diff --git a/home/.chezmoidata/ai.yaml b/home/.chezmoidata/ai.yaml
index 716a85b..bb53120 100644
--- a/home/.chezmoidata/ai.yaml
+++ b/home/.chezmoidata/ai.yaml
@@ -31,13 +31,19 @@ ai:
         skill: context7-cli
     work: []
   plugins:
+    # copilot: how the plugin installs for the github-copilot target.
+    #   plugin -> native `copilot plugin marketplace add/install` (Copilot CLI).
+    #   skill  -> `npx skills add <source> -a github-copilot` (no native plugin).
+    # The claude-code target always installs every entry as a native plugin.
     shared:
       - name: caveman
         marketplace: caveman
         source: JuliusBrussee/caveman
+        copilot: skill
       - name: superpowers
         marketplace: superpowers-dev
         source: obra/superpowers
+        copilot: plugin
   mcp:
     shared:
       - name: grep
diff --git a/home/.chezmoidata/packages.yaml b/home/.chezmoidata/packages.yaml
index 6220861..cc5bca8 100644
--- a/home/.chezmoidata/packages.yaml
+++ b/home/.chezmoidata/packages.yaml
@@ -54,6 +54,7 @@ packages:
         taps: []
         formulas: []
         casks:
+          - copilot-cli
           - microsoft-office
           - microsoft-teams
           - slack
diff --git a/home/.chezmoiscripts/darwin/run_onchange_06_install-ai-plugins.sh.tmpl b/home/.chezmoiscripts/darwin/run_onchange_06_install-ai-plugins.sh.tmpl
index 8469a73..c16e62f 100644
--- a/home/.chezmoiscripts/darwin/run_onchange_06_install-ai-plugins.sh.tmpl
+++ b/home/.chezmoiscripts/darwin/run_onchange_06_install-ai-plugins.sh.tmpl
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ AI_PLUGIN_TARGETS=(
 )
 AI_PLUGINS=(
 {{ range $activePlugins -}}
-  "{{ .name }}|{{ .marketplace }}|{{ .source }}"
+  "{{ .name }}|{{ .marketplace }}|{{ .source }}|{{ .copilot }}"
 {{ end -}}
 )
 {{ template "lib/install/ai-plugins.sh" . }}
diff --git a/home/.chezmoitemplates/lib/install/ai-plugins.sh b/home/.chezmoitemplates/lib/install/ai-plugins.sh
index d40f9b1..920792a 100644
--- a/home/.chezmoitemplates/lib/install/ai-plugins.sh
+++ b/home/.chezmoitemplates/lib/install/ai-plugins.sh
@@ -3,10 +3,12 @@
 # @brief Install cross-agent AI plugins for the active agent targets.
 # @description
 #   Installs each plugin in AI_PLUGINS for every agent in AI_PLUGIN_TARGETS.
-#   Claude Code plugins install through the marketplace CLI; GitHub Copilot has
-#   no plugin runtime, so the plugin source installs as a skill instead.
-#   Sourceable from bats tests and injected into chezmoi run scripts via
-#   chezmoi template rendering.
+#   Each entry is name|marketplace|source|copilot. Claude Code always installs
+#   every entry as a native marketplace plugin. GitHub Copilot routes per entry
+#   on the copilot field: `plugin` uses the native Copilot CLI marketplace,
+#   `skill` (or anything else) falls back to `npx skills add`. Sourceable from
+#   bats tests and injected into chezmoi run scripts via chezmoi template
+#   rendering.
 
 set -Eeuo pipefail
 
@@ -22,6 +24,18 @@ function _ai_plugins_add_to_claude() {
     claude plugin install "${name}@${marketplace}"
 }
 
