[BUG] Plugin marketplace shows 'installed' for project-scoped plugins from other projects

Found 3 possible duplicate issues:

1. https://github.com/anthropics/claude-code/issues/18196
2. https://github.com/anthropics/claude-code/issues/14202
3. https://github.com/anthropics/claude-code/issues/14185

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🤖 Generated with Claude Code

Additional Information

Another manifestation of this bug

Running the install command also incorrectly reports the plugin as already installed:

/plugin install superpowers@claude-plugins-official --scope project

Error: Plugin 'superpowers@claude-plugins-official' is already installed. Use '/plugin' to manage existing plugins.

This is incorrect - the plugin is NOT installed in the current project scope, only in a different project's scope.

Correction to reproduction steps

Step 6 should be more specific:

1. Run /plugin → go to Discover tab → select Browse plugins → plugin shows as "installed" (incorrect)

---

So there are two issues stemming from the same root cause:

1. Marketplace incorrectly shows "installed" status for project-scoped plugins from other projects
2. Install command incorrectly blocks installation saying plugin is "already installed" when it's only installed in a different project's scope

I have the exact same issue on Windows.

None of the blue plugins are actually installed globally or at the current project/local level (I have zero plugins installed globally since I want to manage everything in either local or project scope).

When I try to select one, it immediately redirects me to the "Discover" tab. Running /plugin install github@claude-plugins-official --scope project gives me:

Plugin 'github@claude-plugins-official' is already installed. Use '/plugin' to manage existing plugins.

...even though it's not installed globally or in the current project. It's installed in another project, which seems to be the root of the confusion.

<img width="588" height="418" alt="Image" src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/d38163cc-3c04-438a-963a-3d7f3bf90bb6" />

Reproducible in Claude Code v2.1.39 (macOS)

FWIW removing and re-adding the marketplace and then reinstalling the plugin seems to work

I cannot overstate how critical this issue is. This is massively impeding claude code adoption within my organization. My entire team spends hours a day JUST helping people overcome this issue given that all of the organization's domain specific development knowledge is distributed via skills in a custom plugin.

AI Assistant:

Hitting this same bug. There's a workaround tool that patches the config files directly: claude-plugin-install

curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/shibuido/claude-plugin-install/master/claude-plugin-install -o claude-plugin-install
chmod +x claude-plugin-install
./claude-plugin-install -p PLUGIN@MARKETPLACE

Features: plugin memory (install once, pick from menu next time), fuzzy search with sk/fzf, marketplace sync, multi-scope support, batch operations, and automatic backups.

Same root cause as #14202, #20593, and #14185.

Repo: https://github.com/shibuido/claude-plugin-install

Same bug on macOS. Installed ralph-loop with project scope in one project, then opened Claude Code in a different project. /plugin shows nothing installed, but /plugin install ralph-loop@claude-plugin-directory says "already installed." Stuck in a Catch-22 — CLI thinks it's installed globally, but it's not available per-project.

installed_plugins.json has the entry with "scope": "project" pointing to the old project. The enabledPlugins in settings.json also doesn't include it.

Manually editing installed_plugins.json to change scope to "user" works around it.

Sharing pain @rurza, in mean time: https://github.com/shibuido/claude-plugin-install offers --scope flag , so maybe handy, check --help and in case of improvements just file github issue if you need any.

@gwpl I tried it, but sadly it only helps install plugins rather than patch the system to fix stuff, but it is still manual, so I found it no easier than copypasting the plugin names into my settings.json

Closing for now — inactive for too long. Please open a new issue if this is still relevant.

This issue has been automatically locked since it was closed and has not had any activity for 7 days. If you're experiencing a similar issue, please file a new issue and reference this one if it's relevant.