diff --git a/extensions/matrix/src/matrix/client/storage.test.ts b/extensions/matrix/src/matrix/client/storage.test.ts
index 6019ce0275c..1d368c90fce 100644
--- a/extensions/matrix/src/matrix/client/storage.test.ts
+++ b/extensions/matrix/src/matrix/client/storage.test.ts
@@ -112,6 +112,32 @@ describe("matrix client storage paths", () => {
     expect(fs.existsSync(storagePaths.cryptoPath)).toBe(true);
   });
 
+  it("continues migrating whichever legacy artifact is still missing", async () => {
+    const stateDir = setupStateDir();
+    const storagePaths = resolveMatrixStoragePaths({
+      homeserver: "https://matrix.example.org",
+      userId: "@bot:example.org",
+      accessToken: "secret-token",
+      env: {},
+    });
+    const legacyRoot = path.join(stateDir, "matrix");
+    fs.mkdirSync(storagePaths.rootDir, { recursive: true });
+    fs.writeFileSync(storagePaths.storagePath, '{"new":true}');
+    fs.mkdirSync(path.join(legacyRoot, "crypto"), { recursive: true });
+
+    await maybeMigrateLegacyStorage({
+      storagePaths,
+      env: {},
+    });
+
+    expect(maybeCreateMatrixMigrationSnapshotMock).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+      expect.objectContaining({ trigger: "matrix-client-fallback" }),
+    );
+    expect(fs.readFileSync(storagePaths.storagePath, "utf8")).toBe('{"new":true}');
+    expect(fs.existsSync(path.join(legacyRoot, "crypto"))).toBe(false);
+    expect(fs.existsSync(storagePaths.cryptoPath)).toBe(true);
+  });
+
   it("refuses to migrate legacy storage when the snapshot step fails", async () => {
     const stateDir = setupStateDir();
     const storagePaths = resolveMatrixStoragePaths({
diff --git a/extensions/matrix/src/matrix/client/storage.ts b/extensions/matrix/src/matrix/client/storage.ts
index 311f86c17d0..447f66443b0 100644
--- a/extensions/matrix/src/matrix/client/storage.ts
+++ b/extensions/matrix/src/matrix/client/storage.ts
@@ -185,18 +185,20 @@ export async function maybeMigrateLegacyStorage(params: {
   storagePaths: MatrixStoragePaths;
   env?: NodeJS.ProcessEnv;
 }): Promise<void> {
-  const hasNewStorage =
-    fs.existsSync(params.storagePaths.storagePath) || fs.existsSync(params.storagePaths.cryptoPath);
-  if (hasNewStorage) {
-    return;
-  }
-
   const legacy = resolveLegacyStoragePaths(params.env);
   const hasLegacyStorage = fs.existsSync(legacy.storagePath);
   const hasLegacyCrypto = fs.existsSync(legacy.cryptoPath);
   if (!hasLegacyStorage && !hasLegacyCrypto) {
     return;
   }
+  const hasTargetStorage = fs.existsSync(params.storagePaths.storagePath);
+  const hasTargetCrypto = fs.existsSync(params.storagePaths.cryptoPath);
+  // Continue partial migrations one artifact at a time; only skip items whose targets already exist.
+  const shouldMigrateStorage = hasLegacyStorage && !hasTargetStorage;
+  const shouldMigrateCrypto = hasLegacyCrypto && !hasTargetCrypto;
+  if (!shouldMigrateStorage && !shouldMigrateCrypto) {
+    return;
+  }
 
