diff --git a/infographic/telegram-send-path-35205/infographic.png b/infographic/telegram-send-path-35205/infographic.png
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..ebcfd69ca6d
Binary files /dev/null and b/infographic/telegram-send-path-35205/infographic.png differ
diff --git a/plugins/platforms/telegram/adapter.py b/plugins/platforms/telegram/adapter.py
index 37f99b75adb..5ca00428a25 100644
--- a/plugins/platforms/telegram/adapter.py
+++ b/plugins/platforms/telegram/adapter.py
@@ -1572,6 +1572,17 @@ class TelegramAdapter(BasePlatformAdapter):
                 self.name, attempt,
             )
             self._polling_network_error_count = 0
+            # start_polling() succeeding IS the recovery signal: the long-poll
+            # connection is live again, so clear the degraded flag immediately
+            # rather than blocking all outbound sends for the full
+            # HEARTBEAT_PROBE_DELAY window. The deferred probe below is a
+            # defensive re-check — if it later detects a silent wedge (PTB
+            # running=True but consumer task dead) it re-enters the ladder,
+            # which re-sets _send_path_degraded. Without this clear here, a
+            # clean reconnect leaves the flag stuck True until the 60s probe
+            # (or forever, if the probe is never scheduled), blocking the send
+            # path even though the bot has fully recovered. See #35205.
+            self._send_path_degraded = False
             # start_polling() returning is necessary but not sufficient:
             # PTB's Updater can be left in a state where `running` is True
             # but the underlying long-poll task is wedged on a stale httpx
diff --git a/tests/gateway/test_telegram_send_path_health.py b/tests/gateway/test_telegram_send_path_health.py
index d5285f25109..37c76152c91 100644
--- a/tests/gateway/test_telegram_send_path_health.py
+++ b/tests/gateway/test_telegram_send_path_health.py
@@ -66,8 +66,48 @@ async def test_send_short_circuits_when_path_degraded():
 
 @pytest.mark.asyncio
 async def test_reconnect_storm_sets_and_heartbeat_clears_flag(monkeypatch):
-    """_handle_polling_network_error sets the flag; a successful heartbeat
-    probe in _verify_polling_after_reconnect clears it."""
+    """_handle_polling_network_error sets the flag while reconnecting; if the
+    reconnect attempt itself raises (polling not yet healthy), the flag stays
+    True until a later successful heartbeat probe in
+    _verify_polling_after_reconnect clears it."""
+    adapter = _make_adapter()
+    adapter._app = MagicMock()
+    adapter._app.updater = MagicMock()
+    adapter._app.updater.running = True
+    adapter._app.updater.stop = AsyncMock()
+    # First start_polling attempt fails — the reconnect handler must leave the
+    # flag set (path still unhealthy) and not clear it prematurely.
+    adapter._app.updater.start_polling = AsyncMock(side_effect=OSError("still down"))
+    adapter._app.bot = MagicMock()
+    adapter._app.bot.get_me = AsyncMock(return_value=MagicMock())
+    adapter._polling_error_callback_ref = AsyncMock()
+    monkeypatch.setattr(
+        "plugins.platforms.telegram.adapter.Update", MagicMock(ALL_TYPES=[])
+    )
+    # Suppress the self-rescheduled retry so the test doesn't recurse.
+    monkeypatch.setattr(
+        "plugins.platforms.telegram.adapter.asyncio.ensure_future", MagicMock()
+    )
+
+    with patch("plugins.platforms.telegram.adapter.asyncio.sleep", new_callable=AsyncMock):
+        await adapter._handle_polling_network_error(OSError("Bad Gateway"))
+    # start_polling failed → path still degraded.
+    assert adapter._send_path_degraded is True
+
+    # Now the deferred probe runs against a recovered (running) updater and
+    # a responsive bot — it clears the flag.
+    adapter._app.updater.running = True
+    with patch("plugins.platforms.telegram.adapter.asyncio.sleep", new_callable=AsyncMock):
+        await adapter._verify_polling_after_reconnect()
+    assert adapter._send_path_degraded is False
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_successful_reconnect_clears_flag_without_probe(monkeypatch):
+    """Regression for #35205: a successful start_polling() clears
+    _send_path_degraded immediately, so outbound sends are not blocked for
+    the full HEARTBEAT_PROBE_DELAY window (and never get stuck True if the
+    deferred probe is never scheduled / never runs)."""
     adapter = _make_adapter()
     adapter._app = MagicMock()
     adapter._app.updater = MagicMock()
@@ -80,10 +120,17 @@ async def test_reconnect_storm_sets_and_heartbeat_clears_flag(monkeypatch):
     monkeypatch.setattr(
         "plugins.platforms.telegram.adapter.Update", MagicMock(ALL_TYPES=[])
     )
-
-    await adapter._handle_polling_network_error(OSError("Bad Gateway"))
-    assert adapter._send_path_degraded is True
+    # Don't let the deferred probe run — prove the clear happens in the
+    # reconnect handler itself, not in _verify_polling_after_reconnect.
+    monkeypatch.setattr(
+        adapter, "_verify_polling_after_reconnect", AsyncMock()
+    )
 
     with patch("plugins.platforms.telegram.adapter.asyncio.sleep", new_callable=AsyncMock):
-        await adapter._verify_polling_after_reconnect()
+        await adapter._handle_polling_network_error(OSError("Bad Gateway"))
+
     assert adapter._send_path_degraded is False
+    assert adapter._polling_network_error_count == 0
+    # And send() works again right away.
+    result = await adapter.send("123", "hello")
+    assert result.success is True