diff --git a/src/telegram/bot-message-dispatch.test.ts b/src/telegram/bot-message-dispatch.test.ts
index 583024ae5c6..4f5e2484d50 100644
--- a/src/telegram/bot-message-dispatch.test.ts
+++ b/src/telegram/bot-message-dispatch.test.ts
@@ -963,6 +963,74 @@ describe("dispatchTelegramMessage draft streaming", () => {
     expect(deliverReplies).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
   });
 
+  it("still finalizes the active preview after an archived final edit is retained", async () => {
+    let answerMessageId: number | undefined;
+    let answerDraftParams:
+      | {
+          onSupersededPreview?: (preview: { messageId: number; textSnapshot: string }) => void;
+        }
+      | undefined;
+    const answerDraftStream = {
+      update: vi.fn().mockImplementation((text: string) => {
+        if (text.includes("Message B")) {
+          answerMessageId = 1002;
+        }
+      }),
+      flush: vi.fn().mockResolvedValue(undefined),
+      messageId: vi.fn().mockImplementation(() => answerMessageId),
+      clear: vi.fn().mockResolvedValue(undefined),
+      stop: vi.fn().mockResolvedValue(undefined),
+      forceNewMessage: vi.fn().mockImplementation(() => {
+        answerMessageId = undefined;
+      }),
+    };
+    const reasoningDraftStream = createDraftStream();
+    createTelegramDraftStream
+      .mockImplementationOnce((params) => {
+        answerDraftParams = params as typeof answerDraftParams;
+        return answerDraftStream;
+      })
+      .mockImplementationOnce(() => reasoningDraftStream);
+    dispatchReplyWithBufferedBlockDispatcher.mockImplementation(
+      async ({ dispatcherOptions, replyOptions }) => {
+        await replyOptions?.onPartialReply?.({ text: "Message A partial" });
+        await replyOptions?.onAssistantMessageStart?.();
+        await replyOptions?.onPartialReply?.({ text: "Message B partial" });
+        answerDraftParams?.onSupersededPreview?.({
+          messageId: 1001,
+          textSnapshot: "Message A partial",
+        });
+
+        await dispatcherOptions.deliver({ text: "Message A final" }, { kind: "final" });
+        await dispatcherOptions.deliver({ text: "Message B final" }, { kind: "final" });
+        return { queuedFinal: true };
+      },
+    );
+    deliverReplies.mockResolvedValue({ delivered: true });
+    editMessageTelegram
+      .mockRejectedValueOnce(new Error("400: Bad Request: message to edit not found"))
+      .mockResolvedValueOnce({ ok: true, chatId: "123", messageId: "1002" });
+
+    await dispatchWithContext({ context: createContext(), streamMode: "partial" });
+
+    expect(editMessageTelegram).toHaveBeenNthCalledWith(
+      1,
+      123,
+      1001,
+      "Message A final",
+      expect.any(Object),
+    );
+    expect(editMessageTelegram).toHaveBeenNthCalledWith(
+      2,
+      123,
+      1002,
+      "Message B final",
+      expect.any(Object),
+    );
+    expect(answerDraftStream.clear).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    expect(deliverReplies).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+  });
+
   it.each(["partial", "block"] as const)(
     "keeps finalized text preview when the next assistant message is media-only (%s mode)",
     async (streamMode) => {
diff --git a/src/telegram/bot-message-dispatch.ts b/src/telegram/bot-message-dispatch.ts
index af70bbd9a3f..4d8d2b678e8 100644
--- a/src/telegram/bot-message-dispatch.ts
+++ b/src/telegram/bot-message-dispatch.ts
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ import {
   createLaneTextDeliverer,
   type DraftLaneState,
   type LaneName,
-  type LanePreviewDisposition,
+  type LanePreviewLifecycle,
 } from "./lane-delivery.js";
 import {
   createTelegramReasoningStepState,
@@ -240,10 +240,17 @@ export const dispatchTelegramMessage = async ({
     answer: createDraftLane("answer", canStreamAnswerDraft),
     reasoning: createDraftLane("reasoning", canStreamReasoningDraft),
   };
-  const previewDispositionByLane: Record<LaneName, LanePreviewDisposition> = {
+  // Active preview lifecycle answers "can this current preview still be
+  // finalized?" Cleanup retention is separate so archived-preview decisions do
+  // not poison the active lane.
