warnings[]`, and stderr has no duplicate deprecation warning for the same file/key. [SCOPE: claw-code]
+
+816. **JSON-mode local/list surfaces still leak deprecated config prose warnings on stderr outside `config`** — dogfooded 2026-05-28 09:30 on `main` `89e7f415a` after #3190. `./target/debug/claw --output-format json config` is now fixed (`rc=0`, parseable stdout, `warnings[]`, stderr empty), but sibling JSON surfaces still emit the same app-level config warning to stderr when `~/.claw/settings.json` contains deprecated `enabledPlugins`: `plugins list` (`kind:"plugin"`), `mcp list` (`kind:"mcp"`), and `doctor` (`kind:"doctor"`) all return parseable JSON with `rc=0` while stderr contains `enabledPlugins is deprecated`. `skills list` and `version` stay clean. This leaves machine consumers with a global JSON-mode cleanliness gap even after the config-specific duplicate was fixed.
+
+    **Required fix shape.** Treat JSON output mode as a global app-level diagnostic routing contract: local/list/status surfaces that successfully return structured JSON should not write config deprecation prose to stderr. Either collect those warnings into each relevant JSON envelope where a warnings field exists, or suppress config-warning emission during JSON-mode preloading/default resolution for surfaces that cannot represent warnings yet. Preserve human stderr warnings in text mode.
+
+    **Acceptance.** With deprecated `enabledPlugins` present, `claw --output-format json plugins list`, `claw --output-format json mcp list`, and `claw --output-format json doctor` exit 0, stdout parses from byte 0, and stderr contains zero `enabledPlugins is deprecated` app-level warning lines. Text mode still prints the warning. [SCOPE: claw-code]
+
+817. **`claw --output-format json plugins list --` writes its JSON error envelope to stderr while sibling local inventory commands use stdout** — dogfooded 2026-05-28 12:30 on `main` `9494e3c26`. Trailing bare `--` is a useful parser edge because automation sometimes injects delimiter sentinels. `agents list --` and `skills list --` return rc 1 with parseable JSON on stdout and empty stderr. `mcp list --` also returns a parseable JSON error on stdout. `config --` returns rc 0 with a structured config error on stdout. But `plugins list --` returns rc 1, stdout empty, and writes the JSON error envelope to stderr: `{"action":"abort","error":"unknown option for `claw plugins list`: --", ...}`. This is machine-readable, but channel-inconsistent and surprising for JSON-mode consumers that read stdout for command payloads.
+
+    **Required fix shape.** Align `plugins list` parse-error routing with the other JSON inventory/local surfaces: in JSON mode, print the structured CLI error envelope to stdout and keep stderr empty for this handled parse error. Preserve text-mode stderr behavior. Add regression coverage for `claw --output-format json plugins list --` asserting rc 1, stdout parseable JSON with `error_kind:"cli_parse"`, and empty stderr.
+
+    **Acceptance.** `claw --output-format json plugins list --` exits 1, stdout parses from byte 0 as the existing JSON error envelope, stderr is empty, and text mode still reports the parse error to stderr. [SCOPE: claw-code]

rust/crates/commands/src/lib.rs

@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ use std::path::{Path, PathBuf};
 use plugins::{PluginError, PluginLoadFailure, PluginManager, PluginSummary};
 use runtime::{
     compact_session, CompactionConfig, ConfigLoader, ConfigSource, McpOAuthConfig, McpServerConfig,
-    ScopedMcpServerConfig, Session,
+    RuntimeConfig, ScopedMcpServerConfig, Session,
 };
 use serde_json::{json, Value};
 
@@ -2542,6 +2542,14 @@ pub fn handle_mcp_slash_command_json(
     render_mcp_report_json_for(&loader, cwd, args)
 }
 
+fn load_runtime_config_without_stderr_warnings(
+    loader: &ConfigLoader,
+) -> Result<RuntimeConfig, runtime::ConfigError> {
+    loader
+        .load_collecting_warnings()
+        .map(|(runtime_config, _warnings)| runtime_config)
+}
+
 pub fn handle_skills_slash_command(args: Option<&str>, cwd: &Path) -> std::io::Result<String> {
     if let Some(args) = normalize_optional_args(args) {
         if let Some(help_path) = help_path_from_args(args) {
@@ -2994,7 +3002,7 @@ fn render_mcp_report_json_for(
             // failure, emit top-level `status: "degraded"` with
             // `config_load_error`, empty servers[], and exit 0. On clean
             // runs, the existing serializer adds `status: "ok"` below.
-            match loader.load() {
+            match load_runtime_config_without_stderr_warnings(loader) {
                 Ok(runtime_config) => {
                     let mut value =
                         render_mcp_summary_report_json(cwd, runtime_config.mcp().servers());
@@ -3030,7 +3038,7 @@ fn render_mcp_report_json_for(
                 return Ok(render_mcp_usage_json(Some(args)));
             }
             // #144: same degradation pattern for show action.
-            match loader.load() {
+            match load_runtime_config_without_stderr_warnings(loader) {
                 Ok(runtime_config) => {
                     let mut value = render_mcp_server_report_json(
                         cwd,

