Tighten /start and /help copy

Less chatty, more precise. Explicitly mentions the /telegram:access
skill and the 6-char code format.

external_plugins/discord/README.md

@@ -55,9 +55,7 @@ Install the plugin:
 /discord:configure MTIz...
 ```
 
-Writes `DISCORD_BOT_TOKEN=...` to `~/.claude/channels/discord/.env`. You can also write that file by hand, or set the variable in your shell environment — shell takes precedence.
-
-> To run multiple bots on one machine (different tokens, separate allowlists), point `DISCORD_STATE_DIR` at a different directory per instance.
+Writes `DISCORD_BOT_TOKEN=...` to `.claude/channels/discord/.env` in your project. You can also write that file by hand, or set the variable in your shell environment — shell takes precedence.
 
 **6. Relaunch with the channel flag.**
 

external_plugins/discord/server.ts

@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ import { readFileSync, writeFileSync, mkdirSync, readdirSync, rmSync, statSync,
 import { homedir } from 'os'
 import { join, sep } from 'path'
 
-const STATE_DIR = process.env.DISCORD_STATE_DIR ?? join(homedir(), '.claude', 'channels', 'discord')
+const STATE_DIR = join(homedir(), '.claude', 'channels', 'discord')
 const ACCESS_FILE = join(STATE_DIR, 'access.json')
 const APPROVED_DIR = join(STATE_DIR, 'approved')
 const ENV_FILE = join(STATE_DIR, '.env')

external_plugins/telegram/README.md

@@ -35,9 +35,7 @@ Install the plugin:
 /telegram:configure 123456789:AAHfiqksKZ8...
 ```
 
-Writes `TELEGRAM_BOT_TOKEN=...` to `~/.claude/channels/telegram/.env`. You can also write that file by hand, or set the variable in your shell environment — shell takes precedence.
-
-> To run multiple bots on one machine (different tokens, separate allowlists), point `TELEGRAM_STATE_DIR` at a different directory per instance.
+Writes `TELEGRAM_BOT_TOKEN=...` to `.claude/channels/telegram/.env` in your project. You can also write that file by hand, or set the variable in your shell environment — shell takes precedence.
 
 **4. Relaunch with the channel flag.**
 

external_plugins/telegram/server.ts

@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ import { readFileSync, writeFileSync, mkdirSync, readdirSync, rmSync, statSync,
 import { homedir } from 'os'
 import { join, extname, sep } from 'path'
 
-const STATE_DIR = process.env.TELEGRAM_STATE_DIR ?? join(homedir(), '.claude', 'channels', 'telegram')
+const STATE_DIR = join(homedir(), '.claude', 'channels', 'telegram')
 const ACCESS_FILE = join(STATE_DIR, 'access.json')
 const APPROVED_DIR = join(STATE_DIR, 'approved')
 const ENV_FILE = join(STATE_DIR, '.env')
@@ -507,6 +507,62 @@ mcp.setRequestHandler(CallToolRequestSchema, async req => {
 
 await mcp.connect(new StdioServerTransport())
 
+// Commands are DM-only. Responding in groups would: (1) leak pairing codes via
+// /status to other group members, (2) confirm bot presence in non-allowlisted
+// groups, (3) spam channels the operator never approved. Silent drop matches
+// the gate's behavior for unrecognized groups.
+
+bot.command('start', async ctx => {
+  if (ctx.chat?.type !== 'private') return
+  const access = loadAccess()
+  if (access.dmPolicy === 'disabled') {
+    await ctx.reply(`This bot isn't accepting new connections.`)
+    return
+  }
+  await ctx.reply(
+    `This bot bridges Telegram to a Claude Code session.\n\n` +
+    `To pair:\n` +
+    `1. DM me anything — you'll get a 6-char code\n` +
+    `2. In Claude Code: /telegram:access pair <code>\n\n` +
+    `After that, DMs here reach that session.`
+  )
+})
+
+bot.command('help', async ctx => {
+  if (ctx.chat?.type !== 'private') return
+  await ctx.reply(
+    `Messages you send here route to a paired Claude Code session. ` +
+    `Text and photos are forwarded; replies and reactions come back.\n\n` +
+    `/start — pairing instructions\n` +
+    `/status — check your pairing state`
+  )
+})
+
+bot.command('status', async ctx => {
+  if (ctx.chat?.type !== 'private') return
+  const from = ctx.from
+  if (!from) return
+  const senderId = String(from.id)
+  const access = loadAccess()
+
+  if (access.allowFrom.includes(senderId)) {
+    const name = from.username ? `@${from.username}` : senderId
+    await ctx.reply(`Paired as ${name}.`)
+    return
+  }
+
+  for (const [code, p] of Object.entries(access.pending)) {
+    if (p.senderId === senderId) {
+      await ctx.reply(
+        `Pending pairing — run in Claude Code:\n\n/telegram:access pair ${code}`
+      )
+      return
+    }
+  }
+
+  await ctx.reply(`Not paired. Send me a message to get a pairing code.`)
+})
+
 bot.on('message:text', async ctx => {
   await handleInbound(ctx, ctx.message.text, undefined)
 })
@@ -597,5 +653,13 @@ void bot.start({
   onStart: info => {
     botUsername = info.username
     process.stderr.write(`telegram channel: polling as @${info.username}\n`)
+    void bot.api.setMyCommands(
+      [
+        { command: 'start', description: 'Welcome and setup guide' },
+        { command: 'help', description: 'What this bot can do' },
+        { command: 'status', description: 'Check your pairing status' },
+      ],
+      { scope: { type: 'all_private_chats' } },
+    ).catch(() => {})
   },
 })