diff --git a/changelog.d/fix-prose-invitation-target.fixed.md b/changelog.d/fix-prose-invitation-target.fixed.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..f888c1e8a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog.d/fix-prose-invitation-target.fixed.md
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+- The closed-channel invitation's "reply without joining" prefix is now always one
+  whitespace-free token that resolves back to the channel on the server the message came
+  from (`@name` for a DM, else `#label`, `#name` without the server suffix, or the channel
+  id), from the new `ChannelRegistry.proseTargetFor(channelId, serverId)`. It used to quote
+  the label verbatim, and the prefix grammar reads the target as the first non-whitespace
+  run: a DM labelled `DM: alice` gave `>>#DM: alice` (target `#DM:`, body `alice …`, so the
+  reply bounced and the retained text went out with a stray `alice` line), and a suffixed
+  label like `#fable (antra's server)` delivered `(antra's server)` as text. When no token is
+  safe (the channel id is registered by more than one server, or every option contains
+  whitespace) the invitation offers no prefix and points to joining the channel instead.
diff --git a/src/framework.ts b/src/framework.ts
index 4bb960be4..e9fe65228 100644
--- a/src/framework.ts
+++ b/src/framework.ts
@@ -7323,6 +7323,19 @@ export class AgentFramework {
     const label = opts.channelLabel ?? descriptor?.label;
     const channelLabel = label ? `#${label}` : `"${opts.channelId}"`;
     const place = opts.guildName ? `${channelLabel} in "${opts.guildName}"` : channelLabel;
+    // The label is for reading; the prefix must be ONE token that resolves back
+    // here, on this server (a DM label "DM: alice" quoted verbatim parses as
+    // target "#DM:"). A registry that can name targets is authoritative: no safe
+    // token means no prefix option. A stand-in without proseTargetFor gets a
+    // whitespace-free guess, never a label with spaces.
+    const namer = this.channelRegistry as { proseTargetFor?: (id: string, serverId?: string) => string | undefined };
+    const target = typeof namer.proseTargetFor === 'function'
+      ? namer.proseTargetFor(opts.channelId, opts.serverId)
+      : [label ? `#${label}` : undefined, opts.channelId].find((t): t is string => !!t && !/\s/.test(t));
+    const replyOption = target
+      ? `1. Reply without joining — write your reply this turn prefixed with ">>${target}"; it will be delivered there. ` +
+        `Note: follow-ups to your reply will NOT reach you unless they @-mention you or use the reply feature on your message.\n`
+      : `1. Reply without joining isn't available here: no single-word target reaches this channel unambiguously. Join it (option 2) to reply.\n`;
     const missedCount = opts.missedMessages ?? 0;
     const missedNote =
       missedCount > 0
@@ -7338,8 +7351,7 @@ export class AgentFramework {
         `a reply to one of your messages) reach you from it; the rest of its traffic is invisible to you. ` +
         missedNote +
         `Your options:\n` +
-        `1. Reply without joining — write your reply this turn prefixed with ">>${channelLabel}"; it will be delivered there. ` +
-        `Note: follow-ups to your reply will NOT reach you unless they @-mention you or use the reply feature on your message.\n` +
+        replyOption +
         `2. Join the channel — call channel_open with channelId "${opts.channelId}" and serverId "${opts.serverId}"` +
         (maxBackscroll > 0
           ? `; to also read recent history, add backscroll (a number up to ${maxBackscroll}) and beforeMessageId "${opts.messageId}".\n`
diff --git a/src/mcpl/channel-registry.ts b/src/mcpl/channel-registry.ts
index 01c81ec1a..9e31ef7e1 100644
--- a/src/mcpl/channel-registry.ts
+++ b/src/mcpl/channel-registry.ts
@@ -2445,6 +2445,44 @@ export class ChannelRegistry {
     return { error: `no channel matches "${trimmed}"`, ...(near.length ? { candidates: near } : {}) };
   }
 
+  /**
+   * The `>>` target to show an agent for a channel: one whitespace-free token
+   * that `resolveProseTarget()` maps back to this same channel. The prefix
+   * grammar takes the target as the first non-whitespace run, so a label with
+   * a space can't be quoted verbatim: `>>#DM: alice` parses as target `#DM:`
+   * plus body `alice …`, and `>>#fable (antra's server)` delivers
+   * `(antra's server)` as text. Tried in order: `@name` for a DM, `#label`,
+   * `#name` (label without its server suffix), the descriptor id.
