diff --git a/src/infra/outbound/channel-selection.test.ts b/src/infra/outbound/channel-selection.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..15642a33b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/infra/outbound/channel-selection.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,91 @@
+import { beforeEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
+
+const mocks = vi.hoisted(() => ({
+  listChannelPlugins: vi.fn(),
+}));
+
+vi.mock("../../channels/plugins/index.js", () => ({
+  listChannelPlugins: mocks.listChannelPlugins,
+}));
+
+import { resolveMessageChannelSelection } from "./channel-selection.js";
+
+describe("resolveMessageChannelSelection", () => {
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    mocks.listChannelPlugins.mockReset();
+    mocks.listChannelPlugins.mockReturnValue([]);
+  });
+
+  it("keeps explicit known channels and marks source explicit", async () => {
+    const selection = await resolveMessageChannelSelection({
+      cfg: {} as never,
+      channel: "telegram",
+    });
+
+    expect(selection).toEqual({
+      channel: "telegram",
+      configured: [],
+      source: "explicit",
+    });
+  });
+
+  it("falls back to tool context channel when explicit channel is unknown", async () => {
+    const selection = await resolveMessageChannelSelection({
+      cfg: {} as never,
+      channel: "channel:C123",
+      fallbackChannel: "slack",
+    });
+
+    expect(selection).toEqual({
+      channel: "slack",
+      configured: [],
+      source: "tool-context-fallback",
+    });
+  });
+
+  it("uses fallback channel when explicit channel is omitted", async () => {
+    const selection = await resolveMessageChannelSelection({
+      cfg: {} as never,
+      fallbackChannel: "signal",
+    });
+
+    expect(selection).toEqual({
+      channel: "signal",
+      configured: [],
+      source: "tool-context-fallback",
+    });
+  });
+
+  it("selects single configured channel when no explicit/fallback channel exists", async () => {
+    mocks.listChannelPlugins.mockReturnValue([
+      {
+        id: "discord",
+        config: {
+          listAccountIds: () => ["default"],
+          resolveAccount: () => ({}),
+          isConfigured: async () => true,
+        },
+      },
+    ]);
+
+    const selection = await resolveMessageChannelSelection({
+      cfg: {} as never,
+    });
+
+    expect(selection).toEqual({
+      channel: "discord",
+      configured: ["discord"],
+      source: "single-configured",
+    });
+  });
+
+  it("throws unknown channel when explicit and fallback channels are both invalid", async () => {
+    await expect(
+      resolveMessageChannelSelection({
+        cfg: {} as never,
+        channel: "channel:C123",
+        fallbackChannel: "not-a-channel",
+      }),
+    ).rejects.toThrow("Unknown channel: channel:c123");
+  });
+});
diff --git a/src/infra/outbound/channel-selection.ts b/src/infra/outbound/channel-selection.ts
index a8ba2b699..9fbd592a5 100644
--- a/src/infra/outbound/channel-selection.ts
+++ b/src/infra/outbound/channel-selection.ts
@@ -4,10 +4,15 @@ import type { OpenClawConfig } from "../../config/config.js";
 import {
   listDeliverableMessageChannels,
   type DeliverableMessageChannel,
+  isDeliverableMessageChannel,
   normalizeMessageChannel,
 } from "../../utils/message-channel.js";
 
 export type MessageChannelId = DeliverableMessageChannel;
+export type MessageChannelSelectionSource =
+  | "explicit"
+  | "tool-context-fallback"
+  | "single-configured";
 
 const getMessageChannels = () => listDeliverableMessageChannels();
 
@@ -15,6 +20,20 @@ function isKnownChannel(value: string): boolean {
   return getMessageChannels().includes(value as MessageChannelId);
 }
 
