diff --git a/plugins/examples/scum-server-plugin/actions/start.json b/plugins/examples/scum-server-plugin/actions/start.json
index ba44163..241d4de 100644
--- a/plugins/examples/scum-server-plugin/actions/start.json
+++ b/plugins/examples/scum-server-plugin/actions/start.json
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
   "version": 1,
   "action": "start",
   "mode": "supervised",
+  "outputMode": "console",
   "executableKey": "bin/scum-start.cmd",
   "arguments": [],
   "environment": {
diff --git a/plugins/examples/scum-server-plugin/manifest.json b/plugins/examples/scum-server-plugin/manifest.json
index 9906da3..8e15929 100644
--- a/plugins/examples/scum-server-plugin/manifest.json
+++ b/plugins/examples/scum-server-plugin/manifest.json
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
   "id": "game.scum",
   "name": "SCUM Server",
   "description": "First-party SCUM game server operations plugin with platform-mediated lifecycle and companion bridge support.",
-  "version": "0.1.7",
+  "version": "0.1.8",
   "kind": "game-plugin",
   "tags": [
     "scum",
diff --git a/plugins/manifests/lifecycle-action.schema.json b/plugins/manifests/lifecycle-action.schema.json
index 633b8ac..d097973 100644
--- a/plugins/manifests/lifecycle-action.schema.json
+++ b/plugins/manifests/lifecycle-action.schema.json
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@
       "additionalProperties": { "type": "string", "maxLength": 512 },
       "maxProperties": 32
     },
+    "outputMode": { "enum": ["pipes", "console"] },
     "timeoutMs": { "type": "integer", "minimum": 1, "maximum": 7200000 },
     "stopTimeoutMs": { "type": "integer", "minimum": 1, "maximum": 60000 }
   }
diff --git a/plugins/sdk/index.ts b/plugins/sdk/index.ts
index 211817d..75b1dff 100644
--- a/plugins/sdk/index.ts
+++ b/plugins/sdk/index.ts
@@ -650,6 +650,7 @@ export interface PluginLifecycleActionDeclaration {
   executableKey?: string;
   arguments?: string[];
   environment?: Record<`GAME_${string}` | `SERVER_${string}` | `RUN_${string}`, string>;
+  outputMode?: "pipes" | "console";
   timeoutMs?: number;
   stopTimeoutMs?: number;
 }
diff --git a/plugins/tests/manifest-validation.test.ts b/plugins/tests/manifest-validation.test.ts
index 5eaeb22..be9a821 100644
--- a/plugins/tests/manifest-validation.test.ts
+++ b/plugins/tests/manifest-validation.test.ts
@@ -219,7 +219,7 @@ describe("plugin manifest validation", () => {
     expect(assetPaths).toEqual(expect.arrayContaining(["actions/install.json", "actions/start.json", "bin/scum-install-update.cmd", "bin/scum-start.cmd", "assets/map/scum-map-overview.jpg"]));
     expect(installAction).toMatchObject({ executableKey: "bin/scum-install-update.cmd", environment: { SERVER_STEAM_APP_ID: "3792580", SERVER_STEAMCMD_UPDATE_ARGS: "+login anonymous +app_update 3792580 +quit" } });
     expect(installAction.timeoutMs).toBe(7200000);
-    expect(startAction).toMatchObject({ executableKey: "bin/scum-start.cmd", environment: { SERVER_LOG_FLAG: "-log" } });
+    expect(startAction).toMatchObject({ executableKey: "bin/scum-start.cmd", outputMode: "console", environment: { SERVER_LOG_FLAG: "-log" } });
     expect(installScript).not.toContain("taskkill /IM SCUMServer.exe /F");
     expect(installScript).toContain("call :stop_matching_scum");
     expect(installScript).toContain("Get-CimInstance Win32_Process");
@@ -482,7 +482,7 @@ describe("plugin manifest validation", () => {
     const serialized = JSON.stringify(manifest).toLowerCase();
 
     expect(serialized).not.toContain("local-proof");
-    expect(manifest.version).toBe("0.1.7");
+    expect(manifest.version).toBe("0.1.8");
     expect(installAction.environment?.SERVER_TEMPLATE).toBe("scum-server");
     expect(manifest.permissions).toEqual(expect.arrayContaining(["server.game-client.read", "server.game-client.command", "server.game-client.maintenance"]));
     expect(manifest.gameClientBridge.commands.map((command) => command.type)).toEqual(expect.arrayContaining([