diff --git a/extensions/lobster/src/lobster-tool.test.ts b/extensions/lobster/src/lobster-tool.test.ts
index bde3767845c..21d090846b0 100644
--- a/extensions/lobster/src/lobster-tool.test.ts
+++ b/extensions/lobster/src/lobster-tool.test.ts
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@ function fakeApi(overrides: Partial<OpenClawPluginApi> = {}): OpenClawPluginApi
     registerCli() {},
     registerService() {},
     registerProvider() {},
+    registerWebSearchProvider() {},
     registerInteractiveHandler() {},
     registerHook() {},
     registerHttpRoute() {},
diff --git a/extensions/test-utils/plugin-api.ts b/extensions/test-utils/plugin-api.ts
index c2eaeced2e5..5c621700602 100644
--- a/extensions/test-utils/plugin-api.ts
+++ b/extensions/test-utils/plugin-api.ts
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ export function createTestPluginApi(api: TestPluginApiInput): OpenClawPluginApi
     registerCli() {},
     registerService() {},
     registerProvider() {},
+    registerWebSearchProvider() {},
     registerInteractiveHandler() {},
     registerCommand() {},
     registerContextEngine() {},
diff --git a/extensions/whatsapp/src/channel.ts b/extensions/whatsapp/src/channel.ts
index 63c01bca05c..d73c951a054 100644
--- a/extensions/whatsapp/src/channel.ts
+++ b/extensions/whatsapp/src/channel.ts
@@ -58,12 +58,12 @@ const whatsappSetupWizardProxy = {
         cfg,
       }),
     resolveStatusLines: async ({ cfg, configured }) =>
-      await (
+      (await (
         await loadWhatsAppChannelRuntime()
       ).whatsappSetupWizard.status.resolveStatusLines?.({
         cfg,
         configured,
-      }),
+      })) ?? [],
   },
   resolveShouldPromptAccountIds: (params) =>
     (params.shouldPromptAccountIds || params.options?.promptWhatsAppAccountId) ?? false,
diff --git a/src/agents/tools/web-search-plugin-factory.ts b/src/agents/tools/web-search-plugin-factory.ts
index 8022b2e354d..ab80702a6ed 100644
--- a/src/agents/tools/web-search-plugin-factory.ts
+++ b/src/agents/tools/web-search-plugin-factory.ts
@@ -2,6 +2,10 @@ import type { OpenClawConfig } from "../../config/config.js";
 import type { WebSearchProviderPlugin } from "../../plugins/types.js";
 import { createWebSearchTool as createLegacyWebSearchTool } from "./web-search-core.js";
 
+type ConfiguredWebSearchProvider = NonNullable<
+  NonNullable<NonNullable<OpenClawConfig["tools"]>["web"]>["search"]
+>["provider"];
+
 function cloneWithDescriptors<T extends object>(value: T | undefined): T {
   const next = Object.create(Object.getPrototypeOf(value ?? {})) as T;
   if (value) {
@@ -10,7 +14,10 @@ function cloneWithDescriptors<T extends object>(value: T | undefined): T {
   return next;
 }
 
-function withForcedProvider(config: OpenClawConfig | undefined, provider: string): OpenClawConfig {
+function withForcedProvider(
+  config: OpenClawConfig | undefined,
+  provider: ConfiguredWebSearchProvider,
+): OpenClawConfig {
   const next = cloneWithDescriptors(config ?? {});
   const tools = cloneWithDescriptors(next.tools ?? {});
   const web = cloneWithDescriptors(tools.web ?? {});
@@ -25,7 +32,9 @@ function withForcedProvider(config: OpenClawConfig | undefined, provider: string
 }
 
