diff --git a/gateway/platforms/base.py b/gateway/platforms/base.py
index 2e9da3354..b3ddb8359 100644
--- a/gateway/platforms/base.py
+++ b/gateway/platforms/base.py
@@ -6,10 +6,11 @@ and implement the required methods.
 """
 
 import asyncio
+import re
 from abc import ABC, abstractmethod
 from dataclasses import dataclass, field
 from datetime import datetime
-from typing import Dict, List, Optional, Any, Callable, Awaitable
+from typing import Dict, List, Optional, Any, Callable, Awaitable, Tuple
 from enum import Enum
 
 import sys
@@ -177,6 +178,68 @@ class BasePlatformAdapter(ABC):
         """
         pass
     
+    async def send_image(
+        self,
+        chat_id: str,
+        image_url: str,
+        caption: Optional[str] = None,
+        reply_to: Optional[str] = None,
+    ) -> SendResult:
+        """
+        Send an image natively via the platform API.
+        
+        Override in subclasses to send images as proper attachments
+        instead of plain-text URLs. Default falls back to sending the
+        URL as a text message.
+        """
+        # Fallback: send URL as text (subclasses override for native images)
+        text = f"{caption}\n{image_url}" if caption else image_url
+        return await self.send(chat_id=chat_id, content=text, reply_to=reply_to)
+    
+    @staticmethod
+    def extract_images(content: str) -> Tuple[List[Tuple[str, str]], str]:
+        """
+        Extract image URLs from markdown and HTML image tags in a response.
+        
+        Finds patterns like:
+        - ![alt text](https://example.com/image.png)
+        - <img src="https://example.com/image.png">
+        - <img src="https://example.com/image.png"></img>
+        
+        Args:
+            content: The response text to scan.
+        
+        Returns:
+            Tuple of (list of (url, alt_text) pairs, cleaned content with image tags removed).
+        """
+        images = []
+        cleaned = content
+        
+        # Match markdown images: ![alt](url)
+        md_pattern = r'!\[([^\]]*)\]\((https?://[^\s\)]+)\)'
+        for match in re.finditer(md_pattern, content):
+            alt_text = match.group(1)
+            url = match.group(2)
+            # Only extract URLs that look like actual images
+            if any(url.lower().endswith(ext) or ext in url.lower() for ext in
+                   ['.png', '.jpg', '.jpeg', '.gif', '.webp', 'fal.media', 'fal-cdn', 'replicate.delivery']):
+                images.append((url, alt_text))
+        
+        # Match HTML img tags: <img src="url"> or <img src="url"></img> or <img src="url"/>
+        html_pattern = r'<img\s+src=["\']?(https?://[^\s"\'<>]+)["\']?\s*/?>\s*(?:</img>)?'
+        for match in re.finditer(html_pattern, content):
+            url = match.group(1)
+            images.append((url, ""))
+        
+        # Remove matched image tags from content if we found images
+        if images:
+            cleaned = re.sub(md_pattern, '', cleaned)
+            cleaned = re.sub(html_pattern, '', cleaned)
+            # Clean up leftover blank lines
+            cleaned = re.sub(r'\n{3,}', '\n\n', cleaned).strip()
+        
+        return images, cleaned
+    
     async def _keep_typing(self, chat_id: str, interval: float = 2.0) -> None:
         """
         Continuously send typing indicator until cancelled.
@@ -231,23 +294,41 @@ class BasePlatformAdapter(ABC):
             
             # Send response if any
             if response:
-                result = await self.send(
-                    chat_id=event.source.chat_id,
-                    content=response,
-                    reply_to=event.message_id
-                )
+                # Extract image URLs and send them as native platform attachments
+                images, text_content = self.extract_images(response)
                 
