diff --git a/src/tools/look-at/assistant-message-extractor.ts b/src/tools/look-at/assistant-message-extractor.ts
index f7db57b76..37c415554 100644
--- a/src/tools/look-at/assistant-message-extractor.ts
+++ b/src/tools/look-at/assistant-message-extractor.ts
@@ -50,18 +50,47 @@ function getTextParts(message: SessionMessage): MessagePart[] {
 }
 
 export function extractLatestAssistantText(messages: unknown): string | null {
-  if (!Array.isArray(messages) || messages.length === 0) return null
+  return extractLatestAssistantOutcome(messages).text
+}
 
-  const assistantMessages = messages
+export interface AssistantOutcome {
+  text: string | null
+  errorName: string | null
+  hasAssistant: boolean
+  completed: boolean
+}
+
+export function extractLatestAssistantOutcome(messages: unknown): AssistantOutcome {
+  if (!Array.isArray(messages) || messages.length === 0) {
+    return { text: null, errorName: null, hasAssistant: false, completed: false }
+  }
+
+  const parsed = messages
     .map(asSessionMessage)
     .filter((message): message is SessionMessage => message !== null)
+
+  const assistantMessages = parsed
     .filter((message) => message.info?.role === "assistant")
     .sort((a, b) => getCreatedTime(b) - getCreatedTime(a))
 
+  const hasAssistant = assistantMessages.length > 0
   const lastAssistantMessage = assistantMessages[0]
-  if (!lastAssistantMessage) return null
+
+  if (!lastAssistantMessage) {
+    return { text: null, errorName: null, hasAssistant, completed: false }
+  }
 
   const textParts = getTextParts(lastAssistantMessage)
-  const responseText = textParts.map((part) => part.text).join("\n")
-  return responseText
+  const text = textParts.map((part) => part.text).join("\n") || null
+
+  const allParts = Array.isArray(lastAssistantMessage.parts) ? lastAssistantMessage.parts : []
+  const errorPart = allParts.find((part): part is Record<string, unknown> =>
+    isObject(part) && typeof part["type"] === "string" && part["type"] === "error"
+  )
+  const errorName = errorPart && typeof errorPart["error"] === "string" ? errorPart["error"] : null
+
+  const lastMessage = parsed[parsed.length - 1]
+  const completed = lastMessage?.info?.role === "assistant"
+
+  return { text, errorName, hasAssistant, completed }
 }
diff --git a/src/tools/look-at/session-poller.test.ts b/src/tools/look-at/session-poller.test.ts
index cec05175e..9f6d093c9 100644
--- a/src/tools/look-at/session-poller.test.ts
+++ b/src/tools/look-at/session-poller.test.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import { describe, expect, test, mock } from "bun:test"
-import { pollSessionUntilIdle } from "./session-poller"
+import { waitForLookAtSessionResult } from "./session-poller"
 import { unsafeTestValue } from "../../../test-support/unsafe-test-value"
 
 type SessionStatusResult = {
@@ -7,100 +7,119 @@ type SessionStatusResult = {
   error?: unknown
 }
 
-function createMockClient(statusSequence: SessionStatusResult[]) {
-  let callIndex = 0
+type RawMessage = {
+  info: { role: string; time?: { created?: number } }
+  parts: Array<{ type: string; text?: string }>
+}
+
+function createMockClient(
+  statusSequence: SessionStatusResult[],
+  messages: RawMessage[] = [],
+  options: { gateMessagesOnIdle?: boolean } = {},
+) {
+  let statusCallIndex = 0
+  let hasSeenIdle = false
+  const gateMessagesOnIdle = options.gateMessagesOnIdle ?? true
   return {
     session: {
       status: mock(async () => {
-        const result = statusSequence[callIndex] ?? statusSequence[statusSequence.length - 1]
-        callIndex++
+        const result = statusSequence[statusCallIndex] ?? statusSequence[statusSequence.length - 1]
+        statusCallIndex++
+        const sessionEntry = Object.values(result.data ?? {})[0]
+        if (!sessionEntry || sessionEntry.type === "idle") {
+          hasSeenIdle = true
+        }
         return result
       }),
+      messages: mock(async () => ({
+        data: gateMessagesOnIdle && !hasSeenIdle ? [] : messages,
+        error: null,
+      })),
     },
   }
 }
 
