diff --git a/plugin/index.ts b/plugin/index.ts
index a1d5bc8..0561df2 100644
--- a/plugin/index.ts
+++ b/plugin/index.ts
@@ -116,7 +116,17 @@ function getLivePluginConfig(api: OpenClawPluginApi, fallback: WhisperGateConfig
   const entries = (plugins.entries as Record<string, unknown>) || {};
   const entry = (entries.whispergate as Record<string, unknown>) || {};
   const cfg = (entry.config as Record<string, unknown>) || {};
-  if (Object.keys(cfg).length > 0) return cfg as unknown as WhisperGateConfig;
+  if (Object.keys(cfg).length > 0) {
+    // Merge with defaults to ensure optional fields have values
+    return {
+      enableDiscordControlTool: true,
+      enableWhispergatePolicyTool: true,
+      discordControlApiBaseUrl: "http://127.0.0.1:8790",
+      enableDebugLogs: false,
+      debugLogChannelIds: [],
+      ...cfg,
+    } as WhisperGateConfig;
+  }
   return fallback;
 }
 
@@ -202,12 +212,18 @@ export default {
   id: "whispergate",
   name: "WhisperGate",
   register(api: OpenClawPluginApi) {
-    const baseConfig = (api.pluginConfig || {}) as WhisperGateConfig & {
-      enableDiscordControlTool?: boolean;
-      discordControlApiBaseUrl?: string;
+    // Merge pluginConfig with defaults (in case config is missing from openclaw.json)
+    const baseConfig = {
+      enableDiscordControlTool: true,
+      enableWhispergatePolicyTool: true,
+      discordControlApiBaseUrl: "http://127.0.0.1:8790",
+      ...(api.pluginConfig || {}),
+    } as WhisperGateConfig & {
+      enableDiscordControlTool: boolean;
+      discordControlApiBaseUrl: string;
       discordControlApiToken?: string;
       discordControlCallerId?: string;
-      enableWhispergatePolicyTool?: boolean;
+      enableWhispergatePolicyTool: boolean;
     };
 
     const liveAtRegister = getLivePluginConfig(api, baseConfig as WhisperGateConfig);