Telegram: Add reply-chain detection to bypass mention requirement (#1038)

* Telegram: add reply-chain detection to bypass mention requirement

* fix: allow telegram reply-chain mention bypass (#1038) (thanks @adityashaw2)

---------

Co-authored-by: Aditya Shaw <aditya@adityashaw.dev>
Co-authored-by: Peter Steinberger <steipete@gmail.com>

CHANGELOG.md

@@ -86,6 +86,7 @@
 - Fix: use local auth for gateway security probe unless remote mode has a URL. (#1011) — thanks @ivanrvpereira.
 - Discord: truncate skill command descriptions for slash command limits. (#1018) — thanks @evalexpr.
 - macOS: resolve gateway token/password using config mode/remote URL, and warn when `launchctl setenv` overrides config. (#1022, #1021) — thanks @kkarimi.
+- Telegram: allow reply-chain messages to bypass mention gating in groups. (#1038) — thanks @adityashaw2.
 
 ## 2026.1.14-1
 

src/telegram/bot-message-context.ts

@@ -219,6 +219,10 @@ export const buildTelegramMessageContext = async ({
     groupConfig?.requireMention,
     baseRequireMention,
   );
+  // Reply-chain detection: replying to a bot message acts like an implicit mention.
+  const botId = primaryCtx.me?.id;
+  const replyFromId = msg.reply_to_message?.from?.id;
+  const isReplyToBot = botId != null && replyFromId === botId;
   const shouldBypassMention =
     isGroup &&
     requireMention &&
@@ -226,10 +230,11 @@ export const buildTelegramMessageContext = async ({
     !hasAnyMention &&
     commandAuthorized &&
     hasControlCommand(msg.text ?? msg.caption ?? "", cfg, { botUsername });
-  const effectiveWasMentioned = wasMentioned || shouldBypassMention;
+  const shouldBypassForReplyChain = isGroup && requireMention && isReplyToBot;
+  const effectiveWasMentioned = wasMentioned || shouldBypassMention || shouldBypassForReplyChain;
   const canDetectMention = Boolean(botUsername) || mentionRegexes.length > 0;
   if (isGroup && requireMention && canDetectMention) {
-    if (!wasMentioned && !shouldBypassMention) {
+    if (!wasMentioned && !shouldBypassMention && !shouldBypassForReplyChain) {
       logger.info({ chatId, reason: "no-mention" }, "skipping group message");
       return null;
     }
@@ -247,7 +252,7 @@ export const buildTelegramMessageContext = async ({
       if (!isGroup) return false;
       if (!requireMention) return false;
       if (!canDetectMention) return false;
-      return wasMentioned || shouldBypassMention;
+      return wasMentioned || shouldBypassMention || shouldBypassForReplyChain;
     }
     return false;
   };

src/telegram/bot.test.ts

@@ -952,6 +952,39 @@ describe("createTelegramBot", () => {
     expect(replySpy).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
   });
 
+  it("accepts group replies to the bot without explicit mention when requireMention is enabled", async () => {
+    onSpy.mockReset();
+    const replySpy = replyModule.__replySpy as unknown as ReturnType<typeof vi.fn>;
+    replySpy.mockReset();
+    loadConfig.mockReturnValue({
+      channels: {
+        telegram: { groups: { "*": { requireMention: true } } },
+      },
+    });
+
+    createTelegramBot({ token: "tok" });
+    const handler = getOnHandler("message") as (ctx: Record<string, unknown>) => Promise<void>;
+
+    await handler({
+      message: {
+        chat: { id: 456, type: "group", title: "Ops Chat" },
+        text: "following up",
+        date: 1736380800,
+        reply_to_message: {
+          message_id: 42,
+          text: "original reply",
+          from: { id: 999, first_name: "Clawdbot" },
+        },
+      },
+      me: { id: 999, username: "clawdbot_bot" },
+      getFile: async () => ({ download: async () => new Uint8Array() }),
+    });
+
+    expect(replySpy).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+    const payload = replySpy.mock.calls[0][0];
+    expect(payload.WasMentioned).toBe(true);
+  });
+
   it("honors routed group activation from session store", async () => {
     onSpy.mockReset();
     const replySpy = replyModule.__replySpy as unknown as ReturnType<typeof vi.fn>;

src/telegram/bot/types.ts

@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ export type TelegramStreamMode = "off" | "partial" | "block";
 
 export type TelegramContext = {
   message: TelegramMessage;
-  me?: { username?: string };
+  me?: { id?: number; username?: string };
   getFile: () => Promise<{
     file_path?: string;
   }>;