diff --git a/plugins/codex/agents/codex-rescue.md b/plugins/codex/agents/codex-rescue.md
index 7009ec86a..e07c63a2e 100644
--- a/plugins/codex/agents/codex-rescue.md
+++ b/plugins/codex/agents/codex-rescue.md
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ Selection guidance:
 
 Forwarding rules:
 
-- Use exactly one `Bash` call to invoke `node "${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/scripts/codex-companion.mjs" task ...`.
+- Use exactly one `Bash` call to invoke `node "${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/scripts/codex-companion.mjs" task [routing flags] -- "<prompt>"`.
 - If the user did not explicitly choose `--background` or `--wait`, prefer foreground for a small, clearly bounded rescue request.
 - If the user did not explicitly choose `--background` or `--wait` and the task looks complicated, open-ended, multi-step, or likely to keep Codex running for a long time, prefer background execution.
 - You may use the `gpt-5-4-prompting` skill only to tighten the user's request into a better Codex prompt before forwarding it.
@@ -33,6 +33,8 @@ Forwarding rules:
 - Treat `--effort <value>` and `--model <value>` as runtime controls and do not include them in the task text you pass through.
 - Default to a write-capable Codex run by adding `--write` unless the user explicitly asks for read-only behavior or only wants review, diagnosis, or research without edits.
 - Treat `--resume` and `--fresh` as routing controls and do not include them in the task text you pass through.
+- Place task routing flags (`--write`, `--resume-last`, `--model`, `--effort`, `--cwd`, etc.) before a `--` separator, then pass the natural-language prompt after `--`. Never put prompt text before `--`.
+- `--background` and `--wait` are Claude-side execution control only. Strip them before calling `task` and never place them among the flags before `--`.
 - `--resume` means add `--resume-last`.
 - `--fresh` means do not add `--resume-last`.
 - If the user is clearly asking to continue prior Codex work in this repository, such as "continue", "keep going", "resume", "apply the top fix", or "dig deeper", add `--resume-last` unless `--fresh` is present.
diff --git a/plugins/codex/scripts/codex-companion.mjs b/plugins/codex/scripts/codex-companion.mjs
index 83df468ad..c75a826bd 100644
--- a/plugins/codex/scripts/codex-companion.mjs
+++ b/plugins/codex/scripts/codex-companion.mjs
@@ -763,6 +763,7 @@ async function handleTask(argv) {
   const { options, positionals } = parseCommandInput(argv, {
     valueOptions: ["model", "effort", "cwd", "prompt-file"],
     booleanOptions: ["json", "write", "resume-last", "resume", "fresh", "background"],
+    stopAtFirstPositional: true,
     aliasMap: {
       m: "model"
     }
diff --git a/plugins/codex/scripts/lib/args.mjs b/plugins/codex/scripts/lib/args.mjs
index 6b1518502..2334d77fa 100644
--- a/plugins/codex/scripts/lib/args.mjs
+++ b/plugins/codex/scripts/lib/args.mjs
@@ -5,11 +5,12 @@ export function parseArgs(argv, config = {}) {
   const options = {};
   const positionals = [];
   let passthrough = false;
+  let stopOptions = false;
 
   for (let index = 0; index < argv.length; index += 1) {
     const token = argv[index];
 
-    if (passthrough) {
+    if (passthrough || stopOptions) {
       positionals.push(token);
       continue;
     }
@@ -21,6 +22,9 @@ export function parseArgs(argv, config = {}) {
 
     if (!token.startsWith("-") || token === "-") {
       positionals.push(token);
+      if (config.stopAtFirstPositional) {
+        stopOptions = true;
+      }
       continue;
     }
 
@@ -46,6 +50,9 @@ export function parseArgs(argv, config = {}) {
       }
 
       positionals.push(token);
+      if (config.stopAtFirstPositional) {
+        stopOptions = true;
+      }
       continue;
     }
 
