diff --git a/hypaware-core/smoke/flows/cli_bundled_plugins_activated.js b/hypaware-core/smoke/flows/cli_bundled_plugins_activated.js
index 43f8329..a187985 100644
--- a/hypaware-core/smoke/flows/cli_bundled_plugins_activated.js
+++ b/hypaware-core/smoke/flows/cli_bundled_plugins_activated.js
@@ -21,10 +21,11 @@ import { defaultConfigPath } from '../../../src/core/config/schema.js'
  *  3. `hyp attach --client codex --dry-run` reaches the Codex adapter
  *     (same shape).
  *  4. `hyp status --json` emits a stable JSON document listing the
- *     configured sources, sinks, clients, and active plugins, *without*
- *     mentioning `@hypaware/central` or `@hypaware/gascity` (both
- *     remain loadable for developers but are excluded from the V1
- *     default surface).
+ *     configured sources, sinks, clients, and active plugins. Because
+ *     neither `@hypaware/central` nor `@hypaware/gascity` is in this
+ *     config, they must not appear — they are excluded from default
+ *     activation but remain discoverable through the plugin catalog and
+ *     activatable via explicit config or init presets.
  *
  * Telemetry contract (per bead):
  *  - One `kernel.boot` root span per dispatch boot.
@@ -48,9 +49,9 @@ export async function run({ harness, expect }) {
   // Stage a v2 config that selects six of the nine V1-bundled
   // plugins. `@hypaware/format-jsonl`, `@hypaware/s3`, and
   // `@hypaware/format-iceberg` are intentionally omitted so the smoke
-  // can assert the "skipped" log surface, and we exclude
-  // `@hypaware/central` / `@hypaware/gascity` because they are not on
-  // the V1 default surface in the first place.
+  // can assert the "skipped" log surface. `@hypaware/central` and
+  // `@hypaware/gascity` are not in this config — they are excluded from
+  // default activation but activatable via explicit config.
   const configPath = defaultConfigPath(harness.hypHome)
   await fs.mkdir(path.dirname(configPath), { recursive: true })
   await fs.writeFile(configPath, JSON.stringify({
@@ -131,7 +132,7 @@ export async function run({ harness, expect }) {
     (rows) => Array.isArray(rows) && rows.every((/** @type {any} */ r) => r.source === 'bundled')
   )
   expect.that(
-    'plugins: no excluded-from-default plugin (central/gascity) appears',
+    'plugins: unconfigured plugins (central/gascity) absent from active list',
     (listed.plugins ?? []).map((/** @type {any} */ p) => p.name),
     (v) =>
       Array.isArray(v) &&
@@ -219,12 +220,12 @@ export async function run({ harness, expect }) {
       typeof v.state === 'string'
   )
   expect.that(
-    'status: JSON does not reference @hypaware/central',
+    'status: unconfigured @hypaware/central absent from status JSON',
     statusStdout.text(),
     (v) => typeof v === 'string' && !v.includes('@hypaware/central')
   )
   expect.that(
-    'status: JSON does not reference @hypaware/gascity',
+    'status: unconfigured @hypaware/gascity absent from status JSON',
     statusStdout.text(),
     (v) => typeof v === 'string' && !v.includes('@hypaware/gascity')
   )
diff --git a/hypaware-core/smoke/flows/gascity_attach_writes_partition.js b/hypaware-core/smoke/flows/gascity_attach_writes_partition.js
index 51de455..540e598 100644
--- a/hypaware-core/smoke/flows/gascity_attach_writes_partition.js
+++ b/hypaware-core/smoke/flows/gascity_attach_writes_partition.js
@@ -16,19 +16,17 @@ import { activatePlugins } from '../../../src/core/runtime/loader.js'
 import { loadManifests } from '../../../src/core/manifest.js'
 
 /**
- * Phase 8.6 smoke. Boots `@hypaware/gascity` from the in-repo
- * workspace, attaches an in-process fixture supervisor through
- * `hyp gascity attach`, drives a few SSE-shaped frames, and asserts
- * the §Phase 8.6 contract from the implementation plan:
+ * Gascity plugin-surface acceptance smoke. Boots `@hypaware/gascity`
+ * from the in-repo workspace and exercises the full plugin lifecycle
+ * through plugin-owned contributions:
  *
- * - traces: a `source.start` span tagged `hyp_plugin=@hypaware/gascity`
- *   appears on the first `gascity attach`
- * - traces: a `source.reload` span tagged `hyp_plugin=@hypaware/gascity`
- *   appears on the second `gascity attach`
- * - query: `select count(*) from gascity_messages` returns the number
- *   of frames the fixture pushed
- * - cache: at least one `cache.append` span landed for
- *   `hyp_dataset=gascity_messages`
+ * - `gascity attach` starts/reloads the source through plugin code
+ * - `gascity list` shows attached city state
+ * - `select count(*) from gascity_messages` returns captured rows
+ * - `gascity detach` removes a city and reloads cleanly
+ * - traces: `source.start` tagged `hyp_plugin=@hypaware/gascity`
+ * - traces: `source.reload` on subsequent attach/detach
+ * - cache: `cache.append` spans for `hyp_dataset=gascity_messages`
  *
  * The fixture supervisor lives entirely in this file and is wired to
  * the plugin via `globalThis[Symbol.for('hypaware-gascity:transport')]`
@@ -171,6 +169,39 @@ export async function run({ harness, expect }) {
     (v) => v === true
   )
 
