@sema-agent/core 5.7.0 → 5.8.0

package/CHANGELOG.md

@@ -1,5 +1,42 @@
 # Changelog
 
+## 5.8.0 (2026-08-04)
+
+_The limits restructure: time leaves the task-limit axis, tokens become the primary budget, and every default is empty. One release, five construction stages — there is no intermediate version. Old usage fails loudly (compile errors for removed fields; a typed refusal for unknown limit keys at runtime) — nothing is silently ignored._
+
+### BREAKING — task limits (`TaskSpec.limits` is the one budget surface)
+
+- `limits` now holds every budget knob: `maxTokens` (primary, cumulative per-slice window — promoted from report-only to a GATE) / `maxCostUsd` / `maxTurns` / `maxWalltimeMs` (opt-in, per-slice active clock, **milliseconds**) / `maxOutputTokens` (unchanged, per-request shape) / `approachNotice` / `budgetStreamCancel` / `degrade` / `brainCallGuardrailMs`. The former top-level `maxTokens` / `maxCostUsd` / `budgetStreamCancel` / `degrade` fields are gone.
+- `limits.timeoutSec` is REMOVED (unit and semantics changed → `maxWalltimeMs`). An unknown key on `limits` is refused at prepare with `config.limit_unknown_key` naming the replacement and the unit; a non-finite or negative value refuses with `config.limit_invalid`. Never silently ignored.
+- EVERY default is empty: `DEFAULT_MAX_TURNS=1000`, `FORK_DEFAULT_MAX_TURNS=200`, the session-scoped background child's injected 30-minute wall clock, the resource-suspend `maxSlices=100` default, and the workflow per-agent 300s cap are all retired. No limit is armed unless configured. Anti-zombie coverage for session-scoped background children moved to the stale-running reaper (`TaskRegistry.reapStaleSessionBackgroundAgents` — collects by STALL, not by wall age). Honest consequence, stated plainly: a zero-config task with a non-terminating brain loop now has no task-level backstop — the engineering guardrails (brain-call guardrail, stall detection) keep it from wedging silently, and the deployment governance windows are the burn ceiling.
+- To-limit behavior is two-tier: WITHOUT `resourceSuspend`, hitting any limit is a loud terminal failure — `TaskResult.status` loses `"timeout"`; all four axes end as `failed` with `limits.max_tokens_exceeded` / `limits.max_cost_exceeded` / `limits.max_turns_exceeded` / `limits.max_walltime_exceeded` (the code names the AXIS, replacing `limit.timeout` / `limit.max_turns` / `budget.exceeded` / `budget.precall`), salvage attached. WITH `resourceSuspend` (+ checkpoint infrastructure), a per-slice window exhaustion suspends with a checkpoint and resume grants the next window; only the optional frozen totals (`resourceSuspend.totalTokens` / `totalBudgetUsd`) are hard stops. `ResourceLimitReason` splits `"budget"` into `"budget_tokens"` / `"budget_cost"` — consumers pinning either closed set are affected and named here.
+- Priority when several axes trip at one boundary: tokens > cost > turns > walltime (attribution only — every configured axis stays armed).
+- `limits.approachNotice` replaces `deadlineNudge`: one "start converging" frame at ~80% and one "deliver now" at ~95% of the tightest configured budget, measured in BUDGET (tokens/cost/turns), never in clock; one-shot; `stats.mechanisms.approachNoticesSent`; a continuation gate keeps the notice from extending a run the model had already ended.
+
+### BREAKING — retired mechanisms
+
+- The design/128/130 deadline family is gone: `deadlineNudge` / `callCapByDeadline` / `gracefulFinalize`, the write-out cushion mathematics, and the per-call deadline shrink.
+- tool-cut is gone end to end: `stats.mechanisms.{toolCuts,toolCutKills,pendingCutTools,finalizeInjected,nudgesSent,capShrinks,callCutoffs,toolClamps}`, `engineCut:"walltime_writeout"`, the bash exec deadline clamp, and `cut-kill.ts`.
+- The brain soft-cutoff is gone: `errorKind:"walltime_cutoff"`, `WALLTIME_CUTOFF_MESSAGE`, `StreamOptions.callDeadlineMs`, the loop's `walltime_cutoff_recovery`.
+- auto-compaction's walltime gate / abort race / throughput EWMA are gone (`clampReason` loses `"walltime"`).
+- Stall detection (connect / first-token / idle) is DECOUPLED from the retired walltime lane and now arms unconditionally (guardrail class; constants renamed `STALL_*`; knob semantics unchanged).
+- The `ExecutionEnv.exec` `onSpawn` / `onDetachAdopted` seam is retired (its only consumer left with tool-cut; zero producers remained).
+- The Terminal-Bench surface is retired: the `sema-tb` bin, `tb-env`, the `tb/` adapter tree, and all thirteen `TB_*` env knobs. No switch survives.
+
+### BREAKING — checkpoint / ledger / config
+
+- `ResourceLedger.totalWalltimeSec` and `remainingWalltimeMs()` retired; `totalTokens` + `remainingTokens()` added; `spentWalltimeMs` REMAINS (accounting only). Checkpoint version 5 (`TOKEN_CHECKPOINT_VERSION`); a v4 checkpoint carrying the retired wall-clock allocation is refused pre-CAS with `checkpoint.walltime_axis_retired` (the checkpoint stays pending — finish it on the previous release, or start fresh; no silent migration). `resourceSuspend.totalWalltimeSec` → `resourceSuspend.totalTokens`.
+- Config catalog: `limits.{timeoutSec,deadlineNudge,callCapByDeadline,gracefulFinalize}`, `budget.{maxCostUsd,maxTokens,totalWalltimeSec}`, `delegation.{forkMaxTurns,sessionBgTimeoutSec}` retired/moved; `limits.{maxWalltimeMs,approachNotice,maxTokens,maxCostUsd}`, `budget.totalTokens` added. Workflow script `limits` whitelist: `{maxTurns,timeoutSec}` → `{maxTurns,maxWalltimeMs,maxTokens,maxCostUsd}`; `WorkflowChildCaps.perAgentTimeoutSec` → `perAgentMaxWalltimeMs` (no default).
+- Workflow resume journals from 5.7 cache-miss entirely on this version (the spec shape participates in the call identity) — reruns, not errors.
+- Trace: the eight mechanisms fields above are gone; `timerLatenessMs` / `walltimeSyncBackstopFired` REMAIN (the per-slice wall timer survives as `maxWalltimeMs`, so its starvation evidence keeps a producer).
+
+### Fixed
+
+- memory-engine: partition adoption is a single atomic rename (the delete-then-rename window could destroy a concurrently adopted partition and then disclose the opposite of what happened); fileless-scaffolding cleanup uses `rmdir` only, so a peer's files are unremovable by construction. Both control-plane lock waits are bounded and yield every round — a permanent errno can no longer starve the event loop in a silent spin (the fail-open sidecar lock now honors its documented "proceed anyway" by going lockless after three post-deadline steal rounds).
+- cc stores: the mailbox sweep AND `drop` now judge and delete inside the box's cross-process lock (a compliant writer's freshly committed message can no longer be deleted unseen, and another holder's lock directory is never torn down); the cc lockfile's retry bound is read before every round (three `continue` shortcuts skipped it — a permanently failing reclaim spun forever); the lease table's entry keys fold the same way the table itself does (two store instances over one directory via a symlink could each grant the same lease).
+- session policy: the tighten gate's path-containment fold is win-family-conditional, matching the runtime's — a POSIX sibling directory whose literal name embeds backslashes no longer reads as "within" the confined root (a loosening the gate exists to refuse). The transcript-dir gate's write-tool literal gains a mechanical sync pin against `PATH_WRITE_TOOLS`.
+- `tool-name-aliases` docstring named a compile-time enforcement symbol that never existed; it now states the real division of labor (the prepare-time audit escalates, the compile pass deliberately does not).
+
 ## 5.7.0 (2026-08-04)
 
