diff --git a/extensions/browser/src/browser/config.ts b/extensions/browser/src/browser/config.ts
index b5aee21b4f4..76bad4a695d 100644
--- a/extensions/browser/src/browser/config.ts
+++ b/extensions/browser/src/browser/config.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { normalizeTrimmedStringList } from "openclaw/plugin-sdk/text-runtime";
+import { normalizeOptionalTrimmedStringList } from "openclaw/plugin-sdk/text-runtime";
 import {
   type BrowserConfig,
   type BrowserProfileConfig,
@@ -113,13 +113,7 @@ function resolveCdpPortRangeStart(
   return start;
 }
 
-function normalizeStringList(raw: string[] | undefined): string[] | undefined {
-  if (!Array.isArray(raw) || raw.length === 0) {
-    return undefined;
-  }
-  const values = normalizeTrimmedStringList(raw);
-  return values.length > 0 ? values : undefined;
-}
+const normalizeStringList = normalizeOptionalTrimmedStringList;
 
 function resolveBrowserSsrFPolicy(cfg: BrowserConfig | undefined): SsrFPolicy | undefined {
   const rawPolicy = cfg?.ssrfPolicy as
diff --git a/extensions/feishu/src/docx-batch-insert.ts b/extensions/feishu/src/docx-batch-insert.ts
index 4686f913be5..83f9aee8c22 100644
--- a/extensions/feishu/src/docx-batch-insert.ts
+++ b/extensions/feishu/src/docx-batch-insert.ts
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
  */
 
 import type * as Lark from "@larksuiteoapi/node-sdk";
+import { readStringValue } from "openclaw/plugin-sdk/text-runtime";
 import { cleanBlocksForDescendant } from "./docx-table-ops.js";
 import type { FeishuDocxBlock, FeishuDocxBlockChild } from "./docx-types.js";
 
@@ -25,7 +26,8 @@ function normalizeChildIds(children: string[] | string | undefined): string[] |
   if (Array.isArray(children)) {
     return children;
   }
-  return typeof children === "string" ? [children] : undefined;
+  const child = readStringValue(children);
+  return child ? [child] : undefined;
 }
 
 function toDescendantBlock(block: FeishuDocxBlock): DocxDescendantCreateBlock {
diff --git a/packages/plugin-package-contract/src/index.ts b/packages/plugin-package-contract/src/index.ts
index 10c016742a1..579ba4a5901 100644
--- a/packages/plugin-package-contract/src/index.ts
+++ b/packages/plugin-package-contract/src/index.ts
@@ -25,10 +25,6 @@ export const EXTERNAL_CODE_PLUGIN_REQUIRED_FIELD_PATHS = [
   "openclaw.build.openclawVersion",
 ] as const;
 
-function getTrimmedString(value: unknown): string | undefined {
-  return normalizeOptionalString(value);
-}
-
 function readOpenClawBlock(packageJson: unknown) {
   const root = isRecord(packageJson) ? packageJson : undefined;
   const openclaw = isRecord(root?.openclaw) ? root.openclaw : undefined;
@@ -42,26 +38,26 @@ export function normalizeExternalPluginCompatibility(
   packageJson: unknown,
 ): ExternalPluginCompatibility | undefined {
   const { root, compat, build, install } = readOpenClawBlock(packageJson);
-  const version = getTrimmedString(root?.version);
-  const minHostVersion = getTrimmedString(install?.minHostVersion);
+  const version = normalizeOptionalString(root?.version);
+  const minHostVersion = normalizeOptionalString(install?.minHostVersion);
   const compatibility: ExternalPluginCompatibility = {};
 
-  const pluginApi = getTrimmedString(compat?.pluginApi);
+  const pluginApi = normalizeOptionalString(compat?.pluginApi);
   if (pluginApi) {
     compatibility.pluginApiRange = pluginApi;
   }
 
-  const minGatewayVersion = getTrimmedString(compat?.minGatewayVersion) ?? minHostVersion;
+  const minGatewayVersion = normalizeOptionalString(compat?.minGatewayVersion) ?? minHostVersion;
   if (minGatewayVersion) {
     compatibility.minGatewayVersion = minGatewayVersion;
   }
 
-  const builtWithOpenClawVersion = getTrimmedString(build?.openclawVersion) ?? version;
+  const builtWithOpenClawVersion = normalizeOptionalString(build?.openclawVersion) ?? version;
   if (builtWithOpenClawVersion) {
     compatibility.builtWithOpenClawVersion = builtWithOpenClawVersion;
   }
 
