Merge pull request 'v0.13.0 — battery-low alert module (merged broadcasts, @mentions, cooldown)' (#33) from feat/battery-alerts into main

Owner follow-up: 'if multiple ppl shows at once — merge messages to one'.
check() now collects every qualifying node (at/below threshold and not
within its per-node cooldown) and sends AT MOST ONE broadcast per cycle
containing all of them, recording the alert timestamp for each after
sending; nothing is sent when none qualify. Format: '⚠️ battery low:
@!<hex> (<name>) <X>%[, @!<hex> (<name>) <Y>%]' — single-node case uses
the same one-entry template. Cooldown semantics unchanged.

AGENTS.md

@@ -17,8 +17,8 @@
 ## API
 
 1. **Live base URL** — `http://bot.dev.kkhost.pl` (Traefik → docker-compose stack on this host; container port 3000 via external network dev_net, no published ports).
-2. **Endpoints** — all under the `/api` global prefix: `GET /api/status` (`{ connected, myNodeNum, host, port }`), `POST /api/send` (body `{ "text": "...", "to"?: <node number | node name | "!b" | "broadcast"> }` — numbers pass through as-is (integer 1..0xffffffff), names resolve like `GET /api/nodes/:id`, omitted/""/"!b"/"broadcast" → broadcast; unknown or ambiguous targets are a 400. Returns `{ id }`), `GET /api/channels` (the device's Meshtastic channels as `{ index, name, uplinkEnabled, downlinkEnabled }[]`; psk/keys redacted), `GET /api/device` (device info captured during the initial sync: `{ myNodeNum, firmwareVersion?, metadata?, localConfig: {<section>: ...}, moduleConfig: {<module>: ...} }` — DeviceMetadata as-is plus per-section Config/ModuleConfig messages; security publicKey/privateKey/adminKey and network wifiPsk redacted to `"REDACTED"`; in-memory, reset on reconnect), `GET /api/messages` (message history newest first: rx text with `from`, tx sends with `to` + `status` pending→delivered/failed via routing ACKs — broadcasts stay pending because firmware strips want_ack; last 100 in memory (seeded from SQLite on startup) — backed by SQLite: re-upserted every MESH_POLL_MS and pruned to the newest 1000 rows, so it survives process restarts and bridge reconnects), `POST /api/messages` (body `{ "text": "...", "from"?: <node number> }`, returns `{ id }`; synthetic inbox injection for external triggers — records an rx entry in the history as if received on the mesh (channel 0) so external systems can push messages to trigger communication later; NOT transmitted over RF, nothing goes to the bridge or air; appears in `GET /api/messages` like any other rx message), `GET /api/telemetry` (telemetry history newest first as `{ from, at /* epoch ms */, kind, data }[]`: live TELEMETRY_APP packets — device metrics and environment sensor readings where nodes have them; kind is the meshtastic.Telemetry oneof case name (deviceMetrics/environmentMetrics/airQualityMetrics/powerMetrics/localStats/healthMetrics/hostMetrics/trafficManagementStats), data that variant's payload with proto uint64 fields as decimal strings; last 100, in-memory, reset on reconnect), `GET /api/nodes` (known nodes sorted by num as `{ num, longName?, shortName?, hwModel?, batteryLevel?, lastHeard: number|null, position?: { lat, lon, alt? }, snr?, hopsAway?, viaMqtt? }[]`, from the initial sync plus live POSITION_APP updates; reset on reconnect) and `GET /api/nodes/:id` (lookup by exact node number/numeric string, then case-insensitive exact long/short name, else unique substring; 404 when ambiguous or missing). Scalar API docs are served at `/` (OpenAPI JSON at `/docs-json`). Keep this list in sync with the controller. All `POST /api/send` traffic targets channel index 3 (`test`) on purpose — never the primary channel; override via `MESH_SEND_CHANNEL` (default `3`). Message history is persisted to SQLite: file path from `MESH_DB_PATH` (default `./data/mesh-bot.db`, parent dir auto-created), poller re-upserts every `MESH_POLL_MS` ms (default 1000) and prunes the table to the newest 1000 rows. Outbound notification webhook: when an RX text arrives on channel `MESH_NOTIFY_CHANNEL` (default `3`), a fire-and-forget HTTP POST of `{text, from}` (`from` omitted when absent) goes to `MESH_NOTIFY_URL` — unset/empty disables it entirely; failed POSTs are retried up to 3 times with backoff (2 s / 10 s / 30 s) before being dropped; no response handling. Injected messages (`POST /api/messages`, channel 0) trigger it too when the notify channel is set to match. Messages from our own node are never notified (self-echo filter). The forwarder resolves the mesh-bot workspace/session dynamically from the opencode API per request (`FORWARDER_API`/`FORWARDER_WORKSPACE_PATH`; `FORWARDER_SESSION` pins a session when set).
-3. **MCP endpoint** — `POST /mcp` (excluded from the `/api` prefix in main.ts, like Scalar at `/`): an in-process MCP server over the official SDK's Streamable HTTP transport in stateless mode (`sessionIdGenerator: undefined`, fresh `McpServer` + transport per request). Tools map 1:1 to MeshService methods: `mesh_status`, `send_message(text, to?)` (same resolution as `POST /api/send`; errors surface as tool errors with the same messages), `list_channels`, `list_nodes`, `get_node(id)` (tool error when missing/ambiguous), `get_messages`, `inject_message(text, from?)` (synthetic inbox injection for external triggers — records an rx entry in the history as if received on the mesh; NOT sent over RF; same validation as `POST /api/messages`), `get_telemetry` (same bounded recent window as `GET /api/telemetry`), `device_info` (same redaction as `GET /api/device`). Results are JSON in a text content block; sends ride channel index 3 like everything else. Note: the SDK's root entry is broken upstream (#2273) — import via subpaths (`@modelcontextprotocol/sdk/server/mcp.js` etc.).
