diff --git a/ui/src/components/StaleInviteModal.svelte b/ui/src/components/StaleInviteModal.svelte
index f8a266b..1ababd8 100644
--- a/ui/src/components/StaleInviteModal.svelte
+++ b/ui/src/components/StaleInviteModal.svelte
@@ -1,8 +1,10 @@
 <script lang="ts">
   import { app, dismissStaleInvite } from '../lib/app.svelte';
+  import { router } from '../lib/router.svelte';
   import { t } from '../lib/i18n/index.svelte';
   import { botUsername } from '../lib/deeplink';
-  import { telegramOpenLink } from '../lib/telegram';
+  import { insideTelegram, telegramDialogsAvailable, telegramOpenLink, telegramShowPopup } from '../lib/telegram';
+  import { BOT_BUTTON_ID, botInfoPopup } from '../lib/nativedialogs';
   import Modal from './Modal.svelte';
 
   // The single bot's @username, for the deep link.
@@ -19,9 +21,30 @@
     }
     dismissStaleInvite();
   }
+
+  // Native path: when the notice fires inside the Mini App with native popups, present Telegram's
+  // own popup instead of the in-app modal. insideTelegram()/dialogs are evaluated at fire time, not
+  // captured at init: this component mounts before bootstrap loads the SDK, so a captured value
+  // would be stale. The popup's "open bot" button opens the bot chat; any other dismissal clears the
+  // notice; the `shown` guard fires it once per notice.
+  // The notice is raised during boot; wait until the loading cover for the current route is gone —
+  // the tile splash on the lobby (splashDone), the plain loading screen elsewhere (app.ready) — so
+  // the native popup never appears over the splash.
+  const ready = $derived(router.route.name === 'lobby' ? app.splashDone : app.ready);
+  let shown = false;
+  $effect(() => {
+    if (app.staleInvite && !shown && ready && insideTelegram() && telegramDialogsAvailable()) {
+      shown = true;
+      void telegramShowPopup(
+        botInfoPopup(t('friends.staleInviteTitle'), t('friends.staleInvite'), username ?? '', t('common.ok')),
+      ).then((id) => (id === BOT_BUTTON_ID ? openBot() : dismissStaleInvite()));
+    } else if (!app.staleInvite) {
+      shown = false;
+    }
+  });
 </script>
 
-{#if app.staleInvite}
+{#if app.staleInvite && ready && !(insideTelegram() && telegramDialogsAvailable())}
   <Modal title={t('friends.staleInviteTitle')} onclose={dismissStaleInvite}>
     <p class="msg">{parts[0]}{#if username}<button type="button" class="bot" onclick={openBot}>@{username}</button>{/if}{parts[1] ?? ''}</p>
     <button class="ok" onclick={dismissStaleInvite}>{t('common.ok')}</button>
diff --git a/ui/src/components/WelcomeRedeemModal.svelte b/ui/src/components/WelcomeRedeemModal.svelte
index 7783c5c..9cbc2d9 100644
--- a/ui/src/components/WelcomeRedeemModal.svelte
+++ b/ui/src/components/WelcomeRedeemModal.svelte
@@ -1,8 +1,10 @@
 <script lang="ts">
   import { app, dismissWelcomeRedeem } from '../lib/app.svelte';
+  import { router } from '../lib/router.svelte';
   import { t } from '../lib/i18n/index.svelte';
   import { botUsername } from '../lib/deeplink';
-  import { telegramOpenLink } from '../lib/telegram';
+  import { insideTelegram, telegramDialogsAvailable, telegramOpenLink, telegramShowPopup } from '../lib/telegram';
+  import { BOT_BUTTON_ID, botInfoPopup } from '../lib/nativedialogs';
   import Modal from './Modal.svelte';
 
