diff --git a/docs/cli/tui.md b/docs/cli/tui.md
index 56e272e99..2b1ce2095 100644
--- a/docs/cli/tui.md
+++ b/docs/cli/tui.md
@@ -9,6 +9,8 @@ read_when:
 
 Open the terminal UI connected to the Gateway.
 
+Tip: If you pass `--url`, Moltbot treats this as client-only mode and won’t block on local config validation.
+
 Related:
 - TUI guide: [TUI](/tui)
 
@@ -19,4 +21,3 @@ openclaw tui
 openclaw tui --url ws://127.0.0.1:18789 --token <token>
 openclaw tui --session main --deliver
 ```
-
diff --git a/src/cli/program/preaction.ts b/src/cli/program/preaction.ts
index 310b8faaa..076b97943 100644
--- a/src/cli/program/preaction.ts
+++ b/src/cli/program/preaction.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import type { Command } from "commander";
 import { defaultRuntime } from "../../runtime.js";
 import { emitCliBanner } from "../banner.js";
-import { getCommandPath, getVerboseFlag, hasHelpOrVersion } from "../argv.js";
+import { getCommandPath, getFlagValue, getVerboseFlag, hasHelpOrVersion } from "../argv.js";
 import { ensureConfigReady } from "./config-guard.js";
 import { ensurePluginRegistryLoaded } from "../plugin-registry.js";
 import { isTruthyEnvValue } from "../../infra/env.js";
@@ -41,7 +41,12 @@ export function registerPreActionHooks(program: Command, programVersion: string)
       process.env.NODE_NO_WARNINGS ??= "1";
     }
     if (commandPath[0] === "doctor") return;
-    await ensureConfigReady({ runtime: defaultRuntime, commandPath });
+    // `tui --url` is client-only, so it should not require a valid local config (e.g. local plugins).
+    const url = commandPath[0] === "tui" ? getFlagValue(argv, "--url") : undefined;
+    const shouldBypassConfigGuardForTui = typeof url === "string" && url.trim().length > 0;
+    if (!shouldBypassConfigGuardForTui) {
+      await ensureConfigReady({ runtime: defaultRuntime, commandPath });
+    }
     // Load plugins for commands that need channel access
     if (PLUGIN_REQUIRED_COMMANDS.has(commandPath[0])) {
       ensurePluginRegistryLoaded();
diff --git a/src/cli/program/preaction.tui-remote-bypass.test.ts b/src/cli/program/preaction.tui-remote-bypass.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..413cab1ae
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/cli/program/preaction.tui-remote-bypass.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,42 @@
+import { Command } from "commander";
+import { afterEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
+
+const ensureConfigReady = vi.fn(async () => undefined);
+vi.mock("./config-guard.js", () => ({ ensureConfigReady }));
+
+const { registerPreActionHooks } = await import("./preaction.js");
+
+describe("cli preAction config guard", () => {
+  const originalArgv = process.argv.slice();
+
+  afterEach(() => {
+    process.argv = originalArgv.slice();
+    vi.clearAllMocks();
+  });
+
+  it("bypasses config guard for tui --url (client mode)", async () => {
+    process.argv = ["node", "moltbot", "tui", "--url", "ws://example"];
+
+    const program = new Command();
+    registerPreActionHooks(program, "test");
+    const tuiAction = vi.fn(async () => undefined);
+    program.command("tui").option("--url <url>").action(tuiAction);
+
+    await program.parseAsync(["tui", "--url", "ws://example"], { from: "user" });
+
+    expect(ensureConfigReady).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    expect(tuiAction).toHaveBeenCalled();
+  });
+
+  it("runs config guard for tui without --url", async () => {
+    process.argv = ["node", "moltbot", "tui"];
+
+    const program = new Command();
+    registerPreActionHooks(program, "test");
+    program.command("tui").action(async () => undefined);
+
+    await program.parseAsync(["tui"], { from: "user" });
+
+    expect(ensureConfigReady).toHaveBeenCalled();
+  });
+});