diff --git a/no-reply-api/server.mjs b/no-reply-api/server.mjs
index c04927a..da9dd70 100644
--- a/no-reply-api/server.mjs
+++ b/no-reply-api/server.mjs
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import http from "node:http";
 
 const port = Number(process.env.PORT || 8787);
-const modelName = process.env.NO_REPLY_MODEL || "dirigent-no-reply-v1";
+const modelName = process.env.NO_REPLY_MODEL || "no-reply";
 const authToken = process.env.AUTH_TOKEN || "";
 
 function sendJson(res, status, payload) {
diff --git a/plugin/hooks/before-message-write.ts b/plugin/hooks/before-message-write.ts
index faee8ba..b2422c0 100644
--- a/plugin/hooks/before-message-write.ts
+++ b/plugin/hooks/before-message-write.ts
@@ -62,9 +62,25 @@ export function registerBeforeMessageWriteHook(deps: BeforeMessageWriteDeps): vo
 
       let content = "";
       const msg = (event as Record<string, unknown>).message as Record<string, unknown> | undefined;
+      const msgContent = msg?.content;
       if (msg) {
         const role = msg.role as string | undefined;
         if (role && role !== "assistant") return;
+
+        // Detect tool calls — intermediate model step, not a final response.
+        // Skip turn processing entirely to avoid false NO_REPLY detection.
+        if (Array.isArray(msgContent)) {
+          const hasToolCalls = (msgContent as Record<string, unknown>[]).some(
+            (part) => part?.type === "toolCall" || part?.type === "tool_call" || part?.type === "tool_use",
+          );
+          if (hasToolCalls) {
+            api.logger.info(
+              `dirigent: before_message_write skipping tool-call message session=${key ?? "undefined"} channel=${channelId ?? "undefined"}`,
+            );
+            return;
+          }
+        }
+
         if (typeof msg.content === "string") {
           content = msg.content;
         } else if (Array.isArray(msg.content)) {
@@ -99,13 +115,15 @@ export function registerBeforeMessageWriteHook(deps: BeforeMessageWriteDeps): vo
       const policy = resolvePolicy(live, channelId, policyState.channelPolicies as Record<string, any>);
 
       const trimmed = content.trim();
-      const isEmpty = trimmed.length === 0;
       const isNoReply = /^NO_REPLY$/i.test(trimmed) || /^HEARTBEAT_OK$/i.test(trimmed);
       const lastChar = trimmed.length > 0 ? Array.from(trimmed).pop() || "" : "";
       const hasEndSymbol = !!lastChar && policy.endSymbols.includes(lastChar);
       const waitId = live.waitIdentifier || "👤";
       const hasWaitIdentifier = !!lastChar && lastChar === waitId;
-      const wasNoReply = isEmpty || isNoReply;
+      // Only treat explicit NO_REPLY/HEARTBEAT_OK keywords as no-reply.
+      // Empty content is NOT treated as no-reply — it may come from intermediate
+      // model responses (e.g. thinking-only blocks) that are not final answers.
+      const wasNoReply = isNoReply;
 
       const turnDebug = getTurnDebugInfo(channelId);
       api.logger.info(
diff --git a/plugin/hooks/message-sent.ts b/plugin/hooks/message-sent.ts
index 2c87284..20b2f7e 100644
--- a/plugin/hooks/message-sent.ts
+++ b/plugin/hooks/message-sent.ts
@@ -74,13 +74,13 @@ export function registerMessageSentHook(deps: MessageSentDeps): void {
       const policy = resolvePolicy(live, channelId, policyState.channelPolicies as Record<string, any>);
 
       const trimmed = content.trim();
-      const isEmpty = trimmed.length === 0;
       const isNoReply = /^NO_REPLY$/i.test(trimmed) || /^HEARTBEAT_OK$/i.test(trimmed);
       const lastChar = trimmed.length > 0 ? Array.from(trimmed).pop() || "" : "";
       const hasEndSymbol = !!lastChar && policy.endSymbols.includes(lastChar);
       const waitId = live.waitIdentifier || "👤";
       const hasWaitIdentifier = !!lastChar && lastChar === waitId;
-      const wasNoReply = isEmpty || isNoReply;
+      // Only treat explicit NO_REPLY/HEARTBEAT_OK keywords as no-reply.
+      const wasNoReply = isNoReply;
 
       if (key && sessionTurnHandled.has(key)) {
         sessionTurnHandled.delete(key);
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ export function registerMessageSentHook(deps: MessageSentDeps): void {
 
       if (wasNoReply || hasEndSymbol) {
         const nextSpeaker = onSpeakerDone(channelId, accountId, wasNoReply);
-        const trigger = wasNoReply ? (isEmpty ? "empty" : "no_reply_keyword") : "end_symbol";
+        const trigger = wasNoReply ? "no_reply_keyword" : "end_symbol";
         api.logger.info(
           `dirigent: turn onSpeakerDone channel=${channelId} from=${accountId} next=${nextSpeaker ?? "dormant"} trigger=${trigger}`,
         );