diff --git a/src/bub/channels/telegram.py b/src/bub/channels/telegram.py
index e412d142..c8f5d029 100644
--- a/src/bub/channels/telegram.py
+++ b/src/bub/channels/telegram.py
@@ -173,10 +173,10 @@ async def start(self, stop_event: asyncio.Event) -> None:
             len(self._allow_chats),
             bool(proxy),
         )
-        get_updates_request = HTTPXRequest(read_timeout=30)
+        get_updates_request = HTTPXRequest(read_timeout=30, proxy=proxy)
         builder = Application.builder().token(self._settings.token).get_updates_request(get_updates_request)
         if proxy:
-            builder = builder.proxy(proxy).get_updates_proxy(proxy)
+            builder = builder.proxy(proxy)
         self._app = builder.build()
         self._app.add_handler(CommandHandler("start", self._on_start))
         self._app.add_handler(CommandHandler("bub", self._on_message, has_args=True, block=False))
diff --git a/tests/test_channels.py b/tests/test_channels.py
index 54f56158..ac4440d5 100644
--- a/tests/test_channels.py
+++ b/tests/test_channels.py
@@ -101,6 +101,63 @@ def _message(
     )
 
 
+class _FakeTelegramUpdater:
+    def __init__(self) -> None:
+        self.kwargs: dict[str, object] | None = None
+
+    async def start_polling(self, **kwargs) -> None:
+        self.kwargs = kwargs
+
+
+class _FakeTelegramApp:
+    def __init__(self) -> None:
+        self.updater = _FakeTelegramUpdater()
+        self.handlers: list[object] = []
+
+    def add_handler(self, handler: object) -> None:
+        self.handlers.append(handler)
+
+    async def initialize(self) -> None:
+        return
+
+    async def start(self) -> None:
+        return
+
+
+class _FakeTelegramBuilder:
+    def __init__(self) -> None:
+        self.app = _FakeTelegramApp()
+        self.request: object | None = None
+        self.proxy_value: str | None = None
+        self.token_value: str | None = None
+
+    def token(self, token: str) -> _FakeTelegramBuilder:
+        self.token_value = token
+        return self
+
+    def get_updates_request(self, request: object) -> _FakeTelegramBuilder:
+        self.request = request
+        return self
+
+    def proxy(self, proxy: str) -> _FakeTelegramBuilder:
+        self.proxy_value = proxy
+        return self
+
+    def get_updates_proxy(self, _proxy: str) -> _FakeTelegramBuilder:
+        raise AssertionError("get_updates_proxy should not be called when get_updates_request is already set")
+
+    def build(self) -> _FakeTelegramApp:
+        return self.app
+
+
+def _telegram_proxy_config() -> str:
+    return """
+telegram:
+  token: "test-token"
+  proxy: "http://127.0.0.1:1087"
+""".strip()
+
+
 @pytest.mark.asyncio
 async def test_buffered_handler_passes_commands_through_immediately() -> None:
     handled: list[str] = []
@@ -425,6 +482,22 @@ async def send_message(chat_id: str, text: str) -> None:
     assert sent == [("42", "hello")]
 
 
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_telegram_channel_start_with_proxy_does_not_call_get_updates_proxy(
+    monkeypatch: pytest.MonkeyPatch, load_config
+) -> None:
+    load_config(_telegram_proxy_config())
+    fake_builder = _FakeTelegramBuilder()
+    monkeypatch.setattr("bub.channels.telegram.Application.builder", lambda: fake_builder)
+
+    channel = TelegramChannel(lambda message: None)
+    await channel.start(asyncio.Event())
+
+    assert fake_builder.proxy_value == "http://127.0.0.1:1087"
+    assert fake_builder.request is not None
+    assert fake_builder.app.updater.kwargs == {"drop_pending_updates": True, "allowed_updates": ["message"]}
+
+
 @pytest.mark.asyncio
 async def test_telegram_channel_build_message_returns_command_directly(load_config) -> None:
     _load_channel_config(load_config, telegram_value="test-token")