diff --git a/src/plugins/manifest.rs b/src/plugins/manifest.rs
index ea0f80c92..8525f8cc7 100644
--- a/src/plugins/manifest.rs
+++ b/src/plugins/manifest.rs
@@ -15,6 +15,17 @@ const SUPPORTED_WIT_MAJOR: u64 = 1;
 const SUPPORTED_WIT_PACKAGES: [&str; 3] =
     ["zeroclaw:hooks", "zeroclaw:tools", "zeroclaw:providers"];
 
+/// Validation profile for plugin manifests.
+///
+/// Runtime uses `RuntimeWasm` today (strict; requires module path).
+/// `SchemaOnly` exists so future non-WASM plugin forms can validate metadata
+/// without forcing a fake module path.
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, Copy, PartialEq, Eq)]
+pub enum ManifestValidationProfile {
+    RuntimeWasm,
+    SchemaOnly,
+}
+
 /// Filename plugins must use for their manifest.
 pub const PLUGIN_MANIFEST_FILENAME: &str = "zeroclaw.plugin.toml";
 
@@ -49,7 +60,8 @@ pub struct PluginManifest {
     /// Declared capability set for this plugin.
     #[serde(default)]
     pub capabilities: Vec<PluginCapability>,
-    /// Optional module path used by WASM-oriented plugin runtimes.
+    /// WASM module path used by runtime execution.
+    /// Required in runtime validation; optional in schema-only validation.
     #[serde(default)]
     pub module_path: String,
     /// Declared WIT package contracts the plugin expects.
@@ -138,7 +150,10 @@ fn required_wit_package_for_capability(capability: &PluginCapability) -> &'stati
     }
 }
 
-pub fn validate_manifest(manifest: &PluginManifest) -> anyhow::Result<()> {
+pub fn validate_manifest_with_profile(
+    manifest: &PluginManifest,
+    profile: ManifestValidationProfile,
+) -> anyhow::Result<()> {
     if manifest.id.trim().is_empty() {
         anyhow::bail!("plugin id cannot be empty");
     }
@@ -147,7 +162,9 @@ pub fn validate_manifest(manifest: &PluginManifest) -> anyhow::Result<()> {
             anyhow::bail!("plugin version cannot be empty");
         }
     }
-    if manifest.module_path.trim().is_empty() {
+    if matches!(profile, ManifestValidationProfile::RuntimeWasm)
+        && manifest.module_path.trim().is_empty()
+    {
         anyhow::bail!("plugin module_path cannot be empty");
     }
     let mut declared_wit_packages = HashSet::new();
@@ -204,6 +221,10 @@ pub fn validate_manifest(manifest: &PluginManifest) -> anyhow::Result<()> {
     Ok(())
 }
 
+pub fn validate_manifest(manifest: &PluginManifest) -> anyhow::Result<()> {
+    validate_manifest_with_profile(manifest, ManifestValidationProfile::RuntimeWasm)
+}
+
 impl PluginManifest {
     pub fn is_valid(&self) -> bool {
         validate_manifest(self).is_ok()
@@ -343,6 +364,26 @@ id = "  "
         assert!(validate_manifest(&manifest).is_err());
     }
 
+    #[test]
+    fn schema_only_validation_allows_empty_module_path() {
+        let manifest = PluginManifest {
+            id: "demo".into(),
+            name: None,
+            description: None,
+            version: Some("1.0.0".into()),
+            config_schema: None,
+            capabilities: vec![],
+            module_path: "   ".into(),
+            wit_packages: vec![],
+            tools: vec![],
+            providers: vec![],
+        };
+        assert!(
+            validate_manifest_with_profile(&manifest, ManifestValidationProfile::SchemaOnly)
+                .is_ok()
+        );
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn manifest_rejects_capability_without_matching_wit_package() {
         let manifest = PluginManifest {
@@ -400,4 +441,21 @@ id = "  "
         };
         assert!(validate_manifest(&manifest).is_err());
     }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn manifest_rejects_providers_without_providers_wit_package() {
+        let manifest = PluginManifest {
+            id: "demo".into(),
+            name: None,
+            description: None,
+            version: Some("1.0.0".into()),
+            config_schema: None,
+            capabilities: vec![],
+            module_path: "plugins/demo.wasm".into(),
+            wit_packages: vec!["zeroclaw:hooks@1.0.0".into()],
+            tools: vec![],
+            providers: vec!["demo_provider".into()],
+        };
+        assert!(validate_manifest(&manifest).is_err());
+    }
 }