codex forgets to finish a task

What version of Codex CLI is running?

0.155.1

What subscription do you have?

pro $100

Which model were you using?

5.6 terra

What platform is your computer?

MidnightBSD 4.1.0

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

xfce terminal

Codex doctor report

{
  "schemaVersion": 1,
  "generatedAt": "1789922570s since unix epoch",
  "overallStatus": "warning",
  "codexVersion": "0.155.1",
  "checks": {
    "app_server.status": {
      "id": "app_server.status",
      "category": "app-server",
      "status": "ok",
      "summary": "background server is not running",
      "details": {
        "control socket": "/root/.codex/app-server-control/app-server-control.sock",
        "daemon state dir": "/root/.codex/app-server-daemon",
        "mode": "ephemeral",
        "pid file": "/root/.codex/app-server-daemon/app-server.pid (missing)",
        "settings": "/root/.codex/app-server-daemon/settings.json (missing)",
        "status": "not running",
        "update-loop pid file": "/root/.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": "/root/.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": "/root/.codex",
        "active thread overrides": "not inspected",
        "config.toml": "/root/.codex/config.toml",
        "config.toml parse": "ok",
        "configuration load ms": "68",
        "configuration scope": "invocation config, including cloud-managed policy",
        "cwd": "/usr/home/laffer1",
        "enabled feature flags": "shell_tool, view_image, sleep_tool, unified_exec, unified_exec_tty, unified_exec_zsh_fork, shell_snapshot, content_item_kinds, code_mode_host, terminal_resize_reflow, sqlite, memories, hooks, enable_request_compression, unbounded_connection_retries, multi_agent, apps, tool_search_always_defer_mcp_tools, tool_suggest, plugins, in_app_browser, in_app_chat, in_app_dictation, in_app_local_automation, in_app_updates, browser_use, browser_use_full_cdp_access, browser_use_external, computer_use, remote_plugin, plugin_sharing, external_migration, image_generation, resize_all_images, item_ids, skill_mcp_dependency_install, skill_search, mentions_v2, steer, guardian_approval, goals, collaboration_modes, tool_call_mcp_elicitation, auth_elicitation, personality, fast_mode, tui_app_server, compaction_image_budget, workspace_dependencies",
        "feature flag overrides": "memories=true, external_migration=true",
        "feature flags enabled": "49",
        "log dir": "/root/.codex/log",
        "mcp servers": "1",
        "model": "gpt-5.5",
        "model provider": "openai",
        "sqlite home": "/root/.codex"
      },
      "remediation": null,
      "durationMs": 0
    },
    "git.environment": {
      "id": "git.environment",
      "category": "git",
      "status": "ok",
      "summary": "git executable found; execution not verified",
      "details": {
        "PATH git #1": "/usr/local/bin/git",
        "PATH git entries": "1",
        "git execution": "not inspected (PATH helpers are not executed)",
        "repo detected": "false",
        "selected git": "/usr/local/bin/git"
      },
      "remediation": null,
      "durationMs": 0
    },
    "installation": {
      "id": "installation",
      "category": "install",
      "status": "ok",
      "summary": "installation looks consistent",
      "details": {
        "PATH codex #1": "/usr/local/bin/codex",
        "current executable": "/usr/local/bin/codex",
        "install context": "other",
        "managed by Vite+": "false",
        "managed by bun": "false",
        "managed by npm": "false",
        "managed by pnpm": "false",
        "managed package root": "not set"
      },
      "remediation": null,
      "durationMs": 0
    },
    "mcp.config": {
      "id": "mcp.config",
      "category": "mcp",
      "status": "warning",
      "summary": "MCP configuration has optional issues",
      "details": {
        "configured servers": "1",
        "disabled servers": "0",
        "magus": "header env var MAGUS_BASIC_AUTH is not set",
        "streamable_http servers": "1"
      },
      "remediation": "Set the missing MCP env vars or disable the affected server.",
      "durationMs": 276