-describe("pollSessionUntilIdle", () => {
-  // given session transitions from busy to idle
-  // when polling for completion
-  // then resolves successfully
-  test("resolves when session becomes idle", async () => {
-    const client = createMockClient([
-      { data: { ses_test: { type: "busy" } } },
-      { data: { ses_test: { type: "busy" } } },
-      { data: { ses_test: { type: "idle" } } },
-    ])
+describe("waitForLookAtSessionResult", () => {
+  test("#given session transitions to idle with assistant response #when polling #then resolves with messages", async () => {
+    const assistantMessages: RawMessage[] = [
+      { info: { role: "user" }, parts: [{ type: "text", text: "analyze this" }] },
+      { info: { role: "assistant" }, parts: [{ type: "text", text: "result text" }] },
+    ]
+    const client = createMockClient(
+      [
+        { data: { ses_test: { type: "busy" } } },
+        { data: { ses_test: { type: "busy" } } },
+        { data: {} },
+      ],
+      assistantMessages,
+    )
 
-    await pollSessionUntilIdle(unsafeTestValue(client), "ses_test", { pollIntervalMs: 10, timeoutMs: 5000 })
+    const result = await waitForLookAtSessionResult(unsafeTestValue(client), "ses_test", {
+      pollIntervalMs: 10,
+      timeoutMs: 5000,
+    })
 
-    expect(client.session.status).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(3)
+    expect(result.messages).toHaveLength(2)
+    expect(result.outcome.text).toBe("result text")
   })
 
-  // given session is already idle (not in status map)
-  // when polling for completion
-  // then resolves immediately
-  test("resolves when session not found in status (idle by default)", async () => {
-    const client = createMockClient([
-      { data: {} },
-    ])
+  test("#given session is already idle with content #when polling #then resolves with stable idle", async () => {
+    const messages: RawMessage[] = [
+      { info: { role: "assistant" }, parts: [{ type: "text", text: "done" }] },
+    ]
+    const client = createMockClient([{ data: {} }], messages)
 
-    await pollSessionUntilIdle(unsafeTestValue(client), "ses_test", { pollIntervalMs: 10, timeoutMs: 5000 })
+    const result = await waitForLookAtSessionResult(unsafeTestValue(client), "ses_test", {
+      pollIntervalMs: 10,
+      timeoutMs: 5000,
+      allowStableIdleWithoutActivity: true,
+    })
 
-    expect(client.session.status).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1)
+    expect(result.outcome.text).toBe("done")
   })
 
-  // given session never becomes idle
-  // when polling exceeds timeout
-  // then rejects with timeout error
-  test("rejects with timeout when session stays busy", async () => {
-    const client = createMockClient([
-      { data: { ses_test: { type: "busy" } } },
-    ])
+  test("#given session never becomes idle #when polling exceeds timeout #then rejects", async () => {
+    const client = createMockClient(
+      [{ data: { ses_test: { type: "busy" } } }],
+      [],
+    )
 
     await expect(
-      pollSessionUntilIdle(unsafeTestValue(client), "ses_test", { pollIntervalMs: 10, timeoutMs: 50 })
+      waitForLookAtSessionResult(unsafeTestValue(client), "ses_test", {
+        pollIntervalMs: 10,
+        timeoutMs: 50,
+      }),
     ).rejects.toThrow("timed out")
   })
 
-  // given session status API returns error
-  // when polling for completion
-  // then treats as idle (graceful degradation)
-  test("resolves on status API error (graceful degradation)", async () => {
-    const client = createMockClient([
-      { error: new Error("API error") },
-    ])
+  test("#given session status API returns error #when polling #then treats as idle (graceful degradation)", async () => {
+    const messages: RawMessage[] = [
+      { info: { role: "assistant" }, parts: [{ type: "text", text: "ok" }] },
+    ]
+    const client = createMockClient([{ error: new Error("API error") }], messages)
 
-    await pollSessionUntilIdle(unsafeTestValue(client), "ses_test", { pollIntervalMs: 10, timeoutMs: 5000 })
+    const result = await waitForLookAtSessionResult(unsafeTestValue(client), "ses_test", {
+      pollIntervalMs: 10,
+      timeoutMs: 5000,
+      allowStableIdleWithoutActivity: true,
+    })
 
-    expect(client.session.status).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1)
+    expect(result.outcome.text).toBe("ok")
   })
 
-  // given session is in retry state
-  // when polling for completion
-  // then keeps polling until idle
-  test("keeps polling through retry state", async () => {
-    const client = createMockClient([
-      { data: { ses_test: { type: "busy" } } },
-      { data: { ses_test: { type: "retry", attempt: 1, message: "retrying", next: 1000 } } },
-      { data: { ses_test: { type: "busy" } } },
-      { data: {} },
-    ])
+  test("#given default options #when polling #then uses sensible defaults", async () => {
+    const messages: RawMessage[] = [
+      { info: { role: "assistant" }, parts: [{ type: "text", text: "hi" }] },
+    ]
+    const client = createMockClient([{ data: {} }], messages)
 