+   *
+   * Undefined when there is no safe token: the channel isn't registered (on
+   * `serverId`, when given), no candidate is whitespace-free and resolves back,
+   * or the id is registered by more than one server. A resolved target names a
+   * channel by id alone, and ids are unique only within a connection, so a
+   * shared id could route the reply through the wrong server.
+   */
+  proseTargetFor(channelId: string, serverId?: string): string | undefined {
+    const sameId = [...this.channels.values()].filter((e) => e.descriptor.id === channelId);
+    const entry = serverId ? sameId.find((e) => e.serverId === serverId) : sameId[0];
+    if (!entry || sameId.length > 1) return undefined;
+    const d = entry.descriptor;
+    const label = d.label ?? '';
+    const meta = d.metadata as { channelType?: string; recipientName?: string } | undefined;
+    const isDm = meta?.channelType === 'dm' || label.toLowerCase().startsWith('dm: ') || d.id.includes(':dm:');
+    const dmName = meta?.recipientName ?? (label.toLowerCase().startsWith('dm: ') ? label.slice(4) : undefined);
+    const bare = label.replace(/^#/, '');
+    const candidates = [
+      ...(isDm && dmName ? [`@${dmName}`] : []),
+      ...(bare ? [`#${bare}`, `#${bare.replace(/\s*\([^)]*\)\s*$/, '')}`] : []),
+      d.id,
+    ];
+    for (const c of candidates) {
+      if (/\s/.test(c) || c === '#') continue;
+      const r = this.resolveProseTarget(c);
+      if ('channelId' in r && r.channelId === d.id) return c;
+    }
+    return undefined;
+  }
+
   /**
    * Open a channel because something was DELIVERED into it (explicit send
    * tool or routed speech). Sending into a closed channel is not a thing:
diff --git a/test/channel-registry-routing.test.ts b/test/channel-registry-routing.test.ts
index 8468c2d37..80a825658 100644
--- a/test/channel-registry-routing.test.ts
+++ b/test/channel-registry-routing.test.ts
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ import { CapabilityGrant, ALL_CAPABILITY_PATHS } from '../src/mcpl/capability-gr
 import { test } from 'node:test';
 import assert from 'node:assert/strict';
 import { ChannelRegistry } from '../src/mcpl/channel-registry.js';
+import { parseProsePrefix } from '../src/mcpl/prose-grammar.js';
 import type { McplServerRegistry } from '../src/mcpl/server-registry.js';
 import type { FeatureSetManager } from '../src/mcpl/feature-set-manager.js';
 
@@ -526,3 +527,66 @@ test('DM prose targets resolve people-first: @name, prefix-lenient names, and <@
   assert.ok('error' in missing && /send_dm/.test(missing.error), 'no-match points at send_dm');
   assert.ok('error' in missing && (missing.candidates?.length ?? 0) === 2, 'lists known DMs by name');
 });
+
+test('proseTargetFor: one whitespace-free token per channel that resolves back to it', async () => {
+  const { registry } = makeRegistry({ delivered: true });
+  await registry.handleChanged('discord', {
+    added: [
+      { id: 'discord:dm:555', type: 'discord', label: 'DM: antra', direction: 'bidirectional',
+        metadata: { channelType: 'dm', recipientName: 'antra', recipientId: '134390790938951680' } },
+      // A DM known only by its label (no metadata): still "@name".
