diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index f4fea0bacab..9c60adbbfcd 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ Docs: https://docs.openclaw.ai
 
 ### Fixes
 
+- Plugins/CLI: let flag-driven `openclaw channels add` install the selected channel plugin from its default source without opening an interactive prompt, fixing published npm Telegram setup in stdin-closed automation. Thanks @codex.
 - Onboarding/setup: keep first-run config reads, plugin compatibility notices, and post-model sanity checks on cold metadata paths unless the user chooses to browse all models, avoiding full plugin/runtime catalog work between prompts. Thanks @shakkernerd.
 - Onboarding/auth: run manifest-owned provider auth choices through scoped setup providers so selecting OpenAI Codex browser/device auth no longer loads every provider runtime before OAuth starts. Thanks @shakkernerd.
 - Onboarding/auth: keep the post-auth default-model policy lookup on manifest/setup metadata so the next prompt appears without loading broad provider runtime. Thanks @shakkernerd.
diff --git a/docs/cli/channels.md b/docs/cli/channels.md
index 2eb834d542a..2b4aa1e07bb 100644
--- a/docs/cli/channels.md
+++ b/docs/cli/channels.md
@@ -59,6 +59,8 @@ Common non-interactive add surfaces include:
 - Tlon fields: `--ship`, `--url`, `--code`, `--group-channels`, `--dm-allowlist`, `--auto-discover-channels`
 - `--use-env` for default-account env-backed auth where supported
 
+If a channel plugin needs to be installed during a flag-driven add command, OpenClaw uses the channel's default install source without opening the interactive plugin install prompt.
+
 When you run `openclaw channels add` without flags, the interactive wizard can prompt:
 
 - account ids per selected channel
diff --git a/src/cli/daemon-cli.coverage.test.ts b/src/cli/daemon-cli.coverage.test.ts
index a7c837470c7..b50e91d6c1f 100644
--- a/src/cli/daemon-cli.coverage.test.ts
+++ b/src/cli/daemon-cli.coverage.test.ts
@@ -1,3 +1,6 @@
+import fs from "node:fs";
+import os from "node:os";
+import path from "node:path";
 import { Command } from "commander";
 import { afterEach, beforeEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
 import { captureEnv } from "../test-utils/env.js";
@@ -139,17 +142,19 @@ function parseFirstJsonRuntimeLine<T>() {
 
 describe("daemon-cli coverage", () => {
   let envSnapshot: ReturnType<typeof captureEnv>;
+  let tmpDir: string;
 
   beforeEach(() => {
     daemonProgram = createDaemonProgram();
+    tmpDir = fs.mkdtempSync(path.join(os.tmpdir(), "openclaw-daemon-cli-"));
     envSnapshot = captureEnv([
       "OPENCLAW_STATE_DIR",
       "OPENCLAW_CONFIG_PATH",
       "OPENCLAW_GATEWAY_PORT",
       "OPENCLAW_PROFILE",
     ]);
-    process.env.OPENCLAW_STATE_DIR = "/tmp/openclaw-cli-state";
-    process.env.OPENCLAW_CONFIG_PATH = "/tmp/openclaw-cli-state/openclaw.json";
+    process.env.OPENCLAW_STATE_DIR = tmpDir;
+    process.env.OPENCLAW_CONFIG_PATH = path.join(tmpDir, "openclaw.json");
     delete process.env.OPENCLAW_GATEWAY_PORT;
     delete process.env.OPENCLAW_PROFILE;
     serviceReadCommand.mockResolvedValue(null);
@@ -160,6 +165,7 @@ describe("daemon-cli coverage", () => {
 
   afterEach(() => {
     envSnapshot.restore();
+    fs.rmSync(tmpDir, { recursive: true, force: true });
   });
 
   it("probes gateway status by default", async () => {
diff --git a/src/commands/channel-setup/plugin-install.test.ts b/src/commands/channel-setup/plugin-install.test.ts
index ebee8943ff4..711486b7253 100644
--- a/src/commands/channel-setup/plugin-install.test.ts
+++ b/src/commands/channel-setup/plugin-install.test.ts
@@ -430,6 +430,27 @@ describe("ensureChannelSetupPluginInstalled", () => {
     );
   });
 
