diff --git a/.claude/skills/archon/guides/slack.md b/.claude/skills/archon/guides/slack.md
index 42011ee980..14a3293434 100644
--- a/.claude/skills/archon/guides/slack.md
+++ b/.claude/skills/archon/guides/slack.md
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ Follow the step-by-step instructions in **[docs/slack-setup.md](../../../../../d
 
 1. Create a Slack app at [api.slack.com/apps](https://api.slack.com/apps) (from scratch)
 2. Enable **Socket Mode** — generates an App-Level Token (`xapp-...`) for `SLACK_APP_TOKEN`
-3. Add **Bot Token Scopes**: `app_mentions:read`, `chat:write`, `channels:history`, `channels:join`, `im:history`, `im:write`, `im:read`
+3. Add **Bot Token Scopes**: `app_mentions:read`, `chat:write`, `reactions:write`, `channels:history`, `channels:join`, `im:history`, `im:write`, `im:read`
 4. Subscribe to **Bot Events**: `app_mention`, `message.im`
 5. **Install to Workspace** — generates a Bot User OAuth Token (`xoxb-...`) for `SLACK_BOT_TOKEN`
 6. Invite the bot to your channel: `/invite @YourBotName`
diff --git a/packages/adapters/src/chat/slack/adapter.test.ts b/packages/adapters/src/chat/slack/adapter.test.ts
index 980d327018..a1845cd1db 100644
--- a/packages/adapters/src/chat/slack/adapter.test.ts
+++ b/packages/adapters/src/chat/slack/adapter.test.ts
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ mock.module('@archon/paths', () => ({
 // Create mock functions
 const mockPostMessage = mock(() => Promise.resolve(undefined));
 const mockReplies = mock(() => Promise.resolve({ messages: [] }));
+const mockReactionsAdd = mock(() => Promise.resolve({ ok: true }));
 const mockEvent = mock(() => {});
 const mockStart = mock(() => Promise.resolve(undefined));
 const mockStop = mock(() => Promise.resolve(undefined));
@@ -38,6 +39,9 @@ const mockApp = {
     conversations: {
       replies: mockReplies,
     },
+    reactions: {
+      add: mockReactionsAdd,
+    },
   },
   event: mockEvent,
   start: mockStart,
@@ -432,4 +436,56 @@ describe('SlackAdapter', () => {
       expect((second.blocks[1] as { type: string }).type).toBe('actions');
     });
   });
+
+  describe('acknowledgeReceipt', () => {
+    const event: SlackMessageEvent = {
+      text: 'hello',
+      user: 'U123',
+      channel: 'C456',
+      ts: '1234567890.000001',
+    };
+
+    beforeEach(() => {
+      mockReactionsAdd.mockClear();
+    });
+
+    test('posts :eyes: reaction on the incoming message', async () => {
+      const adapter = new SlackAdapter('xoxb-fake', 'xapp-fake');
+      await adapter.acknowledgeReceipt(event);
+
+      expect(mockReactionsAdd).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+      const args = (mockReactionsAdd as Mock<typeof mockReactionsAdd>).mock.calls[0][0] as {
+        channel: string;
+        timestamp: string;
+        name: string;
+      };
+      expect(args.channel).toBe('C456');
+      expect(args.timestamp).toBe('1234567890.000001');
+      expect(args.name).toBe('eyes');
+    });
+
+    test('does not throw when reactions:write scope is missing', async () => {
+      // Simulate Slack's `missing_scope` error shape.
+      const scopeError = Object.assign(new Error('missing_scope'), {
+        data: { error: 'missing_scope', needed: 'reactions:write' },
+      });
+      mockReactionsAdd.mockImplementationOnce(() => Promise.reject(scopeError));
+
+      const adapter = new SlackAdapter('xoxb-fake', 'xapp-fake');
+      // If this rejected, the test runner would surface it — proving graceful handling.
