diff --git a/crates/tinyagents-harness/src/middleware/library/README.md b/crates/tinyagents-harness/src/middleware/library/README.md
index 2d5b1acff..29d9b0291 100644
--- a/crates/tinyagents-harness/src/middleware/library/README.md
+++ b/crates/tinyagents-harness/src/middleware/library/README.md
@@ -121,6 +121,9 @@ Grouped by extension shape:
   call-id map. It owns per-run no-progress, classified-recovery, and recoverable
   failure trackers, typed halts, and one-shot request nudges. Host policy also
   supplies lifecycle callbacks for stop-latch batch/refusal/progress evidence.
+  Before `finish_run` clears host evidence, `after_agent` preserves a current
+  classified halt cause on `AgentRun::failure_cause`, retaining any cause the
+  loop already recorded.
   Construct a **new driver per run** because its steering handle and
   halt-summary slot are run specific.
 - `run_output_ladder` — the shared compact, persist-or-cap, disclose sequence
diff --git a/crates/tinyagents-harness/src/middleware/library/failure_scope.rs b/crates/tinyagents-harness/src/middleware/library/failure_scope.rs
index 34b3172f8..7b0581046 100644
--- a/crates/tinyagents-harness/src/middleware/library/failure_scope.rs
+++ b/crates/tinyagents-harness/src/middleware/library/failure_scope.rs
@@ -211,7 +211,8 @@ pub trait FailureScopePolicy<Ctx: Send + Sync>: FailurePolicy {
     }
 
     /// Called when the run ends or errors so a host stop-latch adapter can
-    /// discard its run-specific evidence.
+    /// discard its run-specific evidence. On `after_agent`, the driver copies
+    /// any current classified cause into the run before calling this hook.
     fn finish_run(&self, _ctx: &RunContext<Ctx>) {}
 }
 
@@ -613,8 +614,15 @@ impl<Ctx: Send + Sync> Middleware<(), Ctx> for FailureScopeMiddleware<Ctx> {
         &self,
         ctx: &mut RunContext<Ctx>,
         _state: &(),
-        _run: &mut crate::middleware::AgentRun,
+        run: &mut crate::middleware::AgentRun,
     ) -> Result<()> {
+        // A host callback may have latched the cause after the loop last
+        // observed it. Capture it while the policy still owns that evidence;
+        // finish_run is allowed to clear the latch. Keep a cause already
+        // recorded by the loop or another middleware authoritative.
+        if run.failure_cause.is_none() {
+            run.failure_cause = self.policy.current_halt_cause(ctx);
+        }
         self.policy.finish_run(ctx);
         self.clear_run(ctx.instance_id());
         Ok(())
@@ -634,3 +642,7 @@ impl<Ctx: Send + Sync> Middleware<(), Ctx> for FailureScopeMiddleware<Ctx> {
 #[cfg(test)]
 #[path = "failure_scope_tests.rs"]
 mod tests;
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+#[path = "failure_scope_finish_tests.rs"]
+mod finish_tests;
diff --git a/crates/tinyagents-harness/src/middleware/library/failure_scope_finish_tests.rs b/crates/tinyagents-harness/src/middleware/library/failure_scope_finish_tests.rs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..a7f60199d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crates/tinyagents-harness/src/middleware/library/failure_scope_finish_tests.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,98 @@
+use super::*;
+
+use crate::context::RunConfig;
+use crate::middleware::AgentRun;
+use crate::no_progress::ClassifiedStopCause;
+
+#[derive(Default)]
+struct LatchPolicy {
+    cause: Mutex<Option<ClassifiedStopCause>>,
+}
+
+impl FailurePolicy for LatchPolicy {
+    fn identical_halt_summary(&self, tool: &str, count: u32, _failure_text: &str) -> String {
+        format!("{tool} failed {count} times")
+    }
+
+    fn no_progress_halt_summary(&self, count: u32, tool: &str, _failure_text: &str) -> String {
+        format!("{tool} made no progress in {count} calls")
+    }
+}
+
+impl FailureScopePolicy<()> for LatchPolicy {
+    fn assess(
+        &self,
+        _ctx: &RunContext<()>,
+        _invocation: &ToolInvocationIdentity,
+        _call: &ToolCall,
+        _scope: &FailureScope,
+        _result: &ToolResult,
+    ) -> FailureAssessment {
+        FailureAssessment::Ignore
+    }
+
+    fn current_halt_cause(&self, _ctx: &RunContext<()>) -> Option<ClassifiedStopCause> {
+        self.cause.lock().unwrap().clone()
+    }
+
+    fn finish_run(&self, _ctx: &RunContext<()>) {
+        *self.cause.lock().unwrap() = None;
+    }
+}
+
+fn cause(class: &str) -> ClassifiedStopCause {
+    ClassifiedStopCause {
+        class: class.into(),
+        operation: "send_message".into(),
+        summary: format!("Stopped after {class}"),
+    }
+}
+
+async fn finish(
+    latched: Option<ClassifiedStopCause>,
+    recorded: Option<ClassifiedStopCause>,
+) -> AgentRun {
+    let policy = Arc::new(LatchPolicy {
+        cause: Mutex::new(latched),
+    });
+    let middleware = FailureScopeMiddleware::new(
+        SteeringHandle::allow_all(),
+        Arc::new(Mutex::new(None)),
+        policy.clone(),
+    );
+    let mut ctx = RunContext::new(RunConfig::new("finish-cause"), ());
+    let mut run = AgentRun {
+        failure_cause: recorded,
+        ..AgentRun::default()
+    };
+
+    middleware
+        .after_agent(&mut ctx, &(), &mut run)
+        .await
+        .unwrap();
+
+    assert!(
+        policy.cause.lock().unwrap().is_none(),
+        "finish must still discard the host's per-run latch"
+    );
+    run
+}
+
+#[tokio::test]
+async fn classified_cause_survives_host_latch_cleanup() {
+    let expected = cause("uncertain_side_effect");
+    let run = finish(Some(expected.clone()), None).await;
+    assert_eq!(run.failure_cause, Some(expected));
+}
+
+#[tokio::test]
+async fn finish_preserves_an_already_recorded_cause() {
+    let recorded = cause("provider_out_of_budget");
+    let run = finish(Some(cause("uncertain_side_effect")), Some(recorded.clone())).await;
+    assert_eq!(run.failure_cause, Some(recorded));
+}
+
+#[tokio::test]
+async fn unclassified_finish_does_not_invent_a_cause() {
+    assert_eq!(finish(None, None).await.failure_cause, None);
+}