diff --git a/extensions/telegram/src/bot-message-context.body.test.ts b/extensions/telegram/src/bot-message-context.body.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..5689c5ee9fc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/extensions/telegram/src/bot-message-context.body.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,103 @@
+import { describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
+import { normalizeAllowFrom } from "./bot-access.js";
+
+const transcribeFirstAudioMock = vi.fn();
+
+vi.mock("./media-understanding.runtime.js", () => ({
+  transcribeFirstAudio: (...args: unknown[]) => transcribeFirstAudioMock(...args),
+}));
+
+const { resolveTelegramInboundBody } = await import("./bot-message-context.body.js");
+
+describe("resolveTelegramInboundBody", () => {
+  it("does not transcribe group audio for unauthorized senders", async () => {
+    transcribeFirstAudioMock.mockReset();
+    const logger = { info: vi.fn() };
+
+    const result = await resolveTelegramInboundBody({
+      cfg: {
+        channels: { telegram: {} },
+        messages: { groupChat: { mentionPatterns: ["\\bbot\\b"] } },
+      } as never,
+      primaryCtx: {
+        me: { id: 7, username: "bot" },
+      } as never,
+      msg: {
+        message_id: 1,
+        date: 1_700_000_000,
+        chat: { id: -1001234567890, type: "supergroup", title: "Test Group" },
+        from: { id: 46, first_name: "Eve" },
+        voice: { file_id: "voice-1" },
+        entities: [],
+      } as never,
+      allMedia: [{ path: "/tmp/voice.ogg", contentType: "audio/ogg" }],
+      isGroup: true,
+      chatId: -1001234567890,
+      senderId: "46",
+      senderUsername: "",
+      routeAgentId: undefined,
+      effectiveGroupAllow: normalizeAllowFrom(["999"]),
+      effectiveDmAllow: normalizeAllowFrom([]),
+      groupConfig: { requireMention: true } as never,
+      topicConfig: undefined,
+      requireMention: true,
+      options: undefined,
+      groupHistories: new Map(),
+      historyLimit: 0,
+      logger,
+    });
+
+    expect(transcribeFirstAudioMock).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    expect(logger.info).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+      { chatId: -1001234567890, reason: "no-mention" },
+      "skipping group message",
+    );
+    expect(result).toBeNull();
+  });
+
+  it("still transcribes when commands.useAccessGroups is false", async () => {
+    transcribeFirstAudioMock.mockReset();
+    transcribeFirstAudioMock.mockResolvedValueOnce("hey bot please help");
+
+    const result = await resolveTelegramInboundBody({
+      cfg: {
+        channels: { telegram: {} },
+        commands: { useAccessGroups: false },
+        messages: { groupChat: { mentionPatterns: ["\\bbot\\b"] } },
+        tools: { media: { audio: { enabled: true } } },
+      } as never,
+      primaryCtx: {
+        me: { id: 7, username: "bot" },
+      } as never,
+      msg: {
+        message_id: 2,
+        date: 1_700_000_001,
+        chat: { id: -1001234567891, type: "supergroup", title: "Test Group" },
+        from: { id: 46, first_name: "Eve" },
+        voice: { file_id: "voice-2" },
+        entities: [],
+      } as never,
+      allMedia: [{ path: "/tmp/voice-2.ogg", contentType: "audio/ogg" }],
+      isGroup: true,
+      chatId: -1001234567891,
+      senderId: "46",
+      senderUsername: "",
+      routeAgentId: undefined,
+      effectiveGroupAllow: normalizeAllowFrom(["999"]),
+      effectiveDmAllow: normalizeAllowFrom([]),
+      groupConfig: { requireMention: true } as never,
+      topicConfig: undefined,
+      requireMention: true,
+      options: undefined,
+      groupHistories: new Map(),
+      historyLimit: 0,
+      logger: { info: vi.fn() },
+    });
+
+    expect(transcribeFirstAudioMock).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+    expect(result).toMatchObject({
+      bodyText: "hey bot please help",
+      effectiveWasMentioned: true,
+    });
+  });
+});
diff --git a/extensions/telegram/src/bot-message-context.body.ts b/extensions/telegram/src/bot-message-context.body.ts
index 04e5739d663..a3bde8a6820 100644
--- a/extensions/telegram/src/bot-message-context.body.ts
+++ b/extensions/telegram/src/bot-message-context.body.ts
@@ -171,6 +171,8 @@ export async function resolveTelegramInboundBody(params: {
   const disableAudioPreflight =
     (topicConfig?.disableAudioPreflight ??
       (groupConfig as TelegramGroupConfig | undefined)?.disableAudioPreflight) === true;
+  const senderAllowedForAudioPreflight =
+    !useAccessGroups || !allowForCommands.hasEntries || senderAllowedForCommands;
 
   let preflightTranscript: string | undefined;
   const needsPreflightTranscription =
@@ -179,7 +181,8 @@ export async function resolveTelegramInboundBody(params: {
     hasAudio &&
     !hasUserText &&
     mentionRegexes.length > 0 &&
-    !disableAudioPreflight;
+    !disableAudioPreflight &&
+    senderAllowedForAudioPreflight;
 
   if (needsPreflightTranscription) {
     try {