   // The single bot's @username, for the deep link.
@@ -22,9 +24,30 @@
     }
     dismissWelcomeRedeem();
   }
+
+  // Native path: when the greeting fires inside the Mini App with native popups, present Telegram's
+  // own popup instead of the in-app modal. insideTelegram()/dialogs are evaluated at fire time, not
+  // captured at init: this component mounts before bootstrap loads the SDK, so a captured value
+  // would be stale. The popup's "open bot" button opens the bot chat; any other dismissal clears it;
+  // the `shown` guard fires it once per greeting.
+  // The greeting is raised during boot; wait until the loading cover for the current route is gone —
+  // the tile splash on the lobby (splashDone), the plain loading screen elsewhere (app.ready) — so
+  // the native popup never appears over the splash.
+  const ready = $derived(router.route.name === 'lobby' ? app.splashDone : app.ready);
+  let shown = false;
+  $effect(() => {
+    if (app.welcomeRedeem && !shown && ready && insideTelegram() && telegramDialogsAvailable()) {
+      shown = true;
+      void telegramShowPopup(
+        botInfoPopup(t('friends.welcomeRedeemTitle'), t('friends.welcomeRedeem', { name }), username ?? '', t('common.ok')),
+      ).then((id) => (id === BOT_BUTTON_ID ? openBot() : dismissWelcomeRedeem()));
+    } else if (!app.welcomeRedeem) {
+      shown = false;
+    }
+  });
 </script>
 
