diff --git a/agent/conversation_loop.py b/agent/conversation_loop.py
index 421629b4b03..bbc379adf25 100644
--- a/agent/conversation_loop.py
+++ b/agent/conversation_loop.py
@@ -3170,7 +3170,7 @@ def run_conversation(
                     if len(messages) < original_len or (new_tokens > 0 and new_tokens < original_tokens * 0.95) or (new_ctx and new_ctx < old_ctx):
                         if len(messages) < original_len:
                             agent._buffer_status(f"🗜️ Compressed {original_len} → {len(messages)} messages, retrying...")
-                        else:
+                        elif new_tokens > 0 and new_tokens < original_tokens * 0.95:
                             agent._buffer_status(f"🗜️ Compressed ~{original_tokens:,} → ~{new_tokens:,} tokens, retrying...")
                         time.sleep(2)  # Brief pause between compression retries
                         _retry.restart_with_compressed_messages = True