diff --git a/__tests__/manifests/manifest-validation.test.ts b/__tests__/manifests/manifest-validation.test.ts
index 61ba6b9f5d..89da1649bc 100644
--- a/__tests__/manifests/manifest-validation.test.ts
+++ b/__tests__/manifests/manifest-validation.test.ts
@@ -33,10 +33,6 @@ describe("validateSetupEntry", () => {
       "a placeholder namespace the host does not expose",
       { setup: createSetup({ prompt: "Use {{secrets.githubToken}}." }) },
     ],
-    [
-      "an assisted message on an entry that sends a request",
-      { setup: createSetup({ message: "Finish setup with the agent." }) },
-    ],
     [
       // The host reads one trigger kind to build the request, so a second one
       // would be silently dropped rather than refused.
diff --git a/package-lock.json b/package-lock.json
index 4d1609cd8e..58f96bf590 100644
--- a/package-lock.json
+++ b/package-lock.json
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@
         "@heroui/react": "2.8.10",
         "@microlink/react-json-view": "1.31.20",
         "@monaco-editor/react": "4.7.0",
-        "@openhands/extensions": "0.12.0",
+        "@openhands/extensions": "0.13.0",
         "@openhands/typescript-client": "1.36.1",
         "@react-router/node": "7.17.0",
         "@react-router/serve": "7.17.0",
@@ -4167,9 +4167,9 @@
       "license": "MIT"
     },
     "node_modules/@openhands/extensions": {
-      "version": "0.12.0",
-      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/@openhands/extensions/-/extensions-0.12.0.tgz",
-      "integrity": "sha512-S7s4hWcvrOfxUT4PMv/Sz5zRNh1tZEF5wQoWo/4TQKJFIgzy9trQJ0xz9UOZFgf4nh0juJEM2jwG9HMo8pmYfA==",
+      "version": "0.13.0",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/@openhands/extensions/-/extensions-0.13.0.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-+pHEyd2rOdFuLR35yg+M33nQbaDAcIZRWe+yErSkHmTn3wM1hpkgQmG1E0jBgkOTUXMScxDMJAHChrna2GFgHg==",
       "license": "MIT",
       "engines": {
         "node": ">=18.20.0"
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 3e1d797f11..bd122550ec 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@
     "@heroui/react": "2.8.10",
     "@microlink/react-json-view": "1.31.20",
     "@monaco-editor/react": "4.7.0",
-    "@openhands/extensions": "0.12.0",
+    "@openhands/extensions": "0.13.0",
     "@openhands/typescript-client": "1.36.1",
     "@react-router/node": "7.17.0",
     "@react-router/serve": "7.17.0",
diff --git a/src/manifests/manifest-validation.ts b/src/manifests/manifest-validation.ts
index f0f6a4190b..11df8f7e47 100644
--- a/src/manifests/manifest-validation.ts
+++ b/src/manifests/manifest-validation.ts
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ const TRIGGER_KINDS = ["cron", "event"] as const;
 const CONSTRAINT_FORMATS = ["safeExpressionLiteral"] as const;
 
 /** Setup context only, so this can never become a channel for runtime instructions. */
-const MAX_ASSISTED_MESSAGE_LENGTH = 2000;
+const MAX_MESSAGE_LENGTH = 2000;
 
 export interface SetupValidationResult {
   valid: boolean;
@@ -310,6 +310,17 @@ function hasRepoPicker(form: unknown): boolean {
   );
 }
 
+function checkMessage(check: SetupChecker, message: unknown): void {
+  if (check.templateCopy(message, "setup.message")) {
+    if ((message as string).length > MAX_MESSAGE_LENGTH) {
+      check.fail(
+        "setup.message",
+        `must be at most ${MAX_MESSAGE_LENGTH} characters`,
+      );
+    }
+  }
+}
+
 function checkMode(check: SetupChecker, setup: Rec, kinds: string[]): void {
   if (!isOneOf(setup.mode, SETUP_MODES)) {
     check.fail("setup.mode", "is not a supported mode");
@@ -318,12 +329,9 @@ function checkMode(check: SetupChecker, setup: Rec, kinds: string[]): void {
 
   if (setup.mode === "direct") {
     check.templateValue(setup.prompt, "setup.prompt");
-    check.absent(
-      setup,
-      "message",
-      "setup",
-      "is only allowed for assisted setup",
-    );
+    // Optional here: it seeds the fallback conversation offered when the
+    // deployment cannot run the direct path.
+    if (setup.message !== undefined) checkMessage(check, setup.message);
 
     // The derivation reads a single trigger kind, and an event trigger takes
     // its source from the repository field's provider.
@@ -349,14 +357,7 @@ function checkMode(check: SetupChecker, setup: Rec, kinds: string[]): void {
     return;
   }
 
-  if (check.templateCopy(setup.message, "setup.message")) {
-    if ((setup.message as string).length > MAX_ASSISTED_MESSAGE_LENGTH) {
-      check.fail(
-        "setup.message",
-        `must be at most ${MAX_ASSISTED_MESSAGE_LENGTH} characters`,
-      );
-    }
-  }
+  checkMessage(check, setup.message);
   check.absent(setup, "prompt", "setup", "is only allowed for direct setup");
   check.absent(setup, "filter", "setup", "is only allowed for direct setup");
 }
diff --git a/src/manifests/types.ts b/src/manifests/types.ts
index e5f670364d..4580b9fc4c 100644
--- a/src/manifests/types.ts
+++ b/src/manifests/types.ts
@@ -75,7 +75,11 @@ export interface SetupBlock {
   prompt?: string;
   /** direct only, event trigger only. Which delivered events belong to it. */
   filter?: string;
-  /** assisted only. Setup context for the conversation that finishes setup. */
+  /**
+   * Setup context for the conversation that finishes setup. Required for
+   * assisted mode. Optional for direct mode, where it seeds the fallback
+   * conversation offered when the deployment cannot run the direct path.
+   */
   message?: string;
 }