diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index c45c8cbe7..82fdbc2a1 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
 - Agents: add optional auth-profile copy prompt on `agents add` and improve auth error messaging.
 - Security: add `clawdbot security audit` (`--deep`, `--fix`) and surface it in `status --all` and `doctor`.
 - Security: add `clawdbot security audit` (`--deep`, `--fix`) and surface it in `status --all` and `doctor` (includes browser control exposure checks).
+- Plugins: add Zalo channel plugin with gateway HTTP hooks and onboarding install prompt. (#854) — thanks @longmaba.
 - Onboarding: add a security checkpoint prompt (docs link + sandboxing hint); require `--accept-risk` for `--non-interactive`.
 - Docs: expand gateway security hardening guidance and incident response checklist.
 - Docs: document DM history limits for channel DMs. (#883) — thanks @pkrmf.
diff --git a/docs/start/wizard.md b/docs/start/wizard.md
index bc62f7913..d334bb89b 100644
--- a/docs/start/wizard.md
+++ b/docs/start/wizard.md
@@ -289,6 +289,9 @@ Typical fields in `~/.clawdbot/clawdbot.json`:
 WhatsApp credentials go under `~/.clawdbot/credentials/whatsapp/<accountId>/`.
 Sessions are stored under `~/.clawdbot/agents/<agentId>/sessions/`.
 
+Some channels are delivered as plugins. When you pick one during onboarding, the wizard
+will prompt to install it (npm or a local path) before it can be configured.
+
 ## Related docs
 
 - macOS app onboarding: [Onboarding](/start/onboarding)
diff --git a/src/channels/plugins/catalog.ts b/src/channels/plugins/catalog.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..85049a663
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/channels/plugins/catalog.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,43 @@
+import type { ChannelMeta } from "./types.js";
+
+export type ChannelPluginCatalogEntry = {
+  id: string;
+  meta: ChannelMeta;
+  install: {
+    npmSpec: string;
+    localPath?: string;
+  };
+};
+
+const CATALOG: ChannelPluginCatalogEntry[] = [
+  {
+    id: "zalo",
+    meta: {
+      id: "zalo",
+      label: "Zalo",
+      selectionLabel: "Zalo (Bot API)",
+      docsPath: "/channels/zalo",
+      docsLabel: "zalo",
+      blurb: "Vietnam-focused messaging platform with Bot API.",
+      aliases: ["zl"],
+      order: 80,
+      quickstartAllowFrom: true,
+    },
+    install: {
+      npmSpec: "@clawdbot/zalo",
+      localPath: "extensions/zalo",
+    },
+  },
+];
+
+export function listChannelPluginCatalogEntries(): ChannelPluginCatalogEntry[] {
+  return [...CATALOG];
+}
+
+export function getChannelPluginCatalogEntry(
+  id: string,
+): ChannelPluginCatalogEntry | undefined {
+  const trimmed = id.trim();
+  if (!trimmed) return undefined;
+  return CATALOG.find((entry) => entry.id === trimmed);
+}
diff --git a/src/commands/onboard-channels.ts b/src/commands/onboard-channels.ts
index aba02ce13..1a1c9ff57 100644
--- a/src/commands/onboard-channels.ts
+++ b/src/commands/onboard-channels.ts
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+import { resolveAgentWorkspaceDir, resolveDefaultAgentId } from "../agents/agent-scope.js";
+import { listChannelPluginCatalogEntries } from "../channels/plugins/catalog.js";
 import { listChannelPlugins, getChannelPlugin } from "../channels/plugins/index.js";
 import { formatChannelPrimerLine, formatChannelSelectionLine } from "../channels/registry.js";
 import type { ClawdbotConfig } from "../config/config.js";
@@ -10,10 +12,25 @@ import {
   getChannelOnboardingAdapter,
   listChannelOnboardingAdapters,
 } from "./onboarding/registry.js";
+import {
+  ensureOnboardingPluginInstalled,
+  reloadOnboardingPluginRegistry,
+} from "./onboarding/plugin-install.js";
 import type { ChannelOnboardingDmPolicy, SetupChannelsOptions } from "./onboarding/types.js";
 