 export function createPluginBackedWebSearchProvider(
-  provider: Omit<WebSearchProviderPlugin, "createTool">,
+  provider: Omit<WebSearchProviderPlugin, "createTool"> & {
+    id: ConfiguredWebSearchProvider;
+  },
 ): WebSearchProviderPlugin {
   return {
     ...provider,
diff --git a/src/auto-reply/reply/route-reply.test.ts b/src/auto-reply/reply/route-reply.test.ts
index ed507607c83..0a717f9bfc7 100644
--- a/src/auto-reply/reply/route-reply.test.ts
+++ b/src/auto-reply/reply/route-reply.test.ts
@@ -88,6 +88,7 @@ const createRegistry = (channels: PluginRegistry["channels"]): PluginRegistry =>
     enabled: true,
   })),
   providers: [],
+  webSearchProviders: [],
   gatewayHandlers: {},
   httpRoutes: [],
   cliRegistrars: [],
diff --git a/src/commands/configure.wizard.ts b/src/commands/configure.wizard.ts
index 80af67043ab..6e5f0203be0 100644
--- a/src/commands/configure.wizard.ts
+++ b/src/commands/configure.wizard.ts
@@ -174,6 +174,10 @@ async function promptWebToolsConfig(
     hasKeyInEnv,
   } = await import("./onboard-search.js");
   type SP = (typeof SEARCH_PROVIDER_OPTIONS)[number]["value"];
+  const defaultProvider = SEARCH_PROVIDER_OPTIONS[0]?.value;
+  if (!defaultProvider) {
+    throw new Error("No web search providers are registered.");
+  }
 
   const hasKeyForProvider = (provider: string): boolean => {
     const entry = SEARCH_PROVIDER_OPTIONS.find((e) => e.value === provider);
@@ -183,14 +187,13 @@ async function promptWebToolsConfig(
     return hasExistingKey(nextConfig, provider as SP) || hasKeyInEnv(entry);
   };
 
-  const existingProvider: string = (() => {
+  const existingProvider: SP = (() => {
     const stored = existingSearch?.provider;
     if (stored && SEARCH_PROVIDER_OPTIONS.some((e) => e.value === stored)) {
-      return stored;
+      return stored as SP;
     }
     return (
-      SEARCH_PROVIDER_OPTIONS.find((e) => hasKeyForProvider(e.value))?.value ??
-      SEARCH_PROVIDER_OPTIONS[0].value
+      SEARCH_PROVIDER_OPTIONS.find((e) => hasKeyForProvider(e.value))?.value ?? defaultProvider
     );
   })();
 
diff --git a/src/commands/onboard-search.ts b/src/commands/onboard-search.ts
index d1281fe3fc7..af5f3cd9a8f 100644
--- a/src/commands/onboard-search.ts
+++ b/src/commands/onboard-search.ts
@@ -11,7 +11,21 @@ import type { RuntimeEnv } from "../runtime.js";
 import type { WizardPrompter } from "../wizard/prompts.js";
 import type { SecretInputMode } from "./onboard-types.js";
 
-export type SearchProvider = string;
+export type SearchProvider = NonNullable<
+  NonNullable<NonNullable<NonNullable<OpenClawConfig["tools"]>["web"]>["search"]>["provider"]
+>;
+
+const SEARCH_PROVIDER_IDS = ["brave", "gemini", "grok", "kimi", "perplexity"] as const;
+
+function isSearchProvider(value: string): value is SearchProvider {
+  return (SEARCH_PROVIDER_IDS as readonly string[]).includes(value);
+}
+
+function hasSearchProviderId<T extends { id: string }>(
+  provider: T,
+): provider is T & { id: SearchProvider } {
+  return isSearchProvider(provider.id);
+}
 
 type SearchProviderEntry = {
   value: SearchProvider;
@@ -25,14 +39,16 @@ type SearchProviderEntry = {
 export const SEARCH_PROVIDER_OPTIONS: readonly SearchProviderEntry[] =
   resolvePluginWebSearchProviders({
     bundledAllowlistCompat: true,
-  }).map((provider) => ({
-    value: provider.id,
-    label: provider.label,
-    hint: provider.hint,
-    envKeys: provider.envVars,
-    placeholder: provider.placeholder,
-    signupUrl: provider.signupUrl,
-  }));
+  })
+    .filter(hasSearchProviderId)
+    .map((provider) => ({
+      value: provider.id,
+      label: provider.label,
+      hint: provider.hint,
+      envKeys: provider.envVars,
+      placeholder: provider.placeholder,
+      signupUrl: provider.signupUrl,
+    }));
 
 export function hasKeyInEnv(entry: SearchProviderEntry): boolean {
   return entry.envKeys.some((k) => Boolean(process.env[k]?.trim()));
@@ -178,7 +194,7 @@ export async function setupSearch(
     return SEARCH_PROVIDER_OPTIONS[0].value;
   })();
 
