fix(tui): only show 'Worked for' separator when actual work was performed

codex-rs/tui/src/chatwidget.rs

@@ -363,8 +363,17 @@ pub(crate) struct ChatWidget {
     is_review_mode: bool,
     // Snapshot of token usage to restore after review mode exits.
     pre_review_token_info: Option<Option<TokenUsageInfo>>,
-    // Whether to add a final message separator after the last message
+    // Whether the next streamed assistant content should be preceded by a final message separator.
+    //
+    // This is set whenever we insert a visible history cell that conceptually belongs to a turn.
+    // The separator itself is only rendered if the turn recorded "work" activity (see
+    // `had_work_activity`).
     needs_final_message_separator: bool,
+    // Whether the current turn performed "work" (exec commands, MCP tool calls, patch applications).
+    //
+    // This gates rendering of the "Worked for …" separator so purely conversational turns don't
+    // show an empty divider. It is reset when the separator is emitted.
+    had_work_activity: bool,
 
     last_rendered_width: std::cell::Cell<Option<usize>>,
     // Feedback sink for /feedback
@@ -1158,13 +1167,19 @@ impl ChatWidget {
         self.flush_active_cell();
 
         if self.stream_controller.is_none() {
-            if self.needs_final_message_separator {
+            // If the previous turn inserted non-stream history (exec output, patch status, MCP
+            // calls), render a separator before starting the next streamed assistant message.
+            if self.needs_final_message_separator && self.had_work_activity {
                 let elapsed_seconds = self
                     .bottom_pane
                     .status_widget()
                     .map(super::status_indicator_widget::StatusIndicatorWidget::elapsed_seconds);
                 self.add_to_history(history_cell::FinalMessageSeparator::new(elapsed_seconds));
                 self.needs_final_message_separator = false;
+                self.had_work_activity = false;
+            } else if self.needs_final_message_separator {
+                // Reset the flag even if we don't show separator (no work was done)
+                self.needs_final_message_separator = false;
             }
             self.stream_controller = Some(StreamController::new(
                 self.last_rendered_width.get().map(|w| w.saturating_sub(2)),
@@ -1230,6 +1245,8 @@ impl ChatWidget {
                 self.flush_active_cell();
             }
         }
+        // Mark that actual work was done (command executed)
+        self.had_work_activity = true;
     }
 
     pub(crate) fn handle_patch_apply_end_now(
@@ -1241,6 +1258,8 @@ impl ChatWidget {
         if !event.success {
             self.add_to_history(history_cell::new_patch_apply_failure(event.stderr));
         }
+        // Mark that actual work was done (patch applied)
+        self.had_work_activity = true;
     }
 
     pub(crate) fn handle_exec_approval_now(&mut self, id: String, ev: ExecApprovalRequestEvent) {
@@ -1403,6 +1422,8 @@ impl ChatWidget {
         if let Some(extra) = extra_cell {
             self.add_boxed_history(extra);
         }
+        // Mark that actual work was done (MCP tool call)
+        self.had_work_activity = true;
     }
 
     pub(crate) fn new(common: ChatWidgetInit, thread_manager: Arc<ThreadManager>) -> Self {
@@ -1475,6 +1496,7 @@ impl ChatWidget {
             is_review_mode: false,
             pre_review_token_info: None,
             needs_final_message_separator: false,
+            had_work_activity: false,
             last_rendered_width: std::cell::Cell::new(None),
             feedback,
             current_rollout_path: None,
@@ -1561,6 +1583,7 @@ impl ChatWidget {
             is_review_mode: false,
             pre_review_token_info: None,
             needs_final_message_separator: false,
+            had_work_activity: false,
             last_rendered_width: std::cell::Cell::new(None),
             feedback,
             current_rollout_path: None,

codex-rs/tui/src/chatwidget/tests.rs

@@ -422,6 +422,7 @@ async fn make_chatwidget_manual(
         is_review_mode: false,
         pre_review_token_info: None,
         needs_final_message_separator: false,
+        had_work_activity: false,
         last_rendered_width: std::cell::Cell::new(None),
         feedback: codex_feedback::CodexFeedback::new(),
         current_rollout_path: None,

codex-rs/tui/src/history_cell.rs

@@ -1687,10 +1687,16 @@ pub(crate) fn new_reasoning_summary_block(full_reasoning_buffer: String) -> Box<
 }
 
