diff --git a/packages/core/agent-loop/src/agent.ts b/packages/core/agent-loop/src/agent.ts
index 3498e69d9a..56e95e8d6a 100644
--- a/packages/core/agent-loop/src/agent.ts
+++ b/packages/core/agent-loop/src/agent.ts
@@ -1,9 +1,9 @@
 /**
  * The concrete Agent, in the naive-agent shape: the agent IS the machine.
  * Two inboxes — `queued` (prompts, one turn each) and `outbox` (steering +
- * injected context, taken whole at every step boundary). `kick()` admits and
- * records one queued prompt; `start()` then steps until the model owes no
- * response.
+ * injected or admitted input, taken at turn start and every step boundary).
+ * `kick()` claims one queued prompt and resolves admission before `run()` owns
+ * the turn boundaries, step loop, settlement, and idle handoff.
  *
  * The session log IS the transcript: every take appends, every step re-derives
  * (`session.deriveMessages()`), so editing history between steps is naturally
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ import {
 import type {
   ContentBlock, GenerateOptions, LlmCallConfig, LlmFailure, Message, MessageSource,
 } from '@deepseek-ai/dsh-llm'
-import { canonicalHeader, headerEquals, snapshotJsonValue } from '@deepseek-ai/dsh-session'
+import { canonicalHeader, headerEquals } from '@deepseek-ai/dsh-session'
 import type { PromptMessageData, Session, SessionId, TurnEndReason, TurnTrigger } from '@deepseek-ai/dsh-session'
 import { renderPrompt } from '@deepseek-ai/dsh-system-prompt'
 import type {} from '@deepseek-ai/dsh-tools'
@@ -53,19 +53,13 @@ interface QueuedMessage {
   wakeup: boolean
 }
 
-/** Input awaiting the next step boundary. */
-type OutboxItem =
-  | ({ kind: 'steering' } & QueuedMessage)
-  | { kind: 'context'; context: HookContext }
-
-/** Mutable settlement facts shared by one turn's intake and step loop. */
-interface TurnState {
-  turn: number
-  step: number
-  reason: TurnEndReason
+/** One model-facing input awaiting the next step boundary. */
+interface OutboxItem {
+  data: PromptMessageData
+  steering?: QueuedMessage
 }
 
-/** Build one live inbox event payload from an accepted message. */
+/** Build one live inbox event payload from a queued message. */
 function inboxMessage(message: QueuedMessage, steering: boolean): AgentMessage {
   return {
     id: message.id,
@@ -139,7 +133,7 @@ function withoutToolCalls(message: Message): Message {
 /**
  * The concrete {@link Agent}: the classic naive agent loop — whole derived
  * history in, one assistant message out, loop until a reply owes no tool call.
- * One `run()` drains the work queue, one turn per unit.
+ * One `run()` owns one complete turn.
  */
 export class ReactLoopAgent extends Agent {
   /** Prompts awaiting a turn of their own: one dequeued per turn, FIFO. */
@@ -149,9 +143,9 @@ export class ReactLoopAgent extends Agent {
 
   /** Whether observers see one running drain interval; queued turns share it. */
   private busy = false
-  /** The active turn's abort owner; rotated per turn, aborted by {@link cancel}. */
+  /** The claimed activity's abort owner, spanning prompt admission and its turn. */
   private turnAbort: AbortController | undefined
-  /** Resolves when the current `run()` has fully exited (quiescence for waiters and teardown). */
+  /** Resolves when the current admission-plus-turn activity fully exits. */
   done: Promise<void> = Promise.resolve()
 
   /** The agent-scoped registration boundary; the lifecycle owner unwinds it after {@link done}. */
@@ -187,15 +181,6 @@ export class ReactLoopAgent extends Agent {
     return this.busy ? 'running' : 'idle'
   }
 
