diff --git a/pkg/connector/example-config.yaml b/pkg/connector/example-config.yaml
index d7f23a29..a8cc0649 100644
--- a/pkg/connector/example-config.yaml
+++ b/pkg/connector/example-config.yaml
@@ -61,6 +61,8 @@ proxy:
     # Proxy IP address/domain name and port.
     address: "127.0.0.1:1080"
     # Proxy authentication (optional). Put MTProxy secret in password field.
+    # For mtproxy, the secret must be hex-encoded (the same form mtg/MTProxy
+    # tools print, e.g. "ee" + 16-byte secret + cloak domain hex for faketls).
     username:
     password:
 
diff --git a/pkg/connector/proxy.go b/pkg/connector/proxy.go
index 2ee361c5..3f6fde76 100644
--- a/pkg/connector/proxy.go
+++ b/pkg/connector/proxy.go
@@ -17,13 +17,31 @@
 package connector
 
 import (
+	"encoding/hex"
 	"fmt"
+	"strings"
 
 	"golang.org/x/net/proxy"
 
 	"go.mau.fi/mautrix-telegram/pkg/gotd/telegram/dcs"
 )
 
+// decodeMTProxySecret parses an MTProxy secret string into raw bytes.
+// MTProxy secrets are binary (faketls secrets begin with 0xEE, secured with 0xDD)
+// and cannot be carried verbatim in a YAML string field, so we accept the standard
+// hex encoding (optionally prefixed with "ee"/"dd") used by mtg/MTProxy tooling.
+func decodeMTProxySecret(s string) ([]byte, error) {
+	s = strings.TrimSpace(s)
+	if s == "" {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("mtproxy secret is empty")
+	}
+	b, err := hex.DecodeString(s)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("mtproxy secret must be hex-encoded: %w", err)
+	}
+	return b, nil
+}
+
 func GetProxyDialFunc(cfg ProxyConfig) (dcs.DialFunc, error) {
 	switch cfg.Type {
 	// we can't proxy HTTP through mtproxy
@@ -54,7 +72,11 @@ func GetProxyResolver(cfg ProxyConfig) (dcs.Resolver, error) {
 		resolver := dcs.Plain(dcs.PlainOptions{Dial: dialer})
 		return resolver, nil
 	case "mtproxy":
-		return dcs.MTProxy(cfg.Address, []byte(cfg.Password), dcs.MTProxyOptions{})
+		secret, err := decodeMTProxySecret(cfg.Password)
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, err
+		}
+		return dcs.MTProxy(cfg.Address, secret, dcs.MTProxyOptions{})
 	default:
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("unsupported proxy type %s", cfg.Type)
 	}
diff --git a/pkg/connector/proxy_test.go b/pkg/connector/proxy_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..d6f3113c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/connector/proxy_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
+package connector
+
+import (
+	"bytes"
+	"testing"
+)
+
+func TestDecodeMTProxySecret(t *testing.T) {
+	// faketls secret: 0xee + 16 bytes + cloak domain ("working-name.ru" = 15 bytes)
+	hexSecret := "ee971746d927f4c0138b18447bfe1269bc70312e776f726b696e672d6e616d652e7275"
+	want := []byte{
+		0xee,
+		0x97, 0x17, 0x46, 0xd9, 0x27, 0xf4, 0xc0, 0x13,
+		0x8b, 0x18, 0x44, 0x7b, 0xfe, 0x12, 0x69, 0xbc,
+		0x70, 0x31, 0x2e, 0x77, 0x6f, 0x72, 0x6b, 0x69,
+		0x6e, 0x67, 0x2d, 0x6e, 0x61, 0x6d, 0x65, 0x2e,
+		0x72, 0x75,
+	}
+	got, err := decodeMTProxySecret(hexSecret)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("unexpected error: %v", err)
+	}
+	if !bytes.Equal(got, want) {
+		t.Fatalf("decoded bytes mismatch:\n got=%x\nwant=%x", got, want)
+	}
+
+	if _, err := decodeMTProxySecret("  " + hexSecret + "\n"); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("whitespace should be tolerated: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	if _, err := decodeMTProxySecret(""); err == nil {
+		t.Fatal("expected error for empty secret")
+	}
+	if _, err := decodeMTProxySecret("not-hex!!"); err == nil {
+		t.Fatal("expected error for non-hex secret")
+	}
+}
diff --git a/pkg/gotd/mtproxy/faketls/ccs_test.go b/pkg/gotd/mtproxy/faketls/ccs_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..07b7e990
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/gotd/mtproxy/faketls/ccs_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,65 @@
+package faketls
+
+import (
+	"bytes"
+	"io"
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
+)
+
+// TestReadSkipsChangeCipherSpec ensures interleaved ChangeCipherSpec records
+// do not pollute the Application-data stream. Earlier behaviour wrote the
+// 1-byte CCS payload into readBuf, which desynced the obfuscated2 CTR
+// keystream and produced "msg_key is invalid" on decrypted MTProto messages.
+func TestReadSkipsChangeCipherSpec(t *testing.T) {
+	a := require.New(t)
+
+	wire := bytes.NewBuffer(nil)
+
+	// CCS record (1 byte = 0x01)
+	_, err := writeRecord(wire, record{
+		Type:    RecordTypeChangeCipherSpec,
+		Version: Version12Bytes,
+		Data:    []byte{0x01},
+	})
+	a.NoError(err)
+
+	// Application record carrying our payload
+	payload := []byte("hello-mtproto-bytes")
+	_, err = writeRecord(wire, record{
+		Type:    RecordTypeApplication,
+		Version: Version12Bytes,
+		Data:    payload,
+	})
+	a.NoError(err)
+
+	// Another CCS in the middle
+	_, err = writeRecord(wire, record{
+		Type:    RecordTypeChangeCipherSpec,
+		Version: Version12Bytes,
+		Data:    []byte{0x01},
+	})
+	a.NoError(err)
+
+	// Second application record
+	more := []byte("second-payload")
+	_, err = writeRecord(wire, record{
+		Type:    RecordTypeApplication,
+		Version: Version12Bytes,
+		Data:    more,
+	})
+	a.NoError(err)
+
+	tls := NewFakeTLS(zeroReader{}, &readonly{r: wire})
+
+	got, err := io.ReadAll(io.LimitReader(tls, int64(len(payload)+len(more))))
+	a.NoError(err)
+	a.Equal(append(append([]byte(nil), payload...), more...), got)
+}
+
+// readonly adapts an io.Reader to io.ReadWriter (NewFakeTLS demands one).
+type readonly struct{ r io.Reader }
+
+func (r *readonly) Read(p []byte) (int, error)  { return r.r.Read(p) }
+func (r *readonly) Write(p []byte) (int, error) { return len(p), nil }
diff --git a/pkg/gotd/mtproxy/faketls/client_hello.go b/pkg/gotd/mtproxy/faketls/client_hello.go
index 4efe5ba8..7d51489b 100644
--- a/pkg/gotd/mtproxy/faketls/client_hello.go
+++ b/pkg/gotd/mtproxy/faketls/client_hello.go
@@ -14,7 +14,26 @@ import (
 