+#
+# @description Add one plugin's marketplace and install it into the Copilot CLI.
+# @arg $1 string Plugin name.
+# @arg $2 string Marketplace name.
+# @arg $3 string Marketplace source repo.
+#
+function _ai_plugins_add_copilot_plugin() {
+  local name="$1" marketplace="$2" src="$3"
+  copilot plugin marketplace add "${src}" &&
+    copilot plugin install "${name}@${marketplace}"
+}
+
 #
 # @description Install one plugin source into GitHub Copilot as a skill.
 # @arg $1 string Marketplace source repo.
@@ -48,7 +62,8 @@ function _ai_plugins_for_claude_code() {
     name="${entry%%|*}"
     rest="${entry#*|}"
     marketplace="${rest%%|*}"
-    src="${rest##*|}"
+    rest="${rest#*|}"
+    src="${rest%%|*}"
     _ai_plugins_add_to_claude "${name}" "${marketplace}" "${src}" || failed+=("${name}")
   done
 
@@ -58,23 +73,39 @@ function _ai_plugins_for_claude_code() {
 }
 
 #
-# @description Install every plugin for the GitHub Copilot target.
+# @description Install every plugin for the GitHub Copilot target, routing each
+#   entry on its copilot field: `plugin` installs natively through the Copilot
+#   CLI, anything else installs the source as a skill. A missing required CLI
+#   fails only that entry, so one broken mechanism never blocks the other.
 # @exitcode 0 Plugins processed (failures are warned, not fatal).
-# @exitcode 1 npx is missing.
 #
 function _ai_plugins_for_copilot() {
-  if ! command -v npx >/dev/null 2>&1; then
-    log_error "[ai-plugins] npx not found. Ensure Node.js is installed (run_onchange_03_install-mise-tools)."
-    return 1
-  fi
-
   local -a failed=()
-  local entry name src
+  local entry name marketplace src mech rest
   for entry in "${AI_PLUGINS[@]-}"; do
     [[ -z "${entry}" ]] && continue
     name="${entry%%|*}"
-    src="${entry##*|}"
-    _ai_plugins_add_to_copilot "${src}" || failed+=("${name}")
+    rest="${entry#*|}"
+    marketplace="${rest%%|*}"
+    rest="${rest#*|}"
+    src="${rest%%|*}"
+    mech="${rest##*|}"
+
+    if [[ "${mech}" == "plugin" ]]; then
+      if ! command -v copilot >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+        log_error "[ai-plugins] copilot CLI not found. Install it (brew install copilot-cli)."
+        failed+=("${name}")
+        continue
+      fi
+      _ai_plugins_add_copilot_plugin "${name}" "${marketplace}" "${src}" || failed+=("${name}")
+    else
+      if ! command -v npx >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+        log_error "[ai-plugins] npx not found. Ensure Node.js is installed (run_onchange_03_install-mise-tools)."
+        failed+=("${name}")
+        continue
+      fi
+      _ai_plugins_add_to_copilot "${src}" || failed+=("${name}")
+    fi
   done
 
   if ((${#failed[@]} > 0)); then
diff --git a/tests/template/darwin-install-scripts.bats b/tests/template/darwin-install-scripts.bats
index 8ebead1..40cf826 100644
--- a/tests/template/darwin-install-scripts.bats
+++ b/tests/template/darwin-install-scripts.bats
@@ -56,6 +56,7 @@ AI_MCP_TEMPLATE="$DOTFILES_ROOT/home/.chezmoiscripts/darwin/run_onchange_08_inst
   assert_line 'brew "mise"'
   assert_line 'cask "discord"'
   assert_line 'mas "Klack", id: 6446206067'
+  refute_line 'cask "copilot-cli"'
   refute_line 'cask "microsoft-office"'
   refute_line 'cask "microsoft-teams"'
   refute_line 'cask "slack"'
@@ -67,6 +68,7 @@ AI_MCP_TEMPLATE="$DOTFILES_ROOT/home/.chezmoiscripts/darwin/run_onchange_08_inst
 
