Windows shell timeout/cancellation can orphan descendants; timeout appeared sensitive to a wall-clock step

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#35,393 opened on Jul 25, 2026 3 comments 0 reactions 0 assignees View on GitHub

Nobody has claimed this yet.

Assessment

Difficulty: 4/5
Estimated time: 3-5 days
Newbie friendliness: 42/100

Issue type: Bug
Clarity: Mostly clear
Activity status: Quiet
Tech stack: rust
Domain: cli, operating-systems

Research direction

No source file or test is named in the report. Start by reproducing the timeout and cancellation behavior on Windows with PowerShell, then trace the shell process-management entry point. Done means descendants are not orphaned and the timeout is not affected by the reported wall-clock step.

Written by the indexing model from the issue text.

Description

app bug tool-calls windows-os

What version of Codex CLI is running?

codex-cli 0.144.6

What subscription do you have?

Pro

Which model were you using?

gpt-5.6-sol ultra

What platform is your computer?

Microsoft Windows NT 10.0.26200.0 x64

What terminal emulator and version are you using (if applicable)?

Windows Terminal using PowerShell

Codex doctor report

{
  "schemaVersion": 1,
  "generatedAt": "1785013875s since unix epoch",
  "overallStatus": "ok",
  "codexVersion": "0.144.6",
  "checks": {
    "app_server.status": {
      "id": "app_server.status",
      "category": "app-server",
      "status": "ok",
      "summary": "background server is not running",
      "details": {
        "control socket": "C:\\Users\\Cuthiell\\.codex\\app-server-control\\app-server-control.sock",
        "daemon state dir": "C:\\Users\\Cuthiell\\.codex\\app-server-daemon",
        "mode": "ephemeral",
        "pid file": "C:\\Users\\Cuthiell\\.codex\\app-server-daemon\\app-server.pid (missing)",
        "settings": "C:\\Users\\Cuthiell\\.codex\\app-server-daemon\\settings.json (missing)",
        "status": "not running",
        "update-loop pid file": "C:\\Users\\Cuthiell\\.codex\\app-server-daemon\\app-server-updater.pid (missing)"
      },
      "remediation": null,
      "durationMs": 0
    },
    "auth.credentials": {
      "id": "auth.credentials",
      "category": "auth",
      "status": "ok",
      "summary": "auth is configured",
      "details": {
        "auth file": "C:\\Users\\Cuthiell\\.codex\\auth.json",
        "auth storage mode": "File",
        "stored API key": "false",
        "stored ChatGPT tokens": "true",
        "stored agent identity": "false",
        "stored auth mode": "chatgpt"
      },
      "remediation": null,
      "durationMs": 0
    },
    "config.load": {
      "id": "config.load",
      "category": "config",
      "status": "ok",
      "summary": "config loaded",
      "details": {
        "CODEX_HOME": "C:\\Users\\Cuthiell\\.codex",
        "config.toml": "C:\\Users\\Cuthiell\\.codex\\config.toml",
        "config.toml parse": "ok",
        "cwd": "C:\\Users\\Cuthiell",
        "enabled feature flags": "<redacted>",
        "feature flag overrides": "memories=true",
        "feature flags enabled": "36",
        "log dir": "C:\\Users\\Cuthiell\\.codex\\log",
        "mcp servers": "1",
        "model": "gpt-5.6-sol",
        "model provider": "openai",
        "sqlite home": "C:\\Users\\Cuthiell\\.codex"
      },
      "remediation": null,
      "durationMs": 0
    },
    "git.environment": {
      "id": "git.environment",
      "category": "git",
      "status": "ok",
      "summary": "git version 2.54.0.windows.1",
      "details": {
        "PATH git #1": "C:\\Program Files\\Git\\bin\\git.exe",
        "PATH git #2": "C:\\Program Files\\Git\\cmd\\git.exe",
