diff --git a/src/channels/discord.ts b/src/channels/discord.ts
index ff19519..9194502 100644
--- a/src/channels/discord.ts
+++ b/src/channels/discord.ts
@@ -178,7 +178,10 @@ Ask the bot owner to approve with:
             return;
           }
           if (command === 'heartbeat') {
-            await this.onCommand('heartbeat');
+            const result = await this.onCommand('heartbeat');
+            if (result) {
+              await message.channel.send(result);
+            }
             return;
           }
         }
diff --git a/src/channels/telegram.ts b/src/channels/telegram.ts
index 76598e3..43e509a 100644
--- a/src/channels/telegram.ts
+++ b/src/channels/telegram.ts
@@ -138,11 +138,10 @@ export class TelegramAdapter implements ChannelAdapter {
       }
     });
     
-    // Handle /heartbeat (silent - no reply)
+    // Handle /heartbeat - trigger heartbeat manually (silent - no reply)
     this.bot.command('heartbeat', async (ctx) => {
       if (this.onCommand) {
         await this.onCommand('heartbeat');
-        // No reply - heartbeat runs silently
       }
     });
     
diff --git a/src/core/bot.ts b/src/core/bot.ts
index 1f768c9..40ca02e 100644
--- a/src/core/bot.ts
+++ b/src/core/bot.ts
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ export class LettaBot {
   private config: BotConfig;
   private channels: Map<string, ChannelAdapter> = new Map();
   private messageQueue: Array<{ msg: InboundMessage; adapter: ChannelAdapter }> = [];
+  private lastUserMessageTime: Date | null = null;
   
   // Callback to trigger heartbeat (set by main.ts)
   public onTriggerHeartbeat?: () => Promise<void>;
@@ -151,6 +152,8 @@ export class LettaBot {
    * Process a single message
    */
   private async processMessage(msg: InboundMessage, adapter: ChannelAdapter): Promise<void> {
+    // Track when user last sent a message (for heartbeat skip logic)
+    this.lastUserMessageTime = new Date();
     
     // Track last message target for heartbeat delivery
     this.store.lastMessageTarget = {
@@ -436,4 +439,11 @@ export class LettaBot {
   getLastMessageTarget(): { channel: string; chatId: string } | null {
     return this.store.lastMessageTarget || null;
   }
+  
+  /**
+   * Get the time of the last user message (for heartbeat skip logic)
+   */
+  getLastUserMessageTime(): Date | null {
+    return this.lastUserMessageTime;
+  }
 }
diff --git a/src/cron/heartbeat.ts b/src/cron/heartbeat.ts
index 10e37a5..8b52afe 100644
--- a/src/cron/heartbeat.ts
+++ b/src/cron/heartbeat.ts
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ import { resolve } from 'node:path';
 import type { LettaBot } from '../core/bot.js';
 import type { TriggerContext } from '../core/types.js';
 import { buildHeartbeatPrompt } from '../core/prompts.js';
-import { getLastRunTime } from '../tools/letta-api.js';
+
 
 // Log file
 const LOG_PATH = resolve(process.cwd(), 'cron-log.jsonl');
@@ -106,11 +106,11 @@ export class HeartbeatService {
   
   /**
    * Manually trigger a heartbeat (for /heartbeat command)
-   * Bypasses the "recently active" check since user explicitly requested it
+   * Bypasses the "recently messaged" check since user explicitly requested it
    */
   async trigger(): Promise<void> {
     console.log('[Heartbeat] Manual trigger requested');
-    await this.runHeartbeat(true); // skipActiveCheck = true
+    await this.runHeartbeat(true); // skipRecentCheck = true
   }
   
   /**
@@ -119,9 +119,9 @@ export class HeartbeatService {
    * SILENT MODE: Agent's text output is NOT auto-delivered.
    * The agent must use `lettabot-message` CLI via Bash to contact the user.
    * 
-   * @param skipActiveCheck - If true, bypass the "recently active" check (for manual triggers)
+   * @param skipRecentCheck - If true, bypass the "recently messaged" check (for manual triggers)
    */
-  private async runHeartbeat(skipActiveCheck = false): Promise<void> {
+  private async runHeartbeat(skipRecentCheck = false): Promise<void> {
     const now = new Date();
     const formattedTime = now.toLocaleString();
     const timezone = Intl.DateTimeFormat().resolvedOptions().timeZone;
@@ -130,25 +130,21 @@ export class HeartbeatService {
     console.log(`[Heartbeat] ⏰ RUNNING at ${formattedTime} [SILENT MODE]`);
     console.log(`${'='.repeat(60)}\n`);
     
-    // Check if agent was active recently (skip heartbeat if so)
-    // Skip this check for manual triggers (/heartbeat command)
-    if (!skipActiveCheck) {
-      const agentId = this.bot.getStatus().agentId;
-      if (agentId) {
-        const lastRunTime = await getLastRunTime(agentId);
-        if (lastRunTime) {
-          const msSinceLastRun = now.getTime() - lastRunTime.getTime();
-          const intervalMs = this.config.intervalMinutes * 60 * 1000;
-          
-          if (msSinceLastRun < intervalMs) {
-            const minutesAgo = Math.round(msSinceLastRun / 60000);
-            console.log(`[Heartbeat] Agent was active ${minutesAgo}m ago - skipping heartbeat`);
-            logEvent('heartbeat_skipped_active', {
-              lastRunTime: lastRunTime.toISOString(),
-              minutesAgo,
-            });
-            return;
-          }
+    // Skip if user sent a message in the last 5 minutes (unless manual trigger)
+    if (!skipRecentCheck) {
+      const lastUserMessage = this.bot.getLastUserMessageTime();
+      if (lastUserMessage) {
+        const msSinceLastMessage = now.getTime() - lastUserMessage.getTime();
+        const skipWindowMs = 5 * 60 * 1000; // 5 minutes
+        
+        if (msSinceLastMessage < skipWindowMs) {
+          const minutesAgo = Math.round(msSinceLastMessage / 60000);
+          console.log(`[Heartbeat] User messaged ${minutesAgo}m ago - skipping heartbeat`);
+          logEvent('heartbeat_skipped_recent_user', {
+            lastUserMessage: lastUserMessage.toISOString(),
+            minutesAgo,
+          });
+          return;
         }
       }
     }