 _Three collected cars: a parked question is answered by the decision itself (behavior face — see the consumer note), a descendant's terminal notification anchors on the delegation tree, and the env scrub stops deleting infrastructure key names (behavior face)._

package/dist/agents/cascade.d.ts

@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ export type GateVerdict = boolean | {
 };
 export interface CascadeRung {
     model: ModelRef;
-    overrides?: Partial<Pick<TaskSpec, "limits" | "degrade" | "systemPrompt">>;
+    overrides?: Partial<Pick<TaskSpec, "limits" | "systemPrompt">>;
 }
 export interface CascadeConfig {
     onNotifyError?: (failure: import("../core/safe-notify.js").SafeNotifyFailure) => void;

package/dist/agents/subagent.d.ts

@@ -1,10 +1,10 @@
 import type { Runner } from "../core/runner/runtask.js";
-import type { AgentDefinition, Model, ModelRef, ToolSpec } from "../core/types.js";
+import type { AgentDefinition, Model, ModelRef, TaskLimits, ToolSpec } from "../core/types.js";
 import { type ExecutionEnv } from "../internal/harness.js";
 import type { RunInternals } from "../core/runner/prepare-task.js";
 import type { TaskNotificationPayload } from "../core/task-notification.js";
-import { FORK_DEFAULT_MAX_TURNS, SESSION_BG_DEFAULT_TIMEOUT_SEC, RETAIN_DEFAULT_TTL_MS, RETAIN_DEFAULT_MAX } from "../config/defaults.js";
-export { FORK_DEFAULT_MAX_TURNS, SESSION_BG_DEFAULT_TIMEOUT_SEC, RETAIN_DEFAULT_TTL_MS, RETAIN_DEFAULT_MAX };
+import { RETAIN_DEFAULT_TTL_MS, RETAIN_DEFAULT_MAX } from "../config/defaults.js";
+export { RETAIN_DEFAULT_TTL_MS, RETAIN_DEFAULT_MAX };
 import { SubagentRetainLedger } from "./retain-ledger.js";
 export type { SubagentStep, SubagentEditedFile } from "./subagent-steps.js";
 export declare function notifyResultField(result: string | undefined): string | undefined;
@@ -101,10 +101,7 @@ export interface SubagentToolOptions {
     systemPrompt?: string;
     name?: string;
     purpose?: string;
-    limits?: {
-        maxTurns?: number;
-        timeoutSec?: number;
-    };
+    limits?: TaskLimits;
     maxDepth?: number;
     retainFailedSessions?: boolean;
     onObserverError?: (err: unknown, info: {