   assert_success
   assert_line 'brew "mas"'
+  assert_line 'cask "copilot-cli"'
   assert_line 'cask "microsoft-office"'
   assert_line 'cask "microsoft-teams"'
   assert_line 'cask "slack"'
@@ -170,8 +172,8 @@ AI_MCP_TEMPLATE="$DOTFILES_ROOT/home/.chezmoiscripts/darwin/run_onchange_08_inst
   assert_line 'AI_PLUGIN_TARGETS=('
   assert_line --partial '"claude-code"'
   refute_line --partial '"github-copilot"'
-  assert_line --partial '"caveman|caveman|JuliusBrussee/caveman"'
-  assert_line --partial '"superpowers|superpowers-dev|obra/superpowers"'
+  assert_line --partial '"caveman|caveman|JuliusBrussee/caveman|skill"'
+  assert_line --partial '"superpowers|superpowers-dev|obra/superpowers|plugin"'
   assert_line --partial 'ai_plugins_install_main'
 }
 
@@ -182,7 +184,7 @@ AI_MCP_TEMPLATE="$DOTFILES_ROOT/home/.chezmoiscripts/darwin/run_onchange_08_inst
   assert_line 'AI_PLUGIN_TARGETS=('
   assert_line --partial '"github-copilot"'
   refute_line --partial '"claude-code"'
-  assert_line --partial '"caveman|caveman|JuliusBrussee/caveman"'
+  assert_line --partial '"caveman|caveman|JuliusBrussee/caveman|skill"'
   assert_line --partial 'ai_plugins_install_main'
 }
 
diff --git a/tests/unit/lib/install/ai-plugins.bats b/tests/unit/lib/install/ai-plugins.bats
index ef4896f..0c206d2 100644
--- a/tests/unit/lib/install/ai-plugins.bats
+++ b/tests/unit/lib/install/ai-plugins.bats
@@ -1,6 +1,9 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bats
 # @file tests/unit/lib/install/ai-plugins.bats
 # @brief Behavior tests for home/.chezmoitemplates/lib/install/ai-plugins.sh.
+#        Entries are name|marketplace|source|copilot. Claude installs every
+#        entry as a native plugin; Copilot routes on the copilot field
+#        (plugin -> copilot CLI, skill -> npx skills add).
 
 load '../../../test_helpers/load.bash'
 
@@ -8,9 +11,15 @@ LOG_LIB="$DOTFILES_ROOT/home/.chezmoitemplates/lib/common/log.sh"
 PRELUDE="$DOTFILES_ROOT/home/.chezmoitemplates/lib/common/install-prelude.sh"
 LIB="$DOTFILES_ROOT/home/.chezmoitemplates/lib/install/ai-plugins.sh"
 
+# Representative entries: caveman installs as a Copilot skill, superpowers as a
+# native Copilot plugin. Both are native plugins for Claude Code.
+CAVEMAN='caveman|caveman|JuliusBrussee/caveman|skill'
+SUPERPOWERS='superpowers|superpowers-dev|obra/superpowers|plugin'
+
 setup() {
   export CLAUDE_ARGS_FILE="$BATS_TEST_TMPDIR/claude-args"
   export NPX_ARGS_FILE="$BATS_TEST_TMPDIR/npx-args"
+  export COPILOT_ARGS_FILE="$BATS_TEST_TMPDIR/copilot-args"
   mkdir -p "$BATS_TEST_TMPDIR/bin"
 
   cat >"$BATS_TEST_TMPDIR/bin/claude" <<'CLAUDE'
@@ -27,6 +36,13 @@ exit "${NPX_EXIT_CODE:-0}"
 NPX
   chmod +x "$BATS_TEST_TMPDIR/bin/npx"
 
+  cat >"$BATS_TEST_TMPDIR/bin/copilot" <<'COPILOT'
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+printf '%s\n' "$*" | tee -a "$COPILOT_ARGS_FILE"
+exit "${COPILOT_EXIT_CODE:-0}"
+COPILOT
+  chmod +x "$BATS_TEST_TMPDIR/bin/copilot"
+
   export PATH="$BATS_TEST_TMPDIR/bin:/usr/bin:/bin"
 }
 
@@ -34,8 +50,8 @@ _run_main() {
   run bash -c "source '$LOG_LIB' && source '$PRELUDE' && source '$LIB' && $1 && main"
 }
 
