diff --git a/ductor_bot/messenger/telegram/app.py b/ductor_bot/messenger/telegram/app.py
index cb2f22db..b7abe149 100644
--- a/ductor_bot/messenger/telegram/app.py
+++ b/ductor_bot/messenger/telegram/app.py
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@
     handle_command,
     handle_interrupt,
     handle_new_session,
+    merge_reply_context,
     strip_mention,
 )
 from ductor_bot.messenger.telegram.media import (
@@ -1407,7 +1408,10 @@ async def _resolve_text(self, message: Message) -> str | None:
             )
         if not message.text:
             return None
-        return strip_mention(message.text, self._bot_username)
+        text = strip_mention(message.text, self._bot_username)
+        reply = message.reply_to_message
+        reply_text = None if reply is None else (reply.text or reply.caption)
+        return merge_reply_context(text, reply_text)
 
     async def _handle_streaming(
         self, message: Message, key: SessionKey, text: str, *, thread_id: int | None = None
diff --git a/ductor_bot/messenger/telegram/handlers.py b/ductor_bot/messenger/telegram/handlers.py
index f87798db..fe3fd63e 100644
--- a/ductor_bot/messenger/telegram/handlers.py
+++ b/ductor_bot/messenger/telegram/handlers.py
@@ -203,3 +203,12 @@ def strip_mention(text: str, bot_username: str | None) -> str:
         stripped = (text[:idx] + text[idx + len(tag) :]).strip()
         return stripped or text
     return text
+
+
+def merge_reply_context(text: str, reply_text: str | None) -> str:
+    """Combine the user's message with replied-to text when present."""
+    message_text = text.strip()
+    quoted = (reply_text or "").strip()
+    if not quoted:
+        return message_text
+    return f"[REPLY TO]\n{quoted}\n\n[USER MESSAGE]\n{message_text}"
diff --git a/tests/messenger/telegram/test_app.py b/tests/messenger/telegram/test_app.py
index 1c00bfdb..c7df1bda 100644
--- a/tests/messenger/telegram/test_app.py
+++ b/tests/messenger/telegram/test_app.py
@@ -100,6 +100,10 @@ def _make_message(
     type(msg).message_id = PropertyMock(return_value=message_id)
     msg.text = text
     msg.answer = AsyncMock(return_value=msg)
+    msg.reply_to_message = None
+    msg.entities = None
+    msg.caption = None
+    msg.caption_entities = None
 
     user = MagicMock(spec=User)
     user.id = user_id
@@ -501,7 +505,7 @@ async def test_returns_early_for_none_text(self) -> None:
     @patch("ductor_bot.messenger.telegram.app.strip_mention", return_value="clean text")
     async def test_strips_mention_from_text(self, mock_strip: MagicMock) -> None:
         tg_bot, _ = _make_tg_bot()
-        tg_bot.bot_instance_username = "testbot"
+        tg_bot._bot_username = "testbot"
         orch = _make_orchestrator()
         tg_bot._orchestrator = orch
 
@@ -525,12 +529,30 @@ async def test_strips_mention_from_text(self, mock_strip: MagicMock) -> None:
 class TestResolveText:
     async def test_plain_text_message(self) -> None:
         tg_bot, _ = _make_tg_bot()
-        tg_bot.bot_instance_username = "mybot"
+        tg_bot._bot_username = "mybot"
         tg_bot._orchestrator = _make_orchestrator()
         msg = _make_message(text="Hello")
         result = await tg_bot._resolve_text(msg)
         assert result == "Hello"
 
+    async def test_reply_includes_replied_message_text(self) -> None:
+        tg_bot, _ = _make_tg_bot()
+        tg_bot._bot_username = "mybot"
+        tg_bot._orchestrator = _make_orchestrator()
+
+        msg = _make_message(text="@mybot what do you think?", chat_type="group")
+        reply = MagicMock(spec=Message)
+        reply.text = "Original message text"
+        reply.caption = None
+        msg.reply_to_message = reply
+
+        result = await tg_bot._resolve_text(msg)
+
+        assert result == (
+            "[REPLY TO]\nOriginal message text\n\n"
+            "[USER MESSAGE]\nwhat do you think?"
+        )
+
     async def test_none_when_no_text_and_no_media(self) -> None:
         tg_bot, _ = _make_tg_bot()
         tg_bot._orchestrator = _make_orchestrator()