diff --git a/caffold/src/agent/codex.rs b/caffold/src/agent/codex.rs
index a37adcb4..3d5bb594 100644
--- a/caffold/src/agent/codex.rs
+++ b/caffold/src/agent/codex.rs
@@ -356,6 +356,10 @@ pub(crate) enum CodexThreadError {
     InvalidParams(String),
     #[error("Codex app-server protocol error: {0}")]
     Protocol(String),
+    #[error(
+        "Codex keeps this conversation because a fork of it still reads its history. Delete the fork first."
+    )]
+    ReferencedByFork,
     #[error("Codex app-server {method} request {request_id} timed out after {timeout_ms}ms.")]
     RequestTimeout {
         method: &'static str,
@@ -390,7 +394,8 @@ impl From<CodexThreadError> for super::AgentError {
             | CodexThreadError::UpdateFailed(_)
             | CodexThreadError::InitializationFailed { .. }
             | CodexThreadError::InvalidParams(_)
-            | CodexThreadError::Protocol(_) => AgentError::Failed(error.to_string()),
+            | CodexThreadError::Protocol(_)
+            | CodexThreadError::ReferencedByFork => AgentError::Failed(error.to_string()),
         }
     }
 }
@@ -1798,11 +1803,20 @@ fn classify_json_rpc_error(method: Option<&str>, value: &Value) -> CodexThreadEr
         CodexThreadError::ThreadUnavailable(message)
     } else if error.code == -32600 && matches!(method, Some(TURN_STEER)) {
         CodexThreadError::TurnUnavailable(message)
+    } else if error.code == -32600
+        && matches!(method, Some(THREAD_DELETE))
+        && message.contains(FORK_HISTORY_REFUSAL)
+    {
+        CodexThreadError::ReferencedByFork
     } else {
         CodexThreadError::Protocol(format!("{message} (code {})", error.code))
     }
 }
 
+/// Codex words this `thread/delete` refusal without giving it a code of its
+/// own.
+const FORK_HISTORY_REFUSAL: &str = "forked history still references it";
+
 async fn read_thread_server_stderr<R>(
     mut lines: Lines<BufReader<R>>,
     events: broadcast::Sender<CodexRuntimeEvent>,
@@ -3249,6 +3263,45 @@ esac
         ));
     }
 
+    #[test]
+    fn explains_a_delete_refused_because_a_fork_reads_the_history() {
+        use crate::agent::AgentError;
+
+        // The refusal as Codex 0.162.1 words it.
+        let error = classify_json_rpc_error(
+            Some(THREAD_DELETE),
+            &json!({
+                "code": -32600,
+                "message": "cannot delete thread 01a12000-0000-7000-8000-000000000001: forked history still references it"
+            }),
+        );
+
+        assert!(matches!(error, CodexThreadError::ReferencedByFork));
+        let AgentError::Failed(message) = AgentError::from(error) else {
+            panic!("expected a failed deletion");
+        };
+        assert!(message.contains("Delete the fork first."));
+        assert!(!message.contains("01a12000-0000-7000-8000-000000000001"));
+        assert!(!message.contains("-32600"));
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn keeps_other_delete_refusals_in_codex_words() {
+        let error = classify_json_rpc_error(
+            Some(THREAD_DELETE),
+            &json!({
+                "code": -32600,
+                "message": "request rejected"
+            }),
+        );
+
+        assert!(matches!(
+            error,
+            CodexThreadError::Protocol(message)
+                if message == "request rejected (code -32600)"
+        ));
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn keeps_non_thread_request_failures_as_protocol_errors() {
         let error = classify_json_rpc_error(
diff --git a/docs/architecture/codex-app-server.md b/docs/architecture/codex-app-server.md
index f6f346f0..4cefe16d 100644
--- a/docs/architecture/codex-app-server.md
+++ b/docs/architecture/codex-app-server.md
@@ -508,6 +508,10 @@ record, then clears Caffold's ephemeral per-thread resources. The operation
 does not remove a Git branch or an external worktree. These steps are
 intentionally not an atomic cross-system transaction; a failed request keeps
 any remaining local archived record visible so the user can retry.
+App-server refuses `thread/delete` while a fork still reads the thread's
+history, and marks that refusal only in its message wording. The driver
+recognizes the wording and reports that the fork must be deleted first; any
+other `thread/delete` refusal shows app-server's own message.
 
 ## Browser Status Projection