codex exec review silently ignores --output-schema and writes prose
Open 💬 0 comments Opened Jul 27, 2026 by ajaysinghpanwar2002
What version of Codex CLI is running?
codex-cli 0.145.0
What subscription do you have?
Plus
Which model were you using?
gpt-5.6-sol
What platform is your computer?
Darwin 25.5.0 arm64 arm
What terminal emulator and version are you using (if applicable)?
cmux, backed by Ghostty 1.3.2
Codex doctor report
{
"schemaVersion": 1,
"generatedAt": "1785149796s since unix epoch",
"overallStatus": "warning",
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"pid file": "/Users/ajaysingh/.codex/app-server-daemon/app-server.pid (missing)",
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"details": {
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"codex-linux-sandbox helper": "none",
"execve wrapper helper": "/Users/ajaysingh/.codex/tmp/arg0/codex-arg0SGlMhg/codex-execve-wrapper",
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"active rollout files": "60 files, 26219244 total bytes, 436987 average bytes",
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}
}What issue are you seeing?
codex exec review accepts the global --output-schema option and exits with code 0, but the schema is not applied to the final response.
The file passed to --output-last-message contains human-readable dedicated-review prose rather than JSON conforming to the supplied schema.
The same schema works correctly when used with ordinary codex exec.
Observed behaviour:
- Ordinary
codex exec --output-schema ...writes schema-conforming JSON. codex exec --output-schema ... review -writes review prose.- Moving
--output-schemabefore or after thereviewsubcommand does not change the result. - Removing
--jsondoes not change the result. - With
--json, the event stream contains anagent_messagewith prose rather than structured review output. - The Codex process exits with code 0 even though the requested output contract was not honoured.
This makes it unsafe to use dedicated review mode in automated workflows because a caller cannot reliably distinguish a valid structured verdict from unstructured review prose.
What steps can reproduce the bug?
Create a disposable Git repository:
REPRO_DIR="$(mktemp -d)"
cd "$REPRO_DIR"
git init
git config user.name "Codex Reproduction"
git config user.email "codex-repro@example.com"
printf 'original\n' > example.txt
git add example.txt
git commit -m "Initial commit"
printf 'changed\n' >> example.txtCreate a minimal output schema:
cat > review-schema.json <<'JSON'
{
"type": "object",
"properties": {
"verdict": {
"type": "string",
"enum": ["correct", "incorrect"]
},
"explanation": {
"type": "string"
}
},
"required": [
"verdict",
"explanation"
],
"additionalProperties": false
}
JSONCreate a prompt:
cat > prompt.txt <<'PROMPT'
Review the current uncommitted change.
Return a result matching the supplied output schema.
PROMPTFirst run ordinary codex exec:
codex exec \
--sandbox read-only \
--cd "$REPRO_DIR" \
--ephemeral \
--color never \
--output-schema "$REPRO_DIR/review-schema.json" \
--output-last-message "$REPRO_DIR/ordinary-output.json" \
- < "$REPRO_DIR/prompt.txt"The resulting ordinary-output.json is valid JSON matching the schema.
Then run dedicated review mode with the same schema:
codex exec \
--sandbox read-only \
--cd "$REPRO_DIR" \
--ephemeral \
--color never \
--output-schema "$REPRO_DIR/review-schema.json" \
--output-last-message "$REPRO_DIR/dedicated-review-output.json" \
review - < "$REPRO_DIR/prompt.txt"The second command exits successfully, but dedicated-review-output.json contains human-readable review prose rather than schema-conforming JSON.
It can be verified with:
python3 -m json.tool "$REPRO_DIR/ordinary-output.json"
python3 -m json.tool "$REPRO_DIR/dedicated-review-output.json"The ordinary output parses successfully, while the dedicated-review output does not.
The behaviour is also reproducible with JSONL diagnostics enabled:
codex exec \
--sandbox read-only \
--cd "$REPRO_DIR" \
--ephemeral \
--color never \
--output-schema "$REPRO_DIR/review-schema.json" \
--output-last-message "$REPRO_DIR/dedicated-review-output.json" \
--json \
review - < "$REPRO_DIR/prompt.txt" \
> "$REPRO_DIR/events.jsonl"The JSONL stream contains the review as an unstructured agent_message.
What is the expected behavior?
One of the following should happen:
codex exec reviewhonours--output-schemaand writes schema-conforming JSON to the path supplied through--output-last-message; or- If structured output is intentionally unsupported by dedicated review mode, the CLI rejects the option combination with a clear nonzero exit code and explanatory error.
The CLI should not silently ignore the schema and exit successfully.
Additional information
This is specific to the dedicated review subcommand.
The same Codex installation, model, repository, prompt, and schema produce valid structured JSON through ordinary codex exec.
Tested variations:
--output-schemabefore thereviewsubcommand--output-schemaafter thereviewsubcommand- with
--json - without
--json
All dedicated-review variations produced prose.
The issue affects automated review pipelines that depend on strict machine-readable approval or rejection. Parsing the prose would weaken correctness and fail-closed guarantees.