+  // Detach hypburb and verify the source reloads cleanly.
+  const detachOut = await dispatchCommand(
+    ['gascity', 'detach', 'hypburb'],
+    { kernel, registry, harness }
+  )
+  expect.that(
+    "stdout: detach prints confirmation for 'hypburb'",
+    detachOut.includes('hypburb'),
+    (v) => v === true
+  )
+
+  // After detach, list should still show hyptown but not hypburb.
+  const list2Stdout = makeBuf()
+  const list2Stderr = makeBuf()
+  await dispatch(['gascity', 'list'], {
+    stdout: list2Stdout,
+    stderr: list2Stderr,
+    kernel,
+    registry,
+    env: smokeEnv(harness),
+  })
+  const list2Text = list2Stdout.text()
+  expect.that(
+    'stdout: gascity list after detach still includes hyptown',
+    list2Text.includes('hyptown'),
+    (v) => v === true
+  )
+  expect.that(
+    'stdout: gascity list after detach no longer includes hypburb',
+    list2Text.includes('hypburb'),
+    (v) => v === false
+  )
+
   await obs.shutdown()
   fixture.uninstall()
 
@@ -199,9 +230,9 @@ export async function run({ harness, expect }) {
     (/** @type {any} */ t) => t.name === 'source.reload'
   )
   expect.that(
-    'traces: at least one source.reload span emitted (from the second attach)',
+    'traces: at least 2 source.reload spans emitted (attach + detach)',
     reloadSpans,
-    (rows) => rows.length >= 1
+    (rows) => rows.length >= 2
   )
   expect.that(
     'traces: source.reload tagged hyp_plugin=@hypaware/gascity',
diff --git a/src/core/plugin_catalog.js b/src/core/plugin_catalog.js
index c16000c..a5f8e16 100644
--- a/src/core/plugin_catalog.js
+++ b/src/core/plugin_catalog.js
@@ -33,8 +33,14 @@
 
 /**
  * Build a plugin catalog from loaded manifests. The catalog derives
- * capability metadata, known datasets, and contribution summaries
- * from the manifest files themselves rather than a hardcoded table.
+ * capability metadata, known datasets, client descriptors, and
+ * contribution summaries from the manifest files themselves rather
+ * than a hardcoded table.
+ *
+ * Callers should pass both `bundled.loaded` and `bundled.excluded`
+ * manifests so excluded plugins (like `@hypaware/gascity`) remain
+ * visible for config validation and descriptor resolution even though
+ * they are not activated by default.
  *
  * Duplicate plugin names are resolved by first-writer-wins: the first
  * manifest array is treated as authoritative (bundled plugins), so
diff --git a/src/core/runtime/boot.js b/src/core/runtime/boot.js
index 254cdb3..e23d580 100644
--- a/src/core/runtime/boot.js
+++ b/src/core/runtime/boot.js
@@ -128,12 +128,10 @@ export async function bootKernel(opts = {}) {
       const loadedConfig = configPath ? await loadConfigFile(configPath) : null
       const config = loadedConfig?.ok ? loadedConfig.config : null
 
-      // The full plugin pool the kernel knows about: V1 allowlist plus
-      // the excluded-from-default set (so developers can still activate
-      // `@hypaware/central` or `@hypaware/gascity` by naming them in
-      // config), plus every plugin in `plugin-lock.json` whose manifest
-      // loaded. `all-bundled` boots intentionally skip the excluded and
-      // installed sets so the picker only sees the V1 default surface.
+      // Full plugin pool: V1 allowlist + excluded-from-default set +
+      // installed plugins. Excluded plugins are in the pool so they
+      // activate when named in config or an init preset — the allowlist
+      // only governs default activation, not discoverability.
       const installedNames = new Set(installed.loaded.map((m) => m.manifest.name))
       const excludedAvailable = discovered.excluded.filter(
         (m) => !installedNames.has(/** @type {PluginName} */ (m.manifest.name))
diff --git a/src/core/runtime/bundled.js b/src/core/runtime/bundled.js
index c8fbf62..dae822d 100644
--- a/src/core/runtime/bundled.js
+++ b/src/core/runtime/bundled.js
@@ -12,12 +12,14 @@ import { loadManifests } from '../manifest.js'
  */
 
