diff --git a/session_bot/bot.py b/session_bot/bot.py
index 5ce2c43..f56f1de 100644
--- a/session_bot/bot.py
+++ b/session_bot/bot.py
@@ -205,13 +205,32 @@ async def show_actor_status_menu(callback: CallbackQuery, actor: dict[str, Any],
 async def update_channel_post(bot: Bot, app_config: dict, state_storage: JsonStateStorage, settings) -> None:
     state = state_storage.load()
     text = build_channel_text(app_config, state)
-    await bot.edit_message_text(
-        chat_id=settings.channel_id,
-        message_id=settings.channel_message_id,
-        text=text,
-        parse_mode=ParseMode.HTML,
-        disable_web_page_preview=False,
-    )
+    try:
+        await bot.edit_message_text(
+            chat_id=settings.channel_id,
+            message_id=settings.channel_message_id,
+            text=text,
+            parse_mode=ParseMode.HTML,
+            disable_web_page_preview=False,
+        )
+    except TelegramBadRequest as exc:
+        if "Invalid custom emoji identifier specified" not in str(exc):
+            raise
+
+        template = state.get("template", {}).get("text", "")
+        if not template:
+            raise
+
+        state["template"]["text"] = sanitize_template_html(template)
+        state_storage.save(state)
+        fallback_text = build_channel_text(app_config, state)
+        await bot.edit_message_text(
+            chat_id=settings.channel_id,
+            message_id=settings.channel_message_id,
+            text=fallback_text,
+            parse_mode=ParseMode.HTML,
+            disable_web_page_preview=False,
+        )
 
 
 async def apply_status_update(
diff --git a/session_bot/render.py b/session_bot/render.py
index ba11e1c..8368a19 100644
--- a/session_bot/render.py
+++ b/session_bot/render.py
@@ -4,14 +4,8 @@ import re
 from html import escape
 
 
-DEFAULT_STATUS_LABELS = {
-    "open": "исполняет роль",
-    "backstage": "в закулисье",
-    "delay": "задержки",
-    "rest": "антракт",
-}
-
 ACTOR_PLACEHOLDER_RE = re.compile(r"\{\{\s*actor\s*:\s*([a-z0-9_\-]+)\s*\}\}", re.IGNORECASE)
+PLAIN_LINK_RE = re.compile(r"(?P<label>[^\n<>()]+?) \((?P<url>https?://[^\s)]+)\)")
 
 
 def build_hidden_link(config: dict) -> str:
@@ -22,39 +16,38 @@ def build_hidden_link(config: dict) -> str:
     return f'<a href="{escape(url, quote=True)}">{invisible}</a>'
 
 
-def build_actor_line(actor: dict, state: dict, config: dict) -> str:
+def convert_plain_links_to_html(template: str) -> str:
+    def repl(match: re.Match[str]) -> str:
+        label = match.group("label").rstrip()
+        url = match.group("url")
+        if "<a " in label:
+            return match.group(0)
+        return f'<a href="{escape(url, quote=True)}">{escape(label)}</a>'
+
+    return PLAIN_LINK_RE.sub(repl, template)
+
+
+def build_actor_phrase(actor: dict, state: dict) -> str:
     actor_state = state.get("actors", {})
-    status_labels = {**DEFAULT_STATUS_LABELS, **config.get("status_labels", {})}
     current = actor_state.get(actor["key"], {})
     status = current.get("status", actor.get("default_status", "backstage"))
-    phrase = current.get("phrase", actor.get("phrases", {}).get(status, ""))
-    label = status_labels.get(status, status)
+    return current.get("phrase", actor.get("phrases", {}).get(status, ""))
+
+
+def build_actor_line(actor: dict, state: dict) -> str:
+    phrase = build_actor_phrase(actor, state)
     display_name = actor.get("display_html", escape(actor["display_name"]))
     meta = actor.get("meta_html", escape(actor["pronouns"]))
     emoji = actor.get("emoji_html", escape(actor.get("emoji", "")))
-
-    line = (
+    return (
         f'{emoji} '
         f'<a href="{escape(actor["link"], quote=True)}">{display_name}</a>'
-        f"{meta}{escape(label)}."
+        f"{meta}{escape(phrase)}"
     )
-    if phrase:
-        line = f"{line}\n   {escape(phrase)}"
-    return line
 
