diff --git a/pkg/channels/interfaces.go b/pkg/channels/interfaces.go
index 580157ce0..99e977079 100644
--- a/pkg/channels/interfaces.go
+++ b/pkg/channels/interfaces.go
@@ -15,6 +15,11 @@ type MessageEditor interface {
 	EditMessage(ctx context.Context, chatID string, messageID string, content string) error
 }
 
+// MessageDeleter — channels that can delete a message by ID.
+type MessageDeleter interface {
+	DeleteMessage(ctx context.Context, chatID string, messageID string) error
+}
+
 // ReactionCapable — channels that can add a reaction (e.g. 👀) to an inbound message.
 // ReactToMessage adds a reaction and returns an undo function to remove it.
 // The undo function MUST be idempotent and safe to call multiple times.
diff --git a/pkg/channels/manager.go b/pkg/channels/manager.go
index ba56bd789..c259e439a 100644
--- a/pkg/channels/manager.go
+++ b/pkg/channels/manager.go
@@ -133,10 +133,18 @@ func (m *Manager) preSend(ctx context.Context, name string, msg bus.OutboundMess
 		}
 	}
 
-	// 3. If a stream already finalized this message, skip both placeholder and send
+	// 3. If a stream already finalized this message, delete the placeholder and skip send
 	if _, loaded := m.streamActive.LoadAndDelete(key); loaded {
-		// Also clean up any stale placeholder
-		m.placeholders.Delete(key)
+		if v, loaded := m.placeholders.LoadAndDelete(key); loaded {
+			if entry, ok := v.(placeholderEntry); ok && entry.id != "" {
+				// Prefer deleting the placeholder (cleaner UX than editing to same content)
+				if deleter, ok := ch.(MessageDeleter); ok {
+					deleter.DeleteMessage(ctx, msg.ChatID, entry.id) // best effort
+				} else if editor, ok := ch.(MessageEditor); ok {
+					editor.EditMessage(ctx, msg.ChatID, entry.id, msg.Content) // fallback
+				}
+			}
+		}
 		return true
 	}
 
diff --git a/pkg/channels/telegram/telegram.go b/pkg/channels/telegram/telegram.go
index a7df1ebc5..4daace52a 100644
--- a/pkg/channels/telegram/telegram.go
+++ b/pkg/channels/telegram/telegram.go
@@ -301,6 +301,22 @@ func (c *TelegramChannel) EditMessage(ctx context.Context, chatID string, messag
 	return err
 }
 
+// DeleteMessage implements channels.MessageDeleter.
+func (c *TelegramChannel) DeleteMessage(ctx context.Context, chatID string, messageID string) error {
+	cid, err := parseChatID(chatID)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	mid, err := strconv.Atoi(messageID)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	return c.bot.DeleteMessage(ctx, &telego.DeleteMessageParams{
+		ChatID:    tu.ID(cid),
+		MessageID: mid,
+	})
+}
+
 // SendPlaceholder implements channels.PlaceholderCapable.
 // It sends a placeholder message (e.g. "Thinking... 💭") that will later be
 // edited to the actual response via EditMessage (channels.MessageEditor).