diff --git a/hermes_cli/web_server.py b/hermes_cli/web_server.py
index f848a4ad5c0..fe873fd622b 100644
--- a/hermes_cli/web_server.py
+++ b/hermes_cli/web_server.py
@@ -3748,6 +3748,29 @@ async def get_telegram_onboarding_status(pairing_id: str):
     )
 
 
+def _restart_gateway_after_telegram_onboarding() -> dict[str, Any]:
+    """Best-effort gateway restart after saving Telegram QR onboarding.
+
+    The QR flow naturally pulls users into Telegram on another device. If the
+    saved token waits on a separate dashboard restart click, Hermes appears
+    broken from the chat side. Keep the config save authoritative, but report
+    restart failures so the UI can fall back to the existing manual banner.
+    """
+    try:
+        proc = _spawn_hermes_action(["gateway", "restart"], "gateway-restart")
+    except Exception as exc:
+        _log.exception("Failed to auto-restart gateway after Telegram onboarding")
+        return {
+            "restart_started": False,
+            "restart_error": str(exc),
+        }
+    return {
+        "restart_started": True,
+        "restart_action": "gateway-restart",
+        "restart_pid": proc.pid,
+    }
+
+
 @app.post("/api/messaging/telegram/onboarding/{pairing_id}/apply")
 async def apply_telegram_onboarding(
     pairing_id: str, body: TelegramOnboardingApply
@@ -3802,11 +3825,14 @@ async def apply_telegram_onboarding(
     with _telegram_onboarding_lock:
         _telegram_onboarding_pairings.pop(pairing_id, None)
 
+    restart_result = _restart_gateway_after_telegram_onboarding()
+
     return {
         "ok": True,
         "platform": "telegram",
         "bot_username": bot_username,
-        "needs_restart": True,
+        "needs_restart": not restart_result["restart_started"],
+        **restart_result,
     }
 
 
diff --git a/tests/hermes_cli/test_web_server.py b/tests/hermes_cli/test_web_server.py
index 1ccd4704ca1..e0925439bb5 100644
--- a/tests/hermes_cli/test_web_server.py
+++ b/tests/hermes_cli/test_web_server.py
@@ -1399,6 +1399,16 @@ class TestWebServerEndpoints:
             }
 
         monkeypatch.setattr(ws, "_telegram_onboarding_request_sync", fake_request)
+        restart_calls = []
+
+        class FakeRestartProc:
+            pid = 4242
+
+        def fake_spawn_action(subcommand, name):
+            restart_calls.append((subcommand, name))
+            return FakeRestartProc()
+
+        monkeypatch.setattr(ws, "_spawn_hermes_action", fake_spawn_action)
 