-{#if app.welcomeRedeem}
+{#if app.welcomeRedeem && ready && !(insideTelegram() && telegramDialogsAvailable())}
   <Modal title={t('friends.welcomeRedeemTitle')} onclose={dismissWelcomeRedeem}>
     <p class="msg">{parts[0]}{#if username}<button type="button" class="bot" onclick={openBot}>@{username}</button>{/if}{parts[1] ?? ''}</p>
     <button class="ok" onclick={dismissWelcomeRedeem}>{t('common.ok')}</button>
diff --git a/ui/src/game/Game.svelte b/ui/src/game/Game.svelte
index 67e1a09..5170c49 100644
--- a/ui/src/game/Game.svelte
+++ b/ui/src/game/Game.svelte
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@
   import { getCachedGame, setCachedGame, setCachedDraft, type CachedGame } from '../lib/gamecache';
   import { patchLobbyGame } from '../lib/lobbycache';
   import { applyGameOver, applyMoveDelta, applyOpponentJoined, type DeltaResult } from '../lib/gamedelta';
-  import { telegramHaptic } from '../lib/telegram';
+  import { insideTelegram, telegramDialogsAvailable, telegramHaptic, telegramShowConfirm } from '../lib/telegram';
   import {
     BLANK,
     newPlacement,
@@ -712,6 +712,16 @@
       busy = false;
     }
   }
+  // onResignClick: inside the Mini App (and online) confirm with Telegram's native dialog and resign
+  // on accept; otherwise open the in-app confirm modal (which also carries the offline-disabled action).
+  async function onResignClick(): Promise<void> {
+    if (connection.online && insideTelegram() && telegramDialogsAvailable()) {
+      if (await telegramShowConfirm(t('game.confirmResign'))) doResign();
+      return;
+    }
+    resignOpen = true;
+  }
+
   async function doResign() {
     resignOpen = false;
     busy = true;
@@ -1149,7 +1159,7 @@
           <button class="hicon" onclick={exportGcg} aria-label={t('game.exportGcg')}>📤</button>
         {/if}
       {:else}
-        <button class="hicon" onclick={() => (resignOpen = true)} disabled={waitingForOpponent} aria-label={t('game.dropGame')}>🏁</button>
+        <button class="hicon" onclick={onResignClick} disabled={waitingForOpponent} aria-label={t('game.dropGame')}>🏁</button>
       {/if}
       {#if !view.game.multipleWordsPerTurn}<span class="oneword-label">{t('game.oneWordRule')}</span>{/if}
       <!-- A finished AI game has no comms at all (no chat, and the dictionary closes with the
diff --git a/ui/src/lib/nativedialogs.test.ts b/ui/src/lib/nativedialogs.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5727488
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ui/src/lib/nativedialogs.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+import { describe, expect, it } from 'vitest';
+import { BOT_BUTTON_ID, botInfoPopup } from './nativedialogs';
+
+describe('botInfoPopup', () => {
+  it('inlines the bot handle and adds an open-bot button', () => {
+    const p = botInfoPopup('Title', 'Open the bot {bot} to play.', 'erudit_bot', 'OK');
+    expect(p.title).toBe('Title');
+    expect(p.message).toBe('Open the bot @erudit_bot to play.');
+    expect(p.buttons).toEqual([
+      { id: BOT_BUTTON_ID, text: '@erudit_bot' },
+      { id: 'ok', text: 'OK' },
+    ]);
+  });
+
+  it('drops the token and the open-bot button when no username is known', () => {
+    const p = botInfoPopup('Title', 'Open the bot {bot} to play.', '', 'OK');
+    expect(p.message).toBe('Open the bot to play.');
+    expect(p.buttons).toEqual([{ id: 'ok', text: 'OK' }]);
+  });
+
+  it('preserves newlines in the message', () => {
+    const p = botInfoPopup('Hi', 'Welcome!\n\nUse {bot} now.', 'b', 'OK');
+    expect(p.message).toBe('Welcome!\n\nUse @b now.');
+  });
+});
diff --git a/ui/src/lib/nativedialogs.ts b/ui/src/lib/nativedialogs.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..42d5c39
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ui/src/lib/nativedialogs.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+// Pure builder for the Telegram native popup (showPopup) used by the deep-link info modals
+// (StaleInviteModal / WelcomeRedeemModal) inside the Mini App. Kept free of the SDK and the DOM so
+// it unit-tests in the node environment; the showPopup transport wrapper lives in telegram.ts and
+// the wiring (native inside Telegram, the in-app Modal elsewhere) in the modal components.
+
+import type { TelegramPopupParams } from './telegram';
+
+/** BOT_BUTTON_ID is the showPopup button id that means "open the bot chat". */
+export const BOT_BUTTON_ID = 'bot';
+
+/**
+ * botInfoPopup builds the native popup for a deep-link info modal: the message with the `{bot}`
+ * token replaced by the `@username` as plain text (a native popup has no inline link, unlike the
+ * in-app Modal), plus an "open bot" button when a username is known and a closing OK button. With
+ * no username it is the message (token removed) and OK only.
+ */
+export function botInfoPopup(title: string, message: string, username: string, okText: string): TelegramPopupParams {
+  const handle = username ? `@${username}` : '';
+  const text = (username ? message.replace('{bot}', handle) : message.replace('{bot}', '').replace('  ', ' ')).trim();
+  const buttons = username
+    ? [{ id: BOT_BUTTON_ID, text: handle }, { id: 'ok', text: okText }]
+    : [{ id: 'ok', text: okText }];
+  return { title, message: text, buttons };
+}
diff --git a/ui/src/lib/telegram.test.ts b/ui/src/lib/telegram.test.ts
index 35ceb3a..eb53b7c 100644
--- a/ui/src/lib/telegram.test.ts
+++ b/ui/src/lib/telegram.test.ts
@@ -10,6 +10,9 @@ import {
   telegramThemeParams,
   telegramSafeAreaInset,
   telegramShowSettingsButton,
+  telegramDialogsAvailable,
+  telegramShowConfirm,
+  telegramShowPopup,
 } from './telegram';
 
 function stubWebApp(initData: string, startParam?: string) {
@@ -96,6 +99,38 @@ describe('telegramShowSettingsButton', () => {
   });
 });
 
+describe('native dialogs', () => {
+  afterEach(() => vi.unstubAllGlobals());
+
+  it('telegramDialogsAvailable reflects showPopup presence', () => {
+    expect(telegramDialogsAvailable()).toBe(false);
+    vi.stubGlobal('window', { Telegram: { WebApp: { showPopup: () => {} } } });
+    expect(telegramDialogsAvailable()).toBe(true);
+  });
+
+  it('telegramShowConfirm resolves the user choice inside Telegram', async () => {
+    vi.stubGlobal('window', {
+      Telegram: { WebApp: { showConfirm: (_m: string, cb: (ok: boolean) => void) => cb(true) } },
+    });
+    await expect(telegramShowConfirm('Sure?')).resolves.toBe(true);
+  });
+
+  it('telegramShowConfirm resolves false without the SDK dialog', async () => {
+    await expect(telegramShowConfirm('Sure?')).resolves.toBe(false);
+  });
+
+  it('telegramShowPopup resolves the pressed button id', async () => {
+    vi.stubGlobal('window', {
+      Telegram: { WebApp: { showPopup: (_p: unknown, cb: (id: string) => void) => cb('bot') } },
+    });
+    await expect(telegramShowPopup({ message: 'Hi' })).resolves.toBe('bot');
+  });
+
+  it('telegramShowPopup resolves null without the SDK', async () => {
+    await expect(telegramShowPopup({ message: 'Hi' })).resolves.toBeNull();
+  });
+});
+
 describe('routeExternalLinkInTelegram', () => {
   afterEach(() => vi.unstubAllGlobals());
 
