diff --git a/internal/backend/forwarder/append_seq.go b/internal/backend/forwarder/append_seq.go
index 0f7802f..8210b0b 100644
--- a/internal/backend/forwarder/append_seq.go
+++ b/internal/backend/forwarder/append_seq.go
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package forwarder
 
 import (
 	"context"
+	"log"
 	"strings"
 	"sync"
 	"time"
@@ -37,8 +38,9 @@ func (tracker *appendSequenceTracker) Acquire(ctx context.Context, requestID str
 	if tracker == nil || strings.TrimSpace(requestID) == "" || appendSeq <= 0 {
 		return appendSequenceTicket{}, false, nil
 	}
-	state := tracker.state(strings.TrimSpace(requestID))
-	stale, err := state.acquire(ctx, appendSeq)
+	requestID = strings.TrimSpace(requestID)
+	state := tracker.state(requestID)
+	stale, err := state.acquire(ctx, requestID, appendSeq)
 	if err != nil || stale {
 		return appendSequenceTicket{}, stale, err
 	}
@@ -72,7 +74,7 @@ func (tracker *appendSequenceTracker) state(requestID string) *appendSequenceSta
 	return state
 }
 
-func (state *appendSequenceState) acquire(ctx context.Context, appendSeq int64) (bool, error) {
+func (state *appendSequenceState) acquire(ctx context.Context, requestID string, appendSeq int64) (bool, error) {
 	for {
 		state.mu.Lock()
 		now := time.Now().UTC()
@@ -83,6 +85,29 @@ func (state *appendSequenceState) acquire(ctx context.Context, appendSeq int64)
 			state.ready = make(chan struct{})
 		}
 		state.updatedAt = now
+
+		// Cursor may reuse the same request_id for a later turn and restart
+		// append_seqno from 1. Accept that as a sequence restart when idle so
+		// tool results are not discarded as stale forever.
+		if appendSeq == 1 && state.next > 1 {
+			if state.processing {
+				ready := state.ready
+				state.mu.Unlock()
+				select {
+				case <-ctx.Done():
+					return false, ctx.Err()
+				case <-ready:
+				}
+				continue
+			}
+			prevNext := state.next
+			state.next = 1
+			state.processing = true
+			state.mu.Unlock()
+			log.Printf("forwarder reset append sequence request_id=%s previous_next=%d append_seqno=1", requestID, prevNext)
+			return false, nil
+		}
+
 		switch {
 		case appendSeq < state.next:
 			state.mu.Unlock()
diff --git a/internal/backend/forwarder/append_seq_test.go b/internal/backend/forwarder/append_seq_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6645bc4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/backend/forwarder/append_seq_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,167 @@
+package forwarder
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"errors"
+	"testing"
+	"time"
+)
+
+func TestAppendSequenceTrackerOrderedAcquire(t *testing.T) {
+	tracker := newAppendSequenceTracker()
+	ctx := context.Background()
+
+	ticket1, stale, err := tracker.Acquire(ctx, "req-1", 1)
+	if err != nil || stale {
+		t.Fatalf("seq 1: stale=%v err=%v", stale, err)
+	}
+	ticket1.Release()
+
+	ticket2, stale, err := tracker.Acquire(ctx, "req-1", 2)
+	if err != nil || stale {
+		t.Fatalf("seq 2: stale=%v err=%v", stale, err)
+	}
+	ticket2.Release()
+}
+
+func TestAppendSequenceTrackerRestartFromOne(t *testing.T) {
+	tracker := newAppendSequenceTracker()
+	ctx := context.Background()
+
+	for seq := int64(1); seq <= 5; seq++ {
+		ticket, stale, err := tracker.Acquire(ctx, "req-restart", seq)
+		if err != nil || stale {
+			t.Fatalf("seq %d: stale=%v err=%v", seq, stale, err)
+		}
+		ticket.Release()
+	}
+
+	// Same request_id, Cursor restarts append_seqno from 1 for a new turn.