-  /** Detach and freeze one public payload; rejects non-lossless-JSON input synchronously. */
-  private accept<T>(value: T): T {
-    const accepted = snapshotJsonValue(value)
-    if (accepted === undefined) {
-      throw new TypeError('agent message content, source, and contexts must be losslessly JSON-serializable')
-    }
-    return deepFreeze(accepted)
-  }
-
   // -------------------------------------------------------------------------
   // Public driving verbs.
   // -------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -206,49 +191,49 @@ export class ReactLoopAgent extends Agent {
     const target = options.target ?? 'next-turn'
     const wakeup = options.wakeup ?? true
     if (target === 'next-step' && !wakeup) {
-      this.injectContext(content, options)
+      const context: HookContext = {
+        content,
+        source: options.source ?? { kind: 'plugin', plugin: '' },
+      }
+      if (this.turnAbort !== undefined) {
+        this.outbox.push({ data: { content: context.content, source: context.source } })
+        return id
+      }
+
+      const turn = ++this.lastTurn
+      let opened = false
+      try {
+        this.session.append('turn/start', { turn, trigger: { kind: 'injection', source: context.source } })
+        opened = true
+        this.session.append('user/message', context, { surfaceOp: 'append' })
+      } finally {
+        if (opened) this.session.append('turn/end', { turn, reason: { kind: 'completed' } })
+      }
       return id
     }
 
     const steering = target === 'next-step' && this.turnAbort !== undefined
-    const accepted = this.accept({
+    const message: QueuedMessage = {
       id,
       content,
       source: options.source ?? { kind: 'user' },
       contexts: options.contexts ?? [],
       wakeup,
-    })
-    if (steering) this.outbox.push({ kind: 'steering', ...accepted })
-    else this.queued.push(accepted)
-    emitAgentEvent(this.loopCtx, this, 'agent/inbox/enqueue', inboxMessage(accepted, steering))
+    }
+    if (steering) {
+      const prepared = preparePromptMessage(message.content, message.source, message.contexts)
+      this.outbox.push({ data: prepared.data, steering: message })
+      for (const context of prepared.separateContexts) {
+        this.outbox.push({ data: { content: context.content, source: context.source } })
+      }
+    } else {
+      this.queued.push(message)
+    }
+    emitAgentEvent(this.loopCtx, this, 'agent/inbox/enqueue', inboxMessage(message, steering))
     if (!steering && wakeup) this.kick()
     return id
   }
 
-  /** Stage non-waking context at the next step boundary, or in an idle one-shot turn. */
-  private injectContext(content: ContentBlock[], options: SendOptions): void {
-    const context = this.accept({
-      content,
-      source: options.source ?? { kind: 'plugin', plugin: '' },
-    })
-    if (this.turnAbort !== undefined) {
-      this.outbox.push({ kind: 'context', context })
-      return
-    }
-    // Idle: wrap the injection in a one-shot turn so every event stays
-    // turn-enclosed (the durability/replay boundary is the turn).
-    const turn = ++this.lastTurn
-    let opened = false
-    try {
-      this.session.append('turn/start', { turn, trigger: { kind: 'injection', source: context.source } })
-      opened = true
-      this.session.append('user/message', context, { surfaceOp: 'append' })
-    } finally {
-      // Close only a turn whose start committed; a pre-commit veto escapes.
-      if (opened) this.session.append('turn/end', { turn, reason: { kind: 'completed' } })
-    }
-  }
-
   /**
    * Clear all pending work and abort the active turn; the first cause wins.
    * The cause is signal payload for observers and the durable turn/end
@@ -263,17 +248,17 @@ export class ReactLoopAgent extends Agent {
       if (cause.kind !== 'disposed') emitAgentEvent(this.loopCtx, this, 'agent/cancel-requested', cause)
     }
     if (!options.keepInbox) {
-      const steering = this.outbox.flatMap(item => item.kind === 'steering' ? [item] : [])
       const discarded = [
         ...this.queued.map(message => inboxMessage(message, false)),
-        ...steering.map(message => inboxMessage(message, true)),
+        ...this.outbox.flatMap(item => item.steering === undefined ? [] : [inboxMessage(item.steering, true)]),
       ]
       // Clear before abort observers run: replacement work belongs to the next turn.
       this.queued.length = 0
       this.outbox.length = 0
       if (discarded.length > 0) emitAgentEvent(this.loopCtx, this, 'agent/inbox/discard', discarded)
     }
-    this.turnAbort?.abort(Object.freeze({ kind: cause.kind }))
+    const reason = Object.freeze({ kind: cause.kind })
+    this.turnAbort?.abort(reason)
   }
 
   /**
@@ -284,27 +269,36 @@ export class ReactLoopAgent extends Agent {
    */
   retry(): void {
     if (this.turnAbort !== undefined) throw new Error(`agent "${this.id}" cannot retry while busy`)
-    this.launch({ kind: 'retry' }, (state, signal) => this.start(state, signal))
+    this.done = this.loopCtx.agents.withInitiator(this, () => this.run({ kind: 'retry' }))
   }
 
