feat: Handle external echo messages from native apps (#13371)

When businesses use WhatsApp Business App (co-existence mode) or
Instagram App or TikTok alongside Chatwoot, messages sent from the
native apps were not synced properly back to Chatwoot. This left agents
with an incomplete conversation history and no visibility into responses
sent outside the dashboard. Additionally, if these echo messages did
arrive, they appeared as "Sent by: Bot" in the UI since they had no
sender, making it confusing for agents.

This PR subscribes to WhatsApp `smb_message_echoes` webhook events and
routes them through the existing service with an `outgoing_echo` flag,
mirroring how Instagram already handles echoes. On the Instagram side,
echo messages now also carry the `external_echo` content attribute and
`delivered` status.

On the frontend, messages with `externalEcho` are distinguished from bot
messages showing a "Native app" avatar and an advisory note encouraging
agents to reply from Chatwoot to maintain the service window.

<img width="1518" height="524" alt="CleanShot 2026-01-29 at 13 37 57@2x"
src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/5aa0b552-6382-441f-96aa-9a62ca716e4a"
/>


Fixes
https://linear.app/chatwoot/issue/CW-4204/display-messages-not-sent-from-chatwoot-in-case-of-outgoing-echo
Fixes
https://linear.app/chatwoot/issue/PLA-33/incoming-from-me-messages-from-whatsapp-business-app-are-not-falling

app/builders/messages/instagram/base_message_builder.rb

@@ -158,6 +158,7 @@ class Messages::Instagram::BaseMessageBuilder < Messages::Messenger::MessageBuil
       account_id: conversation.account_id,
       inbox_id: conversation.inbox_id,
       message_type: message_type,
+      status: @outgoing_echo ? :delivered : :sent,
       source_id: message_identifier,
       content: message_content,
       sender: @outgoing_echo ? nil : contact,
@@ -166,6 +167,7 @@ class Messages::Instagram::BaseMessageBuilder < Messages::Messenger::MessageBuil
       }
     }
 
+    params[:content_attributes][:external_echo] = true if @outgoing_echo
     params[:content_attributes][:is_unsupported] = true if message_is_unsupported?
     params
   end

app/javascript/dashboard/components-next/message/Message.vue

@@ -3,12 +3,14 @@ import { onMounted, computed, ref, toRefs } from 'vue';
 import { useTimeoutFn } from '@vueuse/core';
 import { provideMessageContext } from './provider.js';
 import { useTrack } from 'dashboard/composables';
+import { useMapGetter } from 'dashboard/composables/store';
 import { emitter } from 'shared/helpers/mitt';
 import { useI18n } from 'vue-i18n';
 import { useRoute } from 'vue-router';
 import { LocalStorage } from 'shared/helpers/localStorage';
 import { ACCOUNT_EVENTS } from 'dashboard/helper/AnalyticsHelper/events';
 import { LOCAL_STORAGE_KEYS } from 'dashboard/constants/localStorage';
+import { getInboxIconByType } from 'dashboard/helper/inbox';
 import { BUS_EVENTS } from 'shared/constants/busEvents';
 import {
   MESSAGE_TYPES,
@@ -139,6 +141,8 @@ const showBackgroundHighlight = ref(false);
 const showContextMenu = ref(false);
 const { t } = useI18n();
 const route = useRoute();
+const inboxGetter = useMapGetter('inboxes/getInbox');
+const inbox = computed(() => inboxGetter.value(props.inboxId) || {});
 
 /**
  * Computes the message variant based on props
@@ -162,6 +166,10 @@ const variant = computed(() => {
   if (props.contentAttributes?.isUnsupported)
     return MESSAGE_VARIANTS.UNSUPPORTED;
 
+  if (props.contentAttributes?.externalEcho) {
+    return MESSAGE_VARIANTS.AGENT;
+  }
+
   const isBot = !props.sender || props.sender.type === SENDER_TYPES.AGENT_BOT;
   if (isBot && props.messageType === MESSAGE_TYPES.OUTGOING) {
     return MESSAGE_VARIANTS.BOT;
@@ -424,6 +432,18 @@ function handleReplyTo() {
 }
 
 const avatarInfo = computed(() => {
+  if (props.contentAttributes?.externalEcho) {
+    const { name, avatar_url, channel_type, medium } = inbox.value;
+    const iconName = avatar_url
+      ? null
+      : getInboxIconByType(channel_type, medium);
+    return {
+      name: iconName ? '' : name || t('CONVERSATION.NATIVE_APP'),
+      src: avatar_url || '',
+      iconName,
+    };
+  }
+
   // If no sender, return bot info
   if (!props.sender) {
     return {
@@ -451,6 +471,9 @@ const avatarInfo = computed(() => {
 });
 
