diff --git a/src/channels/adapter.ts b/src/channels/adapter.ts
index 33f382548..34b367555 100644
--- a/src/channels/adapter.ts
+++ b/src/channels/adapter.ts
@@ -22,6 +22,20 @@ export interface ConversationConfig {
   engageMode: 'pattern' | 'mention' | 'mention-sticky';
   /** Regex source when engageMode='pattern'. '.' is the "always" sentinel. */
   engagePattern?: string | null;
+  /**
+   * What to do with messages this wiring doesn't engage on.
+   *
+   *   'drop'       — discard silently
+   *   'accumulate' — still forward to the host so the router can store the
+   *                  message in this agent's session with trigger=0. It
+   *                  rides along as context when the agent next wakes, but
+   *                  doesn't wake it on its own.
+   *
+   * The bridge reads this to decide whether to forward a non-engaging
+   * message at all — if any wiring on a conversation has 'accumulate', the
+   * bridge forwards and lets the router apply the per-wiring decision.
+   */
+  ignoredMessagePolicy?: 'drop' | 'accumulate';
   sessionMode: 'shared' | 'per-thread' | 'agent-shared';
 }
 
diff --git a/src/channels/chat-sdk-bridge.test.ts b/src/channels/chat-sdk-bridge.test.ts
index 667fc7f74..aad8d0a03 100644
--- a/src/channels/chat-sdk-bridge.test.ts
+++ b/src/channels/chat-sdk-bridge.test.ts
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ function cfg(
     agentGroupId: partial.agentGroupId ?? 'ag-1',
     engageMode: partial.engageMode,
     engagePattern: partial.engagePattern ?? null,
+    ignoredMessagePolicy: partial.ignoredMessagePolicy ?? 'drop',
     sessionMode: partial.sessionMode ?? 'shared',
   };
 }
@@ -66,26 +67,26 @@ describe('shouldEngage', () => {
     const sources: EngageSource[] = ['subscribed', 'mention', 'dm'];
     for (const source of sources) {
       it(`forwards for source='${source}' (may be a not-yet-wired group)`, () => {
-        expect(shouldEngage(empty, 'C1', source, '')).toEqual({ engage: true, stickySubscribe: false });
+        expect(shouldEngage(empty, 'C1', source, '')).toEqual({ forward: true, stickySubscribe: false });
       });
     }
     it("DROPS for source='new-message' (would flood from unwired channels)", () => {
       expect(shouldEngage(empty, 'C1', 'new-message', 'hello')).toEqual({
-        engage: false,
+        forward: false,
         stickySubscribe: false,
       });
     });
   });
 
-  describe("engageMode='mention'", () => {
+  describe("engageMode='mention' + ignoredMessagePolicy='drop' (default)", () => {
     const conv = mapFor(cfg({ engageMode: 'mention' }));
-    it('engages on mention + dm', () => {
-      expect(shouldEngage(conv, 'C1', 'mention', '').engage).toBe(true);
-      expect(shouldEngage(conv, 'C1', 'dm', '').engage).toBe(true);
+    it('forwards on mention + dm', () => {
+      expect(shouldEngage(conv, 'C1', 'mention', '').forward).toBe(true);
+      expect(shouldEngage(conv, 'C1', 'dm', '').forward).toBe(true);
     });
-    it('does NOT engage on subscribed or new-message (prevents keep-firing + flooding)', () => {
-      expect(shouldEngage(conv, 'C1', 'subscribed', '').engage).toBe(false);
-      expect(shouldEngage(conv, 'C1', 'new-message', '').engage).toBe(false);
+    it('does NOT forward on subscribed or new-message (prevents keep-firing + flooding)', () => {
+      expect(shouldEngage(conv, 'C1', 'subscribed', '').forward).toBe(false);
+      expect(shouldEngage(conv, 'C1', 'new-message', '').forward).toBe(false);
     });
     it('never asks to subscribe', () => {
       for (const s of ['subscribed', 'mention', 'dm', 'new-message'] as EngageSource[]) {
@@ -96,37 +97,37 @@ describe('shouldEngage', () => {
 