   /** Resolve at idle quiescence: no run driving and no waking prompt waiting. */
   async whenIdle(): Promise<void> {
     // `done` is replaced per run, so re-reading it each lap follows chained
     // turns; a run failure still counts as quiescence for the waiter.
-    while (this.turnAbort !== undefined || this.queued.some(message => message.wakeup)) await this.done.catch(() => undefined)
+    while (this.turnAbort !== undefined || this.queued.some(message => message.wakeup)) {
+      await this.done.catch(() => undefined)
+    }
   }
 
   // -------------------------------------------------------------------------
   // The machine.
   // -------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
-  /** Claim, admit, and record the next queued prompt before starting its step loop. */
+  /** Claim and admit the next queued prompt, then start its turn. */
   private kick(): void {
     if (this.turnAbort !== undefined || !this.queued.some(message => message.wakeup)) return
     const message = this.queued.shift()
-    if (message !== undefined) {
-      emitAgentEvent(this.loopCtx, this, 'agent/inbox/dequeue', inboxMessage(message, false))
-      this.launch({ kind: 'message', source: message.source }, async (state, signal) => {
+    if (message === undefined) return
+
+    emitAgentEvent(this.loopCtx, this, 'agent/inbox/dequeue', inboxMessage(message, false))
+    const controller = new AbortController()
+    this.turnAbort = controller
+    this.done = this.loopCtx.agents.withInitiator(this, async () => {
+      const signal = controller.signal
+      const trigger: TurnTrigger = { kind: 'message', source: message.source }
+      try {
+        signal.throwIfAborted()
         const decision = await this.loopCtx.waterfall(
           agentCarrier(this), 'agent/prompt-submit', this, message.content, message.source, signal,
           () => Promise.resolve<PromptDecision>({
@@ -315,94 +309,123 @@ export class ReactLoopAgent extends Agent {
         signal.throwIfAborted()
 
         if (decision.kind === 'block') {
-          this.session.append('prompt/blocked', {
-            content: message.content,
-            source: message.source,
-            reason: decision.reason,
-          })
-          state.reason = { kind: 'rejected', reason: decision.reason }
+          this.rejectPrompt(trigger, message, decision.reason, controller)
           return
+        } else {
+          const prepared = preparePromptMessage(
+            decision.content ?? message.content,
+            message.source,
+            decision.additionalContexts ?? [],
+          )
+          this.outbox.push({ data: prepared.data })
+          for (const context of prepared.separateContexts) {
+            this.outbox.push({ data: { content: context.content, source: context.source } })
+          }
         }
+      } catch (error: unknown) {
+        this.failAdmission(trigger, error, controller)
+        return
+      }
+      if (this.turnAbort === controller) this.turnAbort = undefined
+      await this.run(trigger)
+    })
+  }
 
-        const prepared = preparePromptMessage(
-          decision.content ?? message.content,
-          message.source,
-          decision.additionalContexts ?? [],
-        )
-        this.session.append('user/message', prepared.data, { surfaceOp: 'append' })
-        for (const context of prepared.separateContexts) {
-          this.outbox.push({ kind: 'context', context: this.accept(context) })
-        }
-        await this.start(state, signal)
-      }, true)
+  /** Record a policy-blocked prompt as a zero-step turn. */
+  private rejectPrompt(
+    trigger: TurnTrigger,
+    message: QueuedMessage,
+    rejection: string,
+    controller: AbortController,
+  ): void {
+    if (!this.busy) {
+      this.busy = true
+      emitAgentEvent(this.loopCtx, this, 'agent/status', 'running')
+    }
+    const signal = controller.signal
+    const turn = ++this.lastTurn
+    let reason: TurnEndReason = { kind: 'rejected', reason: rejection }
+    let idle: IdleReason = { kind: 'completed' }
+
+    try {
+      signal.throwIfAborted()
+      this.session.append('turn/start', { turn, trigger })
+      this.turnOpen = true
+      signal.throwIfAborted()
+      this.drainOutbox(turn)
+      this.session.append('prompt/blocked', {
+        content: message.content,
+        source: message.source,
+        reason: rejection,
+      })
+    } catch (error: unknown) {
+      ({ reason, idle } = this.settle(turn, 0, error, signal))
+    } finally {
+      this.finishTurn(controller, turn, 0, reason, idle)
     }
   }
 
