diff --git a/src/telegram/draft-stream.test-helpers.ts b/src/telegram/draft-stream.test-helpers.ts
index 0a6073309c7..b68a3c226b1 100644
--- a/src/telegram/draft-stream.test-helpers.ts
+++ b/src/telegram/draft-stream.test-helpers.ts
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ export type TestDraftStream = {
   stop: ReturnType<typeof vi.fn<() => Promise<void>>>;
   materialize: ReturnType<typeof vi.fn<() => Promise<number | undefined>>>;
   forceNewMessage: ReturnType<typeof vi.fn<() => void>>;
+  sendMayHaveLanded: ReturnType<typeof vi.fn<() => boolean>>;
   setMessageId: (value: number | undefined) => void;
 };
 
@@ -47,6 +48,7 @@ export function createTestDraftStream(params?: {
         messageId = undefined;
       }
     }),
+    sendMayHaveLanded: vi.fn().mockReturnValue(false),
     setMessageId: (value: number | undefined) => {
       messageId = value;
     },
@@ -77,6 +79,7 @@ export function createSequencedTestDraftStream(startMessageId = 1001): TestDraft
     forceNewMessage: vi.fn().mockImplementation(() => {
       activeMessageId = undefined;
     }),
+    sendMayHaveLanded: vi.fn().mockReturnValue(false),
     setMessageId: (value: number | undefined) => {
       activeMessageId = value;
     },
diff --git a/src/telegram/draft-stream.ts b/src/telegram/draft-stream.ts
index f7f03db48f6..e37a70f3194 100644
--- a/src/telegram/draft-stream.ts
+++ b/src/telegram/draft-stream.ts
@@ -66,6 +66,8 @@ export type TelegramDraftStream = {
   materialize?: () => Promise<number | undefined>;
   /** Reset internal state so the next update creates a new message instead of editing. */
   forceNewMessage: () => void;
+  /** True when a preview sendMessage was attempted but the response was lost. */
+  sendMayHaveLanded?: () => boolean;
 };
 
 type TelegramDraftPreview = {
@@ -126,6 +128,7 @@ export function createTelegramDraftStream(params: {
   }
 
   const streamState = { stopped: false, final: false };
+  let messageSendAttempted = false;
   let streamMessageId: number | undefined;
   let streamDraftId = usesDraftTransport ? allocateTelegramDraftId() : undefined;
   let previewTransport: "message" | "draft" = usesDraftTransport ? "draft" : "message";
@@ -192,6 +195,7 @@ export function createTelegramDraftStream(params: {
       }
       return true;
     }
+    messageSendAttempted = true;
     const { sent } = await sendRenderedMessageWithThreadFallback({
       renderedText,
       renderedParseMode,
@@ -345,6 +349,7 @@ export function createTelegramDraftStream(params: {
     // Re-open the stream lifecycle for the next assistant segment.
     streamState.final = false;
     generation += 1;
+    messageSendAttempted = false;
     streamMessageId = undefined;
     if (previewTransport === "draft") {
       streamDraftId = allocateTelegramDraftId();
@@ -421,5 +426,6 @@ export function createTelegramDraftStream(params: {
     stop,
     materialize,
     forceNewMessage,
+    sendMayHaveLanded: () => messageSendAttempted && typeof streamMessageId !== "number",
   };
 }
diff --git a/src/telegram/lane-delivery-text-deliverer.ts b/src/telegram/lane-delivery-text-deliverer.ts
index c8eb10a9bb1..19052c9b193 100644
--- a/src/telegram/lane-delivery-text-deliverer.ts
+++ b/src/telegram/lane-delivery-text-deliverer.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,11 @@
 import type { ReplyPayload } from "../auto-reply/types.js";
 import type { TelegramInlineButtons } from "./button-types.js";
 import type { TelegramDraftStream } from "./draft-stream.js";
-import { isRecoverableTelegramNetworkError, isSafeToRetrySendError } from "./network-errors.js";
+import {
+  isRecoverableTelegramNetworkError,
+  isSafeToRetrySendError,
+  isTelegramClientRejection,
+} from "./network-errors.js";
 