         start = self.client.post("/api/messaging/telegram/onboarding/start", json={})
         assert start.status_code == 200
@@ -1420,8 +1430,73 @@ class TestWebServerEndpoints:
             "ok": True,
             "platform": "telegram",
             "bot_username": "hermes_pair_ready_bot",
-            "needs_restart": True,
+            "needs_restart": False,
+            "restart_started": True,
+            "restart_action": "gateway-restart",
+            "restart_pid": 4242,
         }
+        assert restart_calls == [(["gateway", "restart"], "gateway-restart")]
+        env = load_env()
+        assert env["TELEGRAM_BOT_TOKEN"] == "123456:SECRET"
+        assert env["TELEGRAM_ALLOWED_USERS"] == "123456789"
+        assert load_config()["platforms"]["telegram"]["enabled"] is True
+
+    def test_telegram_onboarding_apply_reports_restart_failure_after_save(
+        self, monkeypatch
+    ):
+        import hermes_cli.web_server as ws
+        from hermes_cli.config import load_config, load_env
+
+        with ws._telegram_onboarding_lock:
+            ws._telegram_onboarding_pairings.clear()
+
+        def fake_request(method, path, *, body=None, bearer_token=None):
+            if method == "POST":
+                return {
+                    "pairing_id": "pair-restart-fails",
+                    "poll_token": "poll-secret",
+                    "suggested_username": "hermes_pair_restart_fails_bot",
+                    "deep_link": "https://t.me/newbot/HermesSetupBot/hermes_pair_restart_fails_bot",
+                    "qr_payload": "https://t.me/newbot/HermesSetupBot/hermes_pair_restart_fails_bot",
+                    "expires_at": "2027-05-18T00:00:00.000Z",
+                }
+            assert method == "GET"
+            assert path == "/v1/telegram/pairings/pair-restart-fails"
+            assert bearer_token == "poll-secret"
+            return {
+                "status": "ready",
+                "bot_username": "hermes_pair_restart_fails_bot",
+                "owner_user_id": 123456789,
+                "token": "123456:SECRET",
+            }
+
+        monkeypatch.setattr(ws, "_telegram_onboarding_request_sync", fake_request)
+
+        def fail_spawn_action(subcommand, name):
+            assert subcommand == ["gateway", "restart"]
+            assert name == "gateway-restart"
+            raise RuntimeError("supervisor unavailable")
+
+        monkeypatch.setattr(ws, "_spawn_hermes_action", fail_spawn_action)
+
+        start = self.client.post("/api/messaging/telegram/onboarding/start", json={})
+        assert start.status_code == 200
+        ready = self.client.get("/api/messaging/telegram/onboarding/pair-restart-fails")
+        assert ready.status_code == 200
+        assert ready.json()["status"] == "ready"
+
+        applied = self.client.post(
+            "/api/messaging/telegram/onboarding/pair-restart-fails/apply",
+            json={"allowed_user_ids": ["123456789"]},
+        )
+
+        assert applied.status_code == 200
+        applied_data = applied.json()
+        assert applied_data["ok"] is True
+        assert applied_data["needs_restart"] is True
+        assert applied_data["restart_started"] is False
+        assert "supervisor unavailable" in applied_data["restart_error"]
+        assert "token" not in applied_data
         env = load_env()
         assert env["TELEGRAM_BOT_TOKEN"] == "123456:SECRET"
         assert env["TELEGRAM_ALLOWED_USERS"] == "123456789"
diff --git a/web/src/lib/api.ts b/web/src/lib/api.ts
index c38a72bc40f..8385c300ac7 100644
--- a/web/src/lib/api.ts
+++ b/web/src/lib/api.ts
@@ -1475,7 +1475,11 @@ export interface TelegramOnboardingApplyResponse {
   ok: boolean;
   platform: "telegram";
   bot_username?: string;
-  needs_restart: true;
+  needs_restart: boolean;
+  restart_started?: boolean;
+  restart_action?: string;
+  restart_pid?: number | null;
+  restart_error?: string;
 }
 
 export interface SessionMessage {
diff --git a/web/src/pages/ChannelsPage.tsx b/web/src/pages/ChannelsPage.tsx
index 98c9b7a77cb..07ad159ceee 100644
--- a/web/src/pages/ChannelsPage.tsx
+++ b/web/src/pages/ChannelsPage.tsx
@@ -608,19 +608,28 @@ function TelegramOnboardingPanel({
     setPhase("applying");
     setError("");
     try {
-      await api.applyTelegramOnboarding(setup.pairing_id, {
+      const result = await api.applyTelegramOnboarding(setup.pairing_id, {
         allowed_user_ids: allowedIds,
       });
       resetSetup();
-      showToast("Telegram saved", "success");
-      try {
-        await api.restartGateway();
-        showToast("Gateway restarting…", "success");
+      if (result.restart_started) {
+        showToast("Telegram saved; gateway restarting…", "success");
         setRestartNeeded(false);
         setTimeout(() => void onChanged(), 4000);
-      } catch (restartError) {
+      } else if (result.restart_started === undefined && result.needs_restart) {
+        try {
+          await api.restartGateway();
+          showToast("Telegram saved; gateway restarting…", "success");
+          setRestartNeeded(false);
+          setTimeout(() => void onChanged(), 4000);
+        } catch (restartError) {
+          onRestartNeeded();
+          showToast(`Telegram saved; gateway restart failed: ${restartError}`, "error");
+        }
+      } else {
         onRestartNeeded();
-        showToast(`Telegram saved; restart failed: ${restartError}`, "error");
+        const detail = result.restart_error ? `: ${result.restart_error}` : "";
+        showToast(`Telegram saved; gateway restart failed${detail}`, "error");
       }
       await onChanged();
     } catch (applyError) {