-async function noteChannelPrimer(prompter: WizardPrompter): Promise<void> {
-  const channelLines = listChannelPlugins().map((plugin) => formatChannelPrimerLine(plugin.meta));
+async function noteChannelPrimer(
+  prompter: WizardPrompter,
+  channels: Array<{ id: ChannelChoice; blurb: string; label: string }>,
+): Promise<void> {
+  const channelLines = channels.map((channel) =>
+    formatChannelPrimerLine({
+      id: channel.id,
+      label: channel.label,
+      selectionLabel: channel.label,
+      docsPath: "/",
+      blurb: channel.blurb,
+    }),
+  );
   await prompter.note(
     [
       "DM security: default is pairing; unknown DMs get a pairing code.",
@@ -97,6 +114,7 @@ export async function setupChannels(
   prompter: WizardPrompter,
   options?: SetupChannelsOptions,
 ): Promise<ClawdbotConfig> {
+  let next = cfg;
   const forceAllowFromChannels = new Set(options?.forceAllowFromChannels ?? []);
   const accountOverrides: Partial<Record<ChannelChoice, string>> = {
     ...options?.accountIds,
@@ -105,13 +123,27 @@ export async function setupChannels(
     accountOverrides.whatsapp = options.whatsappAccountId.trim();
   }
 
+  const installedPlugins = listChannelPlugins();
+  const catalogEntries = listChannelPluginCatalogEntries().filter(
+    (entry) => !installedPlugins.some((plugin) => plugin.id === entry.id),
+  );
   const statusEntries = await Promise.all(
     listChannelOnboardingAdapters().map((adapter) =>
       adapter.getStatus({ cfg, options, accountOverrides }),
     ),
   );
-  const statusByChannel = new Map(statusEntries.map((entry) => [entry.channel, entry]));
-  const statusLines = statusEntries.flatMap((entry) => entry.statusLines);
+  const catalogStatuses = catalogEntries.map((entry) => ({
+    channel: entry.id,
+    configured: false,
+    statusLines: [`${entry.meta.label}: install plugin to enable`],
+    selectionHint: "plugin · install",
+    quickstartScore: 0,
+  }));
+  const combinedStatuses = [...statusEntries, ...catalogStatuses];
+  const statusByChannel = new Map(
+    combinedStatuses.map((entry) => [entry.channel, entry]),
+  );
+  const statusLines = combinedStatuses.flatMap((entry) => entry.statusLines);
   if (statusLines.length > 0) {
     await prompter.note(statusLines.join("\n"), "Channel status");
   }
@@ -124,11 +156,32 @@ export async function setupChannels(
       });
   if (!shouldConfigure) return cfg;
 
-  await noteChannelPrimer(prompter);
+  const primerChannels = [
+    ...installedPlugins.map((plugin) => ({
+      id: plugin.id as ChannelChoice,
+      label: plugin.meta.label,
+      blurb: plugin.meta.blurb,
+    })),
+    ...catalogEntries.map((entry) => ({
+      id: entry.id as ChannelChoice,
+      label: entry.meta.label,
+      blurb: entry.meta.blurb,
+    })),
+  ];
+  await noteChannelPrimer(prompter, primerChannels);
 
-  const selectionOptions = listChannelPlugins().map((plugin) => {
-    const meta = plugin.meta;
-    const status = statusByChannel.get(meta.id as ChannelChoice);
+  const selectionOptions = [
+    ...installedPlugins.map((plugin) => ({
+      id: plugin.id as ChannelChoice,
+      meta: plugin.meta,
+    })),
+    ...catalogEntries.map((entry) => ({
+      id: entry.id as ChannelChoice,
+      meta: entry.meta,
+    })),
+  ].map((entry) => {
+    const meta = entry.meta;
+    const status = statusByChannel.get(entry.id);
     return {
       value: meta.id,
       label: meta.selectionLabel ?? meta.label,
@@ -163,12 +216,43 @@ export async function setupChannels(
     })) as ChannelChoice[];
   }
 
+  const catalogById = new Map(
+    catalogEntries.map((entry) => [entry.id as ChannelChoice, entry]),
+  );
+  if (selection.some((channel) => catalogById.has(channel))) {
+    const workspaceDir = resolveAgentWorkspaceDir(next, resolveDefaultAgentId(next));
+    for (const channel of selection) {
+      const entry = catalogById.get(channel);
+      if (!entry) continue;
+      const result = await ensureOnboardingPluginInstalled({
+        cfg: next,
+        entry,
+        prompter,
+        runtime,
+        workspaceDir,
+      });
+      next = result.cfg;
+      if (!result.installed) {
+        selection = selection.filter((id) => id !== channel);
+        continue;
+      }
+      reloadOnboardingPluginRegistry({
+        cfg: next,
+        runtime,
+        workspaceDir,
+      });
+    }
+  }
+
   options?.onSelection?.(selection);
 