 const MESSAGE_NOT_MODIFIED_RE =
   /400:\s*Bad Request:\s*message is not modified|MESSAGE_NOT_MODIFIED/i;
@@ -270,10 +274,18 @@ export function createLaneTextDeliverer(params: CreateLaneTextDelivererParams) {
           params.markDelivered();
           return "retained";
         }
+        if (isTelegramClientRejection(err)) {
+          params.log(
+            `telegram: ${args.laneName} preview final edit rejected by Telegram (client error); falling back to standard send (${String(err)})`,
+          );
+          return "fallback";
+        }
+        // Default: ambiguous error — prefer incomplete over duplicate
         params.log(
-          `telegram: ${args.laneName} preview final edit rejected by Telegram; falling back to standard send (${String(err)})`,
+          `telegram: ${args.laneName} preview final edit failed with ambiguous error; keeping existing preview to avoid duplicate (${String(err)})`,
         );
-        return "fallback";
+        params.markDelivered();
+        return "retained";
       }
       params.log(
         `telegram: ${args.laneName} preview ${args.context} edit failed; falling back to standard send (${String(err)})`,
@@ -353,6 +365,13 @@ export function createLaneTextDeliverer(params: CreateLaneTextDelivererParams) {
         context,
       });
       if (typeof previewTargetAfterStop.previewMessageId !== "number") {
+        if (lane.stream?.sendMayHaveLanded?.()) {
+          params.log(
+            `telegram: ${laneName} preview send may have landed despite missing message id; keeping to avoid duplicate`,
+          );
+          params.markDelivered();
+          return "retained";
+        }
         return "fallback";
       }
       return finalizePreview(previewTargetAfterStop.previewMessageId, true, false);
@@ -367,6 +386,13 @@ export function createLaneTextDeliverer(params: CreateLaneTextDelivererParams) {
       context,
     });
     if (typeof previewTargetAfterStop.previewMessageId !== "number") {
+      if (lane.stream?.sendMayHaveLanded?.()) {
+        params.log(
+          `telegram: ${laneName} preview send may have landed despite missing message id; keeping to avoid duplicate`,
+        );
+        params.markDelivered();
+        return "retained";
+      }
       return "fallback";
     }
     const activePreviewMessageId = lane.stream?.messageId();
diff --git a/src/telegram/lane-delivery.test.ts b/src/telegram/lane-delivery.test.ts
index a2dae1f05b9..2f9da295e9b 100644
--- a/src/telegram/lane-delivery.test.ts
+++ b/src/telegram/lane-delivery.test.ts
@@ -174,8 +174,9 @@ describe("createLaneTextDeliverer", () => {
     );
   });
 
-  it("falls back to sendPayload when an existing preview final edit is rejected", async () => {
+  it("retains preview when an existing preview final edit fails with ambiguous error", async () => {
     const harness = createHarness({ answerMessageId: 999 });
+    // Plain Error with no error_code → ambiguous, prefer incomplete over duplicate
     harness.editPreview.mockRejectedValue(new Error("500: preview edit failed"));
 
     const result = await harness.deliverLaneText({
@@ -185,13 +186,11 @@ describe("createLaneTextDeliverer", () => {
       infoKind: "final",
     });
 
-    expect(result).toBe("sent");
+    expect(result).toBe("preview-retained");
     expect(harness.editPreview).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
-    expect(harness.sendPayload).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
-      expect.objectContaining({ text: "Hello final" }),
-    );
+    expect(harness.sendPayload).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
     expect(harness.log).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
-      expect.stringContaining("edit rejected by Telegram; falling back"),
+      expect.stringContaining("ambiguous error; keeping existing preview to avoid duplicate"),
     );
   });
 
@@ -433,8 +432,9 @@ describe("createLaneTextDeliverer", () => {
   // During final delivery, only ambiguous post-connect failures keep the
   // preview. Definite non-delivery falls back to a real send.
 
