diff --git a/src/config/types.ts b/src/config/types.ts
index bbedafe72..2342da12c 100644
--- a/src/config/types.ts
+++ b/src/config/types.ts
@@ -999,6 +999,8 @@ export type MessagesConfig = {
   ackReaction?: string;
   /** When to send ack reactions. Default: "group-mentions". */
   ackReactionScope?: "group-mentions" | "group-all" | "direct" | "all";
+  /** Remove ack reaction after reply is sent (default: false). */
+  removeAckAfterReply?: boolean;
 };
 
 export type CommandsConfig = {
diff --git a/src/config/zod-schema.ts b/src/config/zod-schema.ts
index 56266928e..36a808889 100644
--- a/src/config/zod-schema.ts
+++ b/src/config/zod-schema.ts
@@ -603,6 +603,7 @@ const MessagesSchema = z
     ackReactionScope: z
       .enum(["group-mentions", "group-all", "direct", "all"])
       .optional(),
+    removeAckAfterReply: z.boolean().optional(),
   })
   .optional();
 
diff --git a/src/discord/monitor.ts b/src/discord/monitor.ts
index dc30ab682..d6276ac9d 100644
--- a/src/discord/monitor.ts
+++ b/src/discord/monitor.ts
@@ -74,7 +74,11 @@ import {
   waitForDiscordGatewayStop,
 } from "./monitor.gateway.js";
 import { fetchDiscordApplicationId } from "./probe.js";
-import { reactMessageDiscord, sendMessageDiscord } from "./send.js";
+import {
+  reactMessageDiscord,
+  removeReactionDiscord,
+  sendMessageDiscord,
+} from "./send.js";
 import { normalizeDiscordToken } from "./token.js";
 
 export type MonitorDiscordOpts = {
@@ -958,6 +962,7 @@ export function createDiscordMessageHandler(params: {
         return;
       }
       const ackReaction = resolveAckReaction(cfg, route.agentId);
+      const removeAckAfterReply = cfg.messages?.removeAckAfterReply ?? false;
       const shouldAckReaction = () => {
         if (!ackReaction) return false;
         if (ackReactionScope === "all") return true;
@@ -972,6 +977,7 @@ export function createDiscordMessageHandler(params: {
         }
         return false;
       };
+      let didAddAckReaction = false;
       if (shouldAckReaction()) {
         reactMessageDiscord(message.channelId, message.id, ackReaction, {
           rest: client.rest,
@@ -980,6 +986,7 @@ export function createDiscordMessageHandler(params: {
             `discord react failed for channel ${message.channelId}: ${String(err)}`,
           );
         });
+        didAddAckReaction = true;
       }
 
       const fromLabel = isDirectMessage
@@ -1201,6 +1208,15 @@ export function createDiscordMessageHandler(params: {
           `discord: delivered ${finalCount} reply${finalCount === 1 ? "" : "ies"} to ${replyTarget}`,
         );
       }
+      if (removeAckAfterReply && didAddAckReaction && ackReaction) {
+        removeReactionDiscord(message.channelId, message.id, ackReaction, {
+          rest: client.rest,
+        }).catch((err) => {
+          logVerbose(
+            `discord: failed to remove ack reaction from ${message.channelId}/${message.id}: ${String(err)}`,
+          );
+        });
+      }
       if (
         isGuildMessage &&
         shouldClearHistory &&
diff --git a/src/slack/monitor.ts b/src/slack/monitor.ts
index 5ddbd9de2..9589856a6 100644
--- a/src/slack/monitor.ts
+++ b/src/slack/monitor.ts
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ import {
 } from "../routing/session-key.js";
 import type { RuntimeEnv } from "../runtime.js";
 import { resolveSlackAccount } from "./accounts.js";
-import { reactSlackMessage } from "./actions.js";
+import { reactSlackMessage, removeSlackReaction } from "./actions.js";
 import { sendMessageSlack } from "./send.js";
 import { resolveSlackThreadTargets } from "./threading.js";
 import { resolveSlackAppToken, resolveSlackBotToken } from "./token.js";
@@ -913,6 +913,7 @@ export async function monitorSlackProvider(opts: MonitorSlackOpts = {}) {
     const rawBody = (message.text ?? "").trim() || media?.placeholder || "";
     if (!rawBody) return;
     const ackReaction = resolveAckReaction(cfg, route.agentId);
+    const removeAckAfterReply = cfg.messages?.removeAckAfterReply ?? false;
     const shouldAckReaction = () => {
       if (!ackReaction) return false;
       if (ackReactionScope === "all") return true;
@@ -927,6 +928,7 @@ export async function monitorSlackProvider(opts: MonitorSlackOpts = {}) {
       }
       return false;
     };
+    let didAddAckReaction = false;
     if (shouldAckReaction() && message.ts) {
       reactSlackMessage(message.channel, message.ts, ackReaction, {
         token: botToken,
@@ -936,6 +938,7 @@ export async function monitorSlackProvider(opts: MonitorSlackOpts = {}) {
           `slack react failed for channel ${message.channel}: ${String(err)}`,
         );
       });
+      didAddAckReaction = true;
     }
 
