diff --git a/packages/core/src/session/runner/llm.ts b/packages/core/src/session/runner/llm.ts
index 932470d869c..d18351b53e8 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/session/runner/llm.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/session/runner/llm.ts
@@ -543,7 +543,8 @@ const layer = Layer.effect(
           needsContinuation = result.needsContinuation
           step = result.step + 1
           if (needsContinuation) {
-            promotion = (yield* SessionPending.compaction(db, input.sessionID)) ? undefined : "steer"
+            yield* runPendingCompaction(input.sessionID)
+            promotion = "steer"
             continue
           }
           yield* runPendingCompaction(input.sessionID)
diff --git a/packages/core/test/session-runner.test.ts b/packages/core/test/session-runner.test.ts
index 63171b9a44e..3bbd2560f05 100644
--- a/packages/core/test/session-runner.test.ts
+++ b/packages/core/test/session-runner.test.ts
@@ -1614,14 +1614,14 @@ describe("SessionRunnerLLM", () => {
     }),
   )
 
-  it.effect("runs one durable compaction barrier before later steer and queued prompts", () =>
+  it.effect("runs one durable compaction barrier after tool settlement and before later inputs", () =>
     Effect.gen(function* () {
       const session = yield* setup
       currentModel = recoveryModel
       streamGate = yield* Deferred.make<void>()
       streamStarted = yield* Deferred.make<void>()
       responses = [
-        reply.text("Active complete", "text-active"),
+        reply.tool("call-active", "echo", { text: "active" }),
         [LLMEvent.textDelta({ id: "summary", text: "durable summary" })],
         reply.text("Steer complete", "text-steer"),
         reply.text("Queue complete", "text-queue"),