diff --git a/apps/rowboat/src/application/lib/agents-runtime/agents.ts b/apps/rowboat/src/application/lib/agents-runtime/agents.ts
index 0c632c6b..4d2a7e84 100644
--- a/apps/rowboat/src/application/lib/agents-runtime/agents.ts
+++ b/apps/rowboat/src/application/lib/agents-runtime/agents.ts
@@ -747,29 +747,44 @@ function maybeInjectGiveUpControlInstructions(
 async function* handleRawModelStreamEvent(
     event: RunRawModelStreamEvent,
     agentConfig: Record<string, z.infer<typeof WorkflowAgent>>,
+    pipelineConfig: Record<string, z.infer<typeof WorkflowPipeline>>,
     agentName: string,
     turnMsgs: z.infer<typeof Message>[],
     usageTracker: UsageTracker,
     eventLogger: PrefixLogger,
     getAgentState?: (agentName: string) => AgentState
 ): AsyncIterable<z.infer<typeof ZOutMessage>> {
+    // check response visibility - could be an agent or pipeline
+    const agentConfigObj = agentConfig[agentName];
+    const pipelineConfigObj = pipelineConfig[agentName];
+    const isInternal = agentConfigObj?.outputVisibility === 'internal' || agentConfigObj?.type === 'pipeline' || !!pipelineConfigObj;
+
     if (event.data.type === 'response_done') {
-        // Count tool calls (excluding transfer_to_* calls)
-        const toolCallCount = event.data.response.output.filter(
-            (output: any) => output.type === 'function_call' && !output.name.startsWith('transfer_to')
-        ).length;
-        
-        // If we have tool calls, increment pending counter
-        if (toolCallCount > 0 && getAgentState) {
-            const state = getAgentState(agentName);
-            state.pendingToolCalls += toolCallCount;
-            eventLogger.log(`🔧 Agent ${agentName} has ${toolCallCount} new tool calls (total: ${state.pendingToolCalls})`);
-        }
-        
         for (const output of event.data.response.output) {
+            if (output.type === 'message') {
+                for (const c of output.content) {
+                    if (c.type === 'output_text' && c.text.trim()) {
+                        const m: z.infer<typeof Message> = {
+                            role: 'assistant',
+                            content: c.text,
+                            agentName: agentName,
+                            responseType: isInternal ? 'internal' : 'external',
+                        };
+                        turnMsgs.push(m);
+                        yield* emitEvent(eventLogger, m);
+                    }
+                }
+            }
+
             // handle tool call invocation
             // except for transfer_to_* tool calls
             if (output.type === 'function_call' && !output.name.startsWith('transfer_to')) {
+                if (getAgentState) {
+                    const state = getAgentState(agentName);
+                    state.pendingToolCalls++;
+                    eventLogger.log(`🔧 Agent ${agentName} has ${state.pendingToolCalls} pending tool calls`);
+                }
+
                 const m: z.infer<typeof Message> = {
                     role: 'assistant',
                     content: null,
@@ -1030,6 +1045,7 @@ async function* handleMessageOutput(
     const pipelineConfigObj = pipelineConfig[agentName];
     const isInternal = agentConfigObj?.outputVisibility === 'internal' || agentConfigObj?.type === 'pipeline' || !!pipelineConfigObj;
 
+    /* ignore handling text messages here in favor of handling raw events
     for (const content of event.item.rawItem.content) {
         if (content.type === 'output_text') {
             // todo: look into what is causing empty messages
@@ -1054,6 +1070,7 @@ async function* handleMessageOutput(
             yield* emitEvent(eventLogger, msg);
         }
     }
+    */
 
     // if this is an internal agent or pipeline agent, switch to previous agent
     if (isInternal) {
@@ -1372,10 +1389,20 @@ export async function* streamResponse(
         // handle streaming events
         for await (const event of result) {
             const eventLogger = loopLogger.child(event.type);
+            eventLogger.log(`*** GOT EVENT ***`, JSON.stringify(event));
 
             switch (event.type) {
                 case 'raw_model_stream_event':
-                    yield* handleRawModelStreamEvent(event, agentConfig, agentName!, turnMsgs, usageTracker, eventLogger, getAgentState);
+                    yield* handleRawModelStreamEvent(
+                        event,
+                        agentConfig,
+                        pipelineConfig,
+                        agentName!,
+                        turnMsgs,
+                        usageTracker,
+                        eventLogger,
+                        getAgentState,
+                    );
                     break;
 
                 case 'run_item_stream_event':