package/dist/agents/subagent.js

@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ import { addWorktree } from "../core/git-worktree-env.js";
 import { shellQuote } from "../tools/fs/search.js";
 import { BG_AGENT_REAP_STOP_ERROR } from "../core/task-registry.js";
 import { extractErrorCode } from "../brain/errors.js";
-import { FORK_DEFAULT_MAX_TURNS, SESSION_BG_DEFAULT_TIMEOUT_SEC, RETAIN_DEFAULT_TTL_MS, RETAIN_DEFAULT_MAX, RUNNING_AGENT_OBSERVE_EVERY_BEATS } from "../config/defaults.js";
+import { RETAIN_DEFAULT_TTL_MS, RETAIN_DEFAULT_MAX, RUNNING_AGENT_OBSERVE_EVERY_BEATS } from "../config/defaults.js";
 function rollupDelegatedCost(stats, nested) {
     if (stats.costMicroUsd === undefined)
         return undefined;
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ function delegatedCostField(stats) {
     const total = rollupDelegatedCost(stats, stats.nested);
     return total !== undefined ? { costMicroUsd: total } : {};
 }
-export { FORK_DEFAULT_MAX_TURNS, SESSION_BG_DEFAULT_TIMEOUT_SEC, RETAIN_DEFAULT_TTL_MS, RETAIN_DEFAULT_MAX };
+export { RETAIN_DEFAULT_TTL_MS, RETAIN_DEFAULT_MAX };
 import { SUBAGENT_RESUME_CAP, SubagentRetainLedger, getOrCreateSessionRetainLedger, ensureSessionReapHook, createResumePrompt, } from "./retain-ledger.js";
 import { recordRosterSpawn } from "./roster-store.js";
 import { ObserverDigestTap, ObserverPairing, createObserverReportToolSpec, markObserverTaskId, unmarkObserverTaskId, isObserverTaskId, ObserverResumeStateError, ObserverStoppedByUserError, observerFramingPrompt, observerSlug, resolveObserverDeclaration, } from "./observer.js";
@@ -224,7 +224,7 @@ export function classifySubagentError(child) {
         ? "rate_limit"
         : code === "server" && (msg.includes("overloaded") || msg.includes("529"))
             ? "overloaded"
-            : code === "limit.timeout" || ((code === "network" || code === "server") && msg.includes("timeout"))
+            : code === "limits.max_walltime_exceeded" || ((code === "network" || code === "server") && msg.includes("timeout"))
                 ? "timeout"
                 : code === "network" || code === "server"
                     ? "network"
@@ -237,7 +237,7 @@ function errorKindClause(c) {
 const FAILED_SESSION_RETAIN_TTL_MS = 15 * 60 * 1000;
 const PARTIAL_FINDINGS_MAX_CHARS = 1200;
 const BG_NOTIFY_DRAIN_WINDOW_MS = 2_000;
-function createBgActivityBeat(parentToolCallId, emitTick) {
+function createBgActivityBeat(parentToolCallId, emitTick, noteActivity) {
     let beats = 0;
     let starts = 0;
     return (e) => {
@@ -248,6 +248,7 @@ function createBgActivityBeat(parentToolCallId, emitTick) {
         if (e.type === "tool_start")
             starts += 1;
         beats += 1;
+        noteActivity?.();
         if (beats === 1 || beats % RUNNING_AGENT_OBSERVE_EVERY_BEATS === 0)
             emitTick(starts);
     };
@@ -395,7 +396,7 @@ export function createSubagentResume(deps) {
                     ...(currentTool !== undefined ? { currentTool } : {}),
                     usage: { toolUses: toolStarts },
                 });
-            });
+            }, deps.registry !== undefined && deps.taskId !== undefined ? () => deps.registry.noteBackgroundAgentActivity(deps.taskId) : undefined);
             stream = childRunner.runTaskStream(resumeSpec, undefined, {
                 ...entry.internalsSnapshot,
                 ...(true
@@ -1149,11 +1150,7 @@ function createSubagentToolNode(opts, depth, excluded, extraToolsBudget) {
             const childSystemPrompt = def?.systemPrompt ?? opts.systemPrompt;
             const childDefaultPersona = childSystemPrompt === undefined && !wantsFork ? SUBAGENT_PROMPT : undefined;
             const defMaxTurns = typeof def?.maxTurns === "number" && Number.isFinite(def.maxTurns) && def.maxTurns > 0 ? def.maxTurns : undefined;
