diff --git a/pkg/agent/loop.go b/pkg/agent/loop.go
index c4479434f..b05f02c6e 100644
--- a/pkg/agent/loop.go
+++ b/pkg/agent/loop.go
@@ -679,6 +679,12 @@ func (al *AgentLoop) ProcessDirectWithChannel(
 		Content:    content,
 		SessionKey: sessionKey,
 	}
+	// Set peer so channel-based bindings (e.g. a specific Slack channel mapped
+	// to a named agent) are matched by the route resolver, exactly as they are
+	// for live inbound messages.
+	if chatID != "" && chatID != "direct" {
+		msg.Peer = bus.Peer{Kind: "channel", ID: chatID}
+	}
 
 	return al.processMessage(ctx, msg)
 }
diff --git a/pkg/tools/cron.go b/pkg/tools/cron.go
index 648cc3c6c..1c6812f81 100644
--- a/pkg/tools/cron.go
+++ b/pkg/tools/cron.go
@@ -341,7 +341,14 @@ func (t *CronTool) ExecuteJob(ctx context.Context, job *cron.CronJob) string {
 		return fmt.Sprintf("Error: %v", err)
 	}
 
-	// Response is automatically sent via MessageBus by AgentLoop
-	_ = response // Will be sent by AgentLoop
+	if response != "" {
+		pubCtx, pubCancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), 5*time.Second)
+		defer pubCancel()
+		t.msgBus.PublishOutbound(pubCtx, bus.OutboundMessage{
+			Channel: channel,
+			ChatID:  chatID,
+			Content: response,
+		})
+	}
 	return "ok"
 }