diff --git a/config/config.example.json b/config/config.example.json
index 2f643d41b..21b65a479 100644
--- a/config/config.example.json
+++ b/config/config.example.json
@@ -419,6 +419,9 @@
     "enabled": false,
     "monitor_usb": true
   },
+  "voice": {
+    "echo_transcription": false
+  },
   "gateway": {
     "host": "127.0.0.1",
     "port": 18790
diff --git a/pkg/agent/loop.go b/pkg/agent/loop.go
index 19d13b2bb..e91be71bc 100644
--- a/pkg/agent/loop.go
+++ b/pkg/agent/loop.go
@@ -438,6 +438,8 @@ func (al *AgentLoop) transcribeAudioInMessage(ctx context.Context, msg bus.Inbou
 		transcriptions = append(transcriptions, result.Text)
 	}
 
+	al.sendTranscriptionFeedback(msg.Channel, msg.ChatID, msg.MessageID, transcriptions)
+
 	if len(transcriptions) == 0 {
 		return msg
 	}
@@ -462,6 +464,37 @@ func (al *AgentLoop) transcribeAudioInMessage(ctx context.Context, msg bus.Inbou
 	return msg
 }
 
+// sendTranscriptionFeedback Asynchronously sends feedback to the user
+// with the result of audio transcription if the option is enabled.
+func (al *AgentLoop) sendTranscriptionFeedback(channel, chatID string, messageID string, validTexts []string) {
+	if !al.cfg.Voice.EchoTranscription {
+		return
+	}
+
+	go func() {
+		pubCtx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), 5*time.Second)
+		defer cancel()
+
+		var feedbackMsg string
+		if len(validTexts) > 0 {
+			feedbackMsg = "Transcript: " + strings.Join(validTexts, "\n")
+		} else {
+			feedbackMsg = "No voice detected in the audio"
+		}
+
+		err := al.bus.PublishOutbound(pubCtx, bus.OutboundMessage{
+			Channel:          channel,
+			ChatID:           chatID,
+			Content:          feedbackMsg,
+			ReplyToMessageID: messageID,
+			SkipPlaceholder:  true, // It serves to avoid consuming the message "Thinking..."
+		})
+		if err != nil {
+			logger.WarnCF("voice", "Failed to send transcription feedback", map[string]any{"error": err.Error()})
+		}
+	}()
+}
+
 // inferMediaType determines the media type ("image", "audio", "video", "file")
 // from a filename and MIME content type.
 func inferMediaType(filename, contentType string) string {
@@ -764,6 +797,15 @@ func (al *AgentLoop) runAgentLoop(
 	// 2. Save user message to session
 	agent.Sessions.AddMessage(opts.SessionKey, "user", opts.UserMessage)
 
+	// thinking message only for channels, not for background tasks
+	if opts.Channel != "" && opts.ChatID != "" && !constants.IsInternalChannel(opts.Channel) && !opts.NoHistory {
+		al.bus.PublishOutbound(ctx, bus.OutboundMessage{
+			Channel:            opts.Channel,
+			ChatID:             opts.ChatID,
+			TriggerPlaceholder: true,
+		})
+	}
+
 	// 3. Run LLM iteration loop
 	finalContent, iteration, err := al.runLLMIteration(ctx, agent, messages, opts)
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/pkg/bus/types.go b/pkg/bus/types.go
index 7ad8f0417..7b7335327 100644
--- a/pkg/bus/types.go
+++ b/pkg/bus/types.go
@@ -30,9 +30,12 @@ type InboundMessage struct {
 }
 
 type OutboundMessage struct {
-	Channel string `json:"channel"`
-	ChatID  string `json:"chat_id"`
-	Content string `json:"content"`
+	Channel            string `json:"channel"`
+	ChatID             string `json:"chat_id"`
+	Content            string `json:"content"`
+	ReplyToMessageID   string `json:"reply_to_message_id,omitempty"`
+	SkipPlaceholder    bool   `json:"skip_placeholder,omitempty"` // Tells Manager not to use Thinking
+	TriggerPlaceholder bool   `json:"trigger_placeholder,omitempty"`
 }
 
 // MediaPart describes a single media attachment to send.
diff --git a/pkg/channels/base.go b/pkg/channels/base.go
index 063a66523..334dc9254 100644
--- a/pkg/channels/base.go
+++ b/pkg/channels/base.go
@@ -284,12 +284,6 @@ func (c *BaseChannel) HandleMessage(
 				c.placeholderRecorder.RecordReactionUndo(c.name, chatID, undo)
 			}
 		}
-		// Placeholder — independent pipeline
-		if pc, ok := c.owner.(PlaceholderCapable); ok {
-			if phID, err := pc.SendPlaceholder(ctx, chatID); err == nil && phID != "" {
-				c.placeholderRecorder.RecordPlaceholder(c.name, chatID, phID)
-			}
-		}
 	}
 
 	if err := c.bus.PublishInbound(ctx, msg); err != nil {
diff --git a/pkg/channels/manager.go b/pkg/channels/manager.go
index fdd6d0c1f..84def6393 100644
--- a/pkg/channels/manager.go
+++ b/pkg/channels/manager.go
@@ -133,13 +133,15 @@ func (m *Manager) preSend(ctx context.Context, name string, msg bus.OutboundMess
 	}
 