-            const childLimits = defMaxTurns !== undefined
-                ? { ...opts.limits, maxTurns: defMaxTurns }
-                : wantsFork && opts.limits?.maxTurns === undefined
-                    ? { ...opts.limits, maxTurns: FORK_DEFAULT_MAX_TURNS }
-                    : opts.limits;
+            const childLimits = defMaxTurns !== undefined ? { ...opts.limits, maxTurns: defMaxTurns } : opts.limits;
             const nextExcluded = def ? new Set([...excluded, def.name]) : excluded;
             const defAllowsDelegation = def === undefined || toolNameAllowed(opts.name ?? DEFAULT_SUBAGENT_TOOL_NAME, def.allowTools, def.denyTools);
             if (depth + 1 < maxDepth && defAllowsDelegation) {
@@ -1233,7 +1230,7 @@ function createSubagentToolNode(opts, depth, excluded, extraToolsBudget) {
                     enableBlockedReport: false,
                     limits: {
                         maxTurns: typeof observerDef.maxTurns === "number" && Number.isFinite(observerDef.maxTurns) && observerDef.maxTurns > 0 ? observerDef.maxTurns : 8,
-                        timeoutSec: 120,
+                        maxWalltimeMs: 120_000,
                     },
                 });
                 const runObserverLeg = async (spec) => {
@@ -1722,9 +1719,6 @@ function createSubagentToolNode(opts, depth, excluded, extraToolsBudget) {
                     });
                     const forkBgStartedAt = Date.now();
                     const bgForkSpec = { ...buildChildSpec(abort.signal), sessionId: forkedId, requireExistingSession: true, objective: forkObjective };
-                    if (sessionScopedBg && bgForkSpec.limits?.timeoutSec === undefined) {
-                        bgForkSpec.limits = { ...(bgForkSpec.limits ?? {}), timeoutSec: SESSION_BG_DEFAULT_TIMEOUT_SEC };
-                    }
                     const s2ForkNotifyReady = (inject) => {
                         bg.registry.attachAgentNotify(taskId, inject);
                     };
@@ -1744,7 +1738,7 @@ function createSubagentToolNode(opts, depth, excluded, extraToolsBudget) {
                             ...(currentTool !== undefined ? { currentTool } : {}),
                             usage: { toolUses: toolStarts },
                         });
-                    });
+                    }, () => bg.registry.noteBackgroundAgentActivity(taskId));
                     const bgForkInternals = bgSink
                         ? {
                             ...forkInternals,
@@ -2195,9 +2189,6 @@ function createSubagentToolNode(opts, depth, excluded, extraToolsBudget) {
                     ...(forwardDurableApproval ? { durableApproval: { ...ctx.durableApprovalForChildren } } : {}),
                     ...(reviveRow !== undefined ? { requireExistingSession: true } : {}),
                 };
-                if ((sessionScopedBg || reviveRow !== undefined) && bgSpec.limits?.timeoutSec === undefined) {
-                    bgSpec.limits = { ...(bgSpec.limits ?? {}), timeoutSec: SESSION_BG_DEFAULT_TIMEOUT_SEC };
-                }
                 let reviveAttachedResolve;
                 const reviveAttached = reviveRow !== undefined ? new Promise((r) => (reviveAttachedResolve = r)) : undefined;
                 const s2NotifyReady = (inject) => {
@@ -2222,7 +2213,7 @@ function createSubagentToolNode(opts, depth, excluded, extraToolsBudget) {
                         ...(currentTool !== undefined ? { currentTool } : {}),
                         usage: { toolUses: toolStarts },
                     });
-                });
+                }, () => bg.registry.noteBackgroundAgentActivity(taskId));
                 const bgInternals = bgSink
                     ? {
                         ...childInternals,

