diff --git a/lib/jido/pod.ex b/lib/jido/pod.ex
index ff8635a..e72ad25 100644
--- a/lib/jido/pod.ex
+++ b/lib/jido/pod.ex
@@ -67,10 +67,13 @@ defmodule Jido.Pod do
     {pod_plugins, remaining_default_plugins} =
       Definition.split_pod_plugins!(default_plugins, __CALLER__)
 
+    user_plugins =
+      Definition.expand_and_eval_literal_option(Keyword.get(opts, :plugins, []), __CALLER__)
+
     agent_opts =
       opts
       |> Keyword.delete(:topology)
-      |> Keyword.put(:plugins, pod_plugins ++ Keyword.get(opts, :plugins, []))
+      |> Keyword.put(:plugins, pod_plugins ++ (user_plugins || []))
       |> then(fn resolved_opts ->
         if is_nil(remaining_default_plugins) do
           Keyword.delete(resolved_opts, :default_plugins)
diff --git a/test/jido/pod_test.exs b/test/jido/pod_test.exs
index dc998ee..f06d259 100644
--- a/test/jido/pod_test.exs
+++ b/test/jido/pod_test.exs
@@ -34,6 +34,16 @@ defmodule JidoTest.PodTest do
     end
   end
 
+  defmodule UserPlugin do
+    @moduledoc false
+    use Jido.Plugin,
+      name: "pod_test_user_plugin",
+      state_key: :pod_test_user_plugin,
+      actions: [],
+      schema: Zoi.object(%{}),
+      capabilities: []
+  end
+
   defmodule ExamplePod do
     @moduledoc false
     use Jido.Pod,
@@ -90,6 +100,27 @@ defmodule JidoTest.PodTest do
     assert {:ok, %Topology{name: "custom_plugin_pod"}} = Pod.fetch_topology(agent)
   end
 
+  test "plugins option resolves aliased plugin modules before pod opts are escaped" do
+    suffix = System.unique_integer([:positive])
+    pod_mod = Module.concat(__MODULE__, :"AliasedPluginPod#{suffix}")
+    pod_name = "aliased_plugin_pod_#{suffix}"
+
+    Code.compile_string("""
+    defmodule #{inspect(pod_mod)} do
+      @moduledoc false
+      alias #{inspect(UserPlugin)}, as: UserPlugin
+
+      use Jido.Pod,
+        name: #{inspect(pod_name)},
+        plugins: [UserPlugin]
+    end
+    """)
+
+    assert Enum.any?(pod_mod.plugin_instances(), fn instance ->
+             instance.module == UserPlugin and instance.state_key == :pod_test_user_plugin
+           end)
+  end
+
   test "disabling the reserved __pod__ plugin raises at compile time" do
     message = ~r/Jido.Pod requires a singleton pod plugin under __pod__/