diff --git a/packages/coding-agent/CHANGELOG.md b/packages/coding-agent/CHANGELOG.md
index 76ebcad4845..d41a447a2f0 100644
--- a/packages/coding-agent/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/packages/coding-agent/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 
 ### Changed
 
-- Changed `pi --mode json` to output a compact transcript instead of streaming session events.
+- Changed `pi --mode json` to output a compact complete-message transcript instead of streaming session events.
 - Changed Pi version checks to identify Pi with a `pi/<version>` user agent.
 
 ### Fixed
diff --git a/packages/coding-agent/docs/json.md b/packages/coding-agent/docs/json.md
index d411c53d21e..4ec88038e29 100644
--- a/packages/coding-agent/docs/json.md
+++ b/packages/coding-agent/docs/json.md
@@ -10,7 +10,8 @@ Outputs a compact transcript as JSON lines. Streaming deltas, tool execution eve
 
 - `{"type":"agent_start"}` when a run starts.
 - Complete `UserMessage` objects when user messages are