diff --git a/apps/bot/src/i18n/locales/en.ts b/apps/bot/src/i18n/locales/en.ts
index 47a5775..cbd64dc 100644
--- a/apps/bot/src/i18n/locales/en.ts
+++ b/apps/bot/src/i18n/locales/en.ts
@@ -270,7 +270,8 @@ export const enBotTranslations: BotTranslationCatalog = {
       `I could not read that amount for ${categoryName}. Reply with a number in ${currency}, or send 0 / "skip".`,
     templateIntro: (currency) =>
       `Fill in the utility amounts below in ${currency}, then send the completed message back in this topic.`,
-    templateInstruction: 'Use 0 or skip for any category you want to leave empty.',
+    templateInstruction:
+      'For any category you do not want to add, leave it blank, remove the line entirely, or send 0 / "skip".',
     templateInvalid:
       'I could not read any utility amounts from that template. Send the filled template back with at least one amount.',
     summaryTitle: (period) => `Utility charges for ${period}`,
diff --git a/apps/bot/src/i18n/locales/ru.ts b/apps/bot/src/i18n/locales/ru.ts
index 8a03e0b..8def867 100644
--- a/apps/bot/src/i18n/locales/ru.ts
+++ b/apps/bot/src/i18n/locales/ru.ts
@@ -275,7 +275,7 @@ export const ruBotTranslations: BotTranslationCatalog = {
     templateIntro: (currency) =>
       `Заполните суммы по коммуналке ниже в ${currency}, затем отправьте заполненное сообщение обратно в этот топик.`,
     templateInstruction:
-      'Для любой категории, которую не нужно добавлять, укажите 0 или слово «пропуск».',
+      'Для любой категории, которую не нужно добавлять, оставьте поле пустым, удалите строку целиком или укажите 0 / «пропуск».',
     templateInvalid:
       'Не удалось распознать ни одной суммы в этом шаблоне. Отправьте заполненный шаблон хотя бы с одной суммой.',
     summaryTitle: (period) => `Коммунальные начисления за ${period}`,
diff --git a/apps/bot/src/reminder-topic-utilities.test.ts b/apps/bot/src/reminder-topic-utilities.test.ts
index 0fa7c22..9416d86 100644
--- a/apps/bot/src/reminder-topic-utilities.test.ts
+++ b/apps/bot/src/reminder-topic-utilities.test.ts
@@ -375,7 +375,8 @@ describe('registerReminderTopicUtilities', () => {
     expect(calls[1]).toMatchObject({
       method: 'sendMessage',
       payload: {
-        text: expect.stringContaining('Electricity:'),
+        text: expect.stringContaining('<pre>Electricity: \nWater: </pre>'),
+        parse_mode: 'HTML',
         message_thread_id: 555
       }
     })
@@ -391,6 +392,34 @@ describe('registerReminderTopicUtilities', () => {
     })
   })
 
+  test('treats blank or removed template lines as skipped categories', async () => {
+    const { bot, calls } = setupBot()
+
+    await bot.handleUpdate(reminderCallbackUpdate(REMINDER_UTILITY_TEMPLATE_CALLBACK) as never)
+
+    calls.length = 0
+    await bot.handleUpdate(reminderMessageUpdate('Electricity: 22\nWater: ') as never)
+
+    expect(calls[0]).toMatchObject({
+      method: 'sendMessage',
+      payload: {
+        text: expect.stringContaining('- Electricity: 22.00 GEL')
+      }
+    })
+
+    calls.length = 0
+    await bot.handleUpdate(reminderCallbackUpdate(REMINDER_UTILITY_TEMPLATE_CALLBACK) as never)
+    calls.length = 0
+    await bot.handleUpdate(reminderMessageUpdate('Electricity: 22') as never)
+
+    expect(calls[0]).toMatchObject({
+      method: 'sendMessage',
+      payload: {
+        text: expect.stringContaining('- Electricity: 22.00 GEL')
+      }
+    })
+  })
+
   test('treats expired pending reminder submissions as unavailable', async () => {
     const { bot, calls, promptRepository } = setupBot()
 
diff --git a/apps/bot/src/reminder-topic-utilities.ts b/apps/bot/src/reminder-topic-utilities.ts
index 061b520..3f5696f 100644
--- a/apps/bot/src/reminder-topic-utilities.ts
+++ b/apps/bot/src/reminder-topic-utilities.ts
@@ -182,20 +182,32 @@ function parseTemplateEntries(
   return entries.length > 0 ? entries : null
 }
 
+function escapeHtml(raw: string): string {
+  return raw.replaceAll('&', '&amp;').replaceAll('<', '&lt;').replaceAll('>', '&gt;')
+}
+
 function buildTemplateText(
   locale: BotLocale,
   currency: 'GEL' | 'USD',
   categories: readonly string[]
-): string {
+): {
+  text: string
+  parseMode: 'HTML'
+} {
   const t = getBotTranslations(locale).reminders
 
-  return [
-    t.templateIntro(currency),
-    '',
-    ...categories.map((category) => `${category}: `),
-    '',
-    t.templateInstruction
-  ].join('\n')
+  const templateLines = categories.map((category) => `${category}: `).join('\n')
+
+  return {
+    text: [
+      escapeHtml(t.templateIntro(currency)),
+      '',
+      `<pre>${escapeHtml(templateLines)}</pre>`,
+      '',
+      escapeHtml(t.templateInstruction)
+    ].join('\n'),
+    parseMode: 'HTML'
+  }
 }
 
 function reminderUtilitySummaryText(
@@ -261,7 +273,10 @@ function buildReminderConfirmationPayload(input: {
 async function replyInTopic(
   ctx: Context,
   text: string,
-  replyMarkup?: InlineKeyboardMarkup
+  replyMarkup?: InlineKeyboardMarkup,
+  options?: {
+    parseMode?: 'HTML'
+  }
 ): Promise<void> {
   const message = ctx.msg
   if (!ctx.chat || !message) {
@@ -286,6 +301,11 @@ async function replyInTopic(
       ? {
           reply_markup: replyMarkup as InlineKeyboardMarkup
         }
+      : {}),
+    ...(options?.parseMode
+      ? {
+          parse_mode: options.parseMode
+        }
       : {})
   })
 }
@@ -481,14 +501,14 @@ export function registerReminderTopicUtilities(options: {
     await ctx.answerCallbackQuery({
       text: t.templateToast
     })
-    await replyInTopic(
-      ctx,
-      buildTemplateText(
-        reminderContext.locale,
-        reminderContext.currency,
-        reminderContext.categories
-      )
+    const template = buildTemplateText(
+      reminderContext.locale,
+      reminderContext.currency,
+      reminderContext.categories
     )
+    await replyInTopic(ctx, template.text, undefined, {
+      parseMode: template.parseMode
+    })
   }
 
   options.bot.callbackQuery(REMINDER_UTILITY_GUIDED_CALLBACK, async (ctx) => {