diff --git a/run/executor.go b/run/executor.go
index 63de88a..4176447 100644
--- a/run/executor.go
+++ b/run/executor.go
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import (
 	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"log/slog"
+	"strings"
 	"time"
 
 	"gitea.stevedudenhoeffer.com/steve/majordomo/agent"
@@ -500,6 +501,15 @@ func (e *Executor) Run(ctx context.Context, ra RunnableAgent, inv tool.Invocatio
 		// small fixed step cap so a misread nudge can't start a new work spree.
 		// The nudge round's failure is non-fatal — the original successful result
 		// stands (any attachments it queued before failing still deliver).
+		//
+		// The nudge round's job is to QUEUE deliveries (tool calls); its TEXT is
+		// meta-commentary ("answer above stands", "sent!") that must never replace
+		// the answer the user asked for — hosts deliver Output text + separately
+		// drained attachments, so replacing Output with the nudge round's closer
+		// LOSES the real answer (live regression: run d5ec39f4, a research run's
+		// page-cache false positive whose nudge reply "my answer above stands
+		// as-is" was delivered INSTEAD of the answer). Keep the original Output
+		// unless it was blank; log what was discarded so hosts can audit.
 		if runErr == nil && runRes != nil && e.cfg.Ports.FinalGuard != nil {
 			state := FinalState{
 				Output:        runRes.Output,
@@ -529,7 +539,20 @@ func (e *Executor) Run(ctx context.Context, ra RunnableAgent, inv tool.Invocatio
 					slog.Warn("run: final-nudge round failed; keeping original result",
 						"run_id", inv.RunID, "error", nudgeErr)
 				} else if nudgeRes != nil {
-					runRes.Output = nudgeRes.Output
+					if strings.TrimSpace(runRes.Output) == "" {
+						// Degenerate original (blank stop turn): the nudge round's
+						// text is the only answer there is.
+						runRes.Output = nudgeRes.Output
+					} else if rec != nil {
+						// Discarded meta-text stays observable: a nudge round that
+						// DECLINED to queue while the original claims a send shows
+						// up here, not in the user's reply.
+						rec.LogEvent("final_nudge_result", map[string]any{
+							"discarded_output": nudgeRes.Output,
+						})
+					}
+					// The transcript keeps the nudge round either way (audit,
+					// PostRun, checkpoint continuity).
 					runRes.Messages = nudgeRes.Messages
 				}
 			}
diff --git a/run/final_guard.go b/run/final_guard.go
index 6ea813e..4ae4c11 100644
--- a/run/final_guard.go
+++ b/run/final_guard.go
@@ -20,10 +20,17 @@ import (
 // A non-empty nudge sends the loop back for ONE bounded extra round: the nudge
 // is appended to the SAME conversation as the next user turn and the agent
 // runs again with the same toolbox, capped at finalNudgeMaxSteps steps — enough
-// to deliver a stranded artifact (or correct the final text), not enough to
-// start a new project. The guard is consulted at most ONCE per run; the nudge
-// round's own stop turn is final. Multi-phase runs are not guarded (their
-// output contract is the phase pipeline's, not a delivery surface's).
+// to deliver a stranded artifact, not enough to start a new project. The guard
+// is consulted at most ONCE per run; the nudge round's own stop turn is final.
+// Multi-phase runs are not guarded (their output contract is the phase
+// pipeline's, not a delivery surface's).
+//
+// OUTPUT CONTRACT: the nudge round exists to make TOOL CALLS (queue the
+// delivery); its final TEXT is discarded — the run's Output stays the original
+// answer unless that answer was blank. A host's nudge message should say so
+// explicitly ("any text you write here is not shown to the user"), and must
+// not instruct the model to compose a corrected reply. Discarded nudge text is
+// recorded as a final_nudge_result audit event.
 //
 // The call runs on the run goroutine, inside the run's deadline, and is
 // panic-isolated: a guard panic is logged and treated as "" (the run's
diff --git a/run/final_guard_test.go b/run/final_guard_test.go
index ecce145..c2b472b 100644
--- a/run/final_guard_test.go
+++ b/run/final_guard_test.go
@@ -41,17 +41,21 @@ func (r *eventRecorder) LogEvent(eventType string, _ map[string]any) {
 
 // TestFinalGuardNudgeRunsOneExtraRound is the core announce-then-stop fix: the
 // model stops with "Done — sent!" (nothing delivered), the guard returns a
-// nudge, and the SAME conversation runs one more round — here a tool call then
-// a corrected final answer. The guard is consulted exactly once (the nudge
-// round's own stop is final), and the audit log records the nudge.
