Serious auto-compact bug: agent repeatedly enters a resume loop after conversation optimization.

What version of the Codex App are you using (From “About Codex” dialog)?

26.715.52

What subscription do you have?

Pro

What platform is your computer?

_No response_

What issue are you seeing?

Serious auto-compact bug: agent repeatedly enters a resume loop after conversation optimization.

After auto-compact / “Optimized the conversation,” the agent resumes with near-identical status messages, re-reads the same files, then compacts again. It does not appear to preserve progress across the compact boundary.

The agent may also deny the loop (“Still connected, and no loop”) while repeating the exact same cycle.

Impact:

• Task appears active but makes no real progress.
• User prompts like “are you still connected?” can restart the loop.
• The agent may repeatedly re-read files or resume the same plan instead of producing a handoff.
• This has happened twice across my work.

Expected behavior:
After compaction, the agent should continue from the next concrete step, or stop with a handoff if state is insufficient. It should detect repeated compact/resume cycles and exit safely rather than looping.

Observed repeated pattern:

1. Agent says it will re-open/trace the active code path.
2. “Read files”
3. “Optimized the conversation”
4. Agent says it is still connected and will re-open the same code path.
5. “Read files”
6. “Optimized the conversation”
7. Same cycle repeats.

What steps can reproduce the bug?

Fix the bug

What is the expected behavior?

_No response_

Additional information

_No response_