fix: stop re-declaring the auto-loaded hooks file in the plugin manifest

.claude-plugin/plugin.json

@@ -16,6 +16,5 @@
     "./global/crew/independent-reviewer.md",
     "./global/crew/scout.md",
     "./global/crew/verifier.md"
-  ],
-  "hooks": "./hooks/hooks.json"
+  ]
 }

CHANGELOG.md

@@ -6,6 +6,16 @@ to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0.html).
 
 ## [Unreleased]
 
+### Fixed
+
+- **Plugin load: dropped the duplicate `hooks` declaration from the manifest.** Claude Code
+  loads the standard `hooks/hooks.json` automatically, so `manifest.hooks` pointing at that
+  same path registered it twice and the loader rejected the entire plugin
+  (`Duplicate hooks file detected`) — taking every skill, agent, guard and the `forge-cortex`
+  MCP server down with it. `manifest.hooks` is for additional hook files only; the guards are
+  unchanged and still load from the plugin root. A regression test in `test/channels.test.js`
+  now fails if the standard path is ever re-declared.
+
 ## [0.32.0] - 2026-08-14
 
 ### Changed

src/doctor.js

@@ -291,9 +291,20 @@ function commandScriptFromPluginRoot(hook) {
 function checkPluginCompatibility(out) {
   try {
     const plugin = readJson(join(BRAND.root, ".claude-plugin", "plugin.json"));
-    const hookRel = plugin.hooks;
-    const hookPath = hookRel ? join(BRAND.root, hookRel) : "";
-    if (!hookRel || !existsSync(hookPath)) {
+    // Claude Code auto-loads the standard hooks/hooks.json from the plugin root;
+    // manifest.hooks exists only for ADDITIONAL hook files. Re-declaring the standard
+    // path registers it twice and the loader rejects the WHOLE plugin.
+    const standardRel = "hooks/hooks.json";
+    const hookRel = plugin.hooks ?? standardRel;
+    const hookPath = join(BRAND.root, hookRel);
+    if (plugin.hooks && hookPath === join(BRAND.root, standardRel)) {
+      out.push(
+        warn(
+          "Claude plugin hooks",
+          "manifest re-declares the auto-loaded hooks/hooks.json — Claude Code rejects the whole plugin (duplicate hooks file)",
+        ),
+      );
+    } else if (!existsSync(hookPath)) {
       out.push(warn("Claude plugin hooks", "manifest hooks path missing or invalid"));
     } else {
       const manifest = readJson(hookPath);

test/channels.test.js

@@ -48,3 +48,20 @@ test("plugin hooks wire guards from the plugin root", () => {
   assert.match(hooks, /CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT/);
   assert.match(hooks, /global\/guards\/protect-paths\.sh/);
 });
+
+// Claude Code loads the standard hooks/hooks.json automatically. Declaring it in
+// `manifest.hooks` too registers the same file twice, and the loader rejects the
+// WHOLE plugin ("Duplicate hooks file detected") — skills, agents, guards and the
+// MCP server all vanish. manifest.hooks is only for ADDITIONAL hook files.
+test("plugin manifest does not re-declare the standard hooks file", () => {
+  const plugin = readJson(".claude-plugin/plugin.json");
+  const declared = [plugin.hooks ?? []].flat();
+  for (const h of declared) {
+    assert.notMatch(
+      h,
+      /^\.\/hooks\/hooks\.json$/,
+      "hooks/hooks.json loads automatically; declaring it fails plugin load",
+    );
+  }
+  assert.ok(existsSync(join(root, "hooks/hooks.json")), "the auto-loaded hooks file still exists");
+});