diff --git a/run_agent.py b/run_agent.py
index ef61658d9..17f1c0189 100644
--- a/run_agent.py
+++ b/run_agent.py
@@ -3601,6 +3601,10 @@ class AIAgent:
         request_client_holder = {"client": None}
         first_delta_fired = {"done": False}
         deltas_were_sent = {"yes": False}  # Track if any deltas were fired (for fallback)
+        # Wall-clock timestamp of the last real streaming chunk.  The outer
+        # poll loop uses this to detect stale connections that keep receiving
+        # SSE keep-alive pings but no actual data.
+        last_chunk_time = {"t": time.time()}
 
         def _fire_first_delta():
             if not first_delta_fired["done"] and on_first_delta:
@@ -3641,6 +3645,8 @@ class AIAgent:
             usage_obj = None
 
             for chunk in stream:
+                last_chunk_time["t"] = time.time()
+
                 if self._interrupt_requested:
                     break
 
@@ -3878,10 +3884,31 @@ class AIAgent:
                 if request_client is not None:
                     self._close_request_openai_client(request_client, reason="stream_request_complete")
 
+        _stream_stale_timeout = float(os.getenv("HERMES_STREAM_STALE_TIMEOUT", 90.0))
+
         t = threading.Thread(target=_call, daemon=True)
         t.start()
         while t.is_alive():
             t.join(timeout=0.3)
+
+            # Detect stale streams: connections kept alive by SSE pings
+            # but delivering no real chunks.  Kill the client so the
+            # inner retry loop can start a fresh connection.
+            if time.time() - last_chunk_time["t"] > _stream_stale_timeout:
+                logger.warning(
+                    "Stream stale for %.0fs — no chunks received. Killing connection.",
+                    _stream_stale_timeout,
+                )
+                try:
+                    rc = request_client_holder.get("client")
+                    if rc is not None:
+                        self._close_request_openai_client(rc, reason="stale_stream_kill")
+                except Exception:
+                    pass
+                # Reset the timer so we don't kill repeatedly while
+                # the inner thread processes the closure.
+                last_chunk_time["t"] = time.time()
+
             if self._interrupt_requested:
                 try:
                     if self.api_mode == "anthropic_messages":