-  type PickerValue = string;
+  type PickerValue = SearchProvider | "__skip__";
   const choice = await prompter.select<PickerValue>({
     message: "Search provider",
     options: [
diff --git a/src/commands/onboarding/plugin-install.test.ts b/src/commands/onboarding/plugin-install.test.ts
index d2c55d330c7..1cd9e530b86 100644
--- a/src/commands/onboarding/plugin-install.test.ts
+++ b/src/commands/onboarding/plugin-install.test.ts
@@ -335,6 +335,7 @@ describe("ensureOnboardingPluginInstalled", () => {
       hookNames: [],
       channelIds: [],
       providerIds: [],
+      webSearchProviderIds: [],
       gatewayMethods: [],
       cliCommands: [],
       services: [],
diff --git a/src/config/test-helpers.ts b/src/config/test-helpers.ts
index 69e7745a85b..5809a37da2d 100644
--- a/src/config/test-helpers.ts
+++ b/src/config/test-helpers.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import fs from "node:fs/promises";
 import path from "node:path";
 import { withTempHome as withTempHomeBase } from "../../test/helpers/temp-home.js";
+import type { OpenClawConfig } from "./config.js";
 
 export async function withTempHome<T>(fn: (home: string) => Promise<T>): Promise<T> {
   return withTempHomeBase(fn, { prefix: "openclaw-config-" });
@@ -53,7 +54,9 @@ export async function withEnvOverride<T>(
 }
 
 export function buildWebSearchProviderConfig(params: {
-  provider: string;
+  provider: NonNullable<
+    NonNullable<NonNullable<NonNullable<OpenClawConfig["tools"]>["web"]>["search"]>["provider"]
+  >;
   enabled?: boolean;
   providerConfig?: Record<string, unknown>;
 }): Record<string, unknown> {
diff --git a/src/gateway/server-plugins.test.ts b/src/gateway/server-plugins.test.ts
index 560392499c1..2db21cccde1 100644
--- a/src/gateway/server-plugins.test.ts
+++ b/src/gateway/server-plugins.test.ts
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ const createRegistry = (diagnostics: PluginDiagnostic[]): PluginRegistry => ({
   channelSetups: [],
   commands: [],
   providers: [],
+  webSearchProviders: [],
   gatewayHandlers: {},
   httpRoutes: [],
   cliRegistrars: [],
diff --git a/src/gateway/server.agent.gateway-server-agent.mocks.ts b/src/gateway/server.agent.gateway-server-agent.mocks.ts
index 0e1f779ef4f..acf507dbde2 100644
--- a/src/gateway/server.agent.gateway-server-agent.mocks.ts
+++ b/src/gateway/server.agent.gateway-server-agent.mocks.ts
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ export const registryState: { registry: PluginRegistry } = {
     channels: [],
     channelSetups: [],
     providers: [],
+    webSearchProviders: [],
     gatewayHandlers: {},
     httpHandlers: [],
     httpRoutes: [],
diff --git a/src/gateway/test-helpers.mocks.ts b/src/gateway/test-helpers.mocks.ts
index 17868ae0bca..59ad8a9cedc 100644
--- a/src/gateway/test-helpers.mocks.ts
+++ b/src/gateway/test-helpers.mocks.ts
@@ -146,6 +146,7 @@ const createStubPluginRegistry = (): PluginRegistry => ({
   ],
   channelSetups: [],
   providers: [],
+  webSearchProviders: [],
   gatewayHandlers: {},
   httpRoutes: [],
   cliRegistrars: [],
diff --git a/src/test-utils/channel-plugins.ts b/src/test-utils/channel-plugins.ts
index ebec4f2c747..2af1191feba 100644
--- a/src/test-utils/channel-plugins.ts
+++ b/src/test-utils/channel-plugins.ts
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ export const createTestRegistry = (channels: TestChannelRegistration[] = []): Pl
     enabled: true,
   })),
   providers: [],
+  webSearchProviders: [],
   gatewayHandlers: {},
   httpRoutes: [],
   cliRegistrars: [],