diff --git a/deepcli/deepcli/core.py b/deepcli/deepcli/core.py
index bf56a0dff..7e14c9a97 100644
--- a/deepcli/deepcli/core.py
+++ b/deepcli/deepcli/core.py
@@ -440,6 +440,7 @@ def stream_completion(token: str, prompt: str, session_id: str,
     retries = 0
     max_retries = 8
     base_delay = 2
+    final_text = ""
     while retries < max_retries:
         try:
             resp = base_sess.post(url, json=payload, headers=headers, stream=True)
diff --git a/deepcli/tests/test_stream_completion_exhausted.py b/deepcli/tests/test_stream_completion_exhausted.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..99978e6b4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/deepcli/tests/test_stream_completion_exhausted.py
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+"""Retry exhaustion must not raise NameError on unbound final_text."""
+
+import ast
+from pathlib import Path
+
+
+def test_stream_completion_binds_final_text_before_loop():
+    root = Path(__file__).resolve().parents[1]
+    source = (root / "deepcli" / "core.py").read_text(encoding="utf-8")
+    tree = ast.parse(source)
+    fn = next(
+        node
+        for node in tree.body
+        if isinstance(node, ast.FunctionDef) and node.name == "stream_completion"
+    )
+    assigns = [
+        node
+        for node in ast.walk(fn)
+        if isinstance(node, ast.Assign)
+        and any(isinstance(t, ast.Name) and t.id == "final_text" for t in node.targets)
+    ]
+    assert assigns, "final_text must be bound before the retry loop returns it"
+    returns = [
+        node
+        for node in ast.walk(fn)
+        if isinstance(node, ast.Return) and isinstance(node.value, ast.Name) and node.value.id == "final_text"
+    ]
+    assert returns, "exhaustion path should return the bound final_text"