        "PATH git entries": "2",
        "git build options": "git version 2.54.0.windows.1; cpu: x86_64; built from commit: 2b8a3ab140826ac423c2845ef81d4c6ac4f7bf3c; sizeof-long: 4; sizeof-size_t: 8; shell-path: D:/git-sdk-64-build-installers/usr/bin/sh; rust: disabled; feature: fsmonitor--daemon; gettext: enabled; libcurl: 8.19.0; OpenSSL: OpenSSL 3.5.6 7 Apr 2026; zlib: 1.3.2; SHA-1: SHA1_DC; SHA-256: SHA256_BLK; default-ref-format: files; default-hash: sha1",
        "git exec path": "C:/Program Files/Git/mingw64/libexec/git-core",
        "git version": "git version 2.54.0.windows.1",
        "repo detected": "false",
        "selected git": "C:\\Program Files\\Git\\bin\\git.exe"
      },
      "remediation": null,
      "durationMs": 78
    },
    "installation": {
      "id": "installation",
      "category": "install",
      "status": "ok",
      "summary": "installation looks consistent",
      "details": {
        "PATH codex #1": "C:\\Users\\Cuthiell\\AppData\\Roaming\\npm\\codex",
        "PATH codex #2": "C:\\Users\\Cuthiell\\AppData\\Roaming\\npm\\codex.cmd",
        "PATH codex entries": "2",
        "current executable": "C:\\Users\\Cuthiell\\AppData\\Roaming\\npm\\node_modules\\@openai\\codex\\node_modules\\@openai\\codex-win32-x64\\vendor\\x86_64-pc-windows-msvc\\bin\\codex.exe",
        "install context": "npm (package C:\\Users\\Cuthiell\\AppData\\Roaming\\npm\\node_modules\\@openai\\codex\\node_modules\\@openai\\codex-win32-x64\\vendor\\x86_64-pc-windows-msvc, bin C:\\Users\\Cuthiell\\AppData\\Roaming\\npm\\node_modules\\@openai\\codex\\node_modules\\@openai\\codex-win32-x64\\vendor\\x86_64-pc-windows-msvc\\bin, resources C:\\Users\\Cuthiell\\AppData\\Roaming\\npm\\node_modules\\@openai\\codex\\node_modules\\@openai\\codex-win32-x64\\vendor\\x86_64-pc-windows-msvc\\codex-resources, path C:\\Users\\Cuthiell\\AppData\\Roaming\\npm\\node_modules\\@openai\\codex\\node_modules\\@openai\\codex-win32-x64\\vendor\\x86_64-pc-windows-msvc\\codex-path)",
        "managed by bun": "false",
        "managed by npm": "true",
        "managed by pnpm": "false",
        "managed package root": "C:\\Users\\Cuthiell\\AppData\\Roaming\\npm\\node_modules\\@openai\\codex",
        "npm update target": "C:\\Users\\Cuthiell\\AppData\\Roaming\\npm\\node_modules\\@openai\\codex"
      },
      "remediation": null,
      "durationMs": 467
    },
    "mcp.config": {
      "id": "mcp.config",
      "category": "mcp",
      "status": "ok",
      "summary": "MCP configuration is locally consistent",
      "details": {
        "configured servers": "1",
        "disabled servers": "0",
        "streamable_http servers": "1"
      },
      "remediation": null,
      "durationMs": 4058
    },
    "network.env": {
      "id": "network.env",
      "category": "network",
      "status": "ok",
      "summary": "network-related environment looks readable",
      "details": {
        "proxy env vars": "none"
      },
      "remediation": null,
      "durationMs": 0
    },
    "network.provider_reachability": {
      "id": "network.provider_reachability",
      "category": "reachability",
      "status": "ok",
      "summary": "active provider endpoints are reachable over HTTP",
      "details": {
        "ChatGPT base URL": "https://chatgpt.com/backend-api/ reachable (HTTP 403)",
        "reachability mode": "ChatGPT auth"
      },
      "remediation": null,
      "durationMs": 1096
    },
    "network.websocket_reachability": {
      "id": "network.websocket_reachability",
      "category": "websocket",
      "status": "ok",
      "summary": "Responses WebSocket handshake succeeded",
      "details": {