-  /** Own one turn from its durable opening through settlement and idle handoff. */
-  private launch(
-    trigger: TurnTrigger,
-    work: (state: TurnState, signal: AbortSignal) => Promise<void>,
-    deferOpen = false,
-  ): void {
+  /** Settle a prompt-admission failure without entering the step loop. */
+  private failAdmission(trigger: TurnTrigger, failure: unknown, controller: AbortController): void {
+    if (!this.busy) {
+      this.busy = true
+      emitAgentEvent(this.loopCtx, this, 'agent/status', 'running')
+    }
+    const signal = controller.signal
+    const turn = ++this.lastTurn
+    let reason: TurnEndReason = { kind: 'completed' }
+    let idle: IdleReason = { kind: 'completed' }
+
+    try {
+      signal.throwIfAborted()
+      this.session.append('turn/start', { turn, trigger })
+      this.turnOpen = true
+      signal.throwIfAborted()
+      this.drainOutbox(turn)
+      throw failure
+    } catch (error: unknown) {
+      ({ reason, idle } = this.settle(turn, 0, error, signal))
+    } finally {
+      this.finishTurn(controller, turn, 0, reason, idle)
+    }
+  }
+
+  /** Own one complete turn over input already admitted by {@link kick}, or retry history as-is. */
+  private async run(trigger: TurnTrigger): Promise<void> {
+    if (this.turnAbort !== undefined) throw new Error(`agent "${this.id}" is already running`)
     const controller = new AbortController()
     this.turnAbort = controller
     if (!this.busy) {
       this.busy = true
       emitAgentEvent(this.loopCtx, this, 'agent/status', 'running')
     }
-    // The whole run inherits this agent as its process-local initiator so
-    // tools, the llm service, and nested factories can attribute their work.
-    this.done = this.loopCtx.agents.withInitiator(this, async () => {
-      const signal = controller.signal
-      const state: TurnState = {
-        turn: ++this.lastTurn,
-        step: 0,
-        reason: { kind: 'completed' },
-      }
-      let idle: IdleReason = { kind: 'completed' }
+    const signal = controller.signal
+    const turn = ++this.lastTurn
+    let step = 0
+    let reason: TurnEndReason = { kind: 'completed' }
+    let idle: IdleReason = { kind: 'completed' }
 
-      try {
-        // A queued claim keeps its established pre-turn cancellation window:
-        // send() returns before the durable turn opens, while retry starts now.
-        if (deferOpen) await Promise.resolve()
-        signal.throwIfAborted()
-        this.session.append('turn/start', { turn: state.turn, trigger })
-        this.turnOpen = true
-        signal.throwIfAborted()
-        await work(state, signal)
-      } catch (error: unknown) {
-        ({ reason: state.reason, idle } = this.settle(state.turn, state.step, error, signal))
-      } finally {
-        if (this.turnAbort === controller) this.turnAbort = undefined
-        try {
-          this.closeTurn(state.turn, state.step, state.reason)
-        } catch (error: unknown) {
-          // A rejected boundary append (a pre-commit validation veto) must not
-          // kill the machine or strand its running interval: report and move on — the
-          // idle tail below still runs and the next turn still opens.
-          const err = toError(error)
-          this.loopCtx.logger.warn(`agent "${this.id}": closing turn ${state.turn} failed: ${errorChain(err)}`)
-          emitAgentEvent(this.loopCtx, this, 'agent/error', state.turn, state.step, err)
-        }
-        this.idle(state.turn, idle)
-      }
-    })
-  }
-
-  /** Run the naive step loop after retry or admitted prompt intake has prepared the turn. */
-  private async start(state: TurnState, signal: AbortSignal): Promise<void> {
-    while (true) {
-      state.step += 1
-      const { owes, maxTokens } = await this.step(state.turn, state.step, signal)
-      if (maxTokens) state.reason = { kind: 'max-tokens' }
-      // The naive rule, data-driven: run another step while the model is
-      // owed a response. On a would-stop boundary, `agent/stopping` gives
-      // listeners one chance to object — by steering, not by voting — and
-      // the outbox is re-read: data decides, so listener order cannot.
-      if (owes || this.outbox.some(item => item.kind === 'steering')) continue
-      await this.loopCtx.serial(agentCarrier(this), 'agent/stopping', this, state.turn, signal)
+    try {
       signal.throwIfAborted()
-      if (!this.outbox.some(item => item.kind === 'steering')) break
+      this.session.append('turn/start', { turn, trigger })
+      this.turnOpen = true
+      signal.throwIfAborted()
+
+      this.drainOutbox(turn)
+
+      while (true) {
+        step += 1
+        const { owes, maxTokens } = await this.step(turn, step, signal)
+        if (maxTokens) reason = { kind: 'max-tokens' }
+        if (owes || this.outbox.some(item => item.steering !== undefined)) continue
+        await this.loopCtx.serial(agentCarrier(this), 'agent/stopping', this, turn, signal)
+        signal.throwIfAborted()
+        if (!this.drainOutbox(turn)) break
+      }
+    } catch (error: unknown) {
+      ({ reason, idle } = this.settle(turn, step, error, signal))
+    } finally {
+      this.finishTurn(controller, turn, step, reason, idle)
     }
   }
 