+2. **Endpoints** — all under the `/api` global prefix: `GET /api/status` (`{ connected, myNodeNum, host, port }`), `POST /api/send` (body `{ "text": "...", "to"?: <node number | node name | "!b" | "broadcast">, "replyId"?: <packet id> }` — numbers pass through as-is (integer 1..0xffffffff), names resolve like `GET /api/nodes/:id`, omitted/""/"!b"/"broadcast" → broadcast; unknown or ambiguous targets are a 400. Optional `replyId` (integer in 1..0xffffffff, else 400) references an earlier message's packet id from `GET /api/messages` — when set, the recipient app renders the text as a threaded reply/quote of that packet (`Data.reply_id`, field 7). Returns `{ id }`), `GET /api/channels` (the device's Meshtastic channels as `{ index, name, uplinkEnabled, downlinkEnabled }[]`; psk/keys redacted), `GET /api/device` (device info captured during the initial sync: `{ myNodeNum, firmwareVersion?, metadata?, localConfig: {<section>: ...}, moduleConfig: {<module>: ...} }` — DeviceMetadata as-is plus per-section Config/ModuleConfig messages; security publicKey/privateKey/adminKey and network wifiPsk redacted to `"REDACTED"`; in-memory, reset on reconnect), `GET /api/messages` (message history newest first: rx text with `from`, tx sends with `to` + `status` pending→delivered/failed via routing ACKs — broadcasts stay pending because firmware strips want_ack; last 100 in memory (seeded from SQLite on startup) — backed by SQLite: re-upserted every MESH_POLL_MS and pruned to the newest 1000 rows, so it survives process restarts and bridge reconnects), `POST /api/messages` (body `{ "text": "...", "from"?: <node number> }`, returns `{ id }`; synthetic inbox injection for external triggers — records an rx entry in the history as if received on the mesh (channel 0) so external systems can push messages to trigger communication later; NOT transmitted over RF, nothing goes to the bridge or air; appears in `GET /api/messages` like any other rx message), `GET /api/telemetry` (telemetry history newest first as `{ from, at /* epoch ms */, kind, data }[]`: live TELEMETRY_APP packets — device metrics and environment sensor readings where nodes have them; kind is the meshtastic.Telemetry oneof case name (deviceMetrics/environmentMetrics/airQualityMetrics/powerMetrics/localStats/healthMetrics/hostMetrics/trafficManagementStats), data that variant's payload with proto uint64 fields as decimal strings; last 100, in-memory, reset on reconnect), `GET /api/nodes` (known nodes sorted by num as `{ num, longName?, shortName?, hwModel?, batteryLevel?, lastHeard: number|null, position?: { lat, lon, alt? }, snr?, hopsAway?, viaMqtt? }[]`, from the initial sync plus live POSITION_APP updates; reset on reconnect) and `GET /api/nodes/:id` (lookup by exact node number/numeric string, then case-insensitive exact long/short name, else unique substring; 404 when ambiguous or missing). Scalar API docs are served at `/` (OpenAPI JSON at `/docs-json`). Keep this list in sync with the controller. All `POST /api/send` traffic targets channel index 3 (`test`) on purpose — never the primary channel; override via `MESH_SEND_CHANNEL` (default `3`). Message history is persisted to SQLite: file path from `MESH_DB_PATH` (default `./data/mesh-bot.db`, parent dir auto-created), poller re-upserts every `MESH_POLL_MS` ms (default 1000) and prunes the table to the newest 1000 rows. Outbound notification webhook: when an RX text arrives on channel `MESH_NOTIFY_CHANNEL` (default `3`), a fire-and-forget HTTP POST of `{text, from}` (`from` omitted when absent) goes to `MESH_NOTIFY_URL` — unset/empty disables it entirely; failed POSTs are retried up to 3 times with backoff (2 s / 10 s / 30 s) before being dropped; no response handling. Injected messages (`POST /api/messages`, channel 0) trigger it too when the notify channel is set to match. Messages from our own node are never notified (self-echo filter). The forwarder resolves the mesh-bot workspace/session dynamically from the opencode API per request (`FORWARDER_API`/`FORWARDER_WORKSPACE_PATH`; `FORWARDER_SESSION` pins a session when set).
+3. **MCP endpoint** — `POST /mcp` (excluded from the `/api` prefix in main.ts, like Scalar at `/`): an in-process MCP server over the official SDK's Streamable HTTP transport in stateless mode (`sessionIdGenerator: undefined`, fresh `McpServer` + transport per request). Tools map 1:1 to MeshService methods: `mesh_status`, `send_message(text, to?, replyId?)` (`to` resolves like `POST /api/send`; optional `replyId` integer in 1..0xffffffff makes the message render as a threaded reply/quote of that packet id from `GET /api/messages` or `get_messages`; errors surface as tool errors with the same messages), `list_channels`, `list_nodes`, `get_node(id)` (tool error when missing/ambiguous), `get_messages`, `inject_message(text, from?)` (synthetic inbox injection for external triggers — records an rx entry in the history as if received on the mesh; NOT sent over RF; same validation as `POST /api/messages`), `get_telemetry` (same bounded recent window as `GET /api/telemetry`), `device_info` (same redaction as `GET /api/device`). Results are JSON in a text content block; sends ride channel index 3 like everything else. Note: the SDK's root entry is broken upstream (#2273) — import via subpaths (`@modelcontextprotocol/sdk/server/mcp.js` etc.).
 