        "DNS": "2 IPv4, 2 IPv6, first IPv6",
        "auth mode": "chatgpt",
        "connect timeout": "15000 ms",
        "endpoint": "wss://chatgpt.com/backend-api/<redacted>",
        "handshake result": "HTTP 101 Switching Protocols",
        "model provider": "openai",
        "models etag present": "true",
        "provider name": "OpenAI",
        "proxy env vars": "none",
        "reasoning header": "false",
        "server model present": "false",
        "supports websockets": "true",
        "wire API": "responses"
      },
      "remediation": null,
      "durationMs": 1512
    },
    "runtime.provenance": {
      "id": "runtime.provenance",
      "category": "runtime",
      "status": "ok",
      "summary": "running npm on windows-x86_64",
      "details": {
        "commit": "unknown",
        "current executable": "C:\\Users\\Cuthiell\\AppData\\Roaming\\npm\\node_modules\\@openai\\codex\\node_modules\\@openai\\codex-win32-x64\\vendor\\x86_64-pc-windows-msvc\\bin\\codex.exe",
        "install method": "npm (package C:\\Users\\Cuthiell\\AppData\\Roaming\\npm\\node_modules\\@openai\\codex\\node_modules\\@openai\\codex-win32-x64\\vendor\\x86_64-pc-windows-msvc, bin C:\\Users\\Cuthiell\\AppData\\Roaming\\npm\\node_modules\\@openai\\codex\\node_modules\\@openai\\codex-win32-x64\\vendor\\x86_64-pc-windows-msvc\\bin, resources C:\\Users\\Cuthiell\\AppData\\Roaming\\npm\\node_modules\\@openai\\codex\\node_modules\\@openai\\codex-win32-x64\\vendor\\x86_64-pc-windows-msvc\\codex-resources, path C:\\Users\\Cuthiell\\AppData\\Roaming\\npm\\node_modules\\@openai\\codex\\node_modules\\@openai\\codex-win32-x64\\vendor\\x86_64-pc-windows-msvc\\codex-path)",
        "platform": "windows-x86_64",
        "version": "0.144.6"
      },
      "remediation": null,
      "durationMs": 0
    },
    "runtime.search": {
      "id": "runtime.search",
      "category": "search",
      "status": "ok",
      "summary": "search is OK (bundled)",
      "details": {
        "search command": "C:\\Users\\Cuthiell\\AppData\\Roaming\\npm\\node_modules\\@openai\\codex\\node_modules\\@openai\\codex-win32-x64\\vendor\\x86_64-pc-windows-msvc\\codex-path\\rg.exe",
        "search command readiness": "file exists",
        "search provider": "bundled"
      },
      "remediation": null,
      "durationMs": 0
    },
    "sandbox.helpers": {
      "id": "sandbox.helpers",
      "category": "sandbox",
      "status": "ok",
      "summary": "sandbox configuration is readable",
      "details": {
        "approval policy": "Never",
        "codex-linux-sandbox helper": "none",
        "execve wrapper helper": "none",
        "filesystem sandbox": "unrestricted",
        "network sandbox": "enabled"
      },
      "remediation": null,
      "durationMs": 0
    },
    "state.paths": {
      "id": "state.paths",
      "category": "state",
      "status": "ok",
      "summary": "state paths and databases are inspectable",
      "details": {
        "CODEX_HOME": "C:\\Users\\Cuthiell\\.codex (dir)",
        "active rollout files": "262 files, 1435912904 total bytes, 5480583 average bytes",
        "archived rollout files": "0 files, 0 total bytes, 0 average bytes",
        "goals DB": "C:\\Users\\Cuthiell\\.codex\\goals_1.sqlite (file)",
        "goals DB integrity": "ok",
        "log DB": "C:\\Users\\Cuthiell\\.codex\\logs_2.sqlite (file)",
        "log DB integrity": "ok",
        "log dir": "C:\\Users\\Cuthiell\\.codex\\log (dir)",
        "memories DB": "C:\\Users\\Cuthiell\\.codex\\memories_1.sqlite (file)",
        "memories DB integrity": "ok",
        "sqlite home": "C:\\Users\\Cuthiell\\.codex (dir)",
        "state DB": "C:\\Users\\Cuthiell\\.codex\\state_5.sqlite (file)",