     const roomLabel = channelName ? `#${channelName}` : `#${message.channel}`;
@@ -1157,6 +1160,16 @@ export async function monitorSlackProvider(opts: MonitorSlackOpts = {}) {
         `slack: delivered ${finalCount} reply${finalCount === 1 ? "" : "ies"} to ${replyTarget}`,
       );
     }
+    if (removeAckAfterReply && didAddAckReaction && ackReaction && message.ts) {
+      removeSlackReaction(message.channel, message.ts, ackReaction, {
+        token: botToken,
+        client: app.client,
+      }).catch((err) => {
+        logVerbose(
+          `slack: failed to remove ack reaction from ${message.channel}/${message.ts}: ${String(err)}`,
+        );
+      });
+    }
   };
 
   app.event(
diff --git a/src/telegram/bot.ts b/src/telegram/bot.ts
index 8ec6756b4..5631330a0 100644
--- a/src/telegram/bot.ts
+++ b/src/telegram/bot.ts
@@ -577,6 +577,7 @@ export function createTelegramBot(opts: TelegramBotOptions) {
 
     // ACK reactions
     const ackReaction = resolveAckReaction(cfg, route.agentId);
+    const removeAckAfterReply = cfg.messages?.removeAckAfterReply ?? false;
     const shouldAckReaction = () => {
       if (!ackReaction) return false;
       if (ackReactionScope === "all") return true;
@@ -590,6 +591,7 @@ export function createTelegramBot(opts: TelegramBotOptions) {
       }
       return false;
     };
+    let didAddAckReaction = false;
     if (shouldAckReaction() && msg.message_id) {
       const api = bot.api as unknown as {
         setMessageReaction?: (
@@ -608,6 +610,7 @@ export function createTelegramBot(opts: TelegramBotOptions) {
               `telegram react failed for chat ${chatId}: ${String(err)}`,
             );
           });
+        didAddAckReaction = true;
       }
     }
 
@@ -854,6 +857,22 @@ export function createTelegramBot(opts: TelegramBotOptions) {
     markDispatchIdle();
     draftStream?.stop();
     if (!queuedFinal) return;
+    if (removeAckAfterReply && didAddAckReaction && msg.message_id) {
+      const api = bot.api as unknown as {
+        setMessageReaction?: (
+          chatId: number | string,
+          messageId: number,
+          reactions: Array<{ type: "emoji"; emoji: string }>,
+        ) => Promise<void>;
+      };
+      if (typeof api.setMessageReaction === "function") {
+        api.setMessageReaction(chatId, msg.message_id, []).catch((err) => {
+          logVerbose(
+            `telegram: failed to remove ack reaction from ${chatId}/${msg.message_id}: ${String(err)}`,
+          );
+        });
+      }
+    }
   };
 
   const nativeCommands = nativeEnabled ? listNativeCommandSpecs() : [];