+  const activePreviewLifecycleByLane: Record<LaneName, LanePreviewLifecycle> = {
     answer: "transient",
     reasoning: "transient",
   };
+  const retainPreviewOnCleanupByLane: Record<LaneName, boolean> = {
+    answer: false,
+    reasoning: false,
+  };
   const answerLane = lanes.answer;
   const reasoningLane = lanes.reasoning;
   let splitReasoningOnNextStream = false;
@@ -289,7 +296,10 @@ export const dispatchTelegramMessage = async ({
       // so it remains visible across tool boundaries.
       const materializedId = await answerLane.stream?.materialize?.();
       const previewMessageId = materializedId ?? answerLane.stream?.messageId();
-      if (typeof previewMessageId === "number" && previewDispositionByLane.answer === "transient") {
+      if (
+        typeof previewMessageId === "number" &&
+        activePreviewLifecycleByLane.answer === "transient"
+      ) {
         archivedAnswerPreviews.push({
           messageId: previewMessageId,
           textSnapshot: answerLane.lastPartialText,
@@ -302,7 +312,8 @@ export const dispatchTelegramMessage = async ({
     resetDraftLaneState(answerLane);
     if (didForceNewMessage) {
       // New assistant message boundary: this lane now tracks a fresh preview lifecycle.
-      previewDispositionByLane.answer = "transient";
+      activePreviewLifecycleByLane.answer = "transient";
+      retainPreviewOnCleanupByLane.answer = false;
     }
     return didForceNewMessage;
   };
@@ -332,7 +343,7 @@ export const dispatchTelegramMessage = async ({
   const ingestDraftLaneSegments = async (text: string | undefined) => {
     const split = splitTextIntoLaneSegments(text);
     const hasAnswerSegment = split.segments.some((segment) => segment.lane === "answer");
-    if (hasAnswerSegment && previewDispositionByLane.answer !== "transient") {
+    if (hasAnswerSegment && activePreviewLifecycleByLane.answer !== "transient") {
       // Some providers can emit the first partial of a new assistant message before
       // onAssistantMessageStart() arrives. Rotate preemptively so we do not edit
       // the previously finalized preview message with the next message's text.
@@ -470,7 +481,8 @@ export const dispatchTelegramMessage = async ({
   const deliverLaneText = createLaneTextDeliverer({
     lanes,
     archivedAnswerPreviews,
-    previewDispositionByLane,
+    activePreviewLifecycleByLane,
+    retainPreviewOnCleanupByLane,
     draftMaxChars,
     applyTextToPayload,
     sendPayload,
@@ -597,7 +609,8 @@ export const dispatchTelegramMessage = async ({
             }
             if (info.kind === "final") {
               if (reasoningLane.hasStreamedMessage) {
-                previewDispositionByLane.reasoning = "finalized";
+                activePreviewLifecycleByLane.reasoning = "complete";
+                retainPreviewOnCleanupByLane.reasoning = true;
               }
               reasoningStepState.resetForNextStep();
             }
@@ -675,7 +688,8 @@ export const dispatchTelegramMessage = async ({
                 reasoningStepState.resetForNextStep();
                 if (skipNextAnswerMessageStartRotation) {
                   skipNextAnswerMessageStartRotation = false;
-                  previewDispositionByLane.answer = "transient";
+                  activePreviewLifecycleByLane.answer = "transient";
+                  retainPreviewOnCleanupByLane.answer = false;
                   return;
                 }
                 await rotateAnswerLaneForNewAssistantMessage();
@@ -683,7 +697,8 @@ export const dispatchTelegramMessage = async ({
                 // Even when no forceNewMessage happened (e.g. prior answer had no
                 // streamed partials), the next partial belongs to a fresh lifecycle
                 // and must not trigger late pre-rotation mid-message.
-                previewDispositionByLane.answer = "transient";
+                activePreviewLifecycleByLane.answer = "transient";
+                retainPreviewOnCleanupByLane.answer = false;
               })
           : undefined,
         onReasoningEnd: reasoningLane.stream
@@ -732,8 +747,7 @@ export const dispatchTelegramMessage = async ({
           (p) => p.deleteIfUnused === false && p.messageId === activePreviewMessageId,
         );
       const shouldClear =
-        previewDispositionByLane[laneState.laneName] === "transient" &&
-        !hasBoundaryFinalizedActivePreview;
+        !retainPreviewOnCleanupByLane[laneState.laneName] && !hasBoundaryFinalizedActivePreview;
       const existing = streamCleanupStates.get(stream);
       if (!existing) {
         streamCleanupStates.set(stream, { shouldClear });
diff --git a/src/telegram/lane-delivery-text-deliverer.ts b/src/telegram/lane-delivery-text-deliverer.ts
index 775a7f31e1f..c8eb10a9bb1 100644
--- a/src/telegram/lane-delivery-text-deliverer.ts
+++ b/src/telegram/lane-delivery-text-deliverer.ts
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ export type ArchivedPreview = {