+      { id: 'discord:dm:557', type: 'discord', label: 'DM: _reim0n', direction: 'bidirectional' },
+      { id: 'discord:g1:100', type: 'discord', label: "#fable (antra's server)", direction: 'bidirectional' },
+      { id: 'discord:g1:101', type: 'discord', label: '#ops', direction: 'bidirectional' },
+      // Same name in two guilds: "#lobby" is ambiguous, the full labels have spaces → the id.
+      { id: 'discord:g1:102', type: 'discord', label: '#lobby (antra\'s server)', direction: 'bidirectional' },
+      { id: 'discord:g2:200', type: 'discord', label: '#lobby (Connectome)', direction: 'bidirectional' },
+    ],
+  } as never);
+
+  const expected: Record<string, string> = {
+    'discord:dm:555': '@antra',
+    'discord:dm:557': '@_reim0n',
+    'discord:g1:100': '#fable',
+    'discord:g1:101': '#ops',
+    'discord:g1:102': 'discord:g1:102',
+    'discord:g2:200': 'discord:g2:200',
+  };
+  for (const [id, want] of Object.entries(expected)) {
+    const t = registry.proseTargetFor(id);
+    assert.equal(t, want, `target for ${id}`);
+    // The property that matters: the grammar reads it whole, and it routes back here.
+    assert.equal(parseProsePrefix(`>>${t} hello`).target, t, `${t} parses as one target`);
+    const r = registry.resolveProseTarget(t!);
+    assert.ok('channelId' in r && r.channelId === id, `${t} resolves to ${id}`);
+  }
+  assert.equal(registry.proseTargetFor('discord:nowhere'), undefined, 'unregistered → undefined');
+});
+
+test('proseTargetFor: no token when none is safe (shared id across servers, whitespace-only options)', async () => {
+  const { registry } = makeRegistry({ delivered: true });
+  // The same channel id registered by two connections: a resolved target names a
+  // channel by id alone, so either server's reply could leave through the other.
+  await registry.handleChanged('discord-a', {
+    added: [{ id: 'chan:7', type: 'discord', label: '#shared-a', direction: 'bidirectional' }],
+  } as never);
+  await registry.handleChanged('discord-b', {
+    added: [{ id: 'chan:7', type: 'discord', label: '#shared-b', direction: 'bidirectional' }],
+  } as never);
+  assert.equal(registry.proseTargetFor('chan:7', 'discord-a'), undefined);
+  assert.equal(registry.proseTargetFor('chan:7', 'discord-b'), undefined);
+  assert.equal(registry.proseTargetFor('chan:7'), undefined);
+
+  // An id with whitespace and a label with whitespace: nothing parses as one target.
+  await registry.handleChanged('discord-a', {
+    added: [{ id: 'thread 42', type: 'discord', label: 'thread 42', direction: 'bidirectional' }],
+  } as never);
+  assert.equal(registry.proseTargetFor('thread 42', 'discord-a'), undefined);
+
+  // serverId is honoured: a channel registered only on discord-a isn't named for discord-b.
+  await registry.handleChanged('discord-a', {
+    added: [{ id: 'chan:8', type: 'discord', label: '#only-a', direction: 'bidirectional' }],
+  } as never);
+  assert.equal(registry.proseTargetFor('chan:8', 'discord-a'), '#only-a');
+  assert.equal(registry.proseTargetFor('chan:8', 'discord-b'), undefined);
+});
diff --git a/test/trunk-channel-routing.test.ts b/test/trunk-channel-routing.test.ts
index d9108df92..dc61fc56c 100644
--- a/test/trunk-channel-routing.test.ts
+++ b/test/trunk-channel-routing.test.ts
@@ -233,6 +233,78 @@ describe('Trunk channel routing (item-3 redux)', () => {
     await framework.stop();
   });
 
+  it('the invitation\'s reply prefix is a single resolvable token, not a label with spaces', async () => {
+    // Live bug (2026-10-02): a first DM arrived on a closed channel labelled "DM: _reim0n"; the
+    // invitation said to prefix ">>#DM: _reim0n", which parses as target "#DM:" + body "_reim0n …":
+    // the reply bounced, and the retained text later went out with a stray "_reim0n" line.
