diff --git a/main.py b/main.py
index 38dc6b6..6593e7f 100644
--- a/main.py
+++ b/main.py
@@ -1,30 +1,45 @@
-import discord
-from discord.ext import commands
-from dotenv import load_dotenv
-import os
-import logging
-import asyncio
-
-load_dotenv('credentials.env')
-
-intents = discord.Intents.default()
-intents.message_content = True
-
-bot = commands.Bot(command_prefix='!', intents=intents)
-
-@bot.event
-async def on_ready():
-    print(f'✅ {bot.user} is online!')
-
-async def main():
-    async with bot:
-        await bot.load_extension('cogs.general')
-        await bot.load_extension('cogs.chance')
-        await bot.load_extension('cogs.gifs')
-        await bot.load_extension('cogs.copypasta')
-        await bot.load_extension('cogs.sysinfo')
-        await bot.load_extension('music.music')
-        await bot.start(os.getenv('DISCORD_TOKEN'))
-
-logging.basicConfig(level=logging.INFO)
-asyncio.run(main())
\ No newline at end of file
+import discord
+from discord.ext import commands
+from dotenv import load_dotenv
+import os
+import logging
+import asyncio
+
+from tgbridge.forwarder import TelegramForwarder
+
+load_dotenv('credentials.env')
+
+intents = discord.Intents.default()
+intents.message_content = True
+
+bot = commands.Bot(command_prefix='!', intents=intents)
+
+@bot.event
+async def on_ready():
+    print(f'✅ {bot.user} is online!')
+
+async def main():
+    # ── telegram forwarder ───────────────────────────────────────────────
+    forwarder = TelegramForwarder(
+        token=os.getenv('TELEGRAM_BOT_TOKEN'),
+        group_id=int(os.getenv('TELEGRAM_GROUP_ID')),
+        webhook_url=os.getenv('DISCORD_WEBHOOK_URL'),
+    )
+
+    async with bot:
+        await bot.load_extension('cogs.general')
+        await bot.load_extension('cogs.chance')
+        await bot.load_extension('cogs.gifs')
+        await bot.load_extension('cogs.copypasta')
+        await bot.load_extension('cogs.sysinfo')
+        await bot.load_extension('music.music')
+
+        await forwarder.start()
+
+        try:
+            await bot.start(os.getenv('DISCORD_TOKEN'))
+        finally:
+            await forwarder.stop()
+
+logging.basicConfig(level=logging.INFO)
+asyncio.run(main())
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tgbridge/__init__.py b/tgbridge/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8b13789
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tgbridge/__init__.py
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+
diff --git a/tgbridge/__pycache__/__init__.cpython-312.pyc b/tgbridge/__pycache__/__init__.cpython-312.pyc
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f52be02
Binary files /dev/null and b/tgbridge/__pycache__/__init__.cpython-312.pyc differ
diff --git a/tgbridge/__pycache__/forwarder.cpython-312.pyc b/tgbridge/__pycache__/forwarder.cpython-312.pyc
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7983b00
Binary files /dev/null and b/tgbridge/__pycache__/forwarder.cpython-312.pyc differ
diff --git a/tgbridge/forwarder.py b/tgbridge/forwarder.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ab718e0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tgbridge/forwarder.py
@@ -0,0 +1,179 @@
+# this is where telegram-to-discord forwarding lives
+import logging
+import io
+import json
+import aiohttp
+from telegram import Update
+from telegram.ext import Application, MessageHandler, filters, ContextTypes
+
+logger = logging.getLogger('telegram.forwarder')
+
+
+class TelegramForwarder:
+    """Watches a Telegram group/channel and forwards messages to a Discord webhook."""
+
+    def __init__(self, token: str, group_id: int, webhook_url: str):
+        self.token = token
+        self.group_id = group_id
+        self.webhook_url = webhook_url
+        self._app: Application | None = None
+
+    async def start(self):
+        """Build the telegram application and start polling."""
+        self._app = (
+            Application.builder()
+            .token(self.token)
+            .build()
+        )
+        self._app.add_handler(MessageHandler(filters.ALL, self._on_message))
+
+        await self._app.initialize()
+        await self._app.start()
+        await self._app.updater.start_polling(drop_pending_updates=True)
+        logger.info('✅ Telegram forwarder started — watching group %s', self.group_id)
+
+    async def stop(self):
+        """Graceful shutdown."""
+        if self._app:
+            await self._app.updater.stop()
+            await self._app.stop()
+            await self._app.shutdown()
+            logger.info('Telegram forwarder stopped')
+
+    # ── internal helpers ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+    def _sender_name(self, update: Update) -> str:
+        """Extract a display name from the message sender."""
+        user = update.effective_user
+        if user:
+            name = user.first_name or ''
+            if user.last_name:
+                name += f' {user.last_name}'
+            return name.strip() or user.username or 'Unknown'
+        # channel posts have no user — use chat title
+        chat = update.effective_chat
+        if chat and chat.title:
+            return chat.title
+        return 'Unknown'
+
+    def _forward_prefix(self, message) -> str:
+        """Build a prefix for forwarded messages."""
