diff --git a/server.js b/server.js
index bb6f955..63162b9 100644
--- a/server.js
+++ b/server.js
@@ -1118,6 +1118,14 @@ const server = http.createServer(async (req, res) => {
       if (!s || !s.email) return json(res, 401, { error: 'Sign in first.' });
       const b = await readBody(req);
       const r = await tank.adopt(s.email, b.who, b.note);
+      if (r.ok) { // tell the payments topic who picked whom up (Marty, 2026-09-12)
+        try {
+          const sc = siteConfig();
+          const clean = t => String(t || '').replace(/[<>&]/g, '');
+          if (sc.telegramBotToken && sc.telegramEchoChatId)
+            telegramSend(sc.telegramEchoChatId, '\u{1F91D} <b>InstantAdPay</b> \u00b7 <b>' + clean(r.adopterName) + '</b> picked up <b>' + clean(r.adopteeName) + '</b> from the holding tank and is now their sponsor', sc.telegramEchoTopicId).catch(() => {});
+        } catch (e) {}
+      }
       return json(res, r.error ? 400 : 200, r);
     }
     if (p === '/api/my/tank/release' && req.method === 'POST') {
diff --git a/tank.js b/tank.js
index 3bdef43..f5a4043 100644
--- a/tank.js
+++ b/tank.js
@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@ async function adopt(adopterEmail, who, note) {
         'You joined InstantAdPay without a sponsor. ' + nameOf(me) + ' has picked you up from the holding tank and is your sponsor now, which means a real person to walk you through the first steps.\n\nTheir message:\n\n' + text + '\n\nReply in your member area: ' + siteUrl + '/my#messages\n\nInstantAdPay');
     } catch (err) {}
   }
-  return { ok: true, adoption: ad, name: target.name };
+  return { ok: true, adoption: ad, name: target.name, adopterName: nameOf(me), adopteeName: target.name };
 }
 
 // pay it forward: give one of your own free referrals to the tank