Summary

Issue after .26 update. Inbound messages to OpenClaw from Telegram groups stopped working after .25.

• DM to bot: works
• iMessage: works
• Group outbound: works
• Group inbound: broken (silently dropped, no log entry)
• Config: groupPolicy: "allowlist", 4 groups listed, requireMention: false, privacy mode disabled, bot re-added to all groups
• Version: v2026.2.26
• Worked on v2026.2.25

Steps to reproduce

Send a message to a Telegram group or a DM to the OpenClaw bot from inside of a telegram group. The message is not received by OpenClaw. We do not see the inbound message in the gateway or logs. Direct messages to the bot from outside of a group work fine.

Expected behavior

OpenClaw should receive and respond to messages. It can send messages out to a group but it cannot receive them.

Actual behavior

Messages go into a black hole. Telegram shows they were sent.

OpenClaw version

v2026.2.26

Operating system

macOS 26.3

Install method

npm global

Logs, screenshots, and evidence

The inbound messages are not being logged.

Impact and severity

High. Impacts everyone who uses Telegram groups to communciate with OpenClaw

Additional information

No response