diff --git a/src/bub/channels/message.py b/src/bub/channels/message.py
index 3fd3f1ef..322d640d 100644
--- a/src/bub/channels/message.py
+++ b/src/bub/channels/message.py
@@ -46,6 +46,9 @@ class ChannelMessage:
     media: list[MediaItem] = field(default_factory=list)
     lifespan: contextlib.AbstractAsyncContextManager | None = None
     output_channel: str = ""
+    # What the sender wrote, for hooks that search or index messages, when ``content`` wraps it with channel
+    # metadata; ``None`` means ``content`` is that text.
+    text: str | None = None
 
     def __post_init__(self) -> None:
         self.context.update({"channel": "$" + self.channel, "chat_id": self.chat_id})
@@ -66,5 +69,8 @@ def from_batch(cls, batch: list[ChannelMessage]) -> ChannelMessage:
             raise ValueError("Batch cannot be empty")
         template = batch[-1]
         content = "\n".join(message.content for message in batch)
+        text = None
+        if any(message.text is not None for message in batch):
+            text = "\n".join(message.content if message.text is None else message.text for message in batch)
         media = [item for message in batch for item in message.media]
-        return replace(template, content=content, media=media)
+        return replace(template, content=content, media=media, text=text)
diff --git a/src/bub/channels/telegram.py b/src/bub/channels/telegram.py
index c455de4a..38e06d89 100644
--- a/src/bub/channels/telegram.py
+++ b/src/bub/channels/telegram.py
@@ -258,13 +258,15 @@ async def _build_message(self, message: Message) -> ChannelMessage:
             metadata["reply_to_message"] = reply_meta
             reply_media = _extract_media_items(reply_meta)
             media_items.extend(reply_media)
-        content = json.dumps({"message": content, **metadata}, ensure_ascii=False)
+        text = content
+        content = json.dumps({"message": text, **metadata}, ensure_ascii=False)
         is_active = MESSAGE_FILTER.filter(message) is not False
         return ChannelMessage(
             session_id=session_id,
             channel=self.name,
             chat_id=chat_id,
             content=content,
+            text=text,
             media=media_items,
             is_active=is_active,
             lifespan=self.start_typing(chat_id),
diff --git a/tests/test_channels.py b/tests/test_channels.py
index 2e17d965..5c271d43 100644
--- a/tests/test_channels.py
+++ b/tests/test_channels.py
@@ -317,6 +317,14 @@ async def receive(message: ChannelMessage) -> None:
     assert handled == [",help\nhello"]
 
 
+def test_channel_message_batch_joins_text_and_falls_back_to_content() -> None:
+    wrapped = ChannelMessage(session_id="telegram:42", channel="telegram", content='{"message": "hello"}', text="hello")
+    plain = ChannelMessage(session_id="telegram:42", channel="telegram", content="world")
+
+    assert ChannelMessage.from_batch([wrapped, plain]).text == "hello\nworld"
+    assert ChannelMessage.from_batch([plain, plain]).text is None
+
+
 @pytest.mark.asyncio
 async def test_channel_manager_dispatch_uses_output_channel_and_preserves_metadata(load_config) -> None:
     _load_channel_config(load_config, enabled_channels="cli")
@@ -1871,6 +1879,7 @@ async def test_telegram_channel_build_message_wraps_payload_and_disables_outboun
     assert result.is_active is True
     assert '"message": "hello"' in result.content
     assert '"reply_to_message"' in result.content
+    assert result.text == "hello"
     assert result.lifespan is not None