diff --git a/enterprise/app/services/whatsapp/incoming_call_service.rb b/enterprise/app/services/whatsapp/incoming_call_service.rb
index 3abf0f4be..8976dd28f 100644
--- a/enterprise/app/services/whatsapp/incoming_call_service.rb
+++ b/enterprise/app/services/whatsapp/incoming_call_service.rb
@@ -19,12 +19,26 @@ class Whatsapp::IncomingCallService
 
   def handle_connect(payload)
     call = Call.whatsapp.find_by(provider_call_id: payload[:id])
-    return create_inbound_call(payload) if call.nil?
+    if call.nil?
+      # Only an `offer` payload is a real inbound caller. An `answer` with no
+      # local row means Meta beat our outbound `Call.create!` (tiny window
+      # between initiate API response and DB insert) — do not mint an inbound
+      # row for it; the next status webhook (or a retry) will find it.
+      return create_inbound_call(payload) if inbound_offer?(payload)
+
+      Rails.logger.warn "[WHATSAPP CALL] Outbound connect for unknown call #{payload[:id]}; skipping"
+      return
+    end
+
     return accept_outbound_call(call, payload) if call.outgoing?
 
     Rails.logger.info "[WHATSAPP CALL] Duplicate inbound connect for #{payload[:id]}; ignoring"
   end
 
+  def inbound_offer?(payload)
+    payload.dig(:session, :sdp_type).to_s.downcase == 'offer'
+  end
+
   def create_inbound_call(payload)
     sdp_offer = payload.dig(:session, :sdp)
     call = Voice::InboundCallBuilder.perform!(
diff --git a/spec/enterprise/services/whatsapp/incoming_call_service_spec.rb b/spec/enterprise/services/whatsapp/incoming_call_service_spec.rb
index f8cbb3576..caf69d74c 100644
--- a/spec/enterprise/services/whatsapp/incoming_call_service_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/enterprise/services/whatsapp/incoming_call_service_spec.rb
@@ -114,6 +114,21 @@ describe Whatsapp::IncomingCallService do
     end
   end
 
+  describe 'outbound connect with no local row yet' do
+    it 'does not mint an inbound call when sdp_type is answer' do
+      allow(inbox.channel).to receive(:voice_enabled?).and_return(true)
+      allow(Rails.logger).to receive(:warn)
+      allow(ActionCable.server).to receive(:broadcast)
+
+      params = call_payload(event: 'connect', session: { sdp: 'sdp_answer', sdp_type: 'answer' })
+
+      expect { described_class.new(inbox: inbox, params: params).perform }
+        .not_to change(Call, :count)
+      expect(Rails.logger).to have_received(:warn).with(/Outbound connect for unknown call/)
+      expect(ActionCable.server).not_to have_received(:broadcast)
+    end
+  end
+
   describe 'duplicate inbound connect' do
     let!(:call) do
       conversation = create(:conversation, account: account, inbox: inbox)