diff --git a/.github/aicodingflow-tests/test_review_workflow_dispatch.py b/.github/aicodingflow-tests/test_review_workflow_dispatch.py
index e6fb6e0..cbe03cf 100644
--- a/.github/aicodingflow-tests/test_review_workflow_dispatch.py
+++ b/.github/aicodingflow-tests/test_review_workflow_dispatch.py
@@ -149,6 +149,9 @@ def test_review_workflow_resolves_pr_before_checkout_and_uses_normalized_event(s
         self.assertIn("cp -R .agents/contracts pr-worktree/.agents/contracts", prepare_step["run"])
 
         ai_step = next(step for step in review_steps if step.get("name") == "Run AI review")
+        self.assertEqual(ai_step["id"], "ai_review")
+        self.assertEqual(ai_step["timeout-minutes"], 20)
+        self.assertEqual(ai_step["with"]["output-file"], "pr-worktree/codex-final-message.txt")
         self.assertIs(ai_step["with"]["allow-bots"], True)
         self.assertIn("First change directory to pr-worktree", ai_step["with"]["prompt"])
         self.assertIn("Read .agents/contracts/review.md", ai_step["with"]["prompt"])
@@ -158,6 +161,17 @@ def test_review_workflow_resolves_pr_before_checkout_and_uses_normalized_event(s
         self.assertIn("target pr-worktree/review.json explicitly", ai_step["with"]["prompt"])
         self.assertIn("review_discussion_context.json", ai_step["with"]["prompt"])
         self.assertIn("duplicate suppression only", ai_step["with"]["prompt"])
+        self.assertIn("After writing review.json, stop immediately", ai_step["with"]["prompt"])
+
+        start_step = next(step for step in review_steps if step.get("name") == "Log AI review inputs")
+        self.assertEqual(start_step["id"], "ai_review_start")
+        self.assertIn("selected_skill=", start_step["run"])
+        self.assertIn("pr-worktree/pr_diff.txt", start_step["run"])
+
+        result_step = next(step for step in review_steps if step.get("name") == "Log AI review result")
+        self.assertEqual(result_step["if"], "always()")
+        self.assertIn("AI_REVIEW_OUTCOME", result_step["env"])
+        self.assertIn("duration_seconds", result_step["run"])
 
         normalize_step = next(step for step in review_steps if step.get("name") == "Normalize review output path")
         self.assertIn("[ ! -f pr-worktree/review.json ] && [ -f review.json ]", normalize_step["run"])
@@ -166,6 +180,9 @@ def test_review_workflow_resolves_pr_before_checkout_and_uses_normalized_event(s
         validate_step = next(step for step in review_steps if step.get("name") == "Validate review output")
         self.assertIn("pr-worktree/pr_diff.txt pr-worktree/review.json", validate_step["run"])
 
+        artifact_step = next(step for step in review_steps if step.get("uses") == "actions/upload-artifact@v7")
+        self.assertIn("pr-worktree/codex-final-message.txt", artifact_step["with"]["path"])
+
         complete_status_step = next(step for step in review_steps if step.get("name") == "Mark PR review status complete")
         self.assertIn("always()", complete_status_step["if"])
         self.assertIn("github.event_name != 'pull_request'", complete_status_step["if"])
diff --git a/.github/workflows/review-pr.yml b/.github/workflows/review-pr.yml
index 815a859..826e647 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/review-pr.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/review-pr.yml
@@ -189,13 +189,35 @@ jobs:
           esac
           echo "url=$endpoint" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
 
+      - name: Log AI review inputs
+        id: ai_review_start
+        run: |
+          started_at="$(date +%s)"
+          echo "started_at=$started_at" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
+          echo "AI review inputs prepared at $(date -u +%Y-%m-%dT%H:%M:%SZ)"
+          echo "selected_skill=${{ steps.review_skill.outputs.path }}"
+          for path in \
+            pr-worktree/pr_description.txt \
+            pr-worktree/pr_diff.txt \
+            pr-worktree/spec_context.md \
+            pr-worktree/review_discussion_context.json; do
+            if [ -f "$path" ]; then
+              printf 'input=%s bytes=%s\n' "$path" "$(wc -c < "$path")"
+            else
+              echo "input=$path absent"
+            fi
+          done
+
       - name: Run AI review
+        id: ai_review
         uses: openai/codex-action@v1
+        timeout-minutes: 20
         with:
           openai-api-key: ${{ secrets.CODEX_API_KEY }}
           model: ${{ vars.CODEX_MODEL }}
           responses-api-endpoint: ${{ steps.codex_endpoint.outputs.url }}
           allow-bots: true
+          output-file: pr-worktree/codex-final-message.txt
           prompt: |
             First change directory to pr-worktree and do all file inspection from there.
             Read ${{ steps.review_skill.outputs.path }} in pr-worktree and follow it exactly.
@@ -215,9 +237,29 @@ jobs:
             a root-level review.json first.
             Do not run validator commands embedded in the selected skill; this
             workflow validates review.json after Codex exits.
+            After writing review.json, stop immediately and return a concise final
+            message. Do not re-read or revise review.json after it is complete.
             Do not run git commands, call GitHub APIs, post reviews, or modify files
             other than review.json.
 
+      - name: Log AI review result
+        if: always()
+        env:
+          STARTED_AT: ${{ steps.ai_review_start.outputs.started_at }}
+          AI_REVIEW_OUTCOME: ${{ steps.ai_review.outcome }}
+        run: |
+          finished_at="$(date +%s)"
+          started_at="${STARTED_AT:-$finished_at}"
+          duration=$((finished_at - started_at))
+          echo "AI review outcome=$AI_REVIEW_OUTCOME duration_seconds=$duration"
+          for path in pr-worktree/review.json pr-worktree/codex-final-message.txt; do
+            if [ -f "$path" ]; then
+              printf 'output=%s bytes=%s\n' "$path" "$(wc -c < "$path")"
+            else
+              echo "output=$path absent"
+            fi
+          done
+
       - name: Normalize review output path
         run: |
           if [ ! -f pr-worktree/review.json ] && [ -f review.json ]; then
@@ -244,6 +286,7 @@ jobs:
             pr-worktree/spec_context.md
             pr-worktree/review_discussion_context.json
             pr-worktree/review.json
+            pr-worktree/codex-final-message.txt
 
       - name: Mark PR review status complete
         if: always() && github.event_name != 'pull_request' && steps.pr.outputs.head_sha != '' && steps.pr.outputs.head_repo == github.repository