fix(skills): TG poll 5xx triggers network backoff — HTTPError >=500 in poll_updates raises _NetworkPollError instead of rapid-fire retry; 4xx unchanged. 3 new tests (502/503 backoff, 429 excluded). Medic loop: detected by @trigger (ERROR ae5ddbd4), fixed autonomously by @skills, verified by devpulse (1080 tests green, seedgo 100%)

CHANGELOG.md

@@ -27,6 +27,11 @@ PyPI version — not the changelog header.
   was already covered via the shared dispatch_monitor wrapper. @daemon's
   scheduled wakes import `wake_branch` directly and were covered from the start.
 
+**fix(skills)** — Telegram poll 5xx now triggers network backoff (medic loop,
+autonomous @skills fix): `HTTPError` ≥500 in `poll_updates` raises
+`_NetworkPollError` instead of falling through to rapid-fire retry; 4xx still
+logs and returns. Three new tests (502/503 backoff, 429 stays out).
+
 **fix(spawn, commons, prax, hooks)** — S304 audit fix campaign, Track A
 (DPLAN-0250, four owner dispatches verified + committed by devpulse):
 

src/aipass/skills/lib/telegram/apps/handlers/base_bot.py

@@ -468,6 +468,8 @@ class BaseBot:
                 return []
             if _is_network_error(e):
                 raise _NetworkPollError(str(e)) from e
+            if isinstance(e, HTTPError) and e.code >= 500:
+                raise _NetworkPollError(str(e)) from e
             logger.error("Poll error: %s", e)
             return []
         except (ConnectionError, OSError) as e:

src/aipass/skills/lib/telegram/tests/test_network_backoff.py

@@ -14,8 +14,9 @@ Tests cover:
   - _is_routine_read_timeout classification
 """
 
+from http.client import HTTPMessage
 from unittest.mock import patch
-from urllib.error import URLError
+from urllib.error import HTTPError, URLError
 
 import pytest
 
@@ -206,6 +207,33 @@ class TestPollUpdatesErrorClassification:
         mock_logger.error.assert_called_once()
         assert "Poll error" in str(mock_logger.error.call_args)
 
+    def test_http_502_raises_network_poll_error(self, tmp_path, _patch_base_bot_deps):
+        """HTTP 502 Bad Gateway should trigger network backoff, not rapid-fire retry."""
+        bot = _make_bot(tmp_path, _patch_base_bot_deps)
+        exc = HTTPError("https://api.telegram.org/...", 502, "Bad Gateway", HTTPMessage(), None)
+        with patch("aipass.skills.lib.telegram.apps.handlers.base_bot.urlopen", side_effect=exc):
+            with pytest.raises(_NetworkPollError):
+                bot.poll_updates(0)
+
+    def test_http_503_raises_network_poll_error(self, tmp_path, _patch_base_bot_deps):
+        bot = _make_bot(tmp_path, _patch_base_bot_deps)
+        exc = HTTPError("https://api.telegram.org/...", 503, "Service Unavailable", HTTPMessage(), None)
+        with patch("aipass.skills.lib.telegram.apps.handlers.base_bot.urlopen", side_effect=exc):
+            with pytest.raises(_NetworkPollError):
+                bot.poll_updates(0)
+
+    def test_http_429_not_network_error(self, tmp_path, _patch_base_bot_deps):
+        """Client-side HTTP errors (4xx) should NOT trigger network backoff."""
+        bot = _make_bot(tmp_path, _patch_base_bot_deps)
+        exc = HTTPError("https://api.telegram.org/...", 429, "Too Many Requests", HTTPMessage(), None)
+        with (
+            patch("aipass.skills.lib.telegram.apps.handlers.base_bot.urlopen", side_effect=exc),
+            patch("aipass.skills.lib.telegram.apps.handlers.base_bot.logger") as mock_logger,
+        ):
+            result = bot.poll_updates(0)
+        assert result == []
+        mock_logger.error.assert_called_once()
+
     def test_unexpected_exception_logs_error(self, tmp_path, _patch_base_bot_deps):
         bot = _make_bot(tmp_path, _patch_base_bot_deps)
         exc = ValueError("something weird")