diff --git a/extensions/whatsapp/setup-entry.test.ts b/extensions/whatsapp/setup-entry.test.ts
index a9585137119..b30cc33cc7c 100644
--- a/extensions/whatsapp/setup-entry.test.ts
+++ b/extensions/whatsapp/setup-entry.test.ts
@@ -12,4 +12,10 @@ describe("whatsapp setup entry", () => {
     expect(setupEntry.kind).toBe("bundled-channel-setup-entry");
     expect(whatsappSetupPlugin.id).toBe("whatsapp");
   });
+
+  it("loads the delegated setup wizard without importing runtime dependencies", async () => {
+    const { whatsappSetupWizard } = await import("./src/setup-surface.js");
+
+    expect(whatsappSetupWizard.channel).toBe("whatsapp");
+  });
 });
diff --git a/extensions/whatsapp/src/setup-finalize.ts b/extensions/whatsapp/src/setup-finalize.ts
index edd9eed17d0..651b6d69d99 100644
--- a/extensions/whatsapp/src/setup-finalize.ts
+++ b/extensions/whatsapp/src/setup-finalize.ts
@@ -15,7 +15,6 @@ import {
   resolveWhatsAppAccount,
   resolveWhatsAppAuthDir,
 } from "./accounts.js";
-import { loginWeb } from "./login.js";
 import { whatsappSetupAdapter } from "./setup-core.js";
 
 type SetupPrompter = Parameters<NonNullable<ChannelSetupWizard["finalize"]>>[0]["prompter"];
@@ -424,6 +423,7 @@ export async function finalizeWhatsAppSetup(params: {
   });
   if (wantsLink) {
     try {
+      const { loginWeb } = await import("./login.js");
       await loginWeb(false, undefined, params.runtime, accountId);
     } catch (error) {
       params.runtime.error(`WhatsApp login failed: ${String(error)}`);
diff --git a/extensions/whatsapp/src/shared.ts b/extensions/whatsapp/src/shared.ts
index 5fc4e02d5eb..79c1872a33a 100644
--- a/extensions/whatsapp/src/shared.ts
+++ b/extensions/whatsapp/src/shared.ts
@@ -94,8 +94,12 @@ export async function loadWhatsAppChannelRuntime() {
   return await import("./channel.runtime.js");
 }
 
+async function loadWhatsAppSetupSurface() {
+  return await import("./setup-surface.js");
+}
+
 export const whatsappSetupWizardProxy = createWhatsAppSetupWizardProxy(
-  async () => (await loadWhatsAppChannelRuntime()).whatsappSetupWizard,
+  async () => (await loadWhatsAppSetupSurface()).whatsappSetupWizard,
 );
 
 const whatsappConfigAdapter = createScopedChannelConfigAdapter<ResolvedWhatsAppAccount>({
diff --git a/scripts/e2e/bundled-channel-runtime-deps-docker.sh b/scripts/e2e/bundled-channel-runtime-deps-docker.sh
index 6af8237d263..ee116614c41 100644
--- a/scripts/e2e/bundled-channel-runtime-deps-docker.sh
+++ b/scripts/e2e/bundled-channel-runtime-deps-docker.sh
@@ -709,6 +709,102 @@ for channel in "${!SETUP_ENTRY_DEP_SENTINELS[@]}"; do
   fi
 done
 
