diff --git a/nanobot/channels/telegram.py b/nanobot/channels/telegram.py
index 3ba84c6c6..f6abb056a 100644
--- a/nanobot/channels/telegram.py
+++ b/nanobot/channels/telegram.py
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ from typing import Any, Literal
 from loguru import logger
 from pydantic import Field
 from telegram import BotCommand, ReactionTypeEmoji, ReplyParameters, Update
-from telegram.error import BadRequest, TimedOut
+from telegram.error import BadRequest, NetworkError, TimedOut
 from telegram.ext import Application, CommandHandler, ContextTypes, MessageHandler, filters
 from telegram.request import HTTPXRequest
 
@@ -325,7 +325,8 @@ class TelegramChannel(BaseChannel):
         # Start polling (this runs until stopped)
         await self._app.updater.start_polling(
             allowed_updates=["message"],
-            drop_pending_updates=False  # Process pending messages on startup
+            drop_pending_updates=False,  # Process pending messages on startup
+            error_callback=self._on_polling_error,
         )
 
         # Keep running until stopped
@@ -974,14 +975,36 @@ class TelegramChannel(BaseChannel):
         except Exception as e:
             logger.debug("Typing indicator stopped for {}: {}", chat_id, e)
 
+    @staticmethod
+    def _format_telegram_error(exc: Exception) -> str:
+        """Return a short, readable error summary for logs."""
+        text = str(exc).strip()
+        if text:
+            return text
+        if exc.__cause__ is not None:
+            cause = exc.__cause__
+            cause_text = str(cause).strip()
+            if cause_text:
+                return f"{exc.__class__.__name__} ({cause_text})"
+            return f"{exc.__class__.__name__} ({cause.__class__.__name__})"
+        return exc.__class__.__name__
+
+    def _on_polling_error(self, exc: Exception) -> None:
+        """Keep long-polling network failures to a single readable line."""
+        summary = self._format_telegram_error(exc)
+        if isinstance(exc, (NetworkError, TimedOut)):
+            logger.warning("Telegram polling network issue: {}", summary)
+        else:
+            logger.error("Telegram polling error: {}", summary)
+
     async def _on_error(self, update: object, context: ContextTypes.DEFAULT_TYPE) -> None:
         """Log polling / handler errors instead of silently swallowing them."""
-        from telegram.error import NetworkError, TimedOut
-        
+        summary = self._format_telegram_error(context.error)
+
         if isinstance(context.error, (NetworkError, TimedOut)):
-            logger.warning("Telegram network issue: {}", str(context.error))
+            logger.warning("Telegram network issue: {}", summary)
         else:
-            logger.error("Telegram error: {}", context.error)
+            logger.error("Telegram error: {}", summary)
 
     def _get_extension(
         self,
diff --git a/tests/channels/test_telegram_channel.py b/tests/channels/test_telegram_channel.py
index b5e74152b..21ceb5f63 100644
--- a/tests/channels/test_telegram_channel.py
+++ b/tests/channels/test_telegram_channel.py
@@ -32,8 +32,10 @@ class _FakeHTTPXRequest:
 class _FakeUpdater:
     def __init__(self, on_start_polling) -> None:
         self._on_start_polling = on_start_polling
+        self.start_polling_kwargs = None
 
     async def start_polling(self, **kwargs) -> None:
+        self.start_polling_kwargs = kwargs
         self._on_start_polling()
 
 
@@ -184,6 +186,7 @@ async def test_start_creates_separate_pools_with_proxy(monkeypatch) -> None:
     assert poll_req.kwargs["connection_pool_size"] == 4
     assert builder.request_value is api_req
     assert builder.get_updates_request_value is poll_req
+    assert callable(app.updater.start_polling_kwargs["error_callback"])
     assert any(cmd.command == "status" for cmd in app.bot.commands)
     assert any(cmd.command == "dream" for cmd in app.bot.commands)
     assert any(cmd.command == "dream-log" for cmd in app.bot.commands)
@@ -307,6 +310,26 @@ async def test_on_error_logs_network_issues_as_warning(monkeypatch) -> None:
     assert recorded == [("warning", "Telegram network issue: proxy disconnected")]
 
 
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_on_error_summarizes_empty_network_error(monkeypatch) -> None:
+    from telegram.error import NetworkError
+
+    channel = TelegramChannel(
+        TelegramConfig(enabled=True, token="123:abc", allow_from=["*"]),
+        MessageBus(),
+    )
+    recorded: list[tuple[str, str]] = []
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(
+        "nanobot.channels.telegram.logger.warning",
+        lambda message, error: recorded.append(("warning", message.format(error))),
+    )
+
+    await channel._on_error(object(), SimpleNamespace(error=NetworkError("")))
+
+    assert recorded == [("warning", "Telegram network issue: NetworkError")]
+
+
 @pytest.mark.asyncio
 async def test_on_error_keeps_non_network_exceptions_as_error(monkeypatch) -> None:
     channel = TelegramChannel(