diff --git a/cli-config.yaml.example b/cli-config.yaml.example
index 8ce9ad8e19a..b1e46947953 100644
--- a/cli-config.yaml.example
+++ b/cli-config.yaml.example
@@ -719,6 +719,7 @@ platform_toolsets:
 #     # allowed_chats: ["-1001234567890"]
 #     extra:
 #       disable_link_previews: false  # Set true to suppress Telegram URL previews in bot messages
+#       rich_messages: true           # Set false to force legacy MarkdownV2 for clients that cannot render Bot API rich messages
 #
 # Discord-specific settings (config.yaml top-level, not under platforms:):
 #
diff --git a/gateway/platforms/telegram.py b/gateway/platforms/telegram.py
index b8741edab99..314f7249e8a 100644
--- a/gateway/platforms/telegram.py
+++ b/gateway/platforms/telegram.py
@@ -421,6 +421,9 @@ class TelegramAdapter(BasePlatformAdapter):
         self._disable_link_previews: bool = self._coerce_bool_extra("disable_link_previews", False)
         # Bot API 10.1 Rich Messages: send final replies via sendRichMessage
         # with the raw agent markdown so tables/task lists/etc. render natively.
+        # Enabled by default; users can opt out for clients that accept but do
+        # not render rich messages via platforms.telegram.extra.rich_messages.
+        self._rich_messages_enabled: bool = self._coerce_bool_extra("rich_messages", True)
         # Latched off after a capability failure on sendRichMessage /
         # sendRichMessageDraft (e.g. older python-telegram-bot without the
         # endpoint) so later sends skip the doomed rich attempt entirely.
@@ -954,7 +957,8 @@ class TelegramAdapter(BasePlatformAdapter):
         self, content: str, metadata: Optional[Dict[str, Any]] = None
     ) -> bool:
         return bool(
-            not getattr(self, "_rich_send_disabled", False)
+            getattr(self, "_rich_messages_enabled", True)
+            and not getattr(self, "_rich_send_disabled", False)
             and not (metadata or {}).get("expect_edits")
             and content
             and content.strip()
@@ -995,7 +999,8 @@ class TelegramAdapter(BasePlatformAdapter):
         streams split exactly as before.
         """
         if (
-            not getattr(self, "_rich_send_disabled", False)
+            getattr(self, "_rich_messages_enabled", True)
+            and not getattr(self, "_rich_send_disabled", False)
             and self._bot_supports_rich()
         ):
             return self.RICH_MESSAGE_MAX_CHARS
@@ -1184,7 +1189,8 @@ class TelegramAdapter(BasePlatformAdapter):
 
     def _should_attempt_rich_draft(self, content: str) -> bool:
         return bool(
-            not getattr(self, "_rich_send_disabled", False)
+            getattr(self, "_rich_messages_enabled", True)
+            and not getattr(self, "_rich_send_disabled", False)
             and not getattr(self, "_rich_draft_disabled", False)
             and content
             and content.strip()
diff --git a/hermes_cli/config.py b/hermes_cli/config.py
index 5e6f75b8f51..390970daf10 100644
--- a/hermes_cli/config.py
+++ b/hermes_cli/config.py
@@ -1982,6 +1982,9 @@ DEFAULT_CONFIG = {
         "reactions": False,            # Add 👀/✅/❌ reactions to messages during processing
         "channel_prompts": {},         # Per-chat/topic ephemeral system prompts (topics inherit from parent group)
         "allowed_chats": "",           # If set, bot ONLY responds in these group/supergroup chat IDs (whitelist)
+        "extra": {
+            "rich_messages": True,      # Bot API 10.1 rich messages; set false to force legacy MarkdownV2
+        },
     },
 
     # Mattermost platform settings (gateway mode)
diff --git a/tests/gateway/test_config.py b/tests/gateway/test_config.py
index 267e2a20214..cae1d8e13e1 100644
--- a/tests/gateway/test_config.py
+++ b/tests/gateway/test_config.py
@@ -813,6 +813,37 @@ class TestLoadGatewayConfig:
 
         assert config.platforms[Platform.TELEGRAM].extra["disable_link_previews"] is True
 