package/dist/agents/teacher.js

@@ -192,7 +192,7 @@ async function runTeacherCore(runner, studentSpec, teacher) {
             ...helperBase(),
             objective: helperObjective,
             enableBlockedReport: false,
-            limits: { maxTurns: 1, timeoutSec: studentSpec.limits?.timeoutSec },
+            limits: { maxTurns: 1, ...(studentSpec.limits?.maxWalltimeMs !== undefined ? { maxWalltimeMs: studentSpec.limits.maxWalltimeMs } : {}) },
             signal: extSignal,
         });
         await runner.sessions.release(r.sessionId).catch(() => undefined);
@@ -341,7 +341,7 @@ async function runTeacherCore(runner, studentSpec, teacher) {
             ...teacherModelFields(),
             systemPrompt: teacher.prompts?.teacher ?? TEACHER_PROMPT,
             enableBlockedReport: false,
-            limits: { maxTurns: 4, timeoutSec: studentSpec.limits?.timeoutSec },
+            limits: { maxTurns: 4, ...(studentSpec.limits?.maxWalltimeMs !== undefined ? { maxWalltimeMs: studentSpec.limits.maxWalltimeMs } : {}) },
             signal: extSignal,
         });
         await runner.sessions.release(r.sessionId).catch(() => undefined);
@@ -363,7 +363,7 @@ async function runTeacherCore(runner, studentSpec, teacher) {
         else if (result.status === "blocked") {
             trigger = "blocked";
         }
-        else if (result.status === "failed" || result.status === "timeout") {
+        else if (result.status === "failed") {
             trigger = "failed";
         }
         else if (!verifyOutput) {

package/dist/agents/team.d.ts

@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ export interface TeamDiscussionOptions {
     };
     onEvent?: (e: TeamEvent) => void;
     limits?: {
-        timeoutSec?: number;
+        maxWalltimeMs?: number;
         maxTurns?: number;
         maxTokens?: number;
         maxCostUsd?: number;

package/dist/agents/team.js

@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ export async function runTeamDiscussion(opts) {
             : undefined;
     const memberLimits = opts.limits
         ? {
-            ...(opts.limits.timeoutSec !== undefined ? { timeoutSec: opts.limits.timeoutSec } : {}),
+            ...(opts.limits.maxWalltimeMs !== undefined ? { maxWalltimeMs: opts.limits.maxWalltimeMs } : {}),
             ...(opts.limits.maxTurns !== undefined ? { maxTurns: opts.limits.maxTurns } : {}),
         }
         : undefined;

package/dist/agents/verify.js

@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ export async function verifyCompleted(runner, result, specBase, objective, confi
             handsReadOnly: config.verifierHandsReadOnly ?? true,
             outputSchema: VerdictSchema,
             enableBlockedReport: false,
-            limits: { timeoutSec: specBase.limits?.timeoutSec },
+            limits: { ...(specBase.limits?.maxWalltimeMs !== undefined ? { maxWalltimeMs: specBase.limits.maxWalltimeMs } : {}) },
             getApiKeyAndHeaders: specBase.getApiKeyAndHeaders,
             signal: specBase.signal,
         });

