diff --git a/lib/alerts/telegram.mjs b/lib/alerts/telegram.mjs
index be93968..97a9d3f 100644
--- a/lib/alerts/telegram.mjs
+++ b/lib/alerts/telegram.mjs
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ export class TelegramAlerter {
     this._lastUpdateId = 0;      // For polling bot commands
     this._commandHandlers = {};  // Registered command callbacks
     this._pollingInterval = null;
+    this._botUsername = null;
   }
 
   get isConfigured() {
@@ -60,7 +61,7 @@ export class TelegramAlerter {
         method: 'POST',
         headers: { 'Content-Type': 'application/json' },
         body: JSON.stringify({
-          chat_id: this.chatId,
+          chat_id: opts.chatId ?? this.chatId,
           text: message,
           parse_mode: opts.parseMode || 'Markdown',
           disable_web_page_preview: opts.disablePreview !== false,
@@ -286,6 +287,9 @@ export class TelegramAlerter {
     if (this._pollingInterval) return; // Already polling
 
     console.log('[Telegram] Bot command polling started');
+    this._initializeBotCommands().catch((err) => {
+      console.error('[Telegram] Command initialization failed:', err.message);
+    });
     this._pollingInterval = setInterval(() => this._pollUpdates(), intervalMs);
     // Initial poll
     this._pollUpdates();
@@ -325,9 +329,10 @@ export class TelegramAlerter {
         const msg = update.message;
         if (!msg?.text) continue;
 
-        // Only process messages from the configured chat
+        const chatType = msg.chat?.type;
         const chatId = String(msg.chat?.id);
-        if (chatId !== String(this.chatId)) continue;
+        // Commands can come from private chats or the configured chat/group.
+        if (chatType !== 'private' && chatId !== String(this.chatId)) continue;
 
         await this._handleMessage(msg);
       }
@@ -342,8 +347,11 @@ export class TelegramAlerter {
   async _handleMessage(msg) {
     const text = msg.text.trim();
     const parts = text.split(/\s+/);
-    const command = parts[0].toLowerCase();
+    const rawCommand = parts[0].toLowerCase();
+    const command = this._normalizeCommand(rawCommand);
+    if (!command) return;
     const args = parts.slice(1).join(' ');
+    const replyChatId = msg.chat?.id;
 
     // Built-in commands
     if (command === '/help') {
@@ -352,7 +360,7 @@ export class TelegramAlerter {
         .join('\n');
       await this.sendMessage(
         `🤖 *CRUCIX BOT COMMANDS*\n\n${helpText}\n\n_Tip: Commands are case-insensitive_`,
-        { replyToMessageId: msg.message_id }
+        { chatId: replyChatId, replyToMessageId: msg.message_id }
       );
       return;
     }
@@ -362,7 +370,7 @@ export class TelegramAlerter {
       this._muteUntil = Date.now() + hours * 60 * 60 * 1000;
       await this.sendMessage(
         `🔇 Alerts muted for ${hours}h — until ${new Date(this._muteUntil).toLocaleTimeString()} UTC\nUse /unmute to resume.`,
-        { replyToMessageId: msg.message_id }
+        { chatId: replyChatId, replyToMessageId: msg.message_id }
       );
       return;
     }
@@ -371,7 +379,7 @@ export class TelegramAlerter {
       this._muteUntil = null;
       await this.sendMessage(
         `🔔 Alerts resumed. You'll receive the next signal evaluation.`,
-        { replyToMessageId: msg.message_id }
+        { chatId: replyChatId, replyToMessageId: msg.message_id }
       );
       return;
     }
@@ -379,7 +387,7 @@ export class TelegramAlerter {
     if (command === '/alerts') {
       const recent = this._alertHistory.slice(-10);
       if (recent.length === 0) {
-        await this.sendMessage('No recent alerts.', { replyToMessageId: msg.message_id });
+        await this.sendMessage('No recent alerts.', { chatId: replyChatId, replyToMessageId: msg.message_id });
         return;
       }
       const lines = recent.map(a =>
@@ -387,7 +395,7 @@ export class TelegramAlerter {
       );
       await this.sendMessage(
         `📋 *Recent Alerts (last ${recent.length})*\n\n${lines.join('\n')}`,
-        { replyToMessageId: msg.message_id }
+        { chatId: replyChatId, replyToMessageId: msg.message_id }
       );
       return;
     }
@@ -398,19 +406,80 @@ export class TelegramAlerter {
       try {
         const response = await handler(args, msg.message_id);
         if (response) {
-          await this.sendMessage(response, { replyToMessageId: msg.message_id });
+          await this.sendMessage(response, { chatId: replyChatId, replyToMessageId: msg.message_id });
         }
       } catch (err) {
         console.error(`[Telegram] Command ${command} error:`, err.message);
         await this.sendMessage(
           `❌ Command failed: ${err.message}`,
-          { replyToMessageId: msg.message_id }
+          { chatId: replyChatId, replyToMessageId: msg.message_id }
         );
       }
     }
     // Unknown commands are silently ignored to avoid spamming
   }
 
+  async _initializeBotCommands() {
+    await this._loadBotIdentity();
+
+    const botCommands = Object.entries(COMMANDS).map(([command, description]) => ({
+      command: command.replace('/', ''),
+      description: description.substring(0, 256),
+    }));
+
+    // Register globally, then force explicit private/group scopes.
+    await this._setMyCommands(botCommands);
+    await this._setMyCommands(botCommands, { type: 'all_private_chats' });
+    await this._setMyCommands(botCommands, { type: 'all_group_chats' });
+  }
+
+  async _loadBotIdentity() {
+    const res = await fetch(`${TELEGRAM_API}/bot${this.botToken}/getMe`, {
+      signal: AbortSignal.timeout(10000),
+    });
+    if (!res.ok) {
+      const err = await res.text().catch(() => '');
+      throw new Error(`getMe failed (${res.status}): ${err.substring(0, 200)}`);
+    }
+    const data = await res.json();
+    if (!data.ok || !data.result?.username) {
+      throw new Error('getMe returned invalid bot profile');
+    }
+    this._botUsername = String(data.result.username).toLowerCase();
+  }
+
+  async _setMyCommands(commands, scope = null) {
+    const body = { commands };
+    if (scope) body.scope = scope;
+
+    const res = await fetch(`${TELEGRAM_API}/bot${this.botToken}/setMyCommands`, {
+      method: 'POST',
+      headers: { 'Content-Type': 'application/json' },
+      body: JSON.stringify(body),
+      signal: AbortSignal.timeout(10000),
+    });
+    if (!res.ok) {
+      const err = await res.text().catch(() => '');
+      throw new Error(`setMyCommands failed (${res.status}): ${err.substring(0, 200)}`);
+    }
+    const data = await res.json();
+    if (!data.ok) {
+      throw new Error(`setMyCommands rejected: ${JSON.stringify(data).substring(0, 200)}`);
+    }
+  }
+
+  _normalizeCommand(rawCommand) {
+    if (!rawCommand.startsWith('/')) return null;
+
+    const atIdx = rawCommand.indexOf('@');
+    if (atIdx === -1) return rawCommand;
+
+    const command = rawCommand.substring(0, atIdx);
+    const mentionedBot = rawCommand.substring(atIdx + 1).toLowerCase();
+    if (!this._botUsername || mentionedBot === this._botUsername) return command;
+    return null;
+  }
+
   // ─── Semantic Dedup ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 
   /**