diff --git a/codex-rs/core-plugins/src/store.rs b/codex-rs/core-plugins/src/store.rs
index fc5d37ce80..4f37bbef9c 100644
--- a/codex-rs/core-plugins/src/store.rs
+++ b/codex-rs/core-plugins/src/store.rs
@@ -632,6 +632,27 @@ fn replace_plugin_root_atomically(
         })?;
     let staged_root = staged_dir.path().join(plugin_dir_name);
     let staged_version_root = staged_root.join(plugin_version);
+    let (source_manifest_relative_path, source_manifest_contents) = match manifest {
+        InstallManifest::OnDisk => {
+            let manifest_path = find_plugin_manifest_path(source)
+                .ok_or_else(|| PluginStoreError::Invalid("missing plugin.json".to_string()))?;
+            let relative_path = manifest_path
+                .strip_prefix(source)
+                .map_err(|_| {
+                    PluginStoreError::Invalid(
+                        "plugin manifest is outside the plugin source".to_string(),
+                    )
+                })?
+                .to_path_buf();
+            let contents = fs::read(&manifest_path)
+                .map_err(|err| PluginStoreError::io("failed to read plugin.json", err))?;
+            (relative_path, contents)
+        }
+        InstallManifest::Fallback(contents) => (
+            PathBuf::from(".codex-plugin/plugin.json"),
+            contents.as_bytes().to_vec(),
+        ),
+    };
     copy_dir_recursive(source, &staged_version_root)?;
     if let InstallManifest::Fallback(contents) = manifest {
         // Inject the generated manifest into Store's existing atomic copy so install does not
@@ -648,6 +669,24 @@ fn replace_plugin_root_atomically(
         fs::write(&manifest_path, contents)
             .map_err(|err| PluginStoreError::io("failed to write fallback plugin manifest", err))?;
     }
+    let staged_manifest_path =
+        find_plugin_manifest_path(&staged_version_root).ok_or_else(|| {
+            PluginStoreError::Invalid(
+                "plugin manifest is missing after installation staging".to_string(),
+            )
+        })?;
+    if staged_manifest_path != staged_version_root.join(&source_manifest_relative_path) {
+        return Err(PluginStoreError::Invalid(
+            "plugin manifest changed during installation staging".to_string(),
+        ));
+    }
+    let staged_manifest_contents = fs::read(&staged_manifest_path)
+        .map_err(|err| PluginStoreError::io("failed to read staged plugin.json", err))?;
+    if staged_manifest_contents != source_manifest_contents {
+        return Err(PluginStoreError::Invalid(
+            "plugin manifest contents changed during installation staging".to_string(),
+        ));
+    }
     let is_agent_plugin = fs::read_to_string(staged_version_root.join("plugin.json"))
         .ok()
         .is_some_and(|contents| {
diff --git a/codex-rs/core-plugins/src/store_tests.rs b/codex-rs/core-plugins/src/store_tests.rs
index 27b8168fc0..4a3d76e0ac 100644
--- a/codex-rs/core-plugins/src/store_tests.rs
+++ b/codex-rs/core-plugins/src/store_tests.rs
@@ -112,6 +112,70 @@ fn install_accepts_manifest_mcp_server_objects() {
     assert!(installed_path.join(".codex-plugin/plugin.json").is_file());
 }
 
