diff --git a/.changeset/fn-6615-prefer-fresh-src.md b/.changeset/fn-6615-prefer-fresh-src.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..77523045fa
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/fn-6615-prefer-fresh-src.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+"@runfusion/fusion": patch
+---
+
+Prefer fresher TypeScript plugin source over stale gitignored dist output in dev/worktree plugin resolution when no `bundled.js` exists. Production bundled installs remain unaffected because `bundled.js` still always wins.
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/plugins/__tests__/bundled-plugin-install.test.ts b/packages/cli/src/plugins/__tests__/bundled-plugin-install.test.ts
index 90887da9af..a597259559 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/plugins/__tests__/bundled-plugin-install.test.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/plugins/__tests__/bundled-plugin-install.test.ts
@@ -3,17 +3,22 @@ import { describe, it, expect, vi, beforeEach } from "vitest";
 // ── Mocks ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 // vi.mock factories are hoisted, so we use vi.hoisted() for mock references.
 
-const { mockExistsSync, mockStatSync, mockReadFile, mockFsStat, mockCopyFile, mockValidatePluginManifest } = vi.hoisted(() => ({
-  mockExistsSync: vi.fn<(path: string) => boolean>(),
-  mockStatSync: vi.fn<(path: string) => { isDirectory: () => boolean }>(),
-  mockReadFile: vi.fn<(path: string, encoding: string) => Promise<string>>(),
-  mockFsStat: vi.fn<(path: string) => Promise<{ isDirectory: () => boolean }>>(),
-  mockCopyFile: vi.fn<(src: string, dest: string) => Promise<void>>(),
-  mockValidatePluginManifest: vi.fn<(manifest: unknown) => { valid: boolean; errors: string[] }>(),
-}));
+const { mockExistsSync, mockReaddirSync, mockStatSync, mockReadFile, mockFsStat, mockCopyFile, mockValidatePluginManifest } =
+  vi.hoisted(() => ({
+    mockExistsSync: vi.fn<(path: string) => boolean>(),
+    mockReaddirSync: vi.fn<
+      (path: string, options: { withFileTypes: true; encoding: "utf8" }) => Array<{ name: string; isDirectory: () => boolean }>
+    >(),
+    mockStatSync: vi.fn<(path: string) => { isDirectory: () => boolean; mtimeMs?: number }>(),
+    mockReadFile: vi.fn<(path: string, encoding: string) => Promise<string>>(),
+    mockFsStat: vi.fn<(path: string) => Promise<{ isDirectory: () => boolean }>>(),
+    mockCopyFile: vi.fn<(src: string, dest: string) => Promise<void>>(),
+    mockValidatePluginManifest: vi.fn<(manifest: unknown) => { valid: boolean; errors: string[] }>(),
+  }));
 
 vi.mock("node:fs", () => ({
   existsSync: mockExistsSync,
+  readdirSync: mockReaddirSync,
   statSync: mockStatSync,
 }));
 
@@ -201,7 +206,8 @@ async function getResolvedBundledPath(): Promise<string> {
 
 beforeEach(() => {
   vi.clearAllMocks();
-  mockStatSync.mockImplementation(() => ({ isDirectory: () => false }));
+  mockReaddirSync.mockReturnValue([{ name: "index.ts", isDirectory: () => false }]);
+  mockStatSync.mockImplementation(() => ({ isDirectory: () => false, mtimeMs: 0 }));
   mockFsStat.mockImplementation(async () => ({ isDirectory: () => false }));
   mockCopyFile.mockResolvedValue();
 });
@@ -217,8 +223,27 @@ describe("resolvePluginEntryPath", () => {
     expect(resolvePluginEntryPath("/tmp/plugin")).toBe("/tmp/plugin/bundled.js");
   });
 
