diff --git a/gateway/platforms/telegram.py b/gateway/platforms/telegram.py
index cfad233e68..156251e54c 100644
--- a/gateway/platforms/telegram.py
+++ b/gateway/platforms/telegram.py
@@ -2333,10 +2333,16 @@ class TelegramAdapter(BasePlatformAdapter):
         DMs remain unrestricted. Group/supergroup messages are accepted when:
         - the chat is explicitly allowlisted in ``free_response_chats``
         - ``require_mention`` is disabled
-        - the message is a command
         - the message replies to the bot
         - the bot is @mentioned
         - the text/caption matches a configured regex wake-word pattern
+
+        When ``require_mention`` is enabled, slash commands are not given
+        special treatment — they must pass the same mention/reply checks
+        as any other group message.  Users can still trigger commands via
+        the Telegram bot menu (``/command@botname``) or by explicitly
+        mentioning the bot (``@botname /command``), both of which are
+        recognised as mentions by :meth:`_message_mentions_bot`.
         """
         if not self._is_group_chat(message):
             return True
@@ -2351,8 +2357,6 @@ class TelegramAdapter(BasePlatformAdapter):
             return True
         if not self._telegram_require_mention():
             return True
-        if is_command:
-            return True
         if self._is_reply_to_bot(message):
             return True
         if self._message_mentions_bot(message):
diff --git a/tests/gateway/test_telegram_group_gating.py b/tests/gateway/test_telegram_group_gating.py
index 15ffca9ec3..82a19adf97 100644
--- a/tests/gateway/test_telegram_group_gating.py
+++ b/tests/gateway/test_telegram_group_gating.py
@@ -71,7 +71,13 @@ def test_group_messages_can_require_direct_trigger_via_config():
     assert adapter._should_process_message(_group_message("hello everyone")) is False
     assert adapter._should_process_message(_group_message("hi @hermes_bot", entities=[_mention_entity("hi @hermes_bot")])) is True
     assert adapter._should_process_message(_group_message("replying", reply_to_bot=True)) is True
-    assert adapter._should_process_message(_group_message("/status"), is_command=True) is True
+    # Commands must also respect require_mention when it is enabled
+    assert adapter._should_process_message(_group_message("/status"), is_command=True) is False
+    # But commands with @mention still pass
+    assert adapter._should_process_message(_group_message("/status@hermes_bot")) is True
+    # And commands still pass unconditionally when require_mention is disabled
+    adapter_no_mention = _make_adapter(require_mention=False)
+    assert adapter_no_mention._should_process_message(_group_message("/status"), is_command=True) is True
 
 
 def test_free_response_chats_bypass_mention_requirement():