diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 965aca3518b..f5c95288d36 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -109,6 +109,7 @@ Docs: https://docs.openclaw.ai
 ### Fixes
 
 - Onboard/channels: recover externalized channel plugins from stale `channels.<id>` config by falling back to `ensureChannelSetupPluginInstalled` via the trusted catalog when the plugin is missing on disk, so leftover `appId`/token entries no longer dead-end onboard with "<channel> plugin not available." (#78328) Thanks @sliverp.
+- Codex/app-server: forward the OpenClaw workspace bootstrap block through Codex `developerInstructions` instead of `config.instructions`, so persona/style guidance reaches the behavior-shaping app-server lane. Fixes #77363. Thanks @lonexreb.
 - Dependencies: override transitive `ip-address` to `10.2.0` so the runtime lockfile no longer includes the vulnerable `10.1.0` build flagged by Dependabot alert 109. Thanks @vincentkoc.
 - Feishu: hydrate missing native topic starter thread IDs before session routing so first turns and follow-ups stay in the same topic session. Fixes #78262. Thanks @joeyzenghuan.
 - LINE: reject `dmPolicy: "open"` configs without wildcard `allowFrom` so webhook DMs fail validation instead of being acknowledged and silently blocked before inbound processing. Fixes #78316.
diff --git a/docs/plugins/codex-harness.md b/docs/plugins/codex-harness.md
index 4777ce499d6..3226ad3d84f 100644
--- a/docs/plugins/codex-harness.md
+++ b/docs/plugins/codex-harness.md
@@ -274,9 +274,9 @@ filenames for persona files, because Codex fallbacks only apply when
 For OpenClaw workspace parity, the Codex harness resolves the other bootstrap
 files (`SOUL.md`, `TOOLS.md`, `IDENTITY.md`, `USER.md`, `HEARTBEAT.md`,
 `BOOTSTRAP.md`, and `MEMORY.md` when present) and forwards them through Codex
-config instructions on `thread/start` and `thread/resume`. This keeps
-`SOUL.md` and related workspace persona/profile context visible without
-duplicating `AGENTS.md`.
+developer instructions on `thread/start` and `thread/resume`. This keeps
+`SOUL.md` and related workspace persona/profile context visible on the native
+Codex behavior-shaping lane without duplicating `AGENTS.md`.
 
 ## Add Codex alongside other models
 
diff --git a/extensions/codex/src/app-server/run-attempt.test.ts b/extensions/codex/src/app-server/run-attempt.test.ts
index 542b3023951..8245373afa8 100644
--- a/extensions/codex/src/app-server/run-attempt.test.ts
+++ b/extensions/codex/src/app-server/run-attempt.test.ts
@@ -952,7 +952,7 @@ describe("runCodexAppServerAttempt", () => {
     expect(inputText).toContain("make the default webpage openclaw");
   });
 
-  it("passes OpenClaw bootstrap files through Codex config instructions", async () => {
+  it("passes OpenClaw bootstrap files through Codex developer instructions", async () => {
     const sessionFile = path.join(tempDir, "session.jsonl");
     const workspaceDir = path.join(tempDir, "workspace");
     await fs.mkdir(workspaceDir, { recursive: true });
@@ -967,14 +967,18 @@ describe("runCodexAppServerAttempt", () => {
     await run;
 
     const threadStart = harness.requests.find((request) => request.method === "thread/start");
-    const config = (threadStart?.params as { config?: { instructions?: string } }).config;
-    expect(config).toEqual(
-      expect.objectContaining({
-        instructions: expect.stringContaining("Soul voice goes here."),
-      }),
-    );
-    expect(config?.instructions).toContain("Codex loads AGENTS.md natively");
-    expect(config?.instructions).not.toContain("Follow AGENTS guidance.");
+    const params = threadStart?.params as {
+      config?: { instructions?: string };
+      developerInstructions?: string;
+    };
+    const config = params.config;
+
+    // Regression for #77363: persona/style bootstrap (SOUL.md) must reach the
+    // explicit developerInstructions field, not config.instructions.
+    expect(params.developerInstructions).toContain("Soul voice goes here.");
+    expect(params.developerInstructions).toContain("Codex loads AGENTS.md natively");
+    expect(params.developerInstructions).not.toContain("Follow AGENTS guidance.");
+    expect(config?.instructions).toBeUndefined();
   });
 