+function resolveKnownChannel(value?: string | null): MessageChannelId | undefined {
+  const normalized = normalizeMessageChannel(value);
+  if (!normalized) {
+    return undefined;
+  }
+  if (!isDeliverableMessageChannel(normalized)) {
+    return undefined;
+  }
+  if (!isKnownChannel(normalized)) {
+    return undefined;
+  }
+  return normalized as MessageChannelId;
+}
+
 function isAccountEnabled(account: unknown): boolean {
   if (!account || typeof account !== "object") {
     return true;
@@ -67,21 +86,44 @@ export async function listConfiguredMessageChannels(
 export async function resolveMessageChannelSelection(params: {
   cfg: OpenClawConfig;
   channel?: string | null;
-}): Promise<{ channel: MessageChannelId; configured: MessageChannelId[] }> {
+  fallbackChannel?: string | null;
+}): Promise<{
+  channel: MessageChannelId;
+  configured: MessageChannelId[];
+  source: MessageChannelSelectionSource;
+}> {
   const normalized = normalizeMessageChannel(params.channel);
   if (normalized) {
     if (!isKnownChannel(normalized)) {
+      const fallback = resolveKnownChannel(params.fallbackChannel);
+      if (fallback) {
+        return {
+          channel: fallback,
+          configured: await listConfiguredMessageChannels(params.cfg),
+          source: "tool-context-fallback",
+        };
+      }
       throw new Error(`Unknown channel: ${String(normalized)}`);
     }
     return {
       channel: normalized as MessageChannelId,
       configured: await listConfiguredMessageChannels(params.cfg),
+      source: "explicit",
+    };
+  }
+
+  const fallback = resolveKnownChannel(params.fallbackChannel);
+  if (fallback) {
+    return {
+      channel: fallback,
+      configured: await listConfiguredMessageChannels(params.cfg),
+      source: "tool-context-fallback",
     };
   }
 
