diff --git a/codex-rs/core/src/guardian/mod.rs b/codex-rs/core/src/guardian/mod.rs
index b4920f1ff6..176ce5c14e 100644
--- a/codex-rs/core/src/guardian/mod.rs
+++ b/codex-rs/core/src/guardian/mod.rs
@@ -72,6 +72,13 @@ pub(crate) struct GuardianAssessment {
 pub(crate) struct GuardianRejection {
     pub(crate) rationale: String,
     pub(crate) source: GuardianAssessmentDecisionSource,
+    pub(crate) kind: GuardianRejectionKind,
+}
+
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, Copy, PartialEq, Eq)]
+pub(crate) enum GuardianRejectionKind {
+    PolicyDenial,
+    ReviewFailure,
 }
 
 #[derive(Debug, Default)]
diff --git a/codex-rs/core/src/guardian/review.rs b/codex-rs/core/src/guardian/review.rs
index 934e68042f..a27df23040 100644
--- a/codex-rs/core/src/guardian/review.rs
+++ b/codex-rs/core/src/guardian/review.rs
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ use super::GuardianAssessment;
 use super::GuardianAssessmentOutcome;
 use super::GuardianRejection;
 use super::GuardianRejectionCircuitBreakerAction;
+use super::GuardianRejectionKind;
 use super::approval_request::guardian_assessment_action;
 use super::approval_request::guardian_request_target_item_id;
 use super::approval_request::guardian_request_turn_id;
@@ -73,13 +74,20 @@ pub(crate) async fn guardian_rejection_message(session: &Session, review_id: &st
         .unwrap_or_else(|| GuardianRejection {
             rationale: "Auto-reviewer denied the action without a specific rationale.".to_string(),
             source: GuardianAssessmentDecisionSource::Agent,
+            kind: GuardianRejectionKind::PolicyDenial,
         });
     match rejection.source {
-        GuardianAssessmentDecisionSource::Agent => format!(
-            "This action was rejected due to unacceptable risk.\nReason: {}\n{}",
-            rejection.rationale.trim(),
-            GUARDIAN_REJECTION_INSTRUCTIONS
-        ),
+        GuardianAssessmentDecisionSource::Agent => {
+            let rationale = rejection.rationale.trim();
+            match rejection.kind {
+                GuardianRejectionKind::PolicyDenial => format!(
+                    "This action was rejected due to unacceptable risk.\nReason: {rationale}\n{GUARDIAN_REJECTION_INSTRUCTIONS}"
+                ),
+                GuardianRejectionKind::ReviewFailure => format!(
+                    "Automatic approval review failed, so this action was not run.\nReason: {rationale}\n{GUARDIAN_REJECTION_INSTRUCTIONS}"
+                ),
+            }
+        }
     }
 }
 
@@ -346,7 +354,7 @@ async fn run_guardian_review(
     .await;
 
