diff --git a/extensions/buzz/src/mentions.test.ts b/extensions/buzz/src/mentions.test.ts
index f074f2109e95..4cdb6f12261f 100644
--- a/extensions/buzz/src/mentions.test.ts
+++ b/extensions/buzz/src/mentions.test.ts
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import {
 const BOT_PUBLIC_KEY = "a".repeat(64);
 const ALICE_PUBLIC_KEY = "b".repeat(64);
 const SECOND_ALICE_PUBLIC_KEY = "c".repeat(64);
+const BOB_PUBLIC_KEY = "d".repeat(64);
 
 function members(...values: BuzzMentionMember[]): BuzzMentionMember[] {
   return [{ publicKey: BOT_PUBLIC_KEY, displayName: "OpenClaw" }, ...values];
@@ -82,6 +83,51 @@ describe("Buzz outbound mentions", () => {
     ).toEqual([ALICE_PUBLIC_KEY]);
   });
 
+  it("requires explicit identities to resolve the named member they accompany", () => {
+    const explicitBob = nip19.npubEncode(BOB_PUBLIC_KEY);
+    const roomMembers = members(
+      { publicKey: ALICE_PUBLIC_KEY, displayName: "Alice" },
+      { publicKey: SECOND_ALICE_PUBLIC_KEY, displayName: "Alice" },
+      { publicKey: BOB_PUBLIC_KEY, displayName: "Bob" },
+    );
+
+    expect(() =>
+      resolveBuzzMessageMentions({
+        text: `Hello @Missing (nostr:${explicitBob})`,
+        members: roomMembers,
+        senderPublicKey: BOT_PUBLIC_KEY,
+      }),
+    ).toThrow('Buzz mention "@missing" does not match a current room member');
+
+    expect(() =>
+      resolveBuzzMessageMentions({
+        text: `Hello @Alice (nostr:${explicitBob})`,
+        members: roomMembers,
+        senderPublicKey: BOT_PUBLIC_KEY,
+      }),
+    ).toThrow('Buzz mention "@alice" is ambiguous');
+  });
+
+  it("bounds ambiguous-member guidance", () => {
+    const duplicateMembers = Array.from({ length: 8 }, (_, index) => ({
+      publicKey: (index + 1).toString(16).repeat(64),
+      displayName: "Alice",
+    }));
+
+    expect(() =>
+      resolveBuzzMessageMentions({
+        text: "Hello @Alice",
+        members: members(...duplicateMembers),
+        senderPublicKey: BOT_PUBLIC_KEY,
+      }),
+    ).toThrow(
+      `candidates: ${duplicateMembers
+        .slice(0, 5)
+        .map((member) => nip19.npubEncode(member.publicKey))
+        .join(", ")}, and 3 more.`,
+    );
+  });
+
   it("rejects explicit identities outside the room and excludes the bot identity", () => {
     const outsider = "d".repeat(64);
     expect(() =>
diff --git a/extensions/buzz/src/mentions.ts b/extensions/buzz/src/mentions.ts
index b3f58f0471e9..d72eb7c4a605 100644
--- a/extensions/buzz/src/mentions.ts
+++ b/extensions/buzz/src/mentions.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import { nip19 } from "nostr-tools";
 
 export const BUZZ_MENTION_MAX_COUNT = 50;
+const BUZZ_AMBIGUITY_CANDIDATE_LIMIT = 5;
 
 export type BuzzMentionMember = {
   publicKey: string;
@@ -243,26 +244,30 @@ export function resolveBuzzMessageMentions(params: {
       .map((member) => member.displayName)
       .filter((name): name is string => Boolean(name)),
   );
-  const hasExplicitMentions = explicitPublicKeys.length > 0;
-  if (hasAtMentionCandidate(stripped) && names.length === 0 && !hasExplicitMentions) {
+  if (hasAtMentionCandidate(stripped) && names.length === 0) {
     throw new Error(
       "Buzz mention does not match a current room member; use nostr:npub... for an explicit identity",
     );
   }
   for (const name of names) {
     const matches = namesToPublicKeys.get(name) ?? [];
-    if (matches.length !== 1) {
-      if (hasExplicitMentions) {
+    if (matches.length === 0) {
+      throw new Error(
+        `Buzz mention "@${name}" does not match a current room member; use nostr:npub... for an explicit identity`,
+      );
+    }
+    if (matches.length > 1) {
+      if (matches.some((publicKey) => explicitPublicKeys.includes(publicKey))) {
         continue;
       }
-      if (matches.length === 0) {
-        throw new Error(
-          `Buzz mention "@${name}" does not match a current room member; use nostr:npub... for an explicit identity`,
-        );
-      }
-      const candidates = matches.map((publicKey) => nip19.npubEncode(publicKey)).join(", ");
+      const visibleCandidates = matches
+        .slice(0, BUZZ_AMBIGUITY_CANDIDATE_LIMIT)
+        .map((publicKey) => nip19.npubEncode(publicKey))
+        .join(", ");
+      const hiddenCandidateCount = matches.length - BUZZ_AMBIGUITY_CANDIDATE_LIMIT;
+      const candidateSuffix = hiddenCandidateCount > 0 ? `, and ${hiddenCandidateCount} more` : "";
       throw new Error(
-        `Buzz mention "@${name}" is ambiguous; candidates: ${candidates}. Use nostr:npub... for an explicit identity`,
+        `Buzz mention "@${name}" is ambiguous; candidates: ${visibleCandidates}${candidateSuffix}. Use nostr:npub... for an explicit identity`,
       );
     }
     const publicKey = matches[0];