+    def test_loads_telegram_rich_messages_from_gateway_platform_extra(self, tmp_path, monkeypatch):
+        hermes_home = tmp_path / ".hermes"
+        hermes_home.mkdir()
+        config_path = hermes_home / "config.yaml"
+        config_path.write_text(
+            "gateway:\n"
+            "  platforms:\n"
+            "    telegram:\n"
+            "      extra:\n"
+            "        rich_messages: false\n",
+            encoding="utf-8",
+        )
+
+        monkeypatch.setenv("HERMES_HOME", str(hermes_home))
+
+        config = load_gateway_config()
+
+        assert config.platforms[Platform.TELEGRAM].extra["rich_messages"] is False
+
+    def test_load_config_default_includes_telegram_rich_messages(self, tmp_path, monkeypatch):
+        hermes_home = tmp_path / ".hermes"
+        hermes_home.mkdir()
+
+        monkeypatch.setenv("HERMES_HOME", str(hermes_home))
+
+        from hermes_cli.config import load_config
+
+        config = load_config()
+
+        assert config["telegram"]["extra"]["rich_messages"] is True
+
     def test_bridges_telegram_extra_base_url_from_config_yaml(self, tmp_path, monkeypatch):
         hermes_home = tmp_path / ".hermes"
         hermes_home.mkdir()
diff --git a/tests/gateway/test_telegram_rich_messages.py b/tests/gateway/test_telegram_rich_messages.py
index 0e2efe45caf..54827111a75 100644
--- a/tests/gateway/test_telegram_rich_messages.py
+++ b/tests/gateway/test_telegram_rich_messages.py
@@ -106,16 +106,42 @@ async def test_rich_happy_path_sends_raw_markdown():
 
 
 @pytest.mark.asyncio
-async def test_legacy_rich_messages_config_is_ignored():
+async def test_rich_messages_opt_out_uses_legacy_send_path():
     adapter = _make_adapter(extra={"rich_messages": False})
 
     result = await adapter.send("12345", RICH_CONTENT)
 
     assert result.success is True
-    # The legacy toggle was removed; stale config entries must not disable the
-    # rich path.
-    adapter._bot.do_api_request.assert_awaited_once()
-    adapter._bot.send_message.assert_not_called()
+    bot = adapter._bot
+    assert bot is not None
+    bot.do_api_request.assert_not_called()
+    bot.send_message.assert_awaited()
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_rich_messages_opt_out_accepts_string_false():
+    adapter = _make_adapter(extra={"rich_messages": "false"})
+
+    result = await adapter.send("12345", RICH_CONTENT)
+
+    assert result.success is True
+    bot = adapter._bot
+    assert bot is not None
+    bot.do_api_request.assert_not_called()
+    bot.send_message.assert_awaited()
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_rich_messages_default_is_enabled():
+    adapter = _make_adapter()
+
+    result = await adapter.send("12345", RICH_CONTENT)
+
+    assert result.success is True
+    bot = adapter._bot
+    assert bot is not None
+    bot.do_api_request.assert_awaited_once()
+    bot.send_message.assert_not_called()
 
 
 @pytest.mark.asyncio
@@ -441,9 +467,9 @@ def test_prefers_fresh_final_streaming_when_rich_enabled():
     assert adapter.prefers_fresh_final_streaming(RICH_CONTENT) is True
 
 
-def test_prefers_fresh_final_streaming_ignores_legacy_toggle():
+def test_prefers_fresh_final_streaming_honors_rich_opt_out():
     adapter = _make_adapter(extra={"rich_messages": False})
-    assert adapter.prefers_fresh_final_streaming(RICH_CONTENT) is True
+    assert adapter.prefers_fresh_final_streaming(RICH_CONTENT) is False
 
 
 # ----------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -456,12 +482,25 @@ def test_streaming_overflow_limit_is_rich_cap_when_enabled():
     assert adapter.streaming_overflow_limit() == TelegramAdapter.RICH_MESSAGE_MAX_CHARS
 