rust/crates/rusty-claude-cli/src/main.rs

@@ -2414,6 +2414,24 @@ impl DiagnosticCheck {
     }
 }
 
+#[derive(Copy, Clone, Debug, PartialEq, Eq)]
+enum ConfigWarningMode {
+    EmitStderr,
+    SuppressStderr,
+}
+
+fn load_config_with_warning_mode(
+    loader: &ConfigLoader,
+    mode: ConfigWarningMode,
+) -> Result<runtime::RuntimeConfig, runtime::ConfigError> {
+    match mode {
+        ConfigWarningMode::EmitStderr => loader.load(),
+        ConfigWarningMode::SuppressStderr => loader
+            .load_collecting_warnings()
+            .map(|(runtime_config, _warnings)| runtime_config),
+    }
+}
+
 #[derive(Debug, Clone, PartialEq, Eq)]
 struct DoctorReport {
     checks: Vec<DiagnosticCheck>,
@@ -2503,10 +2521,12 @@ fn render_diagnostic_check(check: &DiagnosticCheck) -> String {
     lines.join("\n")
 }
 
-fn render_doctor_report() -> Result<DoctorReport, Box<dyn std::error::Error>> {
+fn render_doctor_report(
+    config_warning_mode: ConfigWarningMode,
+) -> Result<DoctorReport, Box<dyn std::error::Error>> {
     let cwd = env::current_dir()?;
     let config_loader = ConfigLoader::default_for(&cwd);
-    let config = config_loader.load();
+    let config = load_config_with_warning_mode(&config_loader, config_warning_mode);
     let discovered_config = config_loader.discover();
     let project_context = ProjectContext::discover_with_git(&cwd, DEFAULT_DATE)?;
     let (project_root, git_branch) =
@@ -2559,7 +2579,10 @@ fn render_doctor_report() -> Result<DoctorReport, Box<dyn std::error::Error>> {
 }
 