+	ticket, stale, err := tracker.Acquire(ctx, "req-restart", 1)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("restart seq 1 err=%v", err)
+	}
+	if stale {
+		t.Fatal("expected sequence restart on append_seqno=1 after progress")
+	}
+	ticket.Release()
+
+	ticket2, stale, err := tracker.Acquire(ctx, "req-restart", 2)
+	if err != nil || stale {
+		t.Fatalf("post-restart seq 2: stale=%v err=%v", stale, err)
+	}
+	ticket2.Release()
+}
+
+func TestAppendSequenceTrackerMidGapStillStale(t *testing.T) {
+	tracker := newAppendSequenceTracker()
+	ctx := context.Background()
+
+	for seq := int64(1); seq <= 3; seq++ {
+		ticket, stale, err := tracker.Acquire(ctx, "req-gap", seq)
+		if err != nil || stale {
+			t.Fatalf("seq %d: stale=%v err=%v", seq, stale, err)
+		}
+		ticket.Release()
+	}
+
+	_, stale, err := tracker.Acquire(ctx, "req-gap", 2)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("gap retransmit err=%v", err)
+	}
+	if !stale {
+		t.Fatal("expected mid-sequence retransmit below next (but not 1) to stay stale")
+	}
+}
+
+func TestAppendSequenceTrackerWaitsForInOrder(t *testing.T) {
+	tracker := newAppendSequenceTracker()
+	ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), 2*time.Second)
+	defer cancel()
+
+	ticket1, stale, err := tracker.Acquire(ctx, "req-wait", 1)
+	if err != nil || stale {
+		t.Fatalf("seq 1: stale=%v err=%v", stale, err)
+	}
+
+	done := make(chan error, 1)
+	go func() {
+		ticket2, stale, err := tracker.Acquire(ctx, "req-wait", 2)
+		if err != nil {
+			done <- err
+			return
+		}
+		if stale {
+			done <- errors.New("seq 2 unexpectedly stale")
+			return
+		}
+		ticket2.Release()
+		done <- nil
+	}()
+
+	time.Sleep(50 * time.Millisecond)
+	ticket1.Release()
+
+	select {
+	case err := <-done:
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Fatalf("waiting seq 2 failed: %v", err)
+		}
+	case <-ctx.Done():
+		t.Fatal("timed out waiting for ordered seq 2")
+	}
+}
+
+func TestAppendSequenceTrackerRestartWaitsUntilIdle(t *testing.T) {
+	tracker := newAppendSequenceTracker()
+	ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), 2*time.Second)
+	defer cancel()
+
+	// Advance to next=3.
+	for seq := int64(1); seq <= 2; seq++ {
+		ticket, stale, err := tracker.Acquire(ctx, "req-idle", seq)
+		if err != nil || stale {
+			t.Fatalf("seq %d: stale=%v err=%v", seq, stale, err)
+		}
+		ticket.Release()
+	}
+
+	// Hold seq 3 so a concurrent restart must wait.
+	hold, stale, err := tracker.Acquire(ctx, "req-idle", 3)
+	if err != nil || stale {
+		t.Fatalf("seq 3 hold: stale=%v err=%v", stale, err)
+	}
+
+	done := make(chan error, 1)
+	go func() {
+		ticket, stale, err := tracker.Acquire(ctx, "req-idle", 1)
+		if err != nil {
+			done <- err
+			return
+		}
+		if stale {
+			done <- errors.New("restart seq 1 unexpectedly stale")
+			return
+		}
+		ticket.Release()
+		done <- nil
+	}()
+
+	time.Sleep(50 * time.Millisecond)
+	hold.Release()
+
+	select {
+	case err := <-done:
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Fatalf("restart while busy failed: %v", err)
+		}
+	case <-ctx.Done():
+		t.Fatal("timed out waiting for restart after idle")
+	}
+
+	ticket2, stale, err := tracker.Acquire(ctx, "req-idle", 2)
+	if err != nil || stale {
+		t.Fatalf("post-restart seq 2: stale=%v err=%v", stale, err)
+	}
+	ticket2.Release()
+}