diff --git a/extensions/imessage/src/accounts.test.ts b/extensions/imessage/src/accounts.test.ts
index 487a708df79e..d220988db01b 100644
--- a/extensions/imessage/src/accounts.test.ts
+++ b/extensions/imessage/src/accounts.test.ts
@@ -202,6 +202,144 @@ describe("iMessage duplicate-source watcher ownership", () => {
     expect(resolveIMessageDuplicateSourceOwner({ cfg, account: ownerAccount })).toBeUndefined();
   });
 
+  it.each([
+    {
+      name: "the implicit and explicitly configured default database",
+      first: { cliPath: "imsg" },
+      second: () => ({
+        dbPath: path.join(process.env.HOME || os.homedir(), "Library", "Messages", "chat.db"),
+      }),
+    },
+    {
+      name: "a home-relative default database",
+      first: { cliPath: "imsg" },
+      second: () => ({ dbPath: "~/Library/Messages/chat.db" }),
+    },
+    {
+      name: "a lexically equivalent default database",
+      first: { cliPath: "imsg" },
+      second: () => ({
+        dbPath: `${process.env.HOME || os.homedir()}/Library/Messages/../Messages/chat.db`,
+      }),
+    },
+    {
+      name: "the same absolute executable with implicit and explicit databases",
+      first: { cliPath: "/usr/local/bin/imsg" },
+      second: () => ({
+        cliPath: "/usr/local/bin/imsg",
+        dbPath: path.join(process.env.HOME || os.homedir(), "Library", "Messages", "chat.db"),
+      }),
+    },
+  ])("assigns one watcher and doctor warning for $name", ({ first, second }) => {
+    const cfg = {
+      channels: {
+        imessage: {
+          accounts: {
+            primary: first,
+            secondary: second(),
+          },
+        },
+      },
+    } as never;
+
+    expect(
+      resolveIMessageDuplicateSourceOwner({
+        cfg,
+        account: resolveIMessageAccount({ cfg, accountId: "primary" }),
+      }),
+    ).toBeUndefined();
+    expect(
+      resolveIMessageDuplicateSourceOwner({
+        cfg,
+        account: resolveIMessageAccount({ cfg, accountId: "secondary" }),
+      }),
+    ).toBe("primary");
+    expect(collectIMessageDuplicateAccountSourceWarnings({ cfg })).toHaveLength(1);
+  });
+
+  it.each([
+    {
+      name: "different explicit local databases",
+      first: { cliPath: "imsg", dbPath: "/tmp/imessage-primary.db" },
+      second: { cliPath: "imsg", dbPath: "/tmp/imessage-secondary.db" },
+    },
+    {
+      name: "different custom wrappers for the same remote database path",
+      first: { cliPath: "/usr/local/bin/imsg-primary", dbPath: "/Users/bot/Messages/chat.db" },
+      second: { cliPath: "/usr/local/bin/imsg-secondary", dbPath: "/Users/bot/Messages/chat.db" },
+    },
+    {
+      name: "different auto-detected remote wrappers both named imsg",
+      first: { cliPath: "/opt/host-a/imsg", dbPath: "/Users/bot/Library/Messages/chat.db" },
+      second: { cliPath: "/opt/host-b/imsg", dbPath: "/Users/bot/Library/Messages/chat.db" },
+    },
+    {
+      name: "an unverified bare command and a different absolute executable",
+      first: { cliPath: "imsg" },
+      second: { cliPath: "/usr/local/bin/imsg" },
+    },
+    {
+      name: "different remote hosts behind the same wrapper",
+      first: {
+        cliPath: "/usr/local/bin/imsg-ssh",
+        dbPath: "/Users/bot/Messages/chat.db",
+        remoteHost: "bot@primary.example",
+      },
+      second: {
+        cliPath: "/usr/local/bin/imsg-ssh",
+        dbPath: "/Users/bot/Messages/chat.db",
+        remoteHost: "bot@secondary.example",
+      },
+    },
+    {
+      name: "an explicitly remote and a local default binary",
+      first: { cliPath: "imsg" },
+      second: { cliPath: "imsg", remoteHost: "bot@remote.example" },
+    },
+  ])("preserves independent watchers for $name", ({ first, second }) => {
+    const cfg = {
