diff --git a/api/.env.development b/api/.env.development
index 3261fcf359..35a4b30d71 100644
--- a/api/.env.development
+++ b/api/.env.development
@@ -32,3 +32,4 @@ CHOKIDAR_USEPOLLING=true
 LOG_TRANSPORT=console
 LOG_LEVEL=trace
 ENABLE_NEXT_DOCKER_RELEASE=true
+SKIP_CONNECT_PLUGIN_CHECK=true
diff --git a/packages/unraid-api-plugin-connect/src/index.ts b/packages/unraid-api-plugin-connect/src/index.ts
index 21748673f7..d799da9765 100644
--- a/packages/unraid-api-plugin-connect/src/index.ts
+++ b/packages/unraid-api-plugin-connect/src/index.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,8 @@
 import { Inject, Logger, Module } from '@nestjs/common';
 import { ConfigModule, ConfigService } from '@nestjs/config';
+import { existsSync } from 'node:fs';
+
+import { execa } from 'execa';
 
 import { ConnectConfigPersister } from './config/config.persistence.js';
 import { configFeature } from './config/connect.config.js';
@@ -8,6 +11,10 @@ import { ConnectModule } from './unraid-connect/connect.module.js';
 
 export const adapter = 'nestjs';
 
+/**
+ * When the plugin is installed we expose the full Nest module graph.
+ * Configuration and proxy submodules only bootstrap in this branch.
+ */
 @Module({
     imports: [ConfigModule.forFeature(configFeature), ConnectModule, MothershipModule],
     providers: [ConnectConfigPersister],
@@ -23,4 +30,64 @@ class ConnectPluginModule {
     }
 }
 
-export const ApiModule = ConnectPluginModule;
+/**
+ * Fallback module keeps the export shape intact but only warns operators.
+ * This makes `ApiModule` safe to import even when the plugin is absent.
+ */
+@Module({})
+export class DisabledConnectPluginModule {
+    logger = new Logger(DisabledConnectPluginModule.name);
+    async onModuleInit() {
+        const removalCommand = 'unraid-api plugins remove -b unraid-api-plugin-connect';
+
+        this.logger.warn(
+            'Connect plugin is not installed, but is listed as an API plugin. Attempting `%s` automatically.',
+            removalCommand
+        );
+
+        try {
+            const { stdout, stderr } = await execa('unraid-api', [
+                'plugins',
+                'remove',
+                '-b',
+                'unraid-api-plugin-connect',
+            ]);
+
+            if (stdout?.trim()) {
+                this.logger.debug(stdout.trim());
+            }
+
+            if (stderr?.trim()) {
+                this.logger.debug(stderr.trim());
+            }
+
+            this.logger.log(
+                'Successfully completed `%s` to prune the stale connect plugin entry.',
+                removalCommand
+            );
+        } catch (error) {
+            const message =
+                error instanceof Error
+                    ? error.message
+                    : 'Unknown error while removing stale connect plugin entry.';
+            this.logger.error('Failed to run `%s`: %s', removalCommand, message);
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+/**
+ * Local filesystem and env checks stay synchronous so we can branch at module load.
+ */
+const isConnectPluginInstalled = () => {
+    if (process.env.SKIP_CONNECT_PLUGIN_CHECK === 'true') {
+        return true;
+    }
+    return existsSync('/boot/config/plugins/dynamix.unraid.net.plg');
+};
+
+/**
+ * Downstream code always imports `ApiModule`. We swap the implementation based on availability,
+ * avoiding dynamic module plumbing while keeping the DI graph predictable.
+ * Set `SKIP_CONNECT_PLUGIN_CHECK=true` in development to force the connected path.
+ */
+export const ApiModule = isConnectPluginInstalled() ? ConnectPluginModule : DisabledConnectPluginModule;