diff --git a/codex-rs/core/src/codex_thread.rs b/codex-rs/core/src/codex_thread.rs
index 21f9ec4549..dec1ce6895 100644
--- a/codex-rs/core/src/codex_thread.rs
+++ b/codex-rs/core/src/codex_thread.rs
@@ -18,7 +18,6 @@ use codex_protocol::mcp::CallToolResult;
 use codex_protocol::models::ActivePermissionProfile;
 use codex_protocol::models::ContentItem;
 use codex_protocol::models::PermissionProfile;
-use codex_protocol::models::ResponseInputItem;
 use codex_protocol::models::ResponseItem;
 use codex_protocol::openai_models::ReasoningEffort;
 use codex_protocol::protocol::AdditionalContextEntry;
@@ -265,20 +264,16 @@ impl CodexThread {
             .await
     }
 
-    /// Injects hidden model-visible items into the currently active turn.
+    /// Injects model-visible items into the currently active turn.
     ///
-    /// This is the runtime-owned counterpart to user-facing `steer_input`.
+    /// This is the thread-level bridge to `Session::inject_if_running` for
+    /// callers that only hold a `CodexThread`.
     /// It returns the unchanged items when this thread has no active turn.
-    pub async fn inject_response_items_into_active_turn(
+    pub async fn inject_if_running(
         &self,
-        items: Vec<ResponseInputItem>,
-    ) -> Result<(), Vec<ResponseInputItem>> {
-        let response_items = items.iter().cloned().map(ResponseItem::from).collect();
-        self.codex
-            .session
-            .inject_if_running(response_items)
-            .await
-            .map_err(|_| items)
+        items: Vec<ResponseItem>,
+    ) -> Result<(), Vec<ResponseItem>> {
+        self.codex.session.inject_if_running(items).await
     }
 
     pub async fn set_app_server_client_info(
@@ -396,7 +391,7 @@ impl CodexThread {
             .await;
     }
 
-    /// Append raw Responses API items to the thread's model-visible history.
+    /// Record raw Responses API items without starting a new turn.
     pub async fn inject_response_items(&self, items: Vec<ResponseItem>) -> CodexResult<()> {
         if items.is_empty() {
             return Err(CodexErr::InvalidRequest(
diff --git a/codex-rs/ext/goal/src/runtime.rs b/codex-rs/ext/goal/src/runtime.rs
index d78eda3de5..f077ddc54c 100644
--- a/codex-rs/ext/goal/src/runtime.rs
+++ b/codex-rs/ext/goal/src/runtime.rs
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ use std::sync::atomic::Ordering;
 
 use codex_core::ThreadManager;
 use codex_protocol::ThreadId;
-use codex_protocol::models::ResponseInputItem;
+use codex_protocol::models::ResponseItem;
 use codex_protocol::protocol::ThreadGoal;
 
 use crate::accounting::BudgetLimitedGoalDisposition;
@@ -275,7 +275,7 @@ impl GoalRuntimeHandle {
         Ok(())
     }
 
-    pub(crate) async fn inject_active_turn_steering(&self, item: ResponseInputItem) {
+    pub(crate) async fn inject_active_turn_steering(&self, item: ResponseItem) {
         let Some(thread_manager) = self.inner.thread_manager.upgrade() else {
             tracing::debug!("skipping goal steering because thread manager is unavailable");
             return;
@@ -284,11 +284,7 @@ impl GoalRuntimeHandle {
             tracing::debug!("skipping goal steering because live thread is unavailable");
             return;
         };
-        if thread
-            .inject_response_items_into_active_turn(vec![item])
-            .await
-            .is_err()
-        {
+        if thread.inject_if_running(vec![item]).await.is_err() {
             tracing::debug!("skipping goal steering because no turn is active");
         }
     }
diff --git a/codex-rs/ext/goal/src/steering.rs b/codex-rs/ext/goal/src/steering.rs
index 580a4aa971..e540ee171d 100644
--- a/codex-rs/ext/goal/src/steering.rs
+++ b/codex-rs/ext/goal/src/steering.rs
@@ -1,20 +1,22 @@
 use codex_core::context::ContextualUserFragment;
 use codex_core::context::InternalContextSource;
 use codex_core::context::InternalModelContextFragment;
-use codex_protocol::models::ResponseInputItem;
+use codex_protocol::models::ResponseItem;
 use codex_protocol::protocol::ThreadGoal;
 
-pub(crate) fn budget_limit_steering_item(goal: &ThreadGoal) -> ResponseInputItem {
+pub(crate) fn budget_limit_steering_item(goal: &ThreadGoal) -> ResponseItem {
     goal_context_input_item(budget_limit_prompt(goal))
 }
 
-pub(crate) fn objective_updated_steering_item(goal: &ThreadGoal) -> ResponseInputItem {
+pub(crate) fn objective_updated_steering_item(goal: &ThreadGoal) -> ResponseItem {
     goal_context_input_item(objective_updated_prompt(goal))
 }
 
-fn goal_context_input_item(prompt: String) -> ResponseInputItem {
-    InternalModelContextFragment::new(InternalContextSource::from_static("goal"), prompt)
-        .into_response_input_item()
+fn goal_context_input_item(prompt: String) -> ResponseItem {
+    ContextualUserFragment::into(InternalModelContextFragment::new(
+        InternalContextSource::from_static("goal"),
+        prompt,
+    ))
 }
 
 fn budget_limit_prompt(goal: &ThreadGoal) -> String {