fix: filter NO_REPLY prefixes

src/agents/system-prompt.ts

@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import type { ThinkLevel } from "../auto-reply/thinking.js";
+import { SILENT_REPLY_TOKEN } from "../auto-reply/tokens.js";
 import type { EmbeddedContextFile } from "./pi-embedded-helpers.js";
 
 export function buildAgentSystemPrompt(params: {
@@ -286,6 +287,18 @@ export function buildAgentSystemPrompt(params: {
   }
 
   lines.push(
+    "## Silent Replies",
+    `When you have nothing to say, respond with ONLY: ${SILENT_REPLY_TOKEN}`,
+    "",
+    "⚠️ Rules:",
+    "- It must be your ENTIRE message — nothing else",
+    `- Never append it to an actual response (never include "${SILENT_REPLY_TOKEN}" in real replies)`,
+    "- Never wrap it in markdown or code blocks",
+    "",
+    `❌ Wrong: "Here's help... ${SILENT_REPLY_TOKEN}"`,
+    `❌ Wrong: "${SILENT_REPLY_TOKEN}"`,
+    `✅ Right: ${SILENT_REPLY_TOKEN}`,
+    "",
     "## Heartbeats",
     heartbeatPromptLine,
     "If you receive a heartbeat poll (a user message matching the heartbeat prompt above), and there is nothing that needs attention, reply exactly:",

src/auto-reply/reply/agent-runner.ts

@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ import {
 import { stripHeartbeatToken } from "../heartbeat.js";
 import type { OriginatingChannelType, TemplateContext } from "../templating.js";
 import { normalizeVerboseLevel, type VerboseLevel } from "../thinking.js";
-import { SILENT_REPLY_TOKEN } from "../tokens.js";
+import { isSilentReplyText, SILENT_REPLY_TOKEN } from "../tokens.js";
 import type { GetReplyOptions, ReplyPayload } from "../types.js";
 import { extractAudioTag } from "./audio-tags.js";
 import { createBlockReplyPipeline } from "./block-reply-pipeline.js";
@@ -536,7 +536,10 @@ export async function runReplyAgent(params: {
                       Boolean(taggedPayload.mediaUrl) ||
                       (taggedPayload.mediaUrls?.length ?? 0) > 0;
                     if (!cleaned && !hasMedia) return;
-                    if (cleaned?.trim() === SILENT_REPLY_TOKEN && !hasMedia)
+                    if (
+                      isSilentReplyText(cleaned, SILENT_REPLY_TOKEN) &&
+                      !hasMedia
+                    )
                       return;
                     const blockPayload: ReplyPayload = applyReplyToMode({
                       ...taggedPayload,
@@ -745,7 +748,8 @@ export async function runReplyAgent(params: {
 
     const shouldSignalTyping = replyPayloads.some((payload) => {
       const trimmed = payload.text?.trim();
-      if (trimmed && trimmed !== SILENT_REPLY_TOKEN) return true;
+      if (trimmed && !isSilentReplyText(trimmed, SILENT_REPLY_TOKEN))
+        return true;
       if (payload.mediaUrl) return true;
       if (payload.mediaUrls && payload.mediaUrls.length > 0) return true;
       return false;

src/auto-reply/reply/followup-runner.ts

@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ import { registerAgentRunContext } from "../../infra/agent-events.js";
 import { defaultRuntime } from "../../runtime.js";
 import { stripHeartbeatToken } from "../heartbeat.js";
 import type { OriginatingChannelType } from "../templating.js";
-import { SILENT_REPLY_TOKEN } from "../tokens.js";
+import { isSilentReplyText, SILENT_REPLY_TOKEN } from "../tokens.js";
 import type { GetReplyOptions, ReplyPayload } from "../types.js";
 import type { FollowupRun } from "./queue.js";
 import {
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ export function createFollowupRunner(params: {
         continue;
       }
       if (
-        payload.text?.trim() === SILENT_REPLY_TOKEN &&
+        isSilentReplyText(payload.text, SILENT_REPLY_TOKEN) &&
         !payload.mediaUrl &&
         !payload.mediaUrls?.length
       ) {