 
-def build_actor_fragment(actor: dict, state: dict, config: dict) -> str:
-    actor_state = state.get("actors", {})
-    status_labels = {**DEFAULT_STATUS_LABELS, **config.get("status_labels", {})}
-    current = actor_state.get(actor["key"], {})
-    status = current.get("status", actor.get("default_status", "backstage"))
-    phrase = current.get("phrase", actor.get("phrases", {}).get(status, ""))
-    label = status_labels.get(status, status)
-
-    fragment = f"{escape(label)}."
-    if phrase:
-        fragment = f"{fragment}\n   {escape(phrase)}"
-    return fragment
+def build_actor_fragment(actor: dict, state: dict) -> str:
+    return escape(build_actor_phrase(actor, state))
 
 
 def build_actor_lines(config: dict, state: dict, skip_keys: set[str] | None = None) -> str:
@@ -64,7 +57,7 @@ def build_actor_lines(config: dict, state: dict, skip_keys: set[str] | None = No
     for actor in config["actors"]:
         if actor["key"] in skip_keys:
             continue
-        actor_lines.append(build_actor_line(actor, state, config))
+        actor_lines.append(build_actor_line(actor, state))
 
     actor_lines.extend(config.get("static_actor_lines_html", []))
     return "\n".join(actor_lines)
@@ -88,19 +81,15 @@ def replace_actor_placeholders(template: str, config: dict, state: dict) -> tupl
         line_text = template[line_start:line_end]
 
         if line_text.strip().lower() == match.group(0).strip().lower():
-            return build_actor_line(actor, state, config)
+            return build_actor_line(actor, state)
 
-        return build_actor_fragment(actor, state, config)
+        return build_actor_fragment(actor, state)
 
     return ACTOR_PLACEHOLDER_RE.sub(repl, template), used_keys
 
 
 def build_default_template(config: dict) -> str:
     blocks = []
-    hidden = build_hidden_link(config)
-    if hidden:
-        blocks.append(hidden)
-
     for key in ("header_html", "intro_links_html", "projects_block_html", "actors_title_html"):
         value = config.get(key, "").strip()
         if value:
@@ -118,14 +107,14 @@ def build_default_template(config: dict) -> str:
 
 def build_channel_text(config: dict, state: dict) -> str:
     template = state.get("template", {}).get("text") or config.get("template_text") or build_default_template(config)
+    template = convert_plain_links_to_html(template)
     template, used_keys = replace_actor_placeholders(template, config, state)
     actors_block = build_actor_lines(config, state, skip_keys=used_keys)
     hidden_link = build_hidden_link(config)
 
     text = template.replace("{{actors}}", actors_block)
-    text = text.replace("{{hidden_link}}", hidden_link)
-
-    if "{{hidden_link}}" not in template and hidden_link:
-        text = f"{hidden_link}\n{text}"
+    text = text.replace("{{hidden_link}}", "")
+    if hidden_link:
+        text = f"{hidden_link}{text}"
 
     return text
diff --git a/tests/test_render.py b/tests/test_render.py
index 3dafba1..9307651 100644
--- a/tests/test_render.py
+++ b/tests/test_render.py
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 from session_bot.render import build_channel_text
 
 
-def test_build_channel_text_includes_phrase_and_status() -> None:
+def test_build_channel_text_includes_phrase() -> None:
     config = {
         "template_text": "{{hidden_link}}\nheader\n\n{{actors}}",
         "hidden_link_url": "https://example.com/image.png",
@@ -18,15 +18,13 @@ def test_build_channel_text_includes_phrase_and_status() -> None:
                 "phrases": {"open": "принимает тейки"},
             }
         ],
-        "status_labels": {"open": "исполняет роль", "backstage": "в закулисье"},
     }
     state = {"actors": {"astat": {"status": "open", "phrase": "готов к игре"}}}
 
     text = build_channel_text(config, state)
 
-    assert '<a href="https://example.com/image.png">' in text
+    assert text.startswith('<a href="https://example.com/image.png">')
     assert '<a href="https://t.me/example"><b>ASTAT</b></a>' in text
-    assert "исполняет роль" in text
     assert "готов к игре" in text
 
 
@@ -58,9 +56,8 @@ def test_build_channel_text_supports_per_actor_placeholders() -> None:
             },
         ],
     }
-    state = {"actors": {}}
 
-    text = build_channel_text(config, state)
+    text = build_channel_text(config, {"actors": {}})
 
     assert text.count("<b>ASTAT</b>") == 1
     assert text.count("<b>MARI</b>") == 1
@@ -86,10 +83,31 @@ def test_build_channel_text_inlines_actor_fragment_without_duplication() -> None
             }
         ],
     }
-    state = {"actors": {}}
 
-    text = build_channel_text(config, state)
+    text = build_channel_text(config, {"actors": {}})
 
     assert text.count("<b>LIEBE</b>") == 1
     assert "she/her в закулисье." in text
-    assert "в закулисье." in text
+
+
+def test_plain_links_are_converted_to_html() -> None:
+    config = {
+        "template_text": "rules (https://example.com)\n\n{{actors}}",
+        "actors": [
+            {
+                "key": "astat",
+                "display_name": "ASTAT",
+                "display_html": "<b>ASTAT</b>",
+                "link": "https://t.me/astat",
+                "pronouns": "he/him",
+                "meta_html": " he/him ",
+                "emoji": "🌟",
+                "default_status": "backstage",
+                "phrases": {"backstage": "в закулисье."},
+            }
+        ],
+    }
+
+    text = build_channel_text(config, {"actors": {}})
+
+    assert '<a href="https://example.com">rules</a>' in text