diff --git a/hosts/server/slop/openclaw.nix b/hosts/server/slop/openclaw.nix
index 97c8295..d315878 100644
--- a/hosts/server/slop/openclaw.nix
+++ b/hosts/server/slop/openclaw.nix
@@ -6,12 +6,13 @@
 
 let
   openclawPatched = inputs.openclaw.packages.${pkgs.system}.openclaw-gateway.overrideAttrs (old: {
-    postInstall = (old.postInstall or "") + ''
-      # Point Brave web-search endpoint to local shim
+    installPhase = old.installPhase + ''
+      # Point Brave web-search endpoint to local shim.
+      # NOTE: upstream installPhase script does not run postInstall hooks,
+      # so patch directly at the end of installPhase.
       if [ -d "$out/lib/openclaw/dist" ]; then
         # Web-search tool hardcodes Brave endpoint in bundled JS.
-        # No runtime config option exists for Brave base URL in this OpenClaw version,
-        # so rewrite it at build-time to local brave-shim.
+        # No runtime config option exists for Brave base URL in this OpenClaw version.
         grep -RIl "https://api.search.brave.com" "$out/lib/openclaw/dist" | while read -r f; do
           substituteInPlace "$f" \
             --replace "https://api.search.brave.com/res/v1/web/search" "http://127.0.0.1:8000/res/v1/web/search" \