diff --git a/config.py b/config.py
index bd7479a..cef379c 100644
--- a/config.py
+++ b/config.py
@@ -52,6 +52,9 @@ class Settings(BaseSettings):
     DATA_DIR: str = "/data"
     TG_PERSISTENCE_DIR: str = ""
 
+    # Telegram webhook — leave empty to use polling mode
+    WEBHOOK_BASE_URL: str = ""
+
     # BetterBot — site directories
     SITE_DIR: str = "/site"
     MEMORAIZ_DIR: str = "/memoraiz"
diff --git a/main.py b/main.py
index 3f5ac98..d8ef5a3 100644
--- a/main.py
+++ b/main.py
@@ -584,9 +584,13 @@ async def startup() -> None:
         # invoke it explicitly to register bot commands.
         if tg_app.post_init:
             await tg_app.post_init(tg_app)
-        base_url = f"https://code.bytesizeprotip.com/telegram/webhook/{webhook_secret()}"
-        await tg_app.bot.set_webhook(base_url, drop_pending_updates=True)
-        logger.info("Telegram webhook registered (dropped pending updates) at %s", base_url)
+        if settings.WEBHOOK_BASE_URL:
+            webhook_url = f"{settings.WEBHOOK_BASE_URL}/telegram/webhook/{webhook_secret()}"
+            await tg_app.bot.set_webhook(webhook_url, drop_pending_updates=True)
+            logger.info("Telegram webhook registered (dropped pending updates) at %s", webhook_url)
+        else:
+            await tg_app.updater.start_polling(drop_pending_updates=True)
+            logger.info("Telegram polling started (no WEBHOOK_BASE_URL configured)")
 
     # Start event polling background task (T027)
     import asyncio
@@ -597,6 +601,8 @@ async def startup() -> None:
 @app.on_event("shutdown")
 async def shutdown() -> None:
     if tg_app:
+        if tg_app.updater and tg_app.updater.running:
+            await tg_app.updater.stop()
         await tg_app.stop()
         await tg_app.shutdown()
     await copilot.stop()