diff --git a/apps/agent-worker/src/runtime/turn-outcome.ts b/apps/agent-worker/src/runtime/turn-outcome.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..44e689e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/agent-worker/src/runtime/turn-outcome.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,44 @@
+import type { AgentRuntimeName } from './agent-runtime';
+
+// Pure, side-effect-free decision for how a completed runtime turn should be
+// surfaced. Kept out of worker.ts so it is unit-testable without loading the
+// worker's Convex/Docker dependencies.
+//
+// Inputs:
+// - assistantText: text already streamed to the user (may be partial).
+// - recoveredText: text recovered from `TurnResult.finalMessage` (already
+//   redacted+truncated by the caller), used only when nothing streamed.
+// - error: `TurnResult.error` — non-empty when the runtime reported a hard
+//   failure (nonzero exit / failure event).
+// - runtime: runtime name, for the failure message prefix.
+//
+// Output:
+// - text: the assistant text to persist (streamed text, else recovered text).
+// - failure: when set, the caller must surface the turn as FAILED (throw). The
+//   partial text in `text` is still preserved so the user can see it.
+export const resolveTurnOutcome = (args: {
+  assistantText: string;
+  recoveredText?: string;
+  error?: string;
+  runtime: AgentRuntimeName;
+}): { text: string; failure?: string } => {
+  const { assistantText, recoveredText, error, runtime } = args;
+  let text = assistantText;
+  if (!text.trim() && recoveredText) {
+    text = recoveredText;
+  }
+  if (!text.trim()) {
+    return {
+      text,
+      failure: error
+        ? `${runtime} failed:\n${error}`
+        : 'Codex completed without producing an assistant response.',
+    };
+  }
+  // A hard failure that streamed partial text must still be surfaced as failed;
+  // the streamed text is preserved above so the user sees the truncated answer.
+  if (error) {
+    return { text, failure: `${runtime} failed:\n${error}` };
+  }
+  return { text };
+};
diff --git a/apps/agent-worker/src/worker.ts b/apps/agent-worker/src/worker.ts
index b8e5c7b..b2bcbd8 100644
--- a/apps/agent-worker/src/worker.ts
+++ b/apps/agent-worker/src/worker.ts
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ import type { OpenCodeSession } from './opencode-session';
 import type { AdapterWorkspace, Claim } from './runtime/provider';
 import type { BoxHandle } from './user-container';
 import { getAdapter } from './runtime/agent-runtime';
+import { resolveTurnOutcome } from './runtime/turn-outcome';
 import './runtime/register';
 import { env } from './env';
 import {
@@ -1426,23 +1427,35 @@ export const sendWorkspaceMessage = async (
       if (result.sessionId) {
         await persistRuntimeSession(workspace, result.sessionId);
       }
-      if (!assistantContent.value.trim() && result.finalMessage) {
-        assistantContent.value = truncate(redact(result.finalMessage), 40_000);
+      const recoveredText = result.finalMessage
+        ? truncate(redact(result.finalMessage), 40_000)
+        : undefined;
+      const outcome = resolveTurnOutcome({
+        assistantText: assistantContent.value,
+        recoveredText,
+        error: result.error,
+        runtime: workspace.runtime,
+      });
+      // Persist any recovered finalMessage text so the user still sees it, even
+      // when the turn ultimately failed with partial output.
+      if (outcome.text !== assistantContent.value) {
+        assistantContent.value = outcome.text;
         await updateMessage({
           messageId,
           content: assistantContent.value,
           status: 'streaming',
         });
       }
-      if (!assistantContent.value.trim()) {
-        console.error(
-          `Codex completed without producing an assistant response for job ${claim.job._id}.`,
-        );
-        throw new Error(
-          result.error
-            ? `${workspace.runtime} failed:\n${result.error}`
-            : 'Codex completed without producing an assistant response.',
-        );
+      // A hard failure (nonzero exit / failure event) surfaces the turn as
+      // failed even when partial assistant text streamed — the catch path marks
+      // the message failed and appends the error event.
+      if (outcome.failure) {
+        if (!assistantContent.value.trim()) {
+          console.error(
+            `Codex completed without producing an assistant response for job ${claim.job._id}.`,
+          );
+        }
+        throw new Error(outcome.failure);
       }
       await updateMessage({
         messageId,
diff --git a/apps/agent-worker/tests/unit/turn-outcome.test.ts b/apps/agent-worker/tests/unit/turn-outcome.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..16a34ab
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/agent-worker/tests/unit/turn-outcome.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,64 @@
+import { describe, expect, test } from 'vitest';
+
+import { resolveTurnOutcome } from '../../src/runtime/turn-outcome';
+
+describe('resolveTurnOutcome', () => {
+  test('partial streamed text + error is surfaced as failed and text preserved', () => {
+    const outcome = resolveTurnOutcome({
+      assistantText: 'partial answer before crash',
+      error: 'exit code 1: rate limited',
+      runtime: 'codex',
+    });
+    expect(outcome.text).toBe('partial answer before crash');
+    expect(outcome.failure).toBe('codex failed:\nexit code 1: rate limited');
+  });
+
+  test('successful turn with streamed text and no error has no failure', () => {
+    const outcome = resolveTurnOutcome({
+      assistantText: 'complete answer',
+      runtime: 'codex',
+    });
+    expect(outcome.text).toBe('complete answer');
+    expect(outcome.failure).toBeUndefined();
+  });
+
+  test('empty turn with error is surfaced as failed', () => {
+    const outcome = resolveTurnOutcome({
+      assistantText: '   ',
+      error: 'exit code 137',
+      runtime: 'claude',
+    });
+    expect(outcome.failure).toBe('claude failed:\nexit code 137');
+  });
+
+  test('empty turn with no error reports the no-response failure', () => {
+    const outcome = resolveTurnOutcome({
+      assistantText: '',
+      runtime: 'codex',
+    });
+    expect(outcome.failure).toBe(
+      'Codex completed without producing an assistant response.',
+    );
+  });
+
+  test('recovers finalMessage text when nothing streamed and no error', () => {
+    const outcome = resolveTurnOutcome({
+      assistantText: '',
+      recoveredText: 'recovered from last-message file',
+      runtime: 'codex',
+    });
+    expect(outcome.text).toBe('recovered from last-message file');
+    expect(outcome.failure).toBeUndefined();
+  });
+
+  test('recovered finalMessage text + error is still surfaced as failed', () => {
+    const outcome = resolveTurnOutcome({
+      assistantText: '',
+      recoveredText: 'recovered partial',
+      error: 'network drop',
+      runtime: 'codex',
+    });
+    expect(outcome.text).toBe('recovered partial');
+    expect(outcome.failure).toBe('codex failed:\nnetwork drop');
+  });
+});