+      await adapter.acknowledgeReceipt(event);
+      expect(mockReactionsAdd).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+    });
+
+    test('silently skips when message already has the reaction', async () => {
+      const alreadyReacted = Object.assign(new Error('already_reacted'), {
+        data: { error: 'already_reacted' },
+      });
+      mockReactionsAdd.mockImplementationOnce(() => Promise.reject(alreadyReacted));
+
+      const adapter = new SlackAdapter('xoxb-fake', 'xapp-fake');
+      await adapter.acknowledgeReceipt(event);
+      expect(mockReactionsAdd).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+    });
+  });
 });
diff --git a/packages/adapters/src/chat/slack/adapter.ts b/packages/adapters/src/chat/slack/adapter.ts
index 0cd137e630..4f697a615e 100644
--- a/packages/adapters/src/chat/slack/adapter.ts
+++ b/packages/adapters/src/chat/slack/adapter.ts
@@ -316,6 +316,38 @@ export class SlackAdapter implements IPlatformAdapter {
     this.messageHandler = handler;
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Post an :eyes: reaction to the incoming message so the user knows the
+   * bot received the request immediately — before thread-history fetch,
+   * orchestration, lock acquisition, or first LLM token.
+   *
+   * Intentionally silent on failure:
+   * - `reactions:write` scope is optional; missing-scope workspaces still
+   *   get a working bot, just without the visual receipt.
+   * - We never want a reaction error to block message processing.
+   */
+  async acknowledgeReceipt(event: SlackMessageEvent): Promise<void> {
+    try {
+      await this.app.client.reactions.add({
+        channel: event.channel,
+        timestamp: event.ts,
+        name: 'eyes',
+      });
+      getLog().debug({ channel: event.channel, ts: event.ts }, 'slack.receipt_ack_sent');
+    } catch (error) {
+      const err = error as Error & { data?: { error?: string } };
+      // `already_reacted` just means we're re-processing; not worth a warn.
+      if (err.data?.error === 'already_reacted') {
+        getLog().debug({ channel: event.channel }, 'slack.receipt_ack_already_reacted');
+        return;
+      }
+      getLog().warn(
+        { err, slackError: err.data?.error, channel: event.channel },
+        'slack.receipt_ack_failed'
+      );
+    }
+  }
+
   /**
    * Start the bot (connects via Socket Mode)
    */
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/commands/setup.ts b/packages/cli/src/commands/setup.ts
index 0235ceec3e..6bb7d74797 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/commands/setup.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/commands/setup.ts
@@ -1030,7 +1030,7 @@ async function collectSlackConfig(): Promise<SlackConfig> {
       '   - Settings -> Socket Mode -> Enable\n' +
       '   - Generate an App-Level Token (xapp-...)\n' +
       '3. Add Bot Token Scopes (OAuth & Permissions):\n' +
-      '   - app_mentions:read, chat:write, channels:history\n' +
+      '   - app_mentions:read, chat:write, reactions:write, channels:history\n' +
       '   - channels:join, im:history, im:write, im:read\n' +
       '4. Subscribe to Bot Events (Event Subscriptions):\n' +
       '   - app_mention, message.im\n' +
diff --git a/packages/docs-web/src/content/docs/adapters/slack.md b/packages/docs-web/src/content/docs/adapters/slack.md
index ce53956793..e414e9aec5 100644
--- a/packages/docs-web/src/content/docs/adapters/slack.md
+++ b/packages/docs-web/src/content/docs/adapters/slack.md
@@ -55,6 +55,7 @@ Archon uses **Socket Mode** for Slack integration, which means:
 3. Add these scopes to bot token scopes:
    - `app_mentions:read` -- Receive @mention events
    - `chat:write` -- Send messages
+   - `reactions:write` -- Post :eyes: receipt reaction on incoming messages (optional; bot works without it)
    - `channels:history` -- Read messages in public channels (for thread context)
    - `channels:join` -- Allow bot to join public channels
    - `groups:history` -- Read messages in private channels (optional)
diff --git a/packages/server/src/index.ts b/packages/server/src/index.ts
index 3d0d1bdcf5..82ed2ed3bd 100644
--- a/packages/server/src/index.ts
+++ b/packages/server/src/index.ts
@@ -404,6 +404,10 @@ export async function startServer(opts: ServerOptions = {}): Promise<void> {
         const content = slackAdapter.stripBotMention(event.text);
         if (!content) return; // Message was only a mention with no content
 
+        // Immediate receipt ack (:eyes:). Fire-and-forget — we don't want to
+        // delay thread-history fetch or orchestration on a reaction round-trip.
+        void slackAdapter.acknowledgeReceipt(event);
+
         // Check for thread context
         let threadContext: string | undefined;
         let parentConversationId: string | undefined;