diff --git a/ui/src/lib/telegram.ts b/ui/src/lib/telegram.ts
index 6ac5d8a..c47f414 100644
--- a/ui/src/lib/telegram.ts
+++ b/ui/src/lib/telegram.ts
@@ -6,6 +6,20 @@
 
 import type { TelegramThemeParams } from './theme';
 
+/** TelegramPopupButton is one button of a native showPopup (Bot API 6.2). */
+export interface TelegramPopupButton {
+  id?: string;
+  type?: 'default' | 'ok' | 'close' | 'cancel' | 'destructive';
+  text?: string;
+}
+
+/** TelegramPopupParams configures a native showPopup (title optional, message required, up to 3 buttons). */
+export interface TelegramPopupParams {
+  title?: string;
+  message: string;
+  buttons?: TelegramPopupButton[];
+}
+
 interface TelegramWebApp {
   initData: string;
   initDataUnsafe?: { start_param?: string };
@@ -51,6 +65,8 @@ interface TelegramWebApp {
     getItem?: (key: string, cb: (err: string | null, value?: string) => void) => void;
     setItem?: (key: string, value: string, cb?: (err: string | null, ok?: boolean) => void) => void;
   };
+  showConfirm?: (message: string, cb?: (ok: boolean) => void) => void;
+  showPopup?: (params: TelegramPopupParams, cb?: (buttonId: string) => void) => void;
 }
 
 function webApp(): TelegramWebApp | undefined {
@@ -347,6 +363,34 @@ export function telegramCloudSet(key: string, value: string): Promise<void> {
   });
 }
 
+/** telegramDialogsAvailable reports whether Telegram's native dialogs (showConfirm / showPopup, Bot
+ *  API 6.2) are usable, so a caller can choose the native path over its own modal. */
+export function telegramDialogsAvailable(): boolean {
+  return !!webApp()?.showPopup;
+}
+
+/**
+ * telegramShowConfirm shows Telegram's native confirm dialog and resolves true when the user
+ * accepts. Resolves false outside Telegram or on a client predating the dialog, so callers should
+ * gate on telegramDialogsAvailable and fall back to their own modal otherwise.
+ */
+export function telegramShowConfirm(message: string): Promise<boolean> {
+  const w = webApp();
+  if (!w?.showConfirm) return Promise.resolve(false);
+  return new Promise((resolve) => w.showConfirm!(message, (ok) => resolve(!!ok)));
+}
+
+/**
+ * telegramShowPopup shows Telegram's native popup and resolves the pressed button id (the empty
+ * string when dismissed without pressing a button). Resolves null outside Telegram or on a client
+ * predating the popup, so callers can fall back to their own modal.
+ */
+export function telegramShowPopup(params: TelegramPopupParams): Promise<string | null> {
+  const w = webApp();
+  if (!w?.showPopup) return Promise.resolve(null);
+  return new Promise((resolve) => w.showPopup!(params, (id) => resolve(id ?? '')));
+}
+
 /** Haptic is the set of feedbacks the app triggers. */
 export type Haptic = 'select' | 'success' | 'error' | 'warning' | 'light' | 'medium' | 'heavy';
 
