diff --git a/src/cli/directory-cli.test.ts b/src/cli/directory-cli.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..d5a92b44c35
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/cli/directory-cli.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,105 @@
+import { Command } from "commander";
+import { beforeEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
+import { registerDirectoryCli } from "./directory-cli.js";
+
+const mocks = vi.hoisted(() => ({
+  loadConfig: vi.fn(),
+  writeConfigFile: vi.fn(),
+  resolveInstallableChannelPlugin: vi.fn(),
+  resolveMessageChannelSelection: vi.fn(),
+  getChannelPlugin: vi.fn(),
+  resolveChannelDefaultAccountId: vi.fn(),
+  log: vi.fn(),
+  error: vi.fn(),
+  exit: vi.fn(),
+}));
+
+vi.mock("../config/config.js", () => ({
+  loadConfig: mocks.loadConfig,
+  writeConfigFile: mocks.writeConfigFile,
+}));
+
+vi.mock("../commands/channel-setup/channel-plugin-resolution.js", () => ({
+  resolveInstallableChannelPlugin: mocks.resolveInstallableChannelPlugin,
+}));
+
+vi.mock("../infra/outbound/channel-selection.js", () => ({
+  resolveMessageChannelSelection: mocks.resolveMessageChannelSelection,
+}));
+
+vi.mock("../channels/plugins/index.js", () => ({
+  getChannelPlugin: mocks.getChannelPlugin,
+}));
+
+vi.mock("../channels/plugins/helpers.js", () => ({
+  resolveChannelDefaultAccountId: mocks.resolveChannelDefaultAccountId,
+}));
+
+vi.mock("../runtime.js", () => ({
+  defaultRuntime: {
+    log: (...args: unknown[]) => mocks.log(...args),
+    error: (...args: unknown[]) => mocks.error(...args),
+    exit: (...args: unknown[]) => mocks.exit(...args),
+  },
+}));
+
+describe("registerDirectoryCli", () => {
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    vi.clearAllMocks();
+    mocks.loadConfig.mockReturnValue({ channels: {} });
+    mocks.writeConfigFile.mockResolvedValue(undefined);
+    mocks.resolveChannelDefaultAccountId.mockReturnValue("default");
+    mocks.resolveMessageChannelSelection.mockResolvedValue({
+      channel: "slack",
+      configured: ["slack"],
+      source: "explicit",
+    });
+    mocks.exit.mockImplementation((code?: number) => {
+      throw new Error(`exit:${code ?? 0}`);
+    });
+  });
+
+  it("installs an explicit optional directory channel on demand", async () => {
+    const self = vi.fn().mockResolvedValue({ id: "self-1", name: "Family Phone" });
+    mocks.resolveInstallableChannelPlugin.mockResolvedValue({
+      cfg: {
+        channels: {},
+        plugins: { entries: { whatsapp: { enabled: true } } },
+      },
+      channelId: "whatsapp",
+      plugin: {
+        id: "whatsapp",
+        directory: { self },
+      },
+      configChanged: true,
+    });
+
+    const program = new Command().name("openclaw");
+    registerDirectoryCli(program);
+
+    await program.parseAsync(["directory", "self", "--channel", "whatsapp", "--json"], {
+      from: "user",
+    });
+
+    expect(mocks.resolveInstallableChannelPlugin).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+      expect.objectContaining({
+        rawChannel: "whatsapp",
+        allowInstall: true,
+      }),
+    );
+    expect(mocks.writeConfigFile).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+      expect.objectContaining({
+        plugins: { entries: { whatsapp: { enabled: true } } },
+      }),
+    );
+    expect(self).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+      expect.objectContaining({
+        accountId: "default",
+      }),
+    );
+    expect(mocks.log).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+      JSON.stringify({ id: "self-1", name: "Family Phone" }, null, 2),
+    );
+    expect(mocks.error).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+  });
+});
diff --git a/src/cli/directory-cli.ts b/src/cli/directory-cli.ts
index 1a9949f224a..3566d96fa47 100644
--- a/src/cli/directory-cli.ts
+++ b/src/cli/directory-cli.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,8 @@
 import type { Command } from "commander";
 import { resolveChannelDefaultAccountId } from "../channels/plugins/helpers.js";
 import { getChannelPlugin } from "../channels/plugins/index.js";
-import { loadConfig } from "../config/config.js";
+import { resolveInstallableChannelPlugin } from "../commands/channel-setup/channel-plugin-resolution.js";
+import { loadConfig, writeConfigFile } from "../config/config.js";
 import { danger } from "../globals.js";
 import { resolveMessageChannelSelection } from "../infra/outbound/channel-selection.js";
 import { defaultRuntime } from "../runtime.js";
@@ -96,13 +97,32 @@ export function registerDirectoryCli(program: Command) {
       .option("--json", "Output JSON", false);
 
   const resolve = async (opts: { channel?: string; account?: string }) => {
-    const cfg = loadConfig();
-    const selection = await resolveMessageChannelSelection({
-      cfg,
-      channel: opts.channel ?? null,
-    });
+    let cfg = loadConfig();
+    const explicitChannel = opts.channel?.trim();
+    const resolvedExplicit = explicitChannel
+      ? await resolveInstallableChannelPlugin({
+          cfg,
+          runtime: defaultRuntime,
+          rawChannel: explicitChannel,
+          allowInstall: true,
+          supports: (plugin) => Boolean(plugin.directory),
+        })
+      : null;
+    if (resolvedExplicit?.configChanged) {
+      cfg = resolvedExplicit.cfg;
+      await writeConfigFile(cfg);
+    }
+    const selection = explicitChannel
+      ? {
+          channel: resolvedExplicit?.channelId,
+        }
+      : await resolveMessageChannelSelection({
+          cfg,
+          channel: opts.channel ?? null,
+        });
     const channelId = selection.channel;
-    const plugin = getChannelPlugin(channelId);
+    const plugin =
+      resolvedExplicit?.plugin ?? (channelId ? getChannelPlugin(channelId) : undefined);
     if (!plugin) {
       throw new Error(`Unsupported channel: ${String(channelId)}`);
     }