 const avatarTooltip = computed(() => {
+  if (props.contentAttributes?.externalEcho) {
+    return t('CONVERSATION.NATIVE_APP_ADVISORY');
+  }
   if (avatarInfo.value.name === '') return '';
   return `${t('CONVERSATION.SENT_BY')} ${avatarInfo.value.name}`;
 });
@@ -484,7 +507,7 @@ provideMessageContext({
   <div
     v-if="shouldRenderMessage"
     :id="`message${props.id}`"
-    class="flex mb-2 w-full message-bubble-container"
+    class="flex w-full mb-2 message-bubble-container"
     :data-message-id="props.id"
     :class="[
       flexOrientationClass,

app/javascript/dashboard/i18n/locale/en/conversation.json

@@ -253,6 +253,8 @@
     "MESSAGE_ERROR": "Unable to send this message, please try again later",
     "SENT_BY": "Sent by:",
     "BOT": "Bot",
+    "NATIVE_APP": "Native app",
+    "NATIVE_APP_ADVISORY": "This message was sent from the native app. Reply from Chatwoot to maintain the message window.",
     "SEND_FAILED": "Couldn't send message! Try again",
     "TRY_AGAIN": "retry",
     "ASSIGNMENT": {

app/jobs/webhooks/tiktok_events_job.rb

@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ class Webhooks::TiktokEventsJob < MutexApplicationJob
   # Receive real-time notifications if you send a message to a user.
   def im_send_msg
     # This can be either an echo message or a message sent directly via tiktok application
-    ::Tiktok::MessageService.new(channel: channel, content: content).perform
+    ::Tiktok::MessageService.new(channel: channel, content: content, outgoing_echo: true).perform
   end
 
   # Receive real-time notifications if a user outside the European Economic Area (EEA), Switzerland, or the UK sends a message to you.

app/jobs/webhooks/whatsapp_events_job.rb

@@ -9,6 +9,56 @@ class Webhooks::WhatsappEventsJob < ApplicationJob
       return
     end
 
+    if message_echo_event?(params)
+      handle_message_echo(channel, params)
+    else
+      handle_message_events(channel, params)
+    end
+  end
+
+  # Detects if the webhook is an SMB message echo event (message sent from WhatsApp Business app)
+  # This is part of WhatsApp coexistence feature where businesses can respond from both
+  # Chatwoot and the WhatsApp Business app, with messages synced to Chatwoot.
+  #
+  # Regular message payload (field: "messages"):
+  # {
+  #   "entry": [{
+  #     "changes": [{
+  #       "field": "messages",
+  #       "value": {
+  #         "contacts": [{ "wa_id": "919745786257", "profile": { "name": "Customer" } }],
+  #         "messages": [{ "from": "919745786257", "id": "wamid...", "text": { "body": "Hello" } }]
+  #       }
+  #     }]
+  #   }]
+  # }
+  #
+  # Echo message payload (field: "smb_message_echoes"):
+  # {
+  #   "entry": [{
+  #     "changes": [{
+  #       "field": "smb_message_echoes",
+  #       "value": {
+  #         "message_echoes": [{ "from": "971545296927", "to": "919745786257", "id": "wamid...", "text": { "body": "Hi" } }]
+  #       }
+  #     }]
+  #   }]
+  # }
+  #
+  # Key differences:
+  # - field: "smb_message_echoes" instead of "messages"
+  # - message_echoes[] instead of messages[]
+  # - "from" is the business number, "to" is the contact (reversed from regular messages)
+  # - No "contacts" array in echo payload
+  def message_echo_event?(params)
+    params.dig(:entry, 0, :changes, 0, :field) == 'smb_message_echoes'
+  end
+
+  def handle_message_echo(channel, params)
+    Whatsapp::IncomingMessageWhatsappCloudService.new(inbox: channel.inbox, params: params, outgoing_echo: true).perform
+  end
+
+  def handle_message_events(channel, params)
     case channel.provider
     when 'whatsapp_cloud'
       Whatsapp::IncomingMessageWhatsappCloudService.new(inbox: channel.inbox, params: params).perform

app/models/message.rb

@@ -344,10 +344,11 @@ class Message < ApplicationRecord
     # if the sender is not a user, it's not a human response
     # if automation rule id is present, it's not a human response
     # if campaign id is present, it's not a human response
+    # external echo messages are responses sent from the native app (WhatsApp Business, Instagram)
     outgoing? &&
       content_attributes['automation_rule_id'].blank? &&
       additional_attributes['campaign_id'].blank? &&
-      sender.is_a?(User)
+      (sender.is_a?(User) || content_attributes['external_echo'].present?)
   end
 
   def bot_response?

app/services/tiktok/message_service.rb

@@ -1,11 +1,10 @@
 class Tiktok::MessageService
   include Tiktok::MessagingHelpers
 