 const clientHelloLength = 517
 
-func createClientHello(b *bin.Buffer, sessionID [32]byte, domain string, key [32]byte) (randomOffset int) {
+// generateGrease produces seven GREASE bytes following the TLS spec
+// (RFC 8701) and tdlib's TlsInit.cpp constraints used by MTProxy faketls
+// validators: each byte has the form 0x?A (low nibble 0x0A), and grease[3]
+// must differ from grease[4].
+func generateGrease(rng io.Reader) ([7]byte, error) {
+	var raw [7]byte
+	if _, err := io.ReadFull(rng, raw[:]); err != nil {
+		return raw, errors.Wrap(err, "read grease entropy")
+	}
+	var g [7]byte
+	for i, r := range raw {
+		g[i] = (r & 0xF0) | 0x0A
+	}
+	if g[3] == g[4] {
+		g[3] ^= 0x10
+	}
+	return g, nil
+}
+
+func createClientHello(b *bin.Buffer, sessionID [32]byte, domain string, key [32]byte, grease [7]byte) (randomOffset int) {
 	S := func(s string) {
 		b.Buf = append(b.Buf, s...)
 	}
@@ -22,8 +41,9 @@ func createClientHello(b *bin.Buffer, sessionID [32]byte, domain string, key [32
 		randomOffset = len(b.Buf)
 		b.Expand(n)
 	}
-	G := func(_ int) {
-		b.Expand(0)
+	G := func(n int) {
+		v := grease[n]
+		b.Buf = append(b.Buf, v, v)
 	}
 	R := func() {
 		b.Buf = append(b.Buf, sessionID[:]...)
@@ -83,9 +103,18 @@ func createClientHello(b *bin.Buffer, sessionID [32]byte, domain string, key [32
 	G(3)
 	S("\x00\x01\x00\x00\x15")
 
-	if pad := clientHelloLength - b.Len(); pad > 0 {
-		b.Expand(pad)
+	// Padding extension (id 0x0015 already written above): write its
+	// length so the resulting ClientHello is exactly clientHelloLength
+	// bytes, then fill the body with zeros.
+	padLen := clientHelloLength - b.Len() - 2
+	if padLen < 0 {
+		padLen = 0
 	}
+	lenPos := b.Len()
+	b.Expand(2)
+	binary.BigEndian.PutUint16(b.Buf[lenPos:lenPos+2], uint16(padLen))
+	b.Expand(padLen)
+
 	return randomOffset
 }
 
@@ -94,15 +123,21 @@ func createClientHello(b *bin.Buffer, sessionID [32]byte, domain string, key [32
 // See https://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc5246#section-7.4.1.1.
 func writeClientHello(
 	w io.Writer,
+	rng io.Reader,
 	now clock.Clock,
 	sessionID [32]byte,
 	domain string,
 	secret []byte,
 ) (r [32]byte, err error) {
+	grease, err := generateGrease(rng)
+	if err != nil {
+		return [32]byte{}, err
+	}
+
 	b := &bin.Buffer{
 		Buf: make([]byte, 0, 576),
 	}
-	randomOffset := createClientHello(b, sessionID, domain, [32]byte{})
+	randomOffset := createClientHello(b, sessionID, domain, [32]byte{}, grease)
 
 	// https://github.com/tdlib/td/blob/27d3fdd09d90f6b77ecbcce50b1e86dc4b3dd366/td/mtproto/TlsInit.cpp#L380-L384
 	mac := hmac.New(sha256.New, secret)
diff --git a/pkg/gotd/mtproxy/faketls/faketls.go b/pkg/gotd/mtproxy/faketls/faketls.go
index 2833f4de..d8bd5c59 100644
--- a/pkg/gotd/mtproxy/faketls/faketls.go
+++ b/pkg/gotd/mtproxy/faketls/faketls.go
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ func (o *FakeTLS) Handshake(protocol [4]byte, dc int, s mtproxy.Secret) error {
 		return errors.Wrap(err, "generate sessionID")
 	}
 
-	clientDigest, err := writeClientHello(o.conn, o.clock, sessionID, s.CloakHost, s.Secret)
+	clientDigest, err := writeClientHello(o.conn, o.rand, o.clock, sessionID, s.CloakHost, s.Secret)
 	if err != nil {
 		return errors.Wrap(err, "send ClientHello")
 	}
@@ -93,20 +93,27 @@ func (o *FakeTLS) Read(b []byte) (n int, err error) {
 		return o.readBuf.Read(b)
 	}
 
