diff --git a/extensions/whatsapp/src/monitor-inbox.streams-inbound-messages.test.ts b/extensions/whatsapp/src/monitor-inbox.streams-inbound-messages.test.ts
index e77270d4a39..541c3943739 100644
--- a/extensions/whatsapp/src/monitor-inbox.streams-inbound-messages.test.ts
+++ b/extensions/whatsapp/src/monitor-inbox.streams-inbound-messages.test.ts
@@ -32,6 +32,45 @@ function nextMessageId(label: string): string {
   return `${label}-${nextMessageSequence}`;
 }
 
+function createSocketRef(): NonNullable<InboxMonitorOptions["socketRef"]> {
+  return { current: null };
+}
+
+async function primeInboundReplyHandle(params: {
+  onMessage: ReturnType<typeof vi.fn>;
+  socketRef: NonNullable<InboxMonitorOptions["socketRef"]>;
+  upsertId: string;
+  retryPolicy: NonNullable<InboxMonitorOptions["disconnectRetryPolicy"]>;
+  useCurrentSock?: boolean;
+}) {
+  const { listener, sock } = await startInboxMonitor(params.onMessage as InboxOnMessage, {
+    socketRef: params.socketRef,
+    shouldRetryDisconnect: () => true,
+    disconnectRetryPolicy: params.retryPolicy,
+  });
+  const sourceSock = params.useCurrentSock ? getSock() : sock;
+  sourceSock.ev.emit(
+    "messages.upsert",
+    buildNotifyMessageUpsert({
+      id: nextMessageId(params.upsertId),
+      remoteJid: "999@s.whatsapp.net",
+      text: "ping",
+      timestamp: 1_700_000_000,
+      pushName: "Tester",
+    }),
+  );
+  await waitForMessageCalls(params.onMessage, 1);
+
+  const inbound = params.onMessage.mock.calls.at(0)?.at(0) as
+    | {
+        reply: (text: string) => Promise<void>;
+      }
+    | undefined;
+  expect(inbound).toBeDefined();
+
+  return { listener, sock, inbound };
+}
+
 describe("web monitor inbox", () => {
   installWebMonitorInboxUnitTestHooks();
 
@@ -258,12 +297,12 @@ describe("web monitor inbox", () => {
 
   it("waits for a replacement socket before sending replies", async () => {
     const onMessage = vi.fn(async () => undefined);
-    const socketRef: NonNullable<InboxMonitorOptions["socketRef"]> = { current: null };
-
-    const { listener, sock } = await startInboxMonitor(onMessage as InboxOnMessage, {
+    const socketRef = createSocketRef();
+    const { listener, sock, inbound } = await primeInboundReplyHandle({
+      onMessage,
       socketRef,
-      shouldRetryDisconnect: () => true,
-      disconnectRetryPolicy: {
+      upsertId: "reconnect-gap",
+      retryPolicy: {
         initialMs: 10,
         maxMs: 10,
         factor: 1,
@@ -271,24 +310,6 @@ describe("web monitor inbox", () => {
         maxAttempts: 2,
       },
     });
-    sock.ev.emit(
-      "messages.upsert",
-      buildNotifyMessageUpsert({
-        id: nextMessageId("reconnect-gap"),
-        remoteJid: "999@s.whatsapp.net",
-        text: "ping",
-        timestamp: 1_700_000_000,
-        pushName: "Tester",
-      }),
-    );
-    await waitForMessageCalls(onMessage, 1);
-
-    const inbound = onMessage.mock.calls.at(0)?.at(0) as
-      | {
-          reply: (text: string) => Promise<void>;
-        }
-      | undefined;
-    expect(inbound).toBeDefined();
 
     const replacementSock = {
       sendMessage: vi.fn(async () => undefined),
@@ -314,12 +335,12 @@ describe("web monitor inbox", () => {
 
   it("retries timed-out sends on the same socket without clearing the socket ref", async () => {
     const onMessage = vi.fn(async () => undefined);
-    const socketRef: NonNullable<InboxMonitorOptions["socketRef"]> = { current: null };
-
-    const { listener, sock } = await startInboxMonitor(onMessage as InboxOnMessage, {
+    const socketRef = createSocketRef();
+    const { listener, sock, inbound } = await primeInboundReplyHandle({
+      onMessage,
       socketRef,
-      shouldRetryDisconnect: () => true,
-      disconnectRetryPolicy: {
+      upsertId: "timeout-retry",
+      retryPolicy: {
         initialMs: 1,
         maxMs: 1,
         factor: 1,
@@ -327,24 +348,6 @@ describe("web monitor inbox", () => {
         maxAttempts: 2,
       },
     });
-    sock.ev.emit(
-      "messages.upsert",
-      buildNotifyMessageUpsert({
-        id: nextMessageId("timeout-retry"),
-        remoteJid: "999@s.whatsapp.net",
-        text: "ping",
-        timestamp: 1_700_000_000,
-        pushName: "Tester",
-      }),
-    );
-    await waitForMessageCalls(onMessage, 1);
-
-    const inbound = onMessage.mock.calls.at(0)?.at(0) as
-      | {
-          reply: (text: string) => Promise<void>;
-        }
-      | undefined;
-    expect(inbound).toBeDefined();
 
     sock.sendMessage
       .mockRejectedValueOnce(new Error("operation timed out"))
@@ -366,37 +369,20 @@ describe("web monitor inbox", () => {
 
   it("bounds reconnect-gap retries even when reconnect attempts are unlimited", async () => {
     const onMessage = vi.fn(async () => undefined);
-    const socketRef: NonNullable<InboxMonitorOptions["socketRef"]> = { current: null };
-
-    const { listener } = await startInboxMonitor(onMessage as InboxOnMessage, {
+    const socketRef = createSocketRef();
+    const { listener, inbound } = await primeInboundReplyHandle({
+      onMessage,
       socketRef,
-      shouldRetryDisconnect: () => true,
-      disconnectRetryPolicy: {
+      upsertId: "unlimited-reconnect-send-bound",
+      retryPolicy: {
         initialMs: 1,
         maxMs: 1,
         factor: 1,
         jitter: 0,
         maxAttempts: 0,
       },
+      useCurrentSock: true,
     });
-    getSock().ev.emit(
-      "messages.upsert",
-      buildNotifyMessageUpsert({
-        id: nextMessageId("unlimited-reconnect-send-bound"),
-        remoteJid: "999@s.whatsapp.net",
-        text: "ping",
-        timestamp: 1_700_000_000,
-        pushName: "Tester",
-      }),
-    );
-    await waitForMessageCalls(onMessage, 1);
-
-    const inbound = onMessage.mock.calls.at(0)?.at(0) as
-      | {
-          reply: (text: string) => Promise<void>;
-        }
-      | undefined;
-    expect(inbound).toBeDefined();
 
     socketRef.current = null;