diff --git a/run_agent.py b/run_agent.py
index 19f7c23f0c0..a0c266aa595 100644
--- a/run_agent.py
+++ b/run_agent.py
@@ -7391,20 +7391,30 @@ class AIAgent:
                             response_invalid = True
                             error_details.append("response.output is not a list")
                         elif not output_items:
-                            # If we reach here, _run_codex_stream's backfill
-                            # from output_item.done events and text-delta
-                            # synthesis both failed to populate output.
-                            _resp_status = getattr(response, "status", None)
-                            _resp_incomplete = getattr(response, "incomplete_details", None)
-                            logging.warning(
-                                "Codex response.output is empty after stream backfill "
-                                "(status=%s, incomplete_details=%s, model=%s). %s",
-                                _resp_status, _resp_incomplete,
-                                getattr(response, "model", None),
-                                f"api_mode={self.api_mode} provider={self.provider}",
-                            )
-                            response_invalid = True
-                            error_details.append("response.output is empty")
+                            # Stream backfill may have failed, but
+                            # _normalize_codex_response can still recover
+                            # from response.output_text. Only mark invalid
+                            # when that fallback is also absent.
+                            _out_text = getattr(response, "output_text", None)
+                            _out_text_stripped = _out_text.strip() if isinstance(_out_text, str) else ""
+                            if _out_text_stripped:
+                                logger.debug(
+                                    "Codex response.output is empty but output_text is present "
+                                    "(%d chars); deferring to normalization.",
+                                    len(_out_text_stripped),
+                                )
+                            else:
+                                _resp_status = getattr(response, "status", None)
+                                _resp_incomplete = getattr(response, "incomplete_details", None)
+                                logger.warning(
+                                    "Codex response.output is empty after stream backfill "
+                                    "(status=%s, incomplete_details=%s, model=%s). %s",
+                                    _resp_status, _resp_incomplete,
+                                    getattr(response, "model", None),
+                                    f"api_mode={self.api_mode} provider={self.provider}",
+                                )
+                                response_invalid = True
+                                error_details.append("response.output is empty")
                     elif self.api_mode == "anthropic_messages":
                         content_blocks = getattr(response, "content", None) if response is not None else None
                         if response is None:
diff --git a/tests/run_agent/test_run_agent_codex_responses.py b/tests/run_agent/test_run_agent_codex_responses.py
index 4b24fbb1286..ea703ffbb1d 100644
--- a/tests/run_agent/test_run_agent_codex_responses.py
+++ b/tests/run_agent/test_run_agent_codex_responses.py
@@ -386,6 +386,56 @@ def test_run_conversation_codex_plain_text(monkeypatch):
     assert result["messages"][-1]["content"] == "OK"
 
 
+def test_run_conversation_codex_empty_output_with_output_text(monkeypatch):
+    """Regression: empty response.output + valid output_text should succeed,
+    not trigger retry/fallback. The validation stage must defer to
+    _normalize_codex_response which synthesizes output from output_text."""
+    agent = _build_agent(monkeypatch)
+
+    def _empty_output_response(api_kwargs):
+        return SimpleNamespace(
+            output=[],
+            output_text="Hello from Codex",
+            usage=SimpleNamespace(input_tokens=5, output_tokens=3, total_tokens=8),
+            status="completed",
+            model="gpt-5-codex",
+        )
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(agent, "_interruptible_api_call", _empty_output_response)
+
+    result = agent.run_conversation("Say hello")
+
+    assert result["completed"] is True
+    assert result["final_response"] == "Hello from Codex"
+
+
+def test_run_conversation_codex_empty_output_no_output_text_retries(monkeypatch):
+    """When both output and output_text are empty, validation should
+    correctly mark the response as invalid and trigger retry."""
+    agent = _build_agent(monkeypatch)
+    calls = {"api": 0}
+
+    def _fake_api_call(api_kwargs):
+        calls["api"] += 1
+        if calls["api"] == 1:
+            return SimpleNamespace(
+                output=[],
+                output_text=None,
+                usage=SimpleNamespace(input_tokens=5, output_tokens=3, total_tokens=8),
+                status="completed",
+                model="gpt-5-codex",
+            )
+        return _codex_message_response("Recovered")
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(agent, "_interruptible_api_call", _fake_api_call)
+
+    result = agent.run_conversation("Say hello")
+
+    assert calls["api"] >= 2
+    assert result["completed"] is True
+    assert result["final_response"] == "Recovered"
+
+
 def test_run_conversation_codex_refreshes_after_401_and_retries(monkeypatch):
     agent = _build_agent(monkeypatch)
     calls = {"api": 0, "refresh": 0}