-  it("prefers dist/index.js when bundled.js is unavailable", () => {
+  it("prefers src/index.ts when bundled.js is unavailable and src is newer than dist", () => {
     mockExistsSync.mockImplementation((p: string) => p.endsWith("/src/index.ts") || p.endsWith("/dist/index.js"));
+    mockStatSync.mockImplementation((p: string) => ({
+      isDirectory: () => false,
+      mtimeMs: p.endsWith("/dist/index.js") ? 1 : 2,
+    }));
+    expect(resolvePluginEntryPath("/tmp/plugin")).toBe("/tmp/plugin/src/index.ts");
+  });
+
+  it("prefers dist/index.js when bundled.js is unavailable and dist is newer", () => {
+    mockExistsSync.mockImplementation((p: string) => p.endsWith("/src/index.ts") || p.endsWith("/dist/index.js"));
+    mockStatSync.mockImplementation((p: string) => ({
+      isDirectory: () => false,
+      mtimeMs: p.endsWith("/dist/index.js") ? 2 : 1,
+    }));
+    expect(resolvePluginEntryPath("/tmp/plugin")).toBe("/tmp/plugin/dist/index.js");
+  });
+
+  it("prefers dist/index.js when bundled.js is unavailable and mtimes are equal", () => {
+    mockExistsSync.mockImplementation((p: string) => p.endsWith("/src/index.ts") || p.endsWith("/dist/index.js"));
+    mockStatSync.mockImplementation(() => ({ isDirectory: () => false, mtimeMs: 1 }));
     expect(resolvePluginEntryPath("/tmp/plugin")).toBe("/tmp/plugin/dist/index.js");
   });
 
@@ -252,6 +277,7 @@ describe("ensureBundledDependencyGraphPluginInstalled", () => {
     }));
     vi.doMock("node:fs", () => ({
       existsSync: mockExistsSync,
+      readdirSync: mockReaddirSync,
       statSync: mockStatSync,
     }));
     vi.doMock("node:fs/promises", () => ({
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/plugins/__tests__/resolve-plugin-entry-path-sync.test.ts b/packages/cli/src/plugins/__tests__/resolve-plugin-entry-path-sync.test.ts
index 0fa5e80258..525a27082f 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/plugins/__tests__/resolve-plugin-entry-path-sync.test.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/plugins/__tests__/resolve-plugin-entry-path-sync.test.ts
@@ -12,8 +12,8 @@
  * seam that exercises both implementations equally.
  */
 import { describe, it, expect, beforeEach, afterEach } from "vitest";
-import { mkdtempSync, mkdirSync, writeFileSync, rmSync } from "node:fs";
-import { join } from "node:path";
+import { mkdtempSync, mkdirSync, writeFileSync, rmSync, utimesSync } from "node:fs";
+import { dirname, join } from "node:path";
 import { tmpdir } from "node:os";
 import { resolvePluginEntryPath as cliResolve } from "../bundled-plugin-install.js";
 import { resolvePluginEntryPath as coreResolve } from "@fusion/core";
@@ -31,16 +31,53 @@ describe("resolvePluginEntryPath: CLI copy stays in sync with @fusion/core", ()
 
   function touch(relative: string) {
     const full = join(dir, relative);
-    mkdirSync(join(full, ".."), { recursive: true });
+    mkdirSync(dirname(full), { recursive: true });
     writeFileSync(full, "// entry\n");
   }
 
