diff --git a/src/cli/channel-auth.ts b/src/cli/channel-auth.ts
index f7c9d85ea..ebb17694d 100644
--- a/src/cli/channel-auth.ts
+++ b/src/cli/channel-auth.ts
@@ -1,3 +1,6 @@
+import fs from "node:fs";
+import path from "node:path";
+import process from "node:process";
 import { resolveChannelDefaultAccountId } from "../channels/plugins/helpers.js";
 import { getChannelPlugin, normalizeChannelId } from "../channels/plugins/index.js";
 import { DEFAULT_CHAT_CHANNEL } from "../channels/registry.js";
@@ -11,6 +14,18 @@ type ChannelAuthOptions = {
   verbose?: boolean;
 };
 
+const checkDisabledPlugin = (channelInput: string) => {
+  try {
+    const extPath = path.join(process.cwd(), "extensions", channelInput);
+    if (fs.existsSync(extPath) && fs.statSync(extPath).isDirectory()) {
+      return `Channel '${channelInput}' plugin found but likely disabled. Run 'clawdbot plugins enable ${channelInput}' to use it.`;
+    }
+  } catch {
+    // ignore
+  }
+  return `Unsupported channel: ${channelInput}`;
+};
+
 export async function runChannelLogin(
   opts: ChannelAuthOptions,
   runtime: RuntimeEnv = defaultRuntime,
@@ -18,7 +33,7 @@ export async function runChannelLogin(
   const channelInput = opts.channel ?? DEFAULT_CHAT_CHANNEL;
   const channelId = normalizeChannelId(channelInput);
   if (!channelId) {
-    throw new Error(`Unsupported channel: ${channelInput}`);
+    throw new Error(checkDisabledPlugin(channelInput));
   }
   const plugin = getChannelPlugin(channelId);
   if (!plugin?.auth?.login) {
@@ -44,7 +59,7 @@ export async function runChannelLogout(
   const channelInput = opts.channel ?? DEFAULT_CHAT_CHANNEL;
   const channelId = normalizeChannelId(channelInput);
   if (!channelId) {
-    throw new Error(`Unsupported channel: ${channelInput}`);
+    throw new Error(checkDisabledPlugin(channelInput));
   }
   const plugin = getChannelPlugin(channelId);
   if (!plugin?.gateway?.logoutAccount) {