diff --git a/codex-rs/memories/write/src/phase2.rs b/codex-rs/memories/write/src/phase2.rs
index 0c588a607072..1c7f35b5ae3f 100644
--- a/codex-rs/memories/write/src/phase2.rs
+++ b/codex-rs/memories/write/src/phase2.rs
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ use crate::sync_rollout_summaries_from_memories;
 use crate::workspace::memory_workspace_diff;
 use crate::workspace::prepare_memory_workspace;
 use crate::workspace::reset_memory_workspace_baseline;
+use crate::workspace::validate_consolidation_artifacts;
 use crate::workspace::write_workspace_diff;
 use codex_config::Constrained;
 use codex_core::config::Config;
@@ -140,7 +141,7 @@ pub async fn run(context: Arc<MemoryStartupContext>, config: Arc<Config>) {
             return;
         }
     };
-    if !workspace_diff.has_changes() {
+    if !workspace_diff.has_changes() && validate_consolidation_artifacts(&root).await.is_ok() {
         tracing::error!("Phase 2 no changes");
         // We check only after sync of the file system.
         job::succeed(
@@ -378,14 +379,30 @@ mod agent {
             let final_status =
                 loop_agent(db.clone(), claim.token.clone(), thread_id, &thread).await;
 
-            if matches!(final_status, AgentStatus::Completed(_)) {
-                if let Some(token_usage) = thread
+            let agent_completed = matches!(final_status, AgentStatus::Completed(_));
+            if agent_completed
+                && let Some(token_usage) = thread
                     .token_usage_info()
                     .await
                     .map(|info| info.total_token_usage)
-                {
-                    emit_token_usage_metrics(context.as_ref(), &token_usage);
+            {
+                emit_token_usage_metrics(context.as_ref(), &token_usage);
+            }
+            let artifacts_valid = if agent_completed {
+                match validate_consolidation_artifacts(&memory_root).await {
+                    Ok(()) => true,
+                    Err(err) => {
+                        tracing::error!("memory consolidation artifacts are invalid: {err}");
+                        job::failed(context.as_ref(), &db, &claim, "failed_invalid_artifacts")
+                            .await;
+                        false
+                    }
                 }
+            } else {
+                false
+            };
+
+            if agent_completed && artifacts_valid {
                 // Do not reset the workspace baseline if we lost the lock.
                 let still_owns_lock = match db
                     .memories()
@@ -431,7 +448,7 @@ mod agent {
                         );
                     }
                 }
-            } else {
+            } else if !agent_completed {
                 job::failed(context.as_ref(), &db, &claim, "failed_agent").await;
             }
 
diff --git a/codex-rs/memories/write/src/startup_tests.rs b/codex-rs/memories/write/src/startup_tests.rs
index fad1ce14a425..4154b852bf82 100644
--- a/codex-rs/memories/write/src/startup_tests.rs
+++ b/codex-rs/memories/write/src/startup_tests.rs
@@ -4,6 +4,8 @@ use crate::phase1;
 use crate::phase2;
 use crate::runtime::MemoryStartupContext;
 use crate::start_memories_startup_task;
+use crate::storage::rebuild_raw_memories_file_from_memories;
+use crate::storage::sync_rollout_summaries_from_memories;
 use codex_config::types::MemoriesConfig;
 use codex_features::Feature;
 use codex_git_utils::diff_since_latest_init;
@@ -27,6 +29,7 @@ use codex_protocol::protocol::Op;
 use codex_protocol::protocol::RolloutItem;
 use codex_protocol::protocol::RolloutLine;
 use codex_protocol::protocol::SessionSource;
+use codex_state::Phase2JobClaimOutcome;
 use core_test_support::responses::ResponseMock;
 use core_test_support::responses::ResponsesRequest;
 use core_test_support::responses::ev_assistant_message;
@@ -91,6 +94,7 @@ async fn memories_startup_phase2_tracks_workspace_diff_across_runs() -> anyhow::
         "git_branch: branch-rollout-a\n\nrollout summary A\n",
     )
     .await?;
+    seed_required_memory_artifacts(&memory_root).await?;
     reset_git_repository(&memory_root).await?;
 
     let _thread_b = seed_stage1_output(
@@ -149,6 +153,59 @@ async fn memories_startup_phase2_tracks_workspace_diff_across_runs() -> anyhow::
     Ok(())
 }
 