-	rec, err := readRecord(o.conn)
-	if err != nil {
-		return 0, errors.Wrap(err, "read TLS record")
-	}
+	// Skip ChangeCipherSpec records — they are TLS-level keep-alive /
+	// compatibility markers (one-byte payload 0x01) and must NOT be
+	// passed up to the obfuscated2 layer, otherwise the CTR keystream
+	// position desyncs and subsequent MTProto messages decrypt to
+	// garbage (`msg_key is invalid`).
+	for {
+		rec, err := readRecord(o.conn)
+		if err != nil {
+			return 0, errors.Wrap(err, "read TLS record")
+		}
 
-	switch rec.Type {
-	case RecordTypeChangeCipherSpec:
-	case RecordTypeApplication:
-	case RecordTypeHandshake:
-		return 0, errors.New("unexpected record type handshake")
-	default:
-		return 0, errors.Errorf("unsupported record type %v", rec.Type)
+		switch rec.Type {
+		case RecordTypeChangeCipherSpec:
+			continue
+		case RecordTypeApplication:
+			o.readBuf.Write(rec.Data)
+			return o.readBuf.Read(b)
+		case RecordTypeHandshake:
+			return 0, errors.New("unexpected record type handshake")
+		default:
+			return 0, errors.Errorf("unsupported record type %v", rec.Type)
+		}
 	}
-	o.readBuf.Write(rec.Data)
-
-	return o.readBuf.Read(b)
 }
diff --git a/pkg/gotd/mtproxy/faketls/faketls_test.go b/pkg/gotd/mtproxy/faketls/faketls_test.go
index 5cee1e5a..9d55f639 100644
--- a/pkg/gotd/mtproxy/faketls/faketls_test.go
+++ b/pkg/gotd/mtproxy/faketls/faketls_test.go
@@ -10,6 +10,15 @@ import (
 	"github.com/gotd/neo"
 )
 
+type zeroReader struct{}
+
+func (zeroReader) Read(p []byte) (int, error) {
+	for i := range p {
+		p[i] = 0
+	}
+	return len(p), nil
+}
+
 func TestTLS(t *testing.T) {
 	a := require.New(t)
 	secret := [32]byte{}
@@ -17,42 +26,42 @@ func TestTLS(t *testing.T) {
 	c := neo.NewTime(time.Date(2010, 10, 10, 1, 1, 1, 0, time.UTC))
 
 	b := bytes.NewBuffer(nil)
-	_, err := writeClientHello(b, c, sessionID, "google.com", secret[:])
+	_, err := writeClientHello(b, zeroReader{}, c, sessionID, "google.com", secret[:])
 	a.NoError(err)
 
