fix: treat reply-to-bot as implicit mention across channels

src/channels/mention-gating.test.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+import { describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
+
+import { resolveMentionGating } from "./mention-gating.js";
+
+describe("resolveMentionGating", () => {
+  it("combines explicit, implicit, and bypass mentions", () => {
+    const res = resolveMentionGating({
+      requireMention: true,
+      canDetectMention: true,
+      wasMentioned: false,
+      implicitMention: true,
+      shouldBypassMention: false,
+    });
+    expect(res.effectiveWasMentioned).toBe(true);
+    expect(res.shouldSkip).toBe(false);
+  });
+
+  it("skips when mention required and none detected", () => {
+    const res = resolveMentionGating({
+      requireMention: true,
+      canDetectMention: true,
+      wasMentioned: false,
+      implicitMention: false,
+      shouldBypassMention: false,
+    });
+    expect(res.effectiveWasMentioned).toBe(false);
+    expect(res.shouldSkip).toBe(true);
+  });
+
+  it("does not skip when mention detection is unavailable", () => {
+    const res = resolveMentionGating({
+      requireMention: true,
+      canDetectMention: false,
+      wasMentioned: false,
+    });
+    expect(res.shouldSkip).toBe(false);
+  });
+});

src/channels/mention-gating.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+export type MentionGateParams = {
+  requireMention: boolean;
+  canDetectMention: boolean;
+  wasMentioned: boolean;
+  implicitMention?: boolean;
+  shouldBypassMention?: boolean;
+};
+
+export type MentionGateResult = {
+  effectiveWasMentioned: boolean;
+  shouldSkip: boolean;
+};
+
+export function resolveMentionGating(params: MentionGateParams): MentionGateResult {
+  const implicit = params.implicitMention === true;
+  const bypass = params.shouldBypassMention === true;
+  const effectiveWasMentioned = params.wasMentioned || implicit || bypass;
+  const shouldSkip =
+    params.requireMention && params.canDetectMention && !effectiveWasMentioned;
+  return { effectiveWasMentioned, shouldSkip };
+}

src/discord/monitor.tool-result.accepts-guild-messages-mentionpatterns-match.test.ts

@@ -126,6 +126,106 @@ describe("discord tool result dispatch", () => {
     expect(sendMock).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
   }, 20_000);
 
+  it("accepts guild reply-to-bot messages as implicit mentions", async () => {
+    const { createDiscordMessageHandler } = await import("./monitor.js");
+    const cfg = {
+      agents: {
+        defaults: {
+          model: "anthropic/claude-opus-4-5",
+          workspace: "/tmp/clawd",
+        },
+      },
+      session: { store: "/tmp/clawdbot-sessions.json" },
+      channels: {
+        discord: {
+          dm: { enabled: true, policy: "open" },
+          groupPolicy: "open",
+          guilds: { "*": { requireMention: true } },
+        },
+      },
+    } as ReturnType<typeof import("../config/config.js").loadConfig>;
+
+    const handler = createDiscordMessageHandler({
+      cfg,
+      discordConfig: cfg.channels.discord,
+      accountId: "default",
+      token: "token",
+      runtime: {
+        log: vi.fn(),
+        error: vi.fn(),
+        exit: (code: number): never => {
+          throw new Error(`exit ${code}`);
+        },
+      },
+      botUserId: "bot-id",
+      guildHistories: new Map(),
+      historyLimit: 0,
+      mediaMaxBytes: 10_000,
+      textLimit: 2000,
+      replyToMode: "off",
+      dmEnabled: true,
+      groupDmEnabled: false,
+      guildEntries: { "*": { requireMention: true } },
+    });
+
+    const client = {
+      fetchChannel: vi.fn().mockResolvedValue({
+        type: ChannelType.GuildText,
+        name: "general",
+      }),
+    } as unknown as Client;
+
+    await handler(
+      {
+        message: {
+          id: "m3",
+          content: "following up",
+          channelId: "c1",
+          timestamp: new Date().toISOString(),
+          type: MessageType.Default,
+          attachments: [],
+          embeds: [],
+          mentionedEveryone: false,
+          mentionedUsers: [],
+          mentionedRoles: [],
+          author: { id: "u1", bot: false, username: "Ada" },
+          referencedMessage: {
+            id: "m2",
+            channelId: "c1",
+            content: "bot reply",
+            timestamp: new Date().toISOString(),
+            type: MessageType.Default,
+            attachments: [],
+            embeds: [],
+            mentionedEveryone: false,
+            mentionedUsers: [],
+            mentionedRoles: [],
+            author: { id: "bot-id", bot: true, username: "Clawdbot" },
+          },
+        },
+        author: { id: "u1", bot: false, username: "Ada" },
+        member: { nickname: "Ada" },
+        guild: { id: "g1", name: "Guild" },
+        guild_id: "g1",
+        channel: { id: "c1", type: ChannelType.GuildText },
+        client,
+        data: {
+          id: "m3",
+          content: "following up",
+          channel_id: "c1",
+          guild_id: "g1",
+          type: MessageType.Default,
+          mentions: [],
+        },
+      },
+      client,
+    );
+
+    expect(dispatchMock).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+    const payload = dispatchMock.mock.calls[0]?.[0]?.ctx as Record<string, unknown>;
+    expect(payload.WasMentioned).toBe(true);
+  });
+
   it("forks thread sessions and injects starter context", async () => {
     const { createDiscordMessageHandler } = await import("./monitor.js");
     let capturedCtx:

src/discord/monitor/message-handler.preflight.ts

@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ import {
   upsertChannelPairingRequest,
 } from "../../pairing/pairing-store.js";
 import { resolveAgentRoute } from "../../routing/resolve-route.js";
+import { resolveMentionGating } from "../../channels/mention-gating.js";
 import { sendMessageDiscord } from "../send.js";
 import {
   allowListMatches,
@@ -164,6 +165,12 @@ export async function preflightDiscordMessage(
     !isDirectMessage &&
     (Boolean(botId && message.mentionedUsers?.some((user: User) => user.id === botId)) ||
       matchesMentionPatterns(baseText, mentionRegexes));
+  const implicitMention = Boolean(
+    !isDirectMessage &&
+      botId &&
+      message.referencedMessage?.author?.id &&
+      message.referencedMessage.author.id === botId,
+  );
   if (shouldLogVerbose()) {
     logVerbose(
       `discord: inbound id=${message.id} guild=${message.guild?.id ?? "dm"} channel=${message.channelId} mention=${wasMentioned ? "yes" : "no"} type=${isDirectMessage ? "dm" : isGroupDm ? "group-dm" : "guild"} content=${messageText ? "yes" : "no"}`,
@@ -327,10 +334,17 @@ export async function preflightDiscordMessage(
     !hasAnyMention &&
     commandAuthorized &&
     hasControlCommand(baseText, params.cfg);
-  const effectiveWasMentioned = wasMentioned || shouldBypassMention;
   const canDetectMention = Boolean(botId) || mentionRegexes.length > 0;
+  const mentionGate = resolveMentionGating({
+    requireMention: Boolean(shouldRequireMention),
+    canDetectMention,
+    wasMentioned,
+    implicitMention,
+    shouldBypassMention,
+  });
+  const effectiveWasMentioned = mentionGate.effectiveWasMentioned;
   if (isGuildMessage && shouldRequireMention) {
-    if (botId && !wasMentioned && !shouldBypassMention) {
+    if (botId && mentionGate.shouldSkip) {
       logVerbose(`discord: drop guild message (mention required, botId=${botId})`);
       logger.info(
         {

src/discord/monitor/message-handler.process.ts

@@ -56,10 +56,8 @@ export async function processDiscordMessage(ctx: DiscordMessagePreflightContext)
     isGroupDm,
     baseText,
     messageText,
-    wasMentioned,
     shouldRequireMention,
     canDetectMention,
-    shouldBypassMention,
     effectiveWasMentioned,
     historyEntry,
     threadChannel,
@@ -94,7 +92,7 @@ export async function processDiscordMessage(ctx: DiscordMessagePreflightContext)
       if (!isGuildMessage) return false;
       if (!shouldRequireMention) return false;
       if (!canDetectMention) return false;
-      return wasMentioned || shouldBypassMention;
+      return effectiveWasMentioned;
     }
     return false;
   };

src/slack/monitor.tool-result.sends-tool-summaries-responseprefix.test.ts

@@ -498,6 +498,49 @@ describe("monitorSlackProvider tool results", () => {
     expect(replyMock.mock.calls[0][0].WasMentioned).toBe(true);
   });
 