-  const layouts: Array<{ name: string; files: string[]; expected: string | null }> = [
+  const older = new Date("2026-01-01T00:00:00.000Z");
+  const newer = new Date("2026-01-01T00:01:00.000Z");
+
+  const layouts: Array<{
+    name: string;
+    files: string[];
+    expected: string | null;
+    mtimes?: Record<string, Date>;
+  }> = [
     { name: "bundled.js only", files: ["bundled.js"], expected: "bundled.js" },
     { name: "dist/index.js only", files: ["dist/index.js"], expected: "dist/index.js" },
     { name: "src/index.ts only", files: ["src/index.ts"], expected: "src/index.ts" },
     { name: "bundled.js preferred over src", files: ["bundled.js", "src/index.ts"], expected: "bundled.js" },
-    { name: "dist preferred over src", files: ["dist/index.js", "src/index.ts"], expected: "dist/index.js" },
+    {
+      name: "dist + src, src newer → src/index.ts",
+      files: ["dist/index.js", "src/index.ts"],
+      expected: "src/index.ts",
+      mtimes: { "dist/index.js": older, "src/index.ts": newer },
+    },
+    {
+      name: "dist + src, dist newer → dist/index.js",
+      files: ["dist/index.js", "src/index.ts"],
+      expected: "dist/index.js",
+      mtimes: { "dist/index.js": newer, "src/index.ts": older },
+    },
+    {
+      name: "dist + src, equal mtimes → dist/index.js",
+      files: ["dist/index.js", "src/index.ts"],
+      expected: "dist/index.js",
+      mtimes: { "dist/index.js": older, "src/index.ts": older },
+    },
+    {
+      name: "dist + src, non-index src file newer → src/index.ts",
+      files: ["dist/index.js", "src/index.ts", "src/settings.ts"],
+      expected: "src/index.ts",
+      mtimes: { "dist/index.js": older, "src/index.ts": older, "src/settings.ts": newer },
+    },
+    {
+      name: "bundled.js + dist + src, src newer → bundled.js",
+      files: ["bundled.js", "dist/index.js", "src/index.ts"],
+      expected: "bundled.js",
+      mtimes: { "dist/index.js": older, "src/index.ts": newer },
+    },
     { name: "all three → bundled.js", files: ["bundled.js", "dist/index.js", "src/index.ts"], expected: "bundled.js" },
     { name: "no entry files", files: ["README.md"], expected: null },
   ];
@@ -48,6 +85,9 @@ describe("resolvePluginEntryPath: CLI copy stays in sync with @fusion/core", ()
   for (const layout of layouts) {
     it(`resolves identically for: ${layout.name}`, () => {
       for (const f of layout.files) touch(f);
+      for (const [file, mtime] of Object.entries(layout.mtimes ?? {})) {
+        utimesSync(join(dir, file), mtime, mtime);
+      }
       const expected = layout.expected === null ? null : join(dir, layout.expected);
 