   assertLegacyMigrationAccountSelection({
     accountKey: params.storagePaths.accountKey,
@@ -210,22 +212,31 @@ export async function maybeMigrateLegacyStorage(params: {
   });
   fs.mkdirSync(params.storagePaths.rootDir, { recursive: true });
   const moved: LegacyMoveRecord[] = [];
+  const skippedExistingTargets: string[] = [];
   try {
-    if (hasLegacyStorage) {
+    if (shouldMigrateStorage) {
       moveLegacyStoragePathOrThrow({
         sourcePath: legacy.storagePath,
         targetPath: params.storagePaths.storagePath,
         label: "sync store",
         moved,
       });
+    } else if (hasLegacyStorage) {
+      skippedExistingTargets.push(
+        `- sync store remains at ${legacy.storagePath} because ${params.storagePaths.storagePath} already exists`,
+      );
     }
-    if (hasLegacyCrypto) {
+    if (shouldMigrateCrypto) {
       moveLegacyStoragePathOrThrow({
         sourcePath: legacy.cryptoPath,
         targetPath: params.storagePaths.cryptoPath,
         label: "crypto store",
         moved,
       });
+    } else if (hasLegacyCrypto) {
+      skippedExistingTargets.push(
+        `- crypto store remains at ${legacy.cryptoPath} because ${params.storagePaths.cryptoPath} already exists`,
+      );
     }
   } catch (err) {
     const rollbackError = rollbackLegacyMoves(moved);
@@ -242,6 +253,11 @@ export async function maybeMigrateLegacyStorage(params: {
         .join("\n")}`,
     );
   }
+  if (skippedExistingTargets.length > 0) {
+    logger.warn?.(
+      `matrix: legacy client storage still exists in the flat path because some account-scoped targets already existed.\n${skippedExistingTargets.join("\n")}`,
+    );
+  }
 }
 
 function moveLegacyStoragePathOrThrow(params: {
diff --git a/src/gateway/server-startup-matrix-migration.test.ts b/src/gateway/server-startup-matrix-migration.test.ts
index 548c6fa571c..95e72bf39dc 100644
--- a/src/gateway/server-startup-matrix-migration.test.ts
+++ b/src/gateway/server-startup-matrix-migration.test.ts
@@ -127,4 +127,54 @@ describe("runStartupMatrixMigration", () => {
       );
     });
   });
+
+  it("downgrades migration step failures to warnings so startup can continue", async () => {
+    await withTempHome(async (home) => {
+      const stateDir = path.join(home, ".openclaw");
+      await fs.mkdir(path.join(stateDir, "matrix"), { recursive: true });
+      await fs.writeFile(path.join(stateDir, "matrix", "bot-storage.json"), '{"legacy":true}');
+      const maybeCreateMatrixMigrationSnapshotMock = vi.fn(async () => ({
+        created: true,
+        archivePath: "/tmp/snapshot.tar.gz",
+        markerPath: "/tmp/migration-snapshot.json",
+      }));
+      const autoMigrateLegacyMatrixStateMock = vi.fn(async () => ({
+        migrated: true,
+        changes: [],
+        warnings: [],
+      }));
+      const autoPrepareLegacyMatrixCryptoMock = vi.fn(async () => {
+        throw new Error("disk full");
+      });
+      const warn = vi.fn();
+
+      await expect(
+        runStartupMatrixMigration({
+          cfg: {
+            channels: {
+              matrix: {
+                homeserver: "https://matrix.example.org",
+                userId: "@bot:example.org",
+                accessToken: "tok-123",
+              },
+            },
+          } as never,
+          env: process.env,
+          deps: {
+            maybeCreateMatrixMigrationSnapshot: maybeCreateMatrixMigrationSnapshotMock,
+            autoMigrateLegacyMatrixState: autoMigrateLegacyMatrixStateMock,
+            autoPrepareLegacyMatrixCrypto: autoPrepareLegacyMatrixCryptoMock,
+          },
+          log: { warn },
+        }),
+      ).resolves.toBeUndefined();
+
+      expect(maybeCreateMatrixMigrationSnapshotMock).toHaveBeenCalledOnce();
+      expect(autoMigrateLegacyMatrixStateMock).toHaveBeenCalledOnce();
+      expect(autoPrepareLegacyMatrixCryptoMock).toHaveBeenCalledOnce();
+      expect(warn).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+        "gateway: legacy Matrix encrypted-state preparation failed during Matrix migration; continuing startup: Error: disk full",
+      );
+    });
+  });
 });
diff --git a/src/gateway/server-startup-matrix-migration.ts b/src/gateway/server-startup-matrix-migration.ts
index 7774b4f3d6c..64a5f4e0721 100644
--- a/src/gateway/server-startup-matrix-migration.ts
+++ b/src/gateway/server-startup-matrix-migration.ts
@@ -12,6 +12,20 @@ type MatrixMigrationLogger = {
   warn?: (message: string) => void;
 };
 
