diff --git a/.changeset/fix-frontend-feature-compat.md b/.changeset/fix-frontend-feature-compat.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..ced9237285
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/fix-frontend-feature-compat.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+'@backstage/frontend-plugin-api': patch
+---
+
+Made the `pluginId` property optional in the `FrontendFeature` type, allowing plugins published against older versions of the framework to be used without type errors.
diff --git a/.patches/pr-32905.txt b/.patches/pr-32905.txt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..3af61baa35
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.patches/pr-32905.txt
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Fix type compatibility for older plugins in FrontendFeature type
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/packages/frontend-plugin-api/report.api.md b/packages/frontend-plugin-api/report.api.md
index 6ba548af19..1909b1deef 100644
--- a/packages/frontend-plugin-api/report.api.md
+++ b/packages/frontend-plugin-api/report.api.md
@@ -1336,7 +1336,11 @@ export type FetchApi = {
 export const fetchApiRef: ApiRef<FetchApi>;
 
 // @public (undocumented)
-export type FrontendFeature = FrontendPlugin | FrontendModule;
+export type FrontendFeature =
+  | (Omit<FrontendPlugin, 'pluginId'> & {
+      pluginId?: string;
+    })
+  | FrontendModule;
 
 // @public (undocumented)
 export interface FrontendFeatureLoader {
diff --git a/packages/frontend-plugin-api/src/wiring/types.ts b/packages/frontend-plugin-api/src/wiring/types.ts
index 460a399871..0b59e7a7fb 100644
--- a/packages/frontend-plugin-api/src/wiring/types.ts
+++ b/packages/frontend-plugin-api/src/wiring/types.ts
@@ -73,4 +73,6 @@ export type ExtensionFactoryMiddleware = (
 ) => Iterable<ExtensionDataValue<any, any>>;
 
 /** @public  */
-export type FrontendFeature = FrontendPlugin | FrontendModule;
+export type FrontendFeature =
+  | (Omit<FrontendPlugin, 'pluginId'> & { pluginId?: string })
+  | FrontendModule;