-  const pluginSdkVersion = getTrimmedString(build?.pluginSdkVersion);
+  const pluginSdkVersion = normalizeOptionalString(build?.pluginSdkVersion);
   if (pluginSdkVersion) {
     compatibility.pluginSdkVersion = pluginSdkVersion;
   }
@@ -72,10 +68,10 @@ export function normalizeExternalPluginCompatibility(
 export function listMissingExternalCodePluginFieldPaths(packageJson: unknown): string[] {
   const { compat, build } = readOpenClawBlock(packageJson);
   const missing: string[] = [];
-  if (!getTrimmedString(compat?.pluginApi)) {
+  if (!normalizeOptionalString(compat?.pluginApi)) {
     missing.push("openclaw.compat.pluginApi");
   }
-  if (!getTrimmedString(build?.openclawVersion)) {
+  if (!normalizeOptionalString(build?.openclawVersion)) {
     missing.push("openclaw.build.openclawVersion");
   }
   return missing;
diff --git a/scripts/e2e/mcp-channels-harness.ts b/scripts/e2e/mcp-channels-harness.ts
index 4d3069114e8..b4ea225c094 100644
--- a/scripts/e2e/mcp-channels-harness.ts
+++ b/scripts/e2e/mcp-channels-harness.ts
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import { z } from "zod";
 import { PROTOCOL_VERSION } from "../../src/gateway/protocol/index.ts";
 import { formatErrorMessage } from "../../src/infra/errors.ts";
 import { rawDataToString } from "../../src/infra/ws.ts";
+import { readStringValue } from "../../src/shared/string-coerce.ts";
 
 export const ClaudeChannelNotificationSchema = z.object({
   method: z.literal("notifications/claude/channel"),
@@ -66,8 +67,7 @@ export function extractTextFromGatewayPayload(
   if (!first || typeof first !== "object") {
     return undefined;
   }
-  const text = (first as { text?: unknown }).text;
-  return typeof text === "string" ? text : undefined;
+  return readStringValue((first as { text?: unknown }).text);
 }
 
 export async function waitFor<T>(
diff --git a/src/agents/pi-embedded-subscribe.tools.ts b/src/agents/pi-embedded-subscribe.tools.ts
index 6171dd97596..115de5264ec 100644
--- a/src/agents/pi-embedded-subscribe.tools.ts
+++ b/src/agents/pi-embedded-subscribe.tools.ts
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ import { getChannelPlugin, normalizeChannelId } from "../channels/plugins/index.
 import { normalizeTargetForProvider } from "../infra/outbound/target-normalization.js";
 import { splitMediaFromOutput } from "../media/parse.js";
 import { pluginRegistrationContractRegistry } from "../plugins/contracts/registry.js";
+import { normalizeOptionalString, readStringValue } from "../shared/string-coerce.js";
 import { truncateUtf16Safe } from "../utils.js";
 import { collectTextContentBlocks } from "./content-blocks.js";
 import { type MessagingToolSend } from "./pi-embedded-messaging.js";
@@ -98,12 +99,12 @@ export function sanitizeToolResult(result: unknown): unknown {
       return item;
     }
     const entry = item as Record<string, unknown>;
-    const type = typeof entry.type === "string" ? entry.type : undefined;
+    const type = readStringValue(entry.type);
     if (type === "text" && typeof entry.text === "string") {
       return { ...entry, text: truncateToolText(entry.text) };
     }
     if (type === "image") {
-      const data = typeof entry.data === "string" ? entry.data : undefined;
+      const data = readStringValue(entry.data);
       const bytes = data ? data.length : undefined;
       const cleaned = { ...entry };
       delete cleaned.data;
@@ -181,7 +182,7 @@ function readToolResultDetails(result: unknown): Record<string, unknown> | undef
 
 function readToolResultStatus(result: unknown): string | undefined {
   const status = readToolResultDetails(result)?.status;
-  return typeof status === "string" ? status.trim().toLowerCase() : undefined;
+  return normalizeOptionalString(status)?.toLowerCase();
 }
 
 function isExternalToolResult(result: unknown): boolean {
@@ -372,11 +373,11 @@ export function extractToolErrorMessage(result: unknown): string | undefined {
 }
 
 function resolveMessageToolTarget(args: Record<string, unknown>): string | undefined {
-  const toRaw = typeof args.to === "string" ? args.to : undefined;
+  const toRaw = readStringValue(args.to);
   if (toRaw) {
     return toRaw;
   }
-  return typeof args.target === "string" ? args.target : undefined;
+  return readStringValue(args.target);
 }
 
