From ea72ce9e9820451bcf6b41deacd00342fef2c4ae Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Peter Steinberger <steipete@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 19 Aug 2026 06:02:23 -0700
Subject: [PATCH] fix(agents): reject aborted steer before acceptance (#126314)

---
 .../run/attempt-queue-message.ts              |  6 ++-
 .../run/attempt.queue-message.test.ts         | 43 +++++++++++++++++++
 2 files changed, 47 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-)

diff --git a/src/agents/embedded-agent-runner/run/attempt-queue-message.ts b/src/agents/embedded-agent-runner/run/attempt-queue-message.ts
index a2135e9f71a2..abf8c8535120 100644
--- a/src/agents/embedded-agent-runner/run/attempt-queue-message.ts
+++ b/src/agents/embedded-agent-runner/run/attempt-queue-message.ts
@@ -318,9 +318,11 @@ async function steerAndWaitForTranscriptCommit(
     );
     function onAbort() {
       abortRequested = true;
-      if (accepted) {
-        rejectAfterCancellation("queued steering message was cancelled before delivery");
+      if (!accepted) {
+        rejectBeforeAcceptance("queued steering message was cancelled before acceptance");
+        return;
       }
+      rejectAfterCancellation("queued steering message was cancelled before delivery");
     }
     abortSignal?.addEventListener("abort", onAbort, { once: true });
   });
diff --git a/src/agents/embedded-agent-runner/run/attempt.queue-message.test.ts b/src/agents/embedded-agent-runner/run/attempt.queue-message.test.ts
index 837cb86d0622..58513496d532 100644
--- a/src/agents/embedded-agent-runner/run/attempt.queue-message.test.ts
+++ b/src/agents/embedded-agent-runner/run/attempt.queue-message.test.ts
@@ -348,6 +348,49 @@ describe("embedded OpenClaw queued steering cancellation", () => {
     }
   });
 
+  it("fences an aborted steer before delayed preparation can enqueue it", async () => {
+    let releasePreparation!: () => void;
+    const preparation = new Promise<void>((resolve) => {
+      releasePreparation = resolve;
+    });
+    let preparationStarted!: () => void;
+    const started = new Promise<void>((resolve) => {
+      preparationStarted = resolve;
+    });
+    let enqueued = false;
+    const onQueueAccepted = vi.fn();
+    const activeSession: EmbeddedAgentActiveSessionSteerTarget = {
+      steer: async (_text, _images, _recorder, _media, _imageOrder, _identity, canInject) => {
+        preparationStarted();
+        await preparation;
+        if (canInject && !canInject()) {
+          throw new Error("active session is finalizing");
+        }
+        enqueued = true;
+      },
+      subscribe: () => () => {},
+    };
+    const controller = new AbortController();
+    const wait = steerActiveSessionWithOptionalDeliveryWait(activeSession, "delayed steer", {
+      abortSignal: controller.signal,
+      deliveryTimeoutMs: 10_000,
+      onQueueAccepted,
+      waitForTranscriptCommit: true,
+    });
+    const rejection = expect(wait).rejects.toThrow(
+      "queued steering message was cancelled before acceptance",
+    );
+
+    await started;
+    controller.abort();
+    releasePreparation();
+
+    await rejection;
+    expect(enqueued).toBe(false);
+    expect(onQueueAccepted).toHaveBeenCalledOnce();
+    expect(onQueueAccepted).toHaveBeenCalledWith(false);
+  });
+
   it("matches identical steering text by stable queue identity", async () => {
     let emit!: (event: unknown) => void;
     const first = {