diff --git a/ui/src/screens/Friends.svelte b/ui/src/screens/Friends.svelte
index 66f8a11..12c3126 100644
--- a/ui/src/screens/Friends.svelte
+++ b/ui/src/screens/Friends.svelte
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
   import { GatewayError } from '../lib/client';
   import { t } from '../lib/i18n/index.svelte';
   import { friendCodeParam, shareLink } from '../lib/deeplink';
-  import { shareTelegramLink } from '../lib/telegram';
+  import { insideTelegram, shareTelegramLink, telegramDialogsAvailable, telegramShowConfirm } from '../lib/telegram';
   import type { AccountRef, FriendCode, RobotBlockEntry } from '../lib/model';
 
   let friends = $state<AccountRef[]>([]);
@@ -66,20 +66,36 @@
 
   // confirmBlock / confirmUnfriend run the pending action once its modal is
   // accepted, then clear the target and the revealed row.
-  function confirmBlock(): void {
-    const target = blockTarget;
+  function confirmBlock(target = blockTarget): void {
     blockTarget = null;
     revealedId = null;
     if (target) void blockUser(target.accountId);
   }
 
-  function confirmUnfriend(): void {
-    const target = unfriendTarget;
+  function confirmUnfriend(target = unfriendTarget): void {
     unfriendTarget = null;
     revealedId = null;
     if (target) void remove(target.accountId);
   }
 
+  // onBlockClick / onUnfriendClick: inside the Mini App (and online) confirm with Telegram's native
+  // dialog and act on accept; otherwise open the in-app confirm modal (the offline / web path).
+  async function onBlockClick(f: AccountRef): Promise<void> {
+    if (connection.online && insideTelegram() && telegramDialogsAvailable()) {
+      if (await telegramShowConfirm(`${t('friends.blockConfirm')}\n${f.displayName}`)) confirmBlock(f);
+      return;
+    }
+    blockTarget = f;
+  }
+
+  async function onUnfriendClick(f: AccountRef): Promise<void> {
+    if (connection.online && insideTelegram() && telegramDialogsAvailable()) {
+      if (await telegramShowConfirm(`${t('friends.unfriendConfirm')}\n${f.displayName}`)) confirmUnfriend(f);
+      return;
+    }
+    unfriendTarget = f;
+  }
+
   // While a friend row is slid open, a tap anywhere outside its action buttons
   // closes it again. Taps on a kebab are skipped so its own toggle stays in charge.
   $effect(() => {
@@ -216,8 +232,8 @@
           {#each friends as f (f.accountId)}
             <div class="rowwrap" class:revealed={revealedId === f.accountId}>
               <div class="acts">
-                <button class="iconbtn" onclick={() => (blockTarget = f)} disabled={!connection.online} aria-label={t('friends.block')}>🚫</button>
-                <button class="iconbtn" onclick={() => (unfriendTarget = f)} disabled={!connection.online} aria-label={t('friends.unfriend')}>✖️</button>
+                <button class="iconbtn" onclick={() => onBlockClick(f)} disabled={!connection.online} aria-label={t('friends.block')}>🚫</button>
+                <button class="iconbtn" onclick={() => onUnfriendClick(f)} disabled={!connection.online} aria-label={t('friends.unfriend')}>✖️</button>
               </div>
               <div class="row">
                 <span class="who">{f.displayName}</span>
@@ -264,7 +280,7 @@
         <p class="confirm-name">{blockTarget.displayName}</p>
         <div class="confirm-row">
           <button class="cancel" onclick={() => (blockTarget = null)}>{t('common.cancel')}</button>
-          <button class="danger" onclick={confirmBlock} disabled={!connection.online}>{t('friends.block')}</button>
+          <button class="danger" onclick={() => confirmBlock()} disabled={!connection.online}>{t('friends.block')}</button>
         </div>
       </Modal>
     {/if}
@@ -273,7 +289,7 @@
         <p class="confirm-name">{unfriendTarget.displayName}</p>
         <div class="confirm-row">
           <button class="cancel" onclick={() => (unfriendTarget = null)}>{t('common.cancel')}</button>
-          <button class="danger" onclick={confirmUnfriend} disabled={!connection.online}>{t('friends.unfriend')}</button>
+          <button class="danger" onclick={() => confirmUnfriend()} disabled={!connection.online}>{t('friends.unfriend')}</button>
         </div>
       </Modal>
     {/if}