diff --git a/docs/channels/matrix.md b/docs/channels/matrix.md
index fd5f99f4945..34965359316 100644
--- a/docs/channels/matrix.md
+++ b/docs/channels/matrix.md
@@ -658,6 +658,7 @@ See [Pairing](/channels/pairing) for the shared DM pairing flow and storage layo
 Top-level `channels.matrix` values act as defaults for named accounts unless an account overrides them.
 You can scope inherited room entries to one Matrix account with `groups.<room>.account` (or legacy `rooms.<room>.account`).
 Entries without `account` stay shared across all Matrix accounts, and entries with `account: "default"` still work when the default account is configured directly on top-level `channels.matrix.*`.
+Partial shared auth defaults do not create a separate implicit default account by themselves. OpenClaw only treats Matrix accounts with a usable homeserver plus access-token or user-ID-based auth shape as selectable for implicit routing.
 Set `defaultAccount` when you want OpenClaw to prefer one named Matrix account for implicit routing, probing, and CLI operations.
 If you configure multiple named accounts, set `defaultAccount` or pass `--account <id>` for CLI commands that rely on implicit account selection.
 Pass `--account <id>` to `openclaw matrix verify ...` and `openclaw matrix devices ...` when you want to override that implicit selection for one command.
diff --git a/extensions/matrix/src/account-selection.test.ts b/extensions/matrix/src/account-selection.test.ts
index e7ee26a3de3..78317dc2f05 100644
--- a/extensions/matrix/src/account-selection.test.ts
+++ b/extensions/matrix/src/account-selection.test.ts
@@ -83,4 +83,21 @@ describe("Matrix account selection topology", () => {
     expect(resolveMatrixDefaultOrOnlyAccountId(cfg, env)).toBe("ops");
     expect(requiresExplicitMatrixDefaultAccount(cfg, env)).toBe(false);
   });
+
+  it("keeps env-backed named accounts that rely on cached credentials", () => {
+    const cfg = {
+      channels: {
+        matrix: {
+          homeserver: "https://matrix.example.org",
+        },
+      },
+    } as CoreConfig;
+    const env = {
+      MATRIX_OPS_USER_ID: "@ops:example.org",
+    } as NodeJS.ProcessEnv;
+
+    expect(resolveConfiguredMatrixAccountIds(cfg, env)).toEqual(["ops"]);
+    expect(resolveMatrixDefaultOrOnlyAccountId(cfg, env)).toBe("ops");
+    expect(requiresExplicitMatrixDefaultAccount(cfg, env)).toBe(false);
+  });
 });
diff --git a/extensions/matrix/src/account-selection.ts b/extensions/matrix/src/account-selection.ts
index 60ab600e1d9..393f97ffe31 100644
--- a/extensions/matrix/src/account-selection.ts
+++ b/extensions/matrix/src/account-selection.ts
@@ -78,13 +78,15 @@ function resolveGlobalMatrixEnvStringSources(env: NodeJS.ProcessEnv): MatrixTopo
   };
 }
 
-function hasReadyResolvedMatrixAuth(values: {
+function hasUsableResolvedMatrixAuth(values: {
   homeserver: string;
   userId: string;
   accessToken: string;
-  password: string;
 }): boolean {
-  return Boolean(values.homeserver && (values.accessToken || (values.userId && values.password)));
+  // Account discovery must keep homeserver+userId shapes because auth can still
+  // resolve through cached Matrix credentials even when no fresh token/password
+  // is present in config or env.
+  return Boolean(values.homeserver && (values.accessToken || values.userId));
 }
 
 function hasReadyEffectiveMatrixAccountSource(params: {
@@ -99,7 +101,7 @@ function hasReadyEffectiveMatrixAccountSource(params: {
     channel: resolveMatrixChannelStringSources(params.channel),
     globalEnv: resolveGlobalMatrixEnvStringSources(params.env),
   });
-  return hasReadyResolvedMatrixAuth(resolved);
+  return hasUsableResolvedMatrixAuth(resolved);
 }
 
 function hasConfiguredDefaultMatrixAccountSource(params: {
diff --git a/extensions/matrix/src/matrix/client.test.ts b/extensions/matrix/src/matrix/client.test.ts
index b17b9f73194..3efcd6993e3 100644
--- a/extensions/matrix/src/matrix/client.test.ts
+++ b/extensions/matrix/src/matrix/client.test.ts
@@ -451,6 +451,22 @@ describe("resolveMatrixConfig", () => {
     expect(resolveMatrixAuthContext({ cfg, env }).accountId).toBe("ops");
   });
 
