diff --git a/scripts/e2e/parallels/macos-smoke.ts b/scripts/e2e/parallels/macos-smoke.ts
index 98f072e08bec..8afecf0c38e0 100755
--- a/scripts/e2e/parallels/macos-smoke.ts
+++ b/scripts/e2e/parallels/macos-smoke.ts
@@ -797,6 +797,8 @@ printf 'preflight.umask=%s\n' "$(umask)"
 printf 'preflight.npmRoot=%s\n' "$(${guestNpm} root -g 2>/dev/null || true)"
 ${guestNpm} uninstall -g openclaw >/dev/null 2>&1 || true
 rm -rf "$HOME/.openclaw"
+# Restored snapshots can contain corrupt optional-dependency tarballs that npm silently skips.
+rm -rf "$HOME/.npm/_cacache"
 rm -f /tmp/openclaw-parallels-macos-gateway.log`);
   }
 
diff --git a/test/scripts/parallels-smoke-model.test.ts b/test/scripts/parallels-smoke-model.test.ts
index 162cac1c5170..02e3f5de28fd 100644
--- a/test/scripts/parallels-smoke-model.test.ts
+++ b/test/scripts/parallels-smoke-model.test.ts
@@ -936,6 +936,12 @@ if (isPrlctl) {
     expect(guestTransports.match(/umask 022/g)).toHaveLength(2);
   });
 
+  it("clears restored macOS npm content cache before install lanes", () => {
+    const macos = readFileSync(TS_PATHS.macos, "utf8");
+
+    expect(macos).toContain('rm -rf "$HOME/.npm/_cacache"');
+  });
+
   it("provisions portable Git before Windows dev update lanes", () => {
     const script = readFileSync(TS_PATHS.windows, "utf8");
     const windowsGit = readFileSync(TS_PATHS.windowsGit, "utf8");