diff --git a/backend/app/notify/telegram.go b/backend/app/notify/telegram.go
index 5ae6bb53..61a9d159 100644
--- a/backend/app/notify/telegram.go
+++ b/backend/app/notify/telegram.go
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 	"html"
 	"net/http"
+	"strconv"
 	"time"
 
 	log "github.com/go-pkgz/lgr"
@@ -16,10 +17,10 @@ import (
 
 // Telegram implements notify.Destination for telegram
 type Telegram struct {
-	channelID string
-	token       string
-	apiPrefix   string
-	timeout     time.Duration
+	channelID string // unique identifier for the target chat or username of the target channel (in the format @channelusername)
+	token     string
+	apiPrefix string
+	timeout   time.Duration
 }
 
 const telegramTimeOut = 5000 * time.Millisecond
@@ -28,6 +29,10 @@ const telegramAPIPrefix = "https://api.telegram.org/bot"
 // NewTelegram makes telegram bot for notifications
 func NewTelegram(token string, channelID string, timeout time.Duration, api string) (*Telegram, error) {
 
+	if _, err := strconv.ParseInt(channelID, 10, 64); err != nil {
+		channelID = "@" + channelID // if channelID not a number enforce @ prefix
+	}
+
 	res := Telegram{channelID: channelID, token: token, apiPrefix: api, timeout: timeout}
 	if res.apiPrefix == "" {
 		res.apiPrefix = telegramAPIPrefix
diff --git a/backend/app/notify/telegram_test.go b/backend/app/notify/telegram_test.go
index c8b8d614..57f55f4d 100644
--- a/backend/app/notify/telegram_test.go
+++ b/backend/app/notify/telegram_test.go
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ func TestTelegram_New(t *testing.T) {
 	tb, err := NewTelegram("good-token", "remark_test", 2*time.Second, ts.URL+"/")
 	assert.NoError(t, err)
 	assert.NotNil(t, tb)
+	assert.Equal(t, "@remark_test", tb.channelID, "@ added")
 
 	st := time.Now()
 	_, err = NewTelegram("bad-resp", "remark_test", 2*time.Second, ts.URL+"/")
@@ -42,6 +43,11 @@ func TestTelegram_New(t *testing.T) {
 
 	_, err = NewTelegram("good-token", "remark_test", 0, ts.URL+"/")
 	assert.NoError(t, err, "0 timeout allowed as default")
+
+	tb, err = NewTelegram("good-token", "1234567890", 2*time.Second, ts.URL+"/")
+	assert.NoError(t, err)
+	assert.NotNil(t, tb)
+	assert.Equal(t, "1234567890", tb.channelID, "no @ prefix")
 }
 
 func TestTelegram_Send(t *testing.T) {