diff --git a/pkg/agent/agent_outbound.go b/pkg/agent/agent_outbound.go
index 1728f6f79..e3195fe69 100644
--- a/pkg/agent/agent_outbound.go
+++ b/pkg/agent/agent_outbound.go
@@ -41,6 +41,14 @@ func (al *AgentLoop) publishResponseOrError(
 }
 
 func (al *AgentLoop) PublishResponseIfNeeded(ctx context.Context, channel, chatID, sessionKey, response string) {
+	al.publishResponseWithContextIfNeeded(ctx, channel, chatID, sessionKey, response, nil)
+}
+
+func (al *AgentLoop) publishResponseWithContextIfNeeded(
+	ctx context.Context,
+	channel, chatID, sessionKey, response string,
+	inboundCtx *bus.InboundContext,
+) {
 	if response == "" {
 		return
 	}
@@ -65,7 +73,7 @@ func (al *AgentLoop) PublishResponseIfNeeded(ctx context.Context, channel, chatI
 	}
 
 	msg := bus.OutboundMessage{
-		Context: bus.NewOutboundContext(channel, chatID, ""),
+		Context: outboundContextFromInbound(inboundCtx, channel, chatID, ""),
 		Content: response,
 	}
 	if sessionKey != "" {
@@ -76,6 +84,7 @@ func (al *AgentLoop) PublishResponseIfNeeded(ctx context.Context, channel, chatI
 		map[string]any{
 			"channel":     channel,
 			"chat_id":     chatID,
+			"topic_id":    msg.Context.TopicID,
 			"content_len": len(response),
 		})
 }
diff --git a/pkg/agent/agent_steering.go b/pkg/agent/agent_steering.go
index 9b136e7cd..4b89cc1c6 100644
--- a/pkg/agent/agent_steering.go
+++ b/pkg/agent/agent_steering.go
@@ -15,7 +15,13 @@ func (al *AgentLoop) processMessageSync(ctx context.Context, msg bus.InboundMess
 	}
 
 	response, err := al.processMessage(ctx, msg)
-	al.publishResponseOrError(ctx, msg.Channel, msg.ChatID, msg.SessionKey, response, err)
+	if err != nil {
+		if !al.maybePublishError(ctx, msg.Channel, msg.ChatID, msg.SessionKey, err) {
+			return
+		}
+		response = ""
+	}
+	al.publishResponseWithContextIfNeeded(ctx, msg.Channel, msg.ChatID, msg.SessionKey, response, &msg.Context)
 }
 
 func (al *AgentLoop) runTurnWithSteering(ctx context.Context, initialMsg bus.InboundMessage) {
diff --git a/pkg/agent/agent_test.go b/pkg/agent/agent_test.go
index a75919912..c9980d90e 100644
--- a/pkg/agent/agent_test.go
+++ b/pkg/agent/agent_test.go
@@ -2518,6 +2518,57 @@ func TestProcessMessage_UsesRouteSessionKey(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestProcessMessageSync_PreservesInboundTopicOnFinalResponse(t *testing.T) {
+	tmpDir := t.TempDir()
+
+	cfg := &config.Config{
+		Agents: config.AgentsConfig{
+			Defaults: config.AgentDefaults{
+				Workspace:         tmpDir,
+				ModelName:         "test-model",
+				MaxTokens:         4096,
+				MaxToolIterations: 10,
+			},
+		},
+	}
+
+	msgBus := bus.NewMessageBus()
+	provider := &simpleMockProvider{response: "topic response"}
+	al := NewAgentLoop(cfg, msgBus, provider)
+
+	msg := testInboundMessage(bus.InboundMessage{
+		Context: bus.InboundContext{
+			Channel:   "telegram",
+			ChatID:    "-1001234567890",
+			ChatType:  "group",
+			TopicID:   "42",
+			SenderID:  "user1",
+			MessageID: "123",
+		},
+		Content: "hello topic",
+	})
+
+	al.processMessageSync(context.Background(), msg)
+
+	select {
+	case outbound := <-msgBus.OutboundChan():
+		if outbound.Content != "topic response" {
+			t.Fatalf("outbound content = %q, want topic response", outbound.Content)
+		}
+		if outbound.Channel != "telegram" || outbound.ChatID != "-1001234567890" {
+			t.Fatalf("outbound route = %s/%s, want telegram/-1001234567890", outbound.Channel, outbound.ChatID)
+		}
+		if outbound.Context.TopicID != "42" {
+			t.Fatalf("outbound topic = %q, want 42; context=%+v", outbound.Context.TopicID, outbound.Context)
+		}
+		if outbound.Context.MessageID != "123" {
+			t.Fatalf("outbound context message ID = %q, want 123", outbound.Context.MessageID)
+		}
+	case <-time.After(responseTimeout):
+		t.Fatal("timed out waiting for outbound response")
+	}
+}
+
 func TestProcessMessage_CommandOutcomes(t *testing.T) {
 	tmpDir, err := os.MkdirTemp("", "agent-test-*")
 	if err != nil {