diff --git a/internal/delivery/telegramsink/intake_test.go b/internal/delivery/telegramsink/intake_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..780336d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/delivery/telegramsink/intake_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,201 @@
+package telegramsink
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"encoding/json"
+	"errors"
+	"strings"
+	"testing"
+)
+
+// The turn he types in the chat is the turn the web would run, and the reply
+// carries the one gesture beside it.
+func TestIntakeRunsTheTurnAndOffersTheCorrection(t *testing.T) {
+	b := newFakeBot(t)
+	rec := &recorder{reply: "поняла", traceID: 91}
+	p := newTestPoller(t, b, rec)
+
+	p.handle(context.Background(), msg(ownerChat, "  поужинал  "))
+
+	if got := rec.took(); len(got) != 1 || got[0] != "поужинал" {
+		t.Fatalf("turns %q, want the trimmed utterance once", got)
+	}
+	// The dialogue is keyed per chat, so a clarify asked here is not answered on
+	// the web.
+	if rec.conversation != "telegram:"+ownerChat {
+		t.Errorf("conversation %q does not name the chat", rec.conversation)
+	}
+	sends := b.called("sendMessage")
+	if len(sends) != 1 {
+		t.Fatalf("%d sends, want 1", len(sends))
+	}
+	if sends[0].body["text"] != "поняла" {
+		t.Errorf("sent %v, want the reply", sends[0].body["text"])
+	}
+	if sends[0].body["protect_content"] != true {
+		t.Error("his own data went out forwardable")
+	}
+	kb, _ := json.Marshal(sends[0].body["reply_markup"])
+	if !strings.Contains(string(kb), "w:91") {
+		t.Errorf("keyboard %s does not point at the turn's trace", kb)
+	}
+}
+
+// A turn nothing persisted has no row to correct, and a button that would name
+// one reports a failure he cannot act on.
+func TestIntakeSkipsTheGestureWithNoTrace(t *testing.T) {
+	b := newFakeBot(t)
+	p := newTestPoller(t, b, &recorder{reply: "поняла", traceID: 0})
+
+	p.handle(context.Background(), msg(ownerChat, "привет"))
+
+	sends := b.called("sendMessage")
+	if len(sends) != 1 {
+		t.Fatalf("%d sends, want 1", len(sends))
+	}
+	if _, ok := sends[0].body["reply_markup"]; ok {
+		t.Error("offered a correction on a turn with no trace")
+	}
+}
+
+// One chat, and a stranger is not answered at all: a reply confirms the bot
+// exists and whose it is.
+func TestIntakeIgnoresAnyOtherChat(t *testing.T) {
+	b := newFakeBot(t)
+	rec := &recorder{reply: "поняла", traceID: 5}
+	p := newTestPoller(t, b, rec)
+
+	p.handle(context.Background(), msg("9999", "включи свет"))
+	p.handle(context.Background(), update{UpdateID: 8, CallbackQuery: &callbackQuery{
+		ID: "cb", Data: "t:5:note", Message: message{Chat: chat{ID: json.Number("9999")}},
+	}})
+
+	if got := rec.took(); len(got) != 0 {
+		t.Errorf("ran %q for a chat that is not the owner's", got)
+	}
+	if len(rec.corrections) != 0 {
+		t.Errorf("wrote %v from a chat that is not the owner's", rec.corrections)
+	}
+	if len(b.calls) != 0 {
+		t.Errorf("answered a stranger: %v", b.calls)
+	}
+}
+
+// Tapping "не то" opens the seven and writes nothing yet. The target is worth
+// much more than the negative, so it must not be spent before he can name it.
+func TestIntakeFirstTapOnlyOpensTheTargets(t *testing.T) {
+	b := newFakeBot(t)
+	rec := &recorder{}
+	p := newTestPoller(t, b, rec)
+
+	p.handle(context.Background(), update{UpdateID: 9, CallbackQuery: &callbackQuery{
+		ID: "cb", Data: "w:77", Message: message{MessageID: 11, Chat: chat{ID: json.Number(ownerChat)}},
+	}})
+
+	if len(rec.corrections) != 0 {
+		t.Fatalf("wrote %v before he named a target", rec.corrections)
+	}
+	if len(b.called("answerCallbackQuery")) != 1 {
+		t.Error("left the clock spinning on the button")
+	}
+	edits := b.called("editMessageReplyMarkup")
+	if len(edits) != 1 {
+		t.Fatalf("%d edits, want the target row", len(edits))
+	}
+	kb, _ := json.Marshal(edits[0].body["reply_markup"])
+	for _, want := range CorrectionTargets {
+		if !strings.Contains(string(kb), `"`+want+`"`) {
+			t.Errorf("target row %s is missing %s", kb, want)
+		}
+	}
+	// And the way out, because he opened the row without knowing he had to name
+	// anything.
