feat(llm): make runs resilient and reproducible on slow backends

Retry with exponential backoff and jitter, and honour Retry-After. Retry empty-choice responses and HTTP 408.
Add max_retries, retry_timeouts, model_timeouts and model_concurrency settings for slow local models.
Add opt-in SSE streaming with an idle timeout. A hung server fails early, and a slow but active generation continues.
Send an optional seed and record the backend fingerprint of each answer.
Stamp saved artifacts with run metadata and write them atomically. Warn in compare when two runs differ.
Save partial results on Ctrl-C. Turn an evaluator panic into an error row.
Reject duplicate models and non-http endpoints in the config.

README.md

@@ -75,6 +75,8 @@ Both `list` and `run` accept:
   `60s`).
 - `--out FILE` - write the run as a JSON artifact (raw per-attempt results
   plus the per-test discrimination rollup) for later `llmtest compare`.
+- `--seed N` - send `seed: N` with every request (overrides the config's
+  `seed`). Whether the backend honors it is backend-specific.
 - `--quiet` - suppress progress output on stderr. Progress is on by
   default: a run can issue hundreds of requests at 30-50s each, and a
   silent CLI reads as a hang.

cmd/llmtest/main.go

@@ -4,11 +4,15 @@ package main
 
 import (
 	"context"
+	"errors"
 	"flag"
 	"fmt"
 	"os"
+	"os/signal"
 	"sort"
 	"strings"
+	"syscall"
+	"time"
 
 	"github.com/lukaszraczylo/llm-testbench/internal/config"
 	"github.com/lukaszraczylo/llm-testbench/internal/llm"
@@ -121,6 +125,7 @@ func runCommand(args []string) error {
 	repeat := fs.Int("repeat", 1, "samples per (model, test); >1 exposes response instability at temperature 0")
 	out := fs.String("out", "", "write the run as a JSON artifact to this file (for llmtest compare)")
 	quiet := fs.Bool("quiet", false, "suppress progress output on stderr")
+	seedFlag := fs.Int("seed", 0, "send this seed with every request (overrides config's seed)")
 	if err := fs.Parse(args); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
@@ -132,7 +137,7 @@ func runCommand(args []string) error {
 
 	models := cfg.Models
 	if *modelsCSV != "" {
-		models = splitCSV(*modelsCSV)
+		models = dedupe(splitCSV(*modelsCSV))
 	}
 
 	reqTimeout := cfg.RequestTimeout
@@ -145,7 +150,18 @@ func runCommand(args []string) error {
 		conc = *concurrency
 	}
 
-	client := llm.NewOpenAIClient(cfg.Endpoint, cfg.APIKey, reqTimeout)
+	seed := cfg.Seed
+	fs.Visit(func(f *flag.Flag) {
+		if f.Name == "seed" {
+			seed = seedFlag
+		}
+	})
+
+	client := llm.NewOpenAIClient(cfg.Endpoint, cfg.APIKey, reqTimeout).
+		WithRetries(cfg.MaxRetries).
+		WithRetryTimeouts(cfg.RetryTimeouts).
+		WithModelTimeouts(cfg.ModelTimeouts).
+		WithStreaming(cfg.Stream, cfg.IdleTimeout)
 
 	registry := tests.All()
 	selected, err := selectTests(registry, *testsCSV, shared.category, shared.subcategory)
@@ -164,10 +180,23 @@ func runCommand(args []string) error {
 		MaxTokensDefault: cfg.MaxTokensDefault,
 		Reporter:         reporter,
 		Repeat:           *repeat,
+		Seed:             seed,
+		ModelConcurrency: cfg.ModelConcurrency,
 	})
 
-	ctx := context.Background()
+	// First Ctrl-C stops dispatching and lets in-flight calls drain so the
+	// partial run can still be saved; stop() restores default handling, so
+	// a second Ctrl-C kills the process.
+	ctx, stop := signal.NotifyContext(context.Background(), os.Interrupt, syscall.SIGTERM)
+	defer stop()
+	startedAt := time.Now().UTC()
 	results := r.Run(ctx, models, selected)
+	interrupted := ctx.Err() != nil
+	if interrupted {
+		stop()
+		results = dropCancelled(results)
+		fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "llmtest: interrupted; reporting %d completed results\n", len(results))
+	}
 
 	f, err := validateFormat(*format)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -175,7 +204,17 @@ func runCommand(args []string) error {
 	}
 
 	if *out != "" {
-		if err := report.WriteArtifact(*out, selected, models, results); err != nil {
+		meta := report.RunMeta{
+			Version:          version,
+			StartedAt:        startedAt.Format(time.RFC3339),
+			Endpoint:         cfg.Endpoint,
+			Seed:             seed,
+			Temperature:      requestTemperature,
+			MaxTokensDefault: cfg.MaxTokensDefault,
+			Repeat:           max(*repeat, 1),
+			Interrupted:      interrupted,
+		}
+		if err := report.WriteArtifact(*out, meta, selected, models, results); err != nil {
 			return fmt.Errorf("write --out: %w", err)
 		}
 	}
@@ -183,6 +222,19 @@ func runCommand(args []string) error {
 	return report.Render(os.Stdout, f, selected, models, results)
 }
 
+// dropCancelled removes results that never ran because the run was
+// interrupted, so they are not saved as failures.
+func dropCancelled(results []runner.Result) []runner.Result {
+	kept := results[:0:0]
+	for _, r := range results {
+		if r.Err != nil && errors.Is(r.Err, context.Canceled) {
+			continue
+		}
+		kept = append(kept, r)
+	}
+	return kept
+}
+
 // selectTests resolves the test subset: --tests (exact IDs, error on any
 // unknown ID) overrides --category/--subcategory filtering.
 func selectTests(registry *testkit.Registry, testsCSV, category, subcategory string) ([]testkit.Test, error) {
@@ -234,7 +286,7 @@ func compareCommand(args []string) error {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	return report.RenderCompare(os.Stdout, report.CompareArtifacts(baseline, current))
+	return report.RenderCompare(os.Stdout, report.CompareArtifacts(baseline, current), report.CompareWarnings(baseline, current)...)
 }
 
 // healthCommand audits one or more saved artifacts for suite health:
@@ -271,6 +323,20 @@ func validateFormat(format string) (report.Format, error) {
 	}
 }
 
+// dedupe drops repeated entries, keeping first-seen order; a model listed
+// twice would otherwise run, and be averaged, twice.
+func dedupe(in []string) []string {
+	seen := make(map[string]bool, len(in))
+	out := make([]string, 0, len(in))
+	for _, v := range in {
+		if !seen[v] {
+			seen[v] = true
+			out = append(out, v)
+		}
+	}
+	return out
+}
+
 func splitCSV(s string) []string {
 	parts := strings.Split(s, ",")
 	out := make([]string, 0, len(parts))

cmd/llmtest/main_test.go

@@ -1,11 +1,15 @@
 package main
 
 import (
+	"context"
+	"errors"
+	"fmt"
 	"strings"
 	"testing"
 
 	"github.com/lukaszraczylo/llm-testbench/internal/eval"
 	"github.com/lukaszraczylo/llm-testbench/internal/report"
+	"github.com/lukaszraczylo/llm-testbench/internal/runner"
 	"github.com/lukaszraczylo/llm-testbench/internal/testkit"
 )
 
@@ -101,3 +105,22 @@ func TestHealthCommand_RequiresArtifacts(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Errorf("healthCommand(missing file) error = %v, want load error naming the file", err)
 	}
 }
+
+func TestDedupe(t *testing.T) {
+	got := dedupe([]string{"a", "b", "a", "c", "b"})
+	if strings.Join(got, ",") != "a,b,c" {
+		t.Errorf("dedupe = %v, want [a b c]", got)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestDropCancelled(t *testing.T) {
+	in := []runner.Result{
+		{TestID: "ok"},
+		{TestID: "cancelled", Err: fmt.Errorf("wrapped: %w", context.Canceled)},
+		{TestID: "real-error", Err: errors.New("boom")},
+	}
+	got := dropCancelled(in)
+	if len(got) != 2 || got[0].TestID != "ok" || got[1].TestID != "real-error" {
+		t.Errorf("dropCancelled = %+v, want ok and real-error kept", got)
+	}
+}

config.example.yaml

@@ -5,7 +5,19 @@ models:
   - uni/qwen3.6-27b
   - uni/btl-4
 concurrency: 8         # default when omitted; matches internal/config's default
-request_timeout: 900s  # default when omitted
-max_tokens_default: 12000  # default when omitted; a reasoning model can spend
+request_timeout: 900s  # default when omitted is 300s
+max_tokens_default: 40000  # default when omitted; a reasoning model can spend
                             # thousands of tokens on reasoning_content before
                             # writing an answer, so this must stay generous
+max_retries: 2         # retries per request after the first try (default 2; 0 disables).
+                       # Raise for flaky gateways: backoff is exponential and
+                       # honors Retry-After.
+# seed: 1234           # optional; sent with every request for backends that honor it
+# Slow local models: give them their own timeout and queue depth.
+# retry_timeouts: false     # default true; false stops a timed-out call re-running a full slow generation
+# model_timeouts:           # overrides request_timeout per model
+#   local/big-model: 45m
+# model_concurrency:        # caps in-flight calls per model (global concurrency still applies)
+#   local/big-model: 1
+# stream: false             # true = SSE; detects a hung server after idle_timeout instead of the full request timeout
+# idle_timeout: 5m          # max silence in a stream (must exceed prompt-processing time); default 5m

internal/config/config.go

@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ package config
 
 import (
 	"fmt"
+	"net/url"
 	"os"
 	"time"
 
@@ -27,27 +28,42 @@ const (
 	defaultConcurrency    = 8
 	defaultRequestTimeout = 300 * time.Second
 	defaultMaxTokens      = 40000
+	defaultMaxRetries     = 2
 )
 
