fix: preserve telegram topic routing for native slash commands (#1587) (thanks @hsrvc)

When native slash commands are executed in Telegram topics/forums, the
originating topic context was not being preserved. This caused sub-agent
announcements to be delivered to the wrong topic.

Root cause: Native slash command context did not set OriginatingChannel
and OriginatingTo, causing session delivery context to fallback to the
user's personal ID instead of the group ID + topic.

Fix: Added OriginatingChannel and OriginatingTo to native slash command
context, ensuring topic information is preserved for sub-agent announcements.

Related session fields:
- lastThreadId: preserved via MessageThreadId
- lastTo: now correctly set to group ID via OriginatingTo
- deliveryContext: includes threadId for proper routing

CHANGELOG.md

@@ -5,78 +5,61 @@ Docs: https://docs.clawd.bot
 ## 2026.1.23 (Unreleased)
 
 ### Highlights
-- TTS: allow model-driven TTS tags by default for expressive audio replies (laughter, singing cues, etc.).
+- TTS: move Telegram TTS into core + enable model-driven TTS tags by default for expressive audio replies. (#1559) Thanks @Glucksberg. https://docs.clawd.bot/tts
+- Gateway: add `/tools/invoke` HTTP endpoint for direct tool calls (auth + tool policy enforced). (#1575) Thanks @vignesh07. https://docs.clawd.bot/gateway/tools-invoke-http-api
+- Heartbeat: per-channel visibility controls (OK/alerts/indicator). (#1452) Thanks @dlauer. https://docs.clawd.bot/gateway/heartbeat
+- Deploy: add Fly.io deployment support + guide. (#1570) https://docs.clawd.bot/platforms/fly
+- Channels: add Tlon/Urbit channel plugin (DMs, group mentions, thread replies). (#1544) Thanks @wca4a. https://docs.clawd.bot/channels/tlon
 
 ### Changes
-- Gateway: add /tools/invoke HTTP endpoint for direct tool calls and document it. (#1575) Thanks @vignesh07.
-- Agents: keep system prompt time zone-only and move current time to `session_status` for better cache hits.
-- Agents: remove redundant bash tool alias from tool registration/display. (#1571) Thanks @Takhoffman.
-- Browser: add node-host proxy auto-routing for remote gateways (configurable per gateway/node).
-- Heartbeat: add per-channel visibility controls (OK/alerts/indicator). (#1452) Thanks @dlauer.
-- Plugins: add optional llm-task JSON-only tool for workflows. (#1498) Thanks @vignesh07.
-- Docs: add emoji reaction guidance to AGENTS.md template. (#1591) Thanks @EnzeD.
-- CLI: restart the gateway by default after `clawdbot update`; add `--no-restart` to skip it.
-- CLI: add live auth probes to `clawdbot models status` for per-profile verification.
-- CLI: add `clawdbot system` for system events + heartbeat controls; remove standalone `wake`.
-- Agents: add Bedrock auto-discovery defaults + config overrides. (#1553) Thanks @fal3.
-- Docs: add cron vs heartbeat decision guide (with Lobster workflow notes). (#1533) Thanks @JustYannicc.
-- Docs: clarify HEARTBEAT.md empty file skips heartbeats, missing file still runs. (#1535) Thanks @JustYannicc.
+- Channels: allow per-group tool allow/deny policies across built-in + plugin channels. (#1546) Thanks @adam91holt. https://docs.clawd.bot/multi-agent-sandbox-tools
+- Agents: add Bedrock auto-discovery defaults + config overrides. (#1553) Thanks @fal3. https://docs.clawd.bot/bedrock
+- CLI: add `clawdbot system` for system events + heartbeat controls; remove standalone `wake`. (commit 71203829d) https://docs.clawd.bot/cli/system
+- CLI: add live auth probes to `clawdbot models status` for per-profile verification. (commit 40181afde) https://docs.clawd.bot/cli/models
+- CLI: restart the gateway by default after `clawdbot update`; add `--no-restart` to skip it. (commit 2c85b1b40)
+- Browser: add node-host proxy auto-routing for remote gateways (configurable per gateway/node). (commit c3cb26f7c)
+- Plugins: add optional `llm-task` JSON-only tool for workflows. (#1498) Thanks @vignesh07. https://docs.clawd.bot/tools/llm-task
 - Markdown: add per-channel table conversion (bullets for Signal/WhatsApp, code blocks elsewhere). (#1495) Thanks @odysseus0.
-- Tlon: add Urbit channel plugin (DMs, group mentions, thread replies). (#1544) Thanks @wca4a.
-- Channels: allow per-group tool allow/deny policies across built-in + plugin channels. (#1546) Thanks @adam91holt.
-- TTS: move Telegram TTS into core with auto-replies, commands, and gateway methods. (#1559) Thanks @Glucksberg.
+- Agents: keep system prompt time zone-only and move current time to `session_status` for better cache hits. (commit 66eec295b)
+- Agents: remove redundant bash tool alias from tool registration/display. (#1571) Thanks @Takhoffman.
+- Docs: add cron vs heartbeat decision guide (with Lobster workflow notes). (#1533) Thanks @JustYannicc. https://docs.clawd.bot/automation/cron-vs-heartbeat
+- Docs: clarify HEARTBEAT.md empty file skips heartbeats, missing file still runs. (#1535) Thanks @JustYannicc. https://docs.clawd.bot/gateway/heartbeat
 