-  pattr_initialize [:channel!, :content!]
+  pattr_initialize [:channel!, :content!, :outgoing_echo]
 
   def perform
     if outgoing_message?
-      # Skip processing echo messages
       message = find_message(tt_conversation_id, tt_message_id)
       return if message.present?
     end
@@ -39,7 +38,7 @@ class Tiktok::MessageService
       updated_at: tt_message_time
     )
 
-    message.sender = contact_inbox.contact if incoming_message?
+    message.sender = contact_inbox.contact if incoming_message? && !outgoing_echo
     message.status = :delivered if outgoing_message?
 
     create_message_attachments(message)
@@ -91,6 +90,7 @@ class Tiktok::MessageService
     attributes = {}
     attributes[:in_reply_to_external_id] = tt_referenced_message_id if tt_referenced_message_id
     attributes[:is_unsupported] = true unless supported_message?
+    attributes[:external_echo] = true if outgoing_echo
     attributes
   end
 

app/services/whatsapp/facebook_api_client.rb

@@ -66,7 +66,8 @@ class Whatsapp::FacebookApiClient
       headers: request_headers,
       body: {
         override_callback_uri: callback_url,
-        verify_token: verify_token
+        verify_token: verify_token,
+        subscribed_fields: %w[messages smb_message_echoes]
       }.to_json
     )
 

app/services/whatsapp/incoming_message_base_service.rb

@@ -4,18 +4,23 @@
 class Whatsapp::IncomingMessageBaseService
   include ::Whatsapp::IncomingMessageServiceHelpers
 
-  pattr_initialize [:inbox!, :params!]
+  pattr_initialize [:inbox!, :params!, :outgoing_echo]
 
   def perform
     processed_params
 
     if processed_params.try(:[], :statuses).present?
       process_statuses
-    elsif processed_params.try(:[], :messages).present?
+    elsif messages_data.present?
       process_messages
     end
   end
 
+  # Returns messages array for both regular messages and echo events
+  def messages_data
+    @processed_params&.dig(:messages) || @processed_params&.dig(:message_echoes)
+  end
+
   private
 
   def process_messages
@@ -26,7 +31,7 @@ class Whatsapp::IncomingMessageBaseService
     # Multiple webhook event can be received against the same message due to misconfigurations in the Meta
     # business manager account. While we have not found the core reason yet, the following line ensure that
     # there are no duplicate messages created.
-    return if find_message_by_source_id(@processed_params[:messages].first[:id]) || message_under_process?
+    return if find_message_by_source_id(messages_data.first[:id]) || message_under_process?
 
     cache_message_source_id_in_redis
     set_contact
@@ -57,7 +62,7 @@ class Whatsapp::IncomingMessageBaseService
   end
 
   def create_messages
-    message = @processed_params[:messages].first
+    message = messages_data.first
     log_error(message) && return if error_webhook_event?(message)
 
     process_in_reply_to(message)
@@ -67,20 +72,44 @@ class Whatsapp::IncomingMessageBaseService
 
   def create_contact_messages(message)
     message['contacts'].each do |contact|
-      create_message(contact)
+      # Pass source_id from parent message since contact objects don't have :id
+      create_message(contact, source_id: message[:id])
       attach_contact(contact)
       @message.save!
     end
   end
 
   def create_regular_message(message)
-    create_message(message)
+    create_message(message, source_id: message[:id])
     attach_files
     attach_location if message_type == 'location'
     @message.save!
   end
 
   def set_contact
+    if outgoing_echo
+      set_contact_from_echo
+    else
+      set_contact_from_message
+    end
+  end
+
+  def set_contact_from_echo
+    # For echo messages, contact phone is in the 'to' field
+    phone_number = messages_data.first[:to]
+    waid = processed_waid(phone_number)
+
+    contact_inbox = ::ContactInboxWithContactBuilder.new(
+      source_id: waid,
+      inbox: inbox,
+      contact_attributes: { name: "+#{phone_number}", phone_number: "+#{phone_number}" }
+    ).perform
+
+    @contact_inbox = contact_inbox
+    @contact = contact_inbox.contact
+  end
+
+  def set_contact_from_message
     contact_params = @processed_params[:contacts]&.first
     return if contact_params.blank?
 
