diff --git a/core/clients/whatsapp.py b/core/clients/whatsapp.py
index 1d6eb28..1ff58ee 100644
--- a/core/clients/whatsapp.py
+++ b/core/clients/whatsapp.py
@@ -749,6 +749,68 @@ class WhatsAppClient(ClientBase):
                     "SELECT name FROM sqlite_master WHERE type='table'"
                 ).fetchall()
                 table_names = [str(row[0]) for row in table_rows if row and row[0]]
+                # Prefer the canonical contacts table when available.
+                if "whatsmeow_contacts" in table_names:
+                    own_ids = set()
+                    for value in (
+                        transport.get_runtime_state(self.service).get("accounts") or []
+                    ):
+                        base = str(value or "").strip().split("@", 1)[0]
+                        base = base.split(":", 1)[0]
+                        if base:
+                            own_ids.add(base.lower())
+                    try:
+                        for row in cur.execute(
+                            'SELECT DISTINCT "our_jid" FROM "whatsmeow_contacts"'
+                        ).fetchall():
+                            base = str((row or [None])[0] or "").strip().split("@", 1)[0]
+                            base = base.split(":", 1)[0]
+                            if base:
+                                own_ids.add(base.lower())
+                    except Exception:
+                        pass
+
+                    out = []
+                    seen = set()
+                    try:
+                        rows = cur.execute(
+                            'SELECT "their_jid", "first_name", "full_name", "push_name", "business_name" '
+                            'FROM "whatsmeow_contacts" LIMIT 5000'
+                        ).fetchall()
+                    except Exception:
+                        rows = []
+                    for their_jid, first_name, full_name, push_name, business_name in rows:
+                        jid_value = str(their_jid or "").strip()
+                        if "@s.whatsapp.net" not in jid_value and "@lid" not in jid_value:
+                            continue
+                        identifier = jid_value.split("@", 1)[0].strip().split(":", 1)[0]
+                        if not identifier:
+                            continue
+                        if identifier.lower() in own_ids:
+                            continue
+                        if identifier in seen:
+                            continue
+                        seen.add(identifier)
+                        display_name = (
+                            str(push_name or "").strip()
+                            or str(full_name or "").strip()
+                            or str(business_name or "").strip()
+                            or str(first_name or "").strip()
+                        )
+                        out.append(
+                            {
+                                "identifier": identifier,
+                                "jid": jid_value,
+                                "name": display_name,
+                                "chat": "",
+                                "seen_at": int(time.time()),
+                            }
+                        )
+                        if len(out) >= 500:
+                            break
+                    if out:
+                        return out, "sqlite_contacts"
+
                 account_keys = {
                     str(value or "").strip().split("@", 1)[0].lower()
                     for value in (