diff --git a/scripts/build-hooks.js b/scripts/build-hooks.js
index 2df00280..a5f934bb 100644
--- a/scripts/build-hooks.js
+++ b/scripts/build-hooks.js
@@ -389,11 +389,18 @@ async function buildHooks() {
     if (claudeMemMarketplaceEntry?.source?.path !== './plugin') {
       throw new Error('.agents/plugins/marketplace.json must point claude-mem source.path at ./plugin so Codex loads the bundled plugin root');
     }
+    const rootMcp = JSON.parse(fs.readFileSync('.mcp.json', 'utf-8'));
     const bundledMcp = JSON.parse(fs.readFileSync('plugin/.mcp.json', 'utf-8'));
+    if (JSON.stringify(rootMcp.mcpServers?.['mcp-search']) !== JSON.stringify(bundledMcp.mcpServers?.['mcp-search'])) {
+      throw new Error('.mcp.json and plugin/.mcp.json mcp-search launchers must stay in sync');
+    }
     const mcpSearchCommand = bundledMcp.mcpServers?.['mcp-search']?.args?.join(' ') ?? '';
     if (!mcpSearchCommand.includes('.codex/plugins/cache/claude-mem-local/claude-mem')) {
       throw new Error('plugin/.mcp.json mcp-search launcher must include Codex cache fallback for hosts that do not inject PLUGIN_ROOT');
     }
+    if (!mcpSearchCommand.includes('.claude/plugins/cache/thedotmack/claude-mem')) {
+      throw new Error('plugin/.mcp.json mcp-search launcher must include Claude cache fallback for hosts that do not inject PLUGIN_ROOT');
+    }
     console.log('✓ All required distribution files present');
 
     console.log('\n✅ All build targets compiled successfully!');
diff --git a/tests/infrastructure/plugin-distribution.test.ts b/tests/infrastructure/plugin-distribution.test.ts
index dd415d83..c59dd2b6 100644
--- a/tests/infrastructure/plugin-distribution.test.ts
+++ b/tests/infrastructure/plugin-distribution.test.ts
@@ -70,6 +70,13 @@ describe('Plugin Distribution - Codex Marketplace', () => {
     expect(command).toContain('.claude/plugins/cache/thedotmack/claude-mem');
     expect(command).toContain('claude-mem MCP server not found');
   });
+
+  it('keeps root and bundled MCP launchers in sync', () => {
+    const rootMcp = JSON.parse(readFileSync(path.join(projectRoot, '.mcp.json'), 'utf-8'));
+    const bundledMcp = JSON.parse(readFileSync(path.join(projectRoot, 'plugin/.mcp.json'), 'utf-8'));
+
+    expect(rootMcp.mcpServers['mcp-search']).toEqual(bundledMcp.mcpServers['mcp-search']);
+  });
 });
 
 describe('Plugin Distribution - hooks.json Integrity', () => {