 // Config is the top-level configuration loaded from config.yaml.
 type Config struct {
-	Endpoint         string        `yaml:"endpoint"`
-	APIKey           string        `yaml:"api_key"`
-	Models           []string      `yaml:"models"`
-	Concurrency      int           `yaml:"concurrency"`
-	RequestTimeout   time.Duration `yaml:"request_timeout"`
-	MaxTokensDefault int           `yaml:"max_tokens_default"`
+	Seed             *int                     `yaml:"seed"`
+	ModelTimeouts    map[string]time.Duration `yaml:"-"`
+	ModelConcurrency map[string]int           `yaml:"model_concurrency"`
+	Endpoint         string                   `yaml:"endpoint"`
+	APIKey           string                   `yaml:"api_key"`
+	Models           []string                 `yaml:"models"`
+	Concurrency      int                      `yaml:"concurrency"`
+	RequestTimeout   time.Duration            `yaml:"request_timeout"`
+	MaxTokensDefault int                      `yaml:"max_tokens_default"`
+	MaxRetries       int                      `yaml:"max_retries"`
+	IdleTimeout      time.Duration            `yaml:"-"`
+	RetryTimeouts    bool                     `yaml:"retry_timeouts"`
+	Stream           bool                     `yaml:"stream"`
 }
 
 // rawConfig mirrors Config but with RequestTimeout as a string, since
 // yaml.v3 does not natively decode Go duration strings.
 type rawConfig struct {
-	Endpoint         string   `yaml:"endpoint"`
-	APIKey           string   `yaml:"api_key"`
-	RequestTimeout   string   `yaml:"request_timeout"`
-	Models           []string `yaml:"models"`
-	Concurrency      int      `yaml:"concurrency"`
-	MaxTokensDefault int      `yaml:"max_tokens_default"`
+	MaxRetries       *int              `yaml:"max_retries"`
+	Seed             *int              `yaml:"seed"`
+	RetryTimeouts    *bool             `yaml:"retry_timeouts"`
+	ModelTimeouts    map[string]string `yaml:"model_timeouts"`
+	ModelConcurrency map[string]int    `yaml:"model_concurrency"`
+	APIKey           string            `yaml:"api_key"`
+	Endpoint         string            `yaml:"endpoint"`
+	RequestTimeout   string            `yaml:"request_timeout"`
+	IdleTimeout      string            `yaml:"idle_timeout"`
+	Models           []string          `yaml:"models"`
+	Concurrency      int               `yaml:"concurrency"`
+	MaxTokensDefault int               `yaml:"max_tokens_default"`
+	Stream           bool              `yaml:"stream"`
 }
 
 // Load reads and parses the YAML config at path, applies the LLMTB_API_KEY
@@ -78,6 +94,31 @@ func parse(data []byte) (Config, error) {
 		Models:           raw.Models,
 		Concurrency:      raw.Concurrency,
 		MaxTokensDefault: raw.MaxTokensDefault,
+		MaxRetries:       defaultMaxRetries,
+		Seed:             raw.Seed,
+	}
+	if raw.MaxRetries != nil {
+		cfg.MaxRetries = *raw.MaxRetries
+	}
+	cfg.RetryTimeouts = raw.RetryTimeouts == nil || *raw.RetryTimeouts
+	cfg.ModelConcurrency = raw.ModelConcurrency
+	cfg.Stream = raw.Stream
+	if raw.IdleTimeout != "" {
+		d, err := time.ParseDuration(raw.IdleTimeout)
+		if err != nil {
+			return Config{}, fmt.Errorf("config: parse idle_timeout %q: %w", raw.IdleTimeout, err)
+		}
+		cfg.IdleTimeout = d
+	}
+	if len(raw.ModelTimeouts) > 0 {
+		cfg.ModelTimeouts = make(map[string]time.Duration, len(raw.ModelTimeouts))
+		for m, v := range raw.ModelTimeouts {
+			d, err := time.ParseDuration(v)
+			if err != nil {
+				return Config{}, fmt.Errorf("config: parse model_timeouts[%q] %q: %w", m, v, err)
+			}
+			cfg.ModelTimeouts[m] = d
+		}
 	}
 
 	if raw.RequestTimeout != "" {
@@ -123,10 +164,35 @@ func (c Config) Validate() error {
 	if len(c.Models) == 0 {
 		return fmt.Errorf("config: models must list at least one model")
 	}
+	u, err := url.Parse(c.Endpoint)
+	if err != nil || (u.Scheme != "http" && u.Scheme != "https") || u.Host == "" {
+		return fmt.Errorf("config: endpoint %q must be an http(s) URL", c.Endpoint)
+	}
+	seen := make(map[string]bool, len(c.Models))
 	for i, m := range c.Models {
 		if m == "" {
 			return fmt.Errorf("config: models[%d] must not be empty", i)
 		}
+		if seen[m] {
+			return fmt.Errorf("config: models[%d] duplicates %q", i, m)
+		}
+		seen[m] = true
+	}
+	for m, d := range c.ModelTimeouts {
+		if d <= 0 {
+			return fmt.Errorf("config: model_timeouts[%q] must be > 0, got %s", m, d)
+		}
+	}
+	for m, n := range c.ModelConcurrency {
+		if n <= 0 {
+			return fmt.Errorf("config: model_concurrency[%q] must be > 0, got %d", m, n)
+		}
+	}
+	if c.IdleTimeout < 0 {
+		return fmt.Errorf("config: idle_timeout must be >= 0, got %s", c.IdleTimeout)
+	}
+	if c.MaxRetries < 0 {
+		return fmt.Errorf("config: max_retries must be >= 0, got %d", c.MaxRetries)
 	}
 	if c.Concurrency <= 0 {
 		return fmt.Errorf("config: concurrency must be > 0, got %d", c.Concurrency)

internal/config/config_test.go

@@ -160,6 +160,9 @@ func TestValidate(t *testing.T) {
 		{name: "zero concurrency", mutate: func(c Config) Config { c.Concurrency = 0; return c }},
 		{name: "negative concurrency", mutate: func(c Config) Config { c.Concurrency = -1; return c }},
 		{name: "zero timeout", mutate: func(c Config) Config { c.RequestTimeout = 0; return c }},
+		{name: "non-http endpoint", mutate: func(c Config) Config { c.Endpoint = "llm-gateway.example.com/v1"; return c }},
+		{name: "duplicate model", mutate: func(c Config) Config { c.Models = []string{"m", "m"}; return c }},
+		{name: "negative retries", mutate: func(c Config) Config { c.MaxRetries = -1; return c }},
 		{name: "zero max tokens", mutate: func(c Config) Config { c.MaxTokensDefault = 0; return c }},
 	}
 	for _, tt := range tests {
@@ -194,3 +197,65 @@ func TestLoad_MissingFile(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatal("Load() error = nil, want error for missing file")
 	}
 }
+
+func TestParse_RetriesAndSeed(t *testing.T) {
+	base := "endpoint: https://x\nmodels: [m]\n"
+
+	cfg, err := parse([]byte(base))
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("parse() error = %v", err)
+	}
+	if cfg.MaxRetries != defaultMaxRetries || cfg.Seed != nil {
+		t.Errorf("defaults = retries %d seed %v, want %d nil", cfg.MaxRetries, cfg.Seed, defaultMaxRetries)
+	}
+
+	cfg, err = parse([]byte(base + "max_retries: 0\nseed: 7\n"))
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("parse() error = %v", err)
+	}
+	if cfg.MaxRetries != 0 {
+		t.Errorf("explicit max_retries 0 = %d, want 0 (retrying disabled)", cfg.MaxRetries)
+	}
+	if cfg.Seed == nil || *cfg.Seed != 7 {
+		t.Errorf("Seed = %v, want 7", cfg.Seed)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestParse_ModelOverrides(t *testing.T) {
+	cfg, err := parse([]byte(`
+endpoint: https://x
+models: [a, b]
+retry_timeouts: false
+model_timeouts: {a: 45m}
+model_concurrency: {a: 1}
+`))
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("parse() error = %v", err)
+	}
+	if cfg.RetryTimeouts || cfg.ModelTimeouts["a"] != 45*time.Minute || cfg.ModelConcurrency["a"] != 1 {
+		t.Errorf("got %+v", cfg)
+	}
+	def, _ := parse([]byte("endpoint: https://x\nmodels: [a]\n"))
+	if !def.RetryTimeouts {
+		t.Error("retry_timeouts default = false, want true (legacy behavior)")
+	}
+	for _, bad := range []string{"model_timeouts: {a: nope}", "model_timeouts: {a: 0s}", "model_concurrency: {a: 0}"} {
+		if _, err := parse([]byte("endpoint: https://x\nmodels: [a]\n" + bad)); err == nil {
+			t.Errorf("parse(%q) error = nil, want error", bad)
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+func TestParse_Streaming(t *testing.T) {
+	cfg, err := parse([]byte("endpoint: https://x\nmodels: [a]\nstream: true\nidle_timeout: 10m\n"))
+	if err != nil || !cfg.Stream || cfg.IdleTimeout != 10*time.Minute {
+		t.Fatalf("cfg = %+v, err = %v", cfg, err)
+	}
+	def, _ := parse([]byte("endpoint: https://x\nmodels: [a]\n"))
+	if def.Stream {
+		t.Error("stream default = true, want false")
+	}
+	if _, err := parse([]byte("endpoint: https://x\nmodels: [a]\nidle_timeout: nope\n")); err == nil {
+		t.Error("bad idle_timeout accepted")
+	}
+}

internal/llm/llm.go

@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ type ToolCall struct {
 // non-empty the client advertises them with tool_choice "auto", so the
 // model decides whether and which to call.
 type Request struct {
+	Seed        *int
 	Model       string
 	Messages    []Message
 	Tools       []Tool
@@ -48,6 +49,8 @@ type Request struct {
 type Response struct {
 	Text             string
 	FinishReason     string
+	Fingerprint      string
+	ServedModel      string
 	ToolCalls        []ToolCall
 	PromptTokens     int
 	CompletionTokens int

internal/llm/openai.go

@@ -7,22 +7,46 @@ import (
 	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"io"
+	"math/rand/v2"
 	"net/http"
+	"strconv"
+	"strings"
 	"time"
 )
 