-@test "main: claude-code target adds marketplace and installs each plugin" {
-  _run_main "AI_PLUGIN_TARGETS=('claude-code') && AI_PLUGINS=('caveman|caveman|JuliusBrussee/caveman' 'superpowers|superpowers-dev|obra/superpowers')"
+@test "claude-code target adds marketplace and installs each plugin natively" {
+  _run_main "AI_PLUGIN_TARGETS=('claude-code') && AI_PLUGINS=('$CAVEMAN' '$SUPERPOWERS')"
 
   assert_success
   assert_line "[ai-plugins] Installing AI plugins..."
@@ -44,27 +60,52 @@ _run_main() {
   assert_line "plugin install caveman@caveman"
   assert_line "plugin marketplace add obra/superpowers"
   assert_line "plugin install superpowers@superpowers-dev"
+  # Claude uses the claude CLI only; copilot/npx are untouched.
   [ ! -s "$NPX_ARGS_FILE" ]
+  [ ! -s "$COPILOT_ARGS_FILE" ]
 }
 
-@test "main: github-copilot target installs a plugin source as a skill" {
-  _run_main "AI_PLUGIN_TARGETS=('github-copilot') && AI_PLUGINS=('caveman|caveman|JuliusBrussee/caveman')"
+@test "github-copilot: a skill-mechanism plugin installs via npx skills" {
+  _run_main "AI_PLUGIN_TARGETS=('github-copilot') && AI_PLUGINS=('$CAVEMAN')"
 
   assert_success
   assert_line "--yes skills add JuliusBrussee/caveman -a github-copilot --global --copy --yes"
   [ ! -s "$CLAUDE_ARGS_FILE" ]
+  [ ! -s "$COPILOT_ARGS_FILE" ]
 }
 
-@test "main: installs every plugin to each active target" {
-  _run_main "AI_PLUGIN_TARGETS=('claude-code' 'github-copilot') && AI_PLUGINS=('caveman|caveman|JuliusBrussee/caveman')"
+@test "github-copilot: a plugin-mechanism plugin installs via the copilot CLI" {
+  _run_main "AI_PLUGIN_TARGETS=('github-copilot') && AI_PLUGINS=('$SUPERPOWERS')"
 
   assert_success
-  assert_line "plugin marketplace add JuliusBrussee/caveman"
-  assert_line "plugin install caveman@caveman"
-  assert_line "--yes skills add JuliusBrussee/caveman -a github-copilot --global --copy --yes"
+  assert_line "plugin marketplace add obra/superpowers"
+  assert_line "plugin install superpowers@superpowers-dev"
+  [ ! -s "$NPX_ARGS_FILE" ]
+  [ ! -s "$CLAUDE_ARGS_FILE" ]
+}
+
+@test "github-copilot: routes superpowers to the plugin CLI and caveman to skills" {
+  _run_main "AI_PLUGIN_TARGETS=('github-copilot') && AI_PLUGINS=('$CAVEMAN' '$SUPERPOWERS')"
+
+  assert_success
+  grep -q "skills add JuliusBrussee/caveman -a github-copilot" "$NPX_ARGS_FILE"
+  grep -q "plugin install superpowers@superpowers-dev" "$COPILOT_ARGS_FILE"
+  [ ! -s "$CLAUDE_ARGS_FILE" ]
+}
+
+@test "installs every plugin to each active target with the right mechanism" {
+  _run_main "AI_PLUGIN_TARGETS=('claude-code' 'github-copilot') && AI_PLUGINS=('$CAVEMAN' '$SUPERPOWERS')"
+
+  assert_success
+  # Claude installs both as native plugins.
+  grep -q "plugin install caveman@caveman" "$CLAUDE_ARGS_FILE"
+  grep -q "plugin install superpowers@superpowers-dev" "$CLAUDE_ARGS_FILE"
+  # Copilot: caveman as a skill, superpowers as a native plugin.
+  grep -q "skills add JuliusBrussee/caveman -a github-copilot" "$NPX_ARGS_FILE"
+  grep -q "plugin install superpowers@superpowers-dev" "$COPILOT_ARGS_FILE"
 }
 