 ## Other
 

CHANGELOG.md

@@ -1,5 +1,34 @@
 # Changelog
 
+## v0.13.0 — 2026-09-25 12:34
+
+- New non-AI `src/battery` module: `BatteryAlertModule` + `BatteryAlertService`, wired into `app.module.ts` exactly like the weather module (ScheduleModule.forRoot() + MeshModule). Every `BATTERY_CHECK_INTERVAL_MS` ms (default 60000, read at construction) it scans the same node state that backs `GET /api/nodes` and collects every node whose reported battery is at or below `BATTERY_ALERT_THRESHOLD` percent (default 20); when any qualify it sends AT MOST ONE broadcast per cycle containing all of them — never one message per node, and nothing at all when none qualify. The comparison is `<=` on purpose — a node sitting exactly at the threshold counts as low; tests pin this choice.
+- Alert format: `⚠️ battery low: @!<8-hex-lowercase-node-num> (<longName or shortName>) <X>%` with additional nodes appended as `, @!<hex> (<name>) <Y>%` (the single-node case is the same template with one entry) — Meshtastic mention syntax (`@!` + zero-padded 8-char lowercase hex, e.g. `@!09a2b3c4`), entries kept tight so common cases stay near the ~190-char single-packet limit; the name part falls back longName → shortName and is omitted entirely when a node reported no name. Broadcasts ride the pinned send channel via the existing `MeshService.sendText(BROADCAST_ADDR, text)` path (MESH_SEND_CHANNEL, default index 3) — no new transport.
+- Anti-spam: per-node cooldown of `BATTERY_ALERT_COOLDOWN_MS` ms (default 21600000 = 6 h) in an in-memory `Map<nodeNum, lastAlertEpochMs>` — only nodes outside their window are included in a batch and the alert timestamp is recorded for every node in it after sending, so a node is alerted at most once per window; the map resets on process restart by design (a node may get one duplicate alert after a deploy).
+- Live battery updates: `batteryLevel` was previously only populated from NodeInfo frames during the initial sync. Live NODEINFO_APP packets (port 4, serialized meshtastic.NodeInfo in Data.payload) now update `deviceMetrics` in the node database too — new `decodeNodeInfo()` + `PORT_NODEINFO_APP` in codec.ts, one branch in the existing packet-handling path — so alerts and `/api/nodes` reflect current values between syncs. Unknown nodes get a stub entry when they report metrics live; malformed payloads are skipped like every other port.
+- Tests: new `src/battery/battery.service.spec.ts` (mention hex padding/lowercase, batched message construction incl. multi-node append, name fallbacks and the 190-char ceiling, threshold boundary with default + custom env, no-battery skip, all qualifying nodes merged into exactly one broadcast, send-failure never throws, cooldown suppression within window + re-alert after expiry via fake timers, in-cooldown node excluded from a batch while an out-of-window node still triggers the single message) plus a DI spec mirroring weather's; an end-to-end case drives a real MeshService over the fake bridge and asserts the alert frame rides channel index 3 with the exact text. `mesh.service.spec.ts` gains a NODEINFO_APP live-update case (stale sync battery refreshed, other fields preserved, unknown-node stub). All pre-existing specs stay green.
+
+## v0.12.8 — 2026-09-25 12:04
+
+- Docs (MESHTASTIC.md response protocol): new standing rule per owner request ("remember to always replay on reply on channel when question is send here") — questions received via mesh are **answered on the channel**: every question sent via mesh gets its actual answer broadcast back on the same channel when work completes; an acknowledgement alone is not sufficient, and the answer must not stay only in the private agent session. All existing bullets (always-respond-first, channel-only/no DMs, owner authority 2594370888, language, NO_RESPONSE quirk, self-echo note) unchanged. No code changes — all 64 tests untouched and green.
+
+## v0.12.7 — 2026-09-25 11:40
+
+- `POST /api/send` and the MCP `send_message` tool now accept an optional `replyId` (integer in 1..0xffffffff) referencing an earlier message's packet id from `GET /api/messages` / `get_messages`. When set, the recipient app renders the sent text as a threaded reply/quote of that packet. The value rides Meshtastic's protocol-level reply mechanism: `Data.reply_id` (field 7) on the TEXT_MESSAGE_APP payload.
+- `buildTextToRadio(to, text, channelIndex, replyId?)` in `src/mesh/codec.ts` gained the optional param and sets **camelCase** `replyId` on the Data value (`replyId ?? 0`). The JS protobufs package silently drops snake_case `reply_id`, so camelCase is mandatory; a byte-level spec asserts wire tag `0x3d` (field 7, fixed32) appears iff `replyId` was given.
+- `MeshService.sendText(to, text, replyId?)` passes the value through to the codec. REST validation rejects non-integers and out-of-range values with a 400; MCP validates via zod (`z.number().int().min(1).max(0xffffffff)`). Omitting it leaves the field unset (proto3 default 0, not serialized) — existing callers are unaffected.
+- New specs: codec byte-level `0x3d` presence/absence check and a service outbound-capture case asserting `Data.replyId === <id>` when given and `0` when omitted. All 62 pre-existing tests stay green (64 total).
+- Docs: README endpoint + MCP tool lines, AGENTS.md API section, and the controller's `@ApiOperation` description now document the optional `replyId`.
+
+## v0.12.6 — 2026-09-25 10:55
+
+- Docs (MESHTASTIC.md response protocol): reverted the v0.12.5 reply rule per owner preference ("we will talk on that channel") — replies to messages from a specific node now go back **on the same channel as a broadcast** (no `to`), no direct messages; broadcasts are used for both replies and general announcements such as the hourly weather report. The always-respond-first bullet (**ALWAYS respond ... BEFORE starting any work it triggers**) and every other rule are unchanged. No code changes — `POST /api/send` and the MCP send tool already accept an omitted `to` (broadcast).
+
+## v0.12.5 — 2026-09-25 10:45
+
+- Docs (MESHTASTIC.md response protocol): replies to messages from a specific node now go back **as a direct message to that sender's node number** (`to` = the sender's node num), so they surface in the direct conversation thread ("flagged as reply") instead of as new channel posts. Broadcasts (no `to`) are reserved for general announcements such as the hourly weather report. No code changes — `POST /api/send` and the MCP send tool already accept a `to` target; all other rules (owner authority 2594370888, language, confirm-first-then-work, channel pinning, self-echo note, NO_RESPONSE quirk) unchanged.
+- MESHTASTIC.md confirm-first rule made explicit and mandatory: **ALWAYS respond to a received mesh message on the Meshtastic BEFORE starting any work it triggers** (acknowledge first, then work) — the previous "first respond/confirm, then start the actual work" wording was not explicit enough and got violated in practice.
+
 ## v0.12.4 — 2026-09-25 10:17
 
 - Notify forwarder (`ops/forwarder`) now resolves the opencode workspace + session dynamically per request instead of hardcoding them as env defaults: `GET {FORWARDER_API}/api/workspaces` → match by `path == FORWARDER_WORKSPACE_PATH` (fallback `name == "mesh-bot"`, status `ready` preferred when several match) → `GET {proxyPath}/session` → most recently updated session (`time.updated`; first entry if absent). No caching — messages are rare. Fixes lost user messages after an opencode host restart regenerated the workspace UUID (the old hardcoded base URL 404'd on every notify POST).

MESHTASTIC.md

@@ -14,8 +14,9 @@ Rules for how mesh-bot communicates over Meshtastic and how the agent should rea
 
 ## Response protocol
 
-- When doing any action triggered by a chat message: **first respond/confirm on the channel, then start the actual work** — so the user gets the fastest possible response.
-- Replies to messages received on a channel go back **on that same channel as a broadcast** (no `to`), not as a DM — unless the sender explicitly asks for a private reply.
+- **ALWAYS respond to a received mesh message on the Meshtastic BEFORE starting any work it triggers** — acknowledge first, then work. This is mandatory for every action triggered by a chat message; the confirmation goes out before you start (so the user gets the fastest possible response).
+- Replies to messages from a specific node go back **on the same channel as a broadcast** (no `to`) — do not send direct messages; per owner preference, all conversation happens on the channel. Broadcasts are used for both replies and general announcements such as the hourly weather report.
+- **Questions are answered on the channel** — every question sent via mesh gets its actual answer broadcast back on the same channel when work completes; an acknowledgement alone is not sufficient, and the answer must not stay only in the private agent session.
 
 ## Channels & sending
 

README.md

@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ Exposed via Traefik only (no published ports) at `http://bot.dev.kkhost.pl`.
 All API endpoints live under the `/api` prefix:
 
 - `GET /api/status` — `{ connected, myNodeNum, host, port }`
-- `POST /api/send` — body `{ "text": "...", "to"?: <node number | node name | "!b" | "broadcast"> }`, returns `{ id }`. Numbers pass through as-is (integer in 1..0xffffffff); names resolve like `GET /api/nodes/:id` (exact long/short name, then unique substring) — unknown or ambiguous targets are a 400
+- `POST /api/send` — body `{ "text": "...", "to"?: <node number | node name | "!b" | "broadcast">, "replyId"?: <packet id> }`, returns `{ id }`. Numbers pass through as-is (integer in 1..0xffffffff); names resolve like `GET /api/nodes/:id` (exact long/short name, then unique substring) — unknown or ambiguous targets are a 400. Optional `replyId` (integer in 1..0xffffffff) references an earlier message's packet id from `GET /api/messages` — when set, the recipient app renders the text as a threaded reply/quote of that packet
 - `GET /api/channels` — the device's Meshtastic channels as `{ index, name, uplinkEnabled, downlinkEnabled }[]` (psk/keys are redacted; empty until the initial sync completes)
 - `GET /api/device` — device info captured during the initial sync: `{ myNodeNum, firmwareVersion?, metadata?, localConfig: {<section>: ...}, moduleConfig: {<module>: ...} }`. Key material is never exposed (security publicKey/privateKey/adminKey and network wifiPsk are replaced with `"REDACTED"`); in-memory only, reset on every bridge reconnect
 - `GET /api/messages` — message history, newest first: inbound text (`dir:'rx'`, with `from`) and our sends (`dir:'tx'`, with `to` + `status`). tx records start `pending` and move to `delivered`/`failed` (with human-readable `ackError`) when the routing ACK/NACK arrives; broadcasts stay `pending` because firmware strips want_ack before TX. Backed by SQLite: the in-memory buffer (last 100) is seeded from the database on startup and re-upserted every second, so history survives process restarts and bridge reconnects; the database keeps the newest 1000 rows
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ Streamable HTTP transport in stateless mode. It maps 1:1 to the REST
 endpoints — no new logic, same channel pinning:
 