-// maxRetries is the number of retry attempts after the initial request on
-// transport errors or 5xx responses, per PLAN.md ("retry w/ backoff x2").
+// maxRetries is the default number of retry attempts after the initial
+// request on transient failures, per PLAN.md ("retry w/ backoff x2").
 const maxRetries = 2
 
-// retryBaseDelay is the base backoff delay; attempt N waits N*retryBaseDelay.
+// retryBaseDelay is the base backoff delay; attempt N waits
+// retryBaseDelay*2^(N-1), capped at maxRetryDelay, plus jitter.
 const retryBaseDelay = 250 * time.Millisecond
 
+// maxRetryDelay caps both the exponential backoff and a server-sent
+// Retry-After so one bad gateway cannot stall a worker for minutes.
+const maxRetryDelay = 30 * time.Second
+
+// maxResponseBytes bounds how much of a response body is read; a runaway
+// or hostile upstream must not exhaust memory.
+const maxResponseBytes = 32 << 20
+
+// jitterFraction is the share of the backoff delay added as random jitter,
+// so concurrent workers retrying one saturated gateway do not stampede it
+// in lockstep.
+const jitterFraction = 0.25
+
 // OpenAIClient talks to an OpenAI-compatible /v1/chat/completions endpoint.
 type OpenAIClient struct {
-	httpClient *http.Client
-	endpoint   string
-	apiKey     string
+	httpClient      *http.Client
+	modelTimeouts   map[string]time.Duration
+	endpoint        string
+	apiKey          string
+	retries         int
+	baseDelay       time.Duration
+	timeout         time.Duration
+	noRetryTimeouts bool
+	stream          bool
+	idleTimeout     time.Duration
 }
 
 // NewOpenAIClient builds a client against endpoint (e.g.
@@ -30,21 +54,83 @@ type OpenAIClient struct {
 // per-request timeout.
 func NewOpenAIClient(endpoint, apiKey string, timeout time.Duration) *OpenAIClient {
 	return &OpenAIClient{
-		endpoint: endpoint,
-		apiKey:   apiKey,
-		httpClient: &http.Client{
-			Timeout: timeout,
-		},
+		endpoint:  strings.TrimRight(endpoint, "/"),
+		apiKey:    apiKey,
+		retries:   maxRetries,
+		baseDelay: retryBaseDelay,
+		timeout:   timeout,
+		// The per-attempt deadline is applied through the context so it can
+		// differ per model; the client itself has no overall timeout.
+		httpClient: &http.Client{},
 	}
 }
 
+// WithModelTimeouts sets per-model request timeouts that override the
+// default; a slow local model can be given far longer than a hosted one.
+func (c *OpenAIClient) WithModelTimeouts(m map[string]time.Duration) *OpenAIClient {
+	c.modelTimeouts = m
+	return c
+}
+
+// WithRetryTimeouts controls whether an attempt that hit its timeout is
+// retried. Retrying re-runs a full slow generation, so for slow models
+// disabling it avoids multiplying the wait by the attempt count.
+func (c *OpenAIClient) WithRetryTimeouts(retry bool) *OpenAIClient {
+	c.noRetryTimeouts = !retry
+	return c
+}
+
+// WithStreaming makes the client request SSE streams. The per-request
+// timeout stays a hard ceiling; idle (default 5m when zero) is how long the
+// stream may go silent before the attempt is abandoned, so a hung server is
+// detected early while a slow-but-progressing generation is left to finish.
+func (c *OpenAIClient) WithStreaming(enabled bool, idle time.Duration) *OpenAIClient {
+	c.stream = enabled
+	c.idleTimeout = idle
+	if enabled && idle <= 0 {
+		c.idleTimeout = defaultIdleTimeout
+	}
+	return c
+}
+
+func (c *OpenAIClient) timeoutFor(model string) time.Duration {
+	if d, ok := c.modelTimeouts[model]; ok && d > 0 {
+		return d
+	}
+	return c.timeout
+}
+
+// WithRetries sets the number of retry attempts after the initial request
+// (0 disables retrying) and returns the client.
+func (c *OpenAIClient) WithRetries(n int) *OpenAIClient {
+	c.retries = max(n, 0)
+	return c
+}
+
+// backoff returns the wait before retry number attempt (1-based): the
+// server's Retry-After when it sent one, else exponential with jitter.
+func (c *OpenAIClient) backoff(attempt int, retryAfter time.Duration) time.Duration {
+	if retryAfter > 0 {
+		return min(retryAfter, maxRetryDelay)
+	}
+	d := min(c.baseDelay<<(attempt-1), maxRetryDelay)
+	return d + time.Duration(rand.Float64()*jitterFraction*float64(d)) //nolint:gosec // jitter needs no cryptographic randomness
+}
+
 type chatCompletionRequest struct {
-	Model       string    `json:"model"`
-	ToolChoice  string    `json:"tool_choice,omitempty"`
-	Messages    []chatMsg `json:"messages"`
-	Tools       []apiTool `json:"tools,omitempty"`
-	MaxTokens   int       `json:"max_tokens,omitempty"`
-	Temperature float64   `json:"temperature"`
+	Seed          *int           `json:"seed,omitempty"`
+	StreamOptions *streamOptions `json:"stream_options,omitempty"`
+	Model         string         `json:"model"`
+	ToolChoice    string         `json:"tool_choice,omitempty"`
+	Messages      []chatMsg      `json:"messages"`
+	Tools         []apiTool      `json:"tools,omitempty"`
+	MaxTokens     int            `json:"max_tokens,omitempty"`
+	Temperature   float64        `json:"temperature"`
+	Stream        bool           `json:"stream,omitempty"`
+}
+
+type streamOptions struct {
+	IncludeUsage bool `json:"include_usage"`
 }
 
 type chatMsg struct {
@@ -102,7 +188,9 @@ type chatCompletionResponse struct {
 	Error *struct {
 		Message string `json:"message"`
 	} `json:"error"`
-	Choices []struct {
+	Model             string `json:"model"`
+	SystemFingerprint string `json:"system_fingerprint"`
+	Choices           []struct {
 		FinishReason string      `json:"finish_reason"`
 		Message      responseMsg `json:"message"`
 	} `json:"choices"`
@@ -145,6 +233,7 @@ func (c *OpenAIClient) Complete(ctx context.Context, req Request) (Response, err
 		Model:       req.Model,
 		MaxTokens:   req.MaxTokens,
 		Temperature: req.Temperature,
+		Seed:        req.Seed,
 	}
 	for _, m := range req.Messages {
 		body.Messages = append(body.Messages, chatMsg(m))
@@ -161,15 +250,21 @@ func (c *OpenAIClient) Complete(ctx context.Context, req Request) (Response, err
 		}
 	}
 
+	if c.stream {
+		body.Stream = true
+		body.StreamOptions = &streamOptions{IncludeUsage: true}
+	}
+
 	payload, err := json.Marshal(body)
 	if err != nil {
 		return Response{}, fmt.Errorf("llm: marshal request: %w", err)
 	}
 
 	var lastErr error
-	for attempt := 0; attempt <= maxRetries; attempt++ {
+	var retryAfter time.Duration
+	for attempt := 0; attempt <= c.retries; attempt++ {
 		if attempt > 0 {
-			delay := time.Duration(attempt) * retryBaseDelay
+			delay := c.backoff(attempt, retryAfter)
 			select {
 			case <-ctx.Done():
 				return Response{}, ctx.Err()
@@ -181,16 +276,32 @@ func (c *OpenAIClient) Complete(ctx context.Context, req Request) (Response, err
 		// reflects the successful attempt's own generation time, not the
 		// cumulative wait across earlier failed/retried attempts (S8).
 		attemptStart := time.Now()
-		resp, err := c.doRequest(ctx, payload)
+		attemptCtx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(ctx, c.timeoutFor(req.Model))
+		resp, err := c.doRequest(attemptCtx, payload)
+		timedOut := (attemptCtx.Err() == context.DeadlineExceeded && ctx.Err() == nil) || errors.Is(err, errIdleTimeout)
+		cancel()
+		retryAfter = 0
 		if err != nil {
 			lastErr = err
-			if isRetryable(err) {
+			if timedOut && c.noRetryTimeouts {
+				return Response{}, fmt.Errorf("llm: timed out after %s (not retried): %w", c.timeoutFor(req.Model), err)
+			}
+			var re *retryableError
+			if errors.As(err, &re) {
+				retryAfter = re.retryAfter
 				continue
 			}
 			return Response{}, err
 		}
 
 		latency := time.Since(attemptStart)
+		if resp.Error == nil && len(resp.Choices) == 0 {
+			// A 2xx with neither choices nor an error object is a gateway
+			// glitch, not an answer; scoring it would record a spurious
+			// wrong response.
+			lastErr = errors.New("llm: response contained no choices")
+			continue
+		}
 		var text, finishReason string
 		var toolCalls []ToolCall
 		if len(resp.Choices) > 0 {
@@ -213,14 +324,17 @@ func (c *OpenAIClient) Complete(ctx context.Context, req Request) (Response, err
 			PromptTokens:     resp.Usage.PromptTokens,
 			CompletionTokens: resp.Usage.CompletionTokens,
 			Latency:          latency,
+			Fingerprint:      resp.SystemFingerprint,
+			ServedModel:      resp.Model,
 		}, nil
 	}
-	return Response{}, fmt.Errorf("llm: request failed after %d attempts: %w", maxRetries+1, lastErr)
+	return Response{}, fmt.Errorf("llm: request failed after %d attempts: %w", c.retries+1, lastErr)
 }
 
 type retryableError struct {
-	err    error
-	status int
+	err        error
+	status     int
+	retryAfter time.Duration
 }
 
 func (e *retryableError) Error() string {
@@ -232,18 +346,42 @@ func (e *retryableError) Error() string {
 