   const configured = await listConfiguredMessageChannels(params.cfg);
   if (configured.length === 1) {
-    return { channel: configured[0], configured };
+    return { channel: configured[0], configured, source: "single-configured" };
   }
   if (configured.length === 0) {
     throw new Error("Channel is required (no configured channels detected).");
diff --git a/src/infra/outbound/message-action-normalization.test.ts b/src/infra/outbound/message-action-normalization.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..8acf557ef
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/infra/outbound/message-action-normalization.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,68 @@
+import { describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
+import { normalizeMessageActionInput } from "./message-action-normalization.js";
+
+describe("normalizeMessageActionInput", () => {
+  it("prefers explicit target and clears legacy target fields", () => {
+    const normalized = normalizeMessageActionInput({
+      action: "send",
+      args: {
+        target: "channel:C1",
+        to: "legacy",
+        channelId: "legacy-channel",
+      },
+    });
+
+    expect(normalized.target).toBe("channel:C1");
+    expect(normalized.to).toBe("channel:C1");
+    expect("channelId" in normalized).toBe(false);
+  });
+
+  it("maps legacy target fields into canonical target", () => {
+    const normalized = normalizeMessageActionInput({
+      action: "send",
+      args: {
+        to: "channel:C1",
+      },
+    });
+
+    expect(normalized.target).toBe("channel:C1");
+    expect(normalized.to).toBe("channel:C1");
+  });
+
+  it("infers target from tool context when required", () => {
+    const normalized = normalizeMessageActionInput({
+      action: "send",
+      args: {},
+      toolContext: {
+        currentChannelId: "channel:C1",
+      },
+    });
+
+    expect(normalized.target).toBe("channel:C1");
+    expect(normalized.to).toBe("channel:C1");
+  });
+
+  it("infers channel from tool context provider", () => {
+    const normalized = normalizeMessageActionInput({
+      action: "send",
+      args: {
+        target: "channel:C1",
+      },
+      toolContext: {
+        currentChannelId: "C1",
+        currentChannelProvider: "slack",
+      },
+    });
+
+    expect(normalized.channel).toBe("slack");
+  });
+
+  it("throws when required target remains unresolved", () => {
+    expect(() =>
+      normalizeMessageActionInput({
+        action: "send",
+        args: {},
+      }),
+    ).toThrow(/requires a target/);
+  });
+});
diff --git a/src/infra/outbound/message-action-normalization.ts b/src/infra/outbound/message-action-normalization.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..4047a7e26
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/infra/outbound/message-action-normalization.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,70 @@
+import type {
+  ChannelMessageActionName,
+  ChannelThreadingToolContext,
+} from "../../channels/plugins/types.js";
+import {
+  isDeliverableMessageChannel,
+  normalizeMessageChannel,
+} from "../../utils/message-channel.js";
+import { applyTargetToParams } from "./channel-target.js";
+import { actionHasTarget, actionRequiresTarget } from "./message-action-spec.js";
+
+export function normalizeMessageActionInput(params: {
+  action: ChannelMessageActionName;
+  args: Record<string, unknown>;
+  toolContext?: ChannelThreadingToolContext;
+}): Record<string, unknown> {
+  const normalizedArgs = { ...params.args };
+  const { action, toolContext } = params;
+
+  const explicitTarget =
+    typeof normalizedArgs.target === "string" ? normalizedArgs.target.trim() : "";
+  const hasLegacyTarget =
+    (typeof normalizedArgs.to === "string" && normalizedArgs.to.trim().length > 0) ||
+    (typeof normalizedArgs.channelId === "string" && normalizedArgs.channelId.trim().length > 0);
+
+  if (explicitTarget && hasLegacyTarget) {
+    delete normalizedArgs.to;
+    delete normalizedArgs.channelId;
+  }
+
+  if (
+    !explicitTarget &&
+    !hasLegacyTarget &&
+    actionRequiresTarget(action) &&
+    !actionHasTarget(action, normalizedArgs)
+  ) {
+    const inferredTarget = toolContext?.currentChannelId?.trim();
+    if (inferredTarget) {
+      normalizedArgs.target = inferredTarget;
+    }
+  }
+
+  if (!explicitTarget && actionRequiresTarget(action) && hasLegacyTarget) {
+    const legacyTo = typeof normalizedArgs.to === "string" ? normalizedArgs.to.trim() : "";
+    const legacyChannelId =
+      typeof normalizedArgs.channelId === "string" ? normalizedArgs.channelId.trim() : "";
+    const legacyTarget = legacyTo || legacyChannelId;
+    if (legacyTarget) {
+      normalizedArgs.target = legacyTarget;
+      delete normalizedArgs.to;
+      delete normalizedArgs.channelId;
+    }
+  }
+
+  const explicitChannel =
+    typeof normalizedArgs.channel === "string" ? normalizedArgs.channel.trim() : "";
+  if (!explicitChannel) {
+    const inferredChannel = normalizeMessageChannel(toolContext?.currentChannelProvider);
+    if (inferredChannel && isDeliverableMessageChannel(inferredChannel)) {
+      normalizedArgs.channel = inferredChannel;
+    }
+  }
+
+  applyTargetToParams({ action, args: normalizedArgs });
+  if (actionRequiresTarget(action) && !actionHasTarget(action, normalizedArgs)) {
+    throw new Error(`Action ${action} requires a target.`);
+  }
+
+  return normalizedArgs;
+}
diff --git a/src/infra/outbound/message-action-runner.ts b/src/infra/outbound/message-action-runner.ts
index 0336db6f2..d8ec94190 100644
--- a/src/infra/outbound/message-action-runner.ts
+++ b/src/infra/outbound/message-action-runner.ts
@@ -16,19 +16,14 @@ import type { OpenClawConfig } from "../../config/config.js";
 import { getAgentScopedMediaLocalRoots } from "../../media/local-roots.js";
 import { buildChannelAccountBindings } from "../../routing/bindings.js";
 import { normalizeAgentId } from "../../routing/session-key.js";
-import {
-  isDeliverableMessageChannel,
-  normalizeMessageChannel,
-  type GatewayClientMode,
-  type GatewayClientName,
-} from "../../utils/message-channel.js";
+import { type GatewayClientMode, type GatewayClientName } from "../../utils/message-channel.js";
 import { throwIfAborted } from "./abort.js";
 import {
   listConfiguredMessageChannels,
   resolveMessageChannelSelection,
 } from "./channel-selection.js";
-import { applyTargetToParams } from "./channel-target.js";
 import type { OutboundSendDeps } from "./deliver.js";
+import { normalizeMessageActionInput } from "./message-action-normalization.js";
 import {
   hydrateAttachmentParamsForAction,
   normalizeSandboxMediaList,
@@ -41,7 +36,6 @@ import {
   resolveSlackAutoThreadId,
   resolveTelegramAutoThreadId,
 } from "./message-action-params.js";
-import { actionHasTarget, actionRequiresTarget } from "./message-action-spec.js";
 import type { MessagePollResult, MessageSendResult } from "./message.js";
 import {
   applyCrossContextDecoration,
@@ -222,23 +216,15 @@ async function resolveChannel(
   params: Record<string, unknown>,
   toolContext?: { currentChannelProvider?: string },
 ) {
-  const channelHint = readStringParam(params, "channel");
-  try {
-    const selection = await resolveMessageChannelSelection({
-      cfg,
-      channel: channelHint,
-    });
-    return selection.channel;
-  } catch (error) {
-    if (channelHint && toolContext?.currentChannelProvider) {
-      const fallback = normalizeMessageChannel(toolContext.currentChannelProvider);
-      if (fallback && isDeliverableMessageChannel(fallback)) {
-        params.channel = fallback;
-        return fallback;
-      }
-    }
-    throw error;
+  const selection = await resolveMessageChannelSelection({
+    cfg,
+    channel: readStringParam(params, "channel"),
+    fallbackChannel: toolContext?.currentChannelProvider,
+  });
+  if (selection.source === "tool-context-fallback") {
+    params.channel = selection.channel;
   }
+  return selection.channel;
 }
 
