diff --git a/hermes-k8s.yaml b/hermes-k8s.yaml
index 1131c31..1c7ced5 100644
--- a/hermes-k8s.yaml
+++ b/hermes-k8s.yaml
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ spec:
         fsGroup: 1000
       containers:
         - name: hermes-mcp
-          image: localhost:32000/hermes-mcp@sha256:6685df4c86cceeaeb645c9ccee32f9396915a7c30e57f685945056c92516723d
+          image: localhost:32000/hermes-mcp@sha256:0132eade2173eae3428a24757d2228253acf3f924f7a6c7a061f088e8d0dc891
           imagePullPolicy: Always
           securityContext:
             allowPrivilegeEscalation: false
diff --git a/src/clients/whatsapp.ts b/src/clients/whatsapp.ts
index 36f5029..dd699aa 100644
--- a/src/clients/whatsapp.ts
+++ b/src/clients/whatsapp.ts
@@ -113,15 +113,19 @@ async function whatsappApiRequest(
 async function resolveWhatsAppCreds(
   args: { account?: string },
   customer?: Customer
-): Promise<{ phoneId: string; accessToken: string; businessAccountId: string }> {
+): Promise<{ phoneId: string; accessToken: string; businessAccountId: string; usingDefault: boolean }> {
   if (customer) {
     const creds = await customer.getCredential<WhatsAppCredentials>('whatsapp');
-    if (!creds) throw new Error('WhatsApp not connected for this account');
-    return {
-      phoneId: creds.phoneNumberId,
-      accessToken: creds.accessToken,
-      businessAccountId: creds.businessAccountId,
-    };
+    if (creds) {
+      return {
+        phoneId: creds.phoneNumberId,
+        accessToken: creds.accessToken,
+        businessAccountId: creds.businessAccountId,
+        usingDefault: false,
+      };
+    }
+    // No WhatsApp connected — fall back to default env var account (Twilio-routed)
+    console.log(`[whatsapp] customer ${customer.id} has no WhatsApp creds, falling back to default`);
   }
   const account = args.account ?? 'default';
   const phoneId = getPhoneNumberId(account);
@@ -130,7 +134,7 @@ async function resolveWhatsAppCreds(
   if (!phoneId || !accessToken) {
     throw new Error('Missing WhatsApp credentials. Set WHATSAPP_{ACCOUNT}_PHONE_NUMBER_ID and WHATSAPP_{ACCOUNT}_ACCESS_TOKEN');
   }
-  return { phoneId, accessToken, businessAccountId };
+  return { phoneId, accessToken, businessAccountId, usingDefault: true };
 }
 
 export async function sendMessage(
@@ -140,7 +144,7 @@ export async function sendMessage(
   const audit = customer ? createToolAudit(customer.id, 'whatsapp:sendMessage') : null;
   const auditArgs = { to: args.to };
 
-  const { phoneId, accessToken } = await resolveWhatsAppCreds(args, customer);
+  const { phoneId, accessToken, usingDefault } = await resolveWhatsAppCreds(args, customer);
 
   const body = {
     messaging_product: 'whatsapp',
@@ -151,7 +155,7 @@ export async function sendMessage(
 
   try {
     let result: { success: boolean; message_id: string };
-    if (!customer && isTwilioAccount(args.account ?? 'default')) {
+    if (usingDefault && isTwilioAccount('default')) {
       result = await twilioSend(args.to, args.message);
     } else {
       const data = await whatsappApiRequest(phoneId, accessToken, 'messages', 'POST', body);
@@ -173,7 +177,7 @@ export async function sendTemplate(
   const audit = customer ? createToolAudit(customer.id, 'whatsapp:sendTemplate') : null;
   const auditArgs = { to: args.to, template_name: args.template_name };
 
-  const { phoneId, accessToken, businessAccountId } = await resolveWhatsAppCreds(args, customer);
+  const { phoneId, accessToken, businessAccountId, usingDefault } = await resolveWhatsAppCreds(args, customer);
 
   const body: Record<string, unknown> = {
     messaging_product: 'whatsapp',
@@ -191,7 +195,7 @@ export async function sendTemplate(
 
   try {
     let result: { success: boolean; message_id: string };
-    if (!customer && isTwilioAccount(args.account ?? 'default')) {
+    if (usingDefault && isTwilioAccount('default')) {
       const text = await resolveTemplateText(
         businessAccountId,
         accessToken,