+      channels: {
+        imessage: {
+          accounts: {
+            primary: first,
+            secondary: second,
+          },
+        },
+      },
+    } as never;
+
+    for (const accountId of ["primary", "secondary"]) {
+      expect(
+        resolveIMessageDuplicateSourceOwner({
+          cfg,
+          account: resolveIMessageAccount({ cfg, accountId }),
+        }),
+      ).toBeUndefined();
+    }
+    expect(collectIMessageDuplicateAccountSourceWarnings({ cfg })).toEqual([]);
+  });
+
+  it("never lets an unconfigured account own or warn for the only startable watcher", () => {
+    const cfg = {
+      channels: {
+        imessage: {
+          accounts: {
+            primary: {},
+            secondary: { enabled: true, cliPath: "imsg" },
+          },
+        },
+      },
+    } as never;
+    const unconfigured = resolveIMessageAccount({ cfg, accountId: "primary" });
+    const configured = resolveIMessageAccount({ cfg, accountId: "secondary" });
+
+    expect(unconfigured).toMatchObject({ enabled: true, configured: false });
+    expect(configured).toMatchObject({ enabled: true, configured: true });
+    expect(resolveIMessageDuplicateSourceOwner({ cfg, account: unconfigured })).toBeUndefined();
+    expect(resolveIMessageDuplicateSourceOwner({ cfg, account: configured })).toBeUndefined();
+    expect(collectIMessageDuplicateAccountSourceWarnings({ cfg })).toEqual([]);
+  });
+
   it("reports no duplicate ownership when accounts target different cliPaths", () => {
     const cfg = {
       channels: {
@@ -246,8 +384,8 @@ describe("iMessage duplicate-source watcher ownership", () => {
       channels: {
         imessage: {
           accounts: {
-            "swang430-gmail-com": {},
-            default: {},
+            "swang430-gmail-com": { enabled: true },
+            default: { enabled: true },
           },
         },
       },
diff --git a/extensions/imessage/src/accounts.ts b/extensions/imessage/src/accounts.ts
index b0280b9fd950..9135e304bfa3 100644
--- a/extensions/imessage/src/accounts.ts
+++ b/extensions/imessage/src/accounts.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import { statSync } from "node:fs";
+import path from "node:path";
 import { createAccountListHelpers } from "openclaw/plugin-sdk/account-helpers";
 import { DEFAULT_ACCOUNT_ID } from "openclaw/plugin-sdk/account-id";
 import { normalizeAccountId, type OpenClawConfig } from "openclaw/plugin-sdk/account-resolution";
@@ -7,7 +8,11 @@ import { expectDefined } from "openclaw/plugin-sdk/expect-runtime";
 import { resolveAccountEntry } from "openclaw/plugin-sdk/routing";
 import { normalizeOptionalString } from "openclaw/plugin-sdk/string-coerce-runtime";
 import type { IMessageAccountConfig } from "./account-types.js";
-import { resolveLocalIMessageChatDbPath } from "./cli-path.js";
+import {
+  expandIMessageUserPath,
+  resolveIMessageHomeDir,
+  resolveLocalIMessageChatDbPath,
+} from "./cli-path.js";
 
 export type ResolvedIMessageAccount = {
   accountId: string;
@@ -134,10 +139,21 @@ function normalizeIMessageDbPath(value: string | undefined | null): string {
 // Two enabled accounts that share a signature watch the same source, which
 // caused duplicate inbound handling in openclaw/openclaw#65141.
 function resolveIMessageAccountSourceSignature(account: ResolvedIMessageAccount): string {
-  return JSON.stringify([
-    normalizeIMessageCliPath(account.config.cliPath),
-    normalizeIMessageDbPath(account.config.dbPath),
-  ]);
+  const cliPath = normalizeIMessageCliPath(account.config.cliPath);
+  const dbPath = normalizeIMessageDbPath(account.config.dbPath);
+  const remoteHost = account.config.remoteHost?.trim();
+  // A remote path belongs to the SSH host and must not expand against the local home.
