diff --git a/cmd/orchestra-worker/main.go b/cmd/orchestra-worker/main.go
index 3e12c10..024a7c7 100644
--- a/cmd/orchestra-worker/main.go
+++ b/cmd/orchestra-worker/main.go
@@ -157,6 +157,7 @@ func tail(s string, max int) string {
 	}
 	return s[len(s)-max:]
 }
+
 type workerState struct {
 	Cursor      uint64                        `json:"cursor"`
 	Sessions    map[string]herdr.Session      `json:"sessions"`
@@ -847,6 +848,15 @@ func (w *worker) advanceRelease(ctx context.Context, id string, s herdr.Session)
 			w.releases[id] = tx
 			_ = w.save()
 			w.recordError(fmt.Errorf("release %s prepare: %w", id, err))
+			// A badly authored handoff is the agent's to correct, and it is
+			// the only release failure that is. Recording it in worker health
+			// alone left the release re-reading the same refused file at every
+			// boundary until the lease expired, four times over in run 10.
+			// Same shape as answerRefusedProgress: say why, drop the file, let
+			// the next rotation prompt produce a better one.
+			if errors.Is(err, herdr.ErrInvalidHandoffAnswer) {
+				w.answerRefusedHandoff(ctx, id, s, err)
+			}
 			return
 		}
 		tx.Ref, tx.AnchorSHA, tx.Phase, tx.LastError, tx.UpdatedAt = prepared.Ref, prepared.AnchorSHA, "anchor_pushed", "", time.Now().UTC()
@@ -2175,6 +2185,22 @@ func (w *worker) tellProgressOutcome(ctx context.Context, id string, s herdr.Ses
 	log.Printf("plan phase %s of %s: %s", phase, id, status)
 }
 
+// answerRefusedHandoff tells the agent why its handoff was rejected and drops
+// the file, so the next rotation prompt is answered afresh rather than the
+// same refused bytes being re-read forever.
+func (w *worker) answerRefusedHandoff(ctx context.Context, id string, s herdr.Session, cause error) {
+	text := "Orchestra rejected your handoff answer: " + cause.Error() +
+		"\n\nWrite " + herdr.HandoffReportFile + " again, correcting that, and stop. Do not repeat the rejected answer."
+	if err := w.sendPrompt(ctx, s, text); err != nil {
+		w.recordError(fmt.Errorf("deliver handoff refusal %s: %w", id, err))
+		return
+	}
+	if err := os.Remove(filepath.Join(s.Worktree, herdr.HandoffReportFile)); err != nil && !os.IsNotExist(err) {
+		w.recordError(fmt.Errorf("drop refused handoff %s: %w", id, err))
+	}
+	log.Printf("handoff %s refused: %v", id, cause)
+}
+
 // answerRefusedProgress tells the implementer why its request was refused and
 // drops the file so a corrected one can be written. Recording a refusal only
 // in worker health leaves a live session rewriting the same rejected file at
diff --git a/internal/herdr/adapter.go b/internal/herdr/adapter.go
index b09c9d8..071c8c5 100644
--- a/internal/herdr/adapter.go
+++ b/internal/herdr/adapter.go
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import (
 	"crypto/sha256"
 	"encoding/hex"
 	"encoding/json"
+	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"log"
 	"orchestra/internal/continuity"
@@ -408,13 +409,20 @@ func (a CLIAdapter) Release(ctx context.Context, s Session) (string, error) {
 	return p.Ref, nil
 }
 
+// ErrInvalidHandoffAnswer marks a handoff the agent authored badly, as opposed
+// to a transport or Git failure. The distinction is the whole point: a bad
+// answer is the agent's to correct, and without a way to tell one from the
+// other the release loop re-read the same refused file at every boundary until
+// the task hit retry_limit. Run 10 spent four leases that way.
+var ErrInvalidHandoffAnswer = errors.New("invalid handoff answer")
+
 // canonicalHandoff keeps Git-derived protocol facts on the worker that owns
 // the checkout. Every authored field comes from the validated agent answer;
 // it never fabricates task intent or a circular next action.
 func canonicalHandoff(s Session, answer, command string) (continuity.Handoff, error) {
 	authored, err := parseHandoffAnswer(answer)
 	if err != nil {
-		return continuity.Handoff{}, fmt.Errorf("adapter: invalid handoff answer: %w", err)
+		return continuity.Handoff{}, fmt.Errorf("adapter: %w: %s", ErrInvalidHandoffAnswer, err)
 	}
 	sha, err := HeadSHA(s.Worktree)
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/internal/herdr/adapter_test.go b/internal/herdr/adapter_test.go
index 0748c43..5a67abe 100644
--- a/internal/herdr/adapter_test.go
+++ b/internal/herdr/adapter_test.go
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import (
 	"bufio"
 	"context"
 	"encoding/json"
+	"errors"
 	"net"
 	"orchestra/internal/continuity"
 	"os"
@@ -428,3 +429,23 @@ func TestHandoffPromptStatesTheLimitOnEveryBoundedField(t *testing.T) {
 		}
 	}
 }
+
+// A badly authored handoff must be distinguishable from a transport failure,
+// because only the first is the agent's to correct. Run 10 spent four leases
+// re-reading the same refused report at every boundary.
+func TestInvalidHandoffAnswerIsTyped(t *testing.T) {
+	long := strings.Repeat("x", 219)
+	_, err := canonicalHandoff(Session{Worktree: t.TempDir()}, `NEXT: a
+WHY: b
+REMAINING: c
+DEAD ENDS: NONE
+OPEN Q: `+long+`
+LEARNED: e
+`, "")
+	if !errors.Is(err, ErrInvalidHandoffAnswer) {
+		t.Fatalf("an over-long authored field must be ErrInvalidHandoffAnswer, got %v", err)
+	}
+	if !strings.Contains(err.Error(), "219") {
+		t.Errorf("the refusal does not name the length: %v", err)
+	}
+}