   const selectionNotes = new Map(
-    listChannelPlugins().map((plugin) => [
-      plugin.id,
-      formatChannelSelectionLine(plugin.meta, formatDocsLink),
+    [
+      ...installedPlugins.map((plugin) => [plugin.id, plugin.meta]),
+      ...catalogEntries.map((entry) => [entry.id, entry.meta]),
+    ].map(([id, meta]) => [
+      id,
+      formatChannelSelectionLine(meta, formatDocsLink),
     ]),
   );
   const selectedLines = selection
@@ -185,7 +269,6 @@ export async function setupChannels(
     adapter?.onAccountRecorded?.(accountId, options);
   };
 
-  let next = cfg;
   for (const channel of selection) {
     const adapter = getChannelOnboardingAdapter(channel);
     if (!adapter) continue;
diff --git a/src/commands/onboarding/__tests__/test-utils.ts b/src/commands/onboarding/__tests__/test-utils.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..ad45563b9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/commands/onboarding/__tests__/test-utils.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+import { vi } from "vitest";
+
+import type { RuntimeEnv } from "../../../runtime.js";
+import type { WizardPrompter } from "../../../wizard/prompts.js";
+
+export const makeRuntime = (overrides: Partial<RuntimeEnv> = {}): RuntimeEnv => ({
+  log: vi.fn(),
+  error: vi.fn(),
+  exit: vi.fn(),
+  ...overrides,
+});
+
+export const makePrompter = (
+  overrides: Partial<WizardPrompter> = {},
+): WizardPrompter => ({
+  intro: vi.fn(async () => {}),
+  outro: vi.fn(async () => {}),
+  note: vi.fn(async () => {}),
+  select: vi.fn(async () => "npm") as WizardPrompter["select"],
+  multiselect: vi.fn(async () => []) as WizardPrompter["multiselect"],
+  text: vi.fn(async () => "") as WizardPrompter["text"],
+  confirm: vi.fn(async () => false),
+  progress: vi.fn(() => ({ update: vi.fn(), stop: vi.fn() })),
+  ...overrides,
+});
diff --git a/src/commands/onboarding/plugin-install.test.ts b/src/commands/onboarding/plugin-install.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..f31012f42
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/commands/onboarding/plugin-install.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,126 @@
+import path from "node:path";
+import { beforeEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
+
+vi.mock("node:fs", () => ({
+  default: {
+    existsSync: vi.fn(),
+  },
+}));
+
+const installPluginFromNpmSpec = vi.fn();
+vi.mock("../../plugins/install.js", () => ({
+  installPluginFromNpmSpec: (...args: unknown[]) => installPluginFromNpmSpec(...args),
+}));
+
+vi.mock("../../plugins/loader.js", () => ({
+  loadClawdbotPlugins: vi.fn(),
+}));
+
+import fs from "node:fs";
+import type { ChannelPluginCatalogEntry } from "../../channels/plugins/catalog.js";
+import type { ClawdbotConfig } from "../../config/config.js";
+import type { WizardPrompter } from "../../wizard/prompts.js";
+import { makePrompter, makeRuntime } from "./__tests__/test-utils.js";
+import { ensureOnboardingPluginInstalled } from "./plugin-install.js";
+
+const baseEntry: ChannelPluginCatalogEntry = {
+  id: "zalo",
+  meta: {
+    id: "zalo",
+    label: "Zalo",
+    selectionLabel: "Zalo (Bot API)",
+    docsPath: "/channels/zalo",
+    docsLabel: "zalo",
+    blurb: "Test",
+  },
+  install: {
+    npmSpec: "@clawdbot/zalo",
+    localPath: "extensions/zalo",
+  },
+};
+
+beforeEach(() => {
+  vi.clearAllMocks();
+});
+
+describe("ensureOnboardingPluginInstalled", () => {
+  it("installs from npm and enables the plugin", async () => {
+    const runtime = makeRuntime();
+    const prompter = makePrompter({
+      select: vi.fn(async () => "npm") as WizardPrompter["select"],
+    });
+    const cfg: ClawdbotConfig = { plugins: { allow: ["other"] } };
+    vi.mocked(fs.existsSync).mockReturnValue(false);
+    installPluginFromNpmSpec.mockResolvedValue({
+      ok: true,
+      pluginId: "zalo",
+      targetDir: "/tmp/zalo",
+      extensions: [],
+    });
+