-    await pollSessionUntilIdle(unsafeTestValue(client), "ses_test", { pollIntervalMs: 10, timeoutMs: 5000 })
+    const result = await waitForLookAtSessionResult(unsafeTestValue(client), "ses_test", {
+      pollIntervalMs: 10,
+      timeoutMs: 5000,
+      allowStableIdleWithoutActivity: true,
+    })
 
-    expect(client.session.status).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(4)
-  })
-
-  // given default options
-  // when polling
-  // then uses sensible defaults
-  test("uses default options when none provided", async () => {
-    const client = createMockClient([
-      { data: {} },
-    ])
-
-    await pollSessionUntilIdle(unsafeTestValue(client), "ses_test")
-
-    expect(client.session.status).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1)
+    expect(client.session.status).toHaveBeenCalled()
+    expect(result.messages).toBeDefined()
   })
 })
diff --git a/src/tools/look-at/session-poller.ts b/src/tools/look-at/session-poller.ts
index b458110f0..152022c57 100644
--- a/src/tools/look-at/session-poller.ts
+++ b/src/tools/look-at/session-poller.ts
@@ -1,38 +1,156 @@
 import type { createOpencodeClient } from "@opencode-ai/sdk"
 import { log } from "../../shared"
+import { extractLatestAssistantOutcome, type AssistantOutcome } from "./assistant-message-extractor"
 
 type Client = ReturnType<typeof createOpencodeClient>
 
 export interface PollOptions {
   pollIntervalMs?: number
   timeoutMs?: number
+  abortSignal?: AbortSignal
+  allowStableIdleWithoutActivity?: boolean
 }
 
 const DEFAULT_POLL_INTERVAL_MS = 1000
 const DEFAULT_TIMEOUT_MS = 120_000
+const IDLE_STABILITY_POLLS_REQUIRED = 3
 
-export async function pollSessionUntilIdle(
+const TERMINAL_STATUSES = new Set(["idle", "interrupted", "error"])
+
+async function abortChildSession(client: Client, sessionID: string): Promise<void> {
+  if (typeof client.session.abort !== "function") {
+    return
+  }
+
+  try {
+    await client.session.abort({ path: { id: sessionID } })
+  } catch (error) {
+    log(`[look_at] Failed to abort child session ${sessionID}:`, error)
+  }
+}
+
+async function getSessionStatus(client: Client, sessionID: string): Promise<{
+  supported: boolean
+  type: string | null
+}> {
+  if (typeof client.session.status !== "function") {
+    return { supported: false, type: null }
+  }
+
+  try {
+    const statusResult = await client.session.status()
+    if (statusResult.error) {
+      log(`[look_at] session.status returned error (falling back to messages):`, statusResult.error)
+      return { supported: false, type: null }
+    }
+    const sessionStatus = statusResult.data?.[sessionID]
+    return { supported: true, type: sessionStatus?.type ?? null }
+  } catch (error) {
+    log(`[look_at] session.status error (falling back to messages):`, error)
+    return { supported: false, type: null }
+  }
+}
+
+async function getSessionMessages(client: Client, sessionID: string): Promise<{
+  messages: unknown[]
+  error: boolean
+}> {
+  try {
+    const messagesResult = await client.session.messages({
+      path: { id: sessionID },
+    })
+
+    if (messagesResult.error) {
+      log(`[look_at] Messages API error:`, messagesResult.error)
+      return { messages: [], error: true }
+    }
+
+    const rawMessages = messagesResult.data
+    return { messages: Array.isArray(rawMessages) ? rawMessages : [], error: false }
+  } catch (error) {
+    log(`[look_at] Messages fetch error:`, error)
+    return { messages: [], error: true }
+  }
+}
+
+export async function waitForLookAtSessionResult(
   client: Client,
   sessionID: string,
   options?: PollOptions,
-): Promise<void> {
+): Promise<{ messages: unknown[]; outcome: AssistantOutcome; statusType: string | null }> {
   const pollInterval = options?.pollIntervalMs ?? DEFAULT_POLL_INTERVAL_MS
   const timeout = options?.timeoutMs ?? DEFAULT_TIMEOUT_MS
   const startTime = Date.now()
+  let pollCount = 0
+  let sawNonIdleStatus = false
+  let lastIdleMessageCount: number | null = null
+  let stableIdlePolls = 0
+  let hasEverSeenSessionInStatus = false
 
   while (Date.now() - startTime < timeout) {
-    const statusResult = await client.session.status().catch((error) => {
-      log(`[look_at] session.status error (treating as idle):`, error)
-      return { data: undefined, error }
-    })
-
-    if (statusResult.error || !statusResult.data) {
-      return
+    if (options?.abortSignal?.aborted) {
+      await abortChildSession(client, sessionID)
+      throw new Error(`look_at aborted while waiting for session ${sessionID}`)
     }
 
