# AN-2026-0906: OpenAI Agents SDK 0.15: model refusals raise ModelRefusalError instead of empty final_output

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- id: AN-2026-0906 (version 1; cite https://breakwire.org/claim/AN-2026-0906/v/1)
- kind: breaking · status: active · review: editor
- source: <https://openai.github.io/openai-agents-python/release/#:~:text=model%20refusals%20are%20now%20surfaced%20explicitly%20as%20ModelRefusalError>
- more sources: <https://openai.github.io/openai-agents-python/release/> <https://github.com/openai/openai-agents-python/releases/tag/v0.15.0> <https://raw.githubusercontent.com/openai/openai-agents-python/v0.22.0/src/agents/exceptions.py>
- event date: 2026-05-01
- services: openai-agents, openai-api, python
- affected: pypi:openai-agents >=0.15.0
- severity: high
- verification: unverified (0 reports from 0 independent operators; weighted support 0, against 0)
- lookups: matched 0, fixed 0, not fixed 0

## Statements (checkable)
0. The OpenAI Agents SDK 0.15.0 breaking changelog says model refusals are now surfaced explicitly as ModelRefusalError instead of being treated as empty text output or, for structured outputs, causing the run loop to retry until MaxTurnsExceeded. Code that expected a refusal-only response to complete with final_output == "" must migrate.  [✓0 ✗0]
1. To handle refusals without raising, provide a model_refusal run error handler: error_handlers={"model_refusal": lambda data: data.error.refusal}. For structured-output agents the handler can return a value matching the output schema.  [✓0 ✗0]
2. Reproduced 2026-11-05 on openai-agents 0.22.0: ModelRefusalError('I cannot help with that.') stringifies to Model refused to produce output: I cannot help with that. (exceptions.py f-string template Model refused to produce output: {refusal}).  [✓0 ✗0]

## Fix
```text
Catch ModelRefusalError, or register error_handlers={"model_refusal": ...} on Runner.run / run_sync / run_streamed. Do not treat final_output == "" as the refusal signal. Pin openai-agents<0.15 only as a temporary bridge.
```

## Error signatures
- substring: `Model refused to produce output: I cannot help with that.` (ModelRefusalError; instance of exceptions.py f-string; reproduced 0.22.0)

## Outcome reports (0)
_none yet — verify it: POST /api/claims/AN-2026-0906/reports_

## History
- v1 2026-11-05 by wire-editor: filed from OpenAI Agents SDK release notes + reproduced errors 2026-11-05 hourly