 - `mesh_status` — bridge connection state (`{ connected, myNodeNum, host, port }`)
-- `send_message(text, to?)` — send a text message; `to` resolves like `POST /api/send` (omitted/""/"!b"/"broadcast" → broadcast, number or numeric string → node number, else name lookup); returns `{ id }`; unknown/ambiguous targets are tool errors
+- `send_message(text, to?, replyId?)` — send a text message; `to` resolves like `POST /api/send` (omitted/""/"!b"/"broadcast" → broadcast, number or numeric string → node number, else name lookup); optional `replyId` makes the message render as a threaded reply/quote of that packet id from `get_messages`; returns `{ id }`; unknown/ambiguous targets are tool errors
 - `list_channels` — device channels (keys redacted)
 - `list_nodes` — known nodes as lean summaries
 - `get_node(id)` — one node by number or name; tool error when missing/ambiguous

package.json

@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "mesh-bot",
-  "version": "0.12.4",
+  "version": "0.13.0",
   "description": "",
   "author": "",
   "private": true,

src/app.module.ts

@@ -1,8 +1,9 @@
 import { Module } from '@nestjs/common';
+import { BatteryAlertModule } from './battery/battery.module.js';
 import { MeshModule } from './mesh/mesh.module.js';
 import { WeatherModule } from './weather/weather.module.js';
 
 @Module({
-  imports: [MeshModule, WeatherModule],
+  imports: [MeshModule, WeatherModule, BatteryAlertModule],
 })
 export class AppModule {}

src/battery/battery.module.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+import { Module } from '@nestjs/common';
+import { ScheduleModule } from '@nestjs/schedule';
+import { MeshModule } from '../mesh/mesh.module.js';
+import { BatteryAlertService } from './battery.service.js';
+
+@Module({
+  imports: [ScheduleModule.forRoot(), MeshModule],
+  providers: [BatteryAlertService],
+  exports: [BatteryAlertService],
+})
+export class BatteryAlertModule {}