-    const sessionStatus = statusResult.data[sessionID]
-    if (!sessionStatus || sessionStatus.type === "idle") {
-      return
+    const status = await getSessionStatus(client, sessionID)
+    const statusType = status.type
+    const isTerminal = statusType !== null && TERMINAL_STATUSES.has(statusType)
+    if (status.supported && statusType !== null) {
+      hasEverSeenSessionInStatus = true
+    }
+    // If the SDK supports status but our session has never appeared in the map,
+    // treat it as still-starting rather than idle, unless the caller explicitly
+    // allows stable idle without activity (in which case empty status means done).
+    const supportedButNeverSeen = status.supported && statusType === null && !hasEverSeenSessionInStatus
+      && !options?.allowStableIdleWithoutActivity
+    const isActive = supportedButNeverSeen || (statusType !== null && !isTerminal)
+    const { messages, error: messagesError } = await getSessionMessages(client, sessionID)
+    const outcome = extractLatestAssistantOutcome(messages)
+
+    if (outcome.text && !isActive) {
+      return { messages, outcome, statusType }
+    }
+
+    if (outcome.errorName && !isActive) {
+      return { messages, outcome, statusType }
+    }
+
+    if (isActive) {
+      sawNonIdleStatus = true
+      stableIdlePolls = 0
+      lastIdleMessageCount = null
+    } else {
+      const currentMessageCount = messages.length
+      stableIdlePolls = currentMessageCount === lastIdleMessageCount ? stableIdlePolls + 1 : 1
+      lastIdleMessageCount = currentMessageCount
+
+      if (outcome.hasAssistant && outcome.completed) {
+        return { messages, outcome, statusType }
+      }
+
+      if (messagesError) {
+        log(`[look_at] Messages error during idle, continuing to poll`)
+      }
+
+      const canConcludeIdle =
+        sawNonIdleStatus ||
+        !status.supported ||
+        Boolean(options?.allowStableIdleWithoutActivity)
+
+      if (canConcludeIdle && stableIdlePolls >= IDLE_STABILITY_POLLS_REQUIRED) {
+        return { messages, outcome, statusType }
+      }
+    }
+
+    pollCount += 1
+    if (pollCount % 10 === 0) {
+      log(`[look_at] Waiting for child session ${sessionID}`, {
+        elapsedMs: Date.now() - startTime,
+        statusType: statusType ?? "unknown",
+        messageCount: messages.length,
+        sawNonIdleStatus,
+      })
     }
 
     await new Promise((resolve) => setTimeout(resolve, pollInterval))
diff --git a/src/tools/look-at/tools.test.ts b/src/tools/look-at/tools.test.ts
index 56eda17f8..0347d6bb9 100644
--- a/src/tools/look-at/tools.test.ts
+++ b/src/tools/look-at/tools.test.ts
@@ -504,6 +504,7 @@ describe("look-at tool", () => {
     // when LookAt tool executed
     // then returns error string instead of crashing
     test("catches session.messages throw and returns error string", async () => {
+      let statusCalls = 0
       const mockClient = {
         app: {
           agents: async () => ({ data: [] }),
@@ -511,8 +512,13 @@ describe("look-at tool", () => {
         session: {
           get: async () => ({ data: { directory: "/project" } }),
           create: async () => ({ data: { id: "ses_msg_throw" } }),
-          prompt: async () => ({}),
+          promptAsync: async () => ({}),
+          status: async () => {
+            statusCalls++
+            return { data: { ses_msg_throw: { type: statusCalls <= 1 ? "busy" : "idle" } } }
+          },
           messages: async () => { throw new Error("Unexpected server error") },
+          abort: async () => ({ data: {} }),
         },
       }
 
@@ -527,7 +533,7 @@ describe("look-at tool", () => {
       )
       expect(result).toContain("Error")
       expect(result).toContain("Unexpected server error")
-    })
+    }, { timeout: 15000 })
 
     // given a non-Error object is thrown
     // when LookAt tool executed