+#[tokio::test]
+async fn phase2_retries_when_clean_workspace_is_missing_artifacts() -> anyhow::Result<()> {
+    let server = start_mock_server().await;
+    let home = Arc::new(TempDir::new()?);
+    let db = init_state_db(&home).await?;
+    let memory_root = home.path().join("memories");
+    seed_stage1_output(
+        db.as_ref(),
+        home.path(),
+        chrono::Utc::now(),
+        "raw memory",
+        "rollout summary",
+        "missing-artifacts",
+    )
+    .await?;
+    let raw_memories = db
+        .memories()
+        .get_phase2_input_selection(/*n*/ 1, /*max_unused_days*/ 1)
+        .await?;
+    sync_rollout_summaries_from_memories(&memory_root, &raw_memories, raw_memories.len()).await?;
+    rebuild_raw_memories_file_from_memories(&memory_root, &raw_memories, raw_memories.len())
+        .await?;
+    seed_extension_instructions(&memory_root).await?;
+    reset_git_repository(&memory_root).await?;
+    let phase2 = mount_sse_once(
+        &server,
+        sse(vec![
+            ev_response_created("resp-phase2-missing-artifacts"),
+            ev_assistant_message("msg-phase2-missing-artifacts", "phase2 complete"),
+            ev_completed("resp-phase2-missing-artifacts"),
+        ]),
+    )
+    .await;
+    let test = build_test_codex(&server, home.clone()).await?;
+
+    trigger_memories_startup(&test).await;
+    wait_for_single_request(&phase2).await;
+
+    assert_eq!(
+        wait_for_phase2_job_to_finish(db.as_ref()).await?,
+        Phase2JobClaimOutcome::SkippedRetryUnavailable
+    );
+    assert!(!memory_root.join("MEMORY.md").exists());
+    assert!(!memory_root.join("memory_summary.md").exists());
+    assert_eq!(
+        tokio::fs::read_to_string(memory_root.join("phase2_workspace_diff.md")).await?,
+        "# Memory Workspace Diff\n\nGenerated by Codex before Phase 2 memory consolidation. Read this file first and do not edit it.\n\n## Status\n- none\n"
+    );
+
+    shutdown_test_codex(&test).await?;
+    Ok(())
+}
+
 #[tokio::test]
 async fn memories_startup_phase2_prunes_old_extension_resources() -> anyhow::Result<()> {
     let server = start_mock_server().await;
@@ -183,6 +240,7 @@ async fn memories_startup_phase2_prunes_old_extension_resources() -> anyhow::Res
         (now - chrono::Duration::days(6)).format("%Y-%m-%dT%H-%M-%S")
     ));
     tokio::fs::write(&recent_file, "recent resource").await?;
+    seed_required_memory_artifacts(&home.path().join("memories")).await?;
 
     let phase2 = mount_sse_once(
         &server,
@@ -243,6 +301,7 @@ async fn memories_startup_phase2_prunes_old_extension_resources_without_stage1_i
         (now - chrono::Duration::days(8)).format("%Y-%m-%dT%H-%M-%S")
     ));
     tokio::fs::write(&old_file, "old resource").await?;
+    seed_required_memory_artifacts(&home.path().join("memories")).await?;
 
     let phase2 = mount_sse_once(
         &server,
@@ -494,6 +553,7 @@ async fn run_memory_phase_two_model_request_test(
     let root = memory_root(&config.codex_home);
     tokio::fs::create_dir_all(&root).await?;
     seed_extension_instructions(&root).await?;
+    seed_required_memory_artifacts(&root).await?;
     phase2::run(context, config).await;
     let request = wait_for_single_request(&response).await;
     wait_for_phase2_workspace_reset(&home.path().join("memories")).await?;
@@ -803,6 +863,33 @@ async fn wait_for_phase2_workspace_reset(memory_root: &Path) -> anyhow::Result<(
     }
 }
 
