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core: escalate repeated auto-review denials to user approval #20672

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3e5266a
first draft
won-openai May 1, 2026
9f842a9
ooops
won-openai May 1, 2026
a26a3d2
compatibility issue
won-openai May 1, 2026
7369cb6
analytics compatibility, accurate logging, etc
won-openai May 4, 2026
86bece1
Merge remote-tracking branch 'origin/main' into shortcircuituser
won-openai May 6, 2026
584460a
Merge remote-tracking branch 'origin/main' into shortcircuituser
won-openai May 6, 2026
c1d9fd3
test(core): use shell tool for escalation otel test
won-openai May 6, 2026
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18 changes: 13 additions & 5 deletions codex-rs/core/src/guardian/mod.rs
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Original file line number Diff line number Diff line change
Expand Up @@ -33,11 +33,13 @@ pub(crate) use review::is_guardian_reviewer_source;
pub(crate) use review::new_guardian_review_id;
#[cfg(test)]
pub(crate) use review::record_guardian_denial_for_test;
pub(crate) use review::reset_auto_review_rejection_circuit_breaker;
pub(crate) use review::review_approval_request;
#[cfg(test)]
pub(crate) use review::review_approval_request_with_cancel;
pub(crate) use review::routes_approval_to_guardian;
pub(crate) use review::spawn_approval_request_review;
pub(crate) use review::take_pending_auto_review_escalation;
pub(crate) use review_session::GuardianReviewSessionManager;

const GUARDIAN_PREFERRED_MODEL: &str = "codex-auto-review";
Expand Down Expand Up @@ -79,13 +81,13 @@ pub(crate) struct GuardianRejectionCircuitBreaker {
struct GuardianRejectionCircuitBreakerTurn {
consecutive_denials: u32,
total_denials: u32,
interrupt_triggered: bool,
pending_auto_review_escalation: bool,
}

#[derive(Clone, Copy, Debug, PartialEq, Eq)]
pub(crate) enum GuardianRejectionCircuitBreakerAction {
Continue,
InterruptTurn {
EscalateToUser {
consecutive_denials: u32,
total_denials: u32,
},
Expand All @@ -100,12 +102,12 @@ impl GuardianRejectionCircuitBreaker {
let turn = self.turns.entry(turn_id.to_string()).or_default();
turn.consecutive_denials = turn.consecutive_denials.saturating_add(1);
turn.total_denials = turn.total_denials.saturating_add(1);
if !turn.interrupt_triggered
if !turn.pending_auto_review_escalation
&& (turn.consecutive_denials >= MAX_CONSECUTIVE_GUARDIAN_DENIALS_PER_TURN
|| turn.total_denials >= MAX_TOTAL_GUARDIAN_DENIALS_PER_TURN)
{
turn.interrupt_triggered = true;
GuardianRejectionCircuitBreakerAction::InterruptTurn {
turn.pending_auto_review_escalation = true;
GuardianRejectionCircuitBreakerAction::EscalateToUser {
Comment on lines +109 to +110

@chatgpt-codex-connector chatgpt-codex-connector Bot May 5, 2026

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P2 Badge Bind escalation to the denied review

The circuit breaker records only a per-turn boolean, so any later denied review on the same turn can consume the pending escalation. With concurrent approvals (or delegated/helper reviews that do not consume it), the request that tripped the breaker can still be returned as an Auto-review denial while an unrelated request is escalated to the user.

Useful? React with 👍 / 👎.

@dylan-hurd-oai dylan-hurd-oai May 6, 2026

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@won-openai can you respond to this one?

@won-openai won-openai May 6, 2026

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this is concerned that say for example there are 2 parallel auto-review going on, whichever one gets denied first as the 3rd/10th one will be sent for a user approval and the other will be denied like normal (which is okay)

consecutive_denials: turn.consecutive_denials,
total_denials: turn.total_denials,
}
Expand All @@ -118,6 +120,12 @@ impl GuardianRejectionCircuitBreaker {
let turn = self.turns.entry(turn_id.to_string()).or_default();
turn.consecutive_denials = 0;
}

pub(crate) fn take_pending_auto_review_escalation(&mut self, turn_id: &str) -> bool {
self.turns
.get_mut(turn_id)
.is_some_and(|turn| std::mem::take(&mut turn.pending_auto_review_escalation))
}
}