 ### Fixes
 - Sessions: accept non-UUID sessionIds for history/send/status while preserving agent scoping. (#1518)
-- Routing/Cron: normalize agentId casing for bindings and cron payloads. (#1591)
-- Gateway: compare Linux process start time to avoid PID recycling lock loops; keep locks unless stale. (#1572) Thanks @steipete.
-- Messaging: mirror outbound sends into target session keys (threads + dmScope) and create session entries on send. (#1520)
-- Sessions: normalize session key casing to lowercase for consistent routing.
-- BlueBubbles: normalize group session keys for outbound mirroring. (#1520)
-- Skills: gate bird Homebrew install to macOS. (#1569) Thanks @bradleypriest.
-- Slack: honor open groupPolicy for unlisted channels in message + slash gating. (#1563) Thanks @itsjaydesu.
-- Agents: show tool error fallback when the last assistant turn only invoked tools (prevents silent stops).
-- Agents: ignore IDENTITY.md template placeholders when parsing identity to avoid placeholder replies. (#1556)
-- Agents: drop orphaned OpenAI Responses reasoning blocks on model switches. (#1562) Thanks @roshanasingh4.
-- Docker: update gateway command in docker-compose and Hetzner guide. (#1514)
+- Messaging/Sessions: mirror outbound sends into target session keys (threads + dmScope), create session entries on send, and normalize session key casing. (#1520, commit 4b6cdd1d3)
 - Sessions: reject array-backed session stores to prevent silent wipes. (#1469)
-- Voice wake: auto-save wake words on blur/submit across iOS/Android and align limits with macOS.
-- UI: keep the Control UI sidebar visible while scrolling long pages. (#1515) Thanks @pookNast.
-- UI: cache Control UI markdown rendering + memoize chat text extraction to reduce Safari typing jank.
-- Tailscale: retry serve/funnel with sudo only for permission errors and keep original failure details. (#1551) Thanks @sweepies.
-- Agents: add CLI log hint to "agent failed before reply" messages. (#1550) Thanks @sweepies.
-- Discord: limit autoThread mention bypass to bot-owned threads; keep ack reactions mention-gated. (#1511) Thanks @pvoo.
-- Discord: retry rate-limited allowlist resolution + command deploy to avoid gateway crashes.
-- Mentions: ignore mentionPattern matches when another explicit mention is present in group chats (Slack/Discord/Telegram/WhatsApp).
+- Gateway: compare Linux process start time to avoid PID recycling lock loops; keep locks unless stale. (#1572) Thanks @steipete.
 - Gateway: accept null optional fields in exec approval requests. (#1511) Thanks @pvoo.
-- Exec: honor tools.exec ask/security defaults for elevated approvals (avoid unwanted prompts).
-- TUI: forward unknown slash commands (for example, `/context`) to the Gateway.
-- TUI: include Gateway slash commands in autocomplete and `/help`.
-- CLI: skip usage lines in `clawdbot models status` when provider usage is unavailable.
-- CLI: suppress diagnostic session/run noise during auth probes.
-- CLI: hide auth probe timeout warnings from embedded runs.
-- CLI: render auth probe results as a table in `clawdbot models status`.
-- CLI: suppress probe-only embedded logs unless `--verbose` is set.
-- CLI: move auth probe errors below the table to reduce wrapping.
-- CLI: prevent ANSI color bleed when table cells wrap.
-- CLI: explain when auth profiles are excluded by auth.order in probe details.
-- CLI: drop the em dash when the banner tagline wraps to a second line.
-- CLI: inline auth probe errors in status rows to reduce wrapping.
-- Telegram: render markdown in media captions. (#1478)
-- Agents: honor enqueue overrides for embedded runs to avoid queue deadlocks in tests.
-- Agents: trigger model fallback when auth profiles are all in cooldown or unavailable. (#1522)
-- Daemon: use platform PATH delimiters when building minimal service paths.
-- Tests: skip embedded runner ordering assertion on Windows to avoid CI timeouts.
+- Exec approvals: persist allowlist entry ids to keep macOS allowlist rows stable. (#1521) Thanks @ngutman.