@@ -68,6 +75,9 @@ export function parseArgs(argv, config = {}) {
     }
 
     positionals.push(token);
+    if (config.stopAtFirstPositional) {
+      stopOptions = true;
+    }
   }
 
   return { options, positionals };
diff --git a/plugins/codex/scripts/lib/codex.mjs b/plugins/codex/scripts/lib/codex.mjs
index fead00cc4..9f3931bb2 100644
--- a/plugins/codex/scripts/lib/codex.mjs
+++ b/plugins/codex/scripts/lib/codex.mjs
@@ -535,8 +535,20 @@ function applyTurnNotification(state, message) {
       }
       break;
     case "error":
+      if (message.params?.willRetry) {
+        emitProgress(
+          state.onProgress,
+          `Codex error (retrying): ${message.params.error?.message ?? "unknown error"}`,
+          resolveErrorProgressPhase(message.params)
+        );
+        break;
+      }
       state.error = message.params.error;
-      emitProgress(state.onProgress, `Codex error: ${message.params.error.message}`, "failed");
+      emitProgress(
+        state.onProgress,
+        `Codex error: ${message.params.error.message}`,
+        resolveErrorProgressPhase(message.params)
+      );
       break;
     case "turn/completed":
       if ((message.params.threadId ?? null) !== state.threadId) {
@@ -550,6 +562,9 @@ function applyTurnNotification(state, message) {
         "finalizing"
       );
       completeTurn(state, message.params.turn);
+      if (message.params.turn.status === "completed") {
+        state.error = null;
+      }
       break;
     default:
       break;
@@ -751,7 +766,18 @@ async function resumeThread(client, threadId, cwd, options = {}) {
   return client.request("thread/resume", buildResumeParams(threadId, cwd, options));
 }
 
-function buildResultStatus(turnState) {
+export function shouldStoreTurnError(params = {}) {
+  return Boolean(params.error) && params.willRetry !== true;
+}
+
+export function resolveErrorProgressPhase(params = {}) {
+  return params.willRetry === true ? "retrying" : "failed";
+}
+
+export function buildResultStatus(turnState) {
+  if (turnState.error) {
+    return 1;
+  }
   return turnState.finalTurn?.status === "completed" ? 0 : 1;
 }
 
diff --git a/plugins/codex/scripts/lib/process.mjs b/plugins/codex/scripts/lib/process.mjs
index dd8fc3751..13da41b6c 100644
--- a/plugins/codex/scripts/lib/process.mjs
+++ b/plugins/codex/scripts/lib/process.mjs
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import { spawnSync } from "node:child_process";
+import fs from "node:fs";
 import process from "node:process";
 
 export function runCommand(command, args = [], options = {}) {
@@ -36,7 +37,12 @@ export function runCommandChecked(command, args = [], options = {}) {
 }
 
 export function binaryAvailable(command, versionArgs = ["--version"], options = {}) {
-  const result = runCommand(command, versionArgs, options);
+  const probeOptions = { ...options };
+  if (probeOptions.cwd && !fs.existsSync(probeOptions.cwd)) {
+    delete probeOptions.cwd;
+  }
+
+  const result = runCommand(command, versionArgs, probeOptions);
   if (result.error && /** @type {NodeJS.ErrnoException} */ (result.error).code === "ENOENT") {
     return { available: false, detail: "not found" };
   }
diff --git a/plugins/codex/skills/codex-cli-runtime/SKILL.md b/plugins/codex/skills/codex-cli-runtime/SKILL.md
index 0e91bfb50..036778efd 100644
--- a/plugins/codex/skills/codex-cli-runtime/SKILL.md
+++ b/plugins/codex/skills/codex-cli-runtime/SKILL.md
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ user-invocable: false
 Use this skill only inside the `codex:codex-rescue` subagent.
 
