diff --git a/plugin/pi/index.ts b/plugin/pi/index.ts
index 6f947d5ae..e0be40954 100644
--- a/plugin/pi/index.ts
+++ b/plugin/pi/index.ts
@@ -824,6 +824,9 @@ function spawnAndWaitForEngram(deadline: number, expectedID = ""): Promise<void>
 
     try {
       proc = spawn(ENGRAM_BIN, ["serve"], {
+        // Opt into cloud autosync like the Claude Code and Codex launchers; the
+        // server skips it on its own when no cloud server or token is configured.
+        env: { ...process.env, ENGRAM_CLOUD_AUTOSYNC: "1" },
         windowsHide: true,
         detached: true,
         stdio: "ignore",
diff --git a/plugin/pi/test/startup-lifecycle.test.mjs b/plugin/pi/test/startup-lifecycle.test.mjs
index 6a4821cbe..3efb62af1 100644
--- a/plugin/pi/test/startup-lifecycle.test.mjs
+++ b/plugin/pi/test/startup-lifecycle.test.mjs
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@ if (process.argv.includes("sync") || process.argv.includes("--import")) { append
 const isServe = process.argv[2] === "serve" || isSyntheticServe;
 if (isServe) {
   appendFileSync(${JSON.stringify(spawnLog)}, "serve\\n");
+  appendFileSync(${JSON.stringify(spawnLog)}, "autosync=" + (process.env.ENGRAM_CLOUD_AUTOSYNC ?? "<unset>") + "\\n");
   ${exitCode === undefined
       ? `const server = createServer(async (req, res) => {
   if (req.url === "/sessions") {
@@ -260,6 +261,24 @@ test("a slow health probe never authorizes a duplicate spawn", async () => {
   });
 });
 
+test("a plugin-launched server starts with cloud autosync enabled", async () => {
+  const previous = process.env.ENGRAM_CLOUD_AUTOSYNC;
+  delete process.env.ENGRAM_CLOUD_AUTOSYNC;
+  try {
+    await withFixture({ readyAfterMs: 0 }, async ({ hooks, ctx, spawnLog }) => {
+      await hooks.get("session_start")({}, ctx);
+
+      assert.equal(await countSpawns(spawnLog), 1, "the plugin spawns the server");
+      const log = await readFile(spawnLog, "utf8");
+      assert.ok(log.split("\n").includes("autosync=1"),
+        "the daemon must opt into cloud autosync, like the Claude Code and Codex launchers");
+    });
+  } finally {
+    if (previous === undefined) delete process.env.ENGRAM_CLOUD_AUTOSYNC;
+    else process.env.ENGRAM_CLOUD_AUTOSYNC = previous;
+  }
+});
+
 test("a child that exits before readiness surfaces a normalized tool error", async () => {
   await withFixture({ exitCode: 1 }, async ({ tools, ctx }) => {
     const memSearch = tools.get("mem_search");