diff --git a/internal/exec/litellm.go b/internal/exec/litellm.go
index 278f8eb..ab22a55 100644
--- a/internal/exec/litellm.go
+++ b/internal/exec/litellm.go
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import (
 	"encoding/json"
 	"fmt"
 	"net/http"
+	"strings"
 	"time"
 )
 
@@ -93,5 +94,34 @@ func (e *LiteLLMExecutor) Complete(ctx context.Context, model, system, user stri
 		return "", 0, fmt.Errorf("litellm: no choices in response")
 	}
 
-	return chatResp.Choices[0].Message.Content, durationMs, nil
+	return stripResultJSON(chatResp.Choices[0].Message.Content), durationMs, nil
+}
+
+// stripResultJSON removes trailing ```json blocks that match the old structured
+// result schema (containing "status" and "phase" keys). Some local models produce
+// correct markdown prose but then append the old JSON format out of habit.
+func stripResultJSON(text string) string {
+	const fence = "```json"
+	idx := len(text) - 1
+	// Walk backwards past trailing whitespace.
+	for idx >= 0 && (text[idx] == '\n' || text[idx] == '\r' || text[idx] == ' ') {
+		idx--
+	}
+	// Must end with closing fence.
+	if idx < 2 || text[idx-2:idx+1] != "```" {
+		return text
+	}
+	// Find the matching opening fence.
+	start := len(text[:idx-2]) - 1
+	for start >= 0 {
+		if start+len(fence) <= len(text) && text[start:start+len(fence)] == fence {
+			block := text[start : idx+1]
+			if strings.Contains(block, `"status"`) && strings.Contains(block, `"phase"`) {
+				return strings.TrimRight(text[:start], " \t\r\n")
+			}
+			break
+		}
+		start--
+	}
+	return text
 }
diff --git a/internal/exec/litellm_test.go b/internal/exec/litellm_test.go
index 71afc96..9cdf944 100644
--- a/internal/exec/litellm_test.go
+++ b/internal/exec/litellm_test.go
@@ -80,6 +80,40 @@ func TestLiteLLMErrorOnEmptyChoices(t *testing.T) {
 	assert.ErrorContains(t, err, "no choices")
 }
 
+func TestLiteLLMStripsTrailingResultJSON(t *testing.T) {
+	content := "## Hypotheses\n\n**H1 (high):** nil map access.\n\n```json\n{\n  \"status\": \"pass\",\n  \"phase\": \"debug\",\n  \"skill\": \"debug\"\n}\n```"
+	srv := httptest.NewServer(http.HandlerFunc(func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+		w.Header().Set("Content-Type", "application/json")
+		w.WriteHeader(http.StatusOK)
+		_, _ = w.Write(chatResponse(t, content))
+	}))
+	defer srv.Close()
+
+	ex := iexec.NewLiteLLM(srv.URL, "", 5*time.Second)
+	text, _, err := ex.Complete(context.Background(), "model", "sys", "user")
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	assert.Contains(t, text, "nil map access")
+	assert.NotContains(t, text, `"status"`)
+	assert.NotContains(t, text, "```json")
+}
+
+func TestLiteLLMKeepsNonResultJSONFence(t *testing.T) {
+	// A json block that is part of the actual answer (no status/phase) should be kept.
+	content := "Use this config:\n\n```json\n{\"model\": \"koala/phi4\"}\n```"
+	srv := httptest.NewServer(http.HandlerFunc(func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+		w.Header().Set("Content-Type", "application/json")
+		w.WriteHeader(http.StatusOK)
+		_, _ = w.Write(chatResponse(t, content))
+	}))
+	defer srv.Close()
+
+	ex := iexec.NewLiteLLM(srv.URL, "", 5*time.Second)
+	text, _, err := ex.Complete(context.Background(), "model", "sys", "user")
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	assert.Contains(t, text, `"model"`)
+	assert.Contains(t, text, "```json")
+}
+
 func TestLiteLLMRespectsContextCancellation(t *testing.T) {
 	ctx, cancel := context.WithCancel(context.Background())
 	cancel()