diff --git a/scripts/mock-codex-app-server.js b/scripts/mock-codex-app-server.js
index 5528ac6..de07be9 100755
--- a/scripts/mock-codex-app-server.js
+++ b/scripts/mock-codex-app-server.js
@@ -71,6 +71,7 @@ function collaborationSummary(params = {}) {
     mode: collaborationMode?.mode || null,
     hasModel: Boolean(settings.model),
     hasDeveloperInstructions: /Codex sub-agent spawning rules/.test(String(settings.developer_instructions || '')),
+    hasWaitAgentRetryGuidance: /wait_agent[\s\S]*timeout_ms[\s\S]*additional wait_agent rounds/.test(String(settings.developer_instructions || '')),
     hasReasoningEffort: Object.prototype.hasOwnProperty.call(settings, 'reasoning_effort'),
     hasTopLevelModel: Object.prototype.hasOwnProperty.call(params, 'model'),
     hasTopLevelEffort: Object.prototype.hasOwnProperty.call(params, 'effort'),
diff --git a/scripts/regression.js b/scripts/regression.js
index a6b8f9c..f0d98ac 100644
--- a/scripts/regression.js
+++ b/scripts/regression.js
@@ -1011,6 +1011,7 @@ async function main() {
     assert(/"mode":"default"/.test(codexAppDefaultCollab.text || ''), 'Codex App YOLO mode should pass default collaboration mode');
     assert(/"hasModel":true/.test(codexAppDefaultCollab.text || ''), 'Codex App collaboration settings should include model');
     assert(/"hasDeveloperInstructions":true/.test(codexAppDefaultCollab.text || ''), 'Codex App collaboration settings should include sub-agent developer instructions');
+    assert(/"hasWaitAgentRetryGuidance":true/.test(codexAppDefaultCollab.text || ''), 'Codex App collaboration settings should include wait_agent retry guidance');
     assert(/"hasTopLevelModel":false/.test(codexAppDefaultCollab.text || ''), 'Codex App collaboration turn should not duplicate model at top level');
     assert(/"hasTopLevelEffort":false/.test(codexAppDefaultCollab.text || ''), 'Codex App collaboration turn should not duplicate effort at top level');
     await nextMessage(messages, ws, (msg) => msg.type === 'done' && msg.sessionId === codexAppSession.sessionId);
@@ -1138,6 +1139,7 @@ async function main() {
     const codexAppPlanCollab = await nextMessage(messages, ws, (msg) => msg.type === 'text_delta' && msg.sessionId === codexAppSession.sessionId && /collaboration mode:/.test(msg.text || ''));
     assert(/"mode":"plan"/.test(codexAppPlanCollab.text || ''), 'Codex App Plan mode should pass plan collaboration mode');
     assert(/"hasDeveloperInstructions":true/.test(codexAppPlanCollab.text || ''), 'Codex App Plan collaboration settings should keep sub-agent developer instructions');
+    assert(/"hasWaitAgentRetryGuidance":true/.test(codexAppPlanCollab.text || ''), 'Codex App Plan collaboration settings should keep wait_agent retry guidance');
     assert(/"hasTopLevelModel":false/.test(codexAppPlanCollab.text || ''), 'Codex App Plan collaboration turn should not duplicate model at top level');
     assert(/"hasTopLevelEffort":false/.test(codexAppPlanCollab.text || ''), 'Codex App Plan collaboration turn should not duplicate effort at top level');
     await nextMessage(messages, ws, (msg) => msg.type === 'done' && msg.sessionId === codexAppSession.sessionId);
diff --git a/server.js b/server.js
index 4f8e735..63517af 100644
--- a/server.js
+++ b/server.js
@@ -643,6 +643,8 @@ const CODEX_APP_COLLABORATION_INSTRUCTIONS = [
   '- If you call spawn_agent with fork_context omitted or true, do not set agent_type, model, or reasoning_effort.',
   '- If you need a specific agent_type, model, or reasoning_effort, set fork_context: false and include only the necessary context in the message.',
   '- Do not rely on parent turn reasoning settings for spawned agents; only set reasoning_effort on spawn_agent when the chosen child model supports it.',
+  '- When calling wait_agent, always pass timeout_ms explicitly. Use 300000ms for normal waits, and use a longer value when the child task is expected to run longer.',
+  '- If wait_agent returns without a final child-agent status, keep waiting on the same target agents in additional wait_agent rounds until they return, the user interrupts, or the result is no longer needed.',
 ].join('\n');
 
 function getLocalCodexConfigTomlPath() {