diff --git a/src/resources/extensions/sf/autonomous-solver.js b/src/resources/extensions/sf/autonomous-solver.js
index 7c2b38c70..1adbfab1c 100644
--- a/src/resources/extensions/sf/autonomous-solver.js
+++ b/src/resources/extensions/sf/autonomous-solver.js
@@ -1050,6 +1050,21 @@ export function assessAutonomousSolverTurn(
 			maxRepairAttempts: DEFAULT_MISSING_CHECKPOINT_REPAIR_ATTEMPTS,
 		};
 	}
+	// Hard cap on excessive checkpoints within a single iteration. This check
+	// must run before repair classifications such as empty/no-op continue; once
+	// the cap is reached, launching another repair turn only amplifies the loop.
+	if (
+		(state.checkpointCountThisIteration || 0) >= MAX_CHECKPOINTS_PER_ITERATION
+	) {
+		return {
+			action: "pause",
+			reason: "solver-excessive-checkpoints",
+			state,
+			checkpoint,
+			checkpointCount: state.checkpointCountThisIteration,
+			maxCheckpointCount: MAX_CHECKPOINTS_PER_ITERATION,
+		};
+	}
 	if (
 		(checkpoint.outcome === "continue" || checkpoint.outcome === "decide") &&
 		(checkpoint.remainingItems?.length ?? 0) === 0
@@ -1076,19 +1091,6 @@ export function assessAutonomousSolverTurn(
 			checkpoint,
 		};
 	}
-	// Hard cap on excessive checkpoints within a single iteration
-	if (
-		(state.checkpointCountThisIteration || 0) >= MAX_CHECKPOINTS_PER_ITERATION
-	) {
-		return {
-			action: "pause",
-			reason: "solver-excessive-checkpoints",
-			state,
-			checkpoint,
-			checkpointCount: state.checkpointCountThisIteration,
-			maxCheckpointCount: MAX_CHECKPOINTS_PER_ITERATION,
-		};
-	}
 	if (
 		state.iteration >= state.maxIterations &&
 		checkpoint.outcome !== "complete"
diff --git a/src/resources/extensions/sf/tests/autonomous-solver.test.mjs b/src/resources/extensions/sf/tests/autonomous-solver.test.mjs
index f991ae70c..eac7bdd54 100644
--- a/src/resources/extensions/sf/tests/autonomous-solver.test.mjs
+++ b/src/resources/extensions/sf/tests/autonomous-solver.test.mjs
@@ -417,6 +417,33 @@ describe("autonomous solver", () => {
 		expect(result.checkpointCount).toBe(5);
 	});
 
+	test("assessAutonomousSolverTurn_excessive_checkpoints_preempts_empty_continue_repair", () => {
+		const project = makeProject();
+		beginAutonomousSolverIteration(project, "plan-slice", "M002/S01");
+
+		for (let i = 0; i < 5; i++) {
+			appendAutonomousSolverCheckpoint(project, {
+				unitType: "plan-slice",
+				unitId: "M002/S01",
+				outcome: "continue",
+				summary: `Empty continue ${i + 1}`,
+				completedItems: [],
+				remainingItems: [],
+				verificationEvidence: [],
+				pdd: pdd(),
+			});
+		}
+
+		const result = assessAutonomousSolverTurn(
+			project,
+			"plan-slice",
+			"M002/S01",
+		);
+		expect(result.action).toBe("pause");
+		expect(result.reason).toBe("solver-excessive-checkpoints");
+		expect(result.checkpointCount).toBe(5);
+	});
+
 	test("steering_append_consume_is_idempotent", () => {
 		const project = makeProject();
 		appendAutonomousSolverSteering(project, "Prefer runtime enforcement.");
@@ -1044,11 +1071,7 @@ describe("appendAutonomousSolverCheckpoint sticky identity", () => {
 		// failed sameUnit() against the orchestrator's identity and re-fired
 		// repair forever. The active state's identity must be sticky.
 		const project = makeProject();
-		beginAutonomousSolverIteration(
-			project,
-			"execute-task",
-			"M001/S04/T02",
-		);
+		beginAutonomousSolverIteration(project, "execute-task", "M001/S04/T02");
 		appendAutonomousSolverCheckpoint(project, {
 			unitType: "execute-task",
 			unitId: "parallel-research", // <-- agent guesses wrong
@@ -1082,11 +1105,7 @@ describe("appendAutonomousSolverCheckpoint sticky identity", () => {
 		// orchestrator's identity, assess sees outcome=complete and returns
 		// action=complete (NOT missing-checkpoint-retry).
 		const project = makeProject();
-		beginAutonomousSolverIteration(
-			project,
-			"execute-task",
-			"M001/S04/T02",
-		);
+		beginAutonomousSolverIteration(project, "execute-task", "M001/S04/T02");
 		appendAutonomousSolverCheckpoint(project, {
 			unitType: "execute-task",
 			unitId: "wrong-guess",
@@ -1107,11 +1126,7 @@ describe("appendAutonomousSolverCheckpoint sticky identity", () => {
 
 	test("matching unitId does not flag mismatch", () => {
 		const project = makeProject();
-		beginAutonomousSolverIteration(
-			project,
-			"execute-task",
-			"M001/S04/T02",
-		);
+		beginAutonomousSolverIteration(project, "execute-task", "M001/S04/T02");
 		appendAutonomousSolverCheckpoint(project, {
 			unitType: "execute-task",
 			unitId: "M001/S04/T02",