diff --git a/.github/workflows/mantis-telegram-desktop-proof.yml b/.github/workflows/mantis-telegram-desktop-proof.yml
index bb592ca004f1..365b50441b41 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/mantis-telegram-desktop-proof.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/mantis-telegram-desktop-proof.yml
@@ -181,7 +181,7 @@ jobs:
             setOutput("request_source", requestSource);
       - name: Create Mantis status token
         id: mantis_status_token
-        if: ${{ steps.resolve.outputs.request_source == 'issue_comment' }}
+        if: ${{ steps.resolve.outputs.pr_number != '' }}
         continue-on-error: true
         uses: actions/create-github-app-token@bcd2ba49218906704ab6c1aa796996da409d3eb1 # v3
         with:
@@ -201,12 +201,9 @@ jobs:
         with:
           github-token: ${{ steps.mantis_status_token.outputs.token }}
           script: |
-            const markerRoot = "<!-- mantis-telegram-desktop-proof:";
-            const runId = Number(process.env.GITHUB_RUN_ID);
-            const runAttempt = Number(process.env.GITHUB_RUN_ATTEMPT);
-            const marker = `${markerRoot}${runId}-${runAttempt} -->`;
+            const marker = `<!-- mantis-telegram-desktop-proof:${process.env.GITHUB_RUN_ID}-${process.env.GITHUB_RUN_ATTEMPT} -->`;
             const runUrl = `${process.env.GITHUB_SERVER_URL}/${process.env.GITHUB_REPOSITORY}/actions/runs/${process.env.GITHUB_RUN_ID}`;
-            const body = `${marker}\nMantis started this proof. [Follow the active job](${runUrl}).`;
+            const body = `${marker}\n👀 Mantis started this proof. [Follow the active job](${runUrl}).`;
             const { owner, repo } = context.repo;
             const issueNumber = Number(process.env.TARGET_PR);
             await github.rest.issues.createComment({
@@ -248,7 +245,7 @@ jobs:
         if: >-
           ${{
             always() &&
-            steps.resolve.outputs.request_source == 'issue_comment' &&
+            steps.resolve.outputs.pr_number != '' &&
             (
               steps.mantis_status_token.outcome != 'success' ||
               steps.mantis_status_comment.outcome != 'success'
@@ -260,7 +257,7 @@ jobs:
         with:
           github-token: ${{ github.token }}
           script: |
-            const marker = "<!-- mantis-telegram-desktop-proof -->";
+            const marker = `<!-- mantis-telegram-desktop-proof:${process.env.GITHUB_RUN_ID}-${process.env.GITHUB_RUN_ATTEMPT} -->`;
             const runUrl = `${process.env.GITHUB_SERVER_URL}/${process.env.GITHUB_REPOSITORY}/actions/runs/${process.env.GITHUB_RUN_ID}`;
             const { owner, repo } = context.repo;
             await github.rest.issues.createComment({
@@ -1238,7 +1235,7 @@ jobs:
             --request-source "$REQUEST_SOURCE"
 
       - name: Report failed Mantis proof
-        if: ${{ always() && needs.resolve_request.outputs.request_source == 'issue_comment' && steps.publish_evidence.outcome != 'success' }}
+        if: ${{ always() && needs.resolve_request.outputs.pr_number != '' && steps.publish_evidence.outcome != 'success' }}
         uses: actions/github-script@3a2844b7e9c422d3c10d287c895573f7108da1b3 # v9
         env:
           TARGET_PR: ${{ needs.resolve_request.outputs.pr_number }}
@@ -1367,7 +1364,8 @@ jobs:
             --manifest "$root/mantis-evidence.json" \
             --target-pr "$TARGET_PR" \
             --artifact-root "mantis/telegram-desktop/pr-${TARGET_PR}/published-${PUBLISH_RUN_ID}-${GITHUB_RUN_ID}-${GITHUB_RUN_ATTEMPT}" \
-            --marker "<!-- mantis-telegram-desktop-proof -->" \
+            --marker "<!-- mantis-telegram-desktop-proof:${GITHUB_RUN_ID}-${GITHUB_RUN_ATTEMPT} -->" \
+            --create-missing false \
             --artifact-url "$PUBLISH_ARTIFACT_URL" \
             --run-url "https://github.com/${GITHUB_REPOSITORY}/actions/runs/${PUBLISH_RUN_ID}" \
             --request-source "$REQUEST_SOURCE"
diff --git a/scripts/mantis/publish-pr-evidence.mjs b/scripts/mantis/publish-pr-evidence.mjs
index 7fa73f9c1536..abffd0d1e61e 100644
--- a/scripts/mantis/publish-pr-evidence.mjs
+++ b/scripts/mantis/publish-pr-evidence.mjs
@@ -631,7 +631,7 @@ function upsertPrComment({ body, createMissing, marker, prNumber, repo }) {
       } catch {