src/battery/battery.service.spec.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,260 @@
+import { fromBinary } from '@bufbuild/protobuf';
+import * as P from '@meshtastic/protobufs';
+import { beforeEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from 'vitest';
+import { BROADCAST_ADDR, extractFrames } from '../mesh/codec.js';
+import { nodeInfoFrame, startBridge, waitFor } from '../mesh/fake-bridge.js';
+import type { MeshService, NodeSummary } from '../mesh/mesh.service.js';
+import { MeshService as RealMeshService } from '../mesh/mesh.service.js';
+import {
+  BatteryAlertService,
+  formatAlert,
+  mention,
+} from './battery.service.js';
+
+function node(
+  num: number,
+  batteryLevel?: number,
+  longName?: string,
+  shortName?: string,
+): NodeSummary {
+  const n: NodeSummary = { num, lastHeard: null };
+  if (batteryLevel !== undefined) n.batteryLevel = batteryLevel;
+  if (longName) n.longName = longName;
+  if (shortName) n.shortName = shortName;
+  return n;
+}
+
+function makeService(
+  nodes: NodeSummary[],
+  sendText?: ReturnType<typeof vi.fn>,
+): BatteryAlertService {
+  const mesh = { nodes: async () => nodes, sendText } as unknown as MeshService;
+  return new BatteryAlertService(mesh);
+}
+
+beforeEach(() => {
+  // defaults under test: threshold 20, cooldown 6 h
+  delete process.env.BATTERY_ALERT_THRESHOLD;
+  delete process.env.BATTERY_ALERT_COOLDOWN_MS;
+});
+
+describe('mention', () => {
+  it('zero-pads to 8 chars and lowercases the hex', () => {
+    expect(mention(0xabc)).toBe('@!00000abc'); // padded
+    expect(mention(0xffffffff)).toBe('@!ffffffff'); // already 8 chars — no padding needed
+    expect(mention(0xdeadbeef)).toBe('@!deadbeef'); // lowercase
+  });
+});
+
+describe('formatAlert', () => {
+  it('builds the single-node message with longName', () => {
+    expect(formatAlert([node(0x1234abcd, 15, 'Kamil SP8MK/P')])).toBe(
+      '⚠️ battery low: @!1234abcd (Kamil SP8MK/P) 15%',
+    );
+  });
+
+  it('appends additional nodes as ", <entry>" in one line', () => {
+    expect(
+      formatAlert([node(0xabc, 5, 'A'), node(0xdef, 3, undefined, 'B')]),
+    ).toBe('⚠️ battery low: @!00000abc (A) 5%, @!00000def (B) 3%');
+  });
+
+  it('falls back to shortName and omits the name part when neither is known', () => {
+    expect(formatAlert([node(0xabc, 9, undefined, 'KK')])).toBe(
+      '⚠️ battery low: @!00000abc (KK) 9%',
+    );
+    expect(formatAlert([node(0xabc, 9)])).toBe('⚠️ battery low: @!00000abc 9%');
+  });
+
+  it('stays under the ~190-char single-packet limit', () => {
+    const msg = formatAlert([node(0xffffffff, 5, 'A'.repeat(64))]);
+    expect(msg.length).toBeLessThan(190);
+  });
+});
+
+describe('BatteryAlertService check threshold', () => {
+  it('alerts at and below the default threshold (20) but not above', async () => {
+    const sendText = vi.fn(async (..._args: unknown[]) => 1);
+    const svc = makeService([node(1, 19), node(2, 20), node(3, 21)], sendText);
+
+    await svc.check();
+
+    // <= choice: exactly 20 qualifies too — both in ONE batched message
+    expect(sendText).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+    expect(sendText).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+      BROADCAST_ADDR,
+      '⚠️ battery low: @!00000001 19%, @!00000002 20%',
+    );
+  });
+
+  it('honors a custom BATTERY_ALERT_THRESHOLD', async () => {
+    process.env.BATTERY_ALERT_THRESHOLD = '50';
+    const sendText = vi.fn(async (..._args: unknown[]) => 1);
+    try {
+      const svc = makeService([node(1, 50), node(2, 51)], sendText);
+
+      await svc.check();
+
+      expect(sendText).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+      expect(sendText).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+        BROADCAST_ADDR,
+        '⚠️ battery low: @!00000001 50%',
+      );
+    } finally {
+      delete process.env.BATTERY_ALERT_THRESHOLD;
+    }
+  });
+
+  it('skips nodes without a reported battery level', async () => {
+    const sendText = vi.fn(async (..._args: unknown[]) => 1);
+    const svc = makeService([node(1), node(2, 87)], sendText); // no battery / healthy
+
+    await svc.check();
+
+    expect(sendText).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+  });
+
+  it('merges all qualifying nodes into exactly ONE broadcast with the broadcast target', async () => {
+    const sendText = vi.fn(async (..._args: unknown[]) => 1);
+    const svc = makeService(
+      [node(0xabc, 5, 'A'), node(0xdef, 3, undefined, 'B')],
+      sendText,
+    );
+
+    await svc.check();
+
+    expect(sendText).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1); // never one message per node
+    expect(sendText.mock.calls[0]).toEqual([
+      BROADCAST_ADDR,
+      '⚠️ battery low: @!00000abc (A) 5%, @!00000def (B) 3%',
+    ]);
+  });
+
+  it('never throws when a send fails', async () => {
+    const svc = makeService(
+      [node(1, 5)],
+      vi.fn(async (..._args: unknown[]) => {
+        throw new Error('bridge down');
+      }),
+    );
+
+    await expect(svc.check()).resolves.toBeUndefined();
+  });
+});
+
+describe('BatteryAlertService check cooldown', () => {
+  it('suppresses re-alerts within the window and allows them after expiry (default 6 h)', async () => {
+    vi.useFakeTimers();
+    try {
+      const sendText = vi.fn(async (..._args: unknown[]) => 1);
+      const svc = makeService([node(0xabc, 5)], sendText);
+
+      await svc.check();
+      expect(sendText).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1); // first alert
+
+      await svc.check();
+      expect(sendText).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1); // immediate re-check — suppressed
+
+      vi.advanceTimersByTime(6 * 3_600_000 - 1);
+      await svc.check();
+      expect(sendText).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1); // still inside the window
+
+      vi.advanceTimersByTime(1);
+      await svc.check();
+      expect(sendText).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2); // cooldown elapsed — re-alerted
+    } finally {
+      vi.useRealTimers();
+    }
+  });
+
+  it('excludes a node inside its cooldown from the batch while another outside it still triggers one message', async () => {
+    vi.useFakeTimers();
+    try {
+      const sendText = vi.fn(async (..._args: unknown[]) => 1);
+      // only B is known at first — alert it, then A appears while B is still in cooldown
+      const nodes = [node(0xdef, 3)];
+      const svc = makeService(nodes, sendText);
+
+      await svc.check();
+      expect(sendText).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+      expect(sendText.mock.calls[0][1]).toBe('⚠️ battery low: @!00000def 3%');
+
+      nodes.push(node(0xabc, 5)); // A is due, B is inside its window
+      await svc.check();
+      expect(sendText).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2); // one message — only A
+      expect(sendText.mock.calls[1][1]).toBe('⚠️ battery low: @!00000abc 5%');
+
+      vi.advanceTimersByTime(6 * 3_600_000); // B's cooldown expires too
+      await svc.check();
+      expect(sendText).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(3); // both due again — one batched message with both
+      expect(sendText.mock.calls[2][1]).toBe(
+        '⚠️ battery low: @!00000def 3%, @!00000abc 5%',
+      );
+    } finally {
+      vi.useRealTimers();
+    }
+  });
+});
+
+describe('BatteryAlertService check end-to-end (real MeshService)', () => {
+  it('broadcasts the alert on the pinned send channel (index 3 by default)', async () => {
+    const bridge = await startBridge();
+    process.env.MESH_HOST = '127.0.0.1';
+    process.env.MESH_PORT = String(bridge.port);
+    delete process.env.MESH_SEND_CHANNEL; // default path: "test" (index 3)
+    const mesh = new RealMeshService();
+    try {
+      mesh.onModuleInit();
+      await waitFor(
+        () => bridge.sockets.length === 1 && mesh.status().connected,
+      );
+
+      bridge.sockets[0].write(
+        nodeInfoFrame(0xabc, {
+          user: { id: '!a', longName: 'Alpha' },
+          deviceMetrics: { batteryLevel: 5 },
+        }),
+      );
+      await waitFor(async () => (await mesh.nodes()).length === 1);
+
+      const out: Uint8Array[] = [];
+      bridge.sockets[0].on('data', (c) => out.push(c));
+      const svc = new BatteryAlertService(mesh);
+      await svc.check();
+
+      const readOutbound = (): P.Mesh.MeshPacket[] => {
+        const merged = new Uint8Array(out.reduce((n, c) => n + c.length, 0));
+        let off = 0;
+        for (const c of out) {
+          merged.set(c, off);
+          off += c.length;
+        }
+        const { packets } = extractFrames(merged);
+        // outbound starts with the want_config_id frame — collect only text packets, in order
+        return packets.flatMap((p) => {
+          const tr = fromBinary(P.Mesh.ToRadioSchema, p);
+          if (tr.payloadVariant?.case === 'packet')
+            return [tr.payloadVariant.value];
+          return [];
+        });
+      };
+
+      await waitFor(() => readOutbound().length === 1);
+      const pkt = readOutbound()[0];
+      expect(pkt.channel).toBe(3); // "test" — never the primary channel (0)
+      const data =
+        pkt.payloadVariant?.case === 'decoded'
+          ? pkt.payloadVariant.value
+          : undefined;
+      expect(new TextDecoder().decode(data?.payload ?? new Uint8Array())).toBe(
+        '⚠️ battery low: @!00000abc (Alpha) 5%',
+      );
+    } finally {
+      delete process.env.MESH_HOST;
+      delete process.env.MESH_PORT;
+      delete process.env.MESH_SEND_CHANNEL;
+      mesh.onModuleDestroy();
+      bridge.close();
+    }
+  });
+});

