diff --git a/packages/cli/package.json b/packages/cli/package.json
index bbab5149..851ad6f3 100644
--- a/packages/cli/package.json
+++ b/packages/cli/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@openrouter/spawn",
-  "version": "0.17.2",
+  "version": "0.17.3",
   "type": "module",
   "bin": {
     "spawn": "cli.js"
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/shared/agent-setup.ts b/packages/cli/src/shared/agent-setup.ts
index caf57311..eafbf6b9 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/shared/agent-setup.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/shared/agent-setup.ts
@@ -368,7 +368,14 @@ async function setupOpenclawConfig(
   if (enabledSteps?.has("telegram")) {
     logStep("Setting up Telegram...");
     const envToken = process.env.TELEGRAM_BOT_TOKEN;
-    const trimmedToken = envToken?.trim() || (await prompt("Telegram bot token (from @BotFather): ")).trim();
+    if (!envToken) {
+      logInfo("To get a bot token:");
+      logInfo("  1. Open Telegram and search for @BotFather");
+      logInfo("  2. Send /newbot and follow the prompts");
+      logInfo("  3. Copy the token (looks like 123456:ABC-DEF...)");
+      logInfo("  Press Enter to skip if you don't have one yet.");
+    }
+    const trimmedToken = envToken?.trim() || (await prompt("Telegram bot token: ")).trim();
 
     if (trimmedToken) {
       const escapedBotToken = jsonEscape(trimmedToken);