src/auto-reply/reply/groups.ts

@@ -215,7 +215,7 @@ export function buildGroupIntro(params: {
       : "Activation: trigger-only (you are invoked only when explicitly mentioned; recent context may be included).";
   const silenceLine =
     activation === "always"
-      ? `If no response is needed, reply with exactly "${params.silentToken}" (no other text) so Clawdbot stays silent.`
+      ? `If no response is needed, reply with exactly "${params.silentToken}" (and nothing else) so Clawdbot stays silent. Do not add any other words, punctuation, tags, markdown/code blocks, or explanations.`
       : undefined;
   const cautionLine =
     activation === "always"

src/auto-reply/reply/normalize-reply.ts

@@ -1,5 +1,9 @@
 import { stripHeartbeatToken } from "../heartbeat.js";
-import { HEARTBEAT_TOKEN, SILENT_REPLY_TOKEN } from "../tokens.js";
+import {
+  HEARTBEAT_TOKEN,
+  isSilentReplyText,
+  SILENT_REPLY_TOKEN,
+} from "../tokens.js";
 import type { ReplyPayload } from "../types.js";
 
 export type NormalizeReplyOptions = {
@@ -20,9 +24,11 @@ export function normalizeReplyPayload(
   if (!trimmed && !hasMedia) return null;
 
   const silentToken = opts.silentToken ?? SILENT_REPLY_TOKEN;
-  if (trimmed === silentToken && !hasMedia) return null;
-
   let text = payload.text ?? undefined;
+  if (text && isSilentReplyText(text, silentToken)) {
+    if (!hasMedia) return null;
+    text = "";
+  }
   if (text && !trimmed) {
     // Keep empty text when media exists so media-only replies still send.
     text = "";

src/auto-reply/reply/reply-dispatcher.test.ts

@@ -10,6 +10,9 @@ describe("createReplyDispatcher", () => {
     expect(dispatcher.sendFinalReply({})).toBe(false);
     expect(dispatcher.sendFinalReply({ text: " " })).toBe(false);
     expect(dispatcher.sendFinalReply({ text: SILENT_REPLY_TOKEN })).toBe(false);
+    expect(
+      dispatcher.sendFinalReply({ text: `${SILENT_REPLY_TOKEN} -- nope` }),
+    ).toBe(false);
 
     await dispatcher.waitForIdle();
     expect(deliver).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
@@ -54,12 +57,19 @@ describe("createReplyDispatcher", () => {
         mediaUrl: "file:///tmp/photo.jpg",
       }),
     ).toBe(true);
+    expect(
+      dispatcher.sendFinalReply({
+        text: `${SILENT_REPLY_TOKEN} -- explanation`,
+        mediaUrl: "file:///tmp/photo.jpg",
+      }),
+    ).toBe(true);
 
     await dispatcher.waitForIdle();
 
-    expect(deliver).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2);
+    expect(deliver).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(3);
     expect(deliver.mock.calls[0][0].text).toBe("PFX already");
     expect(deliver.mock.calls[1][0].text).toBe("");
+    expect(deliver.mock.calls[2][0].text).toBe("");
   });
 
   it("preserves ordering across tool, block, and final replies", async () => {

src/auto-reply/reply/route-reply.test.ts

@@ -81,6 +81,18 @@ describe("routeReply", () => {
     expect(mocks.sendMessageSlack).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
   });
 
+  it("drops payloads that start with the silent token", async () => {
+    mocks.sendMessageSlack.mockClear();
+    const res = await routeReply({
+      payload: { text: `${SILENT_REPLY_TOKEN} -- (why am I here?)` },
+      channel: "slack",
+      to: "channel:C123",
+      cfg: {} as never,
+    });
+    expect(res.ok).toBe(true);
+    expect(mocks.sendMessageSlack).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+  });
+
   it("applies responsePrefix when routing", async () => {
     mocks.sendMessageSlack.mockClear();
     const cfg = {