+- Exec: honor tools.exec ask/security defaults for elevated approvals (avoid unwanted prompts). (commit 5662a9cdf)
+- Daemon: use platform PATH delimiters when building minimal service paths. (commit a4e57d3ac)
 - Linux: include env-configured user bin roots in systemd PATH and align PATH audits. (#1512) Thanks @robbyczgw-cla.
-- TUI: render Gateway slash-command replies as system output (for example, `/context`).
+- Tailscale: retry serve/funnel with sudo only for permission errors and keep original failure details. (#1551) Thanks @sweepies.
+- Docker: update gateway command in docker-compose and Hetzner guide. (#1514)
+- Agents: show tool error fallback when the last assistant turn only invoked tools (prevents silent stops). (commit 8ea8801d0)
+- Agents: ignore IDENTITY.md template placeholders when parsing identity. (#1556)
+- Agents: drop orphaned OpenAI Responses reasoning blocks on model switches. (#1562) Thanks @roshanasingh4.
+- Agents: add CLI log hint to "agent failed before reply" messages. (#1550) Thanks @sweepies.
+- Agents: warn and ignore tool allowlists that only reference unknown or unloaded plugin tools. (#1566)
+- Agents: treat plugin-only tool allowlists as opt-ins; keep core tools enabled. (#1467)
+- Agents: honor enqueue overrides for embedded runs to avoid queue deadlocks in tests. (commit 084002998)
+- Slack: honor open groupPolicy for unlisted channels in message + slash gating. (#1563) Thanks @itsjaydesu.
+- Discord: limit autoThread mention bypass to bot-owned threads; keep ack reactions mention-gated. (#1511) Thanks @pvoo.
+- Discord: retry rate-limited allowlist resolution + command deploy to avoid gateway crashes. (commit f70ac0c7c)
+- Mentions: ignore mentionPattern matches when another explicit mention is present in group chats (Slack/Discord/Telegram/WhatsApp). (commit d905ca0e0)
+- Telegram: render markdown in media captions. (#1478)
+- Telegram: preserve topic routing for native slash command sub-agent announcements. (#1587) Thanks @hsrvc.
+- MS Teams: remove `.default` suffix from Graph scopes and Bot Framework probe scopes. (#1507, #1574) Thanks @Evizero.
+- Browser: keep extension relay tabs controllable when the extension reuses a session id after switching tabs. (#1160)
+- Voice wake: auto-save wake words on blur/submit across iOS/Android and align limits with macOS. (commit 69f645c66)
+- UI: keep the Control UI sidebar visible while scrolling long pages. (#1515) Thanks @pookNast.
+- UI: cache Control UI markdown rendering + memoize chat text extraction to reduce Safari typing jank. (commit d57cb2e1a)
+- TUI: forward unknown slash commands, include Gateway commands in autocomplete, and render slash replies as system output. (commit 1af227b61, commit 8195497ce, commit 6fba598ea)
+- CLI: auth probe output polish (table output, inline errors, reduced noise, and wrap fixes in `clawdbot models status`). (commit da3f2b489, commit 00ae21bed, commit 31e59cd58, commit f7dc27f2d, commit 438e782f8, commit 886752217, commit aabe0bed3, commit 81535d512, commit c63144ab1)
 - Media: only parse `MEDIA:` tags when they start the line to avoid stripping prose mentions. (#1206)
 - Media: preserve PNG alpha when possible; fall back to JPEG when still over size cap. (#1491) Thanks @robbyczgw-cla.
-- Agents: treat plugin-only tool allowlists as opt-ins; keep core tools enabled. (#1467)
-- Exec approvals: persist allowlist entry ids to keep macOS allowlist rows stable. (#1521) Thanks @ngutman.
-- MS Teams (plugin): remove `.default` suffix from Graph scopes to avoid double-appending. (#1507) Thanks @Evizero.
-- MS Teams (plugin): remove `.default` suffix from Bot Framework probe scope to avoid double-appending. (#1574) Thanks @Evizero.
-- Browser: keep extension relay tabs controllable when the extension reuses a session id after switching tabs. (#1160)
-- Agents: warn and ignore tool allowlists that only reference unknown or unloaded plugin tools. (#1566)
+- Skills: gate bird Homebrew install to macOS. (#1569) Thanks @bradleypriest.
 