 	testVector := []byte{
-		0x16, 0x03, 0x01, 0x02, 0x00, 0x01, 0x00, 0x01, 0xfc, 0x03, 0x03, 0xf9, 0x75, 0x5f, 0xdd, 0xb9,
-		0xe3, 0x46, 0x57, 0x5a, 0x26, 0x71, 0xfa, 0x29, 0x7f, 0xab, 0xf0, 0xa1, 0xf3, 0x69, 0x4f, 0x72,
-		0xe0, 0xc3, 0x8f, 0x62, 0x77, 0x5c, 0x8f, 0x5a, 0xf8, 0xa2, 0xa9, 0x20, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00,
-		0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00,
-		0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x20, 0x13, 0x01,
-		0x13, 0x02, 0x13, 0x03, 0xc0, 0x2b, 0xc0, 0x2f, 0xc0, 0x2c, 0xc0, 0x30, 0xcc, 0xa9, 0xcc, 0xa8,
-		0xc0, 0x13, 0xc0, 0x14, 0x00, 0x9c, 0x00, 0x9d, 0x00, 0x2f, 0x00, 0x35, 0x01, 0x00, 0x01, 0x93,
-		0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x0f, 0x00, 0x0d, 0x00, 0x00, 0x0a, 0x67, 0x6f, 0x6f, 0x67, 0x6c,
-		0x65, 0x2e, 0x63, 0x6f, 0x6d, 0x00, 0x17, 0x00, 0x00, 0xff, 0x01, 0x00, 0x01, 0x00, 0x00, 0x0a,
-		0x00, 0x0a, 0x00, 0x08, 0x00, 0x1d, 0x00, 0x17, 0x00, 0x18, 0x00, 0x0b, 0x00, 0x02, 0x01, 0x00,
-		0x00, 0x23, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x10, 0x00, 0x0e, 0x00, 0x0c, 0x02, 0x68, 0x32, 0x08, 0x68, 0x74,
-		0x74, 0x70, 0x2f, 0x31, 0x2e, 0x31, 0x00, 0x05, 0x00, 0x05, 0x01, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00,
-		0x0d, 0x00, 0x12, 0x00, 0x10, 0x04, 0x03, 0x08, 0x04, 0x04, 0x01, 0x05, 0x03, 0x08, 0x05, 0x05,
-		0x01, 0x08, 0x06, 0x06, 0x01, 0x00, 0x12, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x33, 0x00, 0x2b, 0x00, 0x29, 0x00,
-		0x01, 0x00, 0x00, 0x1d, 0x00, 0x20, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00,
-		0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00,
-		0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x2d, 0x00, 0x02, 0x01, 0x01, 0x00, 0x2b, 0x00, 0x0b,
-		0x0a, 0x03, 0x04, 0x03, 0x03, 0x03, 0x02, 0x03, 0x01, 0x00, 0x1b, 0x00, 0x03, 0x02, 0x00, 0x02,
-		0x00, 0x01, 0x00, 0x00, 0x15, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00,
-		0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00,
-		0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00,
-		0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00,
-		0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00,
-		0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00,
-		0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00,
-		0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00,
-		0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00,
-		0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00,
-		0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00,
-		0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00,
-		0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00,
-		0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00,
+		0x16, 0x03, 0x01, 0x02, 0x00, 0x01, 0x00, 0x01, 0xfc, 0x03, 0x03, 0xa9, 0xa8, 0x7f, 0x37, 0x9b, 
+		0x09, 0x80, 0x6a, 0xf3, 0xff, 0x78, 0x4a, 0x6c, 0x4e, 0xbd, 0xdd, 0x94, 0x31, 0x8e, 0x7c, 0x09, 
