diff --git a/agent/conversation_loop.py b/agent/conversation_loop.py
index 761c8c0f79e..122cf76883d 100644
--- a/agent/conversation_loop.py
+++ b/agent/conversation_loop.py
@@ -58,7 +58,12 @@ from agent.model_metadata import (
 )
 from agent.process_bootstrap import _install_safe_stdio
 from agent.prompt_caching import apply_anthropic_cache_control
-from agent.retry_utils import adaptive_rate_limit_backoff, jittered_backoff
+from agent.retry_utils import (
+    adaptive_rate_limit_backoff,
+    is_zai_coding_overload_error,
+    jittered_backoff,
+    zai_coding_overload_retry_ceiling,
+)
 from agent.trajectory import has_incomplete_scratchpad
 from agent.usage_pricing import estimate_usage_cost, normalize_usage
 from hermes_constants import PARTIAL_STREAM_STUB_ID
@@ -3142,6 +3147,21 @@ def run_conversation(
                     FailoverReason.timeout,
                     FailoverReason.overloaded,
                 }
+                # Z.AI Coding Plan GLM-5.2 signals server overload as HTTP 429
+                # code 1305 ("temporarily overloaded"). classify_api_error routes
+                # that to `overloaded` (not `rate_limit`) so the credential pool
+                # isn't burned on a valid key — but `overloaded` is excluded from
+                # `is_rate_limited`, which is exactly what gates the adaptive Z.AI
+                # backoff below. Detect the overload 429 directly so its adaptive
+                # long-backoff schedule still runs, and raise the retry ceiling so
+                # the long tier (30/60/90/120s) is actually reachable: the default
+                # ceiling equals the short-retry threshold, so the loop otherwise
+                # gives up after a few quick retries and the long tier is dead code.
+                _is_zai_coding_overload = is_zai_coding_overload_error(
+                    base_url=str(_base), model=_model, error=api_error
+                )
+                if _is_zai_coding_overload:
+                    max_retries = max(max_retries, zai_coding_overload_retry_ceiling())
                 _should_fallback = (
                     is_rate_limited
                     or (_is_transport_failure and retry_count >= 2)
@@ -4092,7 +4112,7 @@ def run_conversation(
                                 pass
                 wait_time = _retry_after if _retry_after else jittered_backoff(retry_count, base_delay=2.0, max_delay=60.0)
                 _backoff_policy = None
-                if is_rate_limited and not _retry_after:
+                if (is_rate_limited or _is_zai_coding_overload) and not _retry_after:
                     wait_time, _backoff_policy = adaptive_rate_limit_backoff(
                         retry_count,
                         base_url=str(_base),
@@ -4100,13 +4120,14 @@ def run_conversation(
                         error=api_error,
                         default_wait=wait_time,
                     )
-                if is_rate_limited:
+                if is_rate_limited or _is_zai_coding_overload:
                     _policy_note = ""
                     if _backoff_policy == "zai_coding_overload_long":
                         _policy_note = " (Z.AI Coding overload adaptive long backoff)"
                     elif _backoff_policy == "zai_coding_overload_short":
                         _policy_note = " (Z.AI Coding overload short retry)"
-                    _rate_limit_status = f"⏱️ Rate limited. Waiting {wait_time:.1f}s (attempt {retry_count + 1}/{max_retries}){_policy_note}..."
+                    _wait_reason = "Provider overloaded" if _is_zai_coding_overload and not is_rate_limited else "Rate limited"
+                    _rate_limit_status = f"⏱️ {_wait_reason}. Waiting {wait_time:.1f}s (attempt {retry_count + 1}/{max_retries}){_policy_note}..."
                     # Normal retries are buffered to avoid noisy transient chatter. Long
                     # Z.AI Coding waits are different: they can last minutes, so surface
                     # progress immediately instead of making the TUI look frozen.
diff --git a/agent/retry_utils.py b/agent/retry_utils.py
index 2922156847b..3fc5645edb6 100644
--- a/agent/retry_utils.py
+++ b/agent/retry_utils.py
@@ -127,3 +127,20 @@ def adaptive_rate_limit_backoff(
     # A smaller jitter ratio keeps long waits readable while still avoiding
     # synchronized retry storms across concurrent Hermes sessions.
     return jittered_backoff(1, base_delay=base_delay, max_delay=base_delay, jitter_ratio=0.2), "zai_coding_overload_long"
+
+
+def zai_coding_overload_retry_ceiling(short_attempts: int = 3) -> int:
+    """Retry-loop ceiling needed for the full Z.AI overload backoff schedule.
+
+    The adaptive policy runs ``short_attempts`` short retries, then walks the
+    long-backoff table one entry per subsequent attempt. The retry loop gives
+    up as soon as ``retry_count >= ceiling`` — and that check runs *before* the
+    attempt's backoff is computed — so the ceiling must sit one past the final
+    long-backoff entry for every long tier to actually execute.
+
+    With the default ``api_max_retries`` (3) equal to ``short_attempts`` (3),
+    the loop always gave up before reaching the long tier, leaving the whole
+    long-backoff schedule as dead code. Callers extend the ceiling to this
+    value for Z.AI Coding overload 429s so the 30/60/90/120s waits run.
+    """
+    return short_attempts + len(_ZAI_CODING_OVERLOAD_LONG_BACKOFF) + 1