diff --git a/contact/message_handlers/bot_handler.py b/contact/message_handlers/bot_handler.py
index 374d2a3..4b88225 100644
--- a/contact/message_handlers/bot_handler.py
+++ b/contact/message_handlers/bot_handler.py
@@ -40,7 +40,8 @@ def bot_respond(packet: Dict[str, Any], message: str, send_channel: int) -> bool
         return False
     snr = packet.get('rxSnr', -128)
     rssi = packet.get('rxRssi', -128)
-    replyIDset = (packet.get('decoded') or {}).get('replyId', False)
+    incoming_reply_id = (packet.get('decoded') or {}).get('replyId')
+    packet_id = packet.get("id")
     hop_start = packet.get('hopStart', 0)
     hop_limit = packet.get('hopLimit', 0)
     transport_type = packet.get('transportMechanism', None)
@@ -53,8 +54,8 @@ def bot_respond(packet: Dict[str, Any], message: str, send_channel: int) -> bool
         details.append(f"RSSI: {rssi}")
     if hops != 0:
         details.append(f"Hops: {hops}")
-    if replyIDset:
-        details.append(f"Relay: {replyIDset}")
+    if incoming_reply_id:
+        details.append(f"Relay: {incoming_reply_id}")
     transport_text = str(transport_type).upper() if transport_type is not None else ""
     for transport_name in ("UDP", "MQTT"):
         if transport_name in transport_text:
@@ -72,7 +73,9 @@ def bot_respond(packet: Dict[str, Any], message: str, send_channel: int) -> bool
                 if not ui_state.bot_mode_enabled:
                     return
 
-                send_message(response_data_string,channel=send_channel)
+                # Use the triggering packet's ID so Meshtastic clients render this
+                # automatic response as a native reply when that ID is available.
+                send_message(response_data_string, channel=send_channel, reply_id=packet_id)
 
             # Import locally to avoid circular import at module import time.
             from contact.ui.contact_ui import request_ui_redraw
diff --git a/tests/test_bot_handler.py b/tests/test_bot_handler.py
index 250082c..ae73b91 100644
--- a/tests/test_bot_handler.py
+++ b/tests/test_bot_handler.py
@@ -5,6 +5,8 @@ import types
 from unittest import mock
 
 import contact.ui.default_config as config
+from contact.utilities.singleton import interface_state, ui_state
+from tests.test_support import reset_singletons
 
 
 class BotHandlerTests(unittest.TestCase):
@@ -16,6 +18,13 @@ class BotHandlerTests(unittest.TestCase):
         )
         cls.bot_handler = importlib.import_module("contact.message_handlers.bot_handler")
 
+    def setUp(self) -> None:
+        reset_singletons()
+        self.bot_handler.send_message.reset_mock()
+
+    def tearDown(self) -> None:
+        reset_singletons()
+
     def test_is_bot_message_uses_configured_catch_words(self) -> None:
         with mock.patch.object(config, "ping_bot_catch_words", "ping; test; pong"):
             self.assertTrue(self.bot_handler.is_bot_message("PING"))
@@ -26,6 +35,25 @@ class BotHandlerTests(unittest.TestCase):
         with mock.patch.object(config, "ping_bot_catch_words", " ;  ; "):
             self.assertTrue(self.bot_handler.is_bot_message("ping"))
 
+    def test_bot_response_replies_to_triggering_packet(self) -> None:
+        ui_state.bot_mode_enabled = True
+        interface_state.myNodeNum = 111
+        packet = {"id": 900, "from": 222, "decoded": {}}
+
+        with mock.patch.object(self.bot_handler.threading, "Thread") as thread:
+            self.assertTrue(self.bot_handler.bot_respond(packet, "ping", 0))
+            send_response = thread.call_args.kwargs["target"]
+            with mock.patch.object(self.bot_handler.time, "sleep"):
+                with mock.patch.dict(
+                    sys.modules,
+                    {"contact.ui.contact_ui": types.SimpleNamespace(request_ui_redraw=mock.Mock())},
+                ):
+                    send_response()
+
+        self.bot_handler.send_message.assert_called_once_with(
+            "Pong!", channel=0, reply_id=900
+        )
+
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
     unittest.main()