diff --git a/core/src/plugins/base_plugin.ts b/core/src/plugins/base_plugin.ts
index 3dbea1fc..315f633e 100644
--- a/core/src/plugins/base_plugin.ts
+++ b/core/src/plugins/base_plugin.ts
@@ -23,6 +23,18 @@ export enum ContextCompactionTrigger {
   Auto = 'Auto',
 }
 
+/**
+ * Optional control flag a plugin callback may merge into its return value to
+ * decide whether to short-circuit the callback chain. Omitting the flag, or
+ * setting it to `true`, keeps the default behavior: the returned value
+ * short-circuits the remaining plugins and is propagated up. Setting it to
+ * `false` lets the chain continue, forwarding the rest of the payload to the
+ * next plugin.
+ */
+type ShortCircuitControl = {
+  shortCircuit?: boolean;
+};
+
 /**
  * Base class for creating plugins.
  *
@@ -135,7 +147,7 @@ export abstract class BasePlugin {
   async onUserMessageCallback(params: {
     invocationContext: InvocationContext;
     userMessage: Content;
-  }): Promise<Content | undefined> {
+  }): Promise<(Content & ShortCircuitControl) | undefined> {
     return;
   }
 
@@ -154,7 +166,7 @@ export abstract class BasePlugin {
   // eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/no-unused-vars
   async beforeRunCallback(params: {
     invocationContext: InvocationContext;
-  }): Promise<Content | undefined> {
+  }): Promise<(Content & ShortCircuitControl) | undefined> {
     return;
   }
 
@@ -174,7 +186,7 @@ export abstract class BasePlugin {
   async onEventCallback(params: {
     invocationContext: InvocationContext;
     event: Event;
-  }): Promise<Event | undefined> {
+  }): Promise<(Event & ShortCircuitControl) | undefined> {
     return;
   }
 
@@ -210,7 +222,7 @@ export abstract class BasePlugin {
   async beforeAgentCallback(params: {
     agent: BaseAgent;
     callbackContext: Context;
-  }): Promise<Content | undefined> {
+  }): Promise<(Content & ShortCircuitControl) | undefined> {
     return;
   }
 
@@ -230,7 +242,7 @@ export abstract class BasePlugin {
   async afterAgentCallback(params: {
     agent: BaseAgent;
     callbackContext: Context;
-  }): Promise<Content | undefined> {
+  }): Promise<(Content & ShortCircuitControl) | undefined> {
     return;
   }
 
@@ -251,7 +263,7 @@ export abstract class BasePlugin {
   async beforeModelCallback(params: {
     callbackContext: Context;
     llmRequest: LlmRequest;
-  }): Promise<LlmResponse | undefined> {
+  }): Promise<(LlmResponse & ShortCircuitControl) | undefined> {
     return;
   }
 
@@ -271,7 +283,7 @@ export abstract class BasePlugin {
   async afterModelCallback(params: {
     callbackContext: Context;
     llmResponse: LlmResponse;
-  }): Promise<LlmResponse | undefined> {
+  }): Promise<(LlmResponse & ShortCircuitControl) | undefined> {
     return;
   }
 
@@ -294,7 +306,7 @@ export abstract class BasePlugin {
     callbackContext: Context;
     llmRequest: LlmRequest;
     error: Error;
-  }): Promise<LlmResponse | undefined> {
+  }): Promise<(LlmResponse & ShortCircuitControl) | undefined> {
     return;
   }
 
@@ -315,7 +327,7 @@ export abstract class BasePlugin {
   async beforeToolSelection(params: {
     callbackContext: Context;
     tools: Readonly<Record<string, BaseTool>>;
-  }): Promise<Readonly<Record<string, BaseTool>> | undefined> {
+  }): Promise<(Readonly<Record<string, BaseTool>> & ShortCircuitControl) | undefined> {
     return;
   }
 
@@ -399,7 +411,7 @@ export abstract class BasePlugin {
     toolArgs: Record<string, unknown>;
     toolContext: Context;
     result: Record<string, unknown>;
-  }): Promise<Record<string, unknown> | undefined> {
+  }): Promise<(Record<string, unknown> & ShortCircuitControl) | undefined> {
     return;
   }
 