+echo "Running packaged guided WhatsApp setup; runtime deps should be staged before finalize..."
+OPENCLAW_PACKAGE_ROOT="$root" node --input-type=module - <<'NODE'
+import path from "node:path";
+import { readdir } from "node:fs/promises";
+import { pathToFileURL } from "node:url";
+
+const root = process.env.OPENCLAW_PACKAGE_ROOT;
+if (!root) {
+  throw new Error("missing OPENCLAW_PACKAGE_ROOT");
+}
+const distDir = path.join(root, "dist");
+const onboardChannelFiles = (await readdir(distDir))
+  .filter((entry) => /^onboard-channels-.*\.js$/.test(entry))
+  .sort();
+let setupChannels;
+for (const entry of onboardChannelFiles) {
+  const module = await import(pathToFileURL(path.join(distDir, entry)));
+  if (typeof module.setupChannels === "function") {
+    setupChannels = module.setupChannels;
+    break;
+  }
+}
+if (!setupChannels) {
+  throw new Error(
+    `could not find packaged setupChannels export in ${JSON.stringify(onboardChannelFiles)}`,
+  );
+}
+
+let channelSelectCount = 0;
+const notes = [];
+const prompter = {
+  intro: async () => {},
+  outro: async () => {},
+  note: async (body, title) => {
+    notes.push({ title, body });
+  },
+  confirm: async ({ message, initialValue }) => {
+    if (message === "Link WhatsApp now (QR)?") {
+      return false;
+    }
+    return initialValue ?? true;
+  },
+  select: async ({ message }) => {
+    if (message === "Select a channel") {
+      channelSelectCount += 1;
+      return channelSelectCount === 1 ? "whatsapp" : "__done__";
+    }
+    if (message === "WhatsApp phone setup") {
+      return "separate";
+    }
+    if (message === "WhatsApp DM policy") {
+      return "disabled";
+    }
+    throw new Error(`unexpected select prompt: ${message}`);
+  },
+  multiselect: async ({ message }) => {
+    throw new Error(`unexpected multiselect prompt: ${message}`);
+  },
+  text: async ({ message }) => {
+    throw new Error(`unexpected text prompt: ${message}`);
+  },
+};
+const runtime = {
+  log: (message) => console.log(message),
+  error: (message) => console.error(message),
+};
+
+const result = await setupChannels(
+  { plugins: { enabled: true } },
+  runtime,
+  prompter,
+  {
+    deferStatusUntilSelection: true,
+    skipConfirm: true,
+    skipStatusNote: true,
+    skipDmPolicyPrompt: true,
+    initialSelection: ["whatsapp"],
+  },
+);
+
+if (!result.channels?.whatsapp) {
+  throw new Error(`WhatsApp setup did not write channel config: ${JSON.stringify(result)}`);
+}
+console.log("packaged guided WhatsApp setup completed");
+NODE
+
+if [ -e "$root/dist/extensions/whatsapp/node_modules/@whiskeysockets/baileys/package.json" ]; then
+  echo "expected guided WhatsApp setup deps to be installed externally, not into bundled plugin tree" >&2
+  exit 1
+fi
+if ! find "$OPENCLAW_PLUGIN_STAGE_DIR" -maxdepth 12 -path "*/node_modules/@whiskeysockets/baileys/package.json" -type f | grep -q .; then
+  echo "guided WhatsApp setup did not stage @whiskeysockets/baileys before finalize" >&2
+  find "$OPENCLAW_PLUGIN_STAGE_DIR" -maxdepth 12 -type f | sort | head -160 >&2 || true
+  exit 1
+fi
+
 echo "Configuring setup-entry channels; doctor should now install bundled runtime deps externally..."
 node - <<'NODE'
 const fs = require("node:fs");
diff --git a/src/commands/channel-setup/plugin-install.ts b/src/commands/channel-setup/plugin-install.ts
index cf13b81abf3..293441a4fee 100644
--- a/src/commands/channel-setup/plugin-install.ts
+++ b/src/commands/channel-setup/plugin-install.ts
@@ -72,6 +72,7 @@ function loadChannelSetupPluginRegistry(params: {
   onlyPluginIds?: string[];
   activate?: boolean;
   installRuntimeDeps?: boolean;
+  forceSetupOnlyChannelPlugins?: boolean;
 }): PluginRegistry {
   clearPluginDiscoveryCache();
   const autoEnabled = applyPluginAutoEnable({ config: params.cfg, env: process.env });
@@ -89,7 +90,8 @@ function loadChannelSetupPluginRegistry(params: {
     logger: createPluginLoaderLogger(log),
     onlyPluginIds: params.onlyPluginIds,
     includeSetupOnlyChannelPlugins: true,
-    forceSetupOnlyChannelPlugins: params.installRuntimeDeps === false,
+    forceSetupOnlyChannelPlugins:
+      params.forceSetupOnlyChannelPlugins ?? params.installRuntimeDeps === false,
     activate: params.activate,
     installBundledRuntimeDeps: params.installRuntimeDeps !== false,
   });
@@ -160,6 +162,7 @@ export function loadChannelSetupPluginRegistrySnapshotForChannel(params: {
   pluginId?: string;
   workspaceDir?: string;
   installRuntimeDeps?: boolean;
+  forceSetupOnlyChannelPlugins?: boolean;
 }): PluginRegistry {
   const scopedPluginId = resolveScopedChannelPluginId({
     cfg: params.cfg,
diff --git a/src/flows/channel-setup.test.ts b/src/flows/channel-setup.test.ts
index ce9779a0730..6f958836ad6 100644
--- a/src/flows/channel-setup.test.ts
+++ b/src/flows/channel-setup.test.ts
@@ -461,12 +461,23 @@ describe("setupChannels workspace shadow exclusion", () => {
       },
     );
 
