diff --git a/enterprise/app/services/whatsapp/call_service.rb b/enterprise/app/services/whatsapp/call_service.rb
index 93eba957c..743409839 100644
--- a/enterprise/app/services/whatsapp/call_service.rb
+++ b/enterprise/app/services/whatsapp/call_service.rb
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ class Whatsapp::CallService
     call.with_lock do
       transition_to_in_progress!
       update_message_status('in_progress')
-      update_conversation_call_status(call.display_status)
+      claim_conversation_and_set_call_status
       broadcast(:accepted, accepted_by_agent_id: agent.id)
     end
     call
@@ -56,7 +56,6 @@ class Whatsapp::CallService
     forward_answer_to_meta!
     call.update!(status: 'in_progress', accepted_by_agent_id: agent.id, started_at: Time.current,
                  meta: (call.meta || {}).merge('sdp_answer' => sdp_answer))
-    claim_conversation_for_agent
   end
 
   def forward_answer_to_meta!
@@ -64,9 +63,13 @@ class Whatsapp::CallService
     invoke_provider!(:accept_call, sdp_answer)
   end
 
-  # Take ownership of the conversation if no one holds it; leave assignee alone otherwise (transfer via UI).
-  def claim_conversation_for_agent
-    call.conversation.update!(assignee: agent) if call.conversation.assignee_id.blank?
+  # Claim an unheld conversation and set call_status in one save so previous_changes carries both the
+  # assignee change (activity message + ASSIGNEE_CHANGED) and the call_status change (conversation.updated webhook).
+  def claim_conversation_and_set_call_status
+    conversation = call.conversation
+    attrs = { additional_attributes: (conversation.additional_attributes || {}).merge('call_status' => call.display_status) }
+    attrs[:assignee] = agent if conversation.assignee_id.blank?
+    conversation.update!(attrs)
   end
 
   # Raise on Meta failure (bool false or transport error) so callers bail before