 
-def test_streaming_overflow_limit_ignores_legacy_toggle():
+def test_streaming_overflow_limit_none_when_rich_opted_out():
     adapter = _make_adapter(extra={"rich_messages": False})
-    assert adapter.streaming_overflow_limit() == TelegramAdapter.RICH_MESSAGE_MAX_CHARS
+    assert adapter.streaming_overflow_limit() is None
 
 
 def test_streaming_overflow_limit_none_when_rich_latched_off():
     adapter = _make_adapter()
     adapter._rich_send_disabled = True
     assert adapter.streaming_overflow_limit() is None
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_rich_draft_opt_out_uses_legacy():
+    adapter = _make_adapter(extra={"rich_messages": False})
+
+    result = await adapter.send_draft("12345", draft_id=7, content=RICH_CONTENT)
+
+    assert result.success is True
+    bot = adapter._bot
+    assert bot is not None
+    bot.do_api_request.assert_not_called()
+    bot.send_message_draft.assert_awaited_once()
diff --git a/website/docs/user-guide/messaging/telegram.md b/website/docs/user-guide/messaging/telegram.md
index 31aeac88ae9..3f35d1689cb 100644
--- a/website/docs/user-guide/messaging/telegram.md
+++ b/website/docs/user-guide/messaging/telegram.md
@@ -909,7 +909,17 @@ The rich path is skipped automatically when content exceeds the 32,768-byte rich
 - **Small tables** are flattened into **row-group bullets** — each row becomes a readable bulleted list under the column headings. Good for 2–4 columns and short cells.
 - **Larger or wider tables** fall back to a **fenced code block** with aligned columns so nothing collapses.
 
-There's nothing to configure for the fallback — the adapter picks the right rendering per message. If you want the legacy "always code-block" behavior, disable table normalization by setting `telegram.pretty_tables: false` in `config.yaml` (default: `true`).
+There's nothing to configure for the API fallback — the adapter picks the right rendering per message. If a Telegram client accepts but cannot render rich messages (for example, a watch client that shows them as opaque media blocks), opt out and force the MarkdownV2 path:
+
+```yaml
+gateway:
+  platforms:
+    telegram:
+      extra:
+        rich_messages: false
+```
+
+Rich messages are enabled by default (`rich_messages: true`). This setting is for client-rendering compatibility; Hermes already falls back automatically when Telegram rejects the rich API call. If you only want the legacy "always code-block" table behavior while keeping rich messages enabled, disable table normalization by setting `telegram.pretty_tables: false` in `config.yaml` (default: `true`).
 
 **Link previews.** Telegram auto-generates link previews for URLs in bot messages. If you'd rather suppress those (long `/tools` output, agent reply that mentions ten links, etc.):
 
diff --git a/website/i18n/zh-Hans/docusaurus-plugin-content-docs/current/user-guide/messaging/telegram.md b/website/i18n/zh-Hans/docusaurus-plugin-content-docs/current/user-guide/messaging/telegram.md
index 0a5503e9f7d..df92624dd73 100644
--- a/website/i18n/zh-Hans/docusaurus-plugin-content-docs/current/user-guide/messaging/telegram.md
+++ b/website/i18n/zh-Hans/docusaurus-plugin-content-docs/current/user-guide/messaging/telegram.md
@@ -886,7 +886,17 @@ gateway:
 - **小表格**被展平为**行组项目符号**——每行在列标题下变为可读的项目符号列表。适合 2-4 列和短单元格。
 - **较大或较宽的表格**回退为带对齐列的**围栏代码块**，以防内容折叠。
 
-回退无需配置——适配器会为每条消息选择正确的渲染方式。如果你想要旧版"始终使用代码块"行为，可在 `config.yaml` 中设置 `telegram.pretty_tables: false` 禁用表格规范化（默认：`true`）。
+API 回退无需配置——适配器会为每条消息选择正确的渲染方式。如果某个 Telegram 客户端能接收但不能渲染富消息（例如手表客户端把它们显示为不透明媒体块），可以选择退出并强制使用 MarkdownV2 路径：
+
+```yaml
+gateway:
+  platforms:
+    telegram:
+      extra:
+        rich_messages: false
+```
+
+富消息默认启用（`rich_messages: true`）。这个设置用于客户端渲染兼容性；当 Telegram 拒绝富消息 API 调用时，Hermes 已经会自动回退。如果你只是想在保持富消息启用的同时恢复旧版「始终使用代码块」表格行为，可在 `config.yaml` 中设置 `telegram.pretty_tables: false` 禁用表格规范化（默认：`true`）。
 
 **链接预览。** Telegram 会为机器人消息中的 URL 自动生成链接预览。如果你希望抑制这些预览（长 `/tools` 输出、提及十个链接的 Agent 回复等）：