+async fn wait_for_phase2_job_to_finish(
+    db: &codex_state::StateRuntime,
+) -> anyhow::Result<Phase2JobClaimOutcome> {
+    let deadline = Instant::now() + Duration::from_secs(10);
+    loop {
+        let outcome = db
+            .memories()
+            .try_claim_global_phase2_job(ThreadId::new(), /*lease_seconds*/ 3_600)
+            .await?;
+        if outcome != Phase2JobClaimOutcome::SkippedRunning {
+            return Ok(outcome);
+        }
+        anyhow::ensure!(
+            Instant::now() < deadline,
+            "timed out waiting for phase-2 job to finish"
+        );
+        tokio::time::sleep(Duration::from_millis(50)).await;
+    }
+}
+
+async fn seed_required_memory_artifacts(root: &Path) -> anyhow::Result<()> {
+    tokio::fs::create_dir_all(root).await?;
+    tokio::fs::write(root.join("MEMORY.md"), "memory\n").await?;
+    tokio::fs::write(root.join("memory_summary.md"), "v1\n\nsummary\n").await?;
+    Ok(())
+}
+
 async fn seed_stage1_output_for_existing_thread(
     db: &codex_state::StateRuntime,
     thread_id: ThreadId,
diff --git a/codex-rs/memories/write/src/workspace.rs b/codex-rs/memories/write/src/workspace.rs
index 17b8e5a95287..9f80693e4768 100644
--- a/codex-rs/memories/write/src/workspace.rs
+++ b/codex-rs/memories/write/src/workspace.rs
@@ -45,6 +45,34 @@ pub async fn reset_memory_workspace_baseline(root: &Path) -> anyhow::Result<()>
     reset_git_repository(root).await
 }
 
+/// Verifies that a completed consolidation run left the required memory artifacts in place.
+pub async fn validate_consolidation_artifacts(root: &Path) -> anyhow::Result<()> {
+    let memory_path = root.join("MEMORY.md");
+    let memory_metadata = tokio::fs::metadata(&memory_path).await.with_context(|| {
+        format!(
+            "read consolidated memory artifact {}",
+            memory_path.display()
+        )
+    })?;
+    anyhow::ensure!(
+        memory_metadata.is_file(),
+        "consolidated memory artifact is not a file: {}",
+        memory_path.display()
+    );
+
+    let summary_path = root.join("memory_summary.md");
+    let summary = tokio::fs::read_to_string(&summary_path)
+        .await
+        .with_context(|| format!("read memory summary artifact {}", summary_path.display()))?;
+    anyhow::ensure!(
+        summary.lines().next() == Some("v1"),
+        "memory summary artifact does not start with v1: {}",
+        summary_path.display()
+    );
+
+    Ok(())
+}
+
 /// Removes the generated `phase2_workspace_diff.md` prompt artifact.
 ///
 /// This does not remove `.git/`, reset the baseline, or delete memory content. It is used before
diff --git a/codex-rs/memories/write/src/workspace_tests.rs b/codex-rs/memories/write/src/workspace_tests.rs
index e46576c0d687..8c157273a60a 100644
--- a/codex-rs/memories/write/src/workspace_tests.rs
+++ b/codex-rs/memories/write/src/workspace_tests.rs
@@ -76,3 +76,18 @@ fn previous_char_boundary_handles_multibyte_text() {
     let text = "aé";
     assert_eq!(previous_char_boundary(text, /*max_bytes*/ 2), 1);
 }
+
+#[tokio::test]
+async fn validate_consolidation_artifacts_rejects_invalid_summary() {
+    let home = TempDir::new().expect("tempdir");
+    let root = home.path().join("memories");
+    fs::create_dir_all(&root).expect("create memory root");
+    fs::write(root.join("MEMORY.md"), "memory").expect("write memory");
+    fs::write(root.join("memory_summary.md"), "outdated\n").expect("write summary");
+
+    let err = validate_consolidation_artifacts(&root)
+        .await
+        .expect_err("invalid summary should fail validation");
+
+    assert!(err.to_string().contains("does not start with v1"));
+}