diff --git a/src/channels/mattermost.rs b/src/channels/mattermost.rs
index a10cd72..6b5fdda 100644
--- a/src/channels/mattermost.rs
+++ b/src/channels/mattermost.rs
@@ -9,7 +9,12 @@ pub struct MattermostChannel {
     bot_token: String,
     channel_id: Option<String>,
     allowed_users: Vec<String>,
+    /// When true, replies thread on the original post's root_id.
+    /// When false (default), replies go to the channel root.
+    thread_replies: bool,
     client: reqwest::Client,
+    /// Handle for the background typing-indicator loop (aborted on stop_typing).
+    typing_handle: std::sync::Mutex<Option<tokio::task::JoinHandle<()>>>,
 }
 
 impl MattermostChannel {
@@ -18,6 +23,7 @@ impl MattermostChannel {
         bot_token: String,
         channel_id: Option<String>,
         allowed_users: Vec<String>,
+        thread_replies: bool,
     ) -> Self {
         // Ensure base_url doesn't have a trailing slash for consistent path joining
         let base_url = base_url.trim_end_matches('/').to_string();
@@ -26,7 +32,9 @@ impl MattermostChannel {
             bot_token,
             channel_id,
             allowed_users,
+            thread_replies,
             client: reqwest::Client::new(),
+            typing_handle: std::sync::Mutex::new(None),
         }
     }
 
@@ -177,6 +185,61 @@ impl Channel for MattermostChannel {
             .map(|r| r.status().is_success())
             .unwrap_or(false)
     }
+
+    async fn start_typing(&self, recipient: &str) -> Result<()> {
+        // Cancel any existing typing loop before starting a new one.
+        self.stop_typing(recipient).await?;
+
+        let client = self.client.clone();
+        let token = self.bot_token.clone();
+        let base_url = self.base_url.clone();
+
+        // recipient is "channel_id" or "channel_id:root_id"
+        let channel_id = recipient.split(':').next().unwrap_or(recipient).to_string();
+        let parent_id = recipient.split(':').nth(1).map(String::from);
+
+        let handle = tokio::spawn(async move {
+            let url = format!("{base_url}/api/v4/users/me/typing");
+            loop {
+                let mut body = serde_json::json!({ "channel_id": channel_id });
+                if let Some(ref pid) = parent_id {
+                    body.as_object_mut()
+                        .unwrap()
+                        .insert("parent_id".to_string(), serde_json::json!(pid));
+                }
+
+                if let Ok(r) = client
+                    .post(&url)
+                    .bearer_auth(&token)
+                    .json(&body)
+                    .send()
+                    .await
+                {
+                    if !r.status().is_success() {
+                        tracing::debug!(status = %r.status(), "Mattermost typing indicator failed");
+                    }
+                }
+
+                // Mattermost typing events expire after ~6s; re-fire every 4s.
+                tokio::time::sleep(std::time::Duration::from_secs(4)).await;
+            }
+        });
+
+        if let Ok(mut guard) = self.typing_handle.lock() {
+            *guard = Some(handle);
+        }
+
+        Ok(())
+    }
+
+    async fn stop_typing(&self, _recipient: &str) -> Result<()> {
+        if let Ok(mut guard) = self.typing_handle.lock() {
+            if let Some(handle) = guard.take() {
+                handle.abort();
+            }
+        }
+        Ok(())
+    }
 }
 
 impl MattermostChannel {
@@ -202,15 +265,16 @@ impl MattermostChannel {
             return None;
         }
 
-        // If it's a thread, include root_id in reply_to so we reply in the same thread
-        let reply_target = if root_id.is_empty() {
-            // Or if it's a top-level message that WE want to start a thread on,
-            // the next reply will use THIS post's ID as root_id.
-            // But for now, we follow Mattermost's 'reply' convention where
-            // replying to a post uses its ID as root_id.
+        // Reply routing depends on thread_replies config:
+        //   - Existing thread (root_id set): always stay in the thread.
+        //   - Top-level post + thread_replies=true: thread on the original post.
+        //   - Top-level post + thread_replies=false: reply at channel level.
+        let reply_target = if !root_id.is_empty() {
+            format!("{}:{}", channel_id, root_id)
+        } else if self.thread_replies {
             format!("{}:{}", channel_id, id)
         } else {
-            format!("{}:{}", channel_id, root_id)
+            channel_id.to_string()
         };
 
         Some(ChannelMessage {
@@ -237,19 +301,22 @@ mod tests {
             "token".into(),
             None,
             vec![],
+            false,
         );
         assert_eq!(ch.base_url, "https://mm.example.com");
     }
 
     #[test]
     fn mattermost_allowlist_wildcard() {
-        let ch = MattermostChannel::new("url".into(), "token".into(), None, vec!["*".into()]);
+        let ch =
+            MattermostChannel::new("url".into(), "token".into(), None, vec!["*".into()], false);
         assert!(ch.is_user_allowed("any-id"));
     }
 