+    const textOf = (framework: Awaited<ReturnType<typeof makeFramework>>) =>
+      framework.getAgent('scout')!.getContextManager().queryMessages({}).messages.at(-1)?.content
+        .filter((block): block is { type: 'text'; text: string } => block.type === 'text')
+        .map((block) => block.text)
+        .join('\n') ?? '';
+    const dmEvent = (id: string) => ({
+      type: 'mcpl:push-event' as const,
+      serverId: 'discord',
+      featureSet: 'discord.messaging',
+      eventId: `discord_msg_${id}`,
+      content: [{ type: 'text' as const, text: '_reim0n: hey, I have THE gossip' }],
+      origin: { source: 'discord', messageId: id, mcplChannelId: 'discord:dm:1555', channelName: 'DM: _reim0n' },
+      tags: ['chat:addressed'],
+      timestamp: new Date().toISOString(),
+      inferenceId: `i-${id}`,
+      triggerInference: false,
+    });
+
+    // The registry knows the channel: its round-trip target is used.
+    const framework = await makeFramework();
+    const i = internals(framework);
+    const asked: string[] = [];
+    i.channelRegistry = {
+      ensureChannelRegistered: () => {},
+      isChannelOpen: () => false,
+      getDescriptor: () => ({ label: 'DM: _reim0n', capabilities: { history: { maxMessages: 80 } } }),
+      proseTargetFor: (id: string, serverId?: string) => { asked.push(`${serverId}/${id}`); return '@_reim0n'; },
+      stopAll: () => {},
+    };
+    i.handleMcplPushEvent(dmEvent('m3'));
+    const text = textOf(framework);
+    assert.deepEqual(asked, ['discord/discord:dm:1555'], 'asked for this channel on the server it came from');
+    assert.match(text, /prefixed with ">>@_reim0n"/);
+    assert.doesNotMatch(text, />>#DM:/);
+    assert.match(text, /#DM: _reim0n/, 'the readable label still names the place');
+    await framework.stop();
+
+    // The registry finds no safe token (shared id, whitespace): no prefix is offered at all.
+    const fw2 = await makeFramework();
+    const i2 = internals(fw2);
+    i2.channelRegistry = {
+      ensureChannelRegistered: () => {},
+      isChannelOpen: () => false,
+      getDescriptor: () => ({ label: 'DM: _reim0n', capabilities: { history: { maxMessages: 80 } } }),
+      proseTargetFor: () => undefined,
+      stopAll: () => {},
+    };
+    i2.handleMcplPushEvent(dmEvent('m4'));
+    const t2 = textOf(fw2);
+    assert.doesNotMatch(t2, /prefixed with ">>/);
+    assert.match(t2, /Reply without joining isn't available here/);
+    assert.match(t2, /channel_open with channelId "discord:dm:1555"/, 'joining stays available');
+    await fw2.stop();
+
+    // A registry stand-in without proseTargetFor: a whitespace-free guess, never the spaced label.
+    const fw3 = await makeFramework();
+    const i3 = internals(fw3);
+    i3.channelRegistry = {
+      ensureChannelRegistered: () => {},
+      isChannelOpen: () => false,
+      getDescriptor: () => undefined,
+      stopAll: () => {},
+    };
+    i3.handleMcplPushEvent(dmEvent('m5'));
+    assert.match(textOf(fw3), /prefixed with ">>discord:dm:1555"/);
+    await fw3.stop();
+  });
+
   it('a channel-incoming trunk turn records its triggering channel', async () => {
     membrane.pushResponse(createMockResponse([{ type: 'text', text: 'the date is ...' }]));
     const framework = await makeFramework();