         if (!createMissing) {
           console.log(
-            "Skipped stale Mantis QA evidence comment because its status is no longer active.",
+            `Could not update existing Mantis QA evidence comment ${commentId}; create-missing is false.`,
           );
           return;
         }
@@ -641,9 +641,7 @@ function upsertPrComment({ body, createMissing, marker, prNumber, repo }) {
       }
     }
     if (!createMissing) {
-      console.log(
-        "Skipped stale Mantis QA evidence comment because its status is no longer active.",
-      );
+      console.log("No existing Mantis QA evidence comment found and create-missing is false.");
       return;
     }
     run("gh", ["pr", "comment", prNumber, "--body-file", bodyFile], { stdio: "inherit" });
diff --git a/test/scripts/mantis-telegram-desktop-proof-workflow.test.ts b/test/scripts/mantis-telegram-desktop-proof-workflow.test.ts
index a7dde97b654f..709f918ec75c 100644
--- a/test/scripts/mantis-telegram-desktop-proof-workflow.test.ts
+++ b/test/scripts/mantis-telegram-desktop-proof-workflow.test.ts
@@ -382,10 +382,11 @@ describe("Mantis Telegram Desktop proof workflow", () => {
     const fallbackComment = resolver?.steps?.find(
       (step) => step.name === "Report Mantis start failure with workflow token",
     );
-    expect(startedToken?.if).toContain("request_source == 'issue_comment'");
+    expect(startedToken?.if).toBe("${{ steps.resolve.outputs.pr_number != '' }}");
+    expect(startedToken?.if).not.toContain("request_source");
     expect(startedToken?.with?.["permission-pull-requests"]).toBe("write");
     expect(startedComment?.["continue-on-error"]).toBe(true);
-    expect(startedComment?.with?.script).toContain("Mantis started this proof.");
+    expect(startedComment?.with?.script).toContain("👀 Mantis started this proof.");
     expect(startedComment?.with?.script).toContain("actions/runs/${process.env.GITHUB_RUN_ID}");
     expect(startedComment?.with?.script).toContain("mantis-telegram-desktop-proof:");
     expect(startedComment?.with?.script).toContain("GITHUB_RUN_ATTEMPT");
@@ -393,6 +394,8 @@ describe("Mantis Telegram Desktop proof workflow", () => {
     expect(startedComment?.with?.script).toContain("issues.deleteComment");
     expect(fallbackComment?.if).toContain("steps.mantis_status_token.outcome != 'success'");
     expect(fallbackComment?.if).toContain("steps.mantis_status_comment.outcome != 'success'");
+    expect(fallbackComment?.if).toContain("steps.resolve.outputs.pr_number != ''");
+    expect(fallbackComment?.if).not.toContain("request_source");
     expect(fallbackComment?.with?.["github-token"]).toBe("${{ github.token }}");
     expect(fallbackComment?.["continue-on-error"]).toBeUndefined();
     expect(fallbackComment?.with?.script).toContain("mantis-telegram-desktop-proof");
@@ -406,7 +409,8 @@ describe("Mantis Telegram Desktop proof workflow", () => {
     const failureComment = proofSteps.find((step) => step.name === "Report failed Mantis proof");
     expect(evidenceComment?.id).toBe("publish_evidence");
     expect(failureComment?.if).toContain("always()");
-    expect(failureComment?.if).toContain("request_source == 'issue_comment'");
+    expect(failureComment?.if).toContain("needs.resolve_request.outputs.pr_number != ''");
+    expect(failureComment?.if).not.toContain("request_source");
     expect(failureComment?.if).toContain("steps.publish_evidence.outcome != 'success'");
     expect(failureComment?.with?.script).toContain("Mantis could not complete this proof.");
     expect(failureComment?.with?.script).toContain("issues.updateComment");
@@ -454,6 +458,15 @@ describe("Mantis Telegram Desktop proof workflow", () => {
     expect(workflowText).toContain(
       "PUBLISH_ARTIFACT_URL=https://github.com/${GITHUB_REPOSITORY}/actions/runs/",
     );
+    const evidenceComment = jobStep(
+      WORKFLOW,
+      "publish_existing_telegram_desktop_proof",
+      "Comment PR with inline QA evidence",
+    );
+    expect(evidenceComment.run).toContain(
+      "mantis-telegram-desktop-proof:${GITHUB_RUN_ID}-${GITHUB_RUN_ATTEMPT}",
+    );
+    expect(evidenceComment.run).toContain("--create-missing false");
   });
 
   it("limits evidence publishers to comment and PR-read permissions", () => {