 async function resolveActionTarget(params: {
@@ -710,7 +696,7 @@ export async function runMessageAction(
   input: RunMessageActionParams,
 ): Promise<MessageActionRunResult> {
   const cfg = input.cfg;
-  const params = { ...input.params };
+  let params = { ...input.params };
   const resolvedAgentId =
     input.agentId ??
     (input.sessionKey
@@ -724,50 +710,11 @@ export async function runMessageAction(
   if (action === "broadcast") {
     return handleBroadcastAction(input, params);
   }
-
-  const explicitTarget = typeof params.target === "string" ? params.target.trim() : "";
-  const hasLegacyTarget =
-    (typeof params.to === "string" && params.to.trim().length > 0) ||
-    (typeof params.channelId === "string" && params.channelId.trim().length > 0);
-  if (explicitTarget && hasLegacyTarget) {
-    delete params.to;
-    delete params.channelId;
-  }
-  if (
-    !explicitTarget &&
-    !hasLegacyTarget &&
-    actionRequiresTarget(action) &&
-    !actionHasTarget(action, params)
-  ) {
-    const inferredTarget = input.toolContext?.currentChannelId?.trim();
-    if (inferredTarget) {
-      params.target = inferredTarget;
-    }
-  }
-  if (!explicitTarget && actionRequiresTarget(action) && hasLegacyTarget) {
-    const legacyTo = typeof params.to === "string" ? params.to.trim() : "";
-    const legacyChannelId = typeof params.channelId === "string" ? params.channelId.trim() : "";
-    const legacyTarget = legacyTo || legacyChannelId;
-    if (legacyTarget) {
-      params.target = legacyTarget;
-      delete params.to;
-      delete params.channelId;
-    }
-  }
-  const explicitChannel = typeof params.channel === "string" ? params.channel.trim() : "";
-  if (!explicitChannel) {
-    const inferredChannel = normalizeMessageChannel(input.toolContext?.currentChannelProvider);
-    if (inferredChannel && isDeliverableMessageChannel(inferredChannel)) {
-      params.channel = inferredChannel;
-    }
-  }
-
-  applyTargetToParams({ action, args: params });
-  if (actionRequiresTarget(action)) {
-    if (!actionHasTarget(action, params)) {
-      throw new Error(`Action ${action} requires a target.`);
-    }
-  }
+  params = normalizeMessageActionInput({
+    action,
+    args: params,
+    toolContext: input.toolContext,
+  });
 
   const channel = await resolveChannel(cfg, params, input.toolContext);
   let accountId = readStringParam(params, "accountId") ?? input.defaultAccountId;
diff --git a/src/infra/outbound/message.test.ts b/src/infra/outbound/message.test.ts
index 36780b995..7cebff01d 100644
--- a/src/infra/outbound/message.test.ts
+++ b/src/infra/outbound/message.test.ts
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ const mocks = vi.hoisted(() => ({
 vi.mock("../../channels/plugins/index.js", () => ({
   normalizeChannelId: (channel?: string) => channel?.trim().toLowerCase() ?? undefined,
   getChannelPlugin: mocks.getChannelPlugin,
+  listChannelPlugins: () => [],
 }));
 
 vi.mock("../../agents/agent-scope.js", () => ({
diff --git a/src/infra/outbound/message.ts b/src/infra/outbound/message.ts
index 9bee14f45..f8c09538f 100644
--- a/src/infra/outbound/message.ts
+++ b/src/infra/outbound/message.ts
@@ -9,10 +9,7 @@ import {
   type GatewayClientMode,
   type GatewayClientName,
 } from "../../utils/message-channel.js";
-import {
-  normalizeDeliverableOutboundChannel,
-  resolveOutboundChannelPlugin,
-} from "./channel-resolution.js";
+import { resolveOutboundChannelPlugin } from "./channel-resolution.js";
 import { resolveMessageChannelSelection } from "./channel-selection.js";
 import {
   deliverOutboundPayloads,
@@ -111,14 +108,12 @@ async function resolveRequiredChannel(params: {
   cfg: OpenClawConfig;
   channel?: string;
 }): Promise<string> {
-  if (params.channel?.trim()) {
-    const normalized = normalizeDeliverableOutboundChannel(params.channel);
-    if (!normalized) {
-      throw new Error(`Unknown channel: ${params.channel}`);
-    }
-    return normalized;
-  }
-  return (await resolveMessageChannelSelection({ cfg: params.cfg })).channel;
+  return (
+    await resolveMessageChannelSelection({
+      cfg: params.cfg,
+      channel: params.channel,
+    })
+  ).channel;
 }
 
 function resolveRequiredPlugin(channel: string, cfg: OpenClawConfig) {