Regression (>=0.115): after `context_compacted` auto-compaction Codex outputs handoff/summary and stops (CLI + Windows App)

Summary

Starting in Codex >=0.115, after auto-compaction/context checkpoint (context_compacted), Codex may emit a handoff/summary-style assistant message and then end the turn (task_complete). In some cases there is no auto-continue, so the user must manually resume (e.g. send “Continue”). This breaks agent autonomy.

Affected versions

• CLI: 0.115, 0.116, 0.117 (repro)
• CLI: 0.114.0 (no repro in multi-day run; downgrade fixes immediately)
• Windows App: bundles codex.exe reporting codex-cli 0.117.0-alpha.24 (repro)

Steps to reproduce

1. Run Codex CLI >=0.115 (tested 0.117.0) or use the Windows App.
2. Start a session and continue until auto-compaction triggers (look for context_compacted in logs/telemetry).
3. Continue after compaction.
4. Observe: assistant outputs a handoff/summary message and ends the task; sometimes it does not resume automatically.

Expected

Compaction should be internal. After context_compacted, Codex should continue the task normally.

Actual

Common sequence:

• context_compacted -> assistant message starting with **Handoff / summary -> task_complete

Occasionally the rollout ends there (no subsequent task_started/auto-continue).

Impact / frequency

Local scan of %USERPROFILE%\.codex\sessions on 2026-03-23:

• Rollouts scanned: 2,620 (~16.6GB)
• context_compacted: 3,012 occurrences across 962 rollouts
• 21 occurrences of context_compacted -> assistant(**Handoff...) -> task_complete
• 3/21 ended with no subsequent task_started/auto-continue (manual resume required)

Regression window

• In that scan, the first **Handoff-prefixed post-compaction assistant message appears at 2026-03-18T15:43:46Z (UTC).
• In our environment this started right after upgrading to 0.115 (~1 day after release).
• A/B: staying on 0.114.0 for days did not reproduce; upgrading to 0.117.0 on 2026-03-27 reproduced immediately; rolling back to 0.114.0 stops it.

Environment

• OS: Windows 10.0.26200
• PowerShell: 7.4.14
• Node: v24.12.0
• npm: 11.7.0

Possible fix direction

• Ensure compaction/handoff summaries are not surfaced as a normal assistant output and/or are not treated as an end-of-turn stopping point.
• Always schedule an automatic follow-up after compaction (preserve autonomy), e.g. force a post-compaction continuation request.