package/dist/brain/anthropic.js

@@ -1,9 +1,8 @@
 import {} from "../internal/llm.js";
 import { BrainError } from "./errors.js";
 import { DEGENERATE_MESSAGE, trimDegenerateTail } from "./repetition.js";
-import { createRepetitionPoll, createWalltimeGate, parseStreamedToolArgs } from "./stream-shared.js";
+import { createRepetitionPoll, parseStreamedToolArgs } from "./stream-shared.js";
 import { mintFallbackToolCallId } from "./tool-call-id.js";
-import { WALLTIME_CUTOFF_MESSAGE } from "./walltime.js";
 import { emitBrainTelemetry } from "./status-sink.js";
 import { errorResultMediaNote, IMAGE_OMITTED_NO_VISION, modelSupportsVision, sendableImages } from "./media-degrade.js";
 import { ANTHROPIC_RESERVED, applyExtraBody, stripAuthHeaders } from "./request-params.js";
@@ -233,7 +232,6 @@ export function createAnthropicBrain(config = {}) {
             signal: options?.signal,
             config,
             httpLabel: "anthropic",
-            callDeadlineMs: options?.callDeadlineMs,
             stallTimeouts: options?.stallTimeouts,
             buildRequest: () => {
                 const apiKey = options?.apiKey ?? config.apiKey;
@@ -342,7 +340,6 @@ export function createAnthropicBrain(config = {}) {
                 let degenerate = false;
                 let degenTextBlock;
                 const rep = createRepetitionPoll();
-                const walltime = createWalltimeGate({ callDeadlineMs: options?.callDeadlineMs, isDegenerate: () => degenerate, cancel: () => ctrl.cancel() });
                 let lastDegenCheck = 0;
                 let lastDegenCheckThinking = 0;
                 const detectRep = config.detectRepetition !== false;
@@ -497,10 +494,7 @@ export function createAnthropicBrain(config = {}) {
                             }
                         }
                     },
-                    onDeadline: () => walltime.onDeadline(),
                     onLine(rawLine) {
-                        if (walltime.shouldDropLine())
-                            return;
                         const line = rawLine.trim();
                         if (!line.startsWith("data:"))
                             return;
@@ -576,40 +570,35 @@ export function createAnthropicBrain(config = {}) {
                         const staticReasoningCut = truncatedEmpty && !dynamicCut && reasoningSeen && options?.staticReasoningCutDowngrade === true;
                         const safetyCut = stopReason === "refusal";
                         const contextWindowExceeded = stopReason === "model_context_window_exceeded";
-                        const emptyNoFinish = noUsableContent && stopReason == null && !degenerate && !walltime.cut;
+                        const emptyNoFinish = noUsableContent && stopReason == null && !degenerate;
                         const maxTokensNote = `effective max_tokens=${sentMaxTokens ?? "?"} (from ${sentMaxTokensLane === "options" ? "options.maxTokens" : sentMaxTokensLane === "model" ? "model.maxTokens" : "config default"})`;
-                        const errorMessage = walltime.cut
-                            ? WALLTIME_CUTOFF_MESSAGE
-                            : degenerate
-                                ? DEGENERATE_MESSAGE
-                                : safetyCut
-                                    ? `[refusal] response refused by the model (stop_reason="refusal"${stopDetails?.category ? `, category="${stopDetails.category}"` : ""}) — ${stopDetails?.explanation ?? "the output was withheld for policy and is unreliable"}`
-                                    : contextWindowExceeded
-                                        ? `[invalid_request] model context window exceeded (stop_reason="model_context_window_exceeded") — the conversation no longer fits the model's context window`
-                                        : (toolError ??
-                                            (truncatedEmpty && !dynamicCut && !staticReasoningCut
-                                                ? thinkingRequested
-                                                    ? `[length_empty] response truncated at max_tokens with no answer text (${maxTokensNote}) — extended thinking likely consumed the entire budget; raise max_tokens or lower thinkingBudgetShare`
-                                                    : reasoningSeen
-                                                        ? `[length_empty] response truncated at max_tokens with no answer text (${maxTokensNote}) — the model emitted reasoning although no thinking was requested (a budget-ignoring gateway?) and it consumed the entire output budget; raise max_tokens`
-                                                        : `[length_empty] response truncated at max_tokens with no answer text (${maxTokensNote}); raise max_tokens`
-                                                : emptyNoFinish
-                                                    ? `[stream_torn] model stream ended with no content and no stop_reason — the response was lost (a torn stream or an in-band provider error frame)${malformedFrames > 0 ? ` — ${malformedFrames} unparseable data frame(s) were dropped on this stream (first sample: ${JSON.stringify(malformedSample)})` : ""}`
-                                                    : undefined));
-                        const errored = walltime.cut ||
-                            degenerate ||
+                        const errorMessage = degenerate
+                            ? DEGENERATE_MESSAGE
+                            : safetyCut
+                                ? `[refusal] response refused by the model (stop_reason="refusal"${stopDetails?.category ? `, category="${stopDetails.category}"` : ""}) — ${stopDetails?.explanation ?? "the output was withheld for policy and is unreliable"}`
+                                : contextWindowExceeded
+                                    ? `[invalid_request] model context window exceeded (stop_reason="model_context_window_exceeded") — the conversation no longer fits the model's context window`
+                                    : (toolError ??
+                                        (truncatedEmpty && !dynamicCut && !staticReasoningCut
+                                            ? thinkingRequested
+                                                ? `[length_empty] response truncated at max_tokens with no answer text (${maxTokensNote}) — extended thinking likely consumed the entire budget; raise max_tokens or lower thinkingBudgetShare`
+                                                : reasoningSeen
+                                                    ? `[length_empty] response truncated at max_tokens with no answer text (${maxTokensNote}) — the model emitted reasoning although no thinking was requested (a budget-ignoring gateway?) and it consumed the entire output budget; raise max_tokens`
+                                                    : `[length_empty] response truncated at max_tokens with no answer text (${maxTokensNote}); raise max_tokens`
+                                            : emptyNoFinish
+                                                ? `[stream_torn] model stream ended with no content and no stop_reason — the response was lost (a torn stream or an in-band provider error frame)${malformedFrames > 0 ? ` — ${malformedFrames} unparseable data frame(s) were dropped on this stream (first sample: ${JSON.stringify(malformedSample)})` : ""}`
+                                                : undefined));
+                        const errored = degenerate ||
                             safetyCut ||
                             contextWindowExceeded ||
                             emptyNoFinish ||
                             (toolError !== undefined && noUsableContent) ||
                             (truncatedEmpty && !dynamicCut && !staticReasoningCut);
-                        const errorKind = walltime.cut
-                            ? "walltime_cutoff"
-                            : degenerate
-                                ? "degenerate"
-                                : !safetyCut && toolError === undefined && truncatedEmpty && !dynamicCut && !staticReasoningCut
-                                    ? "length_empty"
-                                    : undefined;
+                        const errorKind = degenerate
+                            ? "degenerate"
+                            : !safetyCut && toolError === undefined && truncatedEmpty && !dynamicCut && !staticReasoningCut
+                                ? "length_empty"
+                                : undefined;
                         const finalMessage = {
                             ...partial,
                             content: finalContent.length > 0 ? finalContent : [{ type: "text", text: "" }],