 func (e *retryableError) Unwrap() error { return e.err }
 
-func isRetryable(err error) bool {
-	var re *retryableError
-	return errors.As(err, &re)
+// parseRetryAfter reads a delta-seconds Retry-After header; HTTP-date form
+// and malformed values yield 0 (fall back to computed backoff).
+func parseRetryAfter(h string) time.Duration {
+	secs, err := strconv.Atoi(strings.TrimSpace(h))
+	if err != nil || secs <= 0 {
+		return 0
+	}
+	return time.Duration(secs) * time.Second
 }
 
 func (c *OpenAIClient) doRequest(ctx context.Context, payload []byte) (*chatCompletionResponse, error) {
+	var watchdog *idleWatchdog
+	if c.stream {
+		var cancel context.CancelCauseFunc
+		ctx, cancel = context.WithCancelCause(ctx)
+		defer cancel(nil)
+		watchdog = startIdleWatchdog(cancel, c.idleTimeout)
+		defer watchdog.Stop()
+	}
+	out, err := c.send(ctx, payload, watchdog)
+	if err != nil && c.stream && errors.Is(context.Cause(ctx), errIdleTimeout) {
+		return nil, &retryableError{err: fmt.Errorf("no data for %s: %w", c.idleTimeout, errIdleTimeout)}
+	}
+	return out, err
+}
+
+func (c *OpenAIClient) send(ctx context.Context, payload []byte, watchdog *idleWatchdog) (*chatCompletionResponse, error) {
 	url := c.endpoint + "/chat/completions"
 	httpReq, err := http.NewRequestWithContext(ctx, http.MethodPost, url, bytes.NewReader(payload))
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("llm: build request: %w", err)
 	}
 	httpReq.Header.Set("Content-Type", "application/json")
+	if c.stream {
+		httpReq.Header.Set("Accept", "text/event-stream")
+	}
 	if c.apiKey != "" {
 		httpReq.Header.Set("Authorization", "Bearer "+c.apiKey)
 	}
@@ -253,16 +391,29 @@ func (c *OpenAIClient) doRequest(ctx context.Context, payload []byte) (*chatComp
 		return nil, &retryableError{err: err}
 	}
 	defer func() { _ = httpResp.Body.Close() }() // best-effort; body already fully read below
-
-	respBody, err := io.ReadAll(httpResp.Body)
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, &retryableError{err: fmt.Errorf("read body: %w", err)}
+	if watchdog != nil {
+		watchdog.Touch()
 	}
 
-	// 429 is as transient as a 5xx for a self-hosted gateway (rate limit or
-	// a briefly saturated upstream); retry it with the same backoff budget.
-	if httpResp.StatusCode >= 500 || httpResp.StatusCode == http.StatusTooManyRequests {
-		return nil, &retryableError{status: httpResp.StatusCode}
+	// 429 and 408 are as transient as a 5xx for a self-hosted gateway (rate
+	// limit, briefly saturated upstream, slow proxy); retry them with the
+	// same backoff budget.
+	if httpResp.StatusCode >= 500 || httpResp.StatusCode == http.StatusTooManyRequests || httpResp.StatusCode == http.StatusRequestTimeout {
+		return nil, &retryableError{
+			status:     httpResp.StatusCode,
+			retryAfter: parseRetryAfter(httpResp.Header.Get("Retry-After")),
+		}
+	}
+
+	// A gateway may answer a streaming request with a plain JSON body (an
+	// error, or no streaming support); only parse SSE when it sent SSE.
+	if c.stream && httpResp.StatusCode < 400 && strings.HasPrefix(httpResp.Header.Get("Content-Type"), "text/event-stream") {
+		return readStream(httpResp.Body, watchdog.Touch)
+	}
+
+	respBody, err := io.ReadAll(io.LimitReader(httpResp.Body, maxResponseBytes))
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, &retryableError{err: fmt.Errorf("read body: %w", err)}
 	}
 	if httpResp.StatusCode >= 400 {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("llm: server returned status %d: %s", httpResp.StatusCode, string(respBody))

internal/llm/openai_test.go

@@ -21,6 +21,12 @@ func newTestServer(t *testing.T, handler http.HandlerFunc) *httptest.Server {
 	return srv
 }
 
+func writeOK(w http.ResponseWriter, content string) {
+	resp := chatCompletionResponse{}
+	resp.Choices = append(resp.Choices, testChoice(content, "stop"))
+	_ = json.NewEncoder(w).Encode(resp)
+}
+
 // testChoice builds one response choice with a non-null content string, the
 // common case. Its return type is exactly chatCompletionResponse.Choices's
 // element type, so callers can append() it without repeating the anonymous
@@ -137,7 +143,7 @@ func TestOpenAIClient_Complete_SendsTemperatureZero(t *testing.T) {
 		if err != nil {
 			t.Fatalf("read request body: %v", err)
 		}
-		_ = json.NewEncoder(w).Encode(chatCompletionResponse{})
+		writeOK(w, "ok")
 	})
 
 	client := NewOpenAIClient(srv.URL, "", time.Second)
@@ -320,7 +326,7 @@ func TestOpenAIClient_Complete_SendsAPIKey(t *testing.T) {
 		if got := r.Header.Get("Authorization"); got != "Bearer secret-key" {
 			t.Errorf("Authorization = %q, want Bearer secret-key", got)
 		}
-		_ = json.NewEncoder(w).Encode(chatCompletionResponse{})
+		writeOK(w, "ok")
 	})
 
 	client := NewOpenAIClient(srv.URL, "secret-key", time.Second)
@@ -394,3 +400,208 @@ func TestOpenAIClient_Complete_MalformedToolArgs(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Errorf("raw args = %q", resp.ToolCalls[0].RawArguments)
 	}
 }
+
+func fastClient(url string) *OpenAIClient {
+	c := NewOpenAIClient(url, "", time.Second)
+	c.baseDelay = time.Millisecond
+	return c
+}
+
+var oneMsg = Request{Model: "m", Messages: []Message{{Role: "user", Content: "x"}}}
+
+func TestOpenAIClient_Complete_SendsSeedAndEchoesFingerprint(t *testing.T) {
+	var decoded map[string]any
+	srv := newTestServer(t, func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+		b, _ := io.ReadAll(r.Body)
+		_ = json.Unmarshal(b, &decoded)
+		_, _ = w.Write([]byte(`{"model":"served-1","system_fingerprint":"fp-9","choices":[{"finish_reason":"stop","message":{"content":"hi"}}]}`))
+	})
+	seed := 42
+	req := oneMsg
+	req.Seed = &seed
+	resp, err := fastClient(srv.URL).Complete(context.Background(), req)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("Complete() error = %v", err)
+	}
+	if decoded["seed"] != float64(42) {
+		t.Errorf("seed = %v, want 42", decoded["seed"])
+	}
+	if resp.Fingerprint != "fp-9" || resp.ServedModel != "served-1" {
+		t.Errorf("fingerprint/model = %q/%q, want fp-9/served-1", resp.Fingerprint, resp.ServedModel)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestOpenAIClient_Complete_OmitsSeedWhenUnset(t *testing.T) {
+	var decoded map[string]any
+	srv := newTestServer(t, func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+		b, _ := io.ReadAll(r.Body)
+		_ = json.Unmarshal(b, &decoded)
+		writeOK(w, "ok")
+	})
+	if _, err := fastClient(srv.URL).Complete(context.Background(), oneMsg); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("Complete() error = %v", err)
+	}
+	if _, present := decoded["seed"]; present {
+		t.Errorf("seed present in body without Request.Seed: %v", decoded)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestOpenAIClient_Complete_RetriesEmptyChoicesThenSucceeds(t *testing.T) {
+	var calls int32
+	srv := newTestServer(t, func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+		if atomic.AddInt32(&calls, 1) == 1 {
+			_, _ = w.Write([]byte(`{"choices":[]}`))
+			return
+		}
+		writeOK(w, "ok")
+	})
+	resp, err := fastClient(srv.URL).Complete(context.Background(), oneMsg)
+	if err != nil || resp.Text != "ok" {
+		t.Fatalf("Complete() = %q, %v; want ok, nil", resp.Text, err)
+	}
+	if got := atomic.LoadInt32(&calls); got != 2 {
+		t.Errorf("calls = %d, want 2", got)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestOpenAIClient_Complete_RetriesOn408(t *testing.T) {
+	var calls int32
+	srv := newTestServer(t, func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+		if atomic.AddInt32(&calls, 1) == 1 {
+			w.WriteHeader(http.StatusRequestTimeout)
+			return
+		}
+		writeOK(w, "ok")
+	})
+	if _, err := fastClient(srv.URL).Complete(context.Background(), oneMsg); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("Complete() error = %v", err)
+	}
+	if got := atomic.LoadInt32(&calls); got != 2 {
+		t.Errorf("calls = %d, want 2", got)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestOpenAIClient_WithRetries(t *testing.T) {
+	var calls int32
+	srv := newTestServer(t, func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+		atomic.AddInt32(&calls, 1)
+		w.WriteHeader(http.StatusBadGateway)
+	})
+	if _, err := fastClient(srv.URL).WithRetries(5).Complete(context.Background(), oneMsg); err == nil {
+		t.Fatal("Complete() error = nil, want error")
+	}
+	if got := atomic.LoadInt32(&calls); got != 6 {
+		t.Errorf("calls = %d, want 6 (1 + 5 retries)", got)
+	}
+
+	atomic.StoreInt32(&calls, 0)
+	if _, err := fastClient(srv.URL).WithRetries(0).Complete(context.Background(), oneMsg); err == nil {
+		t.Fatal("Complete() error = nil, want error")
+	}
+	if got := atomic.LoadInt32(&calls); got != 1 {
+		t.Errorf("calls = %d, want 1 (retries disabled)", got)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestOpenAIClient_Complete_HonorsRetryAfter(t *testing.T) {
+	var calls int32
+	srv := newTestServer(t, func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+		if atomic.AddInt32(&calls, 1) == 1 {
+			w.Header().Set("Retry-After", "1")
+			w.WriteHeader(http.StatusTooManyRequests)
+			return
+		}
+		writeOK(w, "ok")
+	})
+	start := time.Now()
+	if _, err := fastClient(srv.URL).Complete(context.Background(), oneMsg); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("Complete() error = %v", err)
+	}
+	if elapsed := time.Since(start); elapsed < 900*time.Millisecond {
+		t.Errorf("elapsed = %v, want >= ~1s from Retry-After", elapsed)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestOpenAIClient_backoff(t *testing.T) {
+	c := NewOpenAIClient("http://x", "", time.Second)
+	for attempt, base := range map[int]time.Duration{1: 250 * time.Millisecond, 2: 500 * time.Millisecond, 3: time.Second} {
+		got := c.backoff(attempt, 0)
+		if got < base || got > base+base/3 {
+			t.Errorf("backoff(%d) = %v, want in [%v, %v]", attempt, got, base, base+base/3)
+		}
+	}
+	if got := c.backoff(30, 0); got > maxRetryDelay*5/4 {
+		t.Errorf("backoff(30) = %v, want capped near %v", got, maxRetryDelay)
+	}
+	if got := c.backoff(1, time.Hour); got != maxRetryDelay {
+		t.Errorf("backoff with huge Retry-After = %v, want cap %v", got, maxRetryDelay)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestNewOpenAIClient_TrimsTrailingSlash(t *testing.T) {
+	var path string
+	srv := newTestServer(t, func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+		path = r.URL.Path
+		writeOK(w, "ok")
+	})
+	if _, err := fastClient(srv.URL+"/v1/").Complete(context.Background(), oneMsg); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("Complete() error = %v", err)
+	}
+	if path != "/v1/chat/completions" {
+		t.Errorf("path = %q, want /v1/chat/completions", path)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestOpenAIClient_Complete_TimeoutNotRetriedWhenDisabled(t *testing.T) {
+	var calls int32
+	srv := newTestServer(t, func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+		atomic.AddInt32(&calls, 1)
+		time.Sleep(300 * time.Millisecond)
+		writeOK(w, "late")
+	})
+	c := NewOpenAIClient(srv.URL, "", 50*time.Millisecond).WithRetryTimeouts(false)
+	c.baseDelay = time.Millisecond
+	_, err := c.Complete(context.Background(), oneMsg)
+	if err == nil || !strings.Contains(err.Error(), "not retried") {
+		t.Fatalf("err = %v, want a timeout not retried", err)
+	}
+	if got := atomic.LoadInt32(&calls); got != 1 {
+		t.Errorf("calls = %d, want 1", got)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestOpenAIClient_Complete_TimeoutRetriedByDefault(t *testing.T) {
+	var calls int32
+	srv := newTestServer(t, func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+		if atomic.AddInt32(&calls, 1) == 1 {
+			time.Sleep(300 * time.Millisecond)
+		}
+		writeOK(w, "ok")
+	})
+	c := NewOpenAIClient(srv.URL, "", 100*time.Millisecond)
+	c.baseDelay = time.Millisecond
+	if _, err := c.Complete(context.Background(), oneMsg); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("Complete() error = %v", err)
+	}
+	if got := atomic.LoadInt32(&calls); got != 2 {
+		t.Errorf("calls = %d, want 2", got)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestOpenAIClient_Complete_PerModelTimeout(t *testing.T) {
+	srv := newTestServer(t, func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+		time.Sleep(200 * time.Millisecond)
+		writeOK(w, "slow but fine")
+	})
+	c := NewOpenAIClient(srv.URL, "", 50*time.Millisecond).
+		WithRetryTimeouts(false).
+		WithModelTimeouts(map[string]time.Duration{"slow-local": 2 * time.Second})
+	req := oneMsg
+	req.Model = "slow-local"
+	if resp, err := c.Complete(context.Background(), req); err != nil || resp.Text != "slow but fine" {
+		t.Fatalf("slow-local = %q, %v; want success under its own timeout", resp.Text, err)
+	}
+	if _, err := c.Complete(context.Background(), oneMsg); err == nil {
+		t.Error("default-timeout model succeeded, want timeout")
+	}
+}