+// nudge, and the SAME conversation runs one more round — here a tool call
+// (queueing the delivery) then a closing text turn. The guard is consulted
+// exactly once (the nudge round's own stop is final), the audit log records
+// the nudge, and the ORIGINAL answer text survives: the nudge round's closer
+// is discarded (recorded as final_nudge_result), because hosts deliver Output
+// text + separately-drained attachments — replacing Output with the closer is
+// the run-d5ec39f4 lost-answer regression.
 func TestFinalGuardNudgeRunsOneExtraRound(t *testing.T) {
 	fp := fake.New("fake")
 	fp.Enqueue("m",
 		fake.Reply("Done — sent you the file!"),
 		// Nudge round: an (unregistered → tolerated error result) delivery call,
-		// then the corrected final answer.
+		// then a meta closer that must NOT become the run output.
 		fake.ReplyWith(llm.Response{ToolCalls: []llm.ToolCall{{ID: "c1", Name: "send_attachments", Arguments: []byte(`{}`)}}}),
-		fake.Reply("delivered for real"),
+		fake.Reply("queued the file — answer above stands"),
 	)
 	m, _ := fp.Model("m")
 	rec := &eventRecorder{}
@@ -72,8 +76,11 @@ func TestFinalGuardNudgeRunsOneExtraRound(t *testing.T) {
 	if res.Err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("run error: %v", res.Err)
 	}
-	if res.Output != "delivered for real" {
-		t.Fatalf("output = %q, want the nudge round's answer", res.Output)
+	if res.Output != "Done — sent you the file!" {
+		t.Fatalf("output = %q, want the ORIGINAL answer preserved (nudge closer discarded)", res.Output)
+	}
+	if n := fp.CallCount("m"); n != 3 {
+		t.Fatalf("model called %d times, want 3 (the nudge round must still run)", n)
 	}
 	if guard.calls != 1 {
 		t.Fatalf("guard consulted %d times, want exactly 1 (no re-guard of the nudge round)", guard.calls)
@@ -84,17 +91,51 @@ func TestFinalGuardNudgeRunsOneExtraRound(t *testing.T) {
 	if guard.state.Output != "Done — sent you the file!" {
 		t.Errorf("guard state.Output = %q, want the pre-nudge final text", guard.state.Output)
 	}
-	var sawNudgeEvent bool
+	var sawNudge, sawResult bool
 	for _, ev := range rec.events {
-		if ev == "final_nudge" {
-			sawNudgeEvent = true
+		switch ev {
+		case "final_nudge":
+			sawNudge = true
+		case "final_nudge_result":
+			sawResult = true
 		}
 	}
-	if !sawNudgeEvent {
+	if !sawNudge {
 		t.Errorf("audit events %v missing final_nudge", rec.events)
 	}
-	if rec.stats.Output != "delivered for real" {
-		t.Errorf("audit close output = %q, want the nudged output", rec.stats.Output)
+	if !sawResult {
+		t.Errorf("audit events %v missing final_nudge_result (the discarded closer must stay observable)", rec.events)
+	}
+	if rec.stats.Output != "Done — sent you the file!" {
+		t.Errorf("audit close output = %q, want the original answer", rec.stats.Output)
+	}
+}
+
+// TestFinalGuardNudgeFillsEmptyOriginal: when the ORIGINAL stop turn was blank
+// (a degenerate run), the nudge round's text is the only answer there is — it
+// becomes the output instead of being discarded.
+func TestFinalGuardNudgeFillsEmptyOriginal(t *testing.T) {
+	fp := fake.New("fake")
+	fp.Enqueue("m",
+		fake.Reply("  \n"),
+		fake.Reply("actual answer from the nudge round"),
+	)
+	m, _ := fp.Model("m")
+	guard := &guardFunc{nudge: func(RunInfo, FinalState) string { return "deliver or correct" }}
+	ex := New(Config{
+		Registry: tool.NewRegistry(),
+		Models:   func(ctx context.Context, _ string) (context.Context, llm.Model, error) { return ctx, m, nil },
+		Ports:    Ports{FinalGuard: guard},
+	})
+
+	res := ex.Run(context.Background(),
+		RunnableAgent{ModelTier: "m"}, tool.Invocation{RunID: "r"}, "hi")
+
+	if res.Err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("run error: %v", res.Err)
+	}
+	if res.Output != "actual answer from the nudge round" {
+		t.Fatalf("output = %q, want the nudge round's text to fill a blank original", res.Output)
 	}
 }