+		0x36, 0x63, 0x77, 0x1d, 0x36, 0xf4, 0xcb, 0x6d, 0x3e, 0x13, 0x83, 0x20, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 
+		0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 
+		0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x20, 0x0a, 0x0a, 
+		0x13, 0x01, 0x13, 0x02, 0x13, 0x03, 0xc0, 0x2b, 0xc0, 0x2f, 0xc0, 0x2c, 0xc0, 0x30, 0xcc, 0xa9, 
+		0xcc, 0xa8, 0xc0, 0x13, 0xc0, 0x14, 0x00, 0x9c, 0x00, 0x9d, 0x00, 0x2f, 0x00, 0x35, 0x01, 0x00, 
+		0x01, 0x93, 0x0a, 0x0a, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x0f, 0x00, 0x0d, 0x00, 0x00, 0x0a, 0x67, 
+		0x6f, 0x6f, 0x67, 0x6c, 0x65, 0x2e, 0x63, 0x6f, 0x6d, 0x00, 0x17, 0x00, 0x00, 0xff, 0x01, 0x00, 
+		0x01, 0x00, 0x00, 0x0a, 0x00, 0x0a, 0x00, 0x08, 0x0a, 0x0a, 0x00, 0x1d, 0x00, 0x17, 0x00, 0x18, 
+		0x00, 0x0b, 0x00, 0x02, 0x01, 0x00, 0x00, 0x23, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x10, 0x00, 0x0e, 0x00, 0x0c, 
+		0x02, 0x68, 0x32, 0x08, 0x68, 0x74, 0x74, 0x70, 0x2f, 0x31, 0x2e, 0x31, 0x00, 0x05, 0x00, 0x05, 
+		0x01, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x0d, 0x00, 0x12, 0x00, 0x10, 0x04, 0x03, 0x08, 0x04, 0x04, 
+		0x01, 0x05, 0x03, 0x08, 0x05, 0x05, 0x01, 0x08, 0x06, 0x06, 0x01, 0x00, 0x12, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 
+		0x33, 0x00, 0x2b, 0x00, 0x29, 0x0a, 0x0a, 0x00, 0x01, 0x00, 0x00, 0x1d, 0x00, 0x20, 0x00, 0x00, 
+		0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 
+		0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x2d, 
+		0x00, 0x02, 0x01, 0x01, 0x00, 0x2b, 0x00, 0x0b, 0x0a, 0x0a, 0x0a, 0x03, 0x04, 0x03, 0x03, 0x03, 
+		0x02, 0x03, 0x01, 0x00, 0x1b, 0x00, 0x03, 0x02, 0x00, 0x02, 0x1a, 0x1a, 0x00, 0x01, 0x00, 0x00, 
+		0x15, 0x00, 0xd2, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 
+		0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 
+		0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 
+		0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 
+		0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 
+		0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 
+		0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 
+		0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 
+		0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 
+		0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 
+		0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 
+		0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 
+		0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 
 		0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00,
 	}
 	a.Equal(testVector, b.Bytes())
diff --git a/pkg/gotd/mtproxy/faketls/server_hello.go b/pkg/gotd/mtproxy/faketls/server_hello.go
index ff148dad..abda1f48 100644
--- a/pkg/gotd/mtproxy/faketls/server_hello.go
+++ b/pkg/gotd/mtproxy/faketls/server_hello.go
@@ -4,11 +4,20 @@ import (
 	"bytes"
 	"crypto/hmac"
 	"crypto/sha256"
+	"encoding/hex"
 	"io"
 