       expect(cliResolve(dir)).toBe(expected);
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/plugins/bundled-plugin-install.ts b/packages/cli/src/plugins/bundled-plugin-install.ts
index 6f5beede25..6a9b5af702 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/plugins/bundled-plugin-install.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/plugins/bundled-plugin-install.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { existsSync, statSync } from "node:fs";
+import { existsSync, readdirSync, statSync } from "node:fs";
 import { readFile } from "node:fs/promises";
 import { dirname, join, resolve } from "node:path";
 import { fileURLToPath } from "node:url";
@@ -70,10 +70,17 @@ function resolveBundledPluginDir(pluginId: string): string | null {
 /**
  * Resolve the actual loadable entry FILE path for a plugin directory. Node ESM
  * does not allow directory imports, so we must register the explicit file the
- * loader will dynamic-import. Preference order:
- *   1. ./bundled.js   (esbuild-bundled, shipped in npm tarball)
- *   2. ./dist/index.js (legacy prebuilt fallback)
- *   3. ./src/index.ts (workspace/dev fallback when no bundle exists)
+ * loader will dynamic-import. Resolution keeps ./bundled.js unconditional
+ * because production npm tarballs ship that esbuild-bundled entry. In
+ * dev/worktree contexts where no bundle exists, ./dist/index.js remains the
+ * prebuilt fallback unless any file under ./src/ is newer than dist/index.js;
+ * then ./src/index.ts wins so stale gitignored dist output cannot mask a source
+ * fix (FN-6615/FN-6596).
+ *
+ * FNXC:PluginLoader 2026-06-17-19:20:
+ * Prefer fresher src over stale dist only when bundled.js is absent. This keeps
+ * production tarballs on their bundled entry while preventing dev/worktree runs
+ * from silently loading old gitignored build output after a source fix.
  *
  * Returns null when the directory exists but none of the loadable entry files
  * are present. Callers must treat that as a missing bundle rather than
@@ -82,16 +89,74 @@ function resolveBundledPluginDir(pluginId: string): string | null {
  * Keep in sync with resolvePluginEntryPath in @fusion/core (plugin-loader.ts),
  * which the dashboard install/enable routes use for the same contract.
  */
-export function resolvePluginEntryPath(pluginDir: string): string | null {
-  const candidates = [
-    join(pluginDir, "bundled.js"),
-    join(pluginDir, "dist", "index.js"),
-    join(pluginDir, "src", "index.ts"),
-  ];
-  for (const candidate of candidates) {
-    if (existsSync(candidate)) {
-      return candidate;
+function newestSourceMtimeMs(srcDir: string): number | null {
+  let newest = Number.NEGATIVE_INFINITY;
+
+  function visit(dir: string): boolean {
+    const entries = (() => {
+      try {
+        return readdirSync(dir, { withFileTypes: true, encoding: "utf8" });
+      } catch {
+        return null;
+      }
+    })();
+    if (!entries) return false;
+
+    for (const entry of entries) {
+      const entryPath = join(dir, entry.name);
+      let entryStat: ReturnType<typeof statSync>;
+      try {
+        entryStat = statSync(entryPath);
+      } catch {
+        return false;
+      }
+
+      if (entryStat.isDirectory()) {
+        if (!visit(entryPath)) return false;
+        continue;
+      }
+
+      if (entryStat.mtimeMs > newest) {
+        newest = entryStat.mtimeMs;
+      }
     }
+
+    return true;
+  }
+
+  return visit(srcDir) && newest !== Number.NEGATIVE_INFINITY ? newest : null;
+}
+
+function isSourceNewerThanDist(srcDir: string, distIndexPath: string): boolean {
+  try {
+    const distMtimeMs = statSync(distIndexPath).mtimeMs;
+    const srcMtimeMs = newestSourceMtimeMs(srcDir);
+    return srcMtimeMs !== null && srcMtimeMs > distMtimeMs;
+  } catch {
+    return false;
+  }
+}
+
+export function resolvePluginEntryPath(pluginDir: string): string | null {
+  const bundledPath = join(pluginDir, "bundled.js");
+  if (existsSync(bundledPath)) {
+    return bundledPath;
+  }
+
+  const distIndexPath = join(pluginDir, "dist", "index.js");
+  const srcDir = join(pluginDir, "src");
+  const srcIndexPath = join(srcDir, "index.ts");
+  const hasDist = existsSync(distIndexPath);
+  const hasSrc = existsSync(srcIndexPath);
+
+  if (hasDist && hasSrc) {
+    return isSourceNewerThanDist(srcDir, distIndexPath) ? srcIndexPath : distIndexPath;
+  }
+  if (hasDist) {
+    return distIndexPath;
+  }
+  if (hasSrc) {
+    return srcIndexPath;
   }
   return null;
 }
diff --git a/packages/core/src/__tests__/plugin-loader.test.ts b/packages/core/src/__tests__/plugin-loader.test.ts
index bb011e0a1b..0bf99618e1 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/__tests__/plugin-loader.test.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/__tests__/plugin-loader.test.ts
@@ -2,9 +2,9 @@ import { describe, it, expect, beforeEach, afterEach, vi } from "vitest";
 import { writeFile, mkdir } from "node:fs/promises";
 import { join } from "node:path";
 import { fileURLToPath } from "node:url";
-import { mkdtempSync, existsSync } from "node:fs";
+import { mkdtempSync, existsSync, rmSync, utimesSync } from "node:fs";
 import { tmpdir } from "node:os";
-import { PluginLoader } from "../plugin-loader.js";
+import { PluginLoader, resolvePluginEntryPath } from "../plugin-loader.js";
 import * as loggerModule from "../logger.js";
 
 const scanPluginSecurityMock = vi.fn();
@@ -126,6 +126,73 @@ function droidPluginModulePath(): string {
   );
 }
 