 	// 3. Try editing placeholder
-	if v, loaded := m.placeholders.LoadAndDelete(key); loaded {
-		if entry, ok := v.(placeholderEntry); ok && entry.id != "" {
-			if editor, ok := ch.(MessageEditor); ok {
-				if err := editor.EditMessage(ctx, msg.ChatID, entry.id, msg.Content); err == nil {
-					return true // edited successfully, skip Send
+	if !msg.SkipPlaceholder {
+		if v, loaded := m.placeholders.LoadAndDelete(key); loaded {
+			if entry, ok := v.(placeholderEntry); ok && entry.id != "" {
+				if editor, ok := ch.(MessageEditor); ok {
+					if err := editor.EditMessage(ctx, msg.ChatID, entry.id, msg.Content); err == nil {
+						return true // edited successfully, skip Send
+					}
+					// edit failed → fall through to normal Send
 				}
-				// edit failed → fall through to normal Send
 			}
 		}
 	}
@@ -493,6 +495,15 @@ func (m *Manager) sendWithRetry(ctx context.Context, name string, w *channelWork
 		return
 	}
 
+	if msg.TriggerPlaceholder {
+		if pc, ok := w.ch.(PlaceholderCapable); ok {
+			if phID, err := pc.SendPlaceholder(ctx, msg.ChatID); err == nil && phID != "" {
+				m.RecordPlaceholder(name, msg.ChatID, phID)
+			}
+		}
+		return
+	}
+
 	// Pre-send: stop typing and try to edit placeholder
 	if m.preSend(ctx, name, msg, w.ch) {
 		return // placeholder was edited successfully, skip Send
diff --git a/pkg/channels/telegram/telegram.go b/pkg/channels/telegram/telegram.go
index a2035853c..1d8757293 100644
--- a/pkg/channels/telegram/telegram.go
+++ b/pkg/channels/telegram/telegram.go
@@ -179,6 +179,14 @@ func (c *TelegramChannel) Send(ctx context.Context, msg bus.OutboundMessage) err
 	tgMsg := tu.Message(tu.ID(chatID), htmlContent)
 	tgMsg.ParseMode = telego.ModeHTML
 
+	if msg.ReplyToMessageID != "" {
+		if mid, err := strconv.Atoi(msg.ReplyToMessageID); err == nil {
+			tgMsg.ReplyParameters = &telego.ReplyParameters{
+				MessageID: mid,
+			}
+		}
+	}
+
 	if _, err = c.bot.SendMessage(ctx, tgMsg); err != nil {
 		logger.ErrorCF("telegram", "HTML parse failed, falling back to plain text", map[string]any{
 			"error": err.Error(),
diff --git a/pkg/config/config.go b/pkg/config/config.go
index 72af3e2fb..8d834229c 100644
--- a/pkg/config/config.go
+++ b/pkg/config/config.go
@@ -58,6 +58,7 @@ type Config struct {
 	Tools     ToolsConfig     `json:"tools"`
 	Heartbeat HeartbeatConfig `json:"heartbeat"`
 	Devices   DevicesConfig   `json:"devices"`
+	Voice     VoiceConfig     `json:"voice"`
 }
 
 // MarshalJSON implements custom JSON marshaling for Config
@@ -424,6 +425,10 @@ type DevicesConfig struct {
 	MonitorUSB bool `json:"monitor_usb" env:"PICOCLAW_DEVICES_MONITOR_USB"`
 }
 
+type VoiceConfig struct {
+	EchoTranscription bool `json:"echo_transcription" env:"PICOCLAW_VOICE_ECHO_TRANSCRIPTION"`
+}
+
 type ProvidersConfig struct {
 	Anthropic     ProviderConfig       `json:"anthropic"`
 	OpenAI        OpenAIProviderConfig `json:"openai"`
diff --git a/pkg/config/defaults.go b/pkg/config/defaults.go
index 1902480c5..7b690137a 100644
--- a/pkg/config/defaults.go
+++ b/pkg/config/defaults.go
@@ -461,5 +461,8 @@ func DefaultConfig() *Config {
 			Enabled:    false,
 			MonitorUSB: true,
 		},
+		Voice: VoiceConfig{
+			EchoTranscription: false,
+		},
 	}
 }