src/battery/battery.service.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,70 @@
+import { Injectable, Logger } from '@nestjs/common';
+import { Interval } from '@nestjs/schedule';
+import { BROADCAST_ADDR } from '../mesh/codec.js';
+import type { NodeSummary } from '../mesh/mesh.service.js';
+import { MeshService } from '../mesh/mesh.service.js';
+
+/** Meshtastic mention of a node: `@!` + 8-char zero-padded lowercase hex, e.g. `@!09a2b3c4`. */
+export function mention(nodeNum: number): string {
+  return `@!${nodeNum.toString(16).padStart(8, '0')}`;
+}
+
+/** One tight entry per node, e.g. `@!09a2b3c4 (Kamil SP8MK/P) 15%`. */
+export function formatEntry(node: NodeSummary): string {
+  // no name reported → omit the paren part rather than invent one
+  const name = node.longName ?? node.shortName;
+  return `${mention(node.num)}${name ? ` (${name})` : ''} ${node.batteryLevel}%`;
+}
+
+/** One short single-packet alert line for a whole batch, e.g. `⚠️ battery low: @!09a2b3c4 (Kamil SP8MK/P) 15%, @!0def5678 (KK) 9%` — entries kept tight so common cases stay near the ~190-char single-packet limit. */
+export function formatAlert(nodes: NodeSummary[]): string {
+  return `⚠️ battery low: ${nodes.map(formatEntry).join(', ')}`;
+}
+
+@Injectable()
+export class BatteryAlertService {
+  private readonly logger = new Logger(BatteryAlertService.name);
+  // read at construction, like MeshService's env config
+  private readonly threshold = parseInt(
+    process.env.BATTERY_ALERT_THRESHOLD ?? '20',
+    10,
+  );
+  private readonly cooldownMs = parseInt(
+    process.env.BATTERY_ALERT_COOLDOWN_MS ?? '21600000', // default 6 h
+    10,
+  );
+  // ponytail: in-memory cooldown map — resets on process restart (a node may get one duplicate alert after a deploy)
+  private lastAlertAt = new Map<number, number>();
+
+  constructor(private readonly mesh: MeshService) {}
+
+  /** Interval scan of the same node state that backs GET /api/nodes; collects every low-battery node not recently alerted and sends AT MOST ONE broadcast per cycle containing all of them. Never throws — a failed check must not crash the app. */
+  @Interval(parseInt(process.env.BATTERY_CHECK_INTERVAL_MS ?? '60000', 10))
+  async check(): Promise<void> {
+    try {
+      const now = Date.now();
+      const due = (await this.mesh.nodes()).filter((n) =>
+        this.shouldAlert(n, now),
+      );
+      if (due.length === 0) return; // nothing to report — send nothing
+      await this.alert(due);
+    } catch (err) {
+      this.logger.warn(`[battery] check failed: ${(err as Error).message}`);
+    }
+  }
+
+  private shouldAlert(node: NodeSummary, now: number): boolean {
+    if (node.batteryLevel === undefined) return false; // no battery reported — skip
+    // <= on purpose: a node at exactly the threshold is already "low" (spec allowed either < or <=; tests pin this choice)
+    if (!(node.batteryLevel <= this.threshold)) return false;
+    const last = this.lastAlertAt.get(node.num);
+    return last === undefined || now - last >= this.cooldownMs;
+  }
+
+  private async alert(nodes: NodeSummary[]): Promise<void> {
+    // one broadcast per cycle for the whole batch — never one message per node; rides the pinned send channel like every other bot send (MeshService.sendText)
+    await this.mesh.sendText(BROADCAST_ADDR, formatAlert(nodes));
+    const now = Date.now();
+    for (const n of nodes) this.lastAlertAt.set(n.num, now);
+  }
+}

src/battery/di.spec.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+import { Test } from '@nestjs/testing';
+import { describe, expect, it } from 'vitest';
+import { MeshService } from '../mesh/mesh.service.js';
+import { BatteryAlertModule } from './battery.module.js';
+import { BatteryAlertService } from './battery.service.js';
+
+describe('DI wiring (module graph)', () => {
+  // compile() instantiates providers but does not run lifecycle hooks, so no TCP connection is opened.
+  it('resolves BatteryAlertService with MeshService provided by MeshModule', async () => {
+    process.env.MESH_DB_PATH = ':memory:'; // keep openMessageDb from touching the repo's ./data
+    const moduleRef = await Test.createTestingModule({
+      imports: [BatteryAlertModule],
+    }).compile();
+    expect(moduleRef.get(BatteryAlertService)).toBeInstanceOf(
+      BatteryAlertService,
+    );
+    expect(moduleRef.get(MeshService)).toBeInstanceOf(MeshService);
+  });
+});

src/mesh/codec.spec.ts

@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
+import { fromBinary, toBinary } from '@bufbuild/protobuf';
+import * as P from '@meshtastic/protobufs';
 import { describe, expect, it } from 'vitest';
-import { extractFrames, frame } from './codec.js';
+import { buildTextToRadio, extractFrames, frame } from './codec.js';
 
 const F = (payload: number[]) => [
   0x94,
@@ -78,3 +80,25 @@ describe('frame', () => {
     expect(rest.length).toBe(0);
   });
 });
+
+// re-serialize just the nested Data message so its wire bytes are inspectable without the random packet id interfering
+function dataBytes(framed: Uint8Array): Uint8Array {
+  const { packets } = extractFrames(framed); // buildTextToRadio returns framed bytes
+  expect(packets).toHaveLength(1);
+  const tr = fromBinary(P.Mesh.ToRadioSchema, packets[0]);
+  if (tr.payloadVariant?.case !== 'packet') throw new Error('not a packet');
+  const pv = tr.payloadVariant.value.payloadVariant;
+  if (pv?.case !== 'decoded') throw new Error('not decoded');
+  return toBinary(P.Mesh.DataSchema, pv.value);
+}
+
+describe('buildTextToRadio', () => {
+  it('writes wire tag 0x3d (Data.reply_id, field 7) iff replyId is given', async () => {
+    const withReply = await buildTextToRadio(42, 'hi', 3, 42);
+    expect(Array.from(dataBytes(withReply.bytes))).toContain(0x3d);
+
+    // omitting it must leave the field off the wire (proto3 default 0) — snake_case reply_id would be silently dropped here
+    const plain = await buildTextToRadio(42, 'hi', 3);
+    expect(Array.from(dataBytes(plain.bytes))).not.toContain(0x3d);
+  });
+});

src/mesh/codec.ts

@@ -12,6 +12,8 @@ export const BROADCAST_ADDR = 0xffffffff;
 export const PORT_TEXT_MESSAGE_APP = 1;
 // verified against installed @meshtastic/protobufs Portnums.PortNum.POSITION_APP
 export const PORT_POSITION_APP = 3;
+// verified against installed @meshtastic/protobufs Portnums.PortNum.NODEINFO_APP
+export const PORT_NODEINFO_APP = 4;
 // verified against installed @meshtastic/protobufs Portnums.PortNum.ROUTING_APP
 export const PORT_ROUTING_APP = 5;
 // verified against installed @meshtastic/protobufs Portnums.PortNum.TELEMETRY_APP
@@ -75,6 +77,14 @@ export async function decodePosition(
   return fromBinary(P.Mesh.PositionSchema, bytes);
 }
 