+describe("resolvePluginEntryPath", () => {
+  let pluginDir: string;
+
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    pluginDir = makeTmpDir();
+  });
+
+  afterEach(() => {
+    rmSync(pluginDir, { recursive: true, force: true });
+  });
+
+  async function writeEntry(relative: string): Promise<string> {
+    const path = join(pluginDir, relative);
+    await mkdir(join(path, ".."), { recursive: true });
+    await writeFile(path, "// entry\n");
+    return path;
+  }
+
+  it("prefers fresher src/index.ts over stale dist when no bundle exists", async () => {
+    const dist = await writeEntry("dist/index.js");
+    const src = await writeEntry("src/index.ts");
+    const older = new Date("2026-01-01T00:00:00.000Z");
+    const newer = new Date("2026-01-01T00:01:00.000Z");
+    utimesSync(dist, older, older);
+    utimesSync(src, newer, newer);
+
+    expect(resolvePluginEntryPath(pluginDir)).toBe(src);
+  });
+
+  it("keeps dist/index.js when dist is newer than src", async () => {
+    const dist = await writeEntry("dist/index.js");
+    const src = await writeEntry("src/index.ts");
+    const older = new Date("2026-01-01T00:00:00.000Z");
+    const newer = new Date("2026-01-01T00:01:00.000Z");
+    utimesSync(dist, newer, newer);
+    utimesSync(src, older, older);
+
+    expect(resolvePluginEntryPath(pluginDir)).toBe(dist);
+  });
+
+  it("uses newest non-index src file for freshness and still returns src/index.ts", async () => {
+    const dist = await writeEntry("dist/index.js");
+    const src = await writeEntry("src/index.ts");
+    const settings = await writeEntry("src/settings.ts");
+    const older = new Date("2026-01-01T00:00:00.000Z");
+    const newer = new Date("2026-01-01T00:01:00.000Z");
+    utimesSync(dist, older, older);
+    utimesSync(src, older, older);
+    utimesSync(settings, newer, newer);
+
+    expect(resolvePluginEntryPath(pluginDir)).toBe(src);
+  });
+
+  it("always keeps bundled.js first regardless of dist or src freshness", async () => {
+    const bundled = await writeEntry("bundled.js");
+    const dist = await writeEntry("dist/index.js");
+    const src = await writeEntry("src/index.ts");
+    const older = new Date("2026-01-01T00:00:00.000Z");
+    const newer = new Date("2026-01-01T00:01:00.000Z");
+    utimesSync(bundled, older, older);
+    utimesSync(dist, older, older);
+    utimesSync(src, newer, newer);
+
+    expect(resolvePluginEntryPath(pluginDir)).toBe(bundled);
+  });
+});
+
 // Mock TaskStore for testing
 const mockTaskStore = {
   logActivity: vi.fn(),
diff --git a/packages/core/src/plugin-loader.ts b/packages/core/src/plugin-loader.ts
index d6f1f5adb1..8e8e6a1f7e 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/plugin-loader.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/plugin-loader.ts
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@
  */
 