+  it("keeps implicit selection for env-backed accounts that can use cached credentials", () => {
+    const cfg = {
+      channels: {
+        matrix: {
+          homeserver: "https://matrix.example.org",
+        },
+      },
+    } as CoreConfig;
+    const env = {
+      MATRIX_OPS_USER_ID: "@ops:example.org",
+    } as NodeJS.ProcessEnv;
+
+    expect(resolveImplicitMatrixAccountId(cfg, env)).toBe("ops");
+    expect(resolveMatrixAuthContext({ cfg, env }).accountId).toBe("ops");
+  });
+
   it("rejects explicit non-default account ids that are neither configured nor scoped in env", () => {
     const cfg = {
       channels: {
@@ -800,6 +816,43 @@ describe("resolveMatrixAuth", () => {
     expect(saveMatrixCredentialsMock).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
   });
 
+  it("uses cached matching credentials for env-backed named accounts without fresh auth", async () => {
+    vi.mocked(credentialsReadModule!.loadMatrixCredentials).mockReturnValue({
+      homeserver: "https://matrix.example.org",
+      userId: "@ops:example.org",
+      accessToken: "cached-token",
+      deviceId: "CACHEDDEVICE",
+      createdAt: "2026-01-01T00:00:00.000Z",
+    });
+    vi.mocked(credentialsReadModule!.credentialsMatchConfig).mockReturnValue(true);
+
+    const cfg = {
+      channels: {
+        matrix: {
+          homeserver: "https://matrix.example.org",
+        },
+      },
+    } as CoreConfig;
+    const env = {
+      MATRIX_OPS_USER_ID: "@ops:example.org",
+    } as NodeJS.ProcessEnv;
+
+    const auth = await resolveMatrixAuth({
+      cfg,
+      env,
+      accountId: "ops",
+    });
+
+    expect(auth).toMatchObject({
+      accountId: "ops",
+      homeserver: "https://matrix.example.org",
+      userId: "@ops:example.org",
+      accessToken: "cached-token",
+      deviceId: "CACHEDDEVICE",
+    });
+    expect(saveMatrixCredentialsMock).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+  });
+
   it("rejects embedded credentials in Matrix homeserver URLs", async () => {
     const cfg = {
       channels: {
diff --git a/extensions/matrix/src/matrix/credentials.test.ts b/extensions/matrix/src/matrix/credentials.test.ts
index 34adac370a6..dbd69125f82 100644
--- a/extensions/matrix/src/matrix/credentials.test.ts
+++ b/extensions/matrix/src/matrix/credentials.test.ts
@@ -148,6 +148,40 @@ describe("matrix credentials storage", () => {
     expect(fs.existsSync(currentPath)).toBe(false);
   });
 
+  it("migrates legacy credentials to the named account when top-level auth is only a shared default", () => {
+    const stateDir = setupStateDir({
+      channels: {
+        matrix: {
+          accessToken: "shared-token",
+          accounts: {
+            ops: {
+              homeserver: "https://matrix.example.org",
+              accessToken: "ops-token",
+            },
+          },
+        },
+      },
+    });
+    const legacyPath = path.join(stateDir, "credentials", "matrix", "credentials.json");
+    const currentPath = resolveMatrixCredentialsPath({}, "ops");
+    fs.mkdirSync(path.dirname(legacyPath), { recursive: true });
+    fs.writeFileSync(
+      legacyPath,
+      JSON.stringify({
+        homeserver: "https://matrix.example.org",
+        userId: "@ops:example.org",
+        accessToken: "legacy-token",
+        createdAt: "2026-03-01T10:00:00.000Z",
+      }),
+    );
+
+    const loaded = loadMatrixCredentials({}, "ops");
+
+    expect(loaded?.accessToken).toBe("legacy-token");
+    expect(fs.existsSync(legacyPath)).toBe(false);
+    expect(fs.existsSync(currentPath)).toBe(true);
+  });
+
   it("clears both current and legacy credential paths", () => {
     const stateDir = setupStateDir({
       channels: {