@@ -89,7 +118,7 @@ class Whatsapp::IncomingMessageBaseService
     contact_inbox = ::ContactInboxWithContactBuilder.new(
       source_id: waid,
       inbox: inbox,
-      contact_attributes: { name: contact_params.dig(:profile, :name), phone_number: "+#{@processed_params[:messages].first[:from]}" }
+      contact_attributes: { name: contact_params.dig(:profile, :name), phone_number: "+#{messages_data.first[:from]}" }
     ).perform
 
     @contact_inbox = contact_inbox
@@ -115,7 +144,7 @@ class Whatsapp::IncomingMessageBaseService
   def attach_files
     return if %w[text button interactive location contacts].include?(message_type)
 
-    attachment_payload = @processed_params[:messages].first[message_type.to_sym]
+    attachment_payload = messages_data.first[message_type.to_sym]
     @message.content ||= attachment_payload[:caption]
 
     attachment_file = download_attachment_file(attachment_payload)
@@ -133,7 +162,7 @@ class Whatsapp::IncomingMessageBaseService
   end
 
   def attach_location
-    location = @processed_params[:messages].first['location']
+    location = messages_data.first['location']
     location_name = location['name'] ? "#{location['name']}, #{location['address']}" : ''
     @message.attachments.new(
       account_id: @message.account_id,
@@ -145,14 +174,17 @@ class Whatsapp::IncomingMessageBaseService
     )
   end
 
-  def create_message(message)
+  def create_message(message, source_id: nil)
     @message = @conversation.messages.build(
       content: message_content(message),
       account_id: @inbox.account_id,
       inbox_id: @inbox.id,
-      message_type: :incoming,
+      message_type: outgoing_echo ? :outgoing : :incoming,
-      sender: @contact,
+      # Set status to :delivered for echo messages to prevent SendReplyJob from trying to send them
-      source_id: message[:id].to_s,
+      status: outgoing_echo ? :delivered : :sent,
+      sender: outgoing_echo ? nil : @contact,
+      source_id: (source_id || message[:id]).to_s,
+      content_attributes: outgoing_echo ? { external_echo: true } : {},
       in_reply_to_external_id: @in_reply_to_external_id
     )
   end
@@ -189,7 +221,7 @@ class Whatsapp::IncomingMessageBaseService
   end
 
   def contact_name_matches_phone_number?
-    phone_number = "+#{@processed_params[:messages].first[:from]}"
+    phone_number = "+#{messages_data.first[:from]}"
     formatted_phone_number = TelephoneNumber.parse(phone_number).international_number
     @contact.name == phone_number || @contact.name == formatted_phone_number
   end

app/services/whatsapp/incoming_message_service_helpers.rb

@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ module Whatsapp::IncomingMessageServiceHelpers
   end
 
   def message_type
-    @processed_params[:messages].first[:type]
+    messages_data.first[:type]
   end
 
   def message_content(message)
@@ -70,19 +70,19 @@ module Whatsapp::IncomingMessageServiceHelpers
   end
 
   def message_under_process?
-    key = format(Redis::RedisKeys::MESSAGE_SOURCE_KEY, id: @processed_params[:messages].first[:id])
+    key = format(Redis::RedisKeys::MESSAGE_SOURCE_KEY, id: messages_data.first[:id])
     Redis::Alfred.get(key)
   end
 
   def cache_message_source_id_in_redis
-    return if @processed_params.try(:[], :messages).blank?
+    return if messages_data.blank?
 
-    key = format(Redis::RedisKeys::MESSAGE_SOURCE_KEY, id: @processed_params[:messages].first[:id])
+    key = format(Redis::RedisKeys::MESSAGE_SOURCE_KEY, id: messages_data.first[:id])
     ::Redis::Alfred.setex(key, true)
   end
 
   def clear_message_source_id_from_redis
-    key = format(Redis::RedisKeys::MESSAGE_SOURCE_KEY, id: @processed_params[:messages].first[:id])
+    key = format(Redis::RedisKeys::MESSAGE_SOURCE_KEY, id: messages_data.first[:id])
     ::Redis::Alfred.delete(key)
   end
 end

spec/services/whatsapp/facebook_api_client_spec.rb

@@ -164,7 +164,8 @@ describe Whatsapp::FacebookApiClient do
         stub_request(:post, "https://graph.facebook.com/#{api_version}/#{waba_id}/subscribed_apps")
           .with(
             headers: { 'Authorization' => "Bearer #{access_token}", 'Content-Type' => 'application/json' },
-            body: { override_callback_uri: callback_url, verify_token: verify_token }.to_json
+            body: { override_callback_uri: callback_url, verify_token: verify_token,
+                    subscribed_fields: %w[messages smb_message_echoes] }.to_json
           )
           .to_return(
             status: 200,
@@ -184,7 +185,8 @@ describe Whatsapp::FacebookApiClient do
         stub_request(:post, "https://graph.facebook.com/#{api_version}/#{waba_id}/subscribed_apps")
           .with(
             headers: { 'Authorization' => "Bearer #{access_token}", 'Content-Type' => 'application/json' },
-            body: { override_callback_uri: callback_url, verify_token: verify_token }.to_json
+            body: { override_callback_uri: callback_url, verify_token: verify_token,
+                    subscribed_fields: %w[messages smb_message_echoes] }.to_json
           )
           .to_return(status: 400, body: { error: 'Webhook subscription failed' }.to_json)
       end