fix(pico): stream assistant text between tool calls

pkg/agent/loop.go

@@ -1409,7 +1409,7 @@ func (al *AgentLoop) processMessage(ctx context.Context, msg bus.InboundMessage)
 		Media:             msg.Media,
 		DefaultResponse:   defaultResponse,
 		EnableSummary:     true,
-		SendResponse:      msg.Channel == "pico",
+		SendResponse:      false,
 	}
 
 	// context-dependent commands check their own Runtime fields and report
@@ -2253,6 +2253,20 @@ turnLoop:
 		}
 		logger.DebugCF("agent", "LLM response", llmResponseFields)
 
+		if al.bus != nil && ts.channel == "pico" {
+			liveContent := response.Content
+			if liveContent == "" && len(response.ToolCalls) == 0 && response.ReasoningContent != "" {
+				liveContent = response.ReasoningContent
+			}
+			if strings.TrimSpace(liveContent) != "" {
+				al.bus.PublishOutbound(turnCtx, bus.OutboundMessage{
+					Channel: ts.channel,
+					ChatID:  ts.chatID,
+					Content: liveContent,
+				})
+			}
+		}
+
 		if len(response.ToolCalls) == 0 || gracefulTerminal {
 			responseContent := response.Content
 			if responseContent == "" && response.ReasoningContent != "" {

pkg/agent/loop_test.go

@@ -1069,6 +1069,40 @@ func (m *toolFeedbackProvider) GetDefaultModel() string {
 	return "heartbeat-tool-feedback-model"
 }
 
+type picoInterleavedContentProvider struct {
+	calls int
+}
+
+func (m *picoInterleavedContentProvider) Chat(
+	ctx context.Context,
+	messages []providers.Message,
+	tools []providers.ToolDefinition,
+	model string,
+	opts map[string]any,
+) (*providers.LLMResponse, error) {
+	m.calls++
+	if m.calls == 1 {
+		return &providers.LLMResponse{
+			Content: "intermediate model text",
+			ToolCalls: []providers.ToolCall{{
+				ID:        "call_tool_limit_test",
+				Type:      "function",
+				Name:      "tool_limit_test_tool",
+				Arguments: map[string]any{"value": "x"},
+			}},
+		}, nil
+	}
+
+	return &providers.LLMResponse{
+		Content:   "final model text",
+		ToolCalls: []providers.ToolCall{},
+	}, nil
+}
+
+func (m *picoInterleavedContentProvider) GetDefaultModel() string {
+	return "pico-interleaved-content-model"
+}
+
 type toolLimitOnlyProvider struct{}
 
 func (m *toolLimitOnlyProvider) Chat(
@@ -2732,6 +2766,70 @@ func TestProcessMessage_PublishesToolFeedbackWhenEnabled(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestProcessMessage_PicoPublishesAssistantContentDuringToolCalls(t *testing.T) {
+	tmpDir := t.TempDir()
+
+	cfg := &config.Config{
+		Agents: config.AgentsConfig{
+			Defaults: config.AgentDefaults{
+				Workspace:         tmpDir,
+				ModelName:         "test-model",
+				MaxTokens:         4096,
+				MaxToolIterations: 10,
+			},
+		},
+	}
+
+	msgBus := bus.NewMessageBus()
+	provider := &picoInterleavedContentProvider{}
+	al := NewAgentLoop(cfg, msgBus, provider)
+
+	agent := al.GetRegistry().GetDefaultAgent()
+	if agent == nil {
+		t.Fatal("expected default agent")
+	}
+	agent.Tools.Register(&toolLimitTestTool{})
+
+	response, err := al.processMessage(context.Background(), bus.InboundMessage{
+		Channel:  "pico",
+		SenderID: "user-1",
+		ChatID:   "session-1",
+		Content:  "run with tools",
+	})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("processMessage() error = %v", err)
+	}
+	if response != "final model text" {
+		t.Fatalf("processMessage() response = %q, want %q", response, "final model text")
+	}
+
+	outputs := make([]string, 0, 2)
+	deadline := time.After(2 * time.Second)
+	for len(outputs) < 2 {
+		select {
+		case outbound := <-msgBus.OutboundChan():
+			outputs = append(outputs, outbound.Content)
+		case <-deadline:
+			t.Fatalf("timed out waiting for pico outputs, got %v", outputs)
+		}
+	}
+
+	if outputs[0] != "intermediate model text" {
+		t.Fatalf("first outbound content = %q, want %q", outputs[0], "intermediate model text")
+	}
+	if outputs[1] != "final model text" {
+		t.Fatalf("second outbound content = %q, want %q", outputs[1], "final model text")
+	}
+
+	select {
+	case outbound := <-msgBus.OutboundChan():
+		if outbound.Content == "final model text" {
+			t.Fatalf("unexpected duplicate final pico output: %+v", outbound)
+		}
+	case <-time.After(200 * time.Millisecond):
+	}
+}
+
 func TestResolveMediaRefs_ResolvesToBase64(t *testing.T) {
 	store := media.NewFileMediaStore()
 	dir := t.TempDir()