package/dist/brain/openai.js

@@ -1,9 +1,8 @@
 import {} from "../internal/llm.js";
 import { repairTextToolCalls } from "./tool-call-repair.js";
 import { DEGENERATE_MESSAGE, trimDegenerateTail } from "./repetition.js";
-import { createRepetitionPoll, createWalltimeGate, parseStreamedToolArgs } from "./stream-shared.js";
+import { createRepetitionPoll, parseStreamedToolArgs } from "./stream-shared.js";
 import { mintFallbackToolCallId } from "./tool-call-id.js";
-import { WALLTIME_CUTOFF_MESSAGE } from "./walltime.js";
 import { emitBrainTelemetry } from "./status-sink.js";
 import { errorResultMediaNote, IMAGE_OMITTED_NO_VISION, imagesOmittedNoVisionNote, modelSupportsVision, sendableImages } from "./media-degrade.js";
 import { OPENAI_RESERVED, applyExtraBody, stripAuthHeaders } from "./request-params.js";
@@ -275,7 +274,6 @@ export function createOpenAIBrain(config = {}) {
             signal: options?.signal,
             config,
             httpLabel: "gateway",
-            callDeadlineMs: options?.callDeadlineMs,
             stallTimeouts: options?.stallTimeouts,
             buildRequest: () => {
                 const apiKey = options?.apiKey ?? config.apiKey;
@@ -330,7 +328,6 @@ export function createOpenAIBrain(config = {}) {
                 let degenerate = false;
                 let degenFace;
                 const rep = createRepetitionPoll();
-                const walltime = createWalltimeGate({ callDeadlineMs: options?.callDeadlineMs, isDegenerate: () => degenerate, cancel: () => ctrl.cancel() });
                 let lastDegenCheck = 0;
                 let lastDegenCheckReasoning = 0;
                 const detectRep = config.detectRepetition !== false;
@@ -410,10 +407,7 @@ export function createOpenAIBrain(config = {}) {
                     sealForRetry() {
                         closeThinking();
                     },
-                    onDeadline: () => walltime.onDeadline(),
                     onLine(rawLine) {
-                        if (walltime.shouldDropLine())
-                            return;
                         const line = rawLine.trim();
                         if (!line.startsWith("data:"))
                             return;
@@ -534,40 +528,35 @@ export function createOpenAIBrain(config = {}) {
                         const dynamicCut = truncatedEmpty && options?.maxTokensDynamic === true;
                         const safetyCut = finishReason === "content_filter";
                         const refused = accumRefusal.trim().length > 0;
-                        const emptyNoFinish = noUsableContent && finishReason == null && !degenerate && !walltime.cut;
+                        const emptyNoFinish = noUsableContent && finishReason == null && !degenerate;
                         const maxTokensNote = sentMaxTokens !== undefined
                             ? `effective max_tokens=${sentMaxTokens} (from ${sentMaxTokensLane === "options" ? "options.maxTokens" : "model.maxTokens"})`
                             : "max_tokens not set (neither options.maxTokens nor model.maxTokens — the provider's default cap applied)";
-                        const errorMessage = walltime.cut
-                            ? WALLTIME_CUTOFF_MESSAGE
-                            : degenerate
-                                ? DEGENERATE_MESSAGE
-                                : safetyCut
-                                    ? `[refusal] response cut by the provider content filter (finish_reason="content_filter") — the output was censored/truncated for policy and is unreliable`
-                                    : refused
-                                        ? `[refusal] response refused by the model for policy reasons: ${accumRefusal.trim()}`
-                                        : (toolError ??
-                                            (truncatedEmpty && !dynamicCut
-                                                ? accumReasoning.trim()
-                                                    ? `[length_empty] response truncated at max_tokens (finish_reason="length", ${maxTokensNote}) with no answer text — the model spent the whole budget on reasoning (${accumReasoning.length} reasoning chars). Raise max_tokens, or disable thinking for this task.`
-                                                    : `[length_empty] response truncated at max_tokens (finish_reason="length", ${maxTokensNote}) with no answer text — raise max_tokens`
-                                                : emptyNoFinish
-                                                    ? `[stream_torn] model stream ended with no content and no finish_reason — the response was lost (a torn stream or an in-band provider error frame)${malformedFrames > 0 ? ` — ${malformedFrames} unparseable data frame(s) were dropped on this stream (first sample: ${JSON.stringify(malformedSample)})` : ""}`
-                                                    : undefined));
-                        const errored = walltime.cut ||
-                            degenerate ||
+                        const errorMessage = degenerate
+                            ? DEGENERATE_MESSAGE
+                            : safetyCut
+                                ? `[refusal] response cut by the provider content filter (finish_reason="content_filter") — the output was censored/truncated for policy and is unreliable`
+                                : refused
+                                    ? `[refusal] response refused by the model for policy reasons: ${accumRefusal.trim()}`
+                                    : (toolError ??
+                                        (truncatedEmpty && !dynamicCut
+                                            ? accumReasoning.trim()
+                                                ? `[length_empty] response truncated at max_tokens (finish_reason="length", ${maxTokensNote}) with no answer text — the model spent the whole budget on reasoning (${accumReasoning.length} reasoning chars). Raise max_tokens, or disable thinking for this task.`
+                                                : `[length_empty] response truncated at max_tokens (finish_reason="length", ${maxTokensNote}) with no answer text — raise max_tokens`
+                                            : emptyNoFinish
+                                                ? `[stream_torn] model stream ended with no content and no finish_reason — the response was lost (a torn stream or an in-band provider error frame)${malformedFrames > 0 ? ` — ${malformedFrames} unparseable data frame(s) were dropped on this stream (first sample: ${JSON.stringify(malformedSample)})` : ""}`
+                                                : undefined));
+                        const errored = degenerate ||
                             safetyCut ||
                             refused ||
                             emptyNoFinish ||
                             (toolError !== undefined && noUsableContent) ||
                             (truncatedEmpty && !dynamicCut);
-                        const errorKind = walltime.cut
-                            ? "walltime_cutoff"
-                            : degenerate
-                                ? "degenerate"
-                                : !safetyCut && !refused && toolError === undefined && truncatedEmpty && !dynamicCut
-                                    ? "length_empty"
-                                    : undefined;
+                        const errorKind = degenerate
+                            ? "degenerate"
+                            : !safetyCut && !refused && toolError === undefined && truncatedEmpty && !dynamicCut
+                                ? "length_empty"
+                                : undefined;
                         const finalMessage = {
                             ...partial,
                             content: finalContent.length > 0 ? finalContent : [{ type: "text", text: "" }],