diff --git a/core/src/plugins/plugin_manager.ts b/core/src/plugins/plugin_manager.ts
index 7daee7a1..051d4b43 100644
--- a/core/src/plugins/plugin_manager.ts
+++ b/core/src/plugins/plugin_manager.ts
@@ -30,6 +30,13 @@ import {BasePlugin, ContextCompactionTrigger} from './base_plugin.js';
  * for that specific event is halted, and the returned value is propagated up
  * the call stack. This allows plugins to short-circuit operations like agent
  * runs, tool calls, or model requests.
+ *
+ * A plugin can opt out of the early exit by returning a payload that includes
+ * a literal `shortCircuit: false` field; in that case the remaining fields
+ * (with `shortCircuit` stripped) are forwarded to the next plugin as the new
+ * value of the transformed input field, and execution continues. Returning a
+ * payload with `shortCircuit: true` (or omitting the field entirely) preserves
+ * the legacy early-exit behavior.
  */
 export class PluginManager {
   private readonly plugins: Set<BasePlugin> = new Set();
@@ -83,9 +90,20 @@ export class PluginManager {
    * Runs the same callback for all plugins. This is a utility method to reduce
    * duplication below.
    *
+   * Plugins receive the latest transformed value (via `latest`); the caller is
+   * responsible for splicing it into the right field of the plugin params. If
+   * no prior plugin produced a value, `latest` is `undefined` and the caller
+   * should fall back to the original input.
+   *
+   * A plugin return value of `undefined` continues the chain unchanged. A
+   * return value with `shortCircuit: false` strips the flag and forwards the
+   * remaining fields to subsequent plugins. Any other return value short-
+   * circuits the chain; a `shortCircuit` flag, if present, is stripped before
+   * the value is returned.
+   *
    * @param plugins The set of plugins to run
    * @param callback A closure containing the callback method to run on each
-   *     plugin
+   *     plugin. Receives the latest transformed value, or `undefined`.
    * @param callbackName The name of the function being called in the closure
    *     above. Used for logging purposes.
    * @returns A promise containing the plugin method result. Must be casted to
@@ -93,25 +111,42 @@ export class PluginManager {
    */
   private async runCallbacks(
     plugins: Set<BasePlugin>,
-    callback: (plugin: BasePlugin) => Promise<unknown>,
+    callback: (plugin: BasePlugin, latest: unknown) => Promise<unknown>,
     callbackName: string,
   ): Promise<unknown> {
+    let current: unknown = undefined;
     for (const plugin of plugins) {
       try {
-        const result = await callback(plugin);
-        if (result !== undefined) {
-          logger.debug(
-            `Plugin '${plugin.name}' returned a value for callback '${callbackName}', exiting early.`,
-          );
-          return result;
+        const result = await callback(plugin, current);
+        if (result === undefined) continue;
+
+        let value: unknown = result;
+        if (
+          typeof result === 'object' &&
+          result !== null &&
+          'shortCircuit' in result
+        ) {
+          const {shortCircuit = true, ...data} = result as Record<
+            string,
+            unknown
+          >;
+          value = data;
+          if (shortCircuit === false) {
+            current = data;
+            continue;
+          }
         }
+        logger.debug(
+          `Plugin '${plugin.name}' returned a value for callback '${callbackName}', exiting early.`,
+        );
+        return value;
       } catch (e) {
         const errorMessage = `Error in plugin '${plugin.name}' during '${callbackName}' callback: ${e}`;
         logger.error(errorMessage);
         throw new Error(errorMessage);
       }
     }
-    return undefined;
+    return current;
   }
 
   /**
@@ -126,8 +161,11 @@ export class PluginManager {
   }): Promise<Content | undefined> {
     return (await this.runCallbacks(
       this.plugins,
-      (plugin: BasePlugin) =>
-        plugin.onUserMessageCallback({userMessage, invocationContext}),
+      (plugin: BasePlugin, latest: unknown) =>
+        plugin.onUserMessageCallback({
+          userMessage: (latest as Content) ?? userMessage,
+          invocationContext,
+        }),
       'onUserMessageCallback',
     )) as Content | undefined;
   }
@@ -174,8 +212,11 @@ export class PluginManager {
   }): Promise<Event | undefined> {
     return (await this.runCallbacks(
       this.plugins,
-      (plugin: BasePlugin) =>
-        plugin.onEventCallback({invocationContext, event}),
+      (plugin: BasePlugin, latest: unknown) =>
+        plugin.onEventCallback({
+          invocationContext,
+          event: (latest as Event) ?? event,
+        }),
       'onEventCallback',
     )) as Event | undefined;
   }
@@ -228,8 +269,11 @@ export class PluginManager {
   }): Promise<Readonly<Record<string, BaseTool>> | undefined> {
     return (await this.runCallbacks(
       this.plugins,
-      (plugin: BasePlugin) =>
-        plugin.beforeToolSelection({callbackContext, tools}),
+      (plugin: BasePlugin, latest: unknown) =>
+        plugin.beforeToolSelection({
+          callbackContext,
+          tools: (latest as Readonly<Record<string, BaseTool>>) ?? tools,
+        }),
       'beforeToolSelection',
     )) as Readonly<Record<string, BaseTool>> | undefined;
   }
@@ -306,8 +350,13 @@ export class PluginManager {
   }): Promise<Record<string, unknown> | undefined> {
     return (await this.runCallbacks(
       this.plugins,
-      (plugin: BasePlugin) =>
-        plugin.afterToolCallback({tool, toolArgs, toolContext, result}),
+      (plugin: BasePlugin, latest: unknown) =>
+        plugin.afterToolCallback({
+          tool,
+          toolArgs,
+          toolContext,
+          result: (latest as Record<string, unknown>) ?? result,
+        }),
       'afterToolCallback',
     )) as Record<string, unknown> | undefined;
   }
@@ -362,8 +411,11 @@ export class PluginManager {
   }): Promise<LlmResponse | undefined> {
     return (await this.runCallbacks(
       this.plugins,
-      (plugin: BasePlugin) =>
-        plugin.afterModelCallback({callbackContext, llmResponse}),
+      (plugin: BasePlugin, latest: unknown) =>
+        plugin.afterModelCallback({
+          callbackContext,
+          llmResponse: (latest as LlmResponse) ?? llmResponse,
+        }),
       'afterModelCallback',
     )) as LlmResponse | undefined;
   }
diff --git a/core/test/plugins/plugin_manager_test.ts b/core/test/plugins/plugin_manager_test.ts
index a2e76a9d..4cce3485 100644
--- a/core/test/plugins/plugin_manager_test.ts
+++ b/core/test/plugins/plugin_manager_test.ts
@@ -219,6 +219,98 @@ describe('PluginManager', () => {
     expect(plugin2.callLog).not.toContain('beforeRunCallback');
   });
 