   describe("engageMode='mention-sticky'", () => {
     const conv = mapFor(cfg({ engageMode: 'mention-sticky' }));
-    it('engages on mention + dm with stickySubscribe=true', () => {
-      expect(shouldEngage(conv, 'C1', 'mention', '')).toEqual({ engage: true, stickySubscribe: true });
-      expect(shouldEngage(conv, 'C1', 'dm', '')).toEqual({ engage: true, stickySubscribe: true });
+    it('forwards on mention + dm with stickySubscribe=true', () => {
+      expect(shouldEngage(conv, 'C1', 'mention', '')).toEqual({ forward: true, stickySubscribe: true });
+      expect(shouldEngage(conv, 'C1', 'dm', '')).toEqual({ forward: true, stickySubscribe: true });
     });
-    it('engages on subscribed follow-ups without re-subscribing', () => {
-      expect(shouldEngage(conv, 'C1', 'subscribed', '')).toEqual({ engage: true, stickySubscribe: false });
+    it('forwards subscribed follow-ups without re-subscribing', () => {
+      expect(shouldEngage(conv, 'C1', 'subscribed', '')).toEqual({ forward: true, stickySubscribe: false });
     });
-    it('does NOT engage on new-message (explicit mention required to start)', () => {
-      expect(shouldEngage(conv, 'C1', 'new-message', '').engage).toBe(false);
+    it('does NOT forward on new-message (explicit mention required to start)', () => {
+      expect(shouldEngage(conv, 'C1', 'new-message', '').forward).toBe(false);
     });
   });
 
   describe("engageMode='pattern'", () => {
-    it('pattern="." engages on every source except new-message-with-unknown', () => {
+    it('pattern="." forwards on every source (when conversation is known)', () => {
       const conv = mapFor(cfg({ engageMode: 'pattern', engagePattern: '.' }));
       for (const s of ['subscribed', 'mention', 'dm', 'new-message'] as EngageSource[]) {
-        expect(shouldEngage(conv, 'C1', s, 'anything').engage).toBe(true);
+        expect(shouldEngage(conv, 'C1', s, 'anything').forward).toBe(true);
       }
     });
 
     it('tests regex against text on new-message (the main bug fix)', () => {
       const conv = mapFor(cfg({ engageMode: 'pattern', engagePattern: '^!report' }));
-      expect(shouldEngage(conv, 'C1', 'new-message', '!report now').engage).toBe(true);
-      expect(shouldEngage(conv, 'C1', 'new-message', 'nothing to see').engage).toBe(false);
+      expect(shouldEngage(conv, 'C1', 'new-message', '!report now').forward).toBe(true);
+      expect(shouldEngage(conv, 'C1', 'new-message', 'nothing to see').forward).toBe(false);
     });
 
     it('pattern regex applies on every source (symmetry)', () => {
       const conv = mapFor(cfg({ engageMode: 'pattern', engagePattern: 'deploy' }));
       for (const s of ['subscribed', 'mention', 'dm', 'new-message'] as EngageSource[]) {
-        expect(shouldEngage(conv, 'C1', s, 'time to deploy').engage).toBe(true);
-        expect(shouldEngage(conv, 'C1', s, 'weather today').engage).toBe(false);
+        expect(shouldEngage(conv, 'C1', s, 'time to deploy').forward).toBe(true);
+        expect(shouldEngage(conv, 'C1', s, 'weather today').forward).toBe(false);
       }
     });
 