 	"github.com/go-faster/errors"
 )
 
+// peekDump returns up to n bytes from the start of buf as a hex string for diagnostics.
+func peekDump(buf []byte, n int) string {
+	if len(buf) < n {
+		n = len(buf)
+	}
+	return hex.EncodeToString(buf[:n])
+}
+
 // readServerHello reads faketls ServerHello.
 func readServerHello(r io.Reader, clientRandom [32]byte, secret []byte) error {
 	packetBuf := bytes.NewBuffer(nil)
@@ -16,10 +25,11 @@ func readServerHello(r io.Reader, clientRandom [32]byte, secret []byte) error {
 
 	handshake, err := readRecord(r)
 	if err != nil {
-		return errors.Wrap(err, "handshake record")
+		return errors.Wrapf(err, "handshake record (peek=%s)", peekDump(packetBuf.Bytes(), 32))
 	}
 	if handshake.Type != RecordTypeHandshake {
-		return errors.Wrap(err, "unexpected record type")
+		return errors.Errorf("unexpected handshake record type: got 0x%02x, want 0x%02x (peek=%s)",
+			byte(handshake.Type), byte(RecordTypeHandshake), peekDump(packetBuf.Bytes(), 32))
 	}
 
 	changeCipher, err := readRecord(r)
@@ -27,7 +37,8 @@ func readServerHello(r io.Reader, clientRandom [32]byte, secret []byte) error {
 		return errors.Wrap(err, "change cipher record")
 	}
 	if changeCipher.Type != RecordTypeChangeCipherSpec {
-		return errors.Wrap(err, "unexpected record type")
+		return errors.Errorf("unexpected change cipher record type: got 0x%02x, want 0x%02x",
+			byte(changeCipher.Type), byte(RecordTypeChangeCipherSpec))
 	}
 
 	cert, err := readRecord(r)
@@ -35,7 +46,8 @@ func readServerHello(r io.Reader, clientRandom [32]byte, secret []byte) error {
 		return errors.Wrap(err, "cert record")
 	}
 	if cert.Type != RecordTypeApplication {
-		return errors.Wrap(err, "unexpected record type")
+		return errors.Errorf("unexpected application record type: got 0x%02x, want 0x%02x",
+			byte(cert.Type), byte(RecordTypeApplication))
 	}
 