   deleteIfUnused?: boolean;
 };
 
-export type LanePreviewDisposition = "transient" | "retained" | "finalized";
+export type LanePreviewLifecycle = "transient" | "complete";
 
 export type LaneDeliveryResult =
   | "preview-finalized"
@@ -61,7 +61,8 @@ export type LaneDeliveryResult =
 type CreateLaneTextDelivererParams = {
   lanes: Record<LaneName, DraftLaneState>;
   archivedAnswerPreviews: ArchivedPreview[];
-  previewDispositionByLane: Record<LaneName, LanePreviewDisposition>;
+  activePreviewLifecycleByLane: Record<LaneName, LanePreviewLifecycle>;
+  retainPreviewOnCleanupByLane: Record<LaneName, boolean>;
   draftMaxChars: number;
   applyTextToPayload: (payload: ReplyPayload, text: string) => ReplyPayload;
   sendPayload: (payload: ReplyPayload) => Promise<boolean>;
@@ -162,6 +163,10 @@ function resolvePreviewTarget(params: ResolvePreviewTargetParams): PreviewTarget
 
 export function createLaneTextDeliverer(params: CreateLaneTextDelivererParams) {
   const getLanePreviewText = (lane: DraftLaneState) => lane.lastPartialText;
+  const markActivePreviewComplete = (laneName: LaneName) => {
+    params.activePreviewLifecycleByLane[laneName] = "complete";
+    params.retainPreviewOnCleanupByLane[laneName] = true;
+  };
   const isDraftPreviewLane = (lane: DraftLaneState) => lane.stream?.previewMode?.() === "draft";
   const canMaterializeDraftFinal = (
     lane: DraftLaneState,
@@ -401,7 +406,7 @@ export function createLaneTextDeliverer(params: CreateLaneTextDelivererParams) {
         return "preview-finalized";
       }
       if (finalized === "retained") {
-        params.previewDispositionByLane.answer = "retained";
+        params.retainPreviewOnCleanupByLane.answer = true;
         return "preview-retained";
       }
     }
@@ -448,7 +453,7 @@ export function createLaneTextDeliverer(params: CreateLaneTextDelivererParams) {
           return archivedResult;
         }
       }
-      if (canEditViaPreview && params.previewDispositionByLane[laneName] === "transient") {
+      if (canEditViaPreview && params.activePreviewLifecycleByLane[laneName] === "transient") {
         await params.flushDraftLane(lane);
         if (laneName === "answer") {
           const archivedResultAfterFlush = await consumeArchivedAnswerPreviewForFinal({
@@ -469,7 +474,7 @@ export function createLaneTextDeliverer(params: CreateLaneTextDelivererParams) {
             text,
           });
           if (materialized) {
-            params.previewDispositionByLane[laneName] = "finalized";
+            markActivePreviewComplete(laneName);
             return "preview-finalized";
           }
         }
@@ -483,11 +488,11 @@ export function createLaneTextDeliverer(params: CreateLaneTextDelivererParams) {
           context: "final",
         });
         if (finalized === "edited") {
-          params.previewDispositionByLane[laneName] = "finalized";
+          markActivePreviewComplete(laneName);
           return "preview-finalized";
         }
         if (finalized === "retained") {
-          params.previewDispositionByLane[laneName] = "retained";
+          markActivePreviewComplete(laneName);
           return "preview-retained";
         }
       } else if (!hasMedia && !payload.isError && text.length > params.draftMaxChars) {
diff --git a/src/telegram/lane-delivery.test.ts b/src/telegram/lane-delivery.test.ts
index f33401875f8..a2dae1f05b9 100644
--- a/src/telegram/lane-delivery.test.ts
+++ b/src/telegram/lane-delivery.test.ts
@@ -42,7 +42,8 @@ function createHarness(params?: {
   const deletePreviewMessage = vi.fn().mockResolvedValue(undefined);
   const log = vi.fn();
   const markDelivered = vi.fn();
-  const previewDispositionByLane = { answer: "transient", reasoning: "transient" } as const;
+  const activePreviewLifecycleByLane = { answer: "transient", reasoning: "transient" } as const;
+  const retainPreviewOnCleanupByLane = { answer: false, reasoning: false } as const;
   const archivedAnswerPreviews: Array<{
     messageId: number;
     textSnapshot: string;
@@ -52,7 +53,8 @@ function createHarness(params?: {
   const deliverLaneText = createLaneTextDeliverer({
     lanes,
     archivedAnswerPreviews,
-    previewDispositionByLane: { ...previewDispositionByLane },
+    activePreviewLifecycleByLane: { ...activePreviewLifecycleByLane },
+    retainPreviewOnCleanupByLane: { ...retainPreviewOnCleanupByLane },
     draftMaxChars: params?.draftMaxChars ?? 4_096,
     applyTextToPayload: (payload: ReplyPayload, text: string) => ({ ...payload, text }),
     sendPayload,
diff --git a/src/telegram/lane-delivery.ts b/src/telegram/lane-delivery.ts
index 46c6fda235f..a9114b281ff 100644
--- a/src/telegram/lane-delivery.ts
+++ b/src/telegram/lane-delivery.ts
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ export {
   type DraftLaneState,
   type LaneDeliveryResult,
   type LaneName,
-  type LanePreviewDisposition,
+  type LanePreviewLifecycle,
 } from "./lane-delivery-text-deliverer.js";
 export {
   createLaneDeliveryStateTracker,