+  it("treats replies to bot threads as implicit mentions", async () => {
+    config = {
+      channels: {
+        slack: {
+          dm: { enabled: true, policy: "open", allowFrom: ["*"] },
+          channels: { C1: { allow: true, requireMention: true } },
+        },
+      },
+    };
+    replyMock.mockResolvedValue({ text: "hi" });
+
+    const controller = new AbortController();
+    const run = monitorSlackProvider({
+      botToken: "bot-token",
+      appToken: "app-token",
+      abortSignal: controller.signal,
+    });
+
+    await waitForEvent("message");
+    const handler = getSlackHandlers()?.get("message");
+    if (!handler) throw new Error("Slack message handler not registered");
+
+    await handler({
+      event: {
+        type: "message",
+        user: "U1",
+        text: "following up",
+        ts: "124",
+        thread_ts: "123",
+        parent_user_id: "bot-user",
+        channel: "C1",
+        channel_type: "channel",
+      },
+    });
+
+    await flush();
+    controller.abort();
+    await run;
+
+    expect(replyMock).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+    expect(replyMock.mock.calls[0][0].WasMentioned).toBe(true);
+  });
+
   it("accepts channel messages without mention when channels.slack.requireMention is false", async () => {
     config = {
       channels: {

src/slack/monitor/message-handler/prepare.ts

@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ import { buildPairingReply } from "../../../pairing/pairing-messages.js";
 import { upsertChannelPairingRequest } from "../../../pairing/pairing-store.js";
 import { resolveAgentRoute } from "../../../routing/resolve-route.js";
 import { resolveThreadSessionKeys } from "../../../routing/session-key.js";
+import { resolveMentionGating } from "../../../channels/mention-gating.js";
 
 import type { ResolvedSlackAccount } from "../../accounts.js";
 import { reactSlackMessage } from "../../actions.js";
@@ -172,6 +173,12 @@ export async function prepareSlackMessage(params: {
     (!isDirectMessage &&
       (Boolean(ctx.botUserId && message.text?.includes(`<@${ctx.botUserId}>`)) ||
         matchesMentionPatterns(message.text ?? "", mentionRegexes)));
+  const implicitMention = Boolean(
+    !isDirectMessage &&
+      ctx.botUserId &&
+      message.thread_ts &&
+      message.parent_user_id === ctx.botUserId,
+  );
 
   const sender = message.user ? await ctx.resolveUserName(message.user) : null;
   const senderName =
@@ -215,9 +222,16 @@ export async function prepareSlackMessage(params: {
     commandAuthorized &&
     hasControlCommand(message.text ?? "", cfg);
 
-  const effectiveWasMentioned = wasMentioned || shouldBypassMention;
   const canDetectMention = Boolean(ctx.botUserId) || mentionRegexes.length > 0;
-  if (isRoom && shouldRequireMention && canDetectMention && !wasMentioned && !shouldBypassMention) {
+  const mentionGate = resolveMentionGating({
+    requireMention: Boolean(shouldRequireMention),
+    canDetectMention,
+    wasMentioned,
+    implicitMention,
+    shouldBypassMention,
+  });
+  const effectiveWasMentioned = mentionGate.effectiveWasMentioned;
+  if (isRoom && shouldRequireMention && mentionGate.shouldSkip) {
     ctx.logger.info({ channel: message.channel, reason: "no-mention" }, "skipping room message");
     return null;
   }
@@ -242,7 +256,7 @@ export async function prepareSlackMessage(params: {
       if (!isRoom) return false;
       if (!shouldRequireMention) return false;
       if (!canDetectMention) return false;
-      return wasMentioned || shouldBypassMention;
+      return effectiveWasMentioned;
     }
     return false;
   };

