diff --git a/docs/tools/plugin.md b/docs/tools/plugin.md
index 86a2b984316..9250501f2d9 100644
--- a/docs/tools/plugin.md
+++ b/docs/tools/plugin.md
@@ -330,22 +330,29 @@ Plugins export either:
 
 ## Plugin hooks
 
-Plugins can ship hooks and register them at runtime. This lets a plugin bundle
-event-driven automation without a separate hook pack install.
+Plugins can register hooks at runtime. This lets a plugin bundle event-driven
+automation without a separate hook pack install.
 
 ### Example
 
-```
-import { registerPluginHooksFromDir } from "openclaw/plugin-sdk";
-
+```ts
 export default function register(api) {
-  registerPluginHooksFromDir(api, "./hooks");
+  api.registerHook(
+    "command:new",
+    async () => {
+      // Hook logic here.
+    },
+    {
+      name: "my-plugin.command-new",
+      description: "Runs when /new is invoked",
+    },
+  );
 }
 ```
 
 Notes:
 
-- Hook directories follow the normal hook structure (`HOOK.md` + `handler.ts`).
+- Register hooks explicitly via `api.registerHook(...)`.
 - Hook eligibility rules still apply (OS/bins/env/config requirements).
 - Plugin-managed hooks show up in `openclaw hooks list` with `plugin:<id>`.
 - You cannot enable/disable plugin-managed hooks via `openclaw hooks`; enable/disable the plugin instead.
diff --git a/src/hooks/plugin-hooks.ts b/src/hooks/plugin-hooks.ts
deleted file mode 100644
index f7da685fb9b..00000000000
--- a/src/hooks/plugin-hooks.ts
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,116 +0,0 @@
-import path from "node:path";
-import { pathToFileURL } from "node:url";
-import type { OpenClawPluginApi } from "../plugins/types.js";
-import { shouldIncludeHook } from "./config.js";
-import type { InternalHookHandler } from "./internal-hooks.js";
-import type { HookEntry } from "./types.js";
-import { loadHookEntriesFromDir } from "./workspace.js";
-
-export type PluginHookLoadResult = {
-  hooks: HookEntry[];
-  loaded: number;
-  skipped: number;
-  errors: string[];
-};
-
-function resolveHookDir(api: OpenClawPluginApi, dir: string): string {
-  if (path.isAbsolute(dir)) {
-    return dir;
-  }
-  return path.resolve(path.dirname(api.source), dir);
-}
-
-function normalizePluginHookEntry(api: OpenClawPluginApi, entry: HookEntry): HookEntry {
-  return {
-    ...entry,
-    hook: {
-      ...entry.hook,
-      source: "openclaw-plugin",
-      pluginId: api.id,
-    },
-    metadata: {
-      ...entry.metadata,
-      hookKey: entry.metadata?.hookKey ?? `${api.id}:${entry.hook.name}`,
-      events: entry.metadata?.events ?? [],
-    },
-  };
-}
-
-async function loadHookHandler(
-  entry: HookEntry,
-  api: OpenClawPluginApi,
-): Promise<InternalHookHandler | null> {
-  try {
-    const url = pathToFileURL(entry.hook.handlerPath).href;
-    const cacheBustedUrl = `${url}?t=${Date.now()}`;
-    const mod = (await import(cacheBustedUrl)) as Record<string, unknown>;
-    const exportName = entry.metadata?.export ?? "default";
-    const handler = mod[exportName];
-    if (typeof handler === "function") {
-      return handler as InternalHookHandler;
-    }
-    api.logger.warn?.(`[hooks] ${entry.hook.name} handler is not a function`);
-    return null;
-  } catch (err) {
-    api.logger.warn?.(`[hooks] Failed to load ${entry.hook.name}: ${String(err)}`);
-    return null;
-  }
-}
-
-export async function registerPluginHooksFromDir(
-  api: OpenClawPluginApi,
-  dir: string,
-): Promise<PluginHookLoadResult> {
-  const resolvedDir = resolveHookDir(api, dir);
-  const hooks = loadHookEntriesFromDir({
-    dir: resolvedDir,
-    source: "openclaw-plugin",
-    pluginId: api.id,
-  });
-
-  const result: PluginHookLoadResult = {
-    hooks,
-    loaded: 0,
-    skipped: 0,
-    errors: [],
-  };
-
-  for (const entry of hooks) {
-    const normalizedEntry = normalizePluginHookEntry(api, entry);
-    const events = normalizedEntry.metadata?.events ?? [];
-    if (events.length === 0) {
-      api.logger.warn?.(`[hooks] ${entry.hook.name} has no events; skipping`);
-      api.registerHook(events, async () => undefined, {
-        entry: normalizedEntry,
-        register: false,
-      });
-      result.skipped += 1;
-      continue;
-    }
-
-    const handler = await loadHookHandler(entry, api);
-    if (!handler) {
-      result.errors.push(`[hooks] Failed to load ${entry.hook.name}`);
-      api.registerHook(events, async () => undefined, {
-        entry: normalizedEntry,
-        register: false,
-      });
-      result.skipped += 1;
-      continue;
-    }
-
-    const eligible = shouldIncludeHook({ entry: normalizedEntry, config: api.config });
-    api.registerHook(events, handler, {
-      entry: normalizedEntry,
-      register: eligible,
-    });
-
-    if (eligible) {
-      result.loaded += 1;
-    } else {
-      result.skipped += 1;
-    }
-  }
-
-  return result;
-}