#[cfg(test)]
Expand Down
36 changes: 25 additions & 11 deletions codex-rs/core/src/guardian/review.rs
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Original file line number Diff line number Diff line change
Expand Up @@ -16,7 +16,6 @@ use codex_protocol::protocol::GuardianRiskLevel;
use codex_protocol::protocol::GuardianUserAuthorization;
use codex_protocol::protocol::ReviewDecision;
use codex_protocol::protocol::SubAgentSource;
use codex_protocol::protocol::TurnAbortReason;
use codex_protocol::protocol::WarningEvent;
use tokio::sync::oneshot;
use tokio_util::sync::CancellationToken;
Expand Down Expand Up @@ -185,7 +184,7 @@ async fn record_guardian_denial(session: &Arc<Session>, turn: &Arc<TurnContext>,
.lock()
.await
.record_denial(turn_id);
let GuardianRejectionCircuitBreakerAction::InterruptTurn {
let GuardianRejectionCircuitBreakerAction::EscalateToUser {
consecutive_denials,
total_denials,
} = action
Expand All @@ -202,20 +201,35 @@ async fn record_guardian_denial(session: &Arc<Session>, turn: &Arc<TurnContext>,
turn.as_ref(),
EventMsg::GuardianWarning(WarningEvent {
message: format!(
"Automatic approval review rejected too many approval requests for this turn ({consecutive_denials} consecutive, {total_denials} total); interrupting the turn."
"Automatic approval review rejected too many approval requests for this turn ({consecutive_denials} consecutive, {total_denials} total); requesting manual approval for the current request."
),
}),
)
.await;
}

let runtime_handle = session.services.runtime_handle.clone();
let session = Arc::clone(session);
let turn_id = turn_id.to_string();
let _abort_task = runtime_handle.spawn(async move {
session
.abort_turn_if_active(&turn_id, TurnAbortReason::Interrupted)
.await;
});
pub(crate) async fn reset_auto_review_rejection_circuit_breaker(
session: &Arc<Session>,
turn_id: &str,
) {
session
.services
.guardian_rejection_circuit_breaker
.lock()
.await
.clear_turn(turn_id);
}

pub(crate) async fn take_pending_auto_review_escalation(
session: &Arc<Session>,
turn_id: &str,
) -> bool {
session
.services
.guardian_rejection_circuit_breaker
.lock()
.await
.take_pending_auto_review_escalation(turn_id)
}

#[cfg(test)]
Expand Down
30 changes: 25 additions & 5 deletions codex-rs/core/src/guardian/tests.rs
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Original file line number Diff line number Diff line change
Expand Up @@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ fn fixed_guardian_parent_session_id() -> ThreadId {
}

#[test]
fn guardian_rejection_circuit_breaker_interrupts_after_three_consecutive_denials() {
fn guardian_rejection_circuit_breaker_escalates_after_three_consecutive_denials() {
let mut circuit_breaker = GuardianRejectionCircuitBreaker::default();
assert_eq!(
circuit_breaker.record_denial("turn-1"),
Expand All @@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ fn guardian_rejection_circuit_breaker_interrupts_after_three_consecutive_denials
);
assert_eq!(
circuit_breaker.record_denial("turn-1"),
GuardianRejectionCircuitBreakerAction::InterruptTurn {
GuardianRejectionCircuitBreakerAction::EscalateToUser {
consecutive_denials: 3,
total_denials: 3,
}
Expand Down Expand Up @@ -113,15 +113,15 @@ fn guardian_rejection_circuit_breaker_resets_consecutive_denials_on_non_denial()
);
assert_eq!(
circuit_breaker.record_denial("turn-1"),
GuardianRejectionCircuitBreakerAction::InterruptTurn {
GuardianRejectionCircuitBreakerAction::EscalateToUser {
consecutive_denials: 3,
total_denials: 4,
}
);
}

#[test]
fn guardian_rejection_circuit_breaker_interrupts_after_ten_total_denials() {
fn guardian_rejection_circuit_breaker_escalates_after_ten_total_denials() {
let mut circuit_breaker = GuardianRejectionCircuitBreaker::default();
for _ in 0..9 {
assert_eq!(
Expand All @@ -132,13 +132,33 @@ fn guardian_rejection_circuit_breaker_interrupts_after_ten_total_denials() {
}
assert_eq!(
circuit_breaker.record_denial("turn-1"),
GuardianRejectionCircuitBreakerAction::InterruptTurn {
GuardianRejectionCircuitBreakerAction::EscalateToUser {
consecutive_denials: 1,
total_denials: 10,
}
);
}