src/auto-reply/tokens.ts

@@ -1,2 +1,15 @@
 export const HEARTBEAT_TOKEN = "HEARTBEAT_OK";
 export const SILENT_REPLY_TOKEN = "NO_REPLY";
+
+function escapeRegExp(value: string): string {
+  return value.replace(/[.*+?^${}()|[\]\\]/g, "\\$&");
+}
+
+export function isSilentReplyText(
+  text: string | undefined,
+  token: string = SILENT_REPLY_TOKEN,
+): boolean {
+  if (!text) return false;
+  const re = new RegExp(`^\\s*${escapeRegExp(token)}(?=$|\\W)`);
+  return re.test(text);
+}

src/msteams/messenger.test.ts

@@ -18,6 +18,14 @@ describe("msteams messenger", () => {
       expect(messages).toEqual([]);
     });
 
+    it("filters silent reply prefixes", () => {
+      const messages = renderReplyPayloadsToMessages(
+        [{ text: `${SILENT_REPLY_TOKEN} -- ignored` }],
+        { textChunkLimit: 4000 },
+      );
+      expect(messages).toEqual([]);
+    });
+
     it("splits media into separate messages by default", () => {
       const messages = renderReplyPayloadsToMessages(
         [{ text: "hi", mediaUrl: "https://example.com/a.png" }],

src/msteams/messenger.ts

@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import { chunkMarkdownText } from "../auto-reply/chunk.js";
-import { SILENT_REPLY_TOKEN } from "../auto-reply/tokens.js";
+import { isSilentReplyText, SILENT_REPLY_TOKEN } from "../auto-reply/tokens.js";
 import type { ReplyPayload } from "../auto-reply/types.js";
 import type { MSTeamsReplyStyle } from "../config/types.js";
 import type { StoredConversationReference } from "./conversation-store.js";
@@ -107,14 +107,14 @@ function pushTextMessages(
   if (opts.chunkText) {
     for (const chunk of chunkMarkdownText(text, opts.chunkLimit)) {
       const trimmed = chunk.trim();
-      if (!trimmed || trimmed === SILENT_REPLY_TOKEN) continue;
+      if (!trimmed || isSilentReplyText(trimmed, SILENT_REPLY_TOKEN)) continue;
       out.push(trimmed);
     }
     return;
   }
 
   const trimmed = text.trim();
-  if (!trimmed || trimmed === SILENT_REPLY_TOKEN) return;
+  if (!trimmed || isSilentReplyText(trimmed, SILENT_REPLY_TOKEN)) return;
   out.push(trimmed);
 }
 

src/slack/monitor.ts

@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ import {
 } from "../auto-reply/reply/mentions.js";
 import { createReplyDispatcherWithTyping } from "../auto-reply/reply/reply-dispatcher.js";
 import { getReplyFromConfig } from "../auto-reply/reply.js";
-import { SILENT_REPLY_TOKEN } from "../auto-reply/tokens.js";
+import { isSilentReplyText, SILENT_REPLY_TOKEN } from "../auto-reply/tokens.js";
 import type { ReplyPayload } from "../auto-reply/types.js";
 import type {
   ClawdbotConfig,
@@ -1934,7 +1934,8 @@ async function deliverReplies(params: {
     if (mediaList.length === 0) {
       for (const chunk of chunkMarkdownText(text, chunkLimit)) {
         const trimmed = chunk.trim();
-        if (!trimmed || trimmed === SILENT_REPLY_TOKEN) continue;
+        if (!trimmed || isSilentReplyText(trimmed, SILENT_REPLY_TOKEN))
+          continue;
         await sendMessageSlack(params.target, trimmed, {
           token: params.token,
           threadTs,
@@ -2013,7 +2014,9 @@ async function deliverSlackSlashReplies(params: {
   for (const payload of params.replies) {
     const textRaw = payload.text?.trim() ?? "";
     const text =
-      textRaw && textRaw !== SILENT_REPLY_TOKEN ? textRaw : undefined;
+      textRaw && !isSilentReplyText(textRaw, SILENT_REPLY_TOKEN)
+        ? textRaw
+        : undefined;
     const mediaList =
       payload.mediaUrls ?? (payload.mediaUrl ? [payload.mediaUrl] : []);
     const combined = [