diff --git a/runners/agent-runner/src/index.ts b/runners/agent-runner/src/index.ts
index 07a82db..a951ac2 100644
--- a/runners/agent-runner/src/index.ts
+++ b/runners/agent-runner/src/index.ts
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ interface ContainerInput {
 
 interface ContainerOutput {
   status: 'success' | 'error';
-  phase?: 'progress' | 'final' | 'tool-activity';
+  phase?: 'progress' | 'final' | 'tool-activity' | 'intermediate';
   result: string | null;
   newSessionId?: string;
   error?: string;
@@ -546,6 +546,7 @@ async function runQuery(
     if (message.type !== 'assistant' && pendingProgressText) {
       writeOutput({
         status: 'success',
+        phase: 'intermediate',
         result: pendingProgressText,
         newSessionId,
       });
@@ -625,7 +626,7 @@ async function runQuery(
         log(`Discarding pending progress (matches result)`);
         pendingProgressText = null;
       } else if (pendingProgressText) {
-        writeOutput({ status: 'success', result: pendingProgressText, newSessionId });
+        writeOutput({ status: 'success', phase: 'intermediate', result: pendingProgressText, newSessionId });
         pendingProgressText = null;
       }
       log(`Result #${resultCount}: subtype=${message.subtype}${textResult ? ` text=${textResult.slice(0, 200)}` : ''}`);
@@ -700,6 +701,7 @@ async function runQuery(
         if (pendingProgressText) {
           writeOutput({
             status: 'success',
+            phase: 'intermediate',
             result: pendingProgressText,
             newSessionId,
           });
diff --git a/src/agent-runner.ts b/src/agent-runner.ts
index 37bba21..b3a7b55 100644
--- a/src/agent-runner.ts
+++ b/src/agent-runner.ts
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ export interface AgentInput {
 export interface AgentOutput {
   status: 'success' | 'error';
   result: string | null;
-  phase?: 'progress' | 'final' | 'tool-activity';
+  phase?: 'progress' | 'final' | 'tool-activity' | 'intermediate';
   newSessionId?: string;
   error?: string;
 }
diff --git a/src/message-turn-controller.ts b/src/message-turn-controller.ts
index 5b8e8fc..348f21a 100644
--- a/src/message-turn-controller.ts
+++ b/src/message-turn-controller.ts
@@ -105,6 +105,17 @@ export class MessageTurnController {
       );
     }
 
+    if (result.phase === 'intermediate') {
+      // Send as standalone message without touching progress state
+      if (text) {
+        await this.options.channel.sendMessage(this.options.chatJid, text);
+      }
+      if (!this.poisonedSessionDetected) {
+        this.resetIdleTimer();
+      }
+      return;
+    }
+
     if (result.phase === 'tool-activity') {
       // Ensure a progress message exists for tool activity sub-lines
       if (!this.progressMessageId && !this.progressCreating) {