+    const result = await ensureOnboardingPluginInstalled({
+      cfg,
+      entry: baseEntry,
+      prompter,
+      runtime,
+    });
+
+    expect(result.installed).toBe(true);
+    expect(result.cfg.plugins?.entries?.zalo?.enabled).toBe(true);
+    expect(result.cfg.plugins?.allow).toContain("zalo");
+    expect(installPluginFromNpmSpec).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+      expect.objectContaining({ spec: "@clawdbot/zalo" }),
+    );
+  });
+
+  it("uses local path when selected", async () => {
+    const runtime = makeRuntime();
+    const prompter = makePrompter({
+      select: vi.fn(async () => "local") as WizardPrompter["select"],
+    });
+    const cfg: ClawdbotConfig = {};
+    vi.mocked(fs.existsSync).mockReturnValue(true);
+
+    const result = await ensureOnboardingPluginInstalled({
+      cfg,
+      entry: baseEntry,
+      prompter,
+      runtime,
+    });
+
+    const expectedPath = path.resolve(process.cwd(), "extensions/zalo");
+    expect(result.installed).toBe(true);
+    expect(result.cfg.plugins?.load?.paths).toContain(expectedPath);
+    expect(result.cfg.plugins?.entries?.zalo?.enabled).toBe(true);
+  });
+
+  it("falls back to local path after npm install failure", async () => {
+    const runtime = makeRuntime();
+    const note = vi.fn(async () => {});
+    const confirm = vi.fn(async () => true);
+    const prompter = makePrompter({
+      select: vi.fn(async () => "npm") as WizardPrompter["select"],
+      note,
+      confirm,
+    });
+    const cfg: ClawdbotConfig = {};
+    vi.mocked(fs.existsSync).mockReturnValue(true);
+    installPluginFromNpmSpec.mockResolvedValue({
+      ok: false,
+      error: "nope",
+    });
+
+    const result = await ensureOnboardingPluginInstalled({
+      cfg,
+      entry: baseEntry,
+      prompter,
+      runtime,
+    });
+
+    const expectedPath = path.resolve(process.cwd(), "extensions/zalo");
+    expect(result.installed).toBe(true);
+    expect(result.cfg.plugins?.load?.paths).toContain(expectedPath);
+    expect(note).toHaveBeenCalled();
+    expect(runtime.error).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+  });
+});
diff --git a/src/commands/onboarding/plugin-install.ts b/src/commands/onboarding/plugin-install.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..bbcde25b4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/commands/onboarding/plugin-install.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,185 @@
+import fs from "node:fs";
+import path from "node:path";
+import { resolveAgentWorkspaceDir, resolveDefaultAgentId } from "../../agents/agent-scope.js";
+import type { ChannelPluginCatalogEntry } from "../../channels/plugins/catalog.js";
+import type { ClawdbotConfig } from "../../config/config.js";
+import { createSubsystemLogger } from "../../logging.js";
+import { loadClawdbotPlugins } from "../../plugins/loader.js";
+import { installPluginFromNpmSpec } from "../../plugins/install.js";
+import type { RuntimeEnv } from "../../runtime.js";
+import type { WizardPrompter } from "../../wizard/prompts.js";
+
+type InstallChoice = "npm" | "local" | "skip";
+
+type InstallResult = {
+  cfg: ClawdbotConfig;
+  installed: boolean;
+};
+
+function resolveLocalPath(entry: ChannelPluginCatalogEntry, workspaceDir?: string): string | null {
+  const raw = entry.install.localPath?.trim();
+  if (!raw) return null;
+  const candidates = new Set<string>();
+  candidates.add(path.resolve(process.cwd(), raw));
+  if (workspaceDir && workspaceDir !== process.cwd()) {
+    candidates.add(path.resolve(workspaceDir, raw));
+  }
+  for (const candidate of candidates) {
+    if (fs.existsSync(candidate)) return candidate;
+  }
+  return null;
+}
+
+function ensurePluginEnabled(cfg: ClawdbotConfig, pluginId: string): ClawdbotConfig {
+  const entries = {
+    ...cfg.plugins?.entries,
+    [pluginId]: {
+      ...(cfg.plugins?.entries?.[pluginId] as Record<string, unknown> | undefined),
+      enabled: true,
+    },
