diff --git a/src/discord/monitor.test.ts b/src/discord/monitor.test.ts
index e5c3ad347..be0c8aa65 100644
--- a/src/discord/monitor.test.ts
+++ b/src/discord/monitor.test.ts
@@ -299,6 +299,7 @@ describe("discord guild/channel resolution", () => {
     expect(general?.allowed).toBe(true);
     expect(general?.requireMention).toBe(false);
     expect(general?.autoThread).toBeUndefined();
+    expect(general?.matchSource).toBe("direct");
 
     // Unknown channel should use wildcard
     const random = resolveDiscordChannelConfig({
@@ -310,6 +311,28 @@ describe("discord guild/channel resolution", () => {
     expect(random?.allowed).toBe(true);
     expect(random?.autoThread).toBe(true);
     expect(random?.requireMention).toBe(true);
+    expect(random?.matchSource).toBe("wildcard");
+  });
+
+  it("falls back to wildcard when thread channel and parent are missing", () => {
+    const guildInfo: DiscordGuildEntryResolved = {
+      channels: {
+        "*": { allow: true, requireMention: false },
+      },
+    };
+    const thread = resolveDiscordChannelConfigWithFallback({
+      guildInfo,
+      channelId: "thread-123",
+      channelName: "topic",
+      channelSlug: "topic",
+      parentId: "parent-999",
+      parentName: "general",
+      parentSlug: "general",
+      scope: "thread",
+    });
+    expect(thread?.allowed).toBe(true);
+    expect(thread?.matchKey).toBe("*");
+    expect(thread?.matchSource).toBe("wildcard");
   });
 });
 
diff --git a/src/discord/monitor/allow-list.ts b/src/discord/monitor/allow-list.ts
index b3dc048e7..236cac15e 100644
--- a/src/discord/monitor/allow-list.ts
+++ b/src/discord/monitor/allow-list.ts
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ import type { Guild, User } from "@buape/carbon";
 import {
   buildChannelKeyCandidates,
   resolveChannelEntryMatchWithFallback,
+  type ChannelMatchSource,
 } from "../../channels/channel-config.js";
 import type { AllowlistMatch } from "../../channels/allowlist-match.js";
 import { formatDiscordUserTag } from "./format.js";
@@ -44,7 +45,7 @@ export type DiscordChannelConfigResolved = {
   systemPrompt?: string;
   autoThread?: boolean;
   matchKey?: string;
-  matchSource?: "direct" | "parent";
+  matchSource?: ChannelMatchSource;
 };
 
 export function normalizeDiscordAllowList(
@@ -198,13 +199,14 @@ function resolveDiscordChannelEntryMatch(
     entries: channels,
     keys,
     parentKeys,
+    wildcardKey: "*",
   });
 }
 
 function resolveDiscordChannelConfigEntry(
   entry: DiscordChannelEntry,
   matchKey: string | undefined,
-  matchSource: "direct" | "parent",
+  matchSource: ChannelMatchSource,
 ): DiscordChannelConfigResolved {
   const resolved: DiscordChannelConfigResolved = {
     allowed: entry.allow !== false,
@@ -234,15 +236,8 @@ export function resolveDiscordChannelConfig(params: {
     name: channelName,
     slug: channelSlug,
   });
-  if (!match.entry || !match.matchKey) {
-    // Wildcard fallback: apply to all channels if "*" is configured
-    const wildcard = channels["*"];
-    if (wildcard) {
-      return resolveDiscordChannelConfigEntry(wildcard, "*", "direct");
-    }
-    return { allowed: false };
-  }
-  return resolveDiscordChannelConfigEntry(match.entry, match.matchKey, "direct");
+  if (!match.entry || !match.matchKey || !match.matchSource) return { allowed: false };
+  return resolveDiscordChannelConfigEntry(match.entry, match.matchKey, match.matchSource);
 }
 
 export function resolveDiscordChannelConfigWithFallback(params: {
@@ -285,16 +280,7 @@ export function resolveDiscordChannelConfigWithFallback(params: {
       : undefined,
   );
   if (match.entry && match.matchKey && match.matchSource) {
-    return resolveDiscordChannelConfigEntry(
-      match.entry,
-      match.matchKey,
-      match.matchSource === "parent" ? "parent" : "direct",
-    );
-  }
-  // Wildcard fallback: apply to all channels if "*" is configured
-  const wildcard = channels["*"];
-  if (wildcard) {
-    return resolveDiscordChannelConfigEntry(wildcard, "*", "direct");
+    return resolveDiscordChannelConfigEntry(match.entry, match.matchKey, match.matchSource);
   }
   return { allowed: false };
 }