diff --git a/hermes_cli/debug.py b/hermes_cli/debug.py
index 2d7fbd207..d5947be82 100644
--- a/hermes_cli/debug.py
+++ b/hermes_cli/debug.py
@@ -332,24 +332,29 @@ class LogSnapshot:
     tail_text: str
     full_text: Optional[str]
 
-def _resolve_log_path(log_name: str) -> Optional[Path]:
-    """Find the log file for *log_name*, falling back to the .1 rotation.
-
-    Returns the path if found, or None.
-    """
+def _primary_log_path(log_name: str) -> Optional[Path]:
+    """Where *log_name* would live if present. Doesn't check existence."""
     from hermes_cli.logs import LOG_FILES
 
     filename = LOG_FILES.get(log_name)
-    if not filename:
+    return (get_hermes_home() / "logs" / filename) if filename else None
+
+
+def _resolve_log_path(log_name: str) -> Optional[Path]:
+    """Find the log file for *log_name*, falling back to the .1 rotation.
+
+    Returns the first non-empty candidate (primary, then .1), or None.
+    Callers distinguish 'empty primary' from 'truly missing' via
+    :func:`_primary_log_path`.
+    """
+    primary = _primary_log_path(log_name)
+    if primary is None:
         return None
 
-    log_dir = get_hermes_home() / "logs"
-    primary = log_dir / filename
     if primary.exists() and primary.stat().st_size > 0:
         return primary
 
-    # Fall back to the most recent rotated file (.1).
-    rotated = log_dir / f"{filename}.1"
+    rotated = primary.parent / f"{primary.name}.1"
     if rotated.exists() and rotated.stat().st_size > 0:
         return rotated
 
@@ -370,12 +375,15 @@ def _capture_log_snapshot(
     """
     log_path = _resolve_log_path(log_name)
     if log_path is None:
-        return LogSnapshot(path=None, tail_text="(file not found)", full_text=None)
+        primary = _primary_log_path(log_name)
+        tail = "(file empty)" if primary and primary.exists() else "(file not found)"
+        return LogSnapshot(path=None, tail_text=tail, full_text=None)
 
     try:
         size = log_path.stat().st_size
         if size == 0:
-            return LogSnapshot(path=log_path, tail_text="(file not found)", full_text=None)
+            # race: file was truncated between _resolve_log_path and stat
+            return LogSnapshot(path=log_path, tail_text="(file empty)", full_text=None)
 
         with open(log_path, "rb") as f:
             if size <= max_bytes:
diff --git a/tests/hermes_cli/test_debug.py b/tests/hermes_cli/test_debug.py
index 91795151b..4bba56867 100644
--- a/tests/hermes_cli/test_debug.py
+++ b/tests/hermes_cli/test_debug.py
@@ -158,14 +158,27 @@ class TestCaptureLogSnapshot:
         assert snap.full_text is None
         assert snap.tail_text == "(file not found)"
 
-    def test_returns_none_for_empty(self, hermes_home):
-        # Truncate agent.log to empty
+    def test_empty_primary_reports_file_empty(self, hermes_home):
+        """Empty primary (no .1 fallback) surfaces as '(file empty)', not missing."""
         (hermes_home / "logs" / "agent.log").write_text("")
 
         from hermes_cli.debug import _capture_log_snapshot
         snap = _capture_log_snapshot("agent", tail_lines=10)
         assert snap.full_text is None
-        assert snap.tail_text == "(file not found)"
+        assert snap.tail_text == "(file empty)"
+
+    def test_race_truncate_after_resolve_reports_empty(self, hermes_home, monkeypatch):
+        """If the log is truncated between resolve and stat, say 'empty', not 'missing'."""
+        log_path = hermes_home / "logs" / "agent.log"
+        from hermes_cli import debug
+
+        monkeypatch.setattr(debug, "_resolve_log_path", lambda _name: log_path)
+        log_path.write_text("")
+
+        snap = debug._capture_log_snapshot("agent", tail_lines=10)
+        assert snap.path == log_path
+        assert snap.full_text is None
+        assert snap.tail_text == "(file empty)"
 
     def test_truncates_large_file(self, hermes_home):
         """Files larger than max_bytes get tail-truncated."""