+  it("uses the bundled default install source without prompting in non-interactive mode", async () => {
+    const runtime = makeRuntime();
+    const { prompter, select } = makeSkipInstallPrompter();
+    const cfg: OpenClawConfig = { update: { channel: "beta" } };
+    mockBundledChatSource();
+
+    const result = await ensureChannelSetupPluginInstalled({
+      cfg,
+      entry: baseEntry,
+      prompter,
+      runtime,
+      promptInstall: false,
+    });
+
+    expect(select).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    expect(result.installed).toBe(true);
+    expect(result.cfg.plugins?.load?.paths).toContain(
+      bundledPluginRootAt("/opt/openclaw", "bundled-chat"),
+    );
+  });
+
   it("does not default to bundled local path when an external catalog overrides the npm spec", async () => {
     const runtime = makeRuntime();
     const { prompter, select } = makeSkipInstallPrompter();
diff --git a/src/commands/channel-setup/plugin-install.ts b/src/commands/channel-setup/plugin-install.ts
index 293441a4fee..b6ce164b47d 100644
--- a/src/commands/channel-setup/plugin-install.ts
+++ b/src/commands/channel-setup/plugin-install.ts
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ export async function ensureChannelSetupPluginInstalled(params: {
   prompter: WizardPrompter;
   runtime: RuntimeEnv;
   workspaceDir?: string;
+  promptInstall?: boolean;
 }): Promise<InstallResult> {
   const result = await ensureOnboardingPluginInstalled({
     cfg: params.cfg,
@@ -48,6 +49,7 @@ export async function ensureChannelSetupPluginInstalled(params: {
     prompter: params.prompter,
     runtime: params.runtime,
     workspaceDir: params.workspaceDir,
+    ...(params.promptInstall !== undefined ? { promptInstall: params.promptInstall } : {}),
   });
   return {
     cfg: result.cfg,
diff --git a/src/commands/channels.add.test.ts b/src/commands/channels.add.test.ts
index a2ea8912b4a..74775e9ef51 100644
--- a/src/commands/channels.add.test.ts
+++ b/src/commands/channels.add.test.ts
@@ -501,7 +501,7 @@ describe("channelsAddCommand", () => {
     );
 
     expect(ensureChannelSetupPluginInstalled).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
-      expect.objectContaining({ entry: catalogEntry }),
+      expect.objectContaining({ entry: catalogEntry, promptInstall: false }),
     );
     expect(loadChannelSetupPluginRegistrySnapshotForChannel).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
     expect(loadChannelSetupPluginRegistrySnapshotForChannel).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
diff --git a/src/commands/channels/add.ts b/src/commands/channels/add.ts
index baad702c9f3..653e26f2d57 100644
--- a/src/commands/channels/add.ts
+++ b/src/commands/channels/add.ts
@@ -311,6 +311,7 @@ export async function channelsAddCommand(
         prompter,
         runtime,
         workspaceDir,
+        promptInstall: false,
       });
       nextConfig = result.cfg;
       if (!result.installed) {
diff --git a/src/commands/onboarding-plugin-install.ts b/src/commands/onboarding-plugin-install.ts
index d273fef3cf1..52e107c8891 100644
--- a/src/commands/onboarding-plugin-install.ts
+++ b/src/commands/onboarding-plugin-install.ts
@@ -422,6 +422,7 @@ export async function ensureOnboardingPluginInstalled(params: {
   prompter: WizardPrompter;
   runtime: RuntimeEnv;
   workspaceDir?: string;
+  promptInstall?: boolean;
 }): Promise<OnboardingPluginInstallResult> {
   const { entry, prompter, runtime, workspaceDir } = params;
   let next = params.cfg;
@@ -442,12 +443,15 @@ export async function ensureOnboardingPluginInstalled(params: {
     bundledLocalPath,
     hasNpmSpec: Boolean(npmSpec),
   });
-  const choice = await promptInstallChoice({
-    entry,
-    localPath,
-    defaultChoice,
-    prompter,
-  });
+  const choice =
+    params.promptInstall === false
+      ? defaultChoice
+      : await promptInstallChoice({
+          entry,
+          localPath,
+          defaultChoice,
+          prompter,
+        });
 
   if (choice === "skip") {
     return {