-@test "main: exits cleanly with no plugins" {
+@test "exits cleanly with no plugins" {
   _run_main "AI_PLUGIN_TARGETS=('claude-code') && AI_PLUGINS=()"
 
   assert_success
@@ -72,16 +113,16 @@ _run_main() {
   [ ! -s "$CLAUDE_ARGS_FILE" ]
 }
 
-@test "main: exits cleanly with no targets" {
-  _run_main "AI_PLUGIN_TARGETS=() && AI_PLUGINS=('caveman|caveman|JuliusBrussee/caveman')"
+@test "exits cleanly with no targets" {
+  _run_main "AI_PLUGIN_TARGETS=() && AI_PLUGINS=('$CAVEMAN')"
 
   assert_success
   assert_line "[ai-plugins] No agent targets; nothing to install."
   [ ! -s "$CLAUDE_ARGS_FILE" ]
 }
 
-@test "main: skips empty plugin entries" {
-  _run_main "AI_PLUGIN_TARGETS=('claude-code') && AI_PLUGINS=('caveman|caveman|JuliusBrussee/caveman' '' 'superpowers|superpowers-dev|obra/superpowers')"
+@test "skips empty plugin entries" {
+  _run_main "AI_PLUGIN_TARGETS=('claude-code') && AI_PLUGINS=('$CAVEMAN' '' '$SUPERPOWERS')"
 
   assert_success
   assert_line "plugin install caveman@caveman"
@@ -89,17 +130,17 @@ _run_main() {
   [ "$(wc -l <"$CLAUDE_ARGS_FILE")" -eq 4 ]
 }
 
-@test "main: skips empty target entries" {
-  _run_main "AI_PLUGIN_TARGETS=('claude-code' '') && AI_PLUGINS=('caveman|caveman|JuliusBrussee/caveman')"
+@test "skips empty target entries" {
+  _run_main "AI_PLUGIN_TARGETS=('claude-code' '') && AI_PLUGINS=('$CAVEMAN')"
 
   assert_success
   assert_line "plugin install caveman@caveman"
   [ "$(wc -l <"$CLAUDE_ARGS_FILE")" -eq 2 ]
 }
 
-@test "main: warns but succeeds when a plugin fails" {
+@test "warns but succeeds when a plugin fails" {
   export CLAUDE_EXIT_CODE=1
-  _run_main "AI_PLUGIN_TARGETS=('claude-code') && AI_PLUGINS=('caveman|caveman|JuliusBrussee/caveman')"
+  _run_main "AI_PLUGIN_TARGETS=('claude-code') && AI_PLUGINS=('$CAVEMAN')"
 
   assert_success
   assert_line "warn: [ai-plugins] 1 plugin(s) failed to install:"
@@ -107,7 +148,7 @@ _run_main() {
   assert_line "[ai-plugins] AI plugins installed."
 }
 
-@test "main: reports only the plugins that failed" {
+@test "reports only the plugins that failed" {
   cat >"$BATS_TEST_TMPDIR/bin/claude" <<'CLAUDE'
 #!/usr/bin/env bash
 printf '%s\n' "$*" | tee -a "$CLAUDE_ARGS_FILE"
@@ -116,7 +157,7 @@ exit 0
 CLAUDE
   chmod +x "$BATS_TEST_TMPDIR/bin/claude"
 
-  _run_main "AI_PLUGIN_TARGETS=('claude-code') && AI_PLUGINS=('caveman|caveman|JuliusBrussee/caveman' 'superpowers|superpowers-dev|obra/superpowers')"
+  _run_main "AI_PLUGIN_TARGETS=('claude-code') && AI_PLUGINS=('$CAVEMAN' '$SUPERPOWERS')"
 
   assert_success
   assert_line "warn: [ai-plugins] 1 plugin(s) failed to install:"
@@ -124,31 +165,61 @@ CLAUDE
   refute_line "  - caveman"
 }
 