 Primary helper:
-- `node "${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/scripts/codex-companion.mjs" task "<raw arguments>"`
+- `node "${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/scripts/codex-companion.mjs" task [routing flags] -- "<prompt>"`
 
 Execution rules:
 - The rescue subagent is a forwarder, not an orchestrator. Its only job is to invoke `task` once and return that stdout unchanged.
@@ -38,6 +38,8 @@ Command selection:
 Safety rules:
 - Default to write-capable Codex work in `codex:codex-rescue` unless the user explicitly asks for read-only behavior.
 - Preserve the user's task text as-is apart from stripping routing flags.
+- Always insert `--` immediately before the natural-language prompt. Put task routing flags (`--write`, `--resume-last`, `--model`, `--effort`, `--cwd`, etc.) before `--` and never include prompt text before `--`.
+- Never place `--background` or `--wait` before `--`; those are Claude-side only and must already have been stripped.
 - Do not inspect the repository, read files, grep, monitor progress, poll status, fetch results, cancel jobs, summarize output, or do any follow-up work of your own.
 - Return the stdout of the `task` command exactly as-is.
 - If the Bash call fails or Codex cannot be invoked, return nothing.
diff --git a/tests/args.test.mjs b/tests/args.test.mjs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..36acac2d5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/args.test.mjs
@@ -0,0 +1,84 @@
+import assert from "node:assert/strict";
+import test from "node:test";
+
+import { parseArgs } from "../plugins/codex/scripts/lib/args.mjs";
+
+const TASK_CONFIG = {
+  valueOptions: ["model", "effort", "cwd", "prompt-file"],
+  booleanOptions: ["json", "write", "resume-last", "resume", "fresh", "background"],
+  aliasMap: {
+    m: "model",
+    C: "cwd"
+  }
+};
+
+test("parseArgs with stopAtFirstPositional keeps prompt fragments out of options", () => {
+  const result = parseArgs(["--write", "review", "-m", "pytest"], {
+    ...TASK_CONFIG,
+    stopAtFirstPositional: true
+  });
+
+  assert.equal(result.options.write, true);
+  assert.equal(result.options.model, undefined);
+  assert.equal(result.positionals.join(" "), "review -m pytest");
+});
+
+test("parseArgs without stopAtFirstPositional still consumes -m as model", () => {
+  const result = parseArgs(["--write", "review", "-m", "pytest"], TASK_CONFIG);
+
+  assert.equal(result.options.write, true);
+  assert.equal(result.options.model, "pytest");
+  assert.equal(result.positionals.join(" "), "review");
+});
+
+test("parseArgs honors -- passthrough before stopAtFirstPositional matters", () => {
+  const result = parseArgs(["--write", "--", "-m", "pytest"], {
+    ...TASK_CONFIG,
+    stopAtFirstPositional: true
+  });
+
+  assert.equal(result.options.write, true);
+  assert.equal(result.options.model, undefined);
+  assert.equal(result.positionals.join(" "), "-m pytest");
+});
+
+test("stopAtFirstPositional stops after unrecognized long option becomes positional", () => {
+  const result = parseArgs(["--write", "--coverage", "run", "-m", "pytest"], {
+    ...TASK_CONFIG,
+    stopAtFirstPositional: true
+  });
+
+  assert.equal(result.options.write, true);
+  assert.equal(result.options.model, undefined);
+  assert.equal(result.positionals.join(" "), "--coverage run -m pytest");
+});
+
+test("without stopAtFirstPositional unrecognized long then -m still sets model", () => {
+  const result = parseArgs(["--write", "--coverage", "run", "-m", "pytest"], TASK_CONFIG);
+
+  assert.equal(result.options.write, true);
+  assert.equal(result.options.model, "pytest");
+  assert.equal(result.positionals.join(" "), "--coverage run");
+});
+
+test("stopAtFirstPositional stops after unrecognized short option becomes positional", () => {
+  const result = parseArgs(["--write", "-z", "-m", "pytest"], {
+    ...TASK_CONFIG,
+    stopAtFirstPositional: true
+  });
+
+  assert.equal(result.options.write, true);
+  assert.equal(result.options.model, undefined);
+  assert.equal(result.positionals.join(" "), "-z -m pytest");
+});
+