 ## 2026.1.22
 

docs/help/faq.md

@@ -59,8 +59,6 @@ Quick answers plus deeper troubleshooting for real-world setups (local dev, VPS,
   - [How do I use Brave for browser control?](#how-do-i-use-brave-for-browser-control)
 - [Remote gateways + nodes](#remote-gateways-nodes)
   - [How do commands propagate between Telegram, the gateway, and nodes?](#how-do-commands-propagate-between-telegram-the-gateway-and-nodes)
-  - [How can my agent access my computer if the Gateway is hosted remotely?](#how-can-my-agent-access-my-computer-if-the-gateway-is-hosted-remotely)
-  - [Is there a benefit to using a node on my personal laptop instead of SSH from a VPS?](#is-there-a-benefit-to-using-a-node-on-my-personal-laptop-instead-of-ssh-from-a-vps)
   - [Do nodes run a gateway service?](#do-nodes-run-a-gateway-service)
   - [Is there an API / RPC way to apply config?](#is-there-an-api-rpc-way-to-apply-config)
   - [What’s a minimal “sane” config for a first install?](#whats-a-minimal-sane-config-for-a-first-install)
@@ -753,23 +751,6 @@ pair devices you trust, and review [Security](/gateway/security).
 
 Docs: [Nodes](/nodes), [Gateway protocol](/gateway/protocol), [macOS remote mode](/platforms/mac/remote), [Security](/gateway/security).
 
-### Is there a benefit to using a node on my personal laptop instead of SSH from a VPS?
-
-Yes — nodes are the first‑class way to reach your laptop from a remote Gateway, and they
-unlock more than shell access. The Gateway runs on macOS/Linux (Windows via WSL2), so a common
-setup is an always‑on host (VPS/home box/Pi) plus your laptop as a node.
-
-- **No inbound SSH required.** Nodes connect out to the Gateway WebSocket and use device pairing.
-- **Safer execution controls.** `system.run` is gated by node allowlists/approvals on that laptop.
-- **More device tools.** Nodes expose `canvas`, `camera`, and `screen` in addition to `system.run`.
-- **Local browser automation.** Keep the Gateway on a VPS, but run Chrome locally and relay control
-  with the Chrome extension + `clawdbot browser serve`.
-
-SSH is fine for ad‑hoc shell access, but nodes are simpler for ongoing agent workflows and
-device automation.
-
-Docs: [Nodes](/nodes), [Nodes CLI](/cli/nodes), [Chrome extension](/tools/chrome-extension).
-
 ### Do nodes run a gateway service?
 
 No. Only **one gateway** should run per host unless you intentionally run isolated profiles (see [Multiple gateways](/gateway/multiple-gateways)). Nodes are peripherals that connect

docs/refactor/outbound-session-mirroring.md

@@ -39,7 +39,6 @@ Outbound sends were mirrored into the *current* agent session (tool session key)
 - Notes:
   - Mattermost targets now strip `@` for DM session key routing.
   - Zalo Personal uses DM peer kind for 1:1 targets (group only when `group:` is present).
-  - BlueBubbles group targets strip `chat_*` prefixes to match inbound session keys.
 
