diff --git a/.claude-plugin/plugin.json b/.claude-plugin/plugin.json
index 09ea55bd..878231c4 100644
--- a/.claude-plugin/plugin.json
+++ b/.claude-plugin/plugin.json
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@
         "hooks": [
           {
             "type": "command",
-            "command": "bash -c 'PY=$(command -v python3 || command -v python) && ROOT=\"${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT:-$PWD}\" && \"$PY\" \"$ROOT/scripts/launcher.py\" mcp_server.hooks.session_start'",
+            "command": "bash -c 'PY=$(command -v python3 || command -v python) && if [ -z \"${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT:-}\" ]; then echo \"cortex hook: CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT is unset; refusing to guess the plugin root\" >&2; exit 1; fi; ROOT=\"$CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT\" && \"$PY\" \"$ROOT/scripts/launcher.py\" mcp_server.hooks.session_start'",
             "timeout": 30
           }
         ]
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@
         "hooks": [
           {
             "type": "command",
-            "command": "bash -c 'PY=$(command -v python3 || command -v python) && ROOT=\"${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT:-$PWD}\" && \"$PY\" \"$ROOT/scripts/launcher.py\" mcp_server.hooks.auto_recall'",
+            "command": "bash -c 'PY=$(command -v python3 || command -v python) && if [ -z \"${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT:-}\" ]; then echo \"cortex hook: CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT is unset; refusing to guess the plugin root\" >&2; exit 1; fi; ROOT=\"$CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT\" && \"$PY\" \"$ROOT/scripts/launcher.py\" mcp_server.hooks.auto_recall'",
             "timeout": 5
           }
         ]
@@ -74,22 +74,22 @@
         "hooks": [
           {
             "type": "command",
-            "command": "bash -c 'PY=$(command -v python3 || command -v python) && ROOT=\"${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT:-$PWD}\" && \"$PY\" \"$ROOT/scripts/launcher.py\" mcp_server.hooks.post_tool_capture'",
+            "command": "bash -c 'PY=$(command -v python3 || command -v python) && if [ -z \"${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT:-}\" ]; then echo \"cortex hook: CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT is unset; refusing to guess the plugin root\" >&2; exit 1; fi; ROOT=\"$CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT\" && \"$PY\" \"$ROOT/scripts/launcher.py\" mcp_server.hooks.post_tool_capture'",
             "timeout": 10
           },
           {
             "type": "command",
-            "command": "bash -c 'PY=$(command -v python3 || command -v python) && ROOT=\"${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT:-$PWD}\" && \"$PY\" \"$ROOT/scripts/launcher.py\" mcp_server.hooks.preemptive_context'",
+            "command": "bash -c 'PY=$(command -v python3 || command -v python) && if [ -z \"${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT:-}\" ]; then echo \"cortex hook: CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT is unset; refusing to guess the plugin root\" >&2; exit 1; fi; ROOT=\"$CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT\" && \"$PY\" \"$ROOT/scripts/launcher.py\" mcp_server.hooks.preemptive_context'",
             "timeout": 5
           },
           {
             "type": "command",
-            "command": "bash -c 'PY=$(command -v python3 || command -v python) && ROOT=\"${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT:-$PWD}\" && \"$PY\" \"$ROOT/scripts/launcher.py\" mcp_server.hooks.pipeline_impact_bump'",
+            "command": "bash -c 'PY=$(command -v python3 || command -v python) && if [ -z \"${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT:-}\" ]; then echo \"cortex hook: CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT is unset; refusing to guess the plugin root\" >&2; exit 1; fi; ROOT=\"$CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT\" && \"$PY\" \"$ROOT/scripts/launcher.py\" mcp_server.hooks.pipeline_impact_bump'",
             "timeout": 5
           },
           {
             "type": "command",
-            "command": "bash -c 'PY=$(command -v python3 || command -v python) && ROOT=\"${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT:-$PWD}\" && \"$PY\" \"$ROOT/scripts/launcher.py\" mcp_server.hooks.post_commit_reindex'",
+            "command": "bash -c 'PY=$(command -v python3 || command -v python) && if [ -z \"${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT:-}\" ]; then echo \"cortex hook: CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT is unset; refusing to guess the plugin root\" >&2; exit 1; fi; ROOT=\"$CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT\" && \"$PY\" \"$ROOT/scripts/launcher.py\" mcp_server.hooks.post_commit_reindex'",
             "timeout": 10
           }
         ]
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@
         "hooks": [
           {
             "type": "command",
-            "command": "bash -c 'PY=$(command -v python3 || command -v python) && ROOT=\"${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT:-$PWD}\" && \"$PY\" \"$ROOT/scripts/launcher.py\" mcp_server.hooks.session_lifecycle'",
+            "command": "bash -c 'PY=$(command -v python3 || command -v python) && if [ -z \"${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT:-}\" ]; then echo \"cortex hook: CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT is unset; refusing to guess the plugin root\" >&2; exit 1; fi; ROOT=\"$CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT\" && \"$PY\" \"$ROOT/scripts/launcher.py\" mcp_server.hooks.session_lifecycle'",
             "timeout": 30
           }
         ]
@@ -112,7 +112,7 @@
         "hooks": [
           {
             "type": "command",
-            "command": "bash -c 'PY=$(command -v python3 || command -v python) && ROOT=\"${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT:-$PWD}\" && \"$PY\" \"$ROOT/scripts/launcher.py\" mcp_server.hooks.compaction_checkpoint'",
+            "command": "bash -c 'PY=$(command -v python3 || command -v python) && if [ -z \"${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT:-}\" ]; then echo \"cortex hook: CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT is unset; refusing to guess the plugin root\" >&2; exit 1; fi; ROOT=\"$CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT\" && \"$PY\" \"$ROOT/scripts/launcher.py\" mcp_server.hooks.compaction_checkpoint'",
             "timeout": 10
           }
         ]
@@ -123,7 +123,7 @@
         "hooks": [
           {
             "type": "command",
-            "command": "bash -c 'PY=$(command -v python3 || command -v python) && ROOT=\"${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT:-$PWD}\" && \"$PY\" \"$ROOT/scripts/launcher.py\" mcp_server.hooks.agent_briefing'",
+            "command": "bash -c 'PY=$(command -v python3 || command -v python) && if [ -z \"${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT:-}\" ]; then echo \"cortex hook: CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT is unset; refusing to guess the plugin root\" >&2; exit 1; fi; ROOT=\"$CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT\" && \"$PY\" \"$ROOT/scripts/launcher.py\" mcp_server.hooks.agent_briefing'",
             "timeout": 5
           }
         ]