+test("stopAtFirstPositional still parses recognized flags before first positional", () => {
+  const result = parseArgs(["--write", "--model", "spark", "fix it"], {
+    ...TASK_CONFIG,
+    stopAtFirstPositional: true
+  });
+
+  assert.equal(result.options.write, true);
+  assert.equal(result.options.model, "spark");
+  assert.equal(result.positionals.join(" "), "fix it");
+});
diff --git a/tests/codex-turn-status.test.mjs b/tests/codex-turn-status.test.mjs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..362a82485
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/codex-turn-status.test.mjs
@@ -0,0 +1,72 @@
+import assert from "node:assert/strict";
+import test from "node:test";
+
+import {
+  buildResultStatus,
+  resolveErrorProgressPhase,
+  shouldStoreTurnError
+} from "../plugins/codex/scripts/lib/codex.mjs";
+
+test("resolveErrorProgressPhase uses retrying for willRetry errors", () => {
+  assert.equal(
+    resolveErrorProgressPhase({
+      willRetry: true,
+      error: { message: "x" }
+    }),
+    "retrying"
+  );
+  assert.equal(resolveErrorProgressPhase({ error: { message: "x" } }), "failed");
+  assert.equal(resolveErrorProgressPhase({}), "failed");
+});
+
+test("shouldStoreTurnError ignores retriable app-server errors", () => {
+  assert.equal(
+    shouldStoreTurnError({
+      error: { message: "transient" },
+      willRetry: true
+    }),
+    false
+  );
+  assert.equal(
+    shouldStoreTurnError({
+      error: { message: "terminal" }
+    }),
+    true
+  );
+});
+
+test("buildResultStatus fails when turnState.error is set despite completed finalTurn", () => {
+  const status = buildResultStatus({
+    error: { message: "boom" },
+    finalTurn: { id: "turn_1", status: "completed" }
+  });
+
+  assert.equal(status, 1);
+});
+
+test("buildResultStatus succeeds for completed turn without error", () => {
+  const status = buildResultStatus({
+    error: null,
+    finalTurn: { id: "turn_1", status: "completed" }
+  });
+
+  assert.equal(status, 0);
+});
+
+test("buildResultStatus fails for non-completed finalTurn", () => {
+  const status = buildResultStatus({
+    error: null,
+    finalTurn: { id: "turn_1", status: "failed" }
+  });
+
+  assert.equal(status, 1);
+});
+
+test("buildResultStatus fails when only error is present", () => {
+  const status = buildResultStatus({
+    error: { message: "x" },
+    finalTurn: null
+  });
+
+  assert.equal(status, 1);
+});
diff --git a/tests/commands.test.mjs b/tests/commands.test.mjs
index c34b06059..42d0b74f2 100644
--- a/tests/commands.test.mjs
+++ b/tests/commands.test.mjs
@@ -130,6 +130,14 @@ test("rescue command absorbs continue semantics", () => {
   assert.match(agent, /prefer foreground for a small, clearly bounded rescue request/i);
   assert.match(agent, /If the user did not explicitly choose `--background` or `--wait` and the task looks complicated, open-ended, multi-step, or likely to keep Codex running for a long time, prefer background execution/i);
   assert.match(agent, /Use exactly one `Bash` call/i);
+  assert.match(agent, /task \[routing flags\] -- "<prompt>"/);
+  assert.match(agent, /Never put prompt text before `--`/i);
+  assert.match(agent, /`--background` and `--wait` are Claude-side execution control only/i);
+  assert.match(agent, /never place them among the flags before `--`/i);
+  assert.doesNotMatch(
+    agent,
+    /Place (?:task )?routing flags \(`--write`[^)]*`--background`/
+  );
   assert.match(agent, /Do not inspect the repository, read files, grep, monitor progress, poll status, fetch results, cancel jobs, summarize output, or do any follow-up work of your own/i);
   assert.match(agent, /Do not call `review`, `adversarial-review`, `status`, `result`, or `cancel`/i);
   assert.match(agent, /Leave `--effort` unset unless the user explicitly requests a specific reasoning effort/i);
@@ -192,7 +200,9 @@ test("internal docs use task terminology for rescue runs", () => {
   const promptingSkill = read("skills/gpt-5-4-prompting/SKILL.md");
   const promptRecipes = read("skills/gpt-5-4-prompting/references/codex-prompt-recipes.md");
 