+  if (remoteHost) {
+    return JSON.stringify([cliPath, dbPath, remoteHost]);
+  }
+  const home = resolveIMessageHomeDir();
+  const localDbPath = dbPath
+    ? expandIMessageUserPath(dbPath)
+    : home
+      ? path.join(home, "Library", "Messages", "chat.db")
+      : undefined;
+  // Preserve the exact executable: same-basename SSH wrappers can target different hosts.
+  return JSON.stringify([cliPath, localDbPath ? path.resolve(localDbPath) : "", ""]);
 }
 
 function resolveIMessageAccountSourceOwner(params: {
@@ -152,7 +168,7 @@ function resolveIMessageAccountSourceOwner(params: {
       cfg: params.cfg,
       accountId: candidateAccountId,
     });
-    if (!candidate.enabled) {
+    if (!candidate.enabled || !candidate.configured) {
       continue;
     }
     if (resolveIMessageAccountSourceSignature(candidate) !== params.signature) {
@@ -188,7 +204,7 @@ export function resolveIMessageDuplicateSourceOwner(params: {
   cfg: OpenClawConfig;
   account: ResolvedIMessageAccount;
 }): string | undefined {
-  if (!params.account.enabled) {
+  if (!params.account.enabled || !params.account.configured) {
     return undefined;
   }
   const owner = resolveIMessageAccountSourceOwner({
@@ -256,7 +272,7 @@ export function collectIMessageDuplicateAccountSourceWarnings(params: {
   const groups = new Map<string, ResolvedIMessageAccount[]>();
   for (const accountId of listIMessageAccountIds(params.cfg)) {
     const account = resolveIMessageAccount({ cfg: params.cfg, accountId });
-    if (!account.enabled) {
+    if (!account.enabled || !account.configured) {
       continue;
     }
     const signature = resolveIMessageAccountSourceSignature(account);
diff --git a/extensions/imessage/src/channel.runtime.test.ts b/extensions/imessage/src/channel.runtime.test.ts
index 3204ab3b6ecf..5b392cb270ab 100644
--- a/extensions/imessage/src/channel.runtime.test.ts
+++ b/extensions/imessage/src/channel.runtime.test.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,6 @@
 // Imessage tests cover channel plugin behavior.
+import os from "node:os";
+import path from "node:path";
 import { describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
 
 const monitorMock = vi.hoisted(() => vi.fn(async () => undefined));
@@ -47,7 +49,7 @@ describe("startIMessageGatewayAccount duplicate-source handling", () => {
         imessage: {
           accounts: {
             "swang430-gmail-com": { cliPath: "imsg" },
-            default: {},
+            default: { enabled: true },
           },
         },
       },
@@ -97,6 +99,120 @@ describe("startIMessageGatewayAccount duplicate-source handling", () => {
     );
   });
 
+  it.each([
+    {
+      name: "an implicit and explicit default database",
+      primary: { cliPath: "imsg" },
+      secondary: () => ({
+        cliPath: "imsg",
+        dbPath: path.join(process.env.HOME || os.homedir(), "Library", "Messages", "chat.db"),
+      }),
+    },
+    {
+      name: "the same absolute executable with implicit and explicit databases",
+      primary: { cliPath: "/usr/local/bin/imsg" },
+      secondary: () => ({
+        cliPath: "/usr/local/bin/imsg",
+        dbPath: path.join(process.env.HOME || os.homedir(), "Library", "Messages", "chat.db"),
+      }),
+    },
+  ])("starts only one real monitor for $name", async ({ primary, secondary }) => {
+    monitorMock.mockClear();
+    monitorMock.mockResolvedValueOnce(undefined);
+    const cfg = {
+      channels: {
+        imessage: {
+          accounts: { primary, secondary: secondary() },
+        },
+      },
+    } as never;
+    const owner = makeCtx({ cfg, accountId: "primary" });
