diff --git a/src/telegram/bot.create-telegram-bot.test.ts b/src/telegram/bot.create-telegram-bot.test.ts
index ad304efdeab..942a1c6c2b3 100644
--- a/src/telegram/bot.create-telegram-bot.test.ts
+++ b/src/telegram/bot.create-telegram-bot.test.ts
@@ -813,6 +813,29 @@ describe("createTelegramBot", () => {
       },
       expectedReplyCount: 1,
     },
+    {
+      name: "blocks group messages when per-group allowFrom override is explicitly empty",
+      config: {
+        channels: {
+          telegram: {
+            groupPolicy: "open",
+            groups: {
+              "-100123456789": {
+                allowFrom: [],
+                requireMention: false,
+              },
+            },
+          },
+        },
+      },
+      message: {
+        chat: { id: -100123456789, type: "group", title: "Test Group" },
+        from: { id: 999999, username: "random" },
+        text: "hello",
+        date: 1736380800,
+      },
+      expectedReplyCount: 0,
+    },
     {
       name: "allows all group messages when groupPolicy is 'open'",
       config: {
diff --git a/src/telegram/group-access.base-access.test.ts b/src/telegram/group-access.base-access.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..d8d559feab4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/telegram/group-access.base-access.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,56 @@
+import { describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
+import type { NormalizedAllowFrom } from "./bot-access.js";
+import { evaluateTelegramGroupBaseAccess } from "./group-access.js";
+
+function allow(entries: string[], hasWildcard = false): NormalizedAllowFrom {
+  return {
+    entries,
+    hasWildcard,
+    hasEntries: entries.length > 0 || hasWildcard,
+    invalidEntries: [],
+  };
+}
+
+describe("evaluateTelegramGroupBaseAccess", () => {
+  it("fails closed when explicit group allowFrom override is empty", () => {
+    const result = evaluateTelegramGroupBaseAccess({
+      isGroup: true,
+      hasGroupAllowOverride: true,
+      effectiveGroupAllow: allow([]),
+      senderId: "12345",
+      senderUsername: "tester",
+      enforceAllowOverride: true,
+      requireSenderForAllowOverride: true,
+    });
+
+    expect(result).toEqual({ allowed: false, reason: "group-override-unauthorized" });
+  });
+
+  it("allows group message when override is not configured", () => {
+    const result = evaluateTelegramGroupBaseAccess({
+      isGroup: true,
+      hasGroupAllowOverride: false,
+      effectiveGroupAllow: allow([]),
+      senderId: "12345",
+      senderUsername: "tester",
+      enforceAllowOverride: true,
+      requireSenderForAllowOverride: true,
+    });
+
+    expect(result).toEqual({ allowed: true });
+  });
+
+  it("allows sender explicitly listed in override", () => {
+    const result = evaluateTelegramGroupBaseAccess({
+      isGroup: true,
+      hasGroupAllowOverride: true,
+      effectiveGroupAllow: allow(["12345"]),
+      senderId: "12345",
+      senderUsername: "tester",
+      enforceAllowOverride: true,
+      requireSenderForAllowOverride: true,
+    });
+
+    expect(result).toEqual({ allowed: true });
+  });
+});
diff --git a/src/telegram/group-access.ts b/src/telegram/group-access.ts
index dcd0dd2ef6e..1702277da6b 100644
--- a/src/telegram/group-access.ts
+++ b/src/telegram/group-access.ts
@@ -42,6 +42,11 @@ export const evaluateTelegramGroupBaseAccess = (params: {
     return { allowed: true };
   }
 
+  // Explicit per-group/topic allowFrom override must fail closed when empty.
+  if (!params.effectiveGroupAllow.hasEntries) {
+    return { allowed: false, reason: "group-override-unauthorized" };
+  }
+
   const senderId = params.senderId ?? "";
   if (params.requireSenderForAllowOverride && !senderId) {
     return { allowed: false, reason: "group-override-unauthorized" };