-@test "main: warns and skips an unknown target" {
-  _run_main "AI_PLUGIN_TARGETS=('grok') && AI_PLUGINS=('caveman|caveman|JuliusBrussee/caveman')"
+@test "warns and skips an unknown target" {
+  _run_main "AI_PLUGIN_TARGETS=('grok') && AI_PLUGINS=('$CAVEMAN')"
 
   assert_success
   assert_line "warn: [ai-plugins] unknown target 'grok'; skipping."
   [ ! -s "$CLAUDE_ARGS_FILE" ]
   [ ! -s "$NPX_ARGS_FILE" ]
+  [ ! -s "$COPILOT_ARGS_FILE" ]
 }
 
-@test "main: fails when claude is missing for a claude-code target" {
+@test "fails when claude is missing for a claude-code target" {
   rm -f "$BATS_TEST_TMPDIR/bin/claude"
   # Drop /usr/bin so a host-installed claude cannot mask the missing path; /bin still provides bash.
   export PATH="$BATS_TEST_TMPDIR/bin:/bin"
-  _run_main "AI_PLUGIN_TARGETS=('claude-code') && AI_PLUGINS=('caveman|caveman|JuliusBrussee/caveman')"
+  _run_main "AI_PLUGIN_TARGETS=('claude-code') && AI_PLUGINS=('$CAVEMAN')"
 
   assert_failure 1
   assert_line "error: [ai-plugins] claude CLI not found. Ensure Claude Code is installed."
 }
 
-@test "main: fails when npx is missing for a github-copilot target" {
+@test "github-copilot: warns but succeeds when npx is missing for a skill plugin" {
   rm -f "$BATS_TEST_TMPDIR/bin/npx"
   # Drop /usr/bin so a host-installed npx cannot mask the missing path; /bin still provides bash.
   export PATH="$BATS_TEST_TMPDIR/bin:/bin"
-  _run_main "AI_PLUGIN_TARGETS=('github-copilot') && AI_PLUGINS=('caveman|caveman|JuliusBrussee/caveman')"
+  _run_main "AI_PLUGIN_TARGETS=('github-copilot') && AI_PLUGINS=('$CAVEMAN')"
 
-  assert_failure 1
+  assert_success
   assert_line "error: [ai-plugins] npx not found. Ensure Node.js is installed (run_onchange_03_install-mise-tools)."
+  assert_line "warn: [ai-plugins] 1 plugin(s) failed to install:"
+  assert_line "  - caveman"
+}
+
+@test "github-copilot: warns but succeeds when the copilot CLI is missing for a plugin" {
+  rm -f "$BATS_TEST_TMPDIR/bin/copilot"
+  # Drop /usr/bin so a host-installed copilot cannot mask the missing path; /bin still provides bash.
+  export PATH="$BATS_TEST_TMPDIR/bin:/bin"
+  _run_main "AI_PLUGIN_TARGETS=('github-copilot') && AI_PLUGINS=('$SUPERPOWERS')"
+
+  assert_success
+  assert_line "error: [ai-plugins] copilot CLI not found. Install it (brew install copilot-cli)."
+  assert_line "warn: [ai-plugins] 1 plugin(s) failed to install:"
+  assert_line "  - superpowers"
+}
+
+@test "github-copilot: a missing copilot CLI does not block the skill plugin" {
+  # Keep the setup PATH (with /usr/bin) so the npx mock still runs; a copilot
+  # cask installs to /opt/homebrew/bin, off this PATH, so removing the mock
+  # alone makes `command -v copilot` fail.
+  rm -f "$BATS_TEST_TMPDIR/bin/copilot"
+  _run_main "AI_PLUGIN_TARGETS=('github-copilot') && AI_PLUGINS=('$CAVEMAN' '$SUPERPOWERS')"
+
+  assert_success
+  # caveman still installs as a skill; only superpowers fails.
+  assert_line "--yes skills add JuliusBrussee/caveman -a github-copilot --global --copy --yes"
+  assert_line "warn: [ai-plugins] 1 plugin(s) failed to install:"
+  assert_line "  - superpowers"
+  refute_line "  - caveman"
 }