 fn run_doctor(output_format: CliOutputFormat) -> Result<(), Box<dyn std::error::Error>> {
-    let report = render_doctor_report()?;
+    let report = render_doctor_report(match output_format {
+        CliOutputFormat::Json => ConfigWarningMode::SuppressStderr,
+        CliOutputFormat::Text => ConfigWarningMode::EmitStderr,
+    })?;
     let message = report.render();
     match output_format {
         CliOutputFormat::Text => println!("{message}"),
@@ -4641,7 +4664,12 @@ fn run_resume_command(
                 _ => {}
             }
             let cwd = env::current_dir()?;
-            let payload = plugins_command_payload_for(&cwd, action.as_deref(), target.as_deref())?;
+            let payload = plugins_command_payload_for(
+                &cwd,
+                action.as_deref(),
+                target.as_deref(),
+                ConfigWarningMode::EmitStderr,
+            )?;
             let action_str = action.as_deref().unwrap_or("list");
             let enabled_count = payload
                 .plugins
@@ -4675,7 +4703,7 @@ fn run_resume_command(
             })
         }
         SlashCommand::Doctor => {
-            let report = render_doctor_report()?;
+            let report = render_doctor_report(ConfigWarningMode::EmitStderr)?;
             Ok(ResumeCommandOutcome {
                 session: session.clone(),
                 message: Some(report.render()),
@@ -5981,7 +6009,10 @@ impl LiveCli {
                 false
             }
             SlashCommand::Doctor => {
-                println!("{}", render_doctor_report()?.render());
+                println!(
+                    "{}",
+                    render_doctor_report(ConfigWarningMode::EmitStderr)?.render()
+                );
                 false
             }
             SlashCommand::History { count } => {
@@ -6402,13 +6433,41 @@ impl LiveCli {
         if action.as_deref() == Some("list") {
             if let Some(filter) = target.as_deref() {
                 if filter.starts_with('-') {
+                    if matches!(output_format, CliOutputFormat::Json) {
+                        // ROADMAP #817: this is a handled local inventory parse error.
+                        // Keep it on stdout in JSON mode so `plugins list --` matches the
+                        // sibling JSON inventory/local surfaces instead of falling through
+                        // to the top-level stderr error path.
+                        let obj = json!({
+                            "type": "error",
+                            "kind": "plugin",
+                            "action": "list",
+                            "status": "error",
+                            "error_kind": "cli_parse",
+                            "error": format!("unknown option for `claw plugins list`: {filter}"),
+                            "message": format!("unknown option for `claw plugins list`: {filter}"),
+                            "unexpected": filter,
+                            "hint": "Usage: claw plugins list [<filter>]\nFilters are id substrings, not flags.",
+                            "exit_code": 1,
+                        });
+                        println!("{}", serde_json::to_string_pretty(&obj)?);
+                        std::process::exit(1);
+                    }
                     return Err(format!(
                         "unknown option for `claw plugins list`: {filter}\nUsage: claw plugins list [<filter>]\nFilters are id substrings, not flags."
                     ).into());
                 }
             }
         }
-        let payload = plugins_command_payload_for(&cwd, action, target)?;
+        let payload = plugins_command_payload_for(
+            &cwd,
+            action,
+            target,
+            match output_format {
+                CliOutputFormat::Json => ConfigWarningMode::SuppressStderr,
+                CliOutputFormat::Text => ConfigWarningMode::EmitStderr,
+            },
+        )?;
         match output_format {
             CliOutputFormat::Text => {
                 // #806: text-mode show must return error when plugin not found (parity with JSON)
@@ -6474,20 +6533,6 @@ impl LiveCli {
                     }
                 } else if is_list_action {
                     if let Some(filter) = target {
-                        // #793: flag-shaped tokens silently became substring filters on
-                        // plugins list, returning empty success instead of an error.
-                        if filter.starts_with('-') {
-                            let obj = json!({
-                                "kind": "plugin",
-                                "action": "list",
-                                "status": "error",
-                                "error_kind": "unknown_option",
-                                "unexpected": filter,
-                                "hint": "Usage: claw plugins list [<filter>]\nFilters are id substrings, not flags.",
-                            });
-                            println!("{}", serde_json::to_string_pretty(&obj)?);
-                            std::process::exit(1);
-                        }
                         let needle = filter.to_lowercase();
                         payload
                             .plugins
@@ -6735,7 +6780,8 @@ impl LiveCli {
         target: Option<&str>,
     ) -> Result<bool, Box<dyn std::error::Error>> {
         let cwd = env::current_dir()?;
-        let payload = plugins_command_payload_for(&cwd, action, target)?;
+        let payload =
+            plugins_command_payload_for(&cwd, action, target, ConfigWarningMode::EmitStderr)?;
         println!("{}", payload.message);
         if payload.reload_runtime {
             self.reload_runtime_features()?;
@@ -9133,9 +9179,11 @@ fn plugins_command_payload_for(
     cwd: &Path,
     action: Option<&str>,
     target: Option<&str>,
+    config_warning_mode: ConfigWarningMode,
 ) -> Result<PluginsCommandPayload, Box<dyn std::error::Error>> {
     let loader = ConfigLoader::default_for(cwd);
-    let (runtime_config, config_load_error) = match loader.load() {
+    let loaded_config = load_config_with_warning_mode(&loader, config_warning_mode);
+    let (runtime_config, config_load_error) = match loaded_config {
         Ok(runtime_config) => (runtime_config, None),
         Err(error) => (runtime::RuntimeConfig::empty(), Some(error.to_string())),
     };
@@ -12804,8 +12852,13 @@ mod tests {
 
         let previous_config_home = std::env::var("CLAW_CONFIG_HOME").ok();
         std::env::set_var("CLAW_CONFIG_HOME", &config_home);
-        let payload = super::plugins_command_payload_for(&cwd, None, None)
-            .expect("plugins list should not hard-fail on malformed MCP config");
+        let payload = super::plugins_command_payload_for(
+            &cwd,
+            None,
+            None,
+            super::ConfigWarningMode::EmitStderr,
+        )
+        .expect("plugins list should not hard-fail on malformed MCP config");
         match previous_config_home {
             Some(value) => std::env::set_var("CLAW_CONFIG_HOME", value),
             None => std::env::remove_var("CLAW_CONFIG_HOME"),

rust/crates/rusty-claude-cli/tests/output_format_contract.rs

@@ -1319,6 +1319,102 @@ fn config_json_reports_deprecations_structurally_without_stderr_duplicate_815()
     );
 }
 