-    expect(loadChannelSetupPluginRegistrySnapshotForChannel).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
-    expect(loadChannelSetupPluginRegistrySnapshotForChannel).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+    expect(loadChannelSetupPluginRegistrySnapshotForChannel).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2);
+    expect(loadChannelSetupPluginRegistrySnapshotForChannel).toHaveBeenNthCalledWith(
+      1,
       expect.objectContaining({
         channel: "external-chat",
         pluginId: "external-chat",
         workspaceDir: "/tmp/openclaw-workspace",
+        installRuntimeDeps: false,
+      }),
+    );
+    expect(loadChannelSetupPluginRegistrySnapshotForChannel).toHaveBeenNthCalledWith(
+      2,
+      expect.objectContaining({
+        channel: "external-chat",
+        workspaceDir: "/tmp/openclaw-workspace",
+        forceSetupOnlyChannelPlugins: true,
+        installRuntimeDeps: true,
       }),
     );
     expect(getChannelSetupPlugin).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
diff --git a/src/flows/channel-setup.ts b/src/flows/channel-setup.ts
index 65e00541f4a..65a36d51e8f 100644
--- a/src/flows/channel-setup.ts
+++ b/src/flows/channel-setup.ts
@@ -163,9 +163,14 @@ export async function setupChannels(
   const loadScopedChannelPlugin = async (
     channel: ChannelChoice,
     pluginId?: string,
+    setup?: {
+      installRuntimeDeps?: boolean;
+      forceReload?: boolean;
+      forceSetupOnlyChannelPlugins?: boolean;
+    },
   ): Promise<ChannelSetupPlugin | undefined> => {
     const existing = getVisibleChannelPlugin(channel);
-    if (existing) {
+    if (existing && setup?.forceReload !== true) {
       return existing;
     }
     const snapshot = loadChannelSetupPluginRegistrySnapshotForChannel({
@@ -174,7 +179,8 @@ export async function setupChannels(
       channel,
       ...(pluginId ? { pluginId } : {}),
       workspaceDir: resolveWorkspaceDir(),
-      installRuntimeDeps: false,
+      installRuntimeDeps: setup?.installRuntimeDeps ?? false,
+      forceSetupOnlyChannelPlugins: setup?.forceSetupOnlyChannelPlugins,
     });
     const plugin =
       snapshot.channelSetups.find((entry) => entry.plugin.id === channel)?.plugin ??
@@ -401,6 +407,13 @@ export async function setupChannels(
   };
 
   const configureChannel = async (channel: ChannelChoice) => {
+    if (scopedPluginsById.has(channel)) {
+      await loadScopedChannelPlugin(channel, undefined, {
+        forceReload: true,
+        forceSetupOnlyChannelPlugins: true,
+        installRuntimeDeps: true,
+      });
+    }
     const adapter = getVisibleSetupFlowAdapter(channel);
     if (!adapter) {
       await prompter.note(`${channel} does not support guided setup yet.`, "Channel setup");
diff --git a/src/plugins/loader.ts b/src/plugins/loader.ts
index 09c121859ec..58be2de0014 100644
--- a/src/plugins/loader.ts
+++ b/src/plugins/loader.ts
@@ -2441,7 +2441,9 @@ export function loadOpenClawPlugins(options: PluginLoadOptions = {}): PluginRegi
         manifestRecord.setupSource
       ) {
         const setupRegistration = resolveSetupChannelRegistration(mod, {
-          installRuntimeDeps: shouldInstallBundledRuntimeDeps && enableState.enabled,
+          installRuntimeDeps:
+            shouldInstallBundledRuntimeDeps &&
+            (enableState.enabled || forceSetupOnlyChannelPlugins),
         });
         if (setupRegistration.loadError) {
           recordPluginError({