diff --git a/server/src/chat/transport/matrix/bot/format.rs b/server/src/chat/transport/matrix/bot/format.rs
index 649083e4..0e4d51b4 100644
--- a/server/src/chat/transport/matrix/bot/format.rs
+++ b/server/src/chat/transport/matrix/bot/format.rs
@@ -1,12 +1,22 @@
 //! Matrix message formatting — Markdown-to-HTML conversion and startup announcements.
 use pulldown_cmark::{Options, Parser, html};
 
-/// Format the startup greeting the bot sends to each room when it comes online.
+/// Format the startup greeting the bot sends to each room when it comes online
+/// via a normal (non-trampoline) process start.
 ///
-/// Uses the bot's configured display name so the message reads naturally
-/// (e.g. "Timmy is online.").
-pub fn format_startup_announcement(bot_name: &str) -> String {
-    format!("{bot_name} is online.")
+/// Uses the bot's configured display name plus the same version/git-hash/model
+/// details as [`format_gateway_ready_announcement`], so a plain restart carries
+/// the same diagnostic information as a trampoline-triggered rebuild instead of
+/// just "Timmy is online.". `git_hash` should already have been resolved to
+/// `"unknown"` by the caller if unavailable. `model` is `None` when `bot.toml`
+/// has no `model` override configured, in which case the CLI's own default
+/// applies.
+pub fn format_startup_announcement(bot_name: &str, git_hash: &str, model: Option<&str>) -> String {
+    format!(
+        "{bot_name} is online — gateway {} ({git_hash}) — model: {}",
+        env!("CARGO_PKG_VERSION"),
+        model.unwrap_or("default")
+    )
 }
 
 /// Format the ready announcement sent after a successful gateway trampoline restart.
@@ -166,15 +176,57 @@ mod tests {
 
     #[test]
     fn startup_announcement_uses_bot_name() {
-        assert_eq!(format_startup_announcement("Timmy"), "Timmy is online.");
+        let msg = format_startup_announcement("Timmy", "abc1234", Some("claude-sonnet-5"));
+        assert!(
+            msg.starts_with("Timmy is online"),
+            "expected bot name: {msg}"
+        );
     }
 
     #[test]
     fn startup_announcement_uses_configured_display_name_not_hardcoded() {
-        assert_eq!(format_startup_announcement("HAL"), "HAL is online.");
-        assert_eq!(
-            format_startup_announcement("Assistant"),
-            "Assistant is online."
+        let msg = format_startup_announcement("HAL", "abc1234", Some("claude-sonnet-5"));
+        assert!(msg.starts_with("HAL is online"), "expected bot name: {msg}");
+        let msg = format_startup_announcement("Assistant", "abc1234", Some("claude-sonnet-5"));
+        assert!(
+            msg.starts_with("Assistant is online"),
+            "expected bot name: {msg}"
+        );
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn startup_announcement_includes_version_hash_and_model() {
+        let msg = format_startup_announcement("Timmy", "abc1234", Some("claude-sonnet-5"));
+        assert!(
+            msg.contains(env!("CARGO_PKG_VERSION")),
+            "expected crate version in announcement: {msg}"
+        );
+        assert!(msg.contains("abc1234"), "expected git hash: {msg}");
+        assert!(
+            msg.contains("claude-sonnet-5"),
+            "expected configured model: {msg}"
+        );
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn startup_announcement_renders_unknown_git_hash_without_suppressing_message() {
+        let msg = format_startup_announcement("Timmy", "unknown", Some("claude-sonnet-5"));
+        assert!(
+            msg.contains("unknown"),
+            "expected 'unknown' fallback for missing git hash: {msg}"
+        );
+        assert!(
+            msg.starts_with("Timmy is online"),
+            "message must still be sent: {msg}"
+        );
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn startup_announcement_falls_back_to_default_when_model_absent() {
+        let msg = format_startup_announcement("Timmy", "abc1234", None);
+        assert!(
+            msg.contains("default"),
+            "expected 'default' fallback when no model configured: {msg}"
         );
     }
 
diff --git a/server/src/chat/transport/matrix/bot/run.rs b/server/src/chat/transport/matrix/bot/run.rs
index 884011b2..7ca2295d 100644
--- a/server/src/chat/transport/matrix/bot/run.rs
+++ b/server/src/chat/transport/matrix/bot/run.rs
@@ -400,9 +400,11 @@ pub async fn run_bot(
     // reconnects internally so this code is never reached again on a network
     // blip or sync resumption.
     //
-    // When started by the trampoline the message is specialised:
+    // A normal start and a trampoline-triggered restart both announce version,
+    // git hash, and configured model; the trampoline path is specialised further:
     //   - HUSKIES_TRAMPOLINE_STARTED=1  → "gateway X.Y.Z (git_hash) ready — model: ..."
     //   - HUSKIES_TRAMPOLINE_FAILURE=<reason> → rollback failure notice
+    //   - otherwise (normal start) → "{bot_name} is online — gateway X.Y.Z (git_hash) — model: ..."
     let announce_msg = if let Ok(reason) = std::env::var("HUSKIES_TRAMPOLINE_FAILURE") {
         super::format::format_gateway_rollback_announcement(&reason)
     } else if std::env::var("HUSKIES_TRAMPOLINE_STARTED").is_ok() {
@@ -411,7 +413,11 @@ pub async fn run_bot(
             config.model.as_deref(),
         )
     } else {
-        format_startup_announcement(&announce_bot_name)
+        format_startup_announcement(
+            &announce_bot_name,
+            option_env!("BUILD_GIT_HASH").unwrap_or("unknown"),
+            config.model.as_deref(),
+        )
     };
     let announce_html = markdown_to_html(&announce_msg);
     slog!("[matrix-bot] Sending startup announcement: {announce_msg}");