 ## Decisions
 - **Gateway send session derivation**: if `sessionKey` is provided, use it. If omitted, derive a sessionKey from target + default agent and mirror there.

docs/reference/templates/AGENTS.md

@@ -92,21 +92,6 @@ In group chats where you receive every message, be **smart about when to contrib
 
 Participate, don't dominate.
 
-### 😊 React Like a Human!
-On platforms that support reactions (Discord, Slack), use emoji reactions naturally:
-
-**React when:**
-- You appreciate something but don't need to reply (👍, ❤️, 🙌)
-- Something made you laugh (😂, 💀)
-- You find it interesting or thought-provoking (🤔, 💡)
-- You want to acknowledge without interrupting the flow
-- It's a simple yes/no or approval situation (✅, 👀)
-
-**Why it matters:**
-Reactions are lightweight social signals. Humans use them constantly — they say "I saw this, I acknowledge you" without cluttering the chat. You should too.
-
-**Don't overdo it:** One reaction per message max. Pick the one that fits best.
-
 ## Tools
 
 Skills provide your tools. When you need one, check its `SKILL.md`. Keep local notes (camera names, SSH details, voice preferences) in `TOOLS.md`.

src/cli/cron-cli/register.cron-add.ts

@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 import type { Command } from "commander";
 import type { CronJob } from "../../cron/types.js";
 import { danger } from "../../globals.js";
-import { defaultRuntime } from "../../runtime.js";
 import { normalizeAgentId } from "../../routing/session-key.js";
+import { defaultRuntime } from "../../runtime.js";
 import type { GatewayRpcOpts } from "../gateway-rpc.js";
 import { addGatewayClientOptions, callGatewayFromCli } from "../gateway-rpc.js";
 import { parsePositiveIntOrUndefined } from "../program/helpers.js";

src/cli/cron-cli/register.cron-edit.ts

@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import type { Command } from "commander";
 import { danger } from "../../globals.js";
-import { defaultRuntime } from "../../runtime.js";
 import { normalizeAgentId } from "../../routing/session-key.js";
+import { defaultRuntime } from "../../runtime.js";
 import { addGatewayClientOptions, callGatewayFromCli } from "../gateway-rpc.js";
 import {
   getCronChannelOptions,

src/cron/normalize.ts

@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
+import { normalizeAgentId } from "../routing/session-key.js";
 import { parseAbsoluteTimeMs } from "./parse.js";
 import { migrateLegacyCronPayload } from "./payload-migration.js";
 import type { CronJobCreate, CronJobPatch } from "./types.js";
-import { normalizeAgentId } from "../routing/session-key.js";
 
 type UnknownRecord = Record<string, unknown>;
 

src/discord/monitor/provider.ts

@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import { inspect } from "node:util";
 import { Client } from "@buape/carbon";
 import { GatewayIntents, GatewayPlugin } from "@buape/carbon/gateway";
 import { Routes } from "discord-api-types/v10";
@@ -95,13 +96,7 @@ function formatDiscordDeployErrorDetails(err: unknown): string {
     try {
       bodyText = JSON.stringify(rawBody);
     } catch {
-      if (typeof rawBody === "string") {
-        bodyText = rawBody;
-      } else if (rawBody instanceof Error) {
-        bodyText = rawBody.message;
-      } else {
-        bodyText = "[unserializable]";
-      }
+      bodyText = inspect(rawBody, { depth: 4, breakLength: 120 });
     }
     if (bodyText) {
       const maxLen = 800;

src/infra/outbound/message-action-runner.ts

@@ -665,7 +665,7 @@ async function handleSendAction(ctx: ResolvedActionContext): Promise<MessageActi
           threadId: threadId ?? slackAutoThreadId,
         })
       : null;
-  if (outboundRoute && agentId && !dryRun) {
+  if (outboundRoute && !dryRun && agentId) {
     await ensureOutboundSessionEntry({
       cfg,
       agentId,

src/infra/outbound/outbound-session.test.ts

@@ -68,18 +68,6 @@ describe("resolveOutboundSessionRoute", () => {
     expect(route?.sessionKey).toBe("agent:main:dm:alice");
   });
 