    },
    "network.env": {
      "id": "network.env",
      "category": "network",
      "status": "ok",
      "summary": "network-related environment looks readable",
      "details": {
        "managed proxy": "not configured",
        "proxy env vars": "none",
        "respect system proxy": "disabled"
      },
      "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 inference URL": "https://chatgpt.com/backend-api/<redacted> reachable (HTTP 405)",
        "reachability mode": "ChatGPT auth"
      },
      "remediation": null,
      "durationMs": 179
    },
    "network.websocket_reachability": {
      "id": "network.websocket_reachability",
      "category": "websocket",
      "status": "ok",
      "summary": "Responses WebSocket handshake succeeded",
      "details": {
        "DNS": "2 IPv4, 2 IPv6, first IPv4",
        "auth mode": "chatgpt",
        "connect timeout": "15000 ms",
        "endpoint": "wss://chatgpt.com/backend-api/<redacted>",
        "handshake result": "HTTP 101 Switching Protocols",
        "model provider": "openai",
        "provider name": "OpenAI",
        "proxy env vars": "none",
        "reasoning header": "false",
        "server model present": "false",
        "supports websockets": "true",
        "wire API": "responses"
      },
      "remediation": null,
      "durationMs": 838
    },
    "runtime.provenance": {
      "id": "runtime.provenance",
      "category": "runtime",
      "status": "ok",
      "summary": "running local build on freebsd-x86_64",
      "details": {
        "commit": "unknown",
        "current executable": "/usr/local/bin/codex",
        "install method": "other",
        "platform": "freebsd-x86_64",
        "version": "0.155.1"
      },
      "remediation": null,
      "durationMs": 0
    },
    "runtime.search": {
      "id": "runtime.search",
      "category": "search",
      "status": "ok",
      "summary": "search command found (system); execution not verified",
      "details": {
        "search command": "rg",
        "search command path": "/usr/local/bin/rg",
        "search command readiness": "found; execution not verified",
        "search provider": "system"
      },
      "remediation": null,
      "durationMs": 0
    },
    "sandbox.helpers": {
      "id": "sandbox.helpers",
      "category": "sandbox",
      "status": "ok",
      "summary": "sandbox configuration is readable",
      "details": {
        "approval policy": "OnRequest",
        "codex-linux-sandbox helper": "none",
        "denied-read glob rules": "0",
        "denied-read rules": "0",
        "execve wrapper helper": "/root/.codex/tmp/arg0/codex-arg0XiSdFg/codex-execve-wrapper",
        "filesystem sandbox": "restricted",
        "glob scan max depth": "unbounded",
        "managed filesystem source": "none",
        "network sandbox": "restricted"
      },
      "remediation": null,
      "durationMs": 0
    },
    "security.endpoint": {
      "id": "security.endpoint",
      "category": "security",
      "status": "ok",
      "summary": "endpoint protection is not inspected on this platform",
      "details": {
        "endpoint products": "not inspected on this platform"
      },
      "remediation": null,
      "durationMs": 0
    },
    "state.paths": {
      "id": "state.paths",
      "category": "state",
      "status": "ok",
      "summary": "state paths and databases are inspectable",
      "details": {
        "CODEX_HOME": "/root/.codex (dir)",
        "active rollout files": "478 files, 2235398244 total bytes, 4676565 average bytes",
        "archived rollout files": "0 files, 0 total bytes, 0 average bytes",
        "goals DB": "/root/.codex/goals_1.sqlite (file)",
        "goals DB integrity": "ok",
        "log DB": "/root/.codex/logs_2.sqlite (file)",
        "log DB integrity": "ok",
        "log dir": "/root/.codex/log (dir)",
        "memories DB": "/root/.codex/memories_1.sqlite (file)",
        "memories DB integrity": "ok",
        "memories v2 DB": "/root/.codex/memories_v2_1.sqlite (missing)",
        "memories v2 DB integrity": "skipped (missing)",
        "queue DB": "/root/.codex/queue_1.sqlite (file)",
        "queue DB integrity": "ok",