@@ -139,7 +140,50 @@ describe('shouldEngage', () => {
 
     it('invalid regex fails open (admin sees something rather than silent drop)', () => {
       const conv = mapFor(cfg({ engageMode: 'pattern', engagePattern: '[unclosed' }));
-      expect(shouldEngage(conv, 'C1', 'new-message', 'x').engage).toBe(true);
+      expect(shouldEngage(conv, 'C1', 'new-message', 'x').forward).toBe(true);
+    });
+  });
+
+  describe("ignoredMessagePolicy='accumulate'", () => {
+    it('forwards non-engaging new-message so the router can store it as context (trigger=0)', () => {
+      const conv = mapFor(cfg({ engageMode: 'mention', ignoredMessagePolicy: 'accumulate' }));
+      // Plain message in unsubscribed group — mention rule says no engage,
+      // but accumulate says forward anyway.
+      expect(shouldEngage(conv, 'C1', 'new-message', 'chit chat')).toEqual({
+        forward: true,
+        stickySubscribe: false,
+      });
+    });
+
+    it('forwards non-engaging subscribed messages for accumulation', () => {
+      // mention wiring in a subscribed thread: the mention handler already
+      // fired once, thread is now subscribed, follow-ups route here. The
+      // base 'mention' rule wouldn't engage without an @-mention, but
+      // accumulate says capture the context.
+      const conv = mapFor(cfg({ engageMode: 'mention', ignoredMessagePolicy: 'accumulate' }));
+      expect(shouldEngage(conv, 'C1', 'subscribed', 'follow up talk').forward).toBe(true);
+    });
+
+    it('does NOT set stickySubscribe purely from accumulate (avoid misleading bot presence)', () => {
+      const conv = mapFor(cfg({ engageMode: 'mention-sticky', ignoredMessagePolicy: 'accumulate' }));
+      expect(shouldEngage(conv, 'C1', 'new-message', 'plain').stickySubscribe).toBe(false);
+    });
+
+    it("accumulate doesn't override the 'unknown conversation → drop new-message' rule", () => {
+      // Unknown conversation (not in map): accumulate can't be read because
+      // there's no config to read from. We still drop.
+      const empty = new Map<string, ConversationConfig[]>();
+      expect(shouldEngage(empty, 'C-unknown', 'new-message', 'x').forward).toBe(false);
+    });
+
+    it("drop policy + non-engaging message → doesn't forward", () => {
+      const conv = mapFor(cfg({ engageMode: 'mention', ignoredMessagePolicy: 'drop' }));
+      expect(shouldEngage(conv, 'C1', 'new-message', 'plain').forward).toBe(false);
+    });
+
+    it('engaging message with drop policy still forwards (engage wins regardless)', () => {
+      const conv = mapFor(cfg({ engageMode: 'mention', ignoredMessagePolicy: 'drop' }));
+      expect(shouldEngage(conv, 'C1', 'mention', '@bot hi').forward).toBe(true);
     });
   });
 
@@ -152,8 +196,17 @@ describe('shouldEngage', () => {
         cfg({ agentGroupId: 'ag-a', engageMode: 'mention' }),
         cfg({ agentGroupId: 'ag-b', engageMode: 'pattern', engagePattern: '^hi' }),
       );
-      expect(shouldEngage(conv, 'C1', 'new-message', 'hi there').engage).toBe(true);
-      expect(shouldEngage(conv, 'C1', 'new-message', 'something else').engage).toBe(false);
+      expect(shouldEngage(conv, 'C1', 'new-message', 'hi there').forward).toBe(true);
+      expect(shouldEngage(conv, 'C1', 'new-message', 'something else').forward).toBe(false);
+    });
+
+    it('any accumulate wiring causes forward even if all others would drop', () => {
+      const conv = mapFor(
+        cfg({ agentGroupId: 'ag-a', engageMode: 'mention', ignoredMessagePolicy: 'drop' }),
+        cfg({ agentGroupId: 'ag-b', engageMode: 'mention', ignoredMessagePolicy: 'accumulate' }),
+      );
+      // Plain message: ag-a would drop, ag-b would accumulate → forward.
+      expect(shouldEngage(conv, 'C1', 'new-message', 'plain').forward).toBe(true);
     });
 
