diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 8429b5aba..8dc1258f5 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@
 - Browser: increase remote CDP reachability timeouts + add `remoteCdpTimeoutMs`/`remoteCdpHandshakeTimeoutMs`.
 - Browser: preserve auth/query tokens for remote CDP endpoints and pass Basic auth for CDP HTTP/WS. (#895) — thanks @mukhtharcm.
 - Telegram: add bidirectional reaction support with configurable notifications and agent guidance. (#964) — thanks @bohdanpodvirnyi.
+- Telegram: default reaction level to minimal for more delightful baseline reactions.
 - Telegram: allow custom commands in the bot menu (merged with native; conflicts ignored). (#860) — thanks @nachoiacovino.
 - Discord: allow allowlisted guilds without channel lists to receive messages when `groupPolicy="allowlist"`. — thanks @thewilloftheshadow.
 - Discord: allow emoji/sticker uploads + channel actions in config defaults. (#870) — thanks @JDIVE.
diff --git a/docs/channels/telegram.md b/docs/channels/telegram.md
index b549abebb..e6c963a19 100644
--- a/docs/channels/telegram.md
+++ b/docs/channels/telegram.md
@@ -506,7 +506,7 @@ Provider options:
 - `channels.telegram.actions.sendMessage`: gate Telegram tool message sends.
 - `channels.telegram.actions.deleteMessage`: gate Telegram tool message deletes.
 - `channels.telegram.reactionNotifications`: `off | own | all` — control which reactions trigger system events (default: `off` when not set).
-- `channels.telegram.reactionLevel`: `off | ack | minimal | extensive` — control agent's reaction capability (default: `ack` when not set).
+- `channels.telegram.reactionLevel`: `off | ack | minimal | extensive` — control agent's reaction capability (default: `minimal` when not set).
 
 Related global options:
 - `agents.list[].groupChat.mentionPatterns` (mention gating patterns).
diff --git a/src/agents/tools/telegram-actions.test.ts b/src/agents/tools/telegram-actions.test.ts
index 1293ab364..ae7c85fcd 100644
--- a/src/agents/tools/telegram-actions.test.ts
+++ b/src/agents/tools/telegram-actions.test.ts
@@ -135,7 +135,7 @@ describe("handleTelegramAction", () => {
     ).rejects.toThrow(/Telegram agent reactions disabled.*reactionLevel="off"/);
   });
 
-  it("blocks reactions when reactionLevel is ack (default)", async () => {
+  it("blocks reactions when reactionLevel is ack", async () => {
     const cfg = {
       channels: { telegram: { botToken: "tok", reactionLevel: "ack" } },
     } as ClawdbotConfig;
diff --git a/src/telegram/reaction-level.test.ts b/src/telegram/reaction-level.test.ts
index c76aa82af..fac66a8ef 100644
--- a/src/telegram/reaction-level.test.ts
+++ b/src/telegram/reaction-level.test.ts
@@ -18,16 +18,16 @@ describe("resolveTelegramReactionLevel", () => {
     }
   });
 
-  it("defaults to ack level when reactionLevel is not set", () => {
+  it("defaults to minimal level when reactionLevel is not set", () => {
     const cfg: ClawdbotConfig = {
       channels: { telegram: {} },
     };
 
     const result = resolveTelegramReactionLevel({ cfg });
-    expect(result.level).toBe("ack");
-    expect(result.ackEnabled).toBe(true);
-    expect(result.agentReactionsEnabled).toBe(false);
-    expect(result.agentReactionGuidance).toBeUndefined();
+    expect(result.level).toBe("minimal");
+    expect(result.ackEnabled).toBe(false);
+    expect(result.agentReactionsEnabled).toBe(true);
+    expect(result.agentReactionGuidance).toBe("minimal");
   });
 
   it("returns off level with no reactions enabled", () => {
diff --git a/src/telegram/reaction-level.ts b/src/telegram/reaction-level.ts
index d0e56020a..b53c63576 100644
--- a/src/telegram/reaction-level.ts
+++ b/src/telegram/reaction-level.ts
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ export function resolveTelegramReactionLevel(params: {
     cfg: params.cfg,
     accountId: params.accountId,
   });
-  const level = (account.config.reactionLevel ?? "ack") as TelegramReactionLevel;
+  const level = (account.config.reactionLevel ?? "minimal") as TelegramReactionLevel;
 
   switch (level) {
     case "off":