+    const duplicate = makeCtx({ cfg, accountId: "secondary" });
+
+    await startIMessageGatewayAccount(owner.ctx);
+    const duplicateTask = startIMessageGatewayAccount(duplicate.ctx);
+    try {
+      await Promise.resolve();
+      await Promise.resolve();
+      expect(monitorMock).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+      expect(duplicate.logEvents.some((event) => event.line.includes("skipping watcher"))).toBe(
+        true,
+      );
+      expect(
+        duplicate.statusEvents.every((event) => !(event as Record<string, unknown>).lifecycle),
+      ).toBe(true);
+    } finally {
+      duplicate.abort();
+      await duplicateTask;
+    }
+  });
+
+  it("starts the only configured watcher instead of parking it under an unconfigured account", async () => {
+    monitorMock.mockClear();
+    monitorMock.mockResolvedValueOnce(undefined);
+    const cfg = {
+      channels: {
+        imessage: {
+          accounts: {
+            primary: {},
+            secondary: { enabled: true, cliPath: "imsg" },
+          },
+        },
+      },
+    } as never;
+    const configured = makeCtx({ cfg, accountId: "secondary" });
+    const task = startIMessageGatewayAccount(configured.ctx);
+
+    try {
+      await Promise.resolve();
+      await Promise.resolve();
+      expect(monitorMock).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+      expect(configured.statusEvents).toContainEqual(
+        expect.objectContaining({ lifecycle: "starting", accountId: "secondary" }),
+      );
+    } finally {
+      configured.abort();
+      await task;
+    }
+  });
+
+  it("starts independent monitors for distinct auto-detected remote wrappers named imsg", async () => {
+    monitorMock.mockClear();
+    monitorMock.mockResolvedValue(undefined);
+    const cfg = {
+      channels: {
+        imessage: {
+          accounts: {
+            primary: {
+              enabled: true,
+              cliPath: "/opt/host-a/imsg",
+              dbPath: "/Users/bot/Library/Messages/chat.db",
+            },
+            secondary: {
+              enabled: true,
+              cliPath: "/opt/host-b/imsg",
+              dbPath: "/Users/bot/Library/Messages/chat.db",
+            },
+          },
+        },
+      },
+    } as never;
+    const first = makeCtx({ cfg, accountId: "primary" });
+    const second = makeCtx({ cfg, accountId: "secondary" });
+
+    await startIMessageGatewayAccount(first.ctx);
+    const secondTask = startIMessageGatewayAccount(second.ctx);
+    try {
+      await Promise.resolve();
+      await Promise.resolve();
+      expect(monitorMock).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2);
+      expect(second.logEvents.some((event) => event.line.includes("skipping watcher"))).toBe(false);
+    } finally {
+      second.abort();
+      await secondTask;
+    }
+  });
+
   it("starts monitorIMessageProvider when an account has no duplicate sibling", async () => {
     monitorMock.mockClear();
     monitorMock.mockResolvedValueOnce(undefined);
diff --git a/extensions/imessage/src/doctor.test.ts b/extensions/imessage/src/doctor.test.ts
index a4187ec2e686..e80ea9995d28 100644
--- a/extensions/imessage/src/doctor.test.ts
+++ b/extensions/imessage/src/doctor.test.ts
@@ -9,8 +9,8 @@ describe("imessageDoctor.collectPreviewWarnings", () => {
         channels: {
           imessage: {
             accounts: {
-              "swang430-gmail-com": {},
-              default: {},
+              "swang430-gmail-com": { enabled: true },
+              default: { enabled: true },
             },
           },
         },