-  it("falls back on API error during final", async () => {
+  it("retains preview on ambiguous API error during final", async () => {
     const harness = createHarness({ answerMessageId: 999 });
+    // Plain Error with no error_code → ambiguous, prefer incomplete over duplicate
     harness.editPreview.mockRejectedValue(new Error("500: Internal Server Error"));
 
     const result = await harness.deliverLaneText({
@@ -444,9 +444,9 @@ describe("createLaneTextDeliverer", () => {
       infoKind: "final",
     });
 
-    expect(result).toBe("sent");
+    expect(result).toBe("preview-retained");
     expect(harness.editPreview).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
-    expect(harness.sendPayload).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+    expect(harness.sendPayload).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
   });
 
   it("falls back when an archived preview edit target is missing and no alternate preview exists", async () => {
@@ -497,6 +497,67 @@ describe("createLaneTextDeliverer", () => {
     );
   });
 
+  it("falls back on 4xx client rejection with error_code during final", async () => {
+    const harness = createHarness({ answerMessageId: 999 });
+    const err = Object.assign(new Error("403: Forbidden"), { error_code: 403 });
+    harness.editPreview.mockRejectedValue(err);
+
+    const result = await harness.deliverLaneText({
+      laneName: "answer",
+      text: "Hello final",
+      payload: { text: "Hello final" },
+      infoKind: "final",
+    });
+
+    expect(result).toBe("sent");
+    expect(harness.editPreview).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+    expect(harness.sendPayload).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+      expect.objectContaining({ text: "Hello final" }),
+    );
+    expect(harness.log).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+      expect.stringContaining("rejected by Telegram (client error); falling back"),
+    );
+  });
+
+  it("retains preview on 502 with error_code during final (ambiguous server error)", async () => {
+    const harness = createHarness({ answerMessageId: 999 });
+    const err = Object.assign(new Error("502: Bad Gateway"), { error_code: 502 });
+    harness.editPreview.mockRejectedValue(err);
+
+    const result = await harness.deliverLaneText({
+      laneName: "answer",
+      text: "Hello final",
+      payload: { text: "Hello final" },
+      infoKind: "final",
+    });
+
+    expect(result).toBe("preview-retained");
+    expect(harness.sendPayload).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    expect(harness.log).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+      expect.stringContaining("ambiguous error; keeping existing preview to avoid duplicate"),
+    );
+  });
+
+  it("retains preview when sendMayHaveLanded is true and no messageId", async () => {
+    const stream = createTestDraftStream();
+    stream.sendMayHaveLanded.mockReturnValue(true);
+    // No messageId → resolvePreviewTarget returns undefined
+    const harness = createHarness({ answerStream: stream });
+
+    const result = await harness.deliverLaneText({
+      laneName: "answer",
+      text: "Hello final",
+      payload: { text: "Hello final" },
+      infoKind: "final",
+    });
+
+    expect(result).toBe("preview-retained");
+    expect(harness.sendPayload).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    expect(harness.log).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+      expect.stringContaining("preview send may have landed despite missing message id"),
+    );
+  });
+
   it("deletes consumed boundary previews after fallback final send", async () => {
     const harness = createHarness();
     harness.archivedAnswerPreviews.push({
diff --git a/src/telegram/network-errors.test.ts b/src/telegram/network-errors.test.ts
index d4572eda9c8..6624b8f63a0 100644
--- a/src/telegram/network-errors.test.ts
+++ b/src/telegram/network-errors.test.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,10 @@
 import { describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
-import { isRecoverableTelegramNetworkError, isSafeToRetrySendError } from "./network-errors.js";
+import {
+  isRecoverableTelegramNetworkError,
+  isSafeToRetrySendError,
+  isTelegramClientRejection,
+  isTelegramServerError,
+} from "./network-errors.js";
 