+/** NODEINFO_APP packets carry a serialized meshtastic.NodeInfo in Data.payload (live node info; deviceMetrics carries battery_level). */
+export async function decodeNodeInfo(
+  bytes: Uint8Array,
+): Promise<import('@meshtastic/protobufs').Mesh.NodeInfo> {
+  const P = await loadProto();
+  return fromBinary(P.Mesh.NodeInfoSchema, bytes);
+}
+
 /** ROUTING_APP packets carry a serialized meshtastic.Routing in Data.payload (ACK/NACK for want_ack sends). */
 export async function decodeRouting(
   bytes: Uint8Array,
@@ -126,6 +136,7 @@ export async function buildTextToRadio(
   to: number,
   text: string,
   channelIndex: number,
+  replyId?: number,
 ): Promise<{ bytes: Uint8Array; id: number }> {
   const P = await loadProto();
   const id = randomPacketId();
@@ -140,6 +151,8 @@ export async function buildTextToRadio(
         portnum: P.Portnums.PortNum.TEXT_MESSAGE_APP,
         payload: new TextEncoder().encode(text),
         wantResponse: true,
+        // camelCase on purpose — the JS protobufs package silently drops snake_case reply_id; 0 = not a reply (proto3 default, omitted from wire)
+        replyId: replyId ?? 0,
       },
     },
   });

src/mesh/mcp.controller.spec.ts

@@ -91,6 +91,7 @@ describe('MCP server tools', () => {
         expect(Object.keys(send.inputSchema.properties ?? {})).toEqual([
           'text',
           'to',
+          'replyId',
         ]);
 
         const inject = tools.find((t) => t.name === 'inject_message')!;

src/mesh/mcp.controller.ts

@@ -33,11 +33,17 @@ export function createMeshMcpServer(mesh: MeshService): McpServer {
   server.registerTool(
     'send_message',
     {
-      description: `Send a text message over the mesh; returns { id } — the Meshtastic packet id. to: omitted/"" or "!b"/"broadcast" (case-insensitive) → broadcast; number or numeric string → that node number (integer in 1..0xffffffff); anything else is looked up by name (exact long/short name, then unique substring). Unknown or ambiguous targets are an error.${CHANNEL_NOTE}`,
-      inputSchema: { text: z.string(), to: z.string().optional() },
+      description: `Send a text message over the mesh; returns { id } — the Meshtastic packet id. to: omitted/"" or "!b"/"broadcast" (case-insensitive) → broadcast; number or numeric string → that node number (integer in 1..0xffffffff); anything else is looked up by name (exact long/short name, then unique substring). Unknown or ambiguous targets are an error. replyId (optional, integer in 1..0xffffffff): the packet id of an earlier message from GET /api/messages or get_messages — when set, the recipient app renders this message as a threaded reply/quote of that packet.${CHANNEL_NOTE}`,
+      inputSchema: {
+        text: z.string(),
+        to: z.string().optional(),
+        replyId: z.number().int().min(1).max(0xffffffff).optional(),
+      },
     },
-    async ({ text, to }) =>
-      jsonResult({ id: await mesh.sendText(await mesh.resolveDest(to), text) }),
+    async ({ text, to, replyId }) =>
+      jsonResult({
+        id: await mesh.sendText(await mesh.resolveDest(to), text, replyId),
+      }),
   );
 
   server.registerTool(

src/mesh/mesh.controller.ts

@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ import {
   ApiResponse,
   ApiTags,
 } from '@nestjs/swagger';
+import { BROADCAST_ADDR } from './codec.js';
 import type { DeviceInfo } from './mesh.service.js';
 import { MeshService } from './mesh.service.js';
 
@@ -38,6 +39,13 @@ export class SendTextDto {
     example: '!b',
   })
   to?: string | number;
+  @ApiProperty({
+    required: false,
+    description:
+      'Packet id of an earlier message (from GET /api/messages) that this one replies to — the recipient app renders it as a threaded reply/quote. Integer in 1..0xffffffff.',
+    example: 456789,
+  })
+  replyId?: number;
 }
 
 // tag description is set via DocumentBuilder.addTag in main.ts (v12 ApiTagOptions has no description)
@@ -70,7 +78,7 @@ export class MeshController {
   @ApiOperation({
     summary: 'Send a text message over the mesh',
     description:
-      'Queues a TEXT_MESSAGE_APP packet to the resolved target (node number, node name, or broadcast). DMs are unicast and wantAck-tracked via GET /api/messages; broadcasts stay pending because firmware strips want_ack. All sends ride the pinned test channel (index 3, "test" — never the primary channel) regardless of DM or broadcast, since modern firmware PKI handles unicast encryption/channel anyway. Returns the Meshtastic packet id.',
+      'Queues a TEXT_MESSAGE_APP packet to the resolved target (node number, node name, or broadcast). Optional replyId (integer in 1..0xffffffff) references an earlier message\'s packet id from GET /api/messages — when set, the recipient app renders this message as a threaded reply/quote of that packet. DMs are unicast and wantAck-tracked via GET /api/messages; broadcasts stay pending because firmware strips want_ack. All sends ride the pinned test channel (index 3, "test" — never the primary channel) regardless of DM or broadcast, since modern firmware PKI handles unicast encryption/channel anyway. Returns the Meshtastic packet id.',
   })
   @ApiResponse({
     status: 200,
@@ -83,6 +91,15 @@ export class MeshController {
     if (typeof body?.text !== 'string' || body.text.length === 0) {
       throw new BadRequestException('text must be a non-empty string');
     }
+    const replyId = body.replyId;
+    if (
+      replyId !== undefined &&
+      (!Number.isInteger(replyId) || replyId < 1 || replyId > BROADCAST_ADDR)
+    ) {
+      throw new BadRequestException(
+        'replyId must be an integer in 1..0xffffffff',
+      );
+    }
     let to: number;
     try {
       to = await this.mesh.resolveDest(body.to);
@@ -91,7 +108,7 @@ export class MeshController {
         err instanceof Error ? err.message : String(err),
       );
     }
-    return { id: await this.mesh.sendText(to, body.text) };
+    return { id: await this.mesh.sendText(to, body.text, replyId) };
   }
 
   @Get('channels')

