diff --git a/src/auto-reply/reply.directive.test.ts b/src/auto-reply/reply.directive.test.ts
index 925d5b975..b122289a5 100644
--- a/src/auto-reply/reply.directive.test.ts
+++ b/src/auto-reply/reply.directive.test.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
-import { describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
-import { extractVerboseDirective, extractThinkDirective } from "./reply.js";
+import { describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
+import * as tauRpc from "../process/tau-rpc.js";
+import { getReplyFromConfig, extractVerboseDirective, extractThinkDirective } from "./reply.js";
 
 describe("directive parsing", () => {
   it("ignores verbose directive inside URL", () => {
@@ -26,4 +27,38 @@ describe("directive parsing", () => {
     expect(res.hasDirective).toBe(true);
     expect(res.thinkLevel).toBe("high");
   });
+
+  it("applies inline think and still runs agent content", async () => {
+    const rpcMock = vi.spyOn(tauRpc, "runPiRpc").mockResolvedValue({
+      stdout:
+        '{"type":"message_end","message":{"role":"assistant","content":[{"type":"text","text":"done"}]}}',
+      stderr: "",
+      code: 0,
+      signal: null,
+      killed: false,
+    });
+
+    const res = await getReplyFromConfig(
+      {
+        Body: "please sync /think:high now",
+        From: "+1004",
+        To: "+2000",
+      },
+      {},
+      {
+        inbound: {
+          reply: {
+            mode: "command",
+            command: ["pi", "{{Body}}"],
+            agent: { kind: "pi" },
+            session: {},
+          },
+        },
+      },
+    );
+
+    const text = Array.isArray(res) ? res[0]?.text : res?.text;
+    expect(text).toBe("done");
+    expect(rpcMock).toHaveBeenCalledOnce();
+  });
 });
diff --git a/src/auto-reply/reply.ts b/src/auto-reply/reply.ts
index ed069fbba..3e1257159 100644
--- a/src/auto-reply/reply.ts
+++ b/src/auto-reply/reply.ts
@@ -451,8 +451,8 @@ export async function getReplyFromConfig(
     return { text: ack };
   }
 
-  // If any directive (think/verbose) is present anywhere, acknowledge immediately and skip agent execution.
-  if (!isHeartbeat && (hasThinkDirective || hasVerboseDirective)) {
+  // If directives are inline with other text: persist levels, then continue to agent (no early ack).
+  if (hasThinkDirective || hasVerboseDirective) {
     if (sessionEntry && sessionStore && sessionKey) {
       if (hasThinkDirective && inlineThink) {
         if (inlineThink === "off") {
@@ -475,36 +475,6 @@ export async function getReplyFromConfig(
         await saveSessionStore(storePath, sessionStore);
       }
     }
-    const parts: string[] = [];
-    if (hasThinkDirective) {
-      if (!inlineThink) {
-        parts.push(
-          `⚙️ Unrecognized thinking level "${rawThinkLevel ?? ""}". Valid levels: off, minimal, low, medium, high.`,
-        );
-      } else {
-        parts.push(
-          inlineThink === "off"
-            ? "⚙️ Thinking disabled."
-            : `⚙️ Thinking level set to ${inlineThink}.`,
-        );
-      }
-    }
-    if (hasVerboseDirective) {
-      if (!inlineVerbose) {
-        parts.push(
-          `⚙️ Unrecognized verbose level "${rawVerboseLevel ?? ""}". Valid levels: off, on.`,
-        );
-      } else {
-        parts.push(
-          inlineVerbose === "off"
-            ? "⚙️ Verbose logging disabled."
-            : "⚙️ Verbose logging enabled.",
-        );
-      }
-    }
-    const ack = parts.join(" ");
-    cleanupTyping();
-    return { text: ack };
   }
 
   // Optional allowlist by origin number (E.164 without whatsapp: prefix)