---
title: "A task state looks stale or contradictory"
description: "Compare CueSpec’s state with the original Codex conversation before deciding that work is complete or sending a new instruction."
slug: "task-state-stale"
category: "troubleshooting"
language: en
editorial_status: published
capability_status: guide
reviewed_at: 2026-10-13
keywords: ["CueSpec stale task status","Codex progress mismatch","AI task state"]
---

# A task state looks stale or contradictory

Compare CueSpec’s state with the original Codex conversation before deciding that work is complete or sending a new instruction. Unknown or disconnected states should not become success claims.

## Check the object of the state
A send receipt describes a message. A running or retrying label describes the task. A completion notice prompts review of the later result. These signals can change at different times.

The Mac release keeps model-busy work in a retry state and avoids stale historical tasks in the live list. If the state still conflicts with Codex, retain the visible labels and the latest original answer.

## Respond to evidence
If the message arrived but the model is waiting, do not replay it. If the task finished with an error, inspect that error rather than treating the completion time as a successful outcome. If the connection is unavailable, re-establish it and recheck.

A small report should include versions, the state in each app and whether the discrepancy persists after opening the original task. It should not include entire private logs. Task visibility is useful monitoring, but the task’s actual output and actions remain the final evidence of what happened.

## Related reading

- [Understand the desktop task overview](/task-overview/)
- [What waiting to retry means](/retrying-status/)
- [The original conversation is unavailable for sending](/conversation-owner-unavailable/)
- [CueSpec product facts at a glance](/product-facts/)