src/telegram/bot-message-context.ts

@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ import { resolveStorePath, updateLastRoute } from "../config/sessions.js";
 import { logVerbose, shouldLogVerbose } from "../globals.js";
 import { recordChannelActivity } from "../infra/channel-activity.js";
 import { resolveAgentRoute } from "../routing/resolve-route.js";
+import { resolveMentionGating } from "../channels/mention-gating.js";
 import {
   buildGroupFromLabel,
   buildGroupLabel,
@@ -222,7 +223,7 @@ export const buildTelegramMessageContext = async ({
   // Reply-chain detection: replying to a bot message acts like an implicit mention.
   const botId = primaryCtx.me?.id;
   const replyFromId = msg.reply_to_message?.from?.id;
-  const isReplyToBot = botId != null && replyFromId === botId;
+  const implicitMention = botId != null && replyFromId === botId;
   const shouldBypassMention =
     isGroup &&
     requireMention &&
@@ -230,11 +231,17 @@ export const buildTelegramMessageContext = async ({
     !hasAnyMention &&
     commandAuthorized &&
     hasControlCommand(msg.text ?? msg.caption ?? "", cfg, { botUsername });
-  const shouldBypassForReplyChain = isGroup && requireMention && isReplyToBot;
-  const effectiveWasMentioned = wasMentioned || shouldBypassMention || shouldBypassForReplyChain;
   const canDetectMention = Boolean(botUsername) || mentionRegexes.length > 0;
+  const mentionGate = resolveMentionGating({
+    requireMention: Boolean(requireMention),
+    canDetectMention,
+    wasMentioned,
+    implicitMention: isGroup && Boolean(requireMention) && implicitMention,
+    shouldBypassMention,
+  });
+  const effectiveWasMentioned = mentionGate.effectiveWasMentioned;
   if (isGroup && requireMention && canDetectMention) {
-    if (!wasMentioned && !shouldBypassMention && !shouldBypassForReplyChain) {
+    if (mentionGate.shouldSkip) {
       logger.info({ chatId, reason: "no-mention" }, "skipping group message");
       return null;
     }
@@ -252,7 +259,7 @@ export const buildTelegramMessageContext = async ({
       if (!isGroup) return false;
       if (!requireMention) return false;
       if (!canDetectMention) return false;
-      return wasMentioned || shouldBypassMention || shouldBypassForReplyChain;
+      return effectiveWasMentioned;
     }
     return false;
   };

src/web/auto-reply/monitor/group-gating.test.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,55 @@
+import { describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
+
+import { applyGroupGating } from "./group-gating.js";
+
+const baseConfig = {
+  channels: {
+    whatsapp: {
+      groupPolicy: "open",
+      groups: { "*": { requireMention: true } },
+    },
+  },
+  session: { store: "/tmp/clawdbot-sessions.json" },
+} as const;
+
+describe("applyGroupGating", () => {
+  it("treats reply-to-bot as implicit mention", () => {
+    const groupHistories = new Map();
+    const result = applyGroupGating({
+      cfg: baseConfig as unknown as ReturnType<typeof import("../../../config/config.js").loadConfig>,
+      msg: {
+        id: "m1",
+        from: "123@g.us",
+        conversationId: "123@g.us",
+        to: "+15550000",
+        accountId: "default",
+        body: "following up",
+        timestamp: Date.now(),
+        chatType: "group",
+        chatId: "123@g.us",
+        selfJid: "15551234567@s.whatsapp.net",
+        selfE164: "+15551234567",
+        replyToId: "m0",
+        replyToBody: "bot said hi",
+        replyToSender: "+15551234567",
+        replyToSenderJid: "15551234567@s.whatsapp.net",
+        replyToSenderE164: "+15551234567",
+        sendComposing: async () => {},
+        reply: async () => {},
+        sendMedia: async () => {},
+      },
+      conversationId: "123@g.us",
+      groupHistoryKey: "group:123@g.us",
+      agentId: "main",
+      sessionKey: "agent:main:whatsapp:group:123@g.us",
+      baseMentionConfig: { mentionRegexes: [] },
+      groupHistories,
+      groupHistoryLimit: 10,
+      groupMemberNames: new Map(),
+      logVerbose: () => {},
+      replyLogger: { debug: () => {} },
+    });
+
+    expect(result.shouldProcess).toBe(true);
+  });
+});

