diff --git a/extensions/whatsapp/src/auto-reply/monitor/process-message.ts b/extensions/whatsapp/src/auto-reply/monitor/process-message.ts
index e83a9ffd8cc..798aece49ab 100644
--- a/extensions/whatsapp/src/auto-reply/monitor/process-message.ts
+++ b/extensions/whatsapp/src/auto-reply/monitor/process-message.ts
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ function readWhatsAppMessageReceivedHookOptIn(value: unknown): boolean | undefin
   if (pluginHooks?.messageReceived === undefined) {
     return undefined;
   }
-  return pluginHooks?.messageReceived === true;
+  return pluginHooks.messageReceived;
 }
 
 function shouldEmitWhatsAppMessageReceivedHooks(params: {
@@ -108,19 +108,11 @@ function shouldEmitWhatsAppMessageReceivedHooks(params: {
       ? channelConfig.accounts[params.accountId]
       : undefined;
 
-  // Try channel/account config first (documented path)
-  const channelOptIn =
+  return (
     readWhatsAppMessageReceivedHookOptIn(accountConfig) ??
-    readWhatsAppMessageReceivedHookOptIn(channelConfig);
-  if (channelOptIn !== undefined) {
-    return channelOptIn;
-  }
-
-  // Fallback to plugin config path for compatibility
-  const pluginConfig = params.cfg.plugins?.entries?.whatsapp?.config as
-    | WhatsAppMessageReceivedHookConfig
-    | undefined;
-  return readWhatsAppMessageReceivedHookOptIn(pluginConfig) ?? false;
+    readWhatsAppMessageReceivedHookOptIn(channelConfig) ??
+    false
+  );
 }
 
 function emitWhatsAppMessageReceivedHooks(params: {
diff --git a/src/config/zod-schema.providers-whatsapp.ts b/src/config/zod-schema.providers-whatsapp.ts
index 22755439c0c..b150d5b119a 100644
--- a/src/config/zod-schema.providers-whatsapp.ts
+++ b/src/config/zod-schema.providers-whatsapp.ts
@@ -48,6 +48,13 @@ const WhatsAppAckReactionSchema = z
   .strict()
   .optional();
 
+const WhatsAppPluginHooksSchema = z
+  .object({
+    messageReceived: z.boolean().optional(),
+  })
+  .strict()
+  .optional();
+
 function stripDeprecatedWhatsAppNoopKeys(value: unknown): unknown {
   if (!value || typeof value !== "object" || Array.isArray(value)) {
     return value;
@@ -97,6 +104,7 @@ function buildWhatsAppCommonShape(params: { useDefaults: boolean }) {
     replyToMode: ReplyToModeSchema.optional(),
     heartbeat: ChannelHeartbeatVisibilitySchema,
     healthMonitor: ChannelHealthMonitorSchema,
+    pluginHooks: WhatsAppPluginHooksSchema,
   };
 }
 
@@ -150,12 +158,6 @@ const WhatsAppAccountObjectSchema = z
     /** Override auth directory for this WhatsApp account (Baileys multi-file auth state). */
     authDir: z.string().optional(),
     mediaMaxMb: z.number().int().positive().optional(),
-    pluginHooks: z
-      .object({
-        messageReceived: z.boolean().optional(),
-      })
-      .strict()
-      .optional(),
   })
   .strict();
 
@@ -178,12 +180,6 @@ const WhatsAppConfigObjectSchema = z
       })
       .strict()
       .optional(),
-    pluginHooks: z
-      .object({
-        messageReceived: z.boolean().optional(),
-      })
-      .strict()
-      .optional(),
   })
   .strict()
   .superRefine((value, ctx) => {