     it('stickySubscribe from any mention-sticky wiring wins', () => {
@@ -161,7 +214,7 @@ describe('shouldEngage', () => {
         cfg({ agentGroupId: 'ag-a', engageMode: 'mention' }),
         cfg({ agentGroupId: 'ag-b', engageMode: 'mention-sticky' }),
       );
-      expect(shouldEngage(conv, 'C1', 'mention', '')).toEqual({ engage: true, stickySubscribe: true });
+      expect(shouldEngage(conv, 'C1', 'mention', '')).toEqual({ forward: true, stickySubscribe: true });
     });
   });
 });
diff --git a/src/channels/chat-sdk-bridge.ts b/src/channels/chat-sdk-bridge.ts
index f2daf1166..aa980abf0 100644
--- a/src/channels/chat-sdk-bridge.ts
+++ b/src/channels/chat-sdk-bridge.ts
@@ -85,21 +85,28 @@ export interface ChatSdkBridgeConfig {
 export type EngageSource = 'subscribed' | 'mention' | 'dm' | 'new-message';
 
 /**
- * Should a message from (channelId, source, text) engage any of the wired
- * agents on this conversation?
+ * Should a message from (channelId, source, text) be forwarded to the host,
+ * and if so, should the bridge subscribe the thread?
  *
  * Exported for testability — see `chat-sdk-bridge.test.ts`.
  *
- * We take the union across wired agents: if any wiring would engage, the
- * message is forwarded. Per-agent filtering after that happens in the host
- * router (see `src/router.ts` pickAgents).
+ * We take the union across wired agents: if any wiring would engage OR any
+ * wiring has `ignoredMessagePolicy='accumulate'`, the message is forwarded.
+ * The host router then does the per-wiring decision in `deliverToAgent` —
+ * engaging agents get `trigger=1` (wake), accumulating agents get
+ * `trigger=0` (store as context, don't wake), drop-policy agents are
+ * skipped (see `src/router.ts` routeInbound fan-out).
+ *
+ * `stickySubscribe` is only set when an actual engage happens (not just
+ * accumulate) — subscribing a thread we'd only silently accumulate on would
+ * misrepresent the bot's presence to other users.
  */
 export function shouldEngage(
   conversations: Map<string, ConversationConfig[]>,
   channelId: string,
   source: EngageSource,
   text: string,
-): { engage: boolean; stickySubscribe: boolean } {
+): { forward: boolean; stickySubscribe: boolean } {
   const configs = conversations.get(channelId);
 
   // Unknown conversation — behavior diverges by source:
@@ -112,28 +119,30 @@ export function shouldEngage(
   //     the bot is merely *present* in but not wired to. Forwarding
   //     everything would flood the host.
   if (!configs || configs.length === 0) {
-    return { engage: source !== 'new-message', stickySubscribe: false };
+    return { forward: source !== 'new-message', stickySubscribe: false };
   }
 
   let engage = false;
+  let accumulate = false;
   let stickySubscribe = false;
 
   for (const cfg of configs) {
+    let cfgEngages = false;
     switch (cfg.engageMode) {
       case 'mention':
-        if (source === 'mention' || source === 'dm') engage = true;
+        if (source === 'mention' || source === 'dm') cfgEngages = true;
         break;
       case 'mention-sticky':
         if (source === 'mention' || source === 'dm') {
-          engage = true;
+          cfgEngages = true;
           stickySubscribe = true;
         } else if (source === 'subscribed') {
           // Thread was already subscribed on a prior mention — treat as
           // engage-all so follow-ups in the thread reach the agent.
-          engage = true;
+          cfgEngages = true;
         }
-        // source='new-message' → do not engage. mention-sticky requires an
-        // explicit mention to start the conversation.
+        // source='new-message' → does not engage (requires explicit mention
+        // to start). Accumulate policy is evaluated below if set.
         break;
       case 'pattern': {
         // Pattern evaluates on any source that delivers a plain message —
@@ -143,19 +152,27 @@ export function shouldEngage(
         // only fire on mentions whose text contains 'foo'.
         const pattern = cfg.engagePattern ?? '.';
         try {
-          if (pattern === '.' || new RegExp(pattern).test(text)) engage = true;
+          if (pattern === '.' || new RegExp(pattern).test(text)) cfgEngages = true;
         } catch {
           // Invalid regex → fail open so the admin can see something is
           // happening and fix the pattern.
-          engage = true;
+          cfgEngages = true;
         }
         break;
       }
     }
-    if (engage && stickySubscribe) break;
+
+    if (cfgEngages) {
+      engage = true;
+    } else if (cfg.ignoredMessagePolicy === 'accumulate') {
+      // Wiring doesn't engage on this message but wants it captured as
+      // context for its session — forward so the router can write it with
+      // trigger=0.
+      accumulate = true;
+    }
   }
 