     #[test]
     fn mattermost_parse_post_basic() {
-        let ch = MattermostChannel::new("url".into(), "token".into(), None, vec!["*".into()]);
+        let ch =
+            MattermostChannel::new("url".into(), "token".into(), None, vec!["*".into()], false);
         let post = json!({
             "id": "post123",
             "user_id": "user456",
@@ -263,12 +330,30 @@ mod tests {
             .unwrap();
         assert_eq!(msg.sender, "user456");
         assert_eq!(msg.content, "hello world");
-        assert_eq!(msg.reply_target, "chan789:post123"); // Threads on the post
+        assert_eq!(msg.reply_target, "chan789"); // Channel-level reply (thread_replies=false)
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn mattermost_parse_post_thread_replies_enabled() {
+        let ch = MattermostChannel::new("url".into(), "token".into(), None, vec!["*".into()], true);
+        let post = json!({
+            "id": "post123",
+            "user_id": "user456",
+            "message": "hello world",
+            "create_at": 1_600_000_000_000_i64,
+            "root_id": ""
+        });
+
+        let msg = ch
+            .parse_mattermost_post(&post, "bot123", 1_500_000_000_000_i64, "chan789")
+            .unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(msg.reply_target, "chan789:post123"); // Threaded reply
     }
 
     #[test]
     fn mattermost_parse_post_thread() {
-        let ch = MattermostChannel::new("url".into(), "token".into(), None, vec!["*".into()]);
+        let ch =
+            MattermostChannel::new("url".into(), "token".into(), None, vec!["*".into()], false);
         let post = json!({
             "id": "post123",
             "user_id": "user456",
@@ -285,7 +370,8 @@ mod tests {
 
     #[test]
     fn mattermost_parse_post_ignore_self() {
-        let ch = MattermostChannel::new("url".into(), "token".into(), None, vec!["*".into()]);
+        let ch =
+            MattermostChannel::new("url".into(), "token".into(), None, vec!["*".into()], false);
         let post = json!({
             "id": "post123",
             "user_id": "bot123",
@@ -299,7 +385,8 @@ mod tests {
 
     #[test]
     fn mattermost_parse_post_ignore_old() {
-        let ch = MattermostChannel::new("url".into(), "token".into(), None, vec!["*".into()]);
+        let ch =
+            MattermostChannel::new("url".into(), "token".into(), None, vec!["*".into()], false);
         let post = json!({
             "id": "post123",
             "user_id": "user456",
@@ -310,4 +397,41 @@ mod tests {
         let msg = ch.parse_mattermost_post(&post, "bot123", 1_500_000_000_000_i64, "chan789");
         assert!(msg.is_none());
     }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn mattermost_parse_post_no_thread_when_disabled() {
+        let ch =
+            MattermostChannel::new("url".into(), "token".into(), None, vec!["*".into()], false);
+        let post = json!({
+            "id": "post123",
+            "user_id": "user456",
+            "message": "hello world",
+            "create_at": 1_600_000_000_000_i64,
+            "root_id": ""
+        });
+
+        let msg = ch
+            .parse_mattermost_post(&post, "bot123", 1_500_000_000_000_i64, "chan789")
+            .unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(msg.reply_target, "chan789"); // No thread suffix
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn mattermost_existing_thread_always_threads() {
+        // Even with thread_replies=false, replies to existing threads stay in the thread
+        let ch =
+            MattermostChannel::new("url".into(), "token".into(), None, vec!["*".into()], false);
+        let post = json!({
+            "id": "post123",
+            "user_id": "user456",
+            "message": "reply in thread",
+            "create_at": 1_600_000_000_000_i64,
+            "root_id": "root789"
+        });
+
+        let msg = ch
+            .parse_mattermost_post(&post, "bot123", 1_500_000_000_000_i64, "chan789")
+            .unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(msg.reply_target, "chan789:root789"); // Stays in existing thread
+    }
 }
diff --git a/src/channels/mod.rs b/src/channels/mod.rs
index 3424dde..0c43fd1 100644
--- a/src/channels/mod.rs
+++ b/src/channels/mod.rs
@@ -1261,6 +1261,7 @@ pub async fn start_channels(config: Config) -> Result<()> {
             mm.bot_token.clone(),
             mm.channel_id.clone(),
             mm.allowed_users.clone(),
+            mm.thread_replies.unwrap_or(false),
         )));
     }
 
diff --git a/src/config/schema.rs b/src/config/schema.rs
index e341b32..33e2fe3 100644
--- a/src/config/schema.rs
+++ b/src/config/schema.rs
@@ -1499,6 +1499,10 @@ pub struct MattermostConfig {
     pub channel_id: Option<String>,
     #[serde(default)]
     pub allowed_users: Vec<String>,
+    /// When true, replies thread on the original post. When false (default),
+    /// replies go to the channel root.
+    #[serde(default)]
+    pub thread_replies: Option<bool>,
 }
 
 #[derive(Debug, Clone, Serialize, Deserialize)]
diff --git a/src/cron/scheduler.rs b/src/cron/scheduler.rs
index 9762651..fb8f61d 100644
--- a/src/cron/scheduler.rs
+++ b/src/cron/scheduler.rs
@@ -300,6 +300,7 @@ async fn deliver_if_configured(config: &Config, job: &CronJob, output: &str) ->
                 mm.bot_token.clone(),
                 mm.channel_id.clone(),
                 mm.allowed_users.clone(),
+                mm.thread_replies.unwrap_or(false),
             );
             channel.send(&SendMessage::new(output, target)).await?;
         }