diff --git a/codex-rs/core/src/tools/handlers/agent_jobs.rs b/codex-rs/core/src/tools/handlers/agent_jobs.rs
index 4c3cd34c2e..f11fdc53b3 100644
--- a/codex-rs/core/src/tools/handlers/agent_jobs.rs
+++ b/codex-rs/core/src/tools/handlers/agent_jobs.rs
@@ -196,6 +196,12 @@ async fn run_agent_job_loop(
                 )
                 .await?;
             for item in pending_items {
+                let claimed = db
+                    .mark_agent_job_item_running(job_id.as_str(), item.item_id.as_str())
+                    .await?;
+                if !claimed {
+                    continue;
+                }
                 let prompt = build_worker_prompt(&job, &item)?;
                 let items = vec![UserInput::Text {
                     text: prompt,
@@ -240,7 +246,7 @@ async fn run_agent_job_loop(
                     }
                 };
                 let assigned = db
-                    .mark_agent_job_item_running_with_thread(
+                    .set_agent_job_item_thread(
                         job_id.as_str(),
                         item.item_id.as_str(),
                         thread_id.to_string().as_str(),
diff --git a/codex-rs/state/src/runtime/agent_jobs.rs b/codex-rs/state/src/runtime/agent_jobs.rs
index fc0e75640e..e72b80d5f7 100644
--- a/codex-rs/state/src/runtime/agent_jobs.rs
+++ b/codex-rs/state/src/runtime/agent_jobs.rs
@@ -484,7 +484,7 @@ WHERE
     job_id = ?
     AND item_id = ?
     AND status = ?
-    AND assigned_thread_id = ?
+    AND (assigned_thread_id = ? OR assigned_thread_id IS NULL)
             "#,
         )
         .bind(AgentJobItemStatus::Completed.as_str())
@@ -756,6 +756,67 @@ mod tests {
         Ok(())
     }
 
+    #[tokio::test]
+    async fn report_agent_job_item_result_accepts_unassigned_running_item() -> anyhow::Result<()> {
+        let codex_home = unique_temp_dir();
+        let runtime = StateRuntime::init(codex_home, "test-provider".to_string()).await?;
+        let job_id = "job-1".to_string();
+        let item_id = "item-1".to_string();
+        let thread_id = "thread-1".to_string();
+        runtime
+            .create_agent_job(
+                &AgentJobCreateParams {
+                    id: job_id.clone(),
+                    name: "test-job".to_string(),
+                    instruction: "Return a result".to_string(),
+                    auto_export: true,
+                    max_runtime_seconds: None,
+                    output_schema_json: None,
+                    input_headers: vec!["path".to_string()],
+                    input_csv_path: "/tmp/in.csv".to_string(),
+                    output_csv_path: "/tmp/out.csv".to_string(),
+                },
+                &[AgentJobItemCreateParams {
+                    item_id: item_id.clone(),
+                    row_index: 0,
+                    source_id: None,
+                    row_json: json!({"path":"file-1"}),
+                }],
+            )
+            .await?;
+        runtime.mark_agent_job_running(job_id.as_str()).await?;
+        let marked_running = runtime
+            .mark_agent_job_item_running(job_id.as_str(), item_id.as_str())
+            .await?;
+        assert!(marked_running);
+
+        let accepted = runtime
+            .report_agent_job_item_result_and_cancel_job(
+                job_id.as_str(),
+                item_id.as_str(),
+                thread_id.as_str(),
+                &json!({"ok": true}),
+                "cancelled by worker request",
+            )
+            .await?;
+        assert!(accepted);
+
+        let job = runtime
+            .get_agent_job(job_id.as_str())
+            .await?
+            .expect("job should exist");
+        assert_eq!(job.status, AgentJobStatus::Cancelled);
+        let item = runtime
+            .get_agent_job_item(job_id.as_str(), item_id.as_str())
+            .await?
+            .expect("job item should exist");
+        assert_eq!(item.status, AgentJobItemStatus::Completed);
+        assert_eq!(item.result_json, Some(json!({"ok": true})));
+        assert_eq!(item.assigned_thread_id, None);
+
+        Ok(())
+    }
+
     #[tokio::test]
     async fn report_agent_job_item_result_rejects_late_reports() -> anyhow::Result<()> {
         let codex_home = unique_temp_dir();