 describe("isRecoverableTelegramNetworkError", () => {
   it("detects recoverable error codes", () => {
@@ -164,3 +169,51 @@ describe("isSafeToRetrySendError", () => {
     expect(isSafeToRetrySendError(wrapped)).toBe(true);
   });
 });
+
+describe("isTelegramServerError", () => {
+  it("returns true for error_code 500", () => {
+    const err = Object.assign(new Error("Internal Server Error"), { error_code: 500 });
+    expect(isTelegramServerError(err)).toBe(true);
+  });
+
+  it("returns true for error_code 502", () => {
+    const err = Object.assign(new Error("Bad Gateway"), { error_code: 502 });
+    expect(isTelegramServerError(err)).toBe(true);
+  });
+
+  it("returns false for error_code 403", () => {
+    const err = Object.assign(new Error("Forbidden"), { error_code: 403 });
+    expect(isTelegramServerError(err)).toBe(false);
+  });
+
+  it("returns false for plain Error", () => {
+    expect(isTelegramServerError(new Error("500: Internal Server Error"))).toBe(false);
+  });
+});
+
+describe("isTelegramClientRejection", () => {
+  it("returns true for error_code 400", () => {
+    const err = Object.assign(new Error("Bad Request"), { error_code: 400 });
+    expect(isTelegramClientRejection(err)).toBe(true);
+  });
+
+  it("returns true for error_code 403", () => {
+    const err = Object.assign(new Error("Forbidden"), { error_code: 403 });
+    expect(isTelegramClientRejection(err)).toBe(true);
+  });
+
+  it("returns false for error_code 502", () => {
+    const err = Object.assign(new Error("Bad Gateway"), { error_code: 502 });
+    expect(isTelegramClientRejection(err)).toBe(false);
+  });
+
+  it("returns false for plain Error", () => {
+    expect(isTelegramClientRejection(new Error("400: Bad Request"))).toBe(false);
+  });
+
+  it("detects error_code in nested cause", () => {
+    const inner = Object.assign(new Error("Forbidden"), { error_code: 403 });
+    const outer = Object.assign(new Error("wrapped"), { cause: inner });
+    expect(isTelegramClientRejection(outer)).toBe(true);
+  });
+});
diff --git a/src/telegram/network-errors.ts b/src/telegram/network-errors.ts
index bf5aa9cbcbe..e91a1a4a194 100644
--- a/src/telegram/network-errors.ts
+++ b/src/telegram/network-errors.ts
@@ -123,6 +123,32 @@ export function isSafeToRetrySendError(err: unknown): boolean {
   return false;
 }
 
+/** Returns true for HTTP 5xx server errors (error may have been processed). */
+export function isTelegramServerError(err: unknown): boolean {
+  for (const candidate of collectTelegramErrorCandidates(err)) {
+    if (candidate && typeof candidate === "object" && "error_code" in candidate) {
+      const code = (candidate as { error_code: unknown }).error_code;
+      if (typeof code === "number" && code >= 500) {
+        return true;
+      }
+    }
+  }
+  return false;
+}
+
+/** Returns true for HTTP 4xx client errors (Telegram explicitly rejected, not applied). */
+export function isTelegramClientRejection(err: unknown): boolean {
+  for (const candidate of collectTelegramErrorCandidates(err)) {
+    if (candidate && typeof candidate === "object" && "error_code" in candidate) {
+      const code = (candidate as { error_code: unknown }).error_code;
+      if (typeof code === "number" && code >= 400 && code < 500) {
+        return true;
+      }
+    }
+  }
+  return false;
+}
+
 export function isRecoverableTelegramNetworkError(
   err: unknown,
   options: { context?: TelegramNetworkErrorContext; allowMessageMatch?: boolean } = {},
diff --git a/src/telegram/send.ts b/src/telegram/send.ts
index 44e18ee2340..5261887779f 100644
--- a/src/telegram/send.ts
+++ b/src/telegram/send.ts
@@ -27,7 +27,11 @@ import type { TelegramInlineButtons } from "./button-types.js";
 import { splitTelegramCaption } from "./caption.js";
 import { resolveTelegramFetch } from "./fetch.js";
 import { renderTelegramHtmlText, splitTelegramHtmlChunks } from "./format.js";
-import { isRecoverableTelegramNetworkError, isSafeToRetrySendError } from "./network-errors.js";
+import {
+  isRecoverableTelegramNetworkError,
+  isSafeToRetrySendError,
+  isTelegramServerError,
+} from "./network-errors.js";
 import { makeProxyFetch } from "./proxy.js";
 import { recordSentMessage } from "./sent-message-cache.js";
 import { maybePersistResolvedTelegramTarget } from "./target-writeback.js";
@@ -1150,6 +1154,9 @@ export async function editMessageTelegram(
     account,
     retry: opts.retry,
     verbose: opts.verbose,
+    shouldRetry: (err) =>
+      isRecoverableTelegramNetworkError(err, { allowMessageMatch: true }) ||
+      isTelegramServerError(err),
   });
   const requestWithEditShouldLog = <T>(
     fn: () => Promise<T>,