diff --git a/bot/bot.ts b/bot/bot.ts
index 7916162..ed82ce1 100644
--- a/bot/bot.ts
+++ b/bot/bot.ts
@@ -1524,10 +1524,19 @@ async function withSlowToolIndicator<T>(chatId: number, toolName: string, fn: ()
   if (!WIKI_TOOL_RE.test(toolName)) return fn();
   let placeholderId: number | null = null;
   let rotateTimer: ReturnType<typeof setInterval> | null = null;
+  let done = false;
   let phraseIdx = 0;
   const showTimer = setTimeout(async () => {
     try {
       const m = await bot.api.sendMessage(chatId, SLOW_TOOL_PHRASES[0]);
+      // fn() may have resolved while sendMessage was in flight — if so the
+      // finally block already ran and saw no placeholder/timer to clean up.
+      // Delete the just-sent message and bail instead of installing an
+      // orphaned rotation loop that nothing will ever clear.
+      if (done) {
+        try { await bot.api.deleteMessage(chatId, m.message_id); } catch { /* ignore */ }
+        return;
+      }
       placeholderId = m.message_id;
       rotateTimer = setInterval(async () => {
         phraseIdx = (phraseIdx + 1) % SLOW_TOOL_PHRASES.length;
@@ -1539,6 +1548,7 @@ async function withSlowToolIndicator<T>(chatId: number, toolName: string, fn: ()
   try {
     return await fn();
   } finally {
+    done = true;
     clearTimeout(showTimer);
     if (rotateTimer) clearInterval(rotateTimer);
     if (placeholderId != null) {