internal/llm/stream.go

@@ -0,0 +1,174 @@
+package llm
+
+import (
+	"bufio"
+	"context"
+	"encoding/json"
+	"errors"
+	"fmt"
+	"io"
+	"strings"
+	"time"
+)
+
+// defaultIdleTimeout is how long a stream may stay silent (no bytes at all,
+// including before the first token) before the attempt is abandoned. It
+// must exceed a slow local model's prompt-processing time.
+const defaultIdleTimeout = 5 * time.Minute
+
+// maxStreamLine bounds one SSE line.
+const maxStreamLine = 1 << 20
+
+const (
+	sseDataPrefix = "data:"
+	sseDone       = "[DONE]"
+)
+
+// errIdleTimeout marks an attempt abandoned because the stream went silent.
+var errIdleTimeout = errors.New("llm: stream idle timeout")
+
+// errStreamTruncated marks a stream that ended without [DONE] or a
+// finish_reason, so the answer may be incomplete.
+var errStreamTruncated = errors.New("llm: stream ended before completion")
+
+type streamToolCall struct {
+	Function struct {
+		Name      string `json:"name"`
+		Arguments string `json:"arguments"`
+	} `json:"function"`
+	Index int `json:"index"`
+}
+
+type streamChunk struct {
+	Error *struct {
+		Message string `json:"message"`
+	} `json:"error"`
+	Usage *struct {
+		PromptTokens     int `json:"prompt_tokens"`
+		CompletionTokens int `json:"completion_tokens"`
+	} `json:"usage"`
+	Model             string `json:"model"`
+	SystemFingerprint string `json:"system_fingerprint"`
+	Choices           []struct {
+		FinishReason *string `json:"finish_reason"`
+		Delta        struct {
+			Content   *string          `json:"content"`
+			ToolCalls []streamToolCall `json:"tool_calls"`
+		} `json:"delta"`
+	} `json:"choices"`
+}
+
+// readStream folds an OpenAI-style SSE stream into the same response shape
+// the non-streaming path decodes. onActivity is called for every line read,
+// including keep-alive comments, so the caller can reset its idle timer.
+// reasoning_content deltas count as activity but are never accumulated,
+// matching the non-streaming path.
+func readStream(r io.Reader, onActivity func()) (*chatCompletionResponse, error) {
+	sc := bufio.NewScanner(r)
+	sc.Buffer(make([]byte, 0, 64<<10), maxStreamLine)
+
+	var (
+		out      chatCompletionResponse
+		text     strings.Builder
+		sawText  bool
+		finish   string
+		done     bool
+		order    []int
+		calls    = map[int]*apiToolCall{}
+		tooLarge bool
+	)
+
+	for sc.Scan() {
+		onActivity()
+		line := strings.TrimSpace(sc.Text())
+		if !strings.HasPrefix(line, sseDataPrefix) {
+			continue // blank separator, comment or other SSE field
+		}
+		data := strings.TrimSpace(strings.TrimPrefix(line, sseDataPrefix))
+		if data == sseDone {
+			done = true
+			break
+		}
+		var ch streamChunk
+		if err := json.Unmarshal([]byte(data), &ch); err != nil {
+			return nil, &retryableError{err: fmt.Errorf("decode stream chunk: %w", err)}
+		}
+		if ch.Error != nil {
+			out.Error = ch.Error
+			return &out, nil
+		}
+		if ch.Model != "" {
+			out.Model = ch.Model
+		}
+		if ch.SystemFingerprint != "" {
+			out.SystemFingerprint = ch.SystemFingerprint
+		}
+		if ch.Usage != nil {
+			out.Usage.PromptTokens = ch.Usage.PromptTokens
+			out.Usage.CompletionTokens = ch.Usage.CompletionTokens
+		}
+		if len(ch.Choices) == 0 {
+			continue
+		}
+		c := ch.Choices[0]
+		if c.Delta.Content != nil {
+			sawText = true
+			if text.Len()+len(*c.Delta.Content) > maxResponseBytes {
+				tooLarge = true
+			} else {
+				text.WriteString(*c.Delta.Content)
+			}
+		}
+		for _, tc := range c.Delta.ToolCalls {
+			acc, ok := calls[tc.Index]
+			if !ok {
+				acc = &apiToolCall{Type: "function"}
+				calls[tc.Index] = acc
+				order = append(order, tc.Index)
+			}
+			if tc.Function.Name != "" {
+				acc.Function.Name = tc.Function.Name
+			}
+			acc.Function.Arguments += tc.Function.Arguments
+		}
+		if c.FinishReason != nil && *c.FinishReason != "" {
+			finish = *c.FinishReason
+		}
+	}
+	if err := sc.Err(); err != nil {
+		return nil, &retryableError{err: fmt.Errorf("read stream: %w", err)}
+	}
+	if tooLarge {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("llm: streamed response exceeded %d bytes", maxResponseBytes)
+	}
+	if !done && finish == "" {
+		return nil, &retryableError{err: errStreamTruncated}
+	}
+
+	msg := responseMsg{Role: "assistant"}
+	if sawText {
+		s := text.String()
+		msg.Content = &s
+	}
+	for _, idx := range order {
+		msg.ToolCalls = append(msg.ToolCalls, *calls[idx])
+	}
+	out.Choices = append(out.Choices, struct {
+		FinishReason string      `json:"finish_reason"`
+		Message      responseMsg `json:"message"`
+	}{FinishReason: finish, Message: msg})
+	return &out, nil
+}
+
+// idleWatchdog cancels an attempt when no activity is seen for idle.
+type idleWatchdog struct {
+	timer *time.Timer
+	idle  time.Duration
+}
+
+func startIdleWatchdog(cancel context.CancelCauseFunc, idle time.Duration) *idleWatchdog {
+	return &idleWatchdog{idle: idle, timer: time.AfterFunc(idle, func() { cancel(errIdleTimeout) })}
+}
+
+func (w *idleWatchdog) Touch() { w.timer.Reset(w.idle) }
+func (w *idleWatchdog) Stop()  { w.timer.Stop() }

