diff --git a/plugins/platforms/matrix/adapter.py b/plugins/platforms/matrix/adapter.py
index c614a63db8..64e1126d7c 100644
--- a/plugins/platforms/matrix/adapter.py
+++ b/plugins/platforms/matrix/adapter.py
@@ -228,6 +228,26 @@ def _is_permanent_matrix_auth_error(exc: BaseException) -> bool:
     return isinstance(status, int) and status in (401, 403)
 
 
+def _split_reply_fallback(body: str) -> tuple[str, str]:
+    """Split ``> quote\\n\\nreply`` into ``(quote_block, reply_text)``; ``("", body)`` when absent.
+
+    The two halves always concatenate back to *body* verbatim (``quote + reply == body``), so
+    callers can transform one half and rebuild the body without disturbing the other. The blank
+    separator line belongs to the quote block. Used to keep the ``> <@user:srv>`` reply pill —
+    the only mention text in a reply-to-the-bot — out of whole-body rewrites.
+    """
+    if not body or not body.startswith("> "):
+        return "", body
+    lines = body.split("\n")
+    idx = 0
+    while idx < len(lines) and (lines[idx].startswith("> ") or lines[idx] == ">"):
+        idx += 1
+    if idx < len(lines) and lines[idx] == "":
+        idx += 1  # the blank line separating the quote from the reply belongs to the quote
+    head = "\n".join(lines[:idx])
+    return (head, "") if idx >= len(lines) else (head + "\n", "\n".join(lines[idx:]))
+
+
 class _MatrixHtmlSanitizer(HTMLParser):
     """Allowlist sanitizer for Matrix-compatible formatted HTML."""
 
@@ -2002,7 +2022,12 @@ class MatrixAdapter(BasePlatformAdapter):
                     event_id, thread_id)
                 return None
         if is_mentioned and self._require_mention:
-            body = self._strip_mention(body)
+            # Strip the mention from the reply text only: the quote block carries the
+            # ``> <@bot:srv> ...`` reply pill, which _extract_reply_context parses later
+            # for reply_to_author_id. A whole-body replace rewrote the pill to ``> <>``
+            # and silently dropped the replied-to author (#111233).
+            quote_block, reply_text = _split_reply_fallback(body)
+            body = quote_block + self._strip_mention(reply_text)
         # Real thread roots are preserved above; synthetic roots (this event) follow policy: DM
         # @mention threads / DM auto-thread, or room auto-thread unless session_scope pins the room.
         if not thread_id:
diff --git a/tests/gateway/test_matrix_message_event_metadata.py b/tests/gateway/test_matrix_message_event_metadata.py
index ad0cea9756..17e65ea4a4 100644
--- a/tests/gateway/test_matrix_message_event_metadata.py
+++ b/tests/gateway/test_matrix_message_event_metadata.py
@@ -246,3 +246,106 @@ async def test_media_message_carries_sender_and_reply_context(monkeypatch):
     assert "nice photo" in msg.reply_to_text
     assert msg.reply_to_author_id == "@erin:example.org"
     assert msg.reply_to_author_name == "erin"
+
+
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# Reply fallback vs. the mention strip (#111233)
+#
+# A reply to the bot names the bot in the ``> <@bot:srv> ...`` pill, which is
+# what makes the message count as a mention under the default
+# MATRIX_REQUIRE_MENTION=true. The mention strip therefore runs on exactly the
+# messages that carry a reply pill, and it must not rewrite the pill before
+# _extract_reply_context parses it.
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_reply_to_bot_under_require_mention_keeps_reply_author(monkeypatch):
+    """Replying to the bot must keep the replied-to author under the default mention gate.
+
+    The pill is the mention, so the strip runs and used to rewrite ``> <@bot>`` to
+    ``> <>`` before the fallback parse — losing reply_to_author_id and mangling
+    reply_to_text, so the prompt rendered "[Replying to: "<> did you check the logs?"]"
+    instead of "[Replying to your previous message: ...]".