 /**
- * V1 bundled plugin allowlist (finish-v1.md §Phase 2). A plugin must
- * appear here to be discoverable through the default boot path. The
- * allowlist exists so the V1 default install does not pull
- * `@hypaware/central` or `@hypaware/gascity` into the picker, the
- * default config, or the V1 smokes — both remain on disk for
- * developers but are excluded from V1 acceptance gates.
+ * V1 bundled plugin allowlist. A plugin must appear here to be
+ * activated by the default boot profiles (`all-bundled`,
+ * `all-available`). Excluded plugins (`@hypaware/central`,
+ * `@hypaware/gascity`) are still discoverable through the plugin
+ * catalog — their manifest contributions (datasets, client
+ * descriptors, capability metadata) are visible to config validation
+ * and the walkthrough. They are activatable via explicit config or
+ * init presets; the allowlist only governs default activation.
  *
  * @type {ReadonlySet<PluginName>}
  */
@@ -34,10 +36,12 @@ export const V1_BUNDLED_PLUGIN_ALLOWLIST = new Set(/** @type {PluginName[]} */ (
 ]))
 
 /**
- * Bundled plugins present in the repo workspace but excluded from the
- * V1 default surface. They remain loadable for developers (via
- * explicit manifest discovery) but never appear in the V1 picker,
- * default configs, V1 docs, or V1 smokes.
+ * Bundled plugins excluded from default activation. Their manifests
+ * are still loaded by `discoverBundledPlugins` (in the `excluded`
+ * bucket) so the plugin catalog can derive datasets, client
+ * descriptors, and capability metadata for config validation.
+ * Activation requires explicit config (`{ name: '@hypaware/gascity' }`)
+ * or an init preset — the picker and default boot profiles skip them.
  *
  * @type {ReadonlySet<PluginName>}
  */
@@ -67,8 +71,10 @@ export function defaultBundledWorkspaceDir() {
  *  - `loaded`    — manifests whose `name` is in the V1 allowlist.
  *  - `excluded`  — manifests whose `name` is in the V1 exclude set
  *                  (`@hypaware/central`, `@hypaware/gascity`). These
- *                  remain available for developers but are not surfaced
- *                  by the default boot path.
+ *                  are excluded from default activation but their
+ *                  manifests feed the plugin catalog so datasets,
+ *                  client descriptors, and capability metadata remain
+ *                  visible to config validation and the walkthrough.
  *  - `unknownDirs` — directories that hold a parseable manifest under
  *                    a name the kernel doesn't recognise as bundled.
  *
diff --git a/test/core/config.test.js b/test/core/config.test.js
index 9481576..c3c8354 100644
--- a/test/core/config.test.js
+++ b/test/core/config.test.js
@@ -233,6 +233,36 @@ test('buildPluginCatalog collects known datasets from manifest contributions', a
   assert.ok(catalog.knownDatasets.has('logs'))
   assert.ok(catalog.knownDatasets.has('traces'))
   assert.ok(catalog.knownDatasets.has('metrics'))
+  assert.ok(
+    catalog.knownDatasets.has('gascity_messages'),
+    'catalog includes gascity_messages from excluded plugin manifest'
+  )
+})
+
+test('buildPluginCatalog includes excluded gascity plugin as a catalog entry', async () => {
+  const bundled = await discoverBundledPlugins()
+  const catalog = buildPluginCatalog([...bundled.loaded, ...bundled.excluded])
+
+  const entry = catalog.plugins.get('@hypaware/gascity')
+  assert.ok(entry, 'gascity must be in catalog when excluded manifests are included')
+  assert.equal(entry.name, '@hypaware/gascity')
+  assert.ok(entry.contributes, 'gascity catalog entry must carry its contributions')
+  assert.ok(
+    entry.contributes.sources?.some((s) => s.name === 'gascity'),
+    'gascity contributes a "gascity" source'
+  )
+  assert.ok(
+    entry.contributes.commands?.some((c) => c.name === 'gascity attach'),
+    'gascity contributes a "gascity attach" command'
+  )
+  assert.ok(
+    entry.contributes.init_presets?.some((p) => p.name === 'gascity'),
+    'gascity contributes a "gascity" init preset'
+  )
+  assert.ok(
+    entry.contributes.skills?.some((s) => s.name === 'hypaware-gascity'),
+    'gascity contributes the hypaware-gascity skill'
+  )
 })
 
 test('validateConfig uses catalog-derived metadata for sink validation', async () => {