diff --git a/strix/core/execution.py b/strix/core/execution.py
index a0280937..ea65612d 100644
--- a/strix/core/execution.py
+++ b/strix/core/execution.py
@@ -13,7 +13,13 @@ from agents import RunConfig, Runner
 from agents.exceptions import AgentsException, MaxTurnsExceeded, UserError
 from agents.sandbox.errors import ExecTransportError
 from docker import errors as docker_errors  # type: ignore[import-untyped, unused-ignore]
-from openai import APIError
+from openai import (
+    APIConnectionError,
+    APIError,
+    APIStatusError,
+    APITimeoutError,
+    RateLimitError,
+)
 
 from strix.core.hooks import BudgetExceededError
 from strix.core.inputs import child_initial_input
@@ -78,6 +84,34 @@ async def _compact_session(
     )
 
 
+_TRANSIENT_MODEL_STATUS_CODES = frozenset({408, 500, 502, 503, 504})
+_MAX_TRANSIENT_MODEL_RETRIES = 4
+_TRANSIENT_MODEL_RETRY_BASE_DELAY_S = 2.0
+_TRANSIENT_MODEL_RETRY_MAX_DELAY_S = 30.0
+
+
+def _model_error_status_code(exc: BaseException) -> int | None:
+    code = getattr(exc, "status_code", None)
+    return code if isinstance(code, int) else None
+
+
+def _is_transient_model_error(exc: BaseException) -> bool:
+    if isinstance(exc, RateLimitError):
+        return False
+    if isinstance(exc, APITimeoutError | APIConnectionError):
+        return True
+    if isinstance(exc, APIStatusError):
+        return exc.status_code in _TRANSIENT_MODEL_STATUS_CODES
+    if isinstance(exc, APIError):
+        return _model_error_status_code(exc) is None
+    return False
+
+
+def _transient_model_retry_delay(attempt: int) -> float:
+    delay = _TRANSIENT_MODEL_RETRY_BASE_DELAY_S * float(2 ** (attempt - 1))
+    return min(delay, _TRANSIENT_MODEL_RETRY_MAX_DELAY_S)
+
+
 async def run_agent_loop(
     *,
     agent: Any,
@@ -387,6 +421,7 @@ async def _run_cycle(  # noqa: PLR0912, PLR0915
 ) -> RunResultBase | None:
     image_strips = 0
     compactions = 0
+    model_retries = 0
     while True:
         try:
             await coordinator.mark_running(agent_id)
@@ -488,6 +523,22 @@ async def _run_cycle(  # noqa: PLR0912, PLR0915
                     )
                     input_data = []
                     continue
+            if model_retries < _MAX_TRANSIENT_MODEL_RETRIES and _is_transient_model_error(exc):
+                model_retries += 1
+                delay = _transient_model_retry_delay(model_retries)
+                logger.warning(
+                    "transient model/provider error for %s; replaying turn "
+                    "(attempt %d/%d, backoff %.1fs): %r",
+                    agent_id,
+                    model_retries,
+                    _MAX_TRANSIENT_MODEL_RETRIES,
+                    delay,
+                    exc,
+                )
+                await asyncio.sleep(delay)
+                if session is not None:
+                    input_data = []
+                continue
             if not interactive:
                 raise
             if isinstance(exc, MaxTurnsExceeded):
diff --git a/tests/test_execution_transient_retry.py b/tests/test_execution_transient_retry.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..889eb96f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_execution_transient_retry.py
@@ -0,0 +1,157 @@
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+from typing import Any, cast
+
+import httpx
+import pytest
+from agents import RunConfig, Runner
+from openai import (
+    APIConnectionError,
+    APIError,
+    APIStatusError,
+    APITimeoutError,
+    BadRequestError,
+    InternalServerError,
+    RateLimitError,
+)
+
+from strix.core import execution
+from strix.core.agents import AgentCoordinator
+
+
+def _request() -> httpx.Request:
+    return httpx.Request("POST", "https://api.openai.com/v1/responses")
+
+
+def _midstream_api_error() -> APIError:
+    return APIError("An error occurred while processing the request.", _request(), body=None)
+
+
+def _status_error(status: int) -> APIStatusError:
+    return APIStatusError(
+        f"status {status}",
+        response=httpx.Response(status_code=status, request=_request()),