+async function runBestEffortMatrixMigrationStep(params: {
+  label: string;
+  log: MatrixMigrationLogger;
+  run: () => Promise<unknown>;
+}): Promise<void> {
+  try {
+    await params.run();
+  } catch (err) {
+    params.log.warn?.(
+      `gateway: ${params.label} failed during Matrix migration; continuing startup: ${String(err)}`,
+    );
+  }
+}
+
 export async function runStartupMatrixMigration(params: {
   cfg: OpenClawConfig;
   env?: NodeJS.ProcessEnv;
@@ -55,14 +69,24 @@ export async function runStartupMatrixMigration(params: {
     return;
   }
 
-  await migrateLegacyState({
-    cfg: params.cfg,
-    env,
+  await runBestEffortMatrixMigrationStep({
+    label: "legacy Matrix state migration",
     log: params.log,
+    run: () =>
+      migrateLegacyState({
+        cfg: params.cfg,
+        env,
+        log: params.log,
+      }),
   });
-  await prepareLegacyCrypto({
-    cfg: params.cfg,
-    env,
+  await runBestEffortMatrixMigrationStep({
+    label: "legacy Matrix encrypted-state preparation",
     log: params.log,
+    run: () =>
+      prepareLegacyCrypto({
+        cfg: params.cfg,
+        env,
+        log: params.log,
+      }),
   });
 }
diff --git a/src/infra/matrix-legacy-crypto.test.ts b/src/infra/matrix-legacy-crypto.test.ts
index 90326af874c..2e3d52fdd24 100644
--- a/src/infra/matrix-legacy-crypto.test.ts
+++ b/src/infra/matrix-legacy-crypto.test.ts
@@ -121,6 +121,54 @@ describe("matrix legacy encrypted-state migration", () => {
     });
   });
 
+  it("warns instead of throwing when recovery-key persistence fails", async () => {
+    await withTempHome(async (home) => {
+      const stateDir = path.join(home, ".openclaw");
+      const cfg: OpenClawConfig = {
+        channels: {
+          matrix: {
+            homeserver: "https://matrix.example.org",
+            userId: "@bot:example.org",
+            accessToken: "tok-123",
+          },
+        },
+      };
+      const { rootDir } = resolveMatrixAccountStorageRoot({
+        stateDir,
+        homeserver: "https://matrix.example.org",
+        userId: "@bot:example.org",
+        accessToken: "tok-123",
+      });
+      writeFile(path.join(rootDir, "crypto", "bot-sdk.json"), '{"deviceId":"DEVICE123"}');
+
+      const result = await autoPrepareLegacyMatrixCrypto({
+        cfg,
+        env: process.env,
+        deps: {
+          inspectLegacyStore: async () => ({
+            deviceId: "DEVICE123",
+            roomKeyCounts: { total: 12, backedUp: 12 },
+            backupVersion: "1",
+            decryptionKeyBase64: "YWJjZA==",
+          }),
+          writeJsonFileAtomically: async (filePath) => {
+            if (filePath.endsWith("recovery-key.json")) {
+              throw new Error("disk full");
+            }
+            writeFile(filePath, JSON.stringify({ ok: true }, null, 2));
+          },
+        },
+      });
+
+      expect(result.migrated).toBe(false);
+      expect(result.warnings).toContain(
+        `Failed writing Matrix recovery key for account "default" (${path.join(rootDir, "recovery-key.json")}): Error: disk full`,
+      );
+      expect(fs.existsSync(path.join(rootDir, "recovery-key.json"))).toBe(false);
+      expect(fs.existsSync(path.join(rootDir, "legacy-crypto-migration.json"))).toBe(false);
+    });
+  });
+
   it("prepares flat legacy crypto for the only configured non-default Matrix account", async () => {
     await withTempHome(async (home) => {
       const stateDir = path.join(home, ".openclaw");
diff --git a/src/infra/matrix-legacy-crypto.ts b/src/infra/matrix-legacy-crypto.ts
index a025e699296..00caf4c10f2 100644
--- a/src/infra/matrix-legacy-crypto.ts
+++ b/src/infra/matrix-legacy-crypto.ts
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ import os from "node:os";
 import path from "node:path";
 import type { OpenClawConfig } from "../config/config.js";
 import { resolveStateDir } from "../config/paths.js";
-import { writeJsonFileAtomically } from "../plugin-sdk/json-store.js";
+import { writeJsonFileAtomically as writeJsonFileAtomicallyImpl } from "../plugin-sdk/json-store.js";
 import { resolveConfiguredMatrixAccountIds } from "./matrix-account-selection.js";
 import {
   resolveLegacyMatrixFlatStoreTarget,
@@ -70,6 +70,7 @@ type MatrixLegacyCryptoPreparationResult = {
 
