Why does my Telegram bot sometimes receive a 'my_chat_member' object instead of a 'message' object when a user sends /start?

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1

Hey everyone, I’m encountering a baffling issue with my Telegram bot. Usually, when a user issues the /start command, my webhook receives a standard message object that includes details like message_id and user information along with the ‘/start’ text. However, occasionally—mostly with first-time users—I get a my_chat_member object instead. This object contains details such as old_chat_member and new_chat_member, but it lacks the ‘/start’ command data.

This inconsistency appears across different devices, including iPhones, Androids, PCs, and even web clients. I’m at a loss as to why this happens and how to resolve it. Could someone help explain what’s going on or suggest a fix?

Here’s a simplified example for reference:

Normal message:

{
  "message": {
    "text": "/start",
    "from": { "id": 123456, "first_name": "John" }
  }
}

Unexpected message:

{
  "my_chat_member": {
    "chat": { "id": 123456, "type": "private" },
    "new_chat_member": { "status": "kicked" }
  }
}

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

2

This behavior is actually by design in Telegram’s API. When a user interacts with a bot for the first time, Telegram sends a ‘my_chat_member’ update before the actual ‘/start’ message. This update signifies a change in the user’s relationship with the bot.

To handle this effectively, implement logic to process both update types. Check your webhook for both ‘my_chat_member’ and ‘message’ objects. Use the ‘my_chat_member’ update to prepare for a new user, and process the ‘/start’ command when it arrives in the subsequent message.

This approach ensures that all user interactions are captured correctly, making your bot more reliable and responsive.

3

yup, encountered this too. its a telegram quirk. the my_chat_member thing happens when someone first interacts with ur bot. its like a heads-up before the actual /start command.

just handle both types in ur code. check for my_chat_member and message objects. that way u wont miss anything. its a bit annoying but makes ur bot more solid.

4

I’ve encountered this issue before, and it’s definitely a head-scratcher. From my experience, this happens because Telegram sends two separate updates when a user starts a bot for the first time: a my_chat_member update and then a message update with the /start command.

The my_chat_member update is sent when the user’s relationship with the bot changes (like when they start the bot for the first time). It’s not an error, but rather additional information Telegram provides.

To handle this, I’ve found it’s best to implement logic that can process both types of updates. In my bot, I check for both my_chat_member and message objects. If it’s a my_chat_member update, I prepare the bot for a new user. If it’s a message with /start, I proceed with the usual welcome flow.

This approach has worked well for me, ensuring I don’t miss any user interactions, regardless of how Telegram decides to send the updates. It’s a bit more work, but it makes the bot more robust.