diff --git a/.env.example b/.env.example
index a05bad8..44b6d27 100644
--- a/.env.example
+++ b/.env.example
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 # Telegram Bot Token (from @BotFather)
-TELEGRAM_BOT_TOKEN=8653489932:AAG_Ins2_z3sNHX8ZlGI4mhyzmUhWAWCZlg
+TELEGRAM_BOT_TOKEN=8653489932:AAEqODkhcWRkfA0aZmMW2PBUvTspmFgXg-I
 
 # Direct PostgreSQL connection
 POSTGRES_HOST=192.168.178.3
diff --git a/worker/src/main.py b/worker/src/main.py
index feece5f..c20ed73 100644
--- a/worker/src/main.py
+++ b/worker/src/main.py
@@ -7,12 +7,14 @@ import sys
 from contextlib import suppress
 from datetime import datetime, timedelta, timezone
 from typing import Any
+from urllib.parse import quote
 
 import aiohttp.web as web
 import asyncpg
 from dotenv import load_dotenv
 from telegram import Update
 from telegram.ext import Application, ExtBot
+from telegram.request import HTTPXRequest
 
 from db import close_pool, get_pool
 from health import create_health_app, record_scheduler_run, set_start_time, set_telegram_polling
@@ -24,6 +26,25 @@ logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 load_dotenv()
 
 
+def _get_proxy_url() -> str | None:
+    raw = (os.getenv("HTTPS_PROXY") or os.getenv("https_proxy") or "").strip()
+    if not raw:
+        return None
+
+    if "://" in raw:
+        return raw
+
+    parts = raw.split(":", 3)
+    if len(parts) != 4:
+        logger.warning(
+            "Ignoring invalid HTTPS_PROXY value (expected host:port:user:pass or full URL)"
+        )
+        return None
+
+    host, port, username, password = parts
+    return f"http://{quote(username, safe='')}:{quote(password, safe='')}@{host}:{port}"
+
+
 def _ad_passes_filters(fields: dict, kw_row: dict) -> bool:
     """Check if an ad passes the keyword's price and postcode filters."""
     price = fields.get("price")
@@ -396,7 +417,33 @@ async def main() -> None:
     except Exception:
         logger.exception("Failed to start Web UI (optional)")
 
-    app = Application.builder().token(os.getenv("TELEGRAM_BOT_TOKEN")).build()
+    proxy_url = _get_proxy_url()
+    bot_request = HTTPXRequest(
+        connection_pool_size=10,
+        proxy_url=proxy_url,
+        read_timeout=30.0,
+        write_timeout=30.0,
+        connect_timeout=30.0,
+        pool_timeout=10.0,
+        media_write_timeout=60.0,
+    )
+    updates_request = HTTPXRequest(
+        connection_pool_size=10,
+        proxy_url=proxy_url,
+        read_timeout=30.0,
+        write_timeout=30.0,
+        connect_timeout=30.0,
+        pool_timeout=10.0,
+        media_write_timeout=60.0,
+    )
+
+    app = (
+        Application.builder()
+        .token(os.getenv("TELEGRAM_BOT_TOKEN"))
+        .request(bot_request)
+        .get_updates_request(updates_request)
+        .build()
+    )
     scheduler = None
     poll_task = None
     bot_started = False