src/web/auto-reply/monitor/group-gating.ts

@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ import { hasControlCommand } from "../../../auto-reply/command-detection.js";
 import { parseActivationCommand } from "../../../auto-reply/group-activation.js";
 import type { loadConfig } from "../../../config/config.js";
 import { normalizeE164 } from "../../../utils.js";
+import { resolveMentionGating } from "../../../channels/mention-gating.js";
 import type { MentionConfig } from "../mentions.js";
 import { buildMentionConfig, debugMention, resolveOwnerList } from "../mentions.js";
 import type { WebInboundMsg } from "../types.js";
@@ -94,7 +95,6 @@ export function applyGroupGating(params: {
     "group mention debug",
   );
   const wasMentioned = mentionDebug.wasMentioned;
-  params.msg.wasMentioned = wasMentioned;
   const activation = resolveGroupActivationFor({
     cfg: params.cfg,
     agentId: params.agentId,
@@ -102,7 +102,25 @@ export function applyGroupGating(params: {
     conversationId: params.conversationId,
   });
   const requireMention = activation !== "always";
-  if (!shouldBypassMention && requireMention && !wasMentioned) {
+  const selfJid = params.msg.selfJid?.replace(/:\\d+/, "");
+  const replySenderJid = params.msg.replyToSenderJid?.replace(/:\\d+/, "");
+  const selfE164 = params.msg.selfE164 ? normalizeE164(params.msg.selfE164) : null;
+  const replySenderE164 = params.msg.replyToSenderE164
+    ? normalizeE164(params.msg.replyToSenderE164)
+    : null;
+  const implicitMention = Boolean(
+    (selfJid && replySenderJid && selfJid === replySenderJid) ||
+      (selfE164 && replySenderE164 && selfE164 === replySenderE164),
+  );
+  const mentionGate = resolveMentionGating({
+    requireMention,
+    canDetectMention: true,
+    wasMentioned,
+    implicitMention,
+    shouldBypassMention,
+  });
+  params.msg.wasMentioned = mentionGate.effectiveWasMentioned;
+  if (!shouldBypassMention && requireMention && mentionGate.shouldSkip) {
     params.logVerbose(
       `Group message stored for context (no mention detected) in ${params.conversationId}: ${params.msg.body}`,
     );

src/web/inbound/extract.ts

@@ -238,6 +238,8 @@ export function describeReplyContext(rawMessage: proto.IMessage | undefined): {
   id?: string;
   body: string;
   sender: string;
+  senderJid?: string;
+  senderE164?: string;
 } | null {
   const message = unwrapMessage(rawMessage);
   if (!message) return null;
@@ -265,5 +267,7 @@ export function describeReplyContext(rawMessage: proto.IMessage | undefined): {
     id: contextInfo?.stanzaId ? String(contextInfo.stanzaId) : undefined,
     body,
     sender,
+    senderJid,
+    senderE164,
   };
 }

src/web/inbound/monitor.ts

@@ -284,6 +284,8 @@ export async function monitorWebInbox(options: {
         replyToId: replyContext?.id,
         replyToBody: replyContext?.body,
         replyToSender: replyContext?.sender,
+        replyToSenderJid: replyContext?.senderJid,
+        replyToSenderE164: replyContext?.senderE164,
         groupSubject,
         groupParticipants,
         mentionedJids: mentionedJids ?? undefined,

src/web/inbound/types.ts

@@ -24,6 +24,8 @@ export type WebInboundMessage = {
   replyToId?: string;
   replyToBody?: string;
   replyToSender?: string;
+  replyToSenderJid?: string;
+  replyToSenderE164?: string;
   groupSubject?: string;
   groupParticipants?: string[];
   mentionedJids?: string[];