diff --git a/src/telegram/bot-message-context.ts b/src/telegram/bot-message-context.ts
index 3ea805c944d..c3a2cfcdcb1 100644
--- a/src/telegram/bot-message-context.ts
+++ b/src/telegram/bot-message-context.ts
@@ -36,7 +36,12 @@ import { recordChannelActivity } from "../infra/channel-activity.js";
 import { resolveAgentRoute } from "../routing/resolve-route.js";
 import { resolveThreadSessionKeys } from "../routing/session-key.js";
 import { withTelegramApiErrorLogging } from "./api-logging.js";
-import { firstDefined, isSenderAllowed, normalizeAllowFromWithStore } from "./bot-access.js";
+import {
+  firstDefined,
+  isSenderAllowed,
+  normalizeAllowFrom,
+  normalizeAllowFromWithStore,
+} from "./bot-access.js";
 import {
   buildGroupLabel,
   buildSenderLabel,
@@ -189,11 +194,8 @@ export const buildTelegramMessageContext = async ({
   const mentionRegexes = buildMentionRegexes(cfg, route.agentId);
   const effectiveDmAllow = normalizeAllowFromWithStore({ allowFrom, storeAllowFrom, dmPolicy });
   const groupAllowOverride = firstDefined(topicConfig?.allowFrom, groupConfig?.allowFrom);
-  const effectiveGroupAllow = normalizeAllowFromWithStore({
-    allowFrom: groupAllowOverride ?? groupAllowFrom,
-    storeAllowFrom,
-    dmPolicy,
-  });
+  // Group sender checks are explicit and must not inherit DM pairing-store entries.
+  const effectiveGroupAllow = normalizeAllowFrom(groupAllowOverride ?? groupAllowFrom);
   const hasGroupAllowOverride = typeof groupAllowOverride !== "undefined";
   const senderId = msg.from?.id ? String(msg.from.id) : "";
   const senderUsername = msg.from?.username ?? "";
diff --git a/src/telegram/bot.create-telegram-bot.test.ts b/src/telegram/bot.create-telegram-bot.test.ts
index 942a1c6c2b3..4be6b0dcbf3 100644
--- a/src/telegram/bot.create-telegram-bot.test.ts
+++ b/src/telegram/bot.create-telegram-bot.test.ts
@@ -1416,6 +1416,30 @@ describe("createTelegramBot", () => {
       expect(replySpy.mock.calls.length, testCase.name).toBe(0);
     }
   });
+  it("blocks group sender not in groupAllowFrom even when sender is paired in DM store", async () => {
+    resetHarnessSpies();
+    loadConfig.mockReturnValue({
+      channels: {
+        telegram: {
+          groupPolicy: "allowlist",
+          groupAllowFrom: ["222222222"],
+          groups: { "*": { requireMention: false } },
+        },
+      },
+    });
+    readChannelAllowFromStore.mockResolvedValueOnce(["123456789"]);
+
+    await dispatchMessage({
+      message: {
+        chat: { id: -100123456789, type: "group", title: "Test Group" },
+        from: { id: 123456789, username: "testuser" },
+        text: "hello",
+        date: 1736380800,
+      },
+    });
+
+    expect(replySpy).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+  });
   it("allows control commands with TG-prefixed groupAllowFrom entries", async () => {
     loadConfig.mockReturnValue({
       channels: {
diff --git a/src/telegram/bot/helpers.ts b/src/telegram/bot/helpers.ts
index 493ad010082..0e41a7d0b28 100644
--- a/src/telegram/bot/helpers.ts
+++ b/src/telegram/bot/helpers.ts
@@ -3,11 +3,7 @@ import { formatLocationText, type NormalizedLocation } from "../../channels/loca
 import { resolveTelegramPreviewStreamMode } from "../../config/discord-preview-streaming.js";
 import type { TelegramGroupConfig, TelegramTopicConfig } from "../../config/types.js";
 import { readChannelAllowFromStore } from "../../pairing/pairing-store.js";
-import {
-  firstDefined,
-  normalizeAllowFromWithStore,
-  type NormalizedAllowFrom,
-} from "../bot-access.js";
+import { firstDefined, normalizeAllowFrom, type NormalizedAllowFrom } from "../bot-access.js";
 import type { TelegramStreamMode } from "./types.js";
 
 const TELEGRAM_GENERAL_TOPIC_ID = 1;
@@ -51,11 +47,9 @@ export async function resolveTelegramGroupAllowFromContext(params: {
     resolvedThreadId,
   );
   const groupAllowOverride = firstDefined(topicConfig?.allowFrom, groupConfig?.allowFrom);
-  const effectiveGroupAllow = normalizeAllowFromWithStore({
-    allowFrom: groupAllowOverride ?? params.groupAllowFrom,
-    storeAllowFrom,
-    dmPolicy: params.dmPolicy,
-  });
+  // Group sender access must remain explicit (groupAllowFrom/per-group allowFrom only).
+  // DM pairing store entries are not a group authorization source.
+  const effectiveGroupAllow = normalizeAllowFrom(groupAllowOverride ?? params.groupAllowFrom);
   const hasGroupAllowOverride = typeof groupAllowOverride !== "undefined";
   return {
     resolvedThreadId,