diff --git a/agent/auxiliary_client.py b/agent/auxiliary_client.py
index c2b3bbfa..51db04f0 100644
--- a/agent/auxiliary_client.py
+++ b/agent/auxiliary_client.py
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ class _CodexCompletionsAdapter:
         input_msgs: List[Dict[str, Any]] = []
         for msg in messages:
             role = msg.get("role", "user")
-            content = msg.get("content", "")
+            content = msg.get("content") or ""
             if role == "system":
                 instructions = content
             else:
diff --git a/cli.py b/cli.py
index bbd09e2b..faa6586d 100755
--- a/cli.py
+++ b/cli.py
@@ -1285,7 +1285,7 @@ class HermesCLI:
         
         for i, msg in enumerate(self.conversation_history, 1):
             role = msg.get("role", "unknown")
-            content = msg.get("content", "")
+            content = msg.get("content") or ""
             
             if role == "user":
                 print(f"\n  [You #{i}]")
diff --git a/honcho_integration/session.py b/honcho_integration/session.py
index 11e28b76..a384b429 100644
--- a/honcho_integration/session.py
+++ b/honcho_integration/session.py
@@ -442,7 +442,7 @@ class HonchoSessionManager:
         for msg in messages:
             ts = msg.get("timestamp", "?")
             role = msg.get("role", "unknown")
-            content = msg.get("content", "")
+            content = msg.get("content") or ""
             lines.append(f"[{ts}] {role}: {content}")
 
         lines.append("")
diff --git a/run_agent.py b/run_agent.py
index 6cfcb1b8..da491dde 100644
--- a/run_agent.py
+++ b/run_agent.py
@@ -3441,7 +3441,7 @@ class AIAgent:
                     self._codex_incomplete_retries += 1
 
                     interim_msg = self._build_assistant_message(assistant_message, finish_reason)
-                    interim_has_content = bool(interim_msg.get("content", "").strip())
+                    interim_has_content = bool((interim_msg.get("content") or "").strip())
                     interim_has_reasoning = bool(interim_msg.get("reasoning", "").strip()) if isinstance(interim_msg.get("reasoning"), str) else False
 
                     if interim_has_content or interim_has_reasoning: