diff --git a/src/message-agent-executor.ts b/src/message-agent-executor.ts
index 7998d1c..1c0f22d 100644
--- a/src/message-agent-executor.ts
+++ b/src/message-agent-executor.ts
@@ -78,6 +78,7 @@ export async function runAgentForGroup(
     runId: string;
     startSeq?: number | null;
     endSeq?: number | null;
+    hasHumanMessage?: boolean;
     onOutput?: (output: AgentOutput) => Promise<void>;
   },
 ): Promise<'success' | 'error'> {
@@ -159,6 +160,7 @@ export async function runAgentForGroup(
     chatJid,
     runId,
     roomRoleContext,
+    hasHumanMessage: args.hasHumanMessage,
   });
   const effectivePrompt = prompt;
   let pairedExecutionStatus: 'succeeded' | 'failed' = 'failed';
diff --git a/src/message-runtime.ts b/src/message-runtime.ts
index d95bc6c..5f113a3 100644
--- a/src/message-runtime.ts
+++ b/src/message-runtime.ts
@@ -272,6 +272,7 @@ export function createMessageRuntime(deps: MessageRuntimeDeps): {
     options?: {
       startSeq?: number | null;
       endSeq?: number | null;
+      hasHumanMessage?: boolean;
     },
   ): Promise<'success' | 'error'> =>
     runAgentForGroup(
@@ -290,6 +291,7 @@ export function createMessageRuntime(deps: MessageRuntimeDeps): {
         runId,
         startSeq: options?.startSeq,
         endSeq: options?.endSeq,
+        hasHumanMessage: options?.hasHumanMessage,
         onOutput,
       },
     );
@@ -302,6 +304,7 @@ export function createMessageRuntime(deps: MessageRuntimeDeps): {
     channel: Channel;
     startSeq: number | null;
     endSeq: number | null;
+    hasHumanMessage?: boolean;
   }): Promise<{
     outputStatus: 'success' | 'error';
     deliverySucceeded: boolean;
@@ -358,7 +361,7 @@ export function createMessageRuntime(deps: MessageRuntimeDeps): {
         chatJid,
         runId,
         (result) => turnController.handleOutput(result),
-        { startSeq, endSeq },
+        { startSeq, endSeq, hasHumanMessage: args.hasHumanMessage },
       );
 
       const { deliverySucceeded, visiblePhase } =
@@ -755,6 +758,7 @@ export function createMessageRuntime(deps: MessageRuntimeDeps): {
           pendingTaskForChannel.status === 'in_review');
       const turnChannel = useReviewerChannel ? reviewerChannel : channel;
 
+      const hasHumanMsg = !isBotOnlyPairedRoomTurn(chatJid, missedMessages);
       const { deliverySucceeded, visiblePhase } = await executeTurn({
         group,
         prompt,
@@ -763,6 +767,7 @@ export function createMessageRuntime(deps: MessageRuntimeDeps): {
         channel: turnChannel,
         startSeq,
         endSeq,
+        hasHumanMessage: hasHumanMsg,
       });
 
       if (!deliverySucceeded) {
diff --git a/src/paired-execution-context.ts b/src/paired-execution-context.ts
index c85044a..e311cb1 100644
--- a/src/paired-execution-context.ts
+++ b/src/paired-execution-context.ts
@@ -198,6 +198,7 @@ export function preparePairedExecutionContext(args: {
   chatJid: string;
   runId: string;
   roomRoleContext?: RoomRoleContext;
+  hasHumanMessage?: boolean;
 }): PreparedPairedExecutionContext | undefined {
   const { group, chatJid, roomRoleContext } = args;
   if (!roomRoleContext || !group.workDir) {
@@ -217,9 +218,13 @@ export function preparePairedExecutionContext(args: {
   if (roomRoleContext.role === 'owner') {
     // New human message → new ping-pong cycle. Reset round trip counter
     // AND status so the owner turn is not treated as a finalize turn.
+    // Reset status on new human message so the owner gets a fresh working
+    // turn. merge_ready is only reset when a human message is present —
+    // without it, this is a finalize turn after reviewer approval and
+    // resetting would prevent task completion.
     const needsReset =
       latestTask.round_trip_count > 0 ||
-      latestTask.status === 'merge_ready' ||
+      (latestTask.status === 'merge_ready' && args.hasHumanMessage === true) ||
       latestTask.status === 'review_ready' ||
       latestTask.status === 'in_review';
     if (needsReset) {