+	if !strings.Contains(string(kb), `"t:77:"`) {
+		t.Errorf("target row %s prices out the untargeted negative", kb)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestIntakeWritesTheCorrection(t *testing.T) {
+	for _, tc := range []struct {
+		name, data, want string
+	}{
+		{"with a target", "t:77:note", "note"},
+		{"untargeted", "t:77:", ""},
+	} {
+		t.Run(tc.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			b := newFakeBot(t)
+			rec := &recorder{}
+			p := newTestPoller(t, b, rec)
+
+			p.handle(context.Background(), update{UpdateID: 9, CallbackQuery: &callbackQuery{
+				ID: "cb", Data: tc.data, Message: message{MessageID: 11, Chat: chat{ID: json.Number(ownerChat)}},
+			}})
+
+			if len(rec.corrections) != 1 || rec.corrections[0] != (correction{77, tc.want}) {
+				t.Fatalf("corrections %v, want trace 77 → %q", rec.corrections, tc.want)
+			}
+			// The buttons come off once the gesture is given.
+			edits := b.called("editMessageReplyMarkup")
+			if len(edits) != 1 {
+				t.Fatalf("%d edits, want the keyboard cleared", len(edits))
+			}
+			kb, _ := json.Marshal(edits[0].body["reply_markup"])
+			if strings.Contains(string(kb), "t:77") {
+				t.Errorf("keyboard %s still invites a second correction", kb)
+			}
+		})
+	}
+}
+
+// A write that failed says so on the button. Silence would read as recorded.
+func TestIntakeSaysWhenTheLabelDidNotLand(t *testing.T) {
+	b := newFakeBot(t)
+	rec := &recorder{correctErr: errors.New("no such routing trace")}
+	p := newTestPoller(t, b, rec)
+
+	p.handle(context.Background(), update{UpdateID: 9, CallbackQuery: &callbackQuery{
+		ID: "cb", Data: "t:77:fact", Message: message{MessageID: 11, Chat: chat{ID: json.Number(ownerChat)}},
+	}})
+
+	answers := b.called("answerCallbackQuery")
+	if len(answers) != 1 || answers[0].body["text"] == "" {
+		t.Fatalf("answers %v, want a toast saying it did not land", answers)
+	}
+	if len(b.called("editMessageReplyMarkup")) != 0 {
+		t.Error("cleared the buttons after a failed write, so he cannot try again")
+	}
+}
+
+// A question asked while the daemon was down has been answered by him or has
+// stopped mattering, and a reminder set from it would land at the wrong time.
+func TestIntakeDiscardsTheBacklog(t *testing.T) {
+	b := newFakeBot(t, []update{msg(ownerChat, "напомни в 7 позвонить маме")})
+	rec := &recorder{reply: "поняла", traceID: 3}
+	p := newTestPoller(t, b, rec)
+
+	p.discardBacklog(context.Background())
+
+	if got := rec.took(); len(got) != 0 {
+		t.Errorf("answered %q from the overnight queue", got)
+	}
+	// And the offset moved past it, so the next poll does not see it again.
+	if p.offset != 8 {
+		t.Errorf("offset %d, want the skipped update acknowledged", p.offset)
+	}
+}
+
+// The poller does not start without somewhere to send the turn.
+func TestNewPollerNeedsATurn(t *testing.T) {
+	sink, err := New(Config{BotToken: "t", ChatID: ownerChat})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if _, err := NewPoller(sink, nil, nil); err == nil {
+		t.Error("built a poller that reads the chat and answers nothing")
+	}
+	if _, err := NewPoller(nil, func(context.Context, string, string) (string, int64, error) {
+		return "", 0, nil
+	}, nil); err == nil {
+		t.Error("built a poller with no sink to answer through")
+	}
+}