diff --git a/extensions/telegram/src/bot/helpers.ts b/extensions/telegram/src/bot/helpers.ts
index af1b2259ec9..3d5037f153f 100644
--- a/extensions/telegram/src/bot/helpers.ts
+++ b/extensions/telegram/src/bot/helpers.ts
@@ -19,10 +19,10 @@ export type TelegramThreadSpec = {
 };
 
 export function extractTelegramForumFlag(value: unknown): boolean | undefined {
-  if (!value || typeof value !== "object") {
+  if (!value || typeof value !== "object" || !("is_forum" in value)) {
     return undefined;
   }
-  const forum = (value as { is_forum?: unknown }).is_forum;
+  const forum = value.is_forum;
   return typeof forum === "boolean" ? forum : undefined;
 }
 
diff --git a/extensions/telegram/src/inline-buttons.ts b/extensions/telegram/src/inline-buttons.ts
index d90bc4bdb14..79afda55113 100644
--- a/extensions/telegram/src/inline-buttons.ts
+++ b/extensions/telegram/src/inline-buttons.ts
@@ -21,13 +21,17 @@ function normalizeInlineButtonsScope(value: unknown): TelegramInlineButtonsScope
   return undefined;
 }
 
+function readInlineButtonsCapability(value: unknown): unknown {
+  if (!value || Array.isArray(value) || typeof value !== "object" || !("inlineButtons" in value)) {
+    return undefined;
+  }
+  return value.inlineButtons;
+}
+
 export function resolveTelegramInlineButtonsConfigScope(
   capabilities: unknown,
 ): TelegramInlineButtonsScope | undefined {
-  if (!capabilities || Array.isArray(capabilities) || typeof capabilities !== "object") {
-    return undefined;
-  }
-  return normalizeInlineButtonsScope((capabilities as { inlineButtons?: unknown }).inlineButtons);
+  return normalizeInlineButtonsScope(readInlineButtonsCapability(capabilities));
 }
 
 export function resolveTelegramInlineButtonsScopeFromCapabilities(