internal/llm/stream_test.go

@@ -0,0 +1,170 @@
+package llm
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"encoding/json"
+	"io"
+	"net/http"
+	"strings"
+	"sync/atomic"
+	"testing"
+	"time"
+)
+
+func sseServer(t *testing.T, frames func(w http.ResponseWriter, fl http.Flusher)) string {
+	t.Helper()
+	return newTestServer(t, func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+		w.Header().Set("Content-Type", "text/event-stream")
+		fl := w.(http.Flusher)
+		frames(w, fl)
+	}).URL
+}
+
+func streamClient(url string, idle time.Duration) *OpenAIClient {
+	c := fastClient(url).WithStreaming(true, idle)
+	return c
+}
+
+func TestStream_AggregatesContentUsageAndFingerprint(t *testing.T) {
+	var body map[string]any
+	url := newTestServer(t, func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+		b, _ := io.ReadAll(r.Body)
+		_ = json.Unmarshal(b, &body)
+		w.Header().Set("Content-Type", "text/event-stream")
+		send(w, ": keepalive\n\n")
+		send(w, `data: {"model":"srv","system_fingerprint":"fp","choices":[{"delta":{"reasoning_content":"thinking"}}]}`+"\n\n")
+		send(w, `data: {"choices":[{"delta":{"content":"Hel"}}]}`+"\n\n")
+		send(w, `data: {"choices":[{"delta":{"content":"lo"},"finish_reason":"stop"}]}`+"\n\n")
+		send(w, `data: {"choices":[],"usage":{"prompt_tokens":5,"completion_tokens":7}}`+"\n\n")
+		send(w, "data: [DONE]\n\n")
+	}).URL
+	resp, err := streamClient(url, time.Second).Complete(context.Background(), oneMsg)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("Complete() error = %v", err)
+	}
+	if resp.Text != "Hello" || resp.FinishReason != "stop" || resp.PromptTokens != 5 || resp.CompletionTokens != 7 {
+		t.Errorf("resp = %+v", resp)
+	}
+	if resp.Fingerprint != "fp" || resp.ServedModel != "srv" {
+		t.Errorf("fingerprint/model = %q/%q", resp.Fingerprint, resp.ServedModel)
+	}
+	if body["stream"] != true {
+		t.Errorf("stream = %v, want true", body["stream"])
+	}
+	if opts, _ := body["stream_options"].(map[string]any); opts["include_usage"] != true {
+		t.Errorf("stream_options = %v, want include_usage", body["stream_options"])
+	}
+}
+
+func TestStream_AssemblesToolCallFragments(t *testing.T) {
+	url := sseServer(t, func(w http.ResponseWriter, fl http.Flusher) {
+		send(w, `data: {"choices":[{"delta":{"tool_calls":[{"index":0,"function":{"name":"get_w","arguments":"{\"ci"}}]}}]}`+"\n\n")
+		send(w, `data: {"choices":[{"delta":{"tool_calls":[{"index":0,"function":{"arguments":"ty\":\"X\"}"}},{"index":1,"function":{"name":"b","arguments":"{}"}}]},"finish_reason":"tool_calls"}]}`+"\n\n")
+		send(w, "data: [DONE]\n\n")
+	})
+	resp, err := streamClient(url, time.Second).Complete(context.Background(), oneMsg)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("Complete() error = %v", err)
+	}
+	if len(resp.ToolCalls) != 2 || resp.ToolCalls[0].Name != "get_w" || resp.ToolCalls[0].Arguments["city"] != "X" || !resp.ToolCalls[1].Decoded {
+		t.Errorf("ToolCalls = %+v", resp.ToolCalls)
+	}
+	if resp.Text != "" {
+		t.Errorf("Text = %q, want empty", resp.Text)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestStream_ReasoningOnlyTruncationYieldsEmptyText(t *testing.T) {
+	url := sseServer(t, func(w http.ResponseWriter, fl http.Flusher) {
+		send(w, `data: {"choices":[{"delta":{"reasoning_content":"..."},"finish_reason":"length"}]}`+"\n\n")
+		send(w, "data: [DONE]\n\n")
+	})
+	resp, err := streamClient(url, time.Second).Complete(context.Background(), oneMsg)
+	if err != nil || resp.Text != "" || resp.FinishReason != FinishReasonLength {
+		t.Fatalf("resp = %+v, err = %v; want empty text, length", resp, err)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestStream_TruncatedStreamIsRetried(t *testing.T) {
+	var calls int32
+	url := sseServer(t, func(w http.ResponseWriter, fl http.Flusher) {
+		if atomic.AddInt32(&calls, 1) == 1 {
+			send(w, `data: {"choices":[{"delta":{"content":"par"}}]}`+"\n\n")
+			return // connection ends with no [DONE] or finish_reason
+		}
+		send(w, `data: {"choices":[{"delta":{"content":"whole"},"finish_reason":"stop"}]}`+"\n\n")
+		send(w, "data: [DONE]\n\n")
+	})
+	resp, err := streamClient(url, time.Second).Complete(context.Background(), oneMsg)
+	if err != nil || resp.Text != "whole" {
+		t.Fatalf("resp = %q, err = %v; want whole", resp.Text, err)
+	}
+	if got := atomic.LoadInt32(&calls); got != 2 {
+		t.Errorf("calls = %d, want 2", got)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestStream_IdleTimeoutAbandonsHungServer(t *testing.T) {
+	var calls int32
+	url := sseServer(t, func(w http.ResponseWriter, fl http.Flusher) {
+		atomic.AddInt32(&calls, 1)
+		send(w, `data: {"choices":[{"delta":{"content":"x"}}]}`+"\n\n")
+		fl.Flush()
+		time.Sleep(2 * time.Second) // goes silent
+	})
+	c := streamClient(url, 150*time.Millisecond).WithRetryTimeouts(false)
+	start := time.Now()
+	_, err := c.Complete(context.Background(), oneMsg)
+	if err == nil || !strings.Contains(err.Error(), "not retried") {
+		t.Fatalf("err = %v, want idle timeout not retried", err)
+	}
+	if elapsed := time.Since(start); elapsed > time.Second {
+		t.Errorf("took %v, want abandoned near the 150ms idle timeout", elapsed)
+	}
+	if got := atomic.LoadInt32(&calls); got != 1 {
+		t.Errorf("calls = %d, want 1", got)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestStream_SlowButProgressingSurvivesPastIdleTimeout(t *testing.T) {
+	url := sseServer(t, func(w http.ResponseWriter, fl http.Flusher) {
+		for i := 0; i < 6; i++ {
+			send(w, `data: {"choices":[{"delta":{"content":"a"}}]}`+"\n\n")
+			fl.Flush()
+			time.Sleep(80 * time.Millisecond)
+		}
+		send(w, `data: {"choices":[{"delta":{},"finish_reason":"stop"}]}`+"\n\ndata: [DONE]\n\n")
+	})
+	// total ~480ms > idle 200ms, but never silent for 200ms.
+	resp, err := streamClient(url, 200*time.Millisecond).Complete(context.Background(), oneMsg)
+	if err != nil || resp.Text != "aaaaaa" {
+		t.Fatalf("resp = %q, err = %v; want aaaaaa", resp.Text, err)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestStream_ErrorChunkIsRetried(t *testing.T) {
+	var calls int32
+	url := sseServer(t, func(w http.ResponseWriter, fl http.Flusher) {
+		if atomic.AddInt32(&calls, 1) == 1 {
+			send(w, `data: {"error":{"message":"replica warming"}}`+"\n\n")
+			return
+		}
+		send(w, `data: {"choices":[{"delta":{"content":"ok"},"finish_reason":"stop"}]}`+"\n\ndata: [DONE]\n\n")
+	})
+	resp, err := streamClient(url, time.Second).Complete(context.Background(), oneMsg)
+	if err != nil || resp.Text != "ok" {
+		t.Fatalf("resp = %q, err = %v", resp.Text, err)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestStream_PlainJSONFallbackStillParsed(t *testing.T) {
+	srv := newTestServer(t, func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+		writeOK(w, "plain")
+	})
+	resp, err := streamClient(srv.URL, time.Second).Complete(context.Background(), oneMsg)
+	if err != nil || resp.Text != "plain" {
+		t.Fatalf("resp = %q, err = %v; want plain JSON body accepted", resp.Text, err)
+	}
+}
+
+func send(w io.Writer, s string) { _, _ = io.WriteString(w, s) }

internal/report/compare.go

@@ -170,8 +170,11 @@ func CompareArtifacts(baseline, current Artifact) []Comparison {
 
 // RenderCompare writes a comparison report: headline counts, then only
 // changed/missing rows (stable rows are summarized, not listed).
-func RenderCompare(w io.Writer, comparisons []Comparison) error {
+func RenderCompare(w io.Writer, comparisons []Comparison, warnings ...string) error {
 	ew := &errWriter{w: w}
+	for _, warn := range warnings {
+		ew.println("WARNING: " + warn)
+	}
 
 	var reg, imp, stable, added, removed, errored int
 	for _, c := range comparisons {
@@ -219,3 +222,9 @@ func deltaText(v float64) string {
 	}
 	return fmt.Sprintf("%+.2f", v)
 }
+
+// CompareWarnings reports reasons the two artifacts may not be comparable
+// like-for-like (catalog, sampling or backend-build drift).
+func CompareWarnings(baseline, current Artifact) []string {
+	return compareWarnings(baseline.Meta, current.Meta)
+}

internal/report/json.go

@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import (
 	"io"
 	"math"
 	"os"
+	"path/filepath"
 
