diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 18477ac74..cd8b18851 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -18,6 +18,8 @@
 - Group `/new` resets now work with @mentions so activation guidance appears on fresh sessions.
 - Group chat activation context is now injected into the system prompt at session start (and after activation changes), including /new greetings.
 - Typing indicators now start only once a reply payload is produced (no "thinking" typing for silent runs).
+- WhatsApp group typing now starts immediately only when the bot is mentioned; otherwise it waits until real output exists.
+- Streamed `<think>` segments are stripped before partial replies are emitted.
 - Canvas defaults/A2UI auto-nav aligned; debug status overlay centered; redundant await removed in `CanvasManager`.
 - Gateway launchd loop fixed by removing redundant `kickstart -k`.
 - CLI now hints when Peekaboo is unauthorized.
diff --git a/src/agents/pi-embedded-subscribe.ts b/src/agents/pi-embedded-subscribe.ts
index 68b265259..6ab029295 100644
--- a/src/agents/pi-embedded-subscribe.ts
+++ b/src/agents/pi-embedded-subscribe.ts
@@ -13,6 +13,29 @@ import {
   inferToolMetaFromArgs,
 } from "./pi-embedded-utils.js";
 
+const THINKING_TAG_RE = /<\s*\/?\s*think(?:ing)?\s*>/gi;
+
+function stripThinkingSegments(text: string): string {
+  if (!text || !THINKING_TAG_RE.test(text)) return text;
+  THINKING_TAG_RE.lastIndex = 0;
+  let result = "";
+  let lastIndex = 0;
+  let inThinking = false;
+  for (const match of text.matchAll(THINKING_TAG_RE)) {
+    const idx = match.index ?? 0;
+    if (!inThinking) {
+      result += text.slice(lastIndex, idx);
+    }
+    const tag = match[0].toLowerCase();
+    inThinking = !tag.includes("/");
+    lastIndex = idx + match[0].length;
+  }
+  if (!inThinking) {
+    result += text.slice(lastIndex);
+  }
+  return result;
+}
+
 export function subscribeEmbeddedPiSession(params: {
   session: AgentSession;
   runId: string;
@@ -159,7 +182,7 @@ export function subscribeEmbeddedPiSession(params: {
                   : "";
             if (chunk) {
               deltaBuffer += chunk;
-              const next = deltaBuffer.trim();
+              const next = stripThinkingSegments(deltaBuffer).trim();
               if (next && next !== lastStreamedAssistant) {
                 lastStreamedAssistant = next;
                 const { text: cleanedText, mediaUrls } =
@@ -194,7 +217,9 @@ export function subscribeEmbeddedPiSession(params: {
       if (evt.type === "message_end") {
         const msg = (evt as AgentEvent & { message: AppMessage }).message;
         if (msg?.role === "assistant") {
-          const text = extractAssistantText(msg as AssistantMessage);
+          const text = stripThinkingSegments(
+            extractAssistantText(msg as AssistantMessage),
+          );
           if (text) assistantTexts.push(text);
           deltaBuffer = "";
         }
diff --git a/src/auto-reply/reply.ts b/src/auto-reply/reply.ts
index 66239f3a7..98e5754be 100644
--- a/src/auto-reply/reply.ts
+++ b/src/auto-reply/reply.ts
@@ -653,8 +653,14 @@ export async function getReplyFromConfig(
   }
 
   const isFirstTurnInSession = isNewSession || !systemSent;
+  const isGroupChat = sessionCtx.ChatType === "group";
+  const wasMentioned = ctx.WasMentioned === true;
+  const shouldEagerType = !isGroupChat || wasMentioned;
+  if (shouldEagerType) {
+    await startTypingLoop();
+  }
   const shouldInjectGroupIntro =
-    sessionCtx.ChatType === "group" &&
+    isGroupChat &&
     (isFirstTurnInSession || sessionEntry?.groupActivationNeedsSystemIntro);
   const groupIntro =
     shouldInjectGroupIntro
diff --git a/src/auto-reply/templating.ts b/src/auto-reply/templating.ts
index 964c0aa47..a4519a94b 100644
--- a/src/auto-reply/templating.ts
+++ b/src/auto-reply/templating.ts
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ export type MsgContext = {
   SenderName?: string;
   SenderE164?: string;
   Surface?: string;
+  WasMentioned?: boolean;
 };
 
 export type TemplateContext = MsgContext & {
diff --git a/src/web/auto-reply.ts b/src/web/auto-reply.ts
index 517d6b399..824ef5934 100644
--- a/src/web/auto-reply.ts
+++ b/src/web/auto-reply.ts
@@ -1143,6 +1143,7 @@ export async function monitorWebProvider(
           ),
           SenderName: msg.senderName,
           SenderE164: msg.senderE164,
+          WasMentioned: msg.wasMentioned,
           Surface: "whatsapp",
         },
         {
@@ -1306,6 +1307,7 @@ export async function monitorWebProvider(
             "group mention debug",
           );
           const wasMentioned = mentionDebug.wasMentioned;
+          msg.wasMentioned = wasMentioned;
           const activation = resolveGroupActivationFor(conversationId);
           const requireMention = activation !== "always";
           if (!shouldBypassMention && requireMention && !wasMentioned) {
diff --git a/src/web/inbound.ts b/src/web/inbound.ts
index 71010684c..a847fbcba 100644
--- a/src/web/inbound.ts
+++ b/src/web/inbound.ts
@@ -58,6 +58,7 @@ export type WebInboundMessage = {
   mediaPath?: string;
   mediaType?: string;
   mediaUrl?: string;
+  wasMentioned?: boolean;
 };
 
 export async function monitorWebInbox(options: {