diff --git a/extensions/whatsapp/src/setup-core.ts b/extensions/whatsapp/src/setup-core.ts
index a4471eb8188..346c9aa0e8d 100644
--- a/extensions/whatsapp/src/setup-core.ts
+++ b/extensions/whatsapp/src/setup-core.ts
@@ -1,52 +1,12 @@
-import {
-  applyAccountNameToChannelSection,
-  type ChannelSetupAdapter,
-  migrateBaseNameToDefaultAccount,
-  normalizeAccountId,
-} from "../../../src/plugin-sdk-internal/setup.js";
+import { createPatchedAccountSetupAdapter } from "../../../src/channels/plugins/setup-helpers.js";
+import type { ChannelSetupAdapter } from "../../../src/plugin-sdk-internal/setup.js";
 
 const channel = "whatsapp" as const;
 
-export const whatsappSetupAdapter: ChannelSetupAdapter = {
-  resolveAccountId: ({ accountId }) => normalizeAccountId(accountId),
-  applyAccountName: ({ cfg, accountId, name }) =>
-    applyAccountNameToChannelSection({
-      cfg,
-      channelKey: channel,
-      accountId,
-      name,
-      alwaysUseAccounts: true,
-    }),
-  applyAccountConfig: ({ cfg, accountId, input }) => {
-    const namedConfig = applyAccountNameToChannelSection({
-      cfg,
-      channelKey: channel,
-      accountId,
-      name: input.name,
-      alwaysUseAccounts: true,
-    });
-    const next = migrateBaseNameToDefaultAccount({
-      cfg: namedConfig,
-      channelKey: channel,
-      alwaysUseAccounts: true,
-    });
-    const entry = {
-      ...next.channels?.whatsapp?.accounts?.[accountId],
-      ...(input.authDir ? { authDir: input.authDir } : {}),
-      enabled: true,
-    };
-    return {
-      ...next,
-      channels: {
-        ...next.channels,
-        whatsapp: {
-          ...next.channels?.whatsapp,
-          accounts: {
-            ...next.channels?.whatsapp?.accounts,
-            [accountId]: entry,
-          },
-        },
-      },
-    };
-  },
-};
+export const whatsappSetupAdapter: ChannelSetupAdapter = createPatchedAccountSetupAdapter({
+  channelKey: channel,
+  alwaysUseAccounts: true,
+  buildPatch: (input) => ({
+    ...(input.authDir ? { authDir: input.authDir } : {}),
+  }),
+});
diff --git a/src/channels/plugins/setup-helpers.test.ts b/src/channels/plugins/setup-helpers.test.ts
index d0c6b1c8a74..c45e13a9d7f 100644
--- a/src/channels/plugins/setup-helpers.test.ts
+++ b/src/channels/plugins/setup-helpers.test.ts
@@ -130,4 +130,30 @@ describe("createPatchedAccountSetupAdapter", () => {
     });
     expect(next.channels?.zalo).not.toHaveProperty("name");
   });
+
+  it("can store the default account in accounts.default", () => {
+    const adapter = createPatchedAccountSetupAdapter({
+      channelKey: "whatsapp",
+      alwaysUseAccounts: true,
+      buildPatch: (input) => ({ authDir: input.authDir }),
+    });
+
+    const next = adapter.applyAccountConfig({
+      cfg: asConfig({ channels: { whatsapp: {} } }),
+      accountId: DEFAULT_ACCOUNT_ID,
+      input: { name: "Phone", authDir: "/tmp/auth" },
+    });
+
+    expect(next.channels?.whatsapp).toMatchObject({
+      accounts: {
+        default: {
+          enabled: true,
+          name: "Phone",
+          authDir: "/tmp/auth",
+        },
+      },
+    });
+    expect(next.channels?.whatsapp).not.toHaveProperty("enabled");
+    expect(next.channels?.whatsapp).not.toHaveProperty("authDir");
+  });
 });
diff --git a/src/channels/plugins/setup-helpers.ts b/src/channels/plugins/setup-helpers.ts
index 31ba2c7d9c6..d4f618e870f 100644
--- a/src/channels/plugins/setup-helpers.ts
+++ b/src/channels/plugins/setup-helpers.ts
@@ -139,6 +139,8 @@ export function applySetupAccountConfigPatch(params: {
 export function createPatchedAccountSetupAdapter(params: {
   channelKey: string;
   alwaysUseAccounts?: boolean;
+  ensureChannelEnabled?: boolean;
+  ensureAccountEnabled?: boolean;
   validateInput?: ChannelSetupAdapter["validateInput"];
   buildPatch: (input: ChannelSetupInput) => Record<string, unknown>;
 }): ChannelSetupAdapter {
@@ -169,11 +171,16 @@ export function createPatchedAccountSetupAdapter(params: {
               alwaysUseAccounts: params.alwaysUseAccounts,
             })
           : namedConfig;
-      return applySetupAccountConfigPatch({
+      const patch = params.buildPatch(input);
+      return patchScopedAccountConfig({
         cfg: next,
         channelKey: params.channelKey,
         accountId,
-        patch: params.buildPatch(input),
+        patch,
+        accountPatch: patch,
+        ensureChannelEnabled: params.ensureChannelEnabled ?? !params.alwaysUseAccounts,
+        ensureAccountEnabled: params.ensureAccountEnabled ?? true,
+        scopeDefaultToAccounts: params.alwaysUseAccounts,
       });
     },
   };
@@ -187,6 +194,7 @@ export function patchScopedAccountConfig(params: {
   accountPatch?: Record<string, unknown>;
   ensureChannelEnabled?: boolean;
   ensureAccountEnabled?: boolean;
+  scopeDefaultToAccounts?: boolean;
 }): OpenClawConfig {
   const accountId = normalizeAccountId(params.accountId);
   const channels = params.cfg.channels as Record<string, unknown> | undefined;
@@ -201,7 +209,7 @@ export function patchScopedAccountConfig(params: {
   const ensureAccountEnabled = params.ensureAccountEnabled ?? ensureChannelEnabled;
   const patch = params.patch;
   const accountPatch = params.accountPatch ?? patch;
-  if (accountId === DEFAULT_ACCOUNT_ID) {
+  if (accountId === DEFAULT_ACCOUNT_ID && !params.scopeDefaultToAccounts) {
     return {
       ...params.cfg,
       channels: {