#[test]
fn guardian_rejection_circuit_breaker_tracks_pending_escalation_once() {
let mut circuit_breaker = GuardianRejectionCircuitBreaker::default();
for _ in 0..2 {
assert_eq!(
circuit_breaker.record_denial("turn-1"),
GuardianRejectionCircuitBreakerAction::Continue
);
}
assert_eq!(
circuit_breaker.record_denial("turn-1"),
GuardianRejectionCircuitBreakerAction::EscalateToUser {
consecutive_denials: 3,
total_denials: 3,
}
);
assert!(circuit_breaker.take_pending_auto_review_escalation("turn-1"));
assert!(!circuit_breaker.take_pending_auto_review_escalation("turn-1"));
}

async fn guardian_test_session_and_turn(
server: &wiremock::MockServer,
) -> (Arc<Session>, Arc<TurnContext>) {
Expand Down
64 changes: 33 additions & 31 deletions codex-rs/core/src/mcp_tool_call.rs
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Original file line number Diff line number Diff line change
Expand Up @@ -23,8 +23,10 @@ use crate::guardian::guardian_approval_request_to_json;
use crate::guardian::guardian_rejection_message;
use crate::guardian::guardian_timeout_message;
use crate::guardian::new_guardian_review_id;
use crate::guardian::reset_auto_review_rejection_circuit_breaker;
use crate::guardian::review_approval_request;
use crate::guardian::routes_approval_to_guardian;
use crate::guardian::take_pending_auto_review_escalation;
use crate::hook_runtime::run_permission_request_hooks;
use crate::mcp_openai_file::rewrite_mcp_tool_arguments_for_openai_files;
use crate::mcp_tool_approval_templates::RenderedMcpToolApprovalParam;
Expand Down Expand Up @@ -1229,6 +1231,7 @@ async fn maybe_request_mcp_tool_approval(
.features
.enabled(Feature::ToolCallMcpElicitation);

let mut escalated_from_auto_review = false;
if routes_approval_to_guardian(turn_context) {
let review_id = new_guardian_review_id();
let decision = review_approval_request(
Expand All @@ -1239,16 +1242,21 @@ async fn maybe_request_mcp_tool_approval(
monitor_reason.clone(),
)
.await;
let decision = mcp_tool_approval_decision_from_guardian(sess, &review_id, decision).await;
apply_mcp_tool_approval_decision(
sess,
turn_context,
&decision,
session_approval_key,
persistent_approval_key,
)
.await;
return Some(decision);
escalated_from_auto_review = matches!(decision, ReviewDecision::Denied)
&& take_pending_auto_review_escalation(sess, &turn_context.sub_id).await;
if !escalated_from_auto_review {
let decision =
mcp_tool_approval_decision_from_guardian(sess, &review_id, decision).await;
apply_mcp_tool_approval_decision(
sess,
turn_context,
&decision,
session_approval_key,
persistent_approval_key,
)
.await;
return Some(decision);
}
}

let prompt_options = mcp_tool_approval_prompt_options(
Expand Down Expand Up @@ -1280,7 +1288,7 @@ async fn maybe_request_mcp_tool_approval(
);
question.question =
mcp_tool_approval_question_text(question.question, monitor_reason.as_deref());
if tool_call_mcp_elicitation_enabled {
let decision = if tool_call_mcp_elicitation_enabled {
let request_id = rmcp::model::RequestId::String(
format!("{MCP_TOOL_APPROVAL_QUESTION_ID_PREFIX}_{call_id}").into(),
);
Expand Down Expand Up @@ -1309,28 +1317,22 @@ async fn maybe_request_mcp_tool_approval(
.await,
&question_id,
);
let decision = normalize_approval_decision_for_mode(decision, approval_mode);
apply_mcp_tool_approval_decision(
sess,
turn_context,
&decision,
session_approval_key,
persistent_approval_key,
normalize_approval_decision_for_mode(decision, approval_mode)
} else {
let args = RequestUserInputArgs {
questions: vec![question],
};
let response = sess
.request_user_input(turn_context.as_ref(), call_id.to_string(), args)
.await;
normalize_approval_decision_for_mode(
parse_mcp_tool_approval_response(response, &question_id),
approval_mode,
)
.await;
return Some(decision);
}

let args = RequestUserInputArgs {
questions: vec![question],
};
let response = sess
.request_user_input(turn_context.as_ref(), call_id.to_string(), args)
.await;
let decision = normalize_approval_decision_for_mode(
parse_mcp_tool_approval_response(response, &question_id),
approval_mode,
);
if escalated_from_auto_review {
reset_auto_review_rejection_circuit_breaker(sess, &turn_context.sub_id).await;
}
apply_mcp_tool_approval_decision(
sess,
turn_context,
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