 	// `$record_header = type 1 byte + version 2 bytes + payload_length 2 bytes = 5 bytes`
diff --git a/pkg/gotd/mtproxy/faketls/structure_test.go b/pkg/gotd/mtproxy/faketls/structure_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..7f0e643f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/gotd/mtproxy/faketls/structure_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,101 @@
+package faketls
+
+import (
+	"crypto/tls"
+	"net"
+	"strings"
+	"testing"
+	"time"
+
+	"go.mau.fi/mautrix-telegram/pkg/gotd/bin"
+)
+
+// TestClientHelloStructure verifies that what we generate is a syntactically
+// valid TLS ClientHello — i.e., the Go crypto/tls server can parse it without
+// returning a "decode_error"-like syntax error. We don't care that the TLS
+// handshake then fails (it will, since we're using a fake cert / random data);
+// we only care that parsing succeeds.
+func TestClientHelloStructure(t *testing.T) {
+	// Render with deterministic rng + sessionID + key.
+	var session [32]byte
+	for i := range session {
+		session[i] = byte(i)
+	}
+	var key [32]byte
+	for i := range key {
+		key[i] = 0xAA
+	}
+	var grease [7]byte
+	for i := range grease {
+		grease[i] = byte(0x0A + i*0x10)
+	}
+	if grease[3] == grease[4] {
+		grease[3] ^= 0x10
+	}
+
+	b := &bin.Buffer{Buf: make([]byte, 0, 576)}
+	createClientHello(b, session, "example.com", key, grease)
+	if len(b.Buf) != clientHelloLength {
+		t.Fatalf("expected %d bytes, got %d", clientHelloLength, len(b.Buf))
+	}
+
+	// Wire it through a real TLS server. The server reads bytes from
+	// our pipe; if it accepts ClientHello but fails on cert/MAC, we get
+	// a non-syntax error. If it returns "decode_error", we know we're
+	// still busted.
+	clientConn, serverConn := net.Pipe()
+	defer clientConn.Close()
+	defer serverConn.Close()
+
+	go func() {
+		clientConn.Write(b.Buf)
+		// keep the pipe open until done
+	}()
+
+	cfg := &tls.Config{
+		Certificates: []tls.Certificate{generateSelfSigned(t)},
+	}
+	srv := tls.Server(serverConn, cfg)
+	srv.SetDeadline(time.Now().Add(2 * time.Second))
+	err := srv.Handshake()
+	if err == nil {
+		return // unexpectedly succeeded — fine for our purpose
+	}
+	t.Logf("server handshake error (expected non-syntax): %v", err)
+
+	msg := err.Error()
+	for _, marker := range []string{"decode_error", "syntax", "malformed", "bad ClientHello"} {
+		if strings.Contains(msg, marker) {
+			t.Fatalf("structural parse failure (%q) — ClientHello is malformed: %v", marker, err)
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+// generateSelfSigned builds a throwaway cert for the test TLS server.
+func generateSelfSigned(t *testing.T) tls.Certificate {
+	cert, err := tls.X509KeyPair(testCertPEM, testKeyPEM)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	return cert
+}
+
+// Generated with `go run filippo.io/mkcert@latest -ecdsa example.com`-ish.
+// Embedded here for deterministic test environment.
+var testCertPEM = []byte(`-----BEGIN CERTIFICATE-----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+-----END CERTIFICATE-----`)
+
+var testKeyPEM = []byte(`-----BEGIN EC PRIVATE KEY-----
+MHcCAQEEIIrYSSNQFaA2Hwf1duRSxKtLYX5CB04fSeQ6tF1aY/PuoAoGCCqGSM49
+AwEHoUQDQgAEPR3tU2Fta9ktY+6P9G0cWO+0kETA6SFs38GecTyudlHz6xvCdz8q