+#[test]
+fn local_json_surfaces_suppress_config_deprecation_stderr_816() {
+    let root = unique_temp_dir("global-json-warning-816");
+    let config_home = root.join("config-home");
+    let home = root.join("home");
+    fs::create_dir_all(&config_home).expect("config home should exist");
+    fs::create_dir_all(&home).expect("home should exist");
+    fs::write(
+        config_home.join("settings.json"),
+        r#"{"enabledPlugins": {}}"#,
+    )
+    .expect("deprecated config fixture should write");
+
+    let envs = [
+        (
+            "CLAW_CONFIG_HOME",
+            config_home.to_str().expect("utf8 config home"),
+        ),
+        ("HOME", home.to_str().expect("utf8 home")),
+    ];
+
+    for (args, expected_kind, expected_action) in [
+        (
+            &["--output-format", "json", "plugins", "list"][..],
+            "plugin",
+            "list",
+        ),
+        (
+            &["--output-format", "json", "mcp", "list"][..],
+            "mcp",
+            "list",
+        ),
+        (
+            &["--output-format", "json", "doctor"][..],
+            "doctor",
+            "doctor",
+        ),
+    ] {
+        let output = run_claw(&root, args, &envs);
+        assert!(
+            output.status.success(),
+            "args={args:?}\nstdout:\n{}\n\nstderr:\n{}",
+            String::from_utf8_lossy(&output.stdout),
+            String::from_utf8_lossy(&output.stderr)
+        );
+        let parsed: Value =
+            serde_json::from_slice(&output.stdout).expect("stdout should be valid JSON");
+        assert_eq!(parsed["kind"], expected_kind, "args={args:?}");
+        assert_eq!(parsed["action"], expected_action, "args={args:?}");
+        assert!(
+            matches!(parsed["status"].as_str(), Some("ok" | "warn")),
+            "args={args:?} should report successful local status: {parsed}"
+        );
+        let stderr = String::from_utf8(output.stderr).expect("stderr utf8");
+        assert!(
+            !stderr.contains("field \"enabledPlugins\" is deprecated"),
+            "successful JSON surface must not leak config deprecation prose to stderr for args={args:?}:\n{stderr}"
+        );
+    }
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn local_text_surface_preserves_config_deprecation_stderr_816() {
+    let root = unique_temp_dir("global-text-warning-816");
+    let config_home = root.join("config-home");
+    let home = root.join("home");
+    fs::create_dir_all(&config_home).expect("config home should exist");
+    fs::create_dir_all(&home).expect("home should exist");
+    fs::write(
+        config_home.join("settings.json"),
+        r#"{"enabledPlugins": {}}"#,
+    )
+    .expect("deprecated config fixture should write");
+
+    let envs = [
+        (
+            "CLAW_CONFIG_HOME",
+            config_home.to_str().expect("utf8 config home"),
+        ),
+        ("HOME", home.to_str().expect("utf8 home")),
+    ];
+
+    let output = run_claw(&root, &["doctor"], &envs);
+    assert!(
+        output.status.success(),
+        "stdout:\n{}\n\nstderr:\n{}",
+        String::from_utf8_lossy(&output.stdout),
+        String::from_utf8_lossy(&output.stderr)
+    );
+    let stderr = String::from_utf8(output.stderr).expect("stderr utf8");
+    assert!(
+        stderr.contains("field \"enabledPlugins\" is deprecated"),
+        "text-mode doctor should preserve human config deprecation warnings on stderr"
+    );
+}
+
 fn assert_json_command(current_dir: &Path, args: &[&str]) -> Value {
     assert_json_command_with_env(current_dir, args, &[])
 }
@@ -3242,11 +3338,12 @@ fn skills_list_flag_shaped_filter_returns_unknown_option_792() {
 }
 