     let completed_at_ms = now_unix_timestamp_ms();
-    let (assessment, count_denial_for_circuit_breaker) = match outcome {
+    let (assessment, count_denial_for_circuit_breaker, rejection_kind) = match outcome {
         GuardianReviewOutcome::Completed(assessment) => {
             let approved = matches!(assessment.outcome, GuardianAssessmentOutcome::Allow);
             track_guardian_review(
@@ -375,7 +383,11 @@ async fn run_guardian_review(
             );
             let count_denial_for_circuit_breaker =
                 matches!(assessment.outcome, GuardianAssessmentOutcome::Deny);
-            (assessment, count_denial_for_circuit_breaker)
+            (
+                assessment,
+                count_denial_for_circuit_breaker,
+                GuardianRejectionKind::PolicyDenial,
+            )
         }
         GuardianReviewOutcome::Error(error) => match error {
             GuardianReviewError::Timeout => {
@@ -492,6 +504,7 @@ async fn run_guardian_review(
                         rationale,
                     },
                     false,
+                    GuardianRejectionKind::ReviewFailure,
                 )
             }
         },
@@ -532,6 +545,7 @@ async fn run_guardian_review(
             let rejection = GuardianRejection {
                 rationale: assessment.rationale.clone(),
                 source: GuardianAssessmentDecisionSource::Agent,
+                kind: rejection_kind,
             };
             rationales.insert(review_id.clone(), rejection);
         }
diff --git a/codex-rs/core/src/guardian/tests.rs b/codex-rs/core/src/guardian/tests.rs
index ffadd801ca..577d9216bf 100644
--- a/codex-rs/core/src/guardian/tests.rs
+++ b/codex-rs/core/src/guardian/tests.rs
@@ -2072,10 +2072,59 @@ async fn guardian_review_surfaces_responses_api_errors_in_rejection_reason() ->
     let rejection_message =
         guardian_rejection_message(session.as_ref(), "review-shell-guardian-error").await;
     assert!(
-        rejection_message.contains("Reason: Automatic approval review failed:")
+        rejection_message.contains("Automatic approval review failed, so this action was not run.")
+            && rejection_message.contains("Reason: Automatic approval review failed:")
             && rejection_message.contains(error_message),
         "rejection message should include guardian rationale: {rejection_message}"
     );
+    assert!(!rejection_message.contains("rejected due to unacceptable risk"));
+
+    Ok(())
+}
+
+#[tokio::test(flavor = "multi_thread", worker_threads = 2)]
+async fn guardian_review_completed_denial_uses_policy_rejection_message() -> anyhow::Result<()> {
+    skip_if_no_network!(Ok(()));
+
+    let server = start_mock_server().await;
+    let _request_log = mount_sse_once(
+        &server,
+        sse(vec![
+            ev_response_created("resp-guardian-deny"),
+            ev_assistant_message(
+                "msg-guardian-deny",
+                "{\"risk_level\":\"high\",\"user_authorization\":\"low\",\"outcome\":\"deny\",\"rationale\":\"Pushing without review is too risky.\"}",
+            ),
+            ev_completed("resp-guardian-deny"),
+        ]),
+    )
+    .await;
+
+    let (session, turn) = guardian_test_session_and_turn(&server).await;
+    seed_guardian_parent_history(&session, &turn).await;
+
+    let decision = review_approval_request(
+        &session,
+        &turn,
+        "review-shell-guardian-deny".to_string(),
+        GuardianApprovalRequest::Shell {
+            id: "shell-guardian-deny".to_string(),
+            command: vec!["git".to_string(), "push".to_string()],
+            cwd: test_path_buf("/repo/codex-rs/core").abs(),
+            sandbox_permissions: crate::sandboxing::SandboxPermissions::UseDefault,
+            additional_permissions: None,
+            justification: Some("Need to push the reviewed docs fix.".to_string()),
+        },
+        /*retry_reason*/ None,
+    )
+    .await;
+
+    assert_eq!(decision, ReviewDecision::Denied);
+    let rejection_message =
+        guardian_rejection_message(session.as_ref(), "review-shell-guardian-deny").await;
+    assert!(rejection_message.contains("This action was rejected due to unacceptable risk."));
+    assert!(rejection_message.contains("Reason: Pushing without review is too risky."));
+    assert!(!rejection_message.contains("Automatic approval review failed"));
 
     Ok(())
 }
diff --git a/codex-rs/core/src/mcp_tool_call_tests.rs b/codex-rs/core/src/mcp_tool_call_tests.rs
index bd71c3a054..dfde95d50b 100644
--- a/codex-rs/core/src/mcp_tool_call_tests.rs
+++ b/codex-rs/core/src/mcp_tool_call_tests.rs
@@ -1668,6 +1668,7 @@ async fn guardian_review_decision_maps_to_mcp_tool_decision() {
         crate::guardian::GuardianRejection {
             rationale: "too risky".to_string(),
             source: codex_protocol::protocol::GuardianAssessmentDecisionSource::Agent,
+            kind: crate::guardian::GuardianRejectionKind::PolicyDenial,
         },
     );
     let denial = mcp_tool_approval_decision_from_guardian(