diff --git a/backend/app/notify/telegram.go b/backend/app/notify/telegram.go
index 28131721..cf6d7477 100644
--- a/backend/app/notify/telegram.go
+++ b/backend/app/notify/telegram.go
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ func NewTelegram(token string, channelName string, timeout time.Duration, api st
 	}{}
 
 	if err = json.NewDecoder(resp.Body).Decode(&tgResp); err != nil {
-		return nil, errors.Wrap(err, "can't authorize to telegram")
+		return nil, errors.Wrap(err, "can't decode response")
 	}
 
 	if !tgResp.OK || !tgResp.Result.IsBot {
diff --git a/backend/app/notify/telegram_test.go b/backend/app/notify/telegram_test.go
index f57f1acf..d6247e05 100644
--- a/backend/app/notify/telegram_test.go
+++ b/backend/app/notify/telegram_test.go
@@ -22,10 +22,17 @@ func TestTelegram_New(t *testing.T) {
 	assert.NotNil(t, tb)
 
 	_, err = NewTelegram("bad-resp", "remark_test", 2*time.Second, ts.URL+"/")
+	assert.EqualError(t, err, "unexpected telegram response {OK:false Result:{FirstName:comments_test ID:707381019 IsBot:false UserName:remark42_test_bot}}")
+
+	_, err = NewTelegram("non-json-resp", "remark_test", 2*time.Second, ts.URL+"/")
 	assert.NotNil(t, err)
+	assert.Contains(t, err.Error(), "can't decode response:")
 
 	_, err = NewTelegram("404", "remark_test", 2*time.Second, ts.URL+"/")
-	assert.NotNil(t, err)
+	assert.EqualError(t, err, "unexpected telegram status code 404")
+
+	_, err = NewTelegram("no-such-thing", "remark_test", 2*time.Second, "http://127.0.0.1:12345/")
+	assert.EqualError(t, err, "can't initialize telegram notifications: Get http://127.0.0.1:12345/no-such-thing/getMe: dial tcp 127.0.0.1:12345: connect: connection refused")
 }
 
 func TestTelegram_Send(t *testing.T) {
@@ -35,8 +42,15 @@ func TestTelegram_Send(t *testing.T) {
 	tb, err := NewTelegram("good-token", "remark_test", 2*time.Second, ts.URL+"/")
 	assert.NoError(t, err)
 	assert.NotNil(t, tb)
-	err = tb.Send(context.TODO(), request{comment: store.Comment{Text: "some text"}})
+	c := store.Comment{Text: "some text", ParentID: "1"}
+	c.User.Name = "from"
+	cp := store.Comment{Text: "some parent text"}
+	cp.User.Name = "to"
+
+	err = tb.Send(context.TODO(), request{comment: c, parent: cp})
 	assert.NoError(t, err)
+
+	assert.Equal(t, "telegram: remark_test", tb.String())
 }
 
 func mockTelegramServer() *httptest.Server {
@@ -61,6 +75,16 @@ func mockTelegramServer() *httptest.Server {
 				}}`
 		_, _ = w.Write([]byte(s))
 	})
+	router.Get("/non-json-resp/getMe", func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+		s := `"ok": false,
+				"result": {
+					"first_name": "comments_test",
+					"id": 707381019,
+					"is_bot": false,
+					"username": "remark42_test_bot"
+				`
+		_, _ = w.Write([]byte(s))
+	})
 	router.Get("/404/getMe", func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 		w.WriteHeader(404)
 	})