-  return { engage, stickySubscribe };
+  return { forward: engage || accumulate, stickySubscribe };
 }
 
 export function createChatSdkBridge(config: ChatSdkBridgeConfig): ChannelAdapter {
@@ -189,7 +206,7 @@ export function createChatSdkBridge(config: ChatSdkBridgeConfig): ChannelAdapter
     channelId: string,
     source: EngageSource,
     text: string,
-  ): { engage: boolean; stickySubscribe: boolean } {
+  ): { forward: boolean; stickySubscribe: boolean } {
     return shouldEngage(conversations, channelId, source, text);
   }
 
@@ -278,7 +295,7 @@ export function createChatSdkBridge(config: ChatSdkBridgeConfig): ChannelAdapter
         const channelId = adapter.channelIdFromThreadId(thread.id);
         const text = typeof message.text === 'string' ? message.text : '';
         const decision = engageDecision(channelId, 'subscribed', text);
-        if (!decision.engage) return;
+        if (!decision.forward) return;
         await setupConfig.onInbound(channelId, thread.id, await messageToInbound(message));
       });
 
@@ -288,7 +305,7 @@ export function createChatSdkBridge(config: ChatSdkBridgeConfig): ChannelAdapter
         const channelId = adapter.channelIdFromThreadId(thread.id);
         const text = typeof message.text === 'string' ? message.text : '';
         const decision = engageDecision(channelId, 'mention', text);
-        if (!decision.engage) return;
+        if (!decision.forward) return;
         await setupConfig.onInbound(channelId, thread.id, await messageToInbound(message));
         if (decision.stickySubscribe) {
           await thread.subscribe();
@@ -312,9 +329,9 @@ export function createChatSdkBridge(config: ChatSdkBridgeConfig): ChannelAdapter
           channelId,
           sender: (message.author as any)?.fullName ?? (message.author as any)?.userId ?? 'unknown',
           threadId: thread.id,
-          engage: decision.engage,
+          forward: decision.forward,
         });
-        if (!decision.engage) return;
+        if (!decision.forward) return;
         await setupConfig.onInbound(channelId, thread.id, await messageToInbound(message));
         if (decision.stickySubscribe) {
           await thread.subscribe();
@@ -339,7 +356,7 @@ export function createChatSdkBridge(config: ChatSdkBridgeConfig): ChannelAdapter
         const channelId = adapter.channelIdFromThreadId(thread.id);
         const text = typeof message.text === 'string' ? message.text : '';
         const decision = engageDecision(channelId, 'new-message', text);
-        if (!decision.engage) return;
+        if (!decision.forward) return;
         await setupConfig.onInbound(channelId, thread.id, await messageToInbound(message));
       });
 
diff --git a/src/index.ts b/src/index.ts
index 9bb51bebb..4958eef74 100644
--- a/src/index.ts
+++ b/src/index.ts
@@ -163,6 +163,7 @@ function buildConversationConfigs(channelType: string): ConversationConfig[] {
         agentGroupId: agent.agent_group_id,
         engageMode: agent.engage_mode,
         engagePattern: agent.engage_pattern,
+        ignoredMessagePolicy: agent.ignored_message_policy,
         sessionMode: agent.session_mode,
       });
     }