diff --git a/app/app.py b/app/app.py
index 35e856f..ffb1fb4 100644
--- a/app/app.py
+++ b/app/app.py
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ from datetime import datetime
 from typing import Dict, List, Optional
 
 import logging
+import httpx
 from fastapi import FastAPI, UploadFile, WebSocket, WebSocketDisconnect, Request, Form
 from fastapi.responses import HTMLResponse, JSONResponse, FileResponse, RedirectResponse, Response
 from fastapi.middleware.cors import CORSMiddleware
@@ -170,6 +171,68 @@ class SessionHub:
 
 hub = SessionHub()
 
+# ---------- Telegram Bot ----------
+
+TELEGRAM_API_URL = f"https://api.telegram.org/bot{SETTINGS.telegram_bot_api_key}"
+TELEGRAM_OWNER_ID = SETTINGS.telegram_bot_owner_id
+
+async def send_telegram_message(chat_id: str, text: str):
+    """Send a message via Telegram bot."""
+    if not SETTINGS.telegram_bot_api_key:
+        return
+    async with httpx.AsyncClient() as client:
+        try:
+            await client.post(f"{TELEGRAM_API_URL}/sendMessage", json={"chat_id": chat_id, "text": text})
+            logger.info("Sent Telegram message to %s", chat_id)
+        except Exception as e:
+            logger.error("Failed to send Telegram message: %s", e)
+
+async def handle_telegram_update(update: dict):
+    """Process a single Telegram update."""
+    if "message" not in update:
+        return
+    message = update["message"]
+    chat_id = message.get("chat", {}).get("id")
+    from_id = message.get("from", {}).get("id")
+    text = message.get("text", "")
+
+    if str(from_id) != TELEGRAM_OWNER_ID:
+        logger.warning("Ignoring Telegram message from non-owner: %s", from_id)
+        return
+
+    if text == "/start":
+        await send_telegram_message(str(chat_id), "File Drop Bot active.")
+
+async def poll_telegram_updates():
+    """Poll for Telegram updates and process them."""
+    if not SETTINGS.telegram_bot_api_key or not TELEGRAM_OWNER_ID:
+        logger.info("Telegram bot not configured, skipping polling.")
+        return
+    
+    update_offset = 0
+    async with httpx.AsyncClient(timeout=35) as client:
+        while True:
+            try:
+                response = await client.get(
+                    f"{TELEGRAM_API_URL}/getUpdates",
+                    params={"offset": update_offset, "timeout": 30}
+                )
+                updates = response.json().get("result", [])
+                for update in updates:
+                    await handle_telegram_update(update)
+                    update_offset = update["update_id"] + 1
+            except Exception as e:
+                logger.error("Error polling Telegram updates: %s", e)
+                await asyncio.sleep(10) # wait before retrying on error
+
+@app.on_event("startup")
+async def startup_event():
+    """On app startup, send boot message and start polling."""
+    if SETTINGS.telegram_bot_api_key and TELEGRAM_OWNER_ID:
+        await send_telegram_message(TELEGRAM_OWNER_ID, "File Drop Bot booted up.")
+        asyncio.create_task(poll_telegram_updates())
+
+
 # ---------- Helpers ----------
 
 def sha1_hex(file_bytes: bytes) -> str:
diff --git a/app/config.py b/app/config.py
index 5c1bc10..68e9396 100644
--- a/app/config.py
+++ b/app/config.py
@@ -25,6 +25,8 @@ class Settings:
     chunked_uploads_enabled: bool = False
     chunk_size_mb: int = 95
     timezone: str = "UTC"
+    telegram_bot_api_key: str = ""
+    telegram_bot_owner_id: str = ""
 
 def _hash_password(pw: str) -> str:
     """Return PBKDF2-SHA256 hash of a password."""
@@ -74,6 +76,8 @@ def load_settings() -> Settings:
     except ValueError:
         chunk_size_mb = 95
     timezone = os.getenv("TIMEZONE", "UTC")
+    telegram_bot_api_key = os.getenv("TELEGRAM_BOT_API_KEY", "")
+    telegram_bot_owner_id = os.getenv("TELEGRAM_BOT_OWNER_ID", "")
     return Settings(
         admin_password=admin_password,
         max_concurrent=maxc,
@@ -85,4 +89,6 @@ def load_settings() -> Settings:
         chunked_uploads_enabled=chunked_uploads_enabled,
         chunk_size_mb=chunk_size_mb,
         timezone=timezone,
+        telegram_bot_api_key=telegram_bot_api_key,
+        telegram_bot_owner_id=telegram_bot_owner_id,
     )