fix(agent): recover tools from truncated scratchpads

agent/conversation_loop.py

@@ -4411,34 +4411,48 @@ def _perform_api_call(next_api_kwargs):
                         pass
 
             # Check for incomplete <REASONING_SCRATCHPAD> (opened but never closed)
-            # This means the model ran out of output tokens mid-reasoning — retry up to 2 times
-            if has_incomplete_scratchpad(assistant_message.content or ""):
+            # Recover structured calls; retry text-only truncation up to 2 times.
+            incomplete_scratchpad = has_incomplete_scratchpad(assistant_message.content or "")
+            if incomplete_scratchpad and assistant_message.tool_calls:
+                # A structured tool call is represented independently even
+                # when the adjacent free-form reasoning was truncated. Drop
+                # the unclosed tail before persistence/replay, then use the
+                # normal validation and approval path.
+                visible_prefix, _, _ = assistant_message.content.partition(
+                    "<REASONING_SCRATCHPAD>"
+                )
+                assistant_message.content = visible_prefix.rstrip()
+                agent._buffer_vprint(
+                    "⚠️  Incomplete <REASONING_SCRATCHPAD> detected; "
+                    f"recovering {len(assistant_message.tool_calls)} structured tool call(s)"
+                )
+            elif incomplete_scratchpad:
                 agent._incomplete_scratchpad_retries += 1
-                
+
                 agent._buffer_vprint("⚠️  Incomplete <REASONING_SCRATCHPAD> detected (opened but never closed)")
-                
+
                 if agent._incomplete_scratchpad_retries <= 2:
                     agent._buffer_vprint(f"🔄 Retrying API call ({agent._incomplete_scratchpad_retries}/2)...")
                     # Don't add the broken message, just retry
                     continue
-                else:
-                    # Max retries - discard this turn and save as partial
-                    agent._flush_status_buffer()
-                    agent._vprint(f"{agent.log_prefix}❌ Max retries (2) for incomplete scratchpad. Saving as partial.", force=True)
-                    agent._incomplete_scratchpad_retries = 0
-                    
-                    rolled_back_messages = agent._get_messages_up_to_last_assistant(messages)
-                    agent._cleanup_task_resources(effective_task_id)
-                    agent._persist_session(messages, conversation_history)
-                    
-                    return {
-                        "final_response": "Incomplete REASONING_SCRATCHPAD after 2 retries",
-                        "messages": rolled_back_messages,
-                        "api_calls": api_call_count,
-                        "completed": False,
-                        "partial": True,
-                        "error": "Incomplete REASONING_SCRATCHPAD after 2 retries"
-                    }
+
+                # Max retries - discard this turn and save as partial
+                agent._flush_status_buffer()
+                agent._vprint(f"{agent.log_prefix}❌ Max retries (2) for incomplete scratchpad. Saving as partial.", force=True)
+                agent._incomplete_scratchpad_retries = 0
+
+                rolled_back_messages = agent._get_messages_up_to_last_assistant(messages)
+                agent._cleanup_task_resources(effective_task_id)
+                agent._persist_session(messages, conversation_history)
+
+                return {
+                    "final_response": "Incomplete REASONING_SCRATCHPAD after 2 retries",
+                    "messages": rolled_back_messages,
+                    "api_calls": api_call_count,
+                    "completed": False,
+                    "partial": True,
+                    "error": "Incomplete REASONING_SCRATCHPAD after 2 retries"
+                }
 
             # Reset incomplete scratchpad counter on clean response
             agent._incomplete_scratchpad_retries = 0

tests/run_agent/test_run_agent.py

@@ -4211,6 +4211,85 @@ def test_tool_call_none_args_verbose_logging_does_not_crash(self, agent):
         assert result["final_response"] == "Done searching"
         assert mock_handle_function_call.call_args.args[:2] == ("web_search", {})
 
+    def test_incomplete_scratchpad_preserves_structured_tool_call(self, agent):
+        self._setup_agent(agent)
+        tc = _mock_tool_call(name="web_search", arguments="{}", call_id="c1")
+        resp1 = _mock_response(
+            content="Visible preface\n<REASONING_SCRATCHPAD>Need current data",
+            finish_reason="tool_calls",
+            tool_calls=[tc],
+        )
+        resp2 = _mock_response(content="Done searching", finish_reason="stop")
+        agent.client.chat.completions.create.side_effect = [resp1, resp2]
+
+        with (
+            patch("run_agent.handle_function_call", return_value="search result") as mock_handle_function_call,
+            patch.object(agent, "_persist_session"),
+            patch.object(agent, "_save_trajectory"),
+            patch.object(agent, "_cleanup_task_resources"),
+        ):
+            result = agent.run_conversation("search something")
+
+        assert result["final_response"] == "Done searching"
+        assert result["api_calls"] == 2
+        mock_handle_function_call.assert_called_once()
+        replay_messages = agent.client.chat.completions.create.call_args_list[1].kwargs["messages"]
+        recovered = next(msg for msg in replay_messages if msg.get("tool_calls"))
+        assert recovered["content"] == "Visible preface"
+        assert "REASONING_SCRATCHPAD" not in recovered["content"]
+
+    def test_incomplete_scratchpad_does_not_execute_non_object_tool_call(self, agent):
+        self._setup_agent(agent)
+        tc = _mock_tool_call(
+            name="web_search",
+            arguments="[]",
+            call_id="c1",
+        )
+        resp1 = _mock_response(
+            content="<REASONING_SCRATCHPAD>Need current data",
+            finish_reason="tool_calls",
+            tool_calls=[tc],
+        )
+        resp2 = _mock_response(content="Recovered", finish_reason="stop")
+        agent.client.chat.completions.create.side_effect = [resp1, resp2]
+
+        with (
+            patch("run_agent.handle_function_call") as mock_handle_function_call,
+            patch.object(agent, "_persist_session"),
+            patch.object(agent, "_save_trajectory"),
+            patch.object(agent, "_cleanup_task_resources"),
+        ):
+            result = agent.run_conversation("search something")
+
+        assert result["final_response"] == "Recovered"
+        assert result["api_calls"] == 2
+        mock_handle_function_call.assert_not_called()
+        replay_messages = agent.client.chat.completions.create.call_args_list[1].kwargs["messages"]
+        tool_result = next(msg for msg in replay_messages if msg.get("role") == "tool")
+        assert "Invalid tool arguments" in tool_result["content"]
+
+    def test_incomplete_scratchpad_without_tool_calls_still_fails_bounded(self, agent):
+        self._setup_agent(agent)
+        incomplete = _mock_response(
+            content="<REASONING_SCRATCHPAD>Still thinking",
+            finish_reason="stop",
+        )
+        agent.client.chat.completions.create.return_value = incomplete
+
+        with (
+            patch("run_agent.handle_function_call") as mock_handle_function_call,
+            patch.object(agent, "_persist_session"),
+            patch.object(agent, "_save_trajectory"),
+            patch.object(agent, "_cleanup_task_resources"),
+        ):
+            result = agent.run_conversation("hard question")
+
+        assert result["completed"] is False
+        assert result["partial"] is True
+        assert result["api_calls"] == 3
+        assert agent.client.chat.completions.create.call_count == 3
+        mock_handle_function_call.assert_not_called()
+
     def test_request_scoped_api_hooks_fire_for_each_api_call(self, agent):
         self._setup_agent(agent)
         tc = _mock_tool_call(name="web_search", arguments="{}", call_id="c1")