 export function extractMessagingToolSend(
@@ -385,8 +386,7 @@ export function extractMessagingToolSend(
 ): MessagingToolSend | undefined {
   // Provider docking: new provider tools must implement plugin.actions.extractToolSend.
   const action = typeof args.action === "string" ? args.action.trim() : "";
-  const accountIdRaw = typeof args.accountId === "string" ? args.accountId.trim() : undefined;
-  const accountId = accountIdRaw ? accountIdRaw : undefined;
+  const accountId = normalizeOptionalString(args.accountId);
   if (toolName === "message") {
     if (action !== "send" && action !== "thread-reply") {
       return undefined;
diff --git a/src/auto-reply/reply/reply-threading.ts b/src/auto-reply/reply/reply-threading.ts
index 3ca9b35aa14..47ad90326d5 100644
--- a/src/auto-reply/reply/reply-threading.ts
+++ b/src/auto-reply/reply/reply-threading.ts
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ import { normalizeChannelId as normalizePluginChannelId } from "../../channels/p
 import type { ChannelThreadingAdapter } from "../../channels/plugins/types.core.js";
 import type { OpenClawConfig } from "../../config/config.js";
 import type { ReplyToMode } from "../../config/types.js";
+import { normalizeOptionalString } from "../../shared/string-coerce.js";
 import type { OriginatingChannelType } from "../templating.js";
 import type { ReplyPayload, ReplyThreadingPolicy } from "../types.js";
 import { isSingleUseReplyToMode } from "./reply-reference.js";
@@ -27,7 +28,7 @@ function resolveReplyToModeChannelKey(channel?: OriginatingChannelType): string
   if (normalized) {
     return normalized;
   }
-  return typeof channel === "string" ? channel.trim().toLowerCase() || undefined : undefined;
+  return normalizeOptionalString(channel)?.toLowerCase();
 }
 
 export function resolveConfiguredReplyToMode(
@@ -159,7 +160,7 @@ export function createReplyToModeFilterForChannel(
   mode: ReplyToMode,
   channel?: OriginatingChannelType,
 ) {
-  const normalized = typeof channel === "string" ? channel.trim().toLowerCase() : undefined;
+  const normalized = normalizeOptionalString(channel)?.toLowerCase();
   const isWebchat = normalized === "webchat";
   // Default: allow explicit reply tags/directives even when replyToMode is "off".
   // Unknown channels fail closed; internal webchat stays allowed.
diff --git a/src/gateway/cli-session-history.merge.ts b/src/gateway/cli-session-history.merge.ts
index f4250305aa3..f45b37df84d 100644
--- a/src/gateway/cli-session-history.merge.ts
+++ b/src/gateway/cli-session-history.merge.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import { stripInboundMetadata } from "../auto-reply/reply/strip-inbound-meta.js";
+import { normalizeOptionalString, readStringValue } from "../shared/string-coerce.js";
 
 const DEDUPE_TIMESTAMP_WINDOW_MS = 5 * 60 * 1000;
 
@@ -7,17 +8,22 @@ function extractComparableText(message: unknown): string | undefined {
     return undefined;
   }
   const record = message as { role?: unknown; text?: unknown; content?: unknown };
-  const role = typeof record.role === "string" ? record.role : undefined;
+  const role = readStringValue(record.role);
   const parts: string[] = [];
-  if (typeof record.text === "string") {
-    parts.push(record.text);
+  const text = readStringValue(record.text);
+  if (text !== undefined) {
+    parts.push(text);
   }
-  if (typeof record.content === "string") {
-    parts.push(record.content);
+  const content = readStringValue(record.content);
+  if (content !== undefined) {
+    parts.push(content);
   } else if (Array.isArray(record.content)) {
     for (const block of record.content) {
-      if (block && typeof block === "object" && "text" in block && typeof block.text === "string") {
-        parts.push(block.text);
+      if (block && typeof block === "object" && "text" in block) {
+        const blockText = readStringValue(block.text);
+        if (blockText !== undefined) {
+          parts.push(blockText);
+        }
       }
     }
   }
@@ -48,8 +54,7 @@ function resolveComparableRole(message: unknown): string | undefined {
   if (!message || typeof message !== "object") {
     return undefined;
   }
-  const role = (message as { role?: unknown }).role;
-  return typeof role === "string" ? role : undefined;
+  return readStringValue((message as { role?: unknown }).role);
 }
 
 function resolveImportedExternalId(message: unknown): string | undefined {
@@ -62,8 +67,7 @@ function resolveImportedExternalId(message: unknown): string | undefined {
     typeof (message as { __openclaw?: unknown }).__openclaw === "object"
       ? ((message as { __openclaw?: Record<string, unknown> }).__openclaw ?? {})
       : undefined;
-  const externalId = meta?.externalId;
-  return typeof externalId === "string" && externalId.trim() ? externalId : undefined;
+  return normalizeOptionalString(meta?.externalId);
 }
 
