Tighten /start and /help copy

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

external_plugins/telegram/server.ts

@@ -51,15 +51,6 @@ if (!TOKEN) {
 }
 const INBOX_DIR = join(STATE_DIR, 'inbox')
 
-// Last-resort safety net — without these the process dies silently on any
-// unhandled promise rejection. With them it logs and keeps serving tools.
-process.on('unhandledRejection', err => {
-  process.stderr.write(`telegram channel: unhandled rejection: ${err}\n`)
-})
-process.on('uncaughtException', err => {
-  process.stderr.write(`telegram channel: uncaught exception: ${err}\n`)
-})
-
 const bot = new Bot(TOKEN)
 let botUsername = ''
 
@@ -516,6 +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)
 })
@@ -586,7 +633,7 @@ async function handleInbound(
 
   // image_path goes in meta only — an in-content "[image attached — read: PATH]"
   // annotation is forgeable by any allowlisted sender typing that string.
-  mcp.notification({
+  void mcp.notification({
     method: 'notifications/claude/channel',
     params: {
       content: text,
@@ -599,25 +646,20 @@ async function handleInbound(
         ...(imagePath ? { image_path: imagePath } : {}),
       },
     },
-  }).catch(err => {
-    process.stderr.write(`telegram channel: failed to deliver inbound to Claude: ${err}\n`)
   })
 }
 
-// Without this, any throw in a message handler stops polling permanently
-// (grammy's default error handler calls bot.stop() and rethrows).
-bot.catch(err => {
-  process.stderr.write(`telegram channel: handler error (polling continues): ${err.error}\n`)
-})
-
-bot.start({
+void bot.start({
   onStart: info => {
     botUsername = info.username
     process.stderr.write(`telegram channel: polling as @${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(() => {})
   },
-}).catch(err => {
-  // bot.start() only rejects if polling can't begin or dies unrecoverably —
-  // bad token, 409 conflict, network gone. Log it so the user isn't left
-  // wondering why messages stopped arriving.
-  process.stderr.write(`telegram channel: polling stopped: ${err}\n`)
 })