        "sqlite home": "/root/.codex (dir)",
        "state DB": "/root/.codex/state_5.sqlite (file)",
        "state DB integrity": "ok",
        "thread history DB": "/root/.codex/thread_history_1.sqlite (file)",
        "thread history DB integrity": "ok"
      },
      "remediation": null,
      "durationMs": 2837
    },
    "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": "478",
        "rollout DB active rows": "478",
        "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=478",
        "rollout DB rows": "478",
        "rollout DB scan cap reached": "false",
        "rollout DB scan errors": "0",
        "rollout DB sources": "subagent:other=210, subagent:thread_spawn=198, cli=70",
        "rollout DB stale rows": "0"
      },
      "remediation": null,
      "durationMs": 250
    },
    "system.disk": {
      "id": "system.disk",
      "category": "disk",
      "status": "ok",
      "summary": "sufficient free disk space (1279.2 GiB)",
      "details": {
        "CODEX_HOME available": "1279.2 GiB",
        "failure threshold": "1.0 GiB",
        "warning threshold": "5.0 GiB",
        "worktree available": "1279.2 GiB"
      },
      "remediation": null,
      "durationMs": 0
    },
    "system.environment": {
      "id": "system.environment",
      "category": "system",
      "status": "ok",
      "summary": "OS language C",
      "details": {
        "EDITOR": "set",
        "LANG": "C.UTF-8",
        "VISUAL": "not set",
        "os": "Midnight BSD 4.2.0 [64-bit]",
        "os language": "C",
        "os type": "Midnight BSD",
        "os version": "4.2.0"
      },
      "remediation": null,
      "durationMs": 1
    },
    "terminal.env": {
      "id": "terminal.env",
      "category": "terminal",
      "status": "ok",
      "summary": "terminal metadata was detected",
      "details": {
        "COLORTERM": "truecolor",
        "DISPLAY": "present",
        "TERM": "xterm-256color",
        "color output": "enabled",
        "effective locale": "C.UTF-8",
        "stderr is terminal": "true",
        "stdin is terminal": "true",
        "stdout is terminal": "true",
        "terminal": "unknown",
        "terminal size": "100x34"
      },
      "remediation": null,
      "durationMs": 0
    },
    "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": "project config",
        "terminal title project value": "laffer1",
        "terminal title source": "default"
      },
      "remediation": null,
      "durationMs": 0
    },
    "updates.status": {
      "id": "updates.status",
      "category": "updates",
      "status": "ok",
      "summary": "update configuration is locally consistent",
      "details": {
        "cached latest version": "0.155.1",
        "check for update on startup": "true",
        "last checked at": "2026-09-20T02:31:25.832429354Z",
        "latest version": "0.155.1",
        "latest version status": "current version is not older",
        "update action": "manual or unknown",
        "version cache": "/root/.codex/version.json"
      },
      "remediation": null,
      "durationMs": 454
    }
  }
}

What issue are you seeing?

When using the 5.6 terra model, I'm seeing repeat behavior where codex will stop mid task and not report next steps or follow up on anything. for example, starting a compile and then not checking its progress. it will just sit. this started with 0.155.1. it was not happening on 0.147.0 which was used previously. I think it might be a codex harness issue not the model itself. It seems to behave better with sol

What steps can reproduce the bug?

Uploaded thread: 01a0bcfb-12ed-7593-8a8a-3bcfd97e817f

What is the expected behavior?

When I tell it to do a task, it completes the task or asks for a specific follow up.

Additional information

No response

Start by reproducing the unfinished-task behavior with Codex CLI 0.155.1 on MidnightBSD, using the report's environment and model details. The report names no source files or tests, so first locate the task-completion path and determine the conditions under which the task is left unfinished. Done means the behavior is reproducible, its cause is identified, and a regression test demonstrates completion.