 function isEquivalentImportedMessage(existing: unknown, imported: unknown): boolean {
diff --git a/src/infra/node-pairing.ts b/src/infra/node-pairing.ts
index e34ddefb179..0a371615178 100644
--- a/src/infra/node-pairing.ts
+++ b/src/infra/node-pairing.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import { randomUUID } from "node:crypto";
 import { resolveMissingRequestedScope } from "../shared/operator-scope-compat.js";
-import { normalizeTrimmedStringList } from "../shared/string-normalization.js";
+import { normalizeArrayBackedTrimmedStringList } from "../shared/string-normalization.js";
 import { type NodeApprovalScope, resolveNodePairApprovalScopes } from "./node-pairing-authz.js";
 import {
   createAsyncLock,
@@ -67,14 +67,6 @@ const OPERATOR_ROLE = "operator";
 
 const withLock = createAsyncLock();
 
-function normalizeStringList(values?: string[]): string[] | undefined {
-  if (!Array.isArray(values)) {
-    return undefined;
-  }
-  const normalized = normalizeTrimmedStringList(values);
-  return normalized.length > 0 ? normalized : [];
-}
-
 function buildPendingNodePairingRequest(params: {
   requestId?: string;
   req: NodePairingRequestInput;
@@ -89,8 +81,8 @@ function buildPendingNodePairingRequest(params: {
     uiVersion: params.req.uiVersion,
     deviceFamily: params.req.deviceFamily,
     modelIdentifier: params.req.modelIdentifier,
-    caps: normalizeStringList(params.req.caps),
-    commands: normalizeStringList(params.req.commands),
+    caps: normalizeArrayBackedTrimmedStringList(params.req.caps),
+    commands: normalizeArrayBackedTrimmedStringList(params.req.commands),
     permissions: params.req.permissions,
     remoteIp: params.req.remoteIp,
     silent: params.req.silent,
@@ -111,8 +103,8 @@ function refreshPendingNodePairingRequest(
     uiVersion: incoming.uiVersion ?? existing.uiVersion,
     deviceFamily: incoming.deviceFamily ?? existing.deviceFamily,
     modelIdentifier: incoming.modelIdentifier ?? existing.modelIdentifier,
-    caps: normalizeStringList(incoming.caps) ?? existing.caps,
-    commands: normalizeStringList(incoming.commands) ?? existing.commands,
+    caps: normalizeArrayBackedTrimmedStringList(incoming.caps) ?? existing.caps,
+    commands: normalizeArrayBackedTrimmedStringList(incoming.commands) ?? existing.commands,
     permissions: incoming.permissions ?? existing.permissions,
     remoteIp: incoming.remoteIp ?? existing.remoteIp,
     // Preserve interactive visibility if either request needs attention.
diff --git a/src/shared/chat-message-content.ts b/src/shared/chat-message-content.ts
index 36322e7855a..391211be688 100644
--- a/src/shared/chat-message-content.ts
+++ b/src/shared/chat-message-content.ts
@@ -1,10 +1,13 @@
+import { readStringValue } from "./string-coerce.js";
+
 export function extractFirstTextBlock(message: unknown): string | undefined {
   if (!message || typeof message !== "object") {
     return undefined;
   }
   const content = (message as { content?: unknown }).content;
-  if (typeof content === "string") {
-    return content;
+  const inline = readStringValue(content);
+  if (inline !== undefined) {
+    return inline;
   }
   if (!Array.isArray(content) || content.length === 0) {
     return undefined;
@@ -13,8 +16,7 @@ export function extractFirstTextBlock(message: unknown): string | undefined {
   if (!first || typeof first !== "object") {
     return undefined;
   }
-  const text = (first as { text?: unknown }).text;
-  return typeof text === "string" ? text : undefined;
+  return readStringValue((first as { text?: unknown }).text);
 }
 
 export type AssistantPhase = "commentary" | "final_answer";
diff --git a/src/shared/string-normalization.ts b/src/shared/string-normalization.ts
index 65c7576741e..262c32c7b24 100644
--- a/src/shared/string-normalization.ts
+++ b/src/shared/string-normalization.ts
@@ -15,6 +15,18 @@ export function normalizeTrimmedStringList(value: unknown): string[] {
   );
 }
 
+export function normalizeOptionalTrimmedStringList(value: unknown): string[] | undefined {
+  const normalized = normalizeTrimmedStringList(value);
+  return normalized.length > 0 ? normalized : undefined;
+}
+
+export function normalizeArrayBackedTrimmedStringList(value: unknown): string[] | undefined {
+  if (!Array.isArray(value)) {
+    return undefined;
+  }
+  return normalizeTrimmedStringList(value);
+}
+
 export function normalizeSingleOrTrimmedStringList(value: unknown): string[] {
   if (Array.isArray(value)) {
     return normalizeTrimmedStringList(value);