diff --git a/extensions/whatsapp/src/inbound/extract.test.ts b/extensions/whatsapp/src/inbound/extract.test.ts
index 9b11bd1340b..0414c11621e 100644
--- a/extensions/whatsapp/src/inbound/extract.test.ts
+++ b/extensions/whatsapp/src/inbound/extract.test.ts
@@ -169,6 +169,16 @@ describe("hasInboundUserContent", () => {
     ).toBe(true);
   });
 
+  it("returns true for contactsArrayMessage via contact placeholder extraction", () => {
+    expect(
+      hasInboundUserContent({
+        contactsArrayMessage: {
+          contacts: [{ displayName: "Alice", vcard: "BEGIN:VCARD\nEND:VCARD" }],
+        },
+      } as proto.IMessage),
+    ).toBe(true);
+  });
+
   it("returns true for buttons response (user button click)", () => {
     expect(
       hasInboundUserContent({
diff --git a/extensions/whatsapp/src/inbound/extract.ts b/extensions/whatsapp/src/inbound/extract.ts
index 70071efe588..043fdab81ff 100644
--- a/extensions/whatsapp/src/inbound/extract.ts
+++ b/extensions/whatsapp/src/inbound/extract.ts
@@ -456,7 +456,7 @@ function hasInteractiveResponseContent(message: proto.IMessage | undefined): boo
 }
 
 /**
- * Fast O(1) check that a Baileys message carries user-visible inbound content
+ * Fast check that a Baileys message carries user-visible inbound content
  * (text, media, contact, location, button/list selection). Returns false for
  * protocol/receipt/typing notifications that arrive on the same
  * `messages.upsert` stream as real messages but should not trigger pairing
@@ -472,19 +472,13 @@ export function hasInboundUserContent(rawMessage: proto.IMessage | undefined): b
   if (extractMediaPlaceholder(rawMessage)) {
     return true;
   }
-  if (extractContactContext(rawMessage)) {
-    return true;
-  }
   if (extractLocationData(rawMessage)) {
     return true;
   }
-  if (hasInteractiveResponseContent(rawMessage)) {
-    return true;
-  }
   // Walk wrappers (ephemeral, viewOnce, etc.) — interactive responses
   // can arrive nested.
   for (const candidate of buildMessageChain(rawMessage)) {
-    if (candidate !== rawMessage && hasInteractiveResponseContent(candidate)) {
+    if (hasInteractiveResponseContent(candidate)) {
       return true;
     }
   }