-                # Log send failures (don't raise - user already saw tool progress)
-                if not result.success:
-                    print(f"[{self.name}] Failed to send response: {result.error}")
-                    # Try sending without markdown as fallback
-                    fallback_result = await self.send(
+                # Send the text portion first (if any remains after extracting images)
+                if text_content:
+                    result = await self.send(
                         chat_id=event.source.chat_id,
-                        content=f"(Response formatting failed, plain text:)\n\n{response[:3500]}",
+                        content=text_content,
                         reply_to=event.message_id
                     )
-                    if not fallback_result.success:
-                        print(f"[{self.name}] Fallback send also failed: {fallback_result.error}")
+                    
+                    # Log send failures (don't raise - user already saw tool progress)
+                    if not result.success:
+                        print(f"[{self.name}] Failed to send response: {result.error}")
+                        # Try sending without markdown as fallback
+                        fallback_result = await self.send(
+                            chat_id=event.source.chat_id,
+                            content=f"(Response formatting failed, plain text:)\n\n{text_content[:3500]}",
+                            reply_to=event.message_id
+                        )
+                        if not fallback_result.success:
+                            print(f"[{self.name}] Fallback send also failed: {fallback_result.error}")
+                
+                # Send extracted images as native attachments
+                for image_url, alt_text in images:
+                    try:
+                        img_result = await self.send_image(
+                            chat_id=event.source.chat_id,
+                            image_url=image_url,
+                            caption=alt_text if alt_text else None,
+                        )
+                        if not img_result.success:
+                            print(f"[{self.name}] Failed to send image: {img_result.error}")
+                    except Exception as img_err:
+                        print(f"[{self.name}] Error sending image: {img_err}")
             
             # Check if there's a pending message that was queued during our processing
             if session_key in self._pending_messages:
diff --git a/gateway/platforms/discord.py b/gateway/platforms/discord.py
index 345b19899..0d0cc9e25 100644
--- a/gateway/platforms/discord.py
+++ b/gateway/platforms/discord.py
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ Uses discord.py library for:
 """
 
 import asyncio
+import os
 from typing import Dict, List, Optional, Any
 
 try:
@@ -173,6 +174,61 @@ class DiscordAdapter(BasePlatformAdapter):
         except Exception as e:
             return SendResult(success=False, error=str(e))
     
+    async def send_image(
+        self,
+        chat_id: str,
+        image_url: str,
+        caption: Optional[str] = None,
+        reply_to: Optional[str] = None,
+    ) -> SendResult:
+        """Send an image natively as a Discord file attachment."""
+        if not self._client:
+            return SendResult(success=False, error="Not connected")
+        
+        try:
+            import aiohttp
+            
+            channel = self._client.get_channel(int(chat_id))
+            if not channel:
+                channel = await self._client.fetch_channel(int(chat_id))
+            if not channel:
+                return SendResult(success=False, error=f"Channel {chat_id} not found")
+            
+            # Download the image and send as a Discord file attachment
+            # (Discord renders attachments inline, unlike plain URLs)
+            async with aiohttp.ClientSession() as session:
+                async with session.get(image_url, timeout=aiohttp.ClientTimeout(total=30)) as resp:
+                    if resp.status != 200:
+                        raise Exception(f"Failed to download image: HTTP {resp.status}")
+                    
+                    image_data = await resp.read()
+                    
+                    # Determine filename from URL or content type
+                    content_type = resp.headers.get("content-type", "image/png")
+                    ext = "png"
+                    if "jpeg" in content_type or "jpg" in content_type:
+                        ext = "jpg"
+                    elif "gif" in content_type:
+                        ext = "gif"
+                    elif "webp" in content_type:
+                        ext = "webp"
+                    
+                    import io
+                    file = discord.File(io.BytesIO(image_data), filename=f"image.{ext}")
+                    
+                    msg = await channel.send(
+                        content=caption if caption else None,
+                        file=file,
+                    )
+                    return SendResult(success=True, message_id=str(msg.id))
+        
+        except ImportError:
+            print(f"[{self.name}] aiohttp not installed, falling back to URL. Run: pip install aiohttp")
+            return await super().send_image(chat_id, image_url, caption, reply_to)
+        except Exception as e:
+            print(f"[{self.name}] Failed to send image attachment, falling back to URL: {e}")
+            return await super().send_image(chat_id, image_url, caption, reply_to)
+    
     async def send_typing(self, chat_id: str) -> None:
         """Send typing indicator."""
         if self._client:
@@ -232,6 +288,36 @@ class DiscordAdapter(BasePlatformAdapter):
     