-  it("strips chat_* prefixes for BlueBubbles group session keys", async () => {
-    const route = await resolveOutboundSessionRoute({
-      cfg: baseConfig,
-      channel: "bluebubbles",
-      agentId: "main",
-      target: "chat_guid:ABC123",
-    });
-
-    expect(route?.sessionKey).toBe("agent:main:bluebubbles:group:abc123");
-    expect(route?.from).toBe("group:ABC123");
-  });
-
   it("treats Zalo Personal DM targets as direct sessions", async () => {
     const cfg = { session: { dmScope: "per-channel-peer" } } as ClawdbotConfig;
     const route = await resolveOutboundSessionRoute({

src/infra/outbound/outbound-session.ts

@@ -545,13 +545,9 @@ function resolveBlueBubblesSession(
     lower.startsWith("chat_guid:") ||
     lower.startsWith("chat_identifier:") ||
     lower.startsWith("group:");
-  const rawPeerId = isGroup
+  const peerId = isGroup
     ? stripKindPrefix(stripped)
     : stripped.replace(/^(imessage|sms|auto):/i, "");
-  // BlueBubbles inbound group ids omit chat_* prefixes; strip them to align sessions.
-  const peerId = isGroup
-    ? rawPeerId.replace(/^(chat_id|chat_guid|chat_identifier):/i, "")
-    : rawPeerId;
   if (!peerId) return null;
   const peer: RoutePeer = {
     kind: isGroup ? "group" : "dm",

src/routing/resolve-route.ts

@@ -92,13 +92,12 @@ function listAgents(cfg: ClawdbotConfig) {
 }
 
 function pickFirstExistingAgentId(cfg: ClawdbotConfig, agentId: string): string {
-  const trimmed = (agentId ?? "").trim();
-  if (!trimmed) return normalizeAgentId(resolveDefaultAgentId(cfg));
-  const normalized = normalizeAgentId(trimmed);
+  const normalized = normalizeAgentId(agentId);
   const agents = listAgents(cfg);
   if (agents.length === 0) return normalized;
-  const match = agents.find((agent) => normalizeAgentId(agent.id) === normalized);
-  if (match?.id?.trim()) return normalizeAgentId(match.id);
+  if (agents.some((agent) => normalizeAgentId(agent.id) === normalized)) {
+    return normalized;
+  }
   return normalizeAgentId(resolveDefaultAgentId(cfg));
 }
 
@@ -156,23 +155,21 @@ export function resolveAgentRoute(input: ResolveAgentRouteInput): ResolvedAgentR
 
   const choose = (agentId: string, matchedBy: ResolvedAgentRoute["matchedBy"]) => {
     const resolvedAgentId = pickFirstExistingAgentId(input.cfg, agentId);
-    const sessionKey = buildAgentSessionKey({
-      agentId: resolvedAgentId,
-      channel,
-      peer,
-      dmScope,
-      identityLinks,
-    }).toLowerCase();
-    const mainSessionKey = buildAgentMainSessionKey({
-      agentId: resolvedAgentId,
-      mainKey: DEFAULT_MAIN_KEY,
-    }).toLowerCase();
     return {
       agentId: resolvedAgentId,
       channel,
       accountId,
-      sessionKey,
-      mainSessionKey,
+      sessionKey: buildAgentSessionKey({
+        agentId: resolvedAgentId,
+        channel,
+        peer,
+        dmScope,
+        identityLinks,
+      }),
+      mainSessionKey: buildAgentMainSessionKey({
+        agentId: resolvedAgentId,
+        mainKey: DEFAULT_MAIN_KEY,
+      }),
       matchedBy,
     };
   };

src/telegram/bot.test.ts

@@ -2187,6 +2187,11 @@ describe("createTelegramBot", () => {
       match: "",
     });
 
+    expect(replySpy).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+    const payload = replySpy.mock.calls[0][0];
+    expect(payload.OriginatingChannel).toBe("telegram");
+    expect(payload.OriginatingTo).toBe("telegram:-1001234567890");
+    expect(payload.MessageThreadId).toBe(99);
     expect(sendMessageSpy).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
       "-1001234567890",
       expect.any(String),