diff --git a/src/telegram/bot-message-context.dm-threads.test.ts b/src/telegram/bot-message-context.dm-threads.test.ts
index 6162e1cb1..1faef0ec9 100644
--- a/src/telegram/bot-message-context.dm-threads.test.ts
+++ b/src/telegram/bot-message-context.dm-threads.test.ts
@@ -56,6 +56,33 @@ describe("buildTelegramMessageContext dm thread sessions", () => {
     expect(ctx?.ctxPayload?.SessionKey).toBe("agent:main:main:thread:42");
   });
 
+  it("sets ThreadLabel for dm topics for display in Sessions tab", async () => {
+    const ctx = await buildContext({
+      message_id: 1,
+      chat: { id: 1234, type: "private" },
+      date: 1700000000,
+      text: "hello",
+      message_thread_id: 42,
+      from: { id: 42, first_name: "Alice" },
+    });
+
+    expect(ctx).not.toBeNull();
+    expect(ctx?.ctxPayload?.ThreadLabel).toBe("Thread: 42");
+  });
+
+  it("does not set ThreadLabel for dm without thread id", async () => {
+    const ctx = await buildContext({
+      message_id: 1,
+      chat: { id: 1234, type: "private" },
+      date: 1700000000,
+      text: "hello",
+      from: { id: 42, first_name: "Alice" },
+    });
+
+    expect(ctx).not.toBeNull();
+    expect(ctx?.ctxPayload?.ThreadLabel).toBeUndefined();
+  });
+
   it("keeps legacy dm session key when no thread id", async () => {
     const ctx = await buildContext({
       message_id: 2,
diff --git a/src/telegram/bot-message-context.ts b/src/telegram/bot-message-context.ts
index 9696e4f1b..e5031258c 100644
--- a/src/telegram/bot-message-context.ts
+++ b/src/telegram/bot-message-context.ts
@@ -161,6 +161,9 @@ export const buildTelegramMessageContext = async ({
     isForum,
     messageThreadId,
   });
+  // Effective thread ID for outbound delivery: groups use forum-resolved; DMs use raw messageThreadId
+  // (private chats never set is_forum=true per Telegram Bot API, so resolvedThreadId is always undefined for DMs)
+  const effectiveThreadId = isGroup ? resolvedThreadId : messageThreadId;
   const { groupConfig, topicConfig } = resolveTelegramGroupConfig(chatId, resolvedThreadId);
   const peerId = isGroup ? buildTelegramGroupPeerId(chatId, resolvedThreadId) : String(chatId);
   const route = resolveAgentRoute({
@@ -203,7 +206,8 @@ export const buildTelegramMessageContext = async ({
   const sendTyping = async () => {
     await withTelegramApiErrorLogging({
       operation: "sendChatAction",
-      fn: () => bot.api.sendChatAction(chatId, "typing", buildTypingThreadParams(resolvedThreadId)),
+      fn: () =>
+        bot.api.sendChatAction(chatId, "typing", buildTypingThreadParams(effectiveThreadId)),
     });
   };
 
@@ -212,7 +216,11 @@ export const buildTelegramMessageContext = async ({
       await withTelegramApiErrorLogging({
         operation: "sendChatAction",
         fn: () =>
-          bot.api.sendChatAction(chatId, "record_voice", buildTypingThreadParams(resolvedThreadId)),
+          bot.api.sendChatAction(
+            chatId,
+            "record_voice",
+            buildTypingThreadParams(effectiveThreadId),
+          ),
       });
     } catch (err) {
       logVerbose(`telegram record_voice cue failed for chat ${chatId}: ${String(err)}`);
@@ -606,6 +614,8 @@ export const buildTelegramMessageContext = async ({
     // For groups: use resolvedThreadId (forum topics only); for DMs: use raw messageThreadId
     MessageThreadId: isGroup ? resolvedThreadId : messageThreadId,
     IsForum: isForum,
+    // DM thread label for display in Sessions tab (e.g., "Sender Name (Thread: 42)")
+    ThreadLabel: !isGroup && messageThreadId != null ? `Thread: ${messageThreadId}` : undefined,
     // Originating channel for reply routing.
     OriginatingChannel: "telegram" as const,
     OriginatingTo: `telegram:${chatId}`,
@@ -656,7 +666,7 @@ export const buildTelegramMessageContext = async ({
     msg,
     chatId,
     isGroup,
-    resolvedThreadId,
+    resolvedThreadId: effectiveThreadId,
     isForum,
     historyKey,
     historyLimit,
diff --git a/ui/src/ui/app-lifecycle.ts b/ui/src/ui/app-lifecycle.ts
index cf5214250..40c6f0b1f 100644
--- a/ui/src/ui/app-lifecycle.ts
+++ b/ui/src/ui/app-lifecycle.ts
@@ -35,6 +35,8 @@ type LifecycleHost = {
 
 export function handleConnected(host: LifecycleHost) {
   host.basePath = inferBasePath();
+  // Apply URL settings FIRST so sessionKey is read before syncTabWithLocation
+  // overwrites it with the localStorage value
   applySettingsFromUrl(
     host as unknown as Parameters<typeof applySettingsFromUrl>[0],
   );