        "state DB integrity": "ok"
      },
      "remediation": null,
      "durationMs": 1305
    },
    "state.rollout_db_parity": {
      "id": "state.rollout_db_parity",
      "category": "threads",
      "status": "ok",
      "summary": "rollout files and state DB thread inventory agree",
      "details": {
        "default model provider": "openai",
        "rollout DB active files": "262",
        "rollout DB active rows": "262",
        "rollout DB archive mismatches": "0",
        "rollout DB archived files": "0",
        "rollout DB archived rows": "0",
        "rollout DB duplicate DB paths": "0",
        "rollout DB duplicate rollout thread ids": "0",
        "rollout DB malformed file names": "0",
        "rollout DB missing active rows": "0",
        "rollout DB missing archived rows": "0",
        "rollout DB model providers": "openai=262",
        "rollout DB rows": "262",
        "rollout DB scan cap reached": "false",
        "rollout DB scan errors": "0",
        "rollout DB sources": "subagent:thread_spawn=247, cli=15",
        "rollout DB stale rows": "0"
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      "remediation": null,
      "durationMs": 31084
    },
    "system.environment": {
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      "category": "system",
      "status": "ok",
      "summary": "OS language en-US",
      "details": {
        "EDITOR": "not set",
        "VISUAL": "not set",
        "os": "Windows 10.0.26200 (Windows 11 Professional) [64-bit]",
        "os language": "en-US",
        "os type": "Windows",
        "os version": "10.0.26200"
      },
      "remediation": null,
      "durationMs": 0
    },
    "terminal.env": {
      "id": "terminal.env",
      "category": "terminal",
      "status": "ok",
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        "WT_SESSION": "present",
        "color output": "enabled",
        "console input code page": "437",
        "console output code page": "437",
        "stderr console mode": "0x00000007 (VT processing: true)",
        "stderr is terminal": "true",
        "stdin is terminal": "true",
        "stdout console mode": "0x00000007 (VT processing: true)",
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        "terminal": "Windows Terminal",
        "terminal size": "120x30"
      },
      "remediation": null,
      "durationMs": 1
    },
    "terminal.title": {
      "id": "terminal.title",
      "category": "title",
      "status": "ok",
      "summary": "terminal title default",
      "details": {
        "terminal title activity": "true",
        "terminal title items": "activity, project-name",
        "terminal title project source": "cwd",
        "terminal title project value": "Cuthiell",
        "terminal title source": "default"
      },
      "remediation": null,
      "durationMs": 0
    },
    "updates.status": {
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      "category": "updates",
      "status": "ok",
      "summary": "update configuration is locally consistent",
      "details": {
        "cached latest version": "0.144.6",
        "check for update on startup": "true",
        "last checked at": "2026-07-19T22:12:26.447037500Z",
        "latest version": "0.145.0",
        "latest version status": "newer version is available",
        "npm update target": "C:\\Users\\Cuthiell\\AppData\\Roaming\\npm\\node_modules\\@openai\\codex",
        "update action": "npm install -g @openai/codex",
        "version cache": "C:\\Users\\Cuthiell\\.codex\\version.json"
      },
      "remediation": null,
      "durationMs": 2418
    }
  }
}