+        body=None,
+    )
+
+
+def test_midstream_api_error_is_transient() -> None:
+    assert execution._is_transient_model_error(_midstream_api_error()) is True
+
+
+def test_network_errors_are_transient() -> None:
+    assert execution._is_transient_model_error(APITimeoutError(_request())) is True
+    assert execution._is_transient_model_error(APIConnectionError(request=_request())) is True
+
+
+def test_server_errors_are_transient() -> None:
+    assert (
+        execution._is_transient_model_error(
+            InternalServerError("boom", response=httpx.Response(500, request=_request()), body=None)
+        )
+        is True
+    )
+    for status in (502, 503, 504, 408):
+        assert execution._is_transient_model_error(_status_error(status)) is True
+
+
+def test_rate_limit_is_not_retried_here() -> None:
+    rate_limited = RateLimitError(
+        "slow down", response=httpx.Response(429, request=_request()), body=None
+    )
+    assert execution._is_transient_model_error(rate_limited) is False
+
+
+def test_client_errors_are_not_transient() -> None:
+    bad_request = BadRequestError(
+        "bad", response=httpx.Response(400, request=_request()), body=None
+    )
+    assert execution._is_transient_model_error(bad_request) is False
+    assert execution._is_transient_model_error(_status_error(404)) is False
+    assert execution._is_transient_model_error(ValueError("nope")) is False
+
+
+class _FakeStream:
+    def __init__(self, exc: BaseException | None = None) -> None:
+        self._exc = exc
+        self._events: list[Any] = []
+        self.run_loop_exception: BaseException | None = None
+
+    async def stream_events(self) -> Any:
+        if self._exc is not None:
+            raise self._exc
+        for event in self._events:
+            yield event
+
+
+def _patch_fast_backoff(monkeypatch: pytest.MonkeyPatch) -> None:
+    monkeypatch.setattr(execution, "_TRANSIENT_MODEL_RETRY_BASE_DELAY_S", 0.0)
+    monkeypatch.setattr(execution, "_TRANSIENT_MODEL_RETRY_MAX_DELAY_S", 0.0)
+
+
+async def _run_once(
+    monkeypatch: pytest.MonkeyPatch,
+    streams: list[_FakeStream],
+) -> Any:
+    _patch_fast_backoff(monkeypatch)
+    calls = {"n": 0}
+
+    def _fake_run_streamed(*_args: Any, **_kwargs: Any) -> _FakeStream:
+        stream = streams[calls["n"]]
+        calls["n"] += 1
+        return stream
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(Runner, "run_streamed", _fake_run_streamed)
+
+    coordinator = AgentCoordinator()
+    await coordinator.register("root", "strix", parent_id=None)
+
+    result = await execution._run_cycle(
+        object(),
+        coordinator,
+        "root",
+        input_data="task",
+        run_config=cast("RunConfig", object()),
+        context={},
+        max_turns=5,
+        session=None,
+        interactive=False,
+        event_sink=None,
+        hooks=None,
+    )
+    return result, calls["n"], coordinator
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_run_cycle_retries_transient_midstream_error(
+    monkeypatch: pytest.MonkeyPatch,
+) -> None:
+    streams = [_FakeStream(exc=_midstream_api_error()), _FakeStream()]
+    result, attempts, _coordinator = await _run_once(monkeypatch, streams)
+
+    assert result is streams[1]
+    assert attempts == 2
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_run_cycle_gives_up_after_max_retries(
+    monkeypatch: pytest.MonkeyPatch,
+) -> None:
+    streams = [
+        _FakeStream(exc=_midstream_api_error())
+        for _ in range(execution._MAX_TRANSIENT_MODEL_RETRIES + 1)
+    ]
+    with pytest.raises(APIError):
+        await _run_once(monkeypatch, streams)
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_run_cycle_does_not_retry_permanent_error(
+    monkeypatch: pytest.MonkeyPatch,
+) -> None:
+    bad_request = BadRequestError(
+        "bad", response=httpx.Response(400, request=_request()), body=None
+    )
+    streams = [_FakeStream(exc=bad_request), _FakeStream()]
+    with pytest.raises(BadRequestError):
+        await _run_once(monkeypatch, streams)