diff --git a/internal/cmd/omarchy_plugin.go b/internal/cmd/omarchy_plugin.go
index 949a753a..87d1e46b 100644
--- a/internal/cmd/omarchy_plugin.go
+++ b/internal/cmd/omarchy_plugin.go
@@ -344,9 +344,17 @@ func (s omarchySetup) addAndVerify(marker omarchyPluginMarker) omarchyStep {
 	cloneRefused := strings.Contains(lower, "failed to clone")
 	failed := cloneRefused || (err != nil && !strings.Contains(lower, "already installed") && !strings.Contains(lower, "already used"))
 	if failed {
-		// Every failed add arms the retry throttle — a hang killed at the
-		// timeout says no "failed to clone" but retrying it on every
-		// sign-in would block each one for another minute.
+		// The add has several side effects after the clone. A later failure
+		// can leave the plugin enabled, so the shell's final state wins over
+		// the command result.
+		probe, _, outcome := s.probeShellPlugins()
+		if outcome == probeAnswered && probe.present && probe.enabled {
+			return s.finalize(marker)
+		}
+		// An add that did not reach the required postcondition arms the retry
+		// throttle. A hang killed at the timeout says no "failed to clone",
+		// but retrying it on every sign-in would block each one for another
+		// minute.
 		marker.LastCloneError = firstOutputLine(out, err)
 		marker.LastCloneAt = omarchyNow()
 		_ = s.env.writeMarker(marker) // best effort: the throttle is a convenience
diff --git a/internal/cmd/omarchy_plugin_test.go b/internal/cmd/omarchy_plugin_test.go
index a30421ea..d3c7c94f 100644
--- a/internal/cmd/omarchy_plugin_test.go
+++ b/internal/cmd/omarchy_plugin_test.go
@@ -598,6 +598,34 @@ func TestOmarchyPluginEnsureRetryIsThrottledAfterACloneFailure(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestOmarchyPluginAddFailureDoesNotAcceptADisabledPlugin(t *testing.T) {
+	env, _, _ := testOmarchyEnvScripted(t, nil)
+	stubConfirmOmarchyPanel(t, true, nil)
+	addRan := false
+	base := env.run
+	env.run = func(name string, args ...string) (string, error) {
+		command := strings.Join(append([]string{name}, args...), " ")
+		switch {
+		case strings.HasPrefix(command, "omarchy plugin list") && addRan:
+			return pluginListDisabled, nil
+		case strings.HasPrefix(command, "omarchy plugin add"):
+			addRan = true
+			return "rescan failed", errors.New("exit status 1")
+		default:
+			return base(name, args...)
+		}
+	}
+
+	step := omarchySetup{env: env}.installBarPlugin()
+	if step.Status != "failed" || step.Detail != "rescan failed" {
+		t.Fatalf("step = %q %q", step.Status, step.Detail)
+	}
+	marker, _ := readMarkerFile(t, env)
+	if !marker.PendingEnable || marker.LastCloneAt == "" {
+		t.Errorf("marker = %+v, want pending retry", marker)
+	}
+}
+
 func TestOmarchyPluginEnsureShellDownIsQuiet(t *testing.T) {
 	env, ran, _ := testOmarchyEnvScripted(t, map[string]omarchyReply{
 		"omarchy plugin list": {out: "omarchy-shell is not running (start it from the desktop)", err: errors.New("exit status 1")},
@@ -1510,7 +1538,7 @@ func TestSetupOmarchyJSONInstallsThePlugin(t *testing.T) {
 			return pluginListAbsent, nil
 		case strings.HasPrefix(command, "omarchy plugin add"):
 			enabled = true
-			return "Installed", nil
+			return "Cloning into '/home/user/.config/omarchy/plugins/.add.tmp.123'...", nil
 		default:
 			return "", nil
 		}
@@ -1538,6 +1566,59 @@ func TestSetupOmarchyJSONInstallsThePlugin(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestSetupOmarchyJSONAcceptsEnabledPluginAfterAddFailure(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Setenv("HEY_NO_KEYRING", "1")
+	t.Setenv("HEY_BASE_URL", "")
+	home := t.TempDir()
+	t.Setenv("HOME", home)
+	t.Setenv("XDG_CONFIG_HOME", t.TempDir())
+	stateHome := t.TempDir()
+	t.Setenv("XDG_STATE_HOME", stateHome)
+	t.Setenv("OMARCHY_PATH", t.TempDir())
+	enabled := false
+	listCalls := 0
+	stubOmarchyRun(t, func(name string, args ...string) (string, error) {
+		command := strings.Join(append([]string{name}, args...), " ")
+		switch {
+		case name != "omarchy":
+			return "", exec.ErrNotFound
+		case strings.HasPrefix(command, "omarchy plugin list"):
+			listCalls++
+			if enabled {
+				return pluginListEnabled, nil
+			}
+			return pluginListAbsent, nil
+		case strings.HasPrefix(command, "omarchy plugin add"):
+			enabled = true
+			return "Cloning into '/home/user/.config/omarchy/plugins/.add.tmp.123'...", errors.New("exit status 1")
+		default:
+			return "", nil
+		}
+	})
+
+	root := newRootCmd()
+	var stdout bytes.Buffer
+	root.SetOut(&stdout)
+	root.SetErr(&stdout)
+	root.SetArgs([]string{"setup", "omarchy", "--json"})
+	if err := root.Execute(); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("an enabled plugin is a successful install despite the add error: %v\n%s", err, stdout.String())
+	}
+	if !strings.Contains(stdout.String(), "installed and enabled") {
+		t.Errorf("steps = %s", stdout.String())
+	}
+	if listCalls < 2 {
+		t.Errorf("plugin list called %d times, want a post-error probe", listCalls)
+	}
+	marker, _, err := readOmarchyPluginMarker(filepath.Join(stateHome, "hey-cli", "omarchy", "bar-plugin.json"))
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if marker.PendingEnable || marker.InstalledAt == "" {
+		t.Errorf("marker = %+v, want finalized installation", marker)
+	}
+}
+
 func TestSetupOmarchyForceFailsLoudWhenTheShellIsDown(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Setenv("HEY_NO_KEYRING", "1")
 	t.Setenv("HEY_BASE_URL", "")