 #[derive(Debug)]
+/// A visual divider between turns, optionally showing how long the assistant "worked for".
+///
+/// This separator is only emitted for turns that performed concrete work (e.g., running commands,
+/// applying patches, making MCP tool calls), so purely conversational turns do not show an empty
+/// divider.
 pub struct FinalMessageSeparator {
     elapsed_seconds: Option<u64>,
 }
 impl FinalMessageSeparator {
+    /// Creates a separator; `elapsed_seconds` typically comes from the status indicator timer.
     pub(crate) fn new(elapsed_seconds: Option<u64>) -> Self {
         Self { elapsed_seconds }
     }

codex-rs/tui2/src/chatwidget.rs

@@ -330,8 +330,17 @@ pub(crate) struct ChatWidget {
     is_review_mode: bool,
     // Snapshot of token usage to restore after review mode exits.
     pre_review_token_info: Option<Option<TokenUsageInfo>>,
-    // Whether to add a final message separator after the last message
+    // Whether the next streamed assistant content should be preceded by a final message separator.
+    //
+    // This is set whenever we insert a visible history cell that conceptually belongs to a turn.
+    // The separator itself is only rendered if the turn recorded "work" activity (see
+    // `had_work_activity`).
     needs_final_message_separator: bool,
+    // Whether the current turn performed "work" (exec commands, MCP tool calls, patch applications).
+    //
+    // This gates rendering of the "Worked for …" separator so purely conversational turns don't
+    // show an empty divider. It is reset when the separator is emitted.
+    had_work_activity: bool,
 
     last_rendered_width: std::cell::Cell<Option<usize>>,
     // Feedback sink for /feedback
@@ -1018,14 +1027,20 @@ impl ChatWidget {
         self.flush_active_cell();
 
         if self.stream_controller.is_none() {
-            if self.needs_final_message_separator {
+            // If the previous turn inserted non-stream history (exec output, patch status, MCP
+            // calls), render a separator before starting the next streamed assistant message.
+            if self.needs_final_message_separator && self.had_work_activity {
                 let elapsed_seconds = self
                     .bottom_pane
                     .status_widget()
                     .map(super::status_indicator_widget::StatusIndicatorWidget::elapsed_seconds);
                 self.add_to_history(history_cell::FinalMessageSeparator::new(elapsed_seconds));
                 self.needs_final_message_separator = false;
+                self.had_work_activity = false;
                 needs_redraw = true;
+            } else if self.needs_final_message_separator {
+                // Reset the flag even if we don't show separator (no work was done)
+                self.needs_final_message_separator = false;
             }
             // Streaming must not capture the current viewport width: width-derived wraps are
             // applied later, at render time, so the transcript can reflow on resize.
@@ -1093,6 +1108,8 @@ impl ChatWidget {
                 self.flush_active_cell();
             }
         }
+        // Mark that actual work was done (command executed)
+        self.had_work_activity = true;
     }
 
     pub(crate) fn handle_patch_apply_end_now(
@@ -1104,6 +1121,8 @@ impl ChatWidget {
         if !event.success {
             self.add_to_history(history_cell::new_patch_apply_failure(event.stderr));
         }
+        // Mark that actual work was done (patch applied)
+        self.had_work_activity = true;
     }
 
     pub(crate) fn handle_exec_approval_now(&mut self, id: String, ev: ExecApprovalRequestEvent) {
@@ -1266,6 +1285,8 @@ impl ChatWidget {
         if let Some(extra) = extra_cell {
             self.add_boxed_history(extra);
         }
+        // Mark that actual work was done (MCP tool call)
+        self.had_work_activity = true;
     }
 
     pub(crate) fn new(common: ChatWidgetInit, thread_manager: Arc<ThreadManager>) -> Self {
@@ -1337,6 +1358,7 @@ impl ChatWidget {
             is_review_mode: false,
             pre_review_token_info: None,
             needs_final_message_separator: false,
+            had_work_activity: false,
             last_rendered_width: std::cell::Cell::new(None),
             feedback,
             current_rollout_path: None,
@@ -1421,6 +1443,7 @@ impl ChatWidget {
             is_review_mode: false,
             pre_review_token_info: None,
             needs_final_message_separator: false,
+            had_work_activity: false,
             last_rendered_width: std::cell::Cell::new(None),
             feedback,
             current_rollout_path: None,

codex-rs/tui2/src/chatwidget/tests.rs

@@ -410,6 +410,7 @@ async fn make_chatwidget_manual(
         is_review_mode: false,
         pre_review_token_info: None,
         needs_final_message_separator: false,
+        had_work_activity: false,
         last_rendered_width: std::cell::Cell::new(None),
         feedback: codex_feedback::CodexFeedback::new(),
         current_rollout_path: None,

codex-rs/tui2/src/history_cell.rs

@@ -1694,10 +1694,16 @@ pub(crate) fn new_reasoning_summary_block(full_reasoning_buffer: String) -> Box<
 }
 
 #[derive(Debug)]
+/// A visual divider between turns, optionally showing how long the assistant "worked for".
+///
+/// This separator is only emitted for turns that performed concrete work (e.g., running commands,
+/// applying patches, making MCP tool calls), so purely conversational turns do not show an empty
+/// divider.
 pub struct FinalMessageSeparator {
     elapsed_seconds: Option<u64>,
 }
 impl FinalMessageSeparator {
+    /// Creates a separator; `elapsed_seconds` typically comes from the status indicator timer.
     pub(crate) fn new(elapsed_seconds: Option<u64>) -> Self {
         Self { elapsed_seconds }
     }