     async def _handle_message(self, message: DiscordMessage) -> None:
         """Handle incoming Discord messages."""
+        # In server channels (not DMs), require the bot to be @mentioned
+        # UNLESS the channel is in the free-response list.
+        #
+        # Config:
+        #   DISCORD_FREE_RESPONSE_CHANNELS: Comma-separated channel IDs where the
+        #       bot responds to every message without needing a mention.
+        #   DISCORD_REQUIRE_MENTION: Set to "false" to disable mention requirement
+        #       globally (all channels become free-response). Default: "true".
+        
+        if not isinstance(message.channel, discord.DMChannel):
+            # Check if this channel is in the free-response list
+            free_channels_raw = os.getenv("DISCORD_FREE_RESPONSE_CHANNELS", "")
+            free_channels = {ch.strip() for ch in free_channels_raw.split(",") if ch.strip()}
+            channel_id = str(message.channel.id)
+            
+            # Global override: if DISCORD_REQUIRE_MENTION=false, all channels are free
+            require_mention = os.getenv("DISCORD_REQUIRE_MENTION", "true").lower() not in ("false", "0", "no")
+            
+            is_free_channel = channel_id in free_channels
+            
+            if require_mention and not is_free_channel:
+                # Must be @mentioned to respond
+                if self._client.user not in message.mentions:
+                    return  # Silently ignore messages that don't mention the bot
+            
+            # Strip the bot mention from the message text so the agent sees clean input
+            if self._client.user and self._client.user in message.mentions:
+                message.content = message.content.replace(f"<@{self._client.user.id}>", "").strip()
+                message.content = message.content.replace(f"<@!{self._client.user.id}>", "").strip()
+        
         # Determine message type
         msg_type = MessageType.TEXT
         if message.content.startswith("/"):
diff --git a/gateway/platforms/telegram.py b/gateway/platforms/telegram.py
index 10c67c96b..8cd8fc2fe 100644
--- a/gateway/platforms/telegram.py
+++ b/gateway/platforms/telegram.py
@@ -174,6 +174,31 @@ class TelegramAdapter(BasePlatformAdapter):
         except Exception as e:
             return SendResult(success=False, error=str(e))
     
+    async def send_image(
+        self,
+        chat_id: str,
+        image_url: str,
+        caption: Optional[str] = None,
+        reply_to: Optional[str] = None,
+    ) -> SendResult:
+        """Send an image natively as a Telegram photo."""
+        if not self._bot:
+            return SendResult(success=False, error="Not connected")
+        
+        try:
+            # Telegram can send photos directly from URLs
+            msg = await self._bot.send_photo(
+                chat_id=int(chat_id),
+                photo=image_url,
+                caption=caption[:1024] if caption else None,  # Telegram caption limit
+                reply_to_message_id=int(reply_to) if reply_to else None,
+            )
+            return SendResult(success=True, message_id=str(msg.message_id))
+        except Exception as e:
+            print(f"[{self.name}] Failed to send photo, falling back to URL: {e}")
+            # Fallback: send as text link
+            return await super().send_image(chat_id, image_url, caption, reply_to)
+    
     async def send_typing(self, chat_id: str) -> None:
         """Send typing indicator."""
         if self._bot:
diff --git a/model_tools.py b/model_tools.py
index b5035ab32..f0250ee21 100644
--- a/model_tools.py
+++ b/model_tools.py
@@ -392,7 +392,7 @@ def get_image_tool_definitions() -> List[Dict[str, Any]]:
             "type": "function",
             "function": {
                 "name": "image_generate",
-                "description": "Generate high-quality images from text prompts using FLUX 2 Pro model with automatic 2x upscaling. Creates detailed, artistic images that are automatically upscaled for hi-rez results. Returns a single upscaled image URL that can be displayed using <img src=\"{URL}\"></img> tags.",
+                "description": "Generate high-quality images from text prompts using FLUX 2 Pro model with automatic 2x upscaling. Creates detailed, artistic images that are automatically upscaled for hi-rez results. Returns a single upscaled image URL. Display it using markdown: ![description](URL)",
                 "parameters": {
                     "type": "object",
                     "properties": {