diff --git a/example-config.yaml b/example-config.yaml
index da59d47d..f402aa2b 100644
--- a/example-config.yaml
+++ b/example-config.yaml
@@ -30,14 +30,14 @@ appservice:
 # Bridge config
 bridge:
     # Localpart template of MXIDs for Telegram users.
-    # {} is replaced with the user ID of the Telegram user.
-    username_template: "telegram_{}"
+    # {userid} is replaced with the user ID of the Telegram user.
+    username_template: "telegram_{userid}"
     # Localpart template of room aliases for Telegram portal rooms.
-    # {} is replaced with the name part of the public channel/group invite link ( https://t.me/{} )
-    alias_template: "telegram_{}"
+    # {groupname} is replaced with the name part of the public channel/group invite link ( https://t.me/{} )
+    alias_template: "telegram_{groupname}"
     # Displayname template for Telegram users.
-    # {} is replaced with the display name of the Telegram user.
-    displayname_template: "{} (Telegram)"
+    # {displayname} is replaced with the display name of the Telegram user.
+    displayname_template: "{displayname} (Telegram)"
 
     # Set the preferred order of user identifiers which to use in the Matrix puppet display name.
     # In the (hopefully unlikely) scenario that none of the given keys are found, the numeric user ID is used.
diff --git a/mautrix_telegram/config.py b/mautrix_telegram/config.py
index 09b4f738..4316e5a4 100644
--- a/mautrix_telegram/config.py
+++ b/mautrix_telegram/config.py
@@ -82,8 +82,8 @@ class Config(DictWithRecursion):
     def generate_registration(self):
         homeserver = self["homeserver.domain"]
 
-        username_format = self.get("bridge.username_template", "telegram_{}").format(".+")
-        alias_format = self.get("bridge.alias_template", "telegram_{}").format(".+")
+        username_format = self.get("bridge.username_template", "telegram_{userid}").format(userid=".+")
+        alias_format = self.get("bridge.alias_template", "telegram_{groupname}").format(groupname=".+")
 
         self.set("appservice.as_token", self._new_token())
         self.set("appservice.hs_token", self._new_token())
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ class Config(DictWithRecursion):
                 }],
                 "aliases": [{
                     "exclusive": True,
-                    "regex": f"@{alias_format}:{homeserver}"
+                    "regex": f"#{alias_format}:{homeserver}"
                 }]
             },
             "url": f"{appservice.get('protocol')}://{appservice.get('hostname')}:{appservice.get('port')}",
diff --git a/mautrix_telegram/matrix.py b/mautrix_telegram/matrix.py
index 1a5303f0..796bed55 100644
--- a/mautrix_telegram/matrix.py
+++ b/mautrix_telegram/matrix.py
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ class MatrixHandler:
         self.log = log.getChild("mx")
         self.commands = CommandHandler(context)
 
-        alias_format = self.config.get("bridge.alias_template", "telegram_{}").format("(.+)")
+        alias_format = self.config.get("bridge.alias_template", "telegram_{groupname}").format(groupname="(.+)")
         hs = self.config["homeserver"]["domain"]
         self.localpart_regex = re.compile(f"@{alias_format}:{hs}")
 
diff --git a/mautrix_telegram/puppet.py b/mautrix_telegram/puppet.py
index 0bae3c74..086532cb 100644
--- a/mautrix_telegram/puppet.py
+++ b/mautrix_telegram/puppet.py
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ class Puppet:
     def __init__(self, id=None, username=None, displayname=None, photo_id=None):
         self.id = id
 
-        self.localpart = config.get("bridge.alias_template", "telegram_{}").format(self.id)
+        self.localpart = config.get("bridge.username_template", "telegram_{userid}").format(userid=self.id)
         hs = config["homeserver"]["domain"]
         self.mxid = f"@{self.localpart}:{hs}"
         self.username = username
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ class Puppet:
 
         if not format:
             return name
-        return config.get("bridge.displayname_template", "{} (Telegram)").format(name)
+        return config.get("bridge.displayname_template", "{displayname} (Telegram)").format(displayname=name)
 
     def update_info(self, source, info):
         changed = False
@@ -141,6 +141,6 @@ def init(context):
     global config
     Puppet.az, Puppet.db, log, config = context
     Puppet.log = log.getChild("puppet")
-    localpart = config.get("bridge.alias_template", "telegram_{}").format("(.+)")
+    localpart = config.get("bridge.username_template", "telegram_{userid}").format(userid="(.+)")
     hs = config["homeserver"]["domain"]
     Puppet.mxid_regex = re.compile(f"@{localpart}:{hs}")