 import { basename, dirname, extname, isAbsolute, join, resolve } from "node:path";
-import { existsSync } from "node:fs";
+import { existsSync, readdirSync, statSync } from "node:fs";
 import { stat } from "node:fs/promises";
 import { copyFile } from "node:fs/promises";
 import { pathToFileURL } from "node:url";
@@ -53,10 +53,17 @@ let moduleImportVersion = 0;
 /**
  * Resolve the actual loadable entry FILE path for a plugin directory. Node ESM
  * does not allow directory imports, so the registered plugin path must be the
- * explicit file the loader will dynamic-import. Preference order:
- *   1. ./bundled.js   (esbuild-bundled, shipped in npm tarball)
- *   2. ./dist/index.js (legacy prebuilt fallback)
- *   3. ./src/index.ts (workspace/dev fallback when no bundle exists)
+ * explicit file the loader will dynamic-import. Resolution keeps ./bundled.js
+ * unconditional because production npm tarballs ship that esbuild-bundled entry.
+ * In dev/worktree contexts where no bundle exists, ./dist/index.js remains the
+ * prebuilt fallback unless any file under ./src/ is newer than dist/index.js;
+ * then ./src/index.ts wins so stale gitignored dist output cannot mask a source
+ * fix (FN-6615/FN-6596).
+ *
+ * FNXC:PluginLoader 2026-06-17-19:20:
+ * Prefer fresher src over stale dist only when bundled.js is absent. This keeps
+ * production tarballs on their bundled entry while preventing dev/worktree runs
+ * from silently loading old gitignored build output after a source fix.
  *
  * Returns null when the directory exists but none of the loadable entry files
  * are present. Callers must treat that as a missing/unloadable plugin rather
@@ -65,16 +72,74 @@ let moduleImportVersion = 0;
  * Keep in sync with resolvePluginEntryPath in the CLI's
  * bundled-plugin-install.ts, which keeps a local copy so its fs mocks work.
  */
-export function resolvePluginEntryPath(pluginDir: string): string | null {
-  const candidates = [
-    join(pluginDir, "bundled.js"),
-    join(pluginDir, "dist", "index.js"),
-    join(pluginDir, "src", "index.ts"),
-  ];
-  for (const candidate of candidates) {
-    if (existsSync(candidate)) {
-      return candidate;
+function newestSourceMtimeMs(srcDir: string): number | null {
+  let newest = Number.NEGATIVE_INFINITY;
+
+  function visit(dir: string): boolean {
+    const entries = (() => {
+      try {
+        return readdirSync(dir, { withFileTypes: true, encoding: "utf8" });
+      } catch {
+        return null;
+      }
+    })();
+    if (!entries) return false;
+
+    for (const entry of entries) {
+      const entryPath = join(dir, entry.name);
+      let entryStat: ReturnType<typeof statSync>;
+      try {
+        entryStat = statSync(entryPath);
+      } catch {
+        return false;
+      }
+
+      if (entryStat.isDirectory()) {
+        if (!visit(entryPath)) return false;
+        continue;
+      }
+
+      if (entryStat.mtimeMs > newest) {
+        newest = entryStat.mtimeMs;
+      }
     }
+
+    return true;
+  }
+
+  return visit(srcDir) && newest !== Number.NEGATIVE_INFINITY ? newest : null;
+}
+
+function isSourceNewerThanDist(srcDir: string, distIndexPath: string): boolean {
+  try {
+    const distMtimeMs = statSync(distIndexPath).mtimeMs;
+    const srcMtimeMs = newestSourceMtimeMs(srcDir);
+    return srcMtimeMs !== null && srcMtimeMs > distMtimeMs;
+  } catch {
+    return false;
+  }
+}
+
+export function resolvePluginEntryPath(pluginDir: string): string | null {
+  const bundledPath = join(pluginDir, "bundled.js");
+  if (existsSync(bundledPath)) {
+    return bundledPath;
+  }
+
+  const distIndexPath = join(pluginDir, "dist", "index.js");
+  const srcDir = join(pluginDir, "src");
+  const srcIndexPath = join(srcDir, "index.ts");
+  const hasDist = existsSync(distIndexPath);
+  const hasSrc = existsSync(srcIndexPath);
+
+  if (hasDist && hasSrc) {
+    return isSourceNewerThanDist(srcDir, distIndexPath) ? srcIndexPath : distIndexPath;
+  }
+  if (hasDist) {
+    return distIndexPath;
+  }
+  if (hasSrc) {
+    return srcIndexPath;
   }
   return null;
 }