 #[test]
-fn plugins_list_flag_shaped_filter_returns_unknown_option_793() {
+fn plugins_list_flag_shaped_filter_returns_cli_parse_on_stdout_793_817() {
     // #793: `claw plugins list --bogus-flag` silently returned status:"ok" with empty
     // plugins list instead of an error. The list filter branch in print_plugins treated
     // "--bogus-flag" as an id substring filter and found no matches, producing a false-positive.
-    // Fix: added flag-prefix guard; filter tokens starting with "-" now return unknown_option.
+    // #817: in JSON mode, handled local parse errors now return error_kind:"cli_parse"
+    // on stdout with stderr empty.
     let root = unique_temp_dir("plugins-list-flag-793");
     fs::create_dir_all(&root).expect("temp dir");
     std::process::Command::new("git")
@@ -3270,19 +3367,16 @@ fn plugins_list_flag_shaped_filter_returns_unknown_option_793() {
         !output.status.success(),
         "plugins list --unknown-flag must exit non-zero (#793)"
     );
-    // #803: the early flag guard now returns Err before the JSON branch,
-    // so the error envelope goes to stderr via the main error handler.
-    let stderr = String::from_utf8_lossy(&output.stderr);
-    let j: serde_json::Value = stderr
-        .lines()
-        .find(|l| l.trim_start().starts_with('{'))
-        .and_then(|l| serde_json::from_str(l).ok())
-        .expect("plugins list flag-filter should emit valid JSON on stderr");
+    assert_eq!(output.status.code(), Some(1), "exit code must be 1 (#817)");
+    // #817: handled JSON local parse errors stay on stdout, with stderr empty.
     assert!(
-        j["error_kind"] == "unknown_option" || j["error_kind"] == "cli_parse",
-        "plugins list flag-shaped filter must return typed error, got {:?}",
-        j["error_kind"]
+        output.stderr.is_empty(),
+        "plugins list flag-filter JSON error must keep stderr empty (#817), got: {}",
+        String::from_utf8_lossy(&output.stderr)
     );
+    let j: serde_json::Value = serde_json::from_slice(&output.stdout)
+        .expect("plugins list flag-filter should emit valid JSON on stdout");
+    assert_eq!(j["error_kind"], "cli_parse");
     assert_eq!(j["status"], "error");
     let h = j["hint"]
         .as_str()
@@ -3601,6 +3695,62 @@ fn plugins_extra_args_have_non_null_hint_797() {
     );
 }
 
+#[test]
+fn plugins_list_trailing_dash_json_error_uses_stdout_817() {
+    // ROADMAP #817: JSON inventory/local parse errors are machine-readable on
+    // stdout. `plugins list --` used to route through the top-level error path,
+    // leaving stdout empty and writing the JSON envelope to stderr.
+    let root = unique_temp_dir("plugins-list-dash-817");
+    fs::create_dir_all(&root).expect("temp dir");
+
+    let output = run_claw(
+        &root,
+        &["--output-format", "json", "plugins", "list", "--"],
+        &[],
+    );
+    assert!(
+        !output.status.success(),
+        "plugins list -- must exit non-zero (#817)"
+    );
+    assert_eq!(output.status.code(), Some(1), "exit code must be 1 (#817)");
+    assert!(
+        output.stderr.is_empty(),
+        "JSON parse error must keep stderr empty (#817), got: {}",
+        String::from_utf8_lossy(&output.stderr)
+    );
+    let j: serde_json::Value =
+        serde_json::from_slice(&output.stdout).expect("stdout should be JSON error (#817)");
+    assert_eq!(j["kind"], "plugin");
+    assert_eq!(j["action"], "list");
+    assert_eq!(j["status"], "error");
+    assert_eq!(j["error_kind"], "cli_parse");
+    assert_eq!(j["unexpected"], "--");
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn plugins_list_trailing_dash_text_error_stays_on_stderr_817() {
+    let root = unique_temp_dir("plugins-list-dash-text-817");
+    fs::create_dir_all(&root).expect("temp dir");
+
+    let output = run_claw(&root, &["plugins", "list", "--"], &[]);
+    assert!(
+        !output.status.success(),
+        "plugins list -- text mode must exit non-zero (#817)"
+    );
+    assert_eq!(output.status.code(), Some(1), "exit code must be 1 (#817)");
+    assert!(
+        output.stdout.is_empty(),
+        "text parse error should not emit stdout (#817), got: {}",
+        String::from_utf8_lossy(&output.stdout)
+    );
+    let stderr = String::from_utf8_lossy(&output.stderr);
+    assert!(stderr.contains("[error-kind: cli_parse]"), "{stderr}");
+    assert!(
+        stderr.contains("unknown option for `claw plugins list`: --"),
+        "{stderr}"
+    );
+}
+
 #[test]
 fn empty_prompt_has_non_null_hint_798() {
     // #798: `claw --output-format json ""` returned empty_prompt + hint:null.