src/mesh/mesh.service.spec.ts

@@ -44,6 +44,36 @@ function positionPacketFrame(
   );
 }
 
+// live node-info update: NODEINFO_APP packet with a serialized NodeInfo in Data.payload
+function nodeInfoPacketFrame(
+  from: number,
+  fields: {
+    user?: { id?: string; longName?: string };
+    deviceMetrics?: { batteryLevel?: number };
+  },
+): Uint8Array {
+  const data = create(P.Mesh.DataSchema, {
+    portnum: P.Portnums.PortNum.NODEINFO_APP,
+    payload: toBinary(
+      P.Mesh.NodeInfoSchema,
+      create(P.Mesh.NodeInfoSchema, { num: from, ...fields }),
+    ),
+  });
+  const pkt = create(P.Mesh.MeshPacketSchema, {
+    from,
+    id: 1,
+    payloadVariant: { case: 'decoded', value: data },
+  });
+  return frame(
+    toBinary(
+      P.Mesh.FromRadioSchema,
+      create(P.Mesh.FromRadioSchema, {
+        payloadVariant: { case: 'packet', value: pkt },
+      }),
+    ),
+  );
+}
+
 // inbound text message: TEXT_MESSAGE_APP packet with UTF-8 in Data.payload
 function textPacketFrame(
   from: number,
@@ -296,6 +326,64 @@ describe('MeshService send', () => {
       bridge.close();
     }
   });
+
+  it('sets Data.reply_id when replyId is given and leaves it unset otherwise', async () => {
+    const bridge = await startBridge();
+    process.env.MESH_HOST = '127.0.0.1';
+    process.env.MESH_PORT = String(bridge.port);
+    const svc = new MeshService();
+    try {
+      svc.onModuleInit();
+      await waitFor(
+        () => bridge.sockets.length === 1 && svc.status().connected,
+      );
+
+      const out: Uint8Array[] = [];
+      bridge.sockets[0].on('data', (c) => out.push(c));
+      await svc.sendText(42, 'reply send', 42); // replyId = 42
+      await svc.sendText(43, 'plain send');
+
+      const readOutbound = (): P.Mesh.MeshPacket[] => {
+        const merged = new Uint8Array(out.reduce((n, c) => n + c.length, 0));
+        let off = 0;
+        for (const c of out) {
+          merged.set(c, off);
+          off += c.length;
+        }
+        const { packets } = extractFrames(merged);
+        // outbound starts with the want_config_id frame — collect only text packets, in order
+        return packets.flatMap((p) => {
+          const tr = fromBinary(P.Mesh.ToRadioSchema, p);
+          if (tr.payloadVariant?.case === 'packet')
+            return [tr.payloadVariant.value];
+          return [];
+        });
+      };
+
+      await waitFor(() => readOutbound().length === 2);
+      const [replyPkt, plainPkt] = readOutbound();
+      const replyData =
+        replyPkt.payloadVariant?.case === 'decoded'
+          ? replyPkt.payloadVariant.value
+          : undefined;
+      expect(
+        new TextDecoder().decode(replyData?.payload ?? new Uint8Array()),
+      ).toBe('reply send');
+      expect(replyData?.replyId).toBe(42); // threaded reply to packet 42
+
+      const plainData =
+        plainPkt.payloadVariant?.case === 'decoded'
+          ? plainPkt.payloadVariant.value
+          : undefined;
+      expect(
+        new TextDecoder().decode(plainData?.payload ?? new Uint8Array()),
+      ).toBe('plain send');
+      expect(plainData?.replyId).toBe(0); // omitted → proto3 default, not a reply
+    } finally {
+      svc.onModuleDestroy();
+      bridge.close();
+    }
+  });
 });
 
 describe('MeshService node database', () => {
@@ -360,6 +448,47 @@ describe('MeshService node database', () => {
     }
   });
 
+  it('updates batteryLevel from live NODEINFO_APP packets (and stubs unknown nodes)', async () => {
+    const bridge = await startBridge();
+    process.env.MESH_HOST = '127.0.0.1';
+    process.env.MESH_PORT = String(bridge.port);
+    const svc = new MeshService();
+    try {
+      svc.onModuleInit();
+      await waitFor(
+        () => bridge.sockets.length === 1 && svc.status().connected,
+      );
+
+      // sync entry with a stale battery, then a live NODEINFO_APP update
+      bridge.sockets[0].write(nodeInfoFrame(KAMIL_NUM, kamilNodeInfo()));
+      await waitFor(async () => (await svc.nodes()).length === 1);
+      expect((await svc.nodes())[0]?.batteryLevel).toBe(87);
+
+      bridge.sockets[0].write(
+        nodeInfoPacketFrame(KAMIL_NUM, { deviceMetrics: { batteryLevel: 9 } }),
+      );
+
+      await waitFor(async () => (await svc.nodes())[0]?.batteryLevel === 9);
+      // other fields of the sync entry survive the live update
+      expect(await svc.node(KAMIL_NUM)).toMatchObject({
+        longName: 'Kamil SP8MK/P',
+        shortName: 'KK',
+        batteryLevel: 9,
+      });
+
+      // unknown node: a NODEINFO_APP with deviceMetrics creates a stub entry
+      bridge.sockets[0].write(
+        nodeInfoPacketFrame(555, { deviceMetrics: { batteryLevel: 3 } }),
+      );
+
+      await waitFor(async () => (await svc.nodes()).length === 2);
+      expect((await svc.node(555))?.batteryLevel).toBe(3);
+    } finally {
+      svc.onModuleDestroy();
+      bridge.close();
+    }
+  });
+
   it('looks up nodes by exact num, numeric string, exact name and unique substring', async () => {
     const bridge = await startBridge();
     process.env.MESH_HOST = '127.0.0.1';

src/mesh/mesh.service.ts

@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ import type { DatabaseSync } from 'node:sqlite';
 import type * as Proto from '@meshtastic/protobufs';
 import {
   BROADCAST_ADDR,
+  PORT_NODEINFO_APP,
   PORT_POSITION_APP,
   PORT_ROUTING_APP,
   PORT_TELEMETRY_APP,
@@ -18,6 +19,7 @@ import {
   buildTextToRadio,
   buildWantConfigToRadio,
   decodeFromRadio,
+  decodeNodeInfo,
   decodePosition,
   decodeRouting,
   decodeTelemetry,
@@ -488,11 +490,16 @@ export class MeshService implements OnModuleInit, OnModuleDestroy {
     return [...this.telemetryHistory].reverse();
   }
 
-  /** Send `text` to node `to` on the pinned test channel; returns the packet id. Throws ServiceUnavailable when the bridge is down. */
-  async sendText(to: number, text: string): Promise<number> {
+  /** Send `text` to node `to` on the pinned test channel; returns the packet id. Optional `replyId` marks the message as a reply to an earlier packet (the recipient app renders it as a threaded quote). Throws ServiceUnavailable when the bridge is down. */
+  async sendText(to: number, text: string, replyId?: number): Promise<number> {
     if (!this.connected || !this.socket)
       throw new ServiceUnavailableException('bridge not connected');
-    const { bytes, id } = await buildTextToRadio(to, text, this.sendChannel);
+    const { bytes, id } = await buildTextToRadio(
+      to,
+      text,
+      this.sendChannel,
+      replyId,
+    );
     const rec: MessageRecord = {
       id,
       dir: 'tx',
@@ -671,6 +678,23 @@ export class MeshService implements OnModuleInit, OnModuleDestroy {
               position: pos,
             });
           }
+        } else if (decoded && decoded.portnum === PORT_NODEINFO_APP) {
+          // live node-info update: NodeInfo serialized in Data.payload; deviceMetrics carries
+          // battery_level so /api/nodes and the battery alerts see fresh values between syncs
+          let ni: Proto.Mesh.NodeInfo | undefined;
+          try {
+            ni = await decodeNodeInfo(decoded.payload);
+          } catch {
+            ni = undefined; // malformed payload — skip, keep whatever we had
+          }
+          if (ni?.deviceMetrics !== undefined) {
+            const num = pkt.from;
+            this.nodeMap.set(num, {
+              ...this.nodeMap.get(num),
+              num,
+              deviceMetrics: ni.deviceMetrics,
+            });
+          }
         } else if (decoded && decoded.portnum === PORT_ROUTING_APP) {
           // ACK/NACK for our want_ack sends: Routing serialized in Data.payload,
           // Data.requestId = the original packet id we sent