@@ -492,7 +515,7 @@ export class ReactLoopAgent extends Agent {
     if (toolCalls.length > 0) {
       ({ concluded } = await executeToolCalls(
         this.loopCtx, turn, step, toolCalls, signal,
-        context => this.outbox.push({ kind: 'context', context: this.accept(context) }),
+        context => this.outbox.push({ data: { content: context.content, source: context.source } }),
       ))
     }
 
@@ -565,26 +588,18 @@ export class ReactLoopAgent extends Agent {
     }))
   }
 
-  /** Take the outbox whole into the log: committed from here. Returns whether steering was taken. */
+  /** Commit the outbox whole and report whether it contained steering. */
   private drainOutbox(turn: number): boolean {
     let steered = false
     for (const item of this.outbox.splice(0)) {
-      if (item.kind === 'context') {
-        const { content, source } = item.context
-        this.session.append('user/message', { content, source }, { surfaceOp: 'append' })
+      const message = item.steering
+      if (message === undefined) {
+        this.session.append('user/message', item.data, { surfaceOp: 'append' })
         continue
       }
       steered = true
-      emitAgentEvent(this.loopCtx, this, 'agent/inbox/dequeue', inboxMessage(item, true))
-      const prepared = preparePromptMessage(item.content, item.source, item.contexts)
-      this.session.append('steering/message', {
-        turn,
-        ...prepared.data,
-      }, { surfaceOp: 'append' })
-      for (const context of prepared.separateContexts) {
-        const { content, source } = context
-        this.session.append('user/message', { content, source }, { surfaceOp: 'append' })
-      }
+      emitAgentEvent(this.loopCtx, this, 'agent/inbox/dequeue', inboxMessage(message, true))
+      this.session.append('steering/message', { turn, ...item.data }, { surfaceOp: 'append' })
     }
     return steered
   }
@@ -629,6 +644,26 @@ export class ReactLoopAgent extends Agent {
     }
   }
 
+  /** Close one claimed turn and hand the machine back to the idle boundary. */
+  private finishTurn(
+    controller: AbortController,
+    turn: number,
+    step: number,
+    reason: TurnEndReason,
+    idle: IdleReason,
+  ): void {
+    try {
+      this.closeTurn(turn, step, reason)
+    } catch (error: unknown) {
+      // A rejected boundary append must not strand the running interval.
+      const err = toError(error)
+      this.loopCtx.logger.warn(`agent "${this.id}": closing turn ${turn} failed: ${errorChain(err)}`)
+      emitAgentEvent(this.loopCtx, this, 'agent/error', turn, step, err)
+    }
+    if (this.turnAbort === controller) this.turnAbort = undefined
+    this.idle(turn, idle)
+  }
+
   /**
    * The turn boundary's tail (naive `idle()`): no turn owner remains,
    * the idle report fires (a listener may synchronously `retry()` or `send()`
@@ -640,11 +675,11 @@ export class ReactLoopAgent extends Agent {
     // Requeue BEFORE the idle report so earlier-arrived steering keeps its
     // FIFO position ahead of anything a listener send()s synchronously.
     for (const item of this.outbox.splice(0)) {
-      if (item.kind === 'context') {
+      const message = item.steering
+      if (message === undefined) {
         this.outbox.push(item)
         continue
       }
-      const { kind: _kind, ...message } = item
       this.queued.push(message)
     }
     emitAgentEvent(this.loopCtx, this, 'agent/idle', turn, idle)