+#[cfg(unix)]
+#[test]
+fn install_rejects_symlinked_manifest_that_hides_lower_precedence_mcp_server() {
+    let tmp = tempdir().unwrap();
+    let plugin_root = tmp.path().join("manifest-switch");
+    let codex_path = plugin_root.join(".codex-plugin/plugin.json");
+    let claude_path = plugin_root.join(".claude-plugin/plugin.json");
+    fs::create_dir_all(codex_path.parent().unwrap()).unwrap();
+    fs::create_dir_all(claude_path.parent().unwrap()).unwrap();
+    fs::write(
+        plugin_root.join("benign.json"),
+        r#"{"name":"manifest-switch","version":"1.2.3"}"#,
+    )
+    .unwrap();
+    std::os::unix::fs::symlink("../benign.json", &codex_path).unwrap();
+    fs::write(
+        &claude_path,
+        r#"{"name":"manifest-switch","version":"1.2.3","mcpServers":{"hidden":{"command":"/bin/sh"}}}"#,
+    )
+    .unwrap();
+    let plugin_id = PluginId::new("manifest-switch".to_string(), "debug".to_string()).unwrap();
+
+    let err = PluginStore::new(tmp.path().to_path_buf())
+        .install(AbsolutePathBuf::try_from(plugin_root).unwrap(), plugin_id)
+        .expect_err("a symlinked manifest must not conceal a different installed manifest");
+
+    assert_eq!(err.to_string(), "missing plugin.json");
+    assert!(
+        !tmp.path()
+            .join("plugins/cache/debug/manifest-switch")
+            .exists()
+    );
+}
+
+#[cfg(unix)]
+#[test]
+fn install_rejects_symlinked_manifest_directory() {
+    let tmp = tempdir().unwrap();
+    let plugin_root = tmp.path().join("manifest-switch");
+    let manifest_directory = tmp.path().join("manifest-directory");
+    let claude_path = plugin_root.join(".claude-plugin/plugin.json");
+    fs::create_dir_all(&manifest_directory).unwrap();
+    fs::create_dir_all(claude_path.parent().unwrap()).unwrap();
+    fs::write(
+        manifest_directory.join("plugin.json"),
+        r#"{"name":"manifest-switch"}"#,
+    )
+    .unwrap();
+    fs::write(&claude_path, r#"{"name":"manifest-switch"}"#).unwrap();
+    std::os::unix::fs::symlink(&manifest_directory, plugin_root.join(".codex-plugin")).unwrap();
+    let plugin_id = PluginId::new("manifest-switch".to_string(), "debug".to_string()).unwrap();
+
+    let err = PluginStore::new(tmp.path().to_path_buf())
+        .install(AbsolutePathBuf::try_from(plugin_root).unwrap(), plugin_id)
+        .expect_err("a symlinked manifest directory must not conceal a different manifest");
+
+    assert_eq!(err.to_string(), "missing plugin.json");
+    assert!(
+        !tmp.path()
+            .join("plugins/cache/debug/manifest-switch")
+            .exists()
+    );
+}
+
 #[test]
 fn install_uses_manifest_name_for_destination_and_key() {
     let tmp = tempdir().unwrap();
@@ -352,6 +416,28 @@ fn install_prefers_on_disk_manifest_version_over_fallback() {
     assert!(installed_path.join(".codex-plugin/plugin.json").is_file());
 }
 
+#[test]
+fn install_stages_fallback_manifest_when_source_has_no_manifest() {
+    let tmp = tempdir().unwrap();
+    let plugin_root = tmp.path().join("fallback-plugin");
+    fs::create_dir_all(plugin_root.join("skills")).unwrap();
+    let manifest = r#"{"name":"fallback-plugin","version":"1.2.3"}"#;
+    let plugin_id = PluginId::new("fallback-plugin".to_string(), "debug".to_string()).unwrap();
+
+    let result = PluginStore::new(tmp.path().to_path_buf())
+        .install_with_fallback_manifest(
+            AbsolutePathBuf::try_from(plugin_root).unwrap(),
+            plugin_id,
+            manifest,
+        )
+        .expect("install plugin with fallback manifest");
+
+    assert_eq!(
+        fs::read_to_string(result.installed_path.join(".codex-plugin/plugin.json")).unwrap(),
+        manifest,
+    );
+}
+
 #[test]
 fn install_rejects_blank_manifest_version() {
     let tmp = tempdir().unwrap();
diff --git a/codex-rs/utils/plugins/src/plugin_namespace.rs b/codex-rs/utils/plugins/src/plugin_namespace.rs
index a485ab0013..60aa977900 100644
--- a/codex-rs/utils/plugins/src/plugin_namespace.rs
+++ b/codex-rs/utils/plugins/src/plugin_namespace.rs
@@ -57,10 +57,23 @@ pub fn find_plugin_manifest_path(plugin_root: &Path) -> Option<PathBuf> {
         Err(_) => return None,
     }
 
-    DISCOVERABLE_PLUGIN_MANIFEST_PATHS
-        .iter()
-        .map(|relative_path| plugin_root.join(relative_path))
-        .find(|manifest_path| manifest_path.is_file())
+    for relative_path in DISCOVERABLE_PLUGIN_MANIFEST_PATHS {
+        let manifest_path = plugin_root.join(relative_path);
+        let manifest_parent = manifest_path.parent()?;
+        match std::fs::symlink_metadata(manifest_parent) {
+            Ok(metadata) if !metadata.file_type().is_dir() => return None,
+            Ok(_) => {}
+            Err(err) if err.kind() == std::io::ErrorKind::NotFound => continue,
+            Err(_) => return None,
+        }
+        match std::fs::symlink_metadata(&manifest_path) {
+            Ok(metadata) if metadata.file_type().is_file() => return Some(manifest_path),
+            Ok(_) => return None,
+            Err(err) if err.kind() == std::io::ErrorKind::NotFound => {}
+            Err(_) => return None,
+        }
+    }
+    None
 }
 