   it("fires llm_input, llm_output, and agent_end hooks for codex turns", async () => {
diff --git a/extensions/codex/src/app-server/run-attempt.ts b/extensions/codex/src/app-server/run-attempt.ts
index 200d6070610..9bd300877bb 100644
--- a/extensions/codex/src/app-server/run-attempt.ts
+++ b/extensions/codex/src/app-server/run-attempt.ts
@@ -484,8 +484,21 @@ export async function runCodexAppServerAttempt(
       (await readMirroredSessionHistoryMessages(params.sessionFile)) ?? historyMessages;
   }
   const baseDeveloperInstructions = buildDeveloperInstructions(params);
+  // Build the workspace bootstrap block before finalizing developer
+  // instructions so persona files (SOUL.md, IDENTITY.md, ...) reach Codex
+  // through the explicit `developerInstructions` field.
+  const workspaceBootstrapInstructions = await buildCodexWorkspaceBootstrapInstructions({
+    params,
+    resolvedWorkspace,
+    effectiveWorkspace,
+    sessionKey: sandboxSessionKey,
+    sessionAgentId,
+  });
   let promptText = params.prompt;
-  let developerInstructions = baseDeveloperInstructions;
+  let developerInstructions = joinPresentSections(
+    baseDeveloperInstructions,
+    workspaceBootstrapInstructions,
+  );
   let prePromptMessageCount = historyMessages.length;
   if (activeContextEngine) {
     try {
@@ -512,6 +525,7 @@ export async function runCodexAppServerAttempt(
       promptText = projection.promptText;
       developerInstructions = joinPresentSections(
         baseDeveloperInstructions,
+        workspaceBootstrapInstructions,
         projection.developerInstructionAddition,
       );
       prePromptMessageCount = projection.prePromptMessageCount;
@@ -541,13 +555,6 @@ export async function runCodexAppServerAttempt(
     messages: historyMessages,
     ctx: hookContext,
   });
-  const workspaceBootstrapInstructions = await buildCodexWorkspaceBootstrapInstructions({
-    params,
-    resolvedWorkspace,
-    effectiveWorkspace,
-    sessionKey: sandboxSessionKey,
-    sessionAgentId,
-  });
   const trajectoryRecorder = createCodexTrajectoryRecorder({
     attempt: params,
     cwd: effectiveWorkspace,
@@ -583,10 +590,7 @@ export async function runCodexAppServerAttempt(
       : options.nativeHookRelay?.enabled === false
         ? buildCodexNativeHookRelayDisabledConfig()
         : undefined;
-    const threadConfig = mergeCodexConfigInstructions(
-      nativeHookRelayConfig,
-      workspaceBootstrapInstructions,
-    );
+    const threadConfig = nativeHookRelayConfig;
     ({ client, thread } = await withCodexStartupTimeout({
       timeoutMs: params.timeoutMs,
       timeoutFloorMs: options.startupTimeoutFloorMs,
@@ -1871,20 +1875,6 @@ function renderCodexWorkspaceBootstrapInstructions(
   return lines.join("\n").trim();
 }
 
-function mergeCodexConfigInstructions(
-  config: JsonObject | undefined,
-  instructions: string | undefined,
-): JsonObject | undefined {
-  if (!instructions?.trim()) {
-    return config;
-  }
-  const merged: JsonObject = { ...config };
-  const existingInstructions =
-    typeof merged.instructions === "string" ? merged.instructions.trim() : undefined;
-  merged.instructions = joinPresentSections(existingInstructions, instructions);
-  return merged;
-}
-
 function remapCodexContextFilePath(params: {
   file: EmbeddedContextFile;
   sourceWorkspaceDir: string;