What issue are you seeing?

Windows shell timeout/cancellation can orphan descendants; timeout appeared sensitive to a wall-clock step

Environment:

Codex app shell path: functions.exec -> tools.shell_command
Windows NT 10.0.26200.0
PowerShell 7.6.3
Current installed CLI reports codex-cli 0.144.6; please use the attached session logs as the authoritative build identity for the July 24-25 executions.

Observed behavior:

On 2026-07-24, Windows time synchronization stepped the workstation clock forward by approximately 9h50m while a long-running test command was active. The shell tool returned exit 124 before the requested monotonic elapsed duration had passed. This appears consistent with wall-clock deadline accounting rather than a monotonic timeout.
Independently, on 2026-07-25, stopping a running exec cell terminated its PowerShell wrapper but not its descendants. TestWorkspace.Cli PID 72412 and its guardian PID 58588 remained alive; the run continued and held build outputs. Stopping only PID 72412 later allowed the guardian to drain its owned Job.

Minimal cancellation repro:

$pidPath = Join-Path $env:TEMP 'codex-orphan-child.pid'
Remove-Item -LiteralPath $pidPath -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
$child = Start-Process pwsh -PassThru -ArgumentList @(
    '-NoProfile',
    '-Command',
    'Start-Sleep -Seconds 300'
)
$child.Id | Set-Content -LiteralPath $pidPath
$child.WaitForExit()

Run that through the shell tool with a long timeout, then stop the Codex tool call after the PID file appears. Check afterward:

$childPid = [int](Get-Content -LiteralPath (
    Join-Path $env:TEMP 'codex-orphan-child.pid'))
Get-Process -Id $childPid

Expected: timeout, cancellation, or caller loss terminates the entire owned process tree and the tool returns only after bounded quiescence and output drain. Timeout duration should use a monotonic elapsed-time source.

Actual: the wrapper can terminate and return while descendants continue running. The clock-step incident also produced a premature timeout.

Requested behavior:

Use a monotonic deadline for timeout accounting.
Assign the command to a platform process group/Windows Job before its first instruction.
On timeout, cancellation, or caller loss, terminate the entire owned tree and boundedly wait for zero remaining processes and drained pipes.
Distinguish confirmed cleanup from unconfirmed cleanup in the terminal result; do not report an ordinary timeout if descendant cleanup is uncertain.
If detached execution is intentional, expose it explicitly with a durable receipt and reattachment/termination contract rather than silently orphaning the process.

Local mitigation, not a Codex fix:

Our repository now routes authoritative long-running commands through a C# process run wrapper. On Windows it creates the target suspended inside an unnamed kill-on-close Job, gives an independent guardian exact Job/controller/caller-ancestry handles before resuming it, uses a relative timer and Stopwatch timestamps, and waits for Job quiescence on timeout, cancellation, controller death, or outer-caller loss. It reports 124/130 only after confirmed cleanup and 125 when cleanup cannot be confirmed. This protects only commands explicitly routed through this repository-specific wrapper; ordinary Codex shell calls remain exposed.

What steps can reproduce the bug?

Uploaded thread: 019f6d87-f13a-7492-9cd5-fcdc218ee012

What is the expected behavior?

See above

Additional information

No response

Dominant language: Rust
Stars: 125k
Forks: 19.5k
Avg merge: 1m
Merged PRs (30d): 1k

Contributor guide

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First steps

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Comment on the issue to say you are picking it up — it saves two people doing the same work.
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More Rust issues

Windows shell timeout/cancellation can orphan descendants; timeout appeared sensitive to a wall-clock step

Assessment

Research direction

Description

What version of Codex CLI is running?

What subscription do you have?

Which model were you using?

What platform is your computer?

What terminal emulator and version are you using (if applicable)?

Codex doctor report

What issue are you seeing?

Windows shell timeout/cancellation can orphan descendants; timeout appeared sensitive to a wall-clock step

What steps can reproduce the bug?

What is the expected behavior?

Additional information

Contributor guide

First steps

More from openai/codex

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