 	"github.com/lukaszraczylo/llm-testbench/internal/runner"
 	"github.com/lukaszraczylo/llm-testbench/internal/testkit"
@@ -22,6 +23,7 @@ type jsonResult struct {
 	Error            string  `json:"error,omitempty"`
 	ResponseText     string  `json:"response_text"`
 	FinishReason     string  `json:"finish_reason,omitempty"`
+	Fingerprint      string  `json:"fingerprint,omitempty"`
 	Score            float64 `json:"score"`
 	LatencyMS        int64   `json:"latency_ms"`
 	PromptTokens     int     `json:"prompt_tokens"`
@@ -36,6 +38,7 @@ type jsonResult struct {
 // plus the per-test discrimination rollup, so downstream tooling
 // (compare) can re-derive stability without re-running the suite.
 type jsonArtifact struct {
+	Meta    *RunMeta      `json:"meta,omitempty"`
 	Results []jsonResult  `json:"results"`
 	Stats   []jsonStatRow `json:"stats,omitempty"`
 }
@@ -77,6 +80,7 @@ func buildArtifact(tests []testkit.Test, models []string, results []runner.Resul
 			Detail:           r.Score.Detail,
 			ResponseText:     r.ResponseText,
 			FinishReason:     r.FinishReason,
+			Fingerprint:      r.Fingerprint,
 			Skipped:          r.Score.Skipped,
 			Truncated:        r.Truncated(),
 			LatencyMS:        r.Latency.Milliseconds(),
@@ -150,12 +154,37 @@ func LoadArtifact(path string) (jsonArtifact, error) {
 	return jsonArtifact{Results: legacy}, nil
 }
 
-// WriteArtifact saves the run as a JSON artifact at path, for later
-// `llmtest compare` runs, regardless of the stdout report format.
-func WriteArtifact(path string, tests []testkit.Test, models []string, results []runner.Result) error {
-	b, err := json.MarshalIndent(buildArtifact(tests, models, results), "", "  ")
+// WriteArtifact saves the run, stamped with meta, as a JSON artifact at
+// path for later `llmtest compare` runs, regardless of the stdout report
+// format. The write is atomic (temp file + rename), so an interrupted
+// process never leaves a truncated artifact that replaced a good one.
+func WriteArtifact(path string, meta RunMeta, tests []testkit.Test, models []string, results []runner.Result) error {
+	art := buildArtifact(tests, models, results)
+	meta.CatalogHash = CatalogHash(tests)
+	meta.TestCount = len(tests)
+	meta.Fingerprints = servedFingerprints(results)
+	art.Meta = &meta
+
+	b, err := json.MarshalIndent(art, "", "  ")
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	return os.WriteFile(path, append(b, '\n'), 0o644) //nolint:gosec // 0o644: the artifact is a report meant to be shared/committed, not a secret file
+
+	tmp, err := os.CreateTemp(filepath.Dir(path), ".llmtest-artifact-*")
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	defer func() { _ = os.Remove(tmp.Name()) }() // no-op after a successful rename
+	if _, err := tmp.Write(append(b, '\n')); err != nil {
+		_ = tmp.Close()
+		return err
+	}
+	if err := tmp.Close(); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	// 0o644: the artifact is a report meant to be shared/committed, not a secret file.
+	if err := os.Chmod(tmp.Name(), 0o644); err != nil { //nolint:gosec // see comment above
+		return err
+	}
+	return os.Rename(tmp.Name(), path)
 }

internal/report/meta.go

@@ -0,0 +1,109 @@
+package report
+
+import (
+	"crypto/sha256"
+	"encoding/hex"
+	"fmt"
+	"sort"
+	"strconv"
+	"strings"
+
+	"github.com/lukaszraczylo/llm-testbench/internal/runner"
+	"github.com/lukaszraczylo/llm-testbench/internal/testkit"
+)
+
+// RunMeta records the settings and environment a run used, so two
+// artifacts can be judged comparable and a result reproduced.
+type RunMeta struct {
+	Fingerprints     map[string][]string `json:"fingerprints,omitempty"`
+	Seed             *int                `json:"seed,omitempty"`
+	Version          string              `json:"version"`
+	StartedAt        string              `json:"started_at"`
+	Endpoint         string              `json:"endpoint,omitempty"`
+	CatalogHash      string              `json:"catalog_hash"`
+	Temperature      float64             `json:"temperature"`
+	MaxTokensDefault int                 `json:"max_tokens_default"`
+	Repeat           int                 `json:"repeat"`
+	TestCount        int                 `json:"test_count"`
+	Interrupted      bool                `json:"interrupted,omitempty"`
+}
+
+// CatalogHash returns a stable digest of the test inputs that determine a
+// model's answer (id, system prompt, prompt, token floor, tool names).
+func CatalogHash(tests []testkit.Test) string {
+	sorted := append([]testkit.Test(nil), tests...)
+	sort.Slice(sorted, func(i, j int) bool { return sorted[i].ID < sorted[j].ID })
+	h := sha256.New()
+	for _, t := range sorted {
+		names := make([]string, 0, len(t.Tools))
+		for _, tl := range t.Tools {
+			names = append(names, tl.Name)
+		}
+		_, _ = fmt.Fprintf(h, "%s\x00%s\x00%s\x00%d\x00%s\x01", t.ID, t.System, t.Prompt, t.MaxTokens, strings.Join(names, ","))
+	}
+	return hex.EncodeToString(h.Sum(nil))[:16]
+}
+
+// servedFingerprints collects the distinct backend fingerprints each model
+// answered with; more than one means the serving build changed mid-run.
+func servedFingerprints(results []runner.Result) map[string][]string {
+	seen := make(map[string]map[string]bool)
+	for _, r := range results {
+		if r.Fingerprint == "" {
+			continue
+		}
+		if seen[r.Model] == nil {
+			seen[r.Model] = make(map[string]bool)
+		}
+		seen[r.Model][r.Fingerprint] = true
+	}
+	if len(seen) == 0 {
+		return nil
+	}
+	out := make(map[string][]string, len(seen))
+	for m, fps := range seen {
+		for fp := range fps {
+			out[m] = append(out[m], fp)
+		}
+		sort.Strings(out[m])
+	}
+	return out
+}
+
+// compareWarnings lists reasons two artifacts may not be like-for-like.
+// Artifacts without metadata (older runs) produce no warnings.
+func compareWarnings(base, cur *RunMeta) []string {
+	if base == nil || cur == nil {
+		return nil
+	}
+	var w []string
+	if base.CatalogHash != cur.CatalogHash {
+		w = append(w, fmt.Sprintf("catalog differs (%s vs %s): prompts changed between runs", base.CatalogHash, cur.CatalogHash))
+	}
+	if base.Temperature != cur.Temperature {
+		w = append(w, fmt.Sprintf("temperature differs (%g vs %g)", base.Temperature, cur.Temperature))
+	}
+	if base.MaxTokensDefault != cur.MaxTokensDefault {
+		w = append(w, fmt.Sprintf("max_tokens_default differs (%d vs %d)", base.MaxTokensDefault, cur.MaxTokensDefault))
+	}
+	if fmtSeed(base.Seed) != fmtSeed(cur.Seed) {
+		w = append(w, fmt.Sprintf("seed differs (%s vs %s)", fmtSeed(base.Seed), fmtSeed(cur.Seed)))
+	}
+	if base.Interrupted || cur.Interrupted {
+		w = append(w, "an artifact is from an interrupted run: missing results are not regressions")
+	}
+	for m, cfps := range cur.Fingerprints {
+		if bfps, ok := base.Fingerprints[m]; ok && strings.Join(bfps, ",") != strings.Join(cfps, ",") {
+			w = append(w, fmt.Sprintf("%s served by a different backend build (%s vs %s)", m, strings.Join(bfps, "+"), strings.Join(cfps, "+")))
+		}
+	}
+	sort.Strings(w)
+	return w
+}
+
+func fmtSeed(s *int) string {
+	if s == nil {
+		return "unset"
+	}
+	return strconv.Itoa(*s)
+}

internal/report/meta_test.go

@@ -0,0 +1,71 @@
+package report
+
+import (
+	"os"
+	"path/filepath"
+	"strings"
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/lukaszraczylo/llm-testbench/internal/runner"
+	"github.com/lukaszraczylo/llm-testbench/internal/testkit"
+)
+
+func TestCatalogHash_StableAndSensitive(t *testing.T) {
+	a := testkit.Test{ID: "a", Prompt: "p1"}
+	b := testkit.Test{ID: "b", Prompt: "p2"}
+	if CatalogHash([]testkit.Test{a, b}) != CatalogHash([]testkit.Test{b, a}) {
+		t.Error("hash depends on input order, want stable")
+	}
+	b2 := b
+	b2.Prompt = "p2 changed"
+	if CatalogHash([]testkit.Test{a, b}) == CatalogHash([]testkit.Test{a, b2}) {
+		t.Error("hash ignores a prompt change")
+	}
+}
+
+func TestCompareWarnings(t *testing.T) {
+	seed := 1
+	base := &RunMeta{CatalogHash: "x", Temperature: 0, MaxTokensDefault: 100, Fingerprints: map[string][]string{"m": {"fp1"}}}
+	if w := compareWarnings(base, base); len(w) != 0 {
+		t.Errorf("identical meta warnings = %v, want none", w)
+	}
+	if w := compareWarnings(nil, base); len(w) != 0 {
+		t.Errorf("legacy artifact warnings = %v, want none", w)
+	}
+	cur := &RunMeta{CatalogHash: "y", Temperature: 0, MaxTokensDefault: 200, Seed: &seed, Interrupted: true,
+		Fingerprints: map[string][]string{"m": {"fp2"}}}
+	got := strings.Join(compareWarnings(base, cur), "\n")
+	for _, want := range []string{"catalog differs", "max_tokens_default differs", "seed differs", "interrupted", "different backend build"} {
+		if !strings.Contains(got, want) {
+			t.Errorf("warnings missing %q:\n%s", want, got)
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+func TestWriteArtifact_AtomicWithMetaRoundTrip(t *testing.T) {
+	dir := t.TempDir()
+	path := filepath.Join(dir, "run.json")
+	if err := os.WriteFile(path, []byte("previous"), 0o600); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	tests := []testkit.Test{{ID: "t1", Category: "c", Prompt: "p"}}
+	results := []runner.Result{{Model: "m", TestID: "t1", Fingerprint: "fp"}}
+
+	if err := WriteArtifact(path, RunMeta{Version: "v1", Repeat: 1}, tests, []string{"m"}, results); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("WriteArtifact() error = %v", err)
+	}
+	art, err := LoadArtifact(path)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("LoadArtifact() error = %v", err)
+	}
+	if art.Meta == nil || art.Meta.Version != "v1" || art.Meta.TestCount != 1 || art.Meta.CatalogHash == "" {
+		t.Errorf("Meta = %+v, want version, test count and catalog hash set", art.Meta)
+	}
+	if got := art.Meta.Fingerprints["m"]; len(got) != 1 || got[0] != "fp" {
+		t.Errorf("Fingerprints = %v, want m:[fp]", art.Meta.Fingerprints)
+	}
+	entries, _ := os.ReadDir(dir)
+	if len(entries) != 1 {
+		t.Errorf("dir has %d entries after write, want only the artifact (no temp leftovers)", len(entries))
+	}
+}

internal/runner/runner.go

@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ package runner
 import (
 	"context"
 	"encoding/json"
+	"fmt"
 	"sync/atomic"
 	"time"
 
