diff --git a/src/auto-reply/reply/agent-runner-execution.ts b/src/auto-reply/reply/agent-runner-execution.ts
index d1f0e276d..49a50cd29 100644
--- a/src/auto-reply/reply/agent-runner-execution.ts
+++ b/src/auto-reply/reply/agent-runner-execution.ts
@@ -127,6 +127,9 @@ export async function runAgentTurnWithFallback(params: {
         run: (provider, model) => {
           // Notify that model selection is complete (including after fallback).
           // This allows responsePrefix template interpolation with the actual model.
+          logVerbose(
+            `[responsePrefix] onModelSelected callback exists: ${!!params.opts?.onModelSelected}, provider=${provider}, model=${model}`,
+          );
           params.opts?.onModelSelected?.({
             provider,
             model,
diff --git a/src/auto-reply/reply/normalize-reply.ts b/src/auto-reply/reply/normalize-reply.ts
index ac8e85f2e..a9d0d0060 100644
--- a/src/auto-reply/reply/normalize-reply.ts
+++ b/src/auto-reply/reply/normalize-reply.ts
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import { logVerbose } from "../../globals.js";
 import { stripHeartbeatToken } from "../heartbeat.js";
 import { HEARTBEAT_TOKEN, isSilentReplyText, SILENT_REPLY_TOKEN } from "../tokens.js";
 import type { ReplyPayload } from "../types.js";
@@ -43,9 +44,17 @@ export function normalizeReplyPayload(
   }
 
   // Resolve template variables in responsePrefix if context is provided
+  if (opts.responsePrefix?.includes("{")) {
+    logVerbose(
+      `[responsePrefix] normalizing: prefix="${opts.responsePrefix}", context=${JSON.stringify(opts.responsePrefixContext)}`,
+    );
+  }
   const effectivePrefix = opts.responsePrefixContext
     ? resolveResponsePrefixTemplate(opts.responsePrefix, opts.responsePrefixContext)
     : opts.responsePrefix;
+  if (opts.responsePrefix?.includes("{") && effectivePrefix !== opts.responsePrefix) {
+    logVerbose(`[responsePrefix] resolved to: "${effectivePrefix}"`);
+  }
 
   if (
     effectivePrefix &&
diff --git a/src/telegram/bot-message-dispatch.ts b/src/telegram/bot-message-dispatch.ts
index c609a07c2..22dd9a420 100644
--- a/src/telegram/bot-message-dispatch.ts
+++ b/src/telegram/bot-message-dispatch.ts
@@ -163,10 +163,14 @@ export const dispatchTelegramMessage = async ({
       disableBlockStreaming,
       onModelSelected: (ctx) => {
         // Mutate the object directly instead of reassigning to ensure the closure sees updates
+        logVerbose(
+          `[responsePrefix] telegram onModelSelected fired: provider=${ctx.provider}, model=${ctx.model}, thinkLevel=${ctx.thinkLevel}`,
+        );
         prefixContext.provider = ctx.provider;
         prefixContext.model = extractShortModelName(ctx.model);
         prefixContext.modelFull = `${ctx.provider}/${ctx.model}`;
         prefixContext.thinkingLevel = ctx.thinkLevel ?? "off";
+        logVerbose(`[responsePrefix] telegram prefixContext updated: ${JSON.stringify(prefixContext)}`);
       },
     },
   });