ChatGPT/Codex Desktop 26.707 misses live turn updates until the same thread is opened in VS Code

Summary

After updating to the unified ChatGPT/Codex Desktop app, the macOS Desktop UI intermittently fails to receive or apply live turn updates.

Opening the same thread in the VS Code Codex extension causes Desktop to catch up immediately. This has now been observed in two variants:

1. Missed completion update: Desktop remained stuck showing Working for 1m. Opening the same thread in VS Code caused the completed response to appear immediately in both clients. Desktop then showed that the task had actually Worked for 36s.
2. Stalled live progress: During an active turn, Desktop showed the working state and some tool activity but did not show the newer commentary/progress. Opening the same thread in VS Code caused additional live progress to appear immediately in both clients.

This is the first time I have encountered this behavior. It started after updating to the unified ChatGPT/Codex Desktop app.

Environment

• ChatGPT/Codex Desktop: 26.707.41301
• Build: 5103
• Application: /Applications/ChatGPT.app
• Bundle identifier: com.openai.codex
• macOS: 26.5.1 (25F80)
• Architecture: arm64

Reproduction conditions

The cross-client refresh path requires a thread that is accessible from both Desktop and the VS Code Codex extension.

The issue appears intermittent, but both observed occurrences were captured in screen recordings.

Steps to reproduce

1. Choose a thread that is accessible from both Desktop and the VS Code Codex extension.
2. Open the thread in ChatGPT/Codex Desktop.
3. Send a prompt that performs normal tool work.
4. Wait while Desktop displays the active Working state.
5. Observe that live progress may stop updating, or that Desktop may remain active after the turn has already completed.
6. Open the same thread in the VS Code Codex extension.
7. Observe that the missing progress or completed response immediately appears in VS Code and Desktop.

Actual behavior

Desktop can remain subscribed to a stale or incomplete live-turn state even though newer progress or the completed result is available to another client.

Opening the thread in VS Code appears to force a thread refresh or synchronization, after which Desktop receives the missing turn updates.

Expected behavior

Desktop should continuously display live turn progress and apply the final completion update without requiring another client to open the thread.

Diagnostic observations

For the missed-completion reproduction, I performed an A/B check with all custom DOM/RTL injection fully disabled. The problem still occurred, so the custom runtime was not the cause.

Renderer measurements collected during that test:

• No long task exceeded 500ms
• Maximum observed long task: 223ms
• No fatal runtime error was recorded
• Repeated ResizeObserver loop completed with undelivered notifications. warnings were observed

The timing and cross-client behavior suggest a Desktop live thread/turn synchronization issue rather than model latency or a long renderer freeze.

Screen recording

The recordings show Desktop falling behind the live turn state. When the same thread is opened in the VS Code Codex extension, the missing progress or completed response appears in both clients.

https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/48b0dbff-cc86-42b4-8946-9cf1e65e1f0e