diff --git a/extensions/qa-lab/src/live-transports/telegram/telegram-live.runtime.test.ts b/extensions/qa-lab/src/live-transports/telegram/telegram-live.runtime.test.ts
index 73a72405671..cf33bc207ff 100644
--- a/extensions/qa-lab/src/live-transports/telegram/telegram-live.runtime.test.ts
+++ b/extensions/qa-lab/src/live-transports/telegram/telegram-live.runtime.test.ts
@@ -311,19 +311,7 @@ describe("telegram live qa runtime", () => {
   });
 
   it("includes mention gating in the Telegram live scenario catalog", () => {
-    expect(
-      __testing
-        .findScenario([
-          "telegram-help-command",
-          "telegram-commands-command",
-          "telegram-tools-compact-command",
-          "telegram-whoami-command",
-          "telegram-context-command",
-          "telegram-mentioned-message-reply",
-          "telegram-mention-gating",
-        ])
-        .map((scenario) => scenario.id),
-    ).toEqual([
+    const scenarios = __testing.findScenario([
       "telegram-help-command",
       "telegram-commands-command",
       "telegram-tools-compact-command",
@@ -332,6 +320,20 @@ describe("telegram live qa runtime", () => {
       "telegram-mentioned-message-reply",
       "telegram-mention-gating",
     ]);
+    expect(scenarios.map((scenario) => scenario.id)).toEqual([
+      "telegram-help-command",
+      "telegram-commands-command",
+      "telegram-tools-compact-command",
+      "telegram-whoami-command",
+      "telegram-context-command",
+      "telegram-mentioned-message-reply",
+      "telegram-mention-gating",
+    ]);
+    expect(
+      scenarios
+        .find((scenario) => scenario.id === "telegram-mentioned-message-reply")
+        ?.buildRun("sut_bot").replyToLatestSutMessage,
+    ).toBe(true);
   });
 
   it("tracks Telegram live coverage against the shared transport contract", () => {
diff --git a/extensions/qa-lab/src/live-transports/telegram/telegram-live.runtime.ts b/extensions/qa-lab/src/live-transports/telegram/telegram-live.runtime.ts
index 8ff5843ab6d..18a3fcc1e70 100644
--- a/extensions/qa-lab/src/live-transports/telegram/telegram-live.runtime.ts
+++ b/extensions/qa-lab/src/live-transports/telegram/telegram-live.runtime.ts
@@ -56,6 +56,7 @@ type TelegramQaScenarioRun = {
   input: string;
   expectedTextIncludes?: string[];
   matchText?: string;
+  replyToLatestSutMessage?: boolean;
 };
 
 type TelegramQaScenarioDefinition = LiveTransportScenarioDefinition<TelegramQaScenarioId> & {
@@ -276,6 +277,7 @@ const TELEGRAM_QA_SCENARIOS: TelegramQaScenarioDefinition[] = [
       allowAnySutReply: true,
       expectReply: true,
       input: `@${sutUsername} Telegram QA mention routing check. Reply with a short acknowledgement.`,
+      replyToLatestSutMessage: true,
     }),
   },
   {
@@ -613,11 +615,24 @@ async function flushTelegramUpdates(token: string) {
   throw new Error("timed out after 15000ms draining Telegram updates");
 }
 
-async function sendGroupMessage(token: string, groupId: string, text: string) {
+async function sendGroupMessage(
+  token: string,
+  groupId: string,
+  text: string,
+  opts: { replyToMessageId?: number } = {},
+) {
   return await callTelegramApi<TelegramSendMessageResult>(token, "sendMessage", {
     chat_id: groupId,
     text,
     disable_notification: true,
+    ...(opts.replyToMessageId !== undefined
+      ? {
+          reply_parameters: {
+            message_id: opts.replyToMessageId,
+            allow_sending_without_reply: true,
+          },
+        }
+      : {}),
   });
 }
 
@@ -1228,6 +1243,7 @@ export async function runTelegramQaLive(params: {
     try {
       await waitForTelegramChannelRunning(gatewayHarness.gateway, sutAccountId);
       assertLeaseHealthy();
+      let latestSutMessageId: number | undefined;
       try {
         writeTelegramQaProgress(progressEnabled, "canary start");
         const canaryTiming = await runCanary({
@@ -1238,6 +1254,7 @@ export async function runTelegramQaLive(params: {
           timeoutMs: resolveTelegramQaCanaryTimeoutMs(),
           observedMessages,
         });
+        latestSutMessageId = canaryTiming.responseMessageId;
         scenarioResults.push({
           id: "telegram-canary",
           title: "Telegram canary",
@@ -1291,6 +1308,9 @@ export async function runTelegramQaLive(params: {
               runtimeEnv.driverToken,
               runtimeEnv.groupId,
               scenarioRun.input,
+              scenarioRun.replyToLatestSutMessage
+                ? { replyToMessageId: latestSutMessageId }
+                : undefined,
             );
             const requestStartedAt = new Date(requestStartedAtMs).toISOString();
             const matched = await waitForObservedMessage({
@@ -1333,6 +1353,7 @@ export async function runTelegramQaLive(params: {
               responseMessageId: redactPublicMetadata ? undefined : matched.message.messageId,
             } satisfies TelegramQaScenarioResult;
             scenarioResults.push(result);
+            latestSutMessageId = matched.message.messageId;
             writeTelegramQaProgress(
               progressEnabled,
               `scenario pass ${scenarioIndexLabel}: ${scenarioIdForLog}`,