@@ -59,6 +60,8 @@ type Result struct {
 	TestID           string
 	ResponseText     string
 	FinishReason     string
+	Fingerprint      string
+	ServedModel      string
 	Score            eval.Score
 	Latency          time.Duration
 	PromptTokens     int
@@ -83,7 +86,13 @@ func (r Result) TotalTokens() int {
 
 // Config controls how the Runner fans work out.
 type Config struct {
-	Reporter         ProgressReporter
+	Reporter ProgressReporter
+	// Seed, when non-nil, is sent with every request for backends that
+	// honor it.
+	Seed *int
+	// ModelConcurrency caps in-flight calls per model (on top of the global
+	// Concurrency), so one slow local model is not flooded into timeouts.
+	ModelConcurrency map[string]int
 	Concurrency      int
 	Temperature      float64
 	MaxTokensDefault int
@@ -138,15 +147,32 @@ func (r *Runner) Run(ctx context.Context, models []string, tests []testkit.Test)
 	if concurrency <= 0 {
 		concurrency = 1
 	}
-	g.SetLimit(concurrency)
+	// Jobs wait for their per-model slot first, then a global slot, so a
+	// capped slow model's queue never occupies global slots other models
+	// need.
+	global := make(chan struct{}, concurrency)
 
 	r.cfg.Reporter.ReportStart(len(tests), len(models), concurrency)
 
 	var completed int32
 	// go.mod's go directive is 1.22+, so loop variables are already
 	// per-iteration scoped; no manual i, j := i, j shadowing needed (N4).
+	sems := make(map[string]chan struct{}, len(r.cfg.ModelConcurrency))
+	for m, n := range r.cfg.ModelConcurrency {
+		if n > 0 {
+			sems[m] = make(chan struct{}, n)
+		}
+	}
 	for i, j := range jobs {
 		g.Go(func() error {
+			if sem, ok := sems[j.model]; ok {
+				if acquire(gctx, sem) {
+					defer func() { <-sem }()
+				}
+			}
+			if acquire(gctx, global) {
+				defer func() { <-global }()
+			}
 			res := r.runOne(gctx, j.model, j.test)
 			res.Attempt = j.attempt
 			results[i] = res
@@ -167,8 +193,32 @@ func (r *Runner) Run(ctx context.Context, models []string, tests []testkit.Test)
 	return results
 }
 
-// runOne executes a single (model, test) combination.
-func (r *Runner) runOne(ctx context.Context, model string, test testkit.Test) Result {
+// acquire takes a slot from sem, reporting false if ctx ended first.
+func acquire(ctx context.Context, sem chan struct{}) bool {
+	select {
+	case sem <- struct{}{}:
+		return true
+	case <-ctx.Done():
+		return false
+	}
+}
+
+// runOne executes a single (model, test) combination. A cancelled context
+// short-circuits to an error result, and a panic in an evaluator becomes an
+// error result instead of killing a multi-hour run.
+func (r *Runner) runOne(ctx context.Context, model string, test testkit.Test) (res Result) {
+	if err := ctx.Err(); err != nil {
+		return Result{Model: model, TestID: test.ID, Err: err}
+	}
+	defer func() {
+		if p := recover(); p != nil {
+			res = Result{Model: model, TestID: test.ID, Err: fmt.Errorf("runner: panic scoring test: %v", p)}
+		}
+	}()
+	return r.execute(ctx, model, test)
+}
+
+func (r *Runner) execute(ctx context.Context, model string, test testkit.Test) Result {
 	// cfg.MaxTokensDefault is a floor, not a fallback used only when the
 	// test leaves MaxTokens unset: a per-test value only ever raises the
 	// budget, it never lowers it below the default. A reasoning model can
@@ -190,6 +240,7 @@ func (r *Runner) runOne(ctx context.Context, model string, test testkit.Test) Re
 		Tools:       test.Tools,
 		MaxTokens:   maxTokens,
 		Temperature: r.cfg.Temperature,
+		Seed:        r.cfg.Seed,
 	}
 
 	// Wall-clock across all attempts, recorded even on error: an error row
@@ -223,6 +274,8 @@ func (r *Runner) runOne(ctx context.Context, model string, test testkit.Test) Re
 		Score:            score,
 		ResponseText:     scored,
 		FinishReason:     resp.FinishReason,
+		Fingerprint:      resp.Fingerprint,
+		ServedModel:      resp.ServedModel,
 		Latency:          resp.Latency,
 		PromptTokens:     resp.PromptTokens,
 		CompletionTokens: resp.CompletionTokens,

internal/runner/runner_test.go

@@ -410,3 +410,89 @@ func TestRunner_Run_RepeatSamplesEachCombination(t *testing.T) {
 		}
 	}
 }
+
+func TestRunner_Run_PassesSeedAndRecordsFingerprint(t *testing.T) {
+	var gotSeed *int
+	client := &mockClient{respond: func(req llm.Request) (llm.Response, error) {
+		gotSeed = req.Seed
+		return llm.Response{Text: "OK", Fingerprint: "fp-1", ServedModel: "served"}, nil
+	}}
+	seed := 7
+	r := New(client, Config{Concurrency: 1, MaxTokensDefault: 100, Seed: &seed})
+	res := r.Run(context.Background(), []string{"m"}, []testkit.Test{{ID: "t", Category: "c", Prompt: "p", Eval: echoEval()}})
+	if gotSeed == nil || *gotSeed != 7 {
+		t.Errorf("request seed = %v, want 7", gotSeed)
+	}
+	if res[0].Fingerprint != "fp-1" || res[0].ServedModel != "served" {
+		t.Errorf("fingerprint/model = %q/%q, want fp-1/served", res[0].Fingerprint, res[0].ServedModel)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestRunner_Run_EvaluatorPanicBecomesErrorResult(t *testing.T) {
+	boom := eval.EvaluatorFunc(func(context.Context, string) eval.Score { panic("boom") })
+	r := New(&mockClient{}, Config{Concurrency: 2, MaxTokensDefault: 100})
+	res := r.Run(context.Background(), []string{"m"}, []testkit.Test{
+		{ID: "bad", Category: "c", Prompt: "p", Eval: boom},
+		{ID: "good", Category: "c", Prompt: "p", Eval: echoEval()},
+	})
+	if res[0].Err == nil || !strings.Contains(res[0].Err.Error(), "boom") {
+		t.Errorf("panicking test Err = %v, want panic error", res[0].Err)
+	}
+	if res[1].Err != nil || res[1].Score.Value != 1 {
+		t.Errorf("sibling test = %+v, want unaffected pass", res[1])
+	}
+}
+
+func TestRunner_Run_CancelledContextSkipsCalls(t *testing.T) {
+	var calls int32
+	client := &mockClient{respond: func(llm.Request) (llm.Response, error) {
+		atomic.AddInt32(&calls, 1)
+		return llm.Response{Text: "OK"}, nil
+	}}
+	ctx, cancel := context.WithCancel(context.Background())
+	cancel()
+	r := New(client, Config{Concurrency: 2, MaxTokensDefault: 100})
+	res := r.Run(ctx, []string{"m"}, []testkit.Test{{ID: "t", Category: "c", Prompt: "p", Eval: echoEval()}})
+	if atomic.LoadInt32(&calls) != 0 {
+		t.Errorf("client called %d times after cancel, want 0", calls)
+	}
+	if !errors.Is(res[0].Err, context.Canceled) {
+		t.Errorf("Err = %v, want context.Canceled", res[0].Err)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestRunner_Run_ModelConcurrencyCapDoesNotStarveOthers(t *testing.T) {
+	var slowIn, slowMax int32
+	fastDone := make(chan struct{}, 8)
+	client := &mockClient{respond: func(req llm.Request) (llm.Response, error) {
+		if req.Model == "slow" {
+			cur := atomic.AddInt32(&slowIn, 1)
+			for {
+				m := atomic.LoadInt32(&slowMax)
+				if cur <= m || atomic.CompareAndSwapInt32(&slowMax, m, cur) {
+					break
+				}
+			}
+			time.Sleep(30 * time.Millisecond)
+			atomic.AddInt32(&slowIn, -1)
+		} else {
+			fastDone <- struct{}{}
+		}
+		return llm.Response{Text: "OK"}, nil
+	}}
+	r := New(client, Config{Concurrency: 2, MaxTokensDefault: 100, ModelConcurrency: map[string]int{"slow": 1}})
+	tests := make([]testkit.Test, 6)
+	for i := range tests {
+		tests[i] = testkit.Test{ID: string(rune('a' + i)), Category: "c", Prompt: "p", Eval: echoEval()}
+	}
+	res := r.Run(context.Background(), []string{"slow", "fast"}, tests)
+	if len(res) != 12 {
+		t.Fatalf("results = %d, want 12", len(res))
+	}
+	if got := atomic.LoadInt32(&slowMax); got != 1 {
+		t.Errorf("slow model max in-flight = %d, want 1", got)
+	}
+	if len(fastDone) != 6 {
+		t.Errorf("fast calls = %d, want 6", len(fastDone))
+	}
+}