+    """
+    adapter = _make_adapter(require_mention=True, monkeypatch=monkeypatch)
+    adapter._startup_ts = time.time() - 10
+
+    # No explicit "@hermes" in the reply text: the pill is the only mention.
+    assert adapter._user_id not in "hello there"
+    body = "> <@hermes:example.org> did you check the logs?\n\nhello there"
+    event = _make_event(body, in_reply_to_event_id="$bot_msg", event_id="$evt_reply_bot")
+    await adapter._on_room_message(event)
+
+    adapter.handle_message.assert_awaited_once()
+    msg = adapter.handle_message.await_args.args[0]
+
+    assert msg.reply_to_message_id == "$bot_msg"
+    assert msg.reply_to_author_id == "@hermes:example.org"
+    assert msg.reply_to_author_name == "hermes"
+    # The quoted text must be the reply target's text, never the mangled "<> ..." pill remnant.
+    assert msg.reply_to_text == "did you check the logs?"
+    # The user's actual reply is still delivered, with the quote block stripped.
+    assert msg.text == "hello there"
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_reply_with_explicit_mention_still_strips_it_from_reply_text(monkeypatch):
+    """The narrower strip must still remove an explicit @bot from the reply text.
+
+    Only the quote block is exempt; a typed mention in the reply itself is stripped as
+    before, so the model does not see the addressing token.
+    """
+    adapter = _make_adapter(require_mention=True, monkeypatch=monkeypatch)
+    adapter._startup_ts = time.time() - 10
+
+    body = "> <@carol:example.org> original question\n\n@hermes:example.org because reasons"
+    event = _make_event(body, in_reply_to_event_id="$carol_msg", event_id="$evt_reply_carol")
+    await adapter._on_room_message(event)
+
+    msg = adapter.handle_message.await_args.args[0]
+    assert msg.reply_to_author_id == "@carol:example.org"
+    assert msg.reply_to_text == "original question"
+    assert msg.text == "because reasons"
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_plain_mention_without_quote_is_still_stripped(monkeypatch):
+    """A non-quote mention keeps the previous whole-body strip behaviour."""
+    adapter = _make_adapter(require_mention=True, monkeypatch=monkeypatch)
+    adapter._startup_ts = time.time() - 10
+
+    event = _make_event("@hermes:example.org hello there", event_id="$evt_plain_mention")
+    await adapter._on_room_message(event)
+
+    msg = adapter.handle_message.await_args.args[0]
+    assert msg.text == "hello there"
+    assert msg.reply_to_author_id is None
+
+
+def test_split_reply_fallback_reassembles_body():
+    """The split is lossless: the two halves rebuild the original body byte for byte.
+
+    Callers transform one half and rebuild the body, so any drift between the split and
+    the original text would silently rewrite the message.
+    """
+    from plugins.platforms.matrix.adapter import _split_reply_fallback
+
+    cases = [
+        ("> <@a:ex.org> q\n\nreply", ("> <@a:ex.org> q\n\n", "reply")),
+        ("> <@a:ex.org> q\nreply", ("> <@a:ex.org> q\n", "reply")),
+        ("> <@a:ex.org> q", ("> <@a:ex.org> q", "")),
+        ("> <@a:ex.org> q\n", ("> <@a:ex.org> q\n", "")),
+        ("> q\n> more\n\nreply", ("> q\n> more\n\n", "reply")),
+        ("> q\n>\n\nreply", ("> q\n>\n\n", "reply")),
+        # CRLF: the "\r" line is not the empty separator, so the quote block keeps "\r\n"
+        # and the reply text keeps the leading break — which the strip's .strip() removes.
+        ("> <@a:ex.org> q\r\n\r\nreply", ("> <@a:ex.org> q\r\n", "\r\nreply")),
+        ("no quote here", ("", "no quote here")),
+        ("", ("", "")),
+    ]
+    for body, expected in cases:
+        quote, reply = _split_reply_fallback(body)
+        assert (quote, reply) == expected
+        # The split must be lossless: callers rebuild the body from the two halves.
+        assert quote + reply == body