+EKTcWGekdmdDPsHloRNtsiCa697B2O9IFA==
+-----END EC PRIVATE KEY-----`)
diff --git a/pkg/gotd/mtproxy/obfuscated2/obfuscated2.go b/pkg/gotd/mtproxy/obfuscated2/obfuscated2.go
index fe642d1f..7aecae38 100644
--- a/pkg/gotd/mtproxy/obfuscated2/obfuscated2.go
+++ b/pkg/gotd/mtproxy/obfuscated2/obfuscated2.go
@@ -53,7 +53,12 @@ func (o *Obfuscated2) Read(b []byte) (int, error) {
 		return n, err
 	}
 	if n > 0 {
-		o.decrypt.XORKeyStream(b, b)
+		// IMPORTANT: only XOR the n bytes that were actually read.
+		// XOR-ing the full b advances the CTR keystream past where the
+		// server is and permanently desyncs the stream — every later
+		// MTProto message decrypts to garbage and the engine fails
+		// with "msg_key is invalid".
+		o.decrypt.XORKeyStream(b[:n], b[:n])
 	}
 	return n, err
 }
diff --git a/pkg/gotd/mtproxy/obfuscated2/short_read_test.go b/pkg/gotd/mtproxy/obfuscated2/short_read_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..bb2b32c8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/gotd/mtproxy/obfuscated2/short_read_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,82 @@
+package obfuscated2
+
+import (
+	"bytes"
+	"crypto/aes"
+	"crypto/cipher"
+	"io"
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
+)
+
+// chunkConn delivers data from buf in chunks of at most chunkSize bytes.
+type chunkConn struct {
+	buf       *bytes.Buffer
+	chunkSize int
+}
+
+func (c *chunkConn) Read(p []byte) (int, error) {
+	if c.buf.Len() == 0 {
+		return 0, io.EOF
+	}
+	want := len(p)
+	if want > c.chunkSize {
+		want = c.chunkSize
+	}
+	return c.buf.Read(p[:want])
+}
+
+func (c *chunkConn) Write(p []byte) (int, error) { return len(p), nil }
+
+// TestShortReadKeepsKeystreamAligned ensures that when the underlying
+// transport returns fewer bytes than the caller asked for, the CTR
+// keystream is only advanced by the bytes actually delivered.
+//
+// The previous implementation called XORKeyStream(b, b) instead of
+// XORKeyStream(b[:n], b[:n]); after a single short read the client and
+// server keystreams diverged and every subsequent MTProto message
+// failed integrity (msg_key invalid).
+func TestShortReadKeepsKeystreamAligned(t *testing.T) {
+	a := require.New(t)
+
+	key := bytes.Repeat([]byte{0x11}, 32)
+	iv := bytes.Repeat([]byte{0x22}, 16)
+
+	enc, err := aes.NewCipher(key)
+	a.NoError(err)
+	dec, err := aes.NewCipher(key)
+	a.NoError(err)
+
+	encStream := cipher.NewCTR(enc, iv)
+	decStream := cipher.NewCTR(dec, iv)
+
+	plaintext := bytes.Repeat([]byte("Hello, MTProxy! "), 50)
+	ciphertext := make([]byte, len(plaintext))
+	encStream.XORKeyStream(ciphertext, plaintext)
+
+	wire := &chunkConn{buf: bytes.NewBuffer(append([]byte(nil), ciphertext...)), chunkSize: 7}
+	o := &Obfuscated2{
+		conn: wire,
+		keys: keys{decrypt: decStream},
+	}
+
+	got := make([]byte, len(plaintext))
+	off := 0
+	for off < len(plaintext) {
+		end := off + 128
+		if end > len(got) {
+			end = len(got)
+		}
+		n, err := o.Read(got[off:end])
+		if err != nil && err != io.EOF {
+			t.Fatalf("read at off %d: %v", off, err)
+		}
+		if n == 0 {
+			t.Fatalf("zero-length read at off %d", off)
+		}
+		off += n
+	}
+
+	a.Equal(plaintext, got, "short reads must not desync the keystream")
+}