+  it('should continue when a plugin returns { shortCircuit: false, ... }', async () => {
+    const transformed = {message: 'translated'} as unknown as Record<
+      string,
+      unknown
+    >;
+    plugin1.returnValues['afterToolCallback'] = {
+      shortCircuit: false,
+      ...transformed,
+    };
+    service.registerPlugin(plugin1);
+    service.registerPlugin(plugin2);
+
+    const result = await service.runAfterToolCallback({
+      tool: {} as BaseTool,
+      toolArgs: {},
+      toolContext: {} as Context,
+      result: {message: 'original'},
+    });
+
+    expect(plugin1.callLog).toContain('afterToolCallback');
+    expect(plugin2.callLog).toContain('afterToolCallback');
+    expect(result).toEqual(transformed);
+    expect((result as Record<string, unknown>).shortCircuit).toBeUndefined();
+  });
+
+  it('should pipe transformed value into the next plugin', async () => {
+    let plugin2Received: Record<string, unknown> | undefined;
+    plugin1.returnValues['afterToolCallback'] = {
+      shortCircuit: false,
+      message: 'translated',
+    };
+    plugin2 = new (class extends TestPlugin {
+      override async afterToolCallback(params: {
+        tool: BaseTool;
+        toolArgs: Record<string, unknown>;
+        toolContext: Context;
+        result: Record<string, unknown>;
+      }) {
+        plugin2Received = params.result;
+        return undefined;
+      }
+    })('plugin2');
+
+    service.registerPlugin(plugin1);
+    service.registerPlugin(plugin2);
+
+    await service.runAfterToolCallback({
+      tool: {} as BaseTool,
+      toolArgs: {},
+      toolContext: {} as Context,
+      result: {message: 'original'},
+    });
+
+    expect(plugin2Received).toEqual({message: 'translated'});
+  });
+
+  it('strips the shortCircuit flag from a short-circuiting return value', async () => {
+    plugin1.returnValues['afterToolCallback'] = {
+      shortCircuit: true,
+      message: 'replaced',
+    };
+    service.registerPlugin(plugin1);
+    service.registerPlugin(plugin2);
+
+    const result = await service.runAfterToolCallback({
+      tool: mockTool,
+      toolArgs: {},
+      toolContext: mockToolContext,
+      result: {message: 'original'},
+    });
+
+    expect(result).toEqual({message: 'replaced'});
+    expect((result as Record<string, unknown>).shortCircuit).toBeUndefined();
+    expect(plugin2.callLog).not.toContain('afterToolCallback');
+  });
+
+  it('short-circuits when shortCircuit is omitted from the return value', async () => {
+    plugin1.returnValues['afterToolCallback'] = {message: 'replaced'};
+    service.registerPlugin(plugin1);
+    service.registerPlugin(plugin2);
+
+    const result = await service.runAfterToolCallback({
+      tool: mockTool,
+      toolArgs: {},
+      toolContext: mockToolContext,
+      result: {message: 'original'},
+    });
+
+    expect(result).toEqual({message: 'replaced'});
+    expect(plugin2.callLog).not.toContain('afterToolCallback');
+  });
+
   it('should call all plugins if no plugin returns a value', async () => {
     service.registerPlugin(plugin1);
     service.registerPlugin(plugin2);