diff --git a/internal/channels/telegram/factory.go b/internal/channels/telegram/factory.go
index 7bf16f46..a9a6155c 100644
--- a/internal/channels/telegram/factory.go
+++ b/internal/channels/telegram/factory.go
@@ -20,26 +20,27 @@ type telegramCreds struct {
 
 // telegramInstanceConfig maps the non-secret config JSONB from the channel_instances table.
 type telegramInstanceConfig struct {
-	APIServer         string                     `json:"api_server,omitempty"`
-	Proxy             string                     `json:"proxy,omitempty"`
-	DMPolicy          string                     `json:"dm_policy,omitempty"`
-	GroupPolicy       string                     `json:"group_policy,omitempty"`
-	RequireMention    *bool                      `json:"require_mention,omitempty"`
-	MentionMode       string                     `json:"mention_mode,omitempty"`
-	HistoryLimit      int                        `json:"history_limit,omitempty"`
-	DMStream          *bool                      `json:"dm_stream,omitempty"`
-	GroupStream       *bool                      `json:"group_stream,omitempty"`
-	DraftTransport    *bool                      `json:"draft_transport,omitempty"` // sendMessageDraft for DM streaming (default true)
-	ReasoningDelivery string                     `json:"reasoning_delivery,omitempty"`
-	ReasoningStream   *bool                      `json:"reasoning_stream,omitempty"` // show reasoning as separate message (default true)
-	ReactionLevel     string                     `json:"reaction_level,omitempty"`
-	MediaMaxMB        int64                      `json:"media_max_mb,omitempty"`
-	MediaMaxBytes     int64                      `json:"media_max_bytes,omitempty"` // deprecated: use media_max_mb
-	LinkPreview       *bool                      `json:"link_preview,omitempty"`
-	BlockReply        *bool                      `json:"block_reply,omitempty"`
-	ChatBehavior      *config.ChatBehaviorConfig `json:"chat_behavior,omitempty"`
-	ForceIPv4         bool                       `json:"force_ipv4,omitempty"`
-	AllowFrom         []string                   `json:"allow_from,omitempty"`
+	APIServer         string                                 `json:"api_server,omitempty"`
+	Proxy             string                                 `json:"proxy,omitempty"`
+	DMPolicy          string                                 `json:"dm_policy,omitempty"`
+	GroupPolicy       string                                 `json:"group_policy,omitempty"`
+	RequireMention    *bool                                  `json:"require_mention,omitempty"`
+	MentionMode       string                                 `json:"mention_mode,omitempty"`
+	HistoryLimit      int                                    `json:"history_limit,omitempty"`
+	DMStream          *bool                                  `json:"dm_stream,omitempty"`
+	GroupStream       *bool                                  `json:"group_stream,omitempty"`
+	DraftTransport    *bool                                  `json:"draft_transport,omitempty"` // sendMessageDraft for DM streaming (default true)
+	ReasoningDelivery string                                 `json:"reasoning_delivery,omitempty"`
+	ReasoningStream   *bool                                  `json:"reasoning_stream,omitempty"` // show reasoning as separate message (default true)
+	ReactionLevel     string                                 `json:"reaction_level,omitempty"`
+	MediaMaxMB        int64                                  `json:"media_max_mb,omitempty"`
+	MediaMaxBytes     int64                                  `json:"media_max_bytes,omitempty"` // deprecated: use media_max_mb
+	LinkPreview       *bool                                  `json:"link_preview,omitempty"`
+	BlockReply        *bool                                  `json:"block_reply,omitempty"`
+	ChatBehavior      *config.ChatBehaviorConfig             `json:"chat_behavior,omitempty"`
+	ForceIPv4         bool                                   `json:"force_ipv4,omitempty"`
+	AllowFrom         []string                               `json:"allow_from,omitempty"`
+	Groups            map[string]*config.TelegramGroupConfig `json:"groups,omitempty"`
 }
 
 // Factory creates a Telegram channel from DB instance data (no extra stores).
@@ -119,6 +120,7 @@ func buildChannel(name string, creds json.RawMessage, cfg json.RawMessage,
 		BlockReply:        ic.BlockReply,
 		ChatBehavior:      ic.ChatBehavior,
 		ForceIPv4:         ic.ForceIPv4,
+		Groups:            ic.Groups,
 	}
 
 	// DB instances default to "pairing" for groups (secure by default).
diff --git a/internal/channels/telegram/factory_test.go b/internal/channels/telegram/factory_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..6ea72cf6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/channels/telegram/factory_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,73 @@
+package telegram
+
+import (
+	"encoding/json"
+	"testing"
+)
+
+const validBotToken = "123456:abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyzABCDE1234"
+
+func TestFactory_PropagatesGroupsAndTopics(t *testing.T) {
+	creds := json.RawMessage(`{"token":"` + validBotToken + `"}`)
+	cfg := json.RawMessage(`{
+		"groups": {
+			"-1003957927661": {
+				"enabled": false,
+				"topics": {
+					"13": { "enabled": true }
+				}
+			}
+		}
+	}`)
+
+	ch, err := Factory("telegram-test", creds, cfg, nil, nil)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("Factory: %v", err)
+	}
+	tg, ok := ch.(*Channel)
+	if !ok {
+		t.Fatalf("Factory returned %T, want *Channel", ch)
+	}
+
+	if tg.config.Groups == nil {
+		t.Fatal("config.Groups is nil — dashboard groups/topics payload was dropped on unmarshal")
+	}
+	group, ok := tg.config.Groups["-1003957927661"]
+	if !ok || group == nil {
+		t.Fatal("group -1003957927661 missing from resolved config")
+	}
+	if group.Enabled == nil || *group.Enabled != false {
+		t.Errorf("group.Enabled = %v, want false", group.Enabled)
+	}
+
+	allowed := resolveTopicConfig(tg.config, "-1003957927661", 13)
+	if !allowed.isEnabled() {
+		t.Error("topic 13: isEnabled() = false, want true")
+	}
+	other := resolveTopicConfig(tg.config, "-1003957927661", 99)
+	if other.isEnabled() {
+		t.Error("topic 99: isEnabled() = true, want false")
+	}
+	general := resolveTopicConfig(tg.config, "-1003957927661", telegramGeneralTopicID)
+	if general.isEnabled() {
+		t.Error("General topic: isEnabled() = true, want false")
+	}
+}
+
+func TestFactory_NilGroupsWhenAbsent(t *testing.T) {
+	creds := json.RawMessage(`{"token":"` + validBotToken + `"}`)
+	cfg := json.RawMessage(`{"group_policy":"open"}`)
+
+	ch, err := Factory("telegram-test", creds, cfg, nil, nil)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("Factory: %v", err)
+	}
+	tg := ch.(*Channel)
+	if tg.config.Groups != nil {
+		t.Errorf("config.Groups = %v, want nil when groups absent", tg.config.Groups)
+	}
+	def := resolveTopicConfig(tg.config, "-100123", 0)
+	if !def.isEnabled() {
+		t.Error("isEnabled() = false, want true by default when no overrides set")
+	}
+}