+  };
+  const next: ClawdbotConfig = {
+    ...cfg,
+    plugins: {
+      ...cfg.plugins,
+      ...(cfg.plugins?.enabled === false ? { enabled: true } : {}),
+      entries,
+    },
+  };
+  return ensurePluginAllowlist(next, pluginId);
+}
+
+function ensurePluginAllowlist(cfg: ClawdbotConfig, pluginId: string): ClawdbotConfig {
+  const allow = cfg.plugins?.allow;
+  if (!allow || allow.includes(pluginId)) return cfg;
+  return {
+    ...cfg,
+    plugins: {
+      ...cfg.plugins,
+      allow: [...allow, pluginId],
+    },
+  };
+}
+
+function addPluginLoadPath(cfg: ClawdbotConfig, pluginPath: string): ClawdbotConfig {
+  const existing = cfg.plugins?.load?.paths ?? [];
+  const merged = Array.from(new Set([...existing, pluginPath]));
+  return {
+    ...cfg,
+    plugins: {
+      ...cfg.plugins,
+      load: {
+        ...cfg.plugins?.load,
+        paths: merged,
+      },
+    },
+  };
+}
+
+async function promptInstallChoice(params: {
+  entry: ChannelPluginCatalogEntry;
+  localPath?: string | null;
+  prompter: WizardPrompter;
+}): Promise<InstallChoice> {
+  const { entry, localPath, prompter } = params;
+  const options: Array<{ value: InstallChoice; label: string; hint?: string }> = [
+    { value: "npm", label: `Download from npm (${entry.install.npmSpec})` },
+    ...(localPath
+      ? [
+          {
+            value: "local",
+            label: "Use local plugin path",
+            hint: localPath,
+          },
+        ]
+      : []),
+    { value: "skip", label: "Skip for now" },
+  ];
+  return (await prompter.select({
+    message: `Install ${entry.meta.label} plugin?`,
+    options,
+    initialValue: localPath ? "local" : "npm",
+  })) as InstallChoice;
+}
+
+export async function ensureOnboardingPluginInstalled(params: {
+  cfg: ClawdbotConfig;
+  entry: ChannelPluginCatalogEntry;
+  prompter: WizardPrompter;
+  runtime: RuntimeEnv;
+  workspaceDir?: string;
+}): Promise<InstallResult> {
+  const { entry, prompter, runtime, workspaceDir } = params;
+  let next = params.cfg;
+  const localPath = resolveLocalPath(entry, workspaceDir);
+  const choice = await promptInstallChoice({
+    entry,
+    localPath,
+    prompter,
+  });
+
+  if (choice === "skip") {
+    return { cfg: next, installed: false };
+  }
+
+  if (choice === "local" && localPath) {
+    next = addPluginLoadPath(next, localPath);
+    next = ensurePluginEnabled(next, entry.id);
+    return { cfg: next, installed: true };
+  }
+
+  const result = await installPluginFromNpmSpec({
+    spec: entry.install.npmSpec,
+    logger: {
+      info: (msg) => runtime.log?.(msg),
+      warn: (msg) => runtime.log?.(msg),
+    },
+  });
+
+  if (result.ok) {
+    next = ensurePluginEnabled(next, result.pluginId);
+    return { cfg: next, installed: true };
+  }
+
+  await prompter.note(
+    `Failed to install ${entry.install.npmSpec}: ${result.error}`,
+    "Plugin install",
+  );
+
+  if (localPath) {
+    const fallback = await prompter.confirm({
+      message: `Use local plugin path instead? (${localPath})`,
+      initialValue: true,
+    });
+    if (fallback) {
+      next = addPluginLoadPath(next, localPath);
+      next = ensurePluginEnabled(next, entry.id);
+      return { cfg: next, installed: true };
+    }
+  }
+
+  runtime.error?.(`Plugin install failed: ${result.error}`);
+  return { cfg: next, installed: false };
+}
+
+export function reloadOnboardingPluginRegistry(params: {
+  cfg: ClawdbotConfig;
+  runtime: RuntimeEnv;
+  workspaceDir?: string;
+}): void {
+  const workspaceDir =
+    params.workspaceDir ??
+    resolveAgentWorkspaceDir(params.cfg, resolveDefaultAgentId(params.cfg));
+  const log = createSubsystemLogger("plugins");
+  loadClawdbotPlugins({
+    config: params.cfg,
+    workspaceDir,
+    cache: false,
+    logger: {
+      info: (msg) => log.info(msg),
+      warn: (msg) => log.warn(msg),
+      error: (msg) => log.error(msg),
+      debug: (msg) => log.debug(msg),
+    },
+  });
+}