+        if message.forward_origin:
+            origin = message.forward_origin
+            # user forward
+            if hasattr(origin, 'sender_user') and origin.sender_user:
+                u = origin.sender_user
+                name = u.first_name or ''
+                if u.last_name:
+                    name += f' {u.last_name}'
+                return f'↩️ Forwarded from **{name.strip() or u.username or "Unknown"}**:\n'
+            # channel forward
+            if hasattr(origin, 'chat') and origin.chat:
+                return f'↩️ Forwarded from **{origin.chat.title or "Unknown channel"}**:\n'
+            # hidden user
+            if hasattr(origin, 'sender_user_name') and origin.sender_user_name:
+                return f'↩️ Forwarded from **{origin.sender_user_name}**:\n'
+            return '↩️ Forwarded:\n'
+        return ''
+
+    async def _download_file(self, file_id: str) -> tuple[bytes, str]:
+        """Download a file from Telegram, return (bytes, filename)."""
+        tg_file = await self._app.bot.get_file(file_id)
+        buf = io.BytesIO()
+        await tg_file.download_to_memory(buf)
+        buf.seek(0)
+        filename = tg_file.file_path.split('/')[-1] if tg_file.file_path else 'file'
+        return buf.read(), filename
+
+    async def _send_to_webhook(self, username: str, content: str = '',
+                                file_data: bytes | None = None,
+                                filename: str | None = None):
+        """POST a message (and optional file) to the Discord webhook."""
+        async with aiohttp.ClientSession() as session:
+            data = aiohttp.FormData()
+            payload = {'username': username}
+            if content:
+                payload['content'] = content[:2000]  # discord limit
+
+            if file_data and filename:
+                data.add_field('payload_json', json.dumps(payload),
+                               content_type='application/json')
+                data.add_field('file', file_data, filename=filename)
+            else:
+                # simple json post
+                async with session.post(self.webhook_url, json=payload) as resp:
+                    if resp.status not in (200, 204):
+                        logger.error('Webhook POST failed: %s %s', resp.status, await resp.text())
+                    return
+
+            async with session.post(self.webhook_url, data=data) as resp:
+                if resp.status not in (200, 204):
+                    logger.error('Webhook POST failed: %s %s', resp.status, await resp.text())
+
+    # ── main message handler ─────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+    async def _on_message(self, update: Update, context: ContextTypes.DEFAULT_TYPE):
+        """Handle every incoming message from the watched group."""
+        message = update.effective_message
+        if not message:
+            return
+
+        # only process messages from the configured group
+        if update.effective_chat and update.effective_chat.id != self.group_id:
+            return
+
+        sender = self._sender_name(update)
+        prefix = self._forward_prefix(message)
+        caption = message.caption or ''
+
+        try:
+            # ── photo ────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+            if message.photo:
+                # largest resolution is last in the array
+                photo = message.photo[-1]
+                file_data, filename = await self._download_file(photo.file_id)
+                text = f'{prefix}{caption}'.strip()
+                await self._send_to_webhook(sender, text, file_data, filename)
+
+            # ── video ────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+            elif message.video:
+                file_data, filename = await self._download_file(message.video.file_id)
+                text = f'{prefix}{caption}'.strip()
+                await self._send_to_webhook(sender, text, file_data, filename)
+
+            # ── document (files, gifs sent as docs, etc) ─────────────────
+            elif message.document:
+                file_data, filename = await self._download_file(message.document.file_id)
+                text = f'{prefix}{caption}'.strip()
+                await self._send_to_webhook(sender, text, file_data, filename)
+
+            # ── animation (GIF) ──────────────────────────────────────────
+            elif message.animation:
+                file_data, filename = await self._download_file(message.animation.file_id)
+                text = f'{prefix}{caption}'.strip()
+                await self._send_to_webhook(sender, text, file_data, filename)
+
+            # ── sticker ──────────────────────────────────────────────────
+            elif message.sticker:
+                # stickers have no caption — send emoji or name
+                sticker_text = message.sticker.emoji or '(sticker)'
+                text = f'{prefix}{sticker_text}'
+                # try to download the sticker image
+                try:
+                    file_data, filename = await self._download_file(message.sticker.file_id)
+                    await self._send_to_webhook(sender, text, file_data, filename)
+                except Exception:
+                    await self._send_to_webhook(sender, text)
+
+            # ── text ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+            elif message.text:
+                text = f'{prefix}{message.text}'
+                await self._send_to_webhook(sender, text)
+
+            else:
+                # voice, audio, contact, location, etc — just note it
+                text = f'{prefix}*(unsupported message type)*'
+                await self._send_to_webhook(sender, text)
+
+        except Exception:
+            logger.exception('Failed to forward message from %s', sender)