package/dist/brain/stream-engine.d.ts

@@ -18,7 +18,6 @@ export interface StreamControls {
 }
 export interface StreamParser {
     onLine(line: string): void;
-    onDeadline?(): boolean;
     finalize(): void;
     snapshot(): {
         hasSubstantiveText: boolean;
@@ -35,7 +34,6 @@ export declare function runStreamingBrain(args: {
     httpLabel: string;
     buildRequest: () => SSERequest;
     makeParser: (ctrl: StreamControls) => StreamParser;
-    callDeadlineMs?: number;
     stallTimeouts?: {
         connectMs?: number;
         firstTokenMs?: number;

package/dist/brain/stream-engine.js

@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@ import { BrainError, classifyHttp, describeNetworkError } from "./errors.js";
 import { retryBackoffMs } from "./retry.js";
 import { emitBrainStatus, emitBrainTelemetry } from "./status-sink.js";
 import { createConnectController, resolveStallTimeoutMs } from "./timeout.js";
-import { WALLTIME_CUTOFF_MESSAGE } from "./walltime.js";
 const DEFAULT_MAX_RETRIES = 10;
 const MAX_RETRIES_ENV_CEILING = 15;
 const MAX_RETRIES_ENV = "SEMA_MAX_RETRIES";
@@ -43,9 +42,6 @@ function emptyAssistant(model) {
 function isAbortError(err) {
     return err instanceof Error && (err.name === "AbortError" || err.name === "TimeoutError");
 }
-function isWalltimeCutoff(err) {
-    return err instanceof Error && err.message === WALLTIME_CUTOFF_MESSAGE;
-}
 function sleep(ms, signal) {
     return new Promise((resolve) => {
         if (signal?.aborted)
@@ -78,7 +74,7 @@ async function sleepAnnouncingRetry(totalMs, signal, frame) {
     }
 }
 export function runStreamingBrain(args) {
-    const { model, doFetch, signal, config, httpLabel, buildRequest, makeParser, callDeadlineMs, stallTimeouts } = args;
+    const { model, doFetch, signal, config, httpLabel, buildRequest, makeParser, stallTimeouts } = args;
     const out = createAssistantMessageEventStream();
     let cleanup;
     let announcedRetry = false;
@@ -88,13 +84,10 @@ export function runStreamingBrain(args) {
         .catch((err) => {
         const aborted = signal?.aborted === true || isAbortError(err);
         terminalRetryPhase = "gave_up";
-        const walltimeCut = isWalltimeCutoff(err);
-        terminalRetryDetail = aborted ? "cancelled while retrying" : walltimeCut ? "wall-clock deadline reached while retrying" : "retries exhausted";
+        terminalRetryDetail = aborted ? "cancelled while retrying" : "retries exhausted";
         const errorMsg = emptyAssistant(model);
         errorMsg.stopReason = aborted ? "aborted" : "error";
         errorMsg.errorMessage = err instanceof Error ? err.message : String(err);
-        if (walltimeCut)
-            errorMsg.errorKind = "walltime_cutoff";
         errorMsg.usageMissing = true;
         out.push({ type: "error", reason: aborted ? "aborted" : "error", error: errorMsg });
     })
@@ -128,20 +121,13 @@ export function runStreamingBrain(args) {
                     e.name = "AbortError";
                     throw e;
                 }
-                if (callDeadlineMs !== undefined && Date.now() >= callDeadlineMs) {
-                    throw new Error(WALLTIME_CUTOFF_MESSAGE);
-                }
-                const cc = createConnectController(connectTimeoutMs, signal, callDeadlineMs);
+                const cc = createConnectController(connectTimeoutMs, signal);
                 let r;
                 let netErr;
                 try {
                     r = await doFetch(req.url, { method: "POST", headers: req.headers, body: req.body, signal: cc.signal });
                 }
                 catch (e) {
-                    if (cc.deadlineHit()) {
-                        cc.dispose();
-                        throw new Error(WALLTIME_CUTOFF_MESSAGE);
-                    }
                     if (cc.timedOut()) {
                         netErr = new Error(`connect timeout after ${connectTimeoutMs}ms`);
                     }
@@ -153,10 +139,6 @@ export function runStreamingBrain(args) {
                         netErr = e;
                     }
                 }
-                if (r && cc.deadlineHit()) {
-                    cc.dispose();
-                    throw new Error(WALLTIME_CUTOFF_MESSAGE);
-                }
                 if (r && r.ok && r.body) {
                     cc.clearTimer();
                     connect = cc;
@@ -168,13 +150,7 @@ export function runStreamingBrain(args) {
                 const retryable = netErr !== undefined ||
                     (r !== undefined && (r.status >= 500 || r.status === 429 || r.status === 408 || r.status === 409));
                 if (retryable && attempt < maxRetries) {
-                    if (callDeadlineMs !== undefined && Date.now() >= callDeadlineMs) {
-                        throw new Error(WALLTIME_CUTOFF_MESSAGE);
-                    }
                     const delayMs = retryBackoffMs(baseDelay, attempt, r);
-                    if (callDeadlineMs !== undefined && Date.now() + delayMs >= callDeadlineMs) {
-                        throw new Error(WALLTIME_CUTOFF_MESSAGE);
-                    }
                     const statusPhase = r?.status === 429 ? "rate_limited" : netErr !== undefined ? "reconnecting" : "retrying";
                     emitBrainTelemetry({ kind: "retry", attempt: attempt + 1, phase: "connect" });
                     announcedRetry = true;
@@ -228,8 +204,6 @@ export function runStreamingBrain(args) {
                     void reader.cancel().catch(() => undefined);
                 }, idleTimeoutMs);
             };
-            let dlTimer;
-            let deadlineCut = false;
             const sawContentToken = () => {
                 bumpIdle();
                 if (firstTokenSeen)
@@ -250,10 +224,6 @@ export function runStreamingBrain(args) {
                     clearTimeout(idleTimer);
                     idleTimer = undefined;
                 }
-                if (dlTimer) {
-                    clearTimeout(dlTimer);
-                    dlTimer = undefined;
-                }
                 connect?.dispose();
                 void reader.cancel().catch(() => undefined);
             };
@@ -273,14 +243,6 @@ export function runStreamingBrain(args) {
                 sawContentToken,
                 cancel: () => void reader.cancel().catch(() => undefined),
             });
-            if (callDeadlineMs !== undefined && parser.onDeadline) {
-                dlTimer = setTimeout(() => {
-                    dlTimer = undefined;
-                    deadlineCut = parser.onDeadline();
-                    void reader.cancel().catch(() => undefined);
-                }, Math.max(0, callDeadlineMs - Date.now()));
-                dlTimer.unref?.();
-            }
             const INBAND_OVERLOAD_WARNING = "API overloaded mid-response. The response above may be incomplete.";
             const onLineOverloadTierA = (line) => {
                 try {
@@ -334,14 +296,10 @@ export function runStreamingBrain(args) {
                 clearTimeout(idleTimer);
                 idleTimer = undefined;
             }
-            if (dlTimer) {
-                clearTimeout(dlTimer);
-                dlTimer = undefined;
-            }
-            if (!failure && firstTokenTimedOut && !deadlineCut) {
+            if (!failure && firstTokenTimedOut) {
                 failure = { kind: "stalled", err: new BrainError("network", `first-token timeout after ${firstTokenTimeoutMs}ms`) };
             }
-            if (!failure && idleTimedOut && !deadlineCut) {
+            if (!failure && idleTimedOut) {
                 failure = { kind: "stalled", err: new BrainError("network", `stream idle timeout after ${idleTimeoutMs}ms`) };
             }
             if (!failure) {