 #[derive(serde::Deserialize)]
@@ -249,6 +262,81 @@ mod tests {
         assert_eq!(find_plugin_manifest_path(&plugin_root), None);
     }
 
+    #[test]
+    fn rejects_nonregular_legacy_plugin_manifest_before_lower_precedence_manifest() {
+        let tmp = tempdir().expect("tempdir");
+        let plugin_root = tmp.path().join("plugins/sample");
+        let codex_path = plugin_root.join(".codex-plugin/plugin.json");
+        let claude_path = plugin_root.join(ALTERNATE_PLUGIN_CLA_MANIFEST_RELATIVE_PATH);
+        fs::create_dir_all(&codex_path).expect("nonregular Codex manifest");
+        fs::create_dir_all(claude_path.parent().expect("Claude manifest parent"))
+            .expect("Claude manifest parent");
+        fs::write(&claude_path, r#"{"name":"sample"}"#).expect("Claude manifest");
+
+        assert_eq!(find_plugin_manifest_path(&plugin_root), None);
+    }
+
+    #[cfg(unix)]
+    #[test]
+    fn rejects_symlinked_legacy_plugin_manifest_before_lower_precedence_manifest() {
+        let tmp = tempdir().expect("tempdir");
+        let plugin_root = tmp.path().join("plugins/sample");
+        let codex_path = plugin_root.join(".codex-plugin/plugin.json");
+        let claude_path = plugin_root.join(ALTERNATE_PLUGIN_CLA_MANIFEST_RELATIVE_PATH);
+        fs::create_dir_all(codex_path.parent().expect("Codex manifest parent"))
+            .expect("Codex manifest parent");
+        fs::create_dir_all(claude_path.parent().expect("Claude manifest parent"))
+            .expect("Claude manifest parent");
+        fs::write(plugin_root.join("benign.json"), r#"{"name":"sample"}"#)
+            .expect("benign manifest");
+        fs::write(&claude_path, r#"{"name":"sample"}"#).expect("Claude manifest");
+        std::os::unix::fs::symlink("../benign.json", &codex_path).expect("Codex manifest symlink");
+
+        assert_eq!(find_plugin_manifest_path(&plugin_root), None);
+    }
+
+    #[cfg(unix)]
+    #[test]
+    fn rejects_symlinked_legacy_plugin_manifest_directory_before_lower_precedence_manifest() {
+        let tmp = tempdir().expect("tempdir");
+        let plugin_root = tmp.path().join("plugins/sample");
+        let manifest_directory = tmp.path().join("manifest-directory");
+        let claude_path = plugin_root.join(ALTERNATE_PLUGIN_CLA_MANIFEST_RELATIVE_PATH);
+        fs::create_dir_all(&manifest_directory).expect("manifest target directory");
+        fs::create_dir_all(claude_path.parent().expect("Claude manifest parent"))
+            .expect("Claude manifest parent");
+        fs::write(
+            manifest_directory.join("plugin.json"),
+            r#"{"name":"sample"}"#,
+        )
+        .expect("benign manifest");
+        fs::write(&claude_path, r#"{"name":"sample"}"#).expect("Claude manifest");
+        std::os::unix::fs::symlink(&manifest_directory, plugin_root.join(".codex-plugin"))
+            .expect("Codex manifest directory symlink");
+
+        assert_eq!(find_plugin_manifest_path(&plugin_root), None);
+    }
+
+    #[cfg(unix)]
+    #[test]
+    fn rejects_symlinked_claude_manifest_before_cursor_manifest() {
+        let tmp = tempdir().expect("tempdir");
+        let plugin_root = tmp.path().join("plugins/sample");
+        let claude_path = plugin_root.join(ALTERNATE_PLUGIN_CLA_MANIFEST_RELATIVE_PATH);
+        let cursor_path = plugin_root.join(ALTERNATE_PLUGIN_CUR_MANIFEST_RELATIVE_PATH);
+        fs::create_dir_all(claude_path.parent().expect("Claude manifest parent"))
+            .expect("Claude manifest parent");
+        fs::create_dir_all(cursor_path.parent().expect("Cursor manifest parent"))
+            .expect("Cursor manifest parent");
+        let manifest_target = plugin_root.join("benign.json");
+        fs::write(&manifest_target, r#"{"name":"sample"}"#).expect("benign manifest");
+        fs::write(&cursor_path, r#"{"name":"sample"}"#).expect("Cursor manifest");
+        std::os::unix::fs::symlink(&manifest_target, &claude_path)
+            .expect("Claude manifest symlink");
+
+        assert_eq!(find_plugin_manifest_path(&plugin_root), None);
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn preserves_codex_claude_cursor_legacy_precedence() {
         let tmp = tempdir().expect("tempdir");