 type MatrixLegacyCryptoPrepareDeps = {
   inspectLegacyStore: MatrixLegacyCryptoInspector;
+  writeJsonFileAtomically: typeof writeJsonFileAtomicallyImpl;
 };
 
 type MatrixLegacyBotSdkMetadata = {
@@ -285,8 +286,9 @@ function loadLegacyCryptoMigrationState(filePath: string): MatrixLegacyCryptoMig
 async function persistLegacyMigrationState(params: {
   filePath: string;
   state: MatrixLegacyCryptoMigrationState;
+  writeJsonFileAtomically: typeof writeJsonFileAtomicallyImpl;
 }): Promise<void> {
-  await writeJsonFileAtomically(params.filePath, params.state);
+  await params.writeJsonFileAtomically(params.filePath, params.state);
 }
 
 export function detectLegacyMatrixCrypto(params: {
@@ -325,6 +327,8 @@ export async function autoPrepareLegacyMatrixCrypto(params: {
   const warnings = [...detection.warnings];
   const changes: string[] = [];
   let inspectLegacyStore = params.deps?.inspectLegacyStore;
+  const writeJsonFileAtomically =
+    params.deps?.writeJsonFileAtomically ?? writeJsonFileAtomicallyImpl;
   if (!inspectLegacyStore) {
     try {
       inspectLegacyStore = await loadMatrixLegacyCryptoInspector({
@@ -394,11 +398,17 @@ export async function autoPrepareLegacyMatrixCrypto(params: {
           keyId: null,
           privateKeyBase64: summary.decryptionKeyBase64,
         };
-        await writeJsonFileAtomically(plan.recoveryKeyPath, payload);
-        changes.push(
-          `Imported Matrix legacy backup key for account "${plan.accountId}": ${plan.recoveryKeyPath}`,
-        );
-        decryptionKeyImported = true;
+        try {
+          await writeJsonFileAtomically(plan.recoveryKeyPath, payload);
+          changes.push(
+            `Imported Matrix legacy backup key for account "${plan.accountId}": ${plan.recoveryKeyPath}`,
+          );
+          decryptionKeyImported = true;
+        } catch (err) {
+          warnings.push(
+            `Failed writing Matrix recovery key for account "${plan.accountId}" (${plan.recoveryKeyPath}): ${String(err)}`,
+          );
+        }
       } else {
         decryptionKeyImported = true;
       }
@@ -425,6 +435,14 @@ export async function autoPrepareLegacyMatrixCrypto(params: {
         `Legacy Matrix encrypted state for account "${plan.accountId}" cannot be fully converted automatically because the old rust crypto store does not expose all local room keys for export.`,
       );
     }
+    // If recovery-key persistence failed, leave the migration state absent so the next startup can retry.
+    if (
+      summary.decryptionKeyBase64 &&
+      !decryptionKeyImported &&
+      !loadStoredRecoveryKey(plan.recoveryKeyPath)
+    ) {
+      continue;
+    }
 
     const state: MatrixLegacyCryptoMigrationState = {
       version: 1,
@@ -438,10 +456,20 @@ export async function autoPrepareLegacyMatrixCrypto(params: {
       detectedAt: new Date().toISOString(),
       lastError: null,
     };
-    await persistLegacyMigrationState({ filePath: plan.statePath, state });
-    changes.push(
-      `Prepared Matrix legacy encrypted-state migration for account "${plan.accountId}": ${plan.statePath}`,
-    );
+    try {
+      await persistLegacyMigrationState({
+        filePath: plan.statePath,
+        state,
+        writeJsonFileAtomically,
+      });
+      changes.push(
+        `Prepared Matrix legacy encrypted-state migration for account "${plan.accountId}": ${plan.statePath}`,
+      );
+    } catch (err) {
+      warnings.push(
+        `Failed writing Matrix legacy encrypted-state migration record for account "${plan.accountId}" (${plan.statePath}): ${String(err)}`,
+      );
+    }
   }
 
   if (changes.length > 0) {