-  assert.match(runtimeSkill, /codex-companion\.mjs" task "<raw arguments>"/);
+  assert.match(runtimeSkill, /codex-companion\.mjs" task \[routing flags\] -- "<prompt>"/);
+  assert.match(runtimeSkill, /Never include prompt text before `--`/i);
+  assert.match(runtimeSkill, /Never place `--background` or `--wait` before `--`/i);
   assert.match(runtimeSkill, /Use `task` for every rescue request/i);
   assert.match(runtimeSkill, /task --resume-last/i);
   assert.match(promptingSkill, /Use `task` when the task is diagnosis/i);
diff --git a/tests/process.test.mjs b/tests/process.test.mjs
index 80e0715b0..d51956100 100644
--- a/tests/process.test.mjs
+++ b/tests/process.test.mjs
@@ -1,7 +1,25 @@
 import test from "node:test";
 import assert from "node:assert/strict";
 
-import { terminateProcessTree } from "../plugins/codex/scripts/lib/process.mjs";
+import process from "node:process";
+
+import { binaryAvailable, terminateProcessTree } from "../plugins/codex/scripts/lib/process.mjs";
+
+test("binaryAvailable ignores a missing cwd for version probes", () => {
+  const status = binaryAvailable(process.execPath, ["--version"], {
+    cwd: "/does/not/exist"
+  });
+
+  assert.equal(status.available, true);
+});
+
+test("binaryAvailable still reports a missing binary when cwd is invalid", () => {
+  const status = binaryAvailable("definitely-not-a-real-binary-xyz", ["--version"], {
+    cwd: "/does/not/exist"
+  });
+
+  assert.equal(status.available, false);
+});
 
 test("terminateProcessTree uses taskkill on Windows", () => {
   let captured = null;
diff --git a/tests/runtime.test.mjs b/tests/runtime.test.mjs
index 8f276835b..0d0502429 100644
--- a/tests/runtime.test.mjs
+++ b/tests/runtime.test.mjs
@@ -763,6 +763,29 @@ test("task --fresh is treated as routing control and does not leak into the prom
   assert.equal(fakeState.lastTurnStart.prompt, "diagnose the flaky test");
 });
 
+test("task does not treat prompt fragments as --model when passed as one raw argument", () => {
+  const repo = makeTempDir();
+  const binDir = makeTempDir();
+  const statePath = path.join(binDir, "fake-codex-state.json");
+  installFakeCodex(binDir);
+  initGitRepo(repo);
+  fs.writeFileSync(path.join(repo, "README.md"), "hello\n");
+  run("git", ["add", "README.md"], { cwd: repo });
+  run("git", ["commit", "-m", "init"], { cwd: repo });
+
+  const prompt =
+    '--write review the conflict_scan.cli module and run -m pytest to verify';
+  const result = run("node", [SCRIPT, "task", prompt], {
+    cwd: repo,
+    env: buildEnv(binDir)
+  });
+
+  assert.equal(result.status, 0, result.stderr);
+  const fakeState = JSON.parse(fs.readFileSync(statePath, "utf8"));
+  assert.notEqual(fakeState.lastTurnStart.model, "pytest");
+  assert.match(fakeState.lastTurnStart.prompt, /-m pytest/);
+});
+
 test("task forwards model selection and reasoning effort to app-server turn/start", () => {
   const repo = makeTempDir();
   const binDir = makeTempDir();