diff --git a/src/infra/update-runner.test.ts b/src/infra/update-runner.test.ts
index 918b0d3c8..ec9462ac8 100644
--- a/src/infra/update-runner.test.ts
+++ b/src/infra/update-runner.test.ts
@@ -112,7 +112,6 @@ describe("runGatewayUpdate", () => {
       "pnpm install": { stdout: "" },
       "pnpm build": { stdout: "" },
       "pnpm ui:build": { stdout: "" },
-      [`git -C ${tempDir} checkout -- dist/control-ui/`]: { stdout: "" },
       "pnpm openclaw doctor --non-interactive": { stdout: "" },
     });
 
@@ -128,6 +127,38 @@ describe("runGatewayUpdate", () => {
     expect(calls).not.toContain(`git -C ${tempDir} checkout --detach ${betaTag}`);
   });
 
+  it("does not attempt to restore gitignored dist/control-ui/ (#4546)", async () => {
+    await fs.mkdir(path.join(tempDir, ".git"));
+    await fs.writeFile(
+      path.join(tempDir, "package.json"),
+      JSON.stringify({ name: "openclaw", version: "1.0.0", packageManager: "pnpm@8.0.0" }),
+      "utf-8",
+    );
+    const tag = "v2.0.0-1";
+    const { runner, calls } = createRunner({
+      [`git -C ${tempDir} rev-parse --show-toplevel`]: { stdout: tempDir },
+      [`git -C ${tempDir} rev-parse HEAD`]: { stdout: "abc123" },
+      [`git -C ${tempDir} status --porcelain -- :!dist/control-ui/`]: { stdout: "" },
+      [`git -C ${tempDir} fetch --all --prune --tags`]: { stdout: "" },
+      [`git -C ${tempDir} tag --list v* --sort=-v:refname`]: { stdout: `${tag}\n` },
+      [`git -C ${tempDir} checkout --detach ${tag}`]: { stdout: "" },
+      "pnpm install": { stdout: "" },
+      "pnpm build": { stdout: "" },
+      "pnpm ui:build": { stdout: "" },
+      "pnpm openclaw doctor --non-interactive": { stdout: "" },
+    });
+
+    const result = await runGatewayUpdate({
+      cwd: tempDir,
+      runCommand: async (argv, _options) => runner(argv),
+      timeoutMs: 5000,
+      channel: "stable",
+    });
+
+    expect(result.status).toBe("ok");
+    expect(calls.some((c) => c.includes("checkout -- dist/control-ui/"))).toBe(false);
+  });
+
   it("skips update when no git root", async () => {
     await fs.writeFile(
       path.join(tempDir, "package.json"),
diff --git a/src/infra/update-runner.ts b/src/infra/update-runner.ts
index 5136d9f78..0eef614d2 100644
--- a/src/infra/update-runner.ts
+++ b/src/infra/update-runner.ts
@@ -364,7 +364,7 @@ export async function runGatewayUpdate(opts: UpdateRunnerOptions = {}): Promise<
     const channel: UpdateChannel = opts.channel ?? "dev";
     const branch = channel === "dev" ? await readBranchName(runCommand, gitRoot, timeoutMs) : null;
     const needsCheckoutMain = channel === "dev" && branch !== DEV_BRANCH;
-    gitTotalSteps = channel === "dev" ? (needsCheckoutMain ? 11 : 10) : 9;
+    gitTotalSteps = channel === "dev" ? (needsCheckoutMain ? 10 : 9) : 8;
 
     const statusCheck = await runStep(
       step(
@@ -676,17 +676,6 @@ export async function runGatewayUpdate(opts: UpdateRunnerOptions = {}): Promise<
     );
     steps.push(uiBuildStep);
 
-    // Restore dist/control-ui/ to committed state to prevent dirty repo after update
-    // (ui:build regenerates assets with new hashes, which would block future updates)
-    const restoreUiStep = await runStep(
-      step(
-        "restore control-ui",
-        ["git", "-C", gitRoot, "checkout", "--", "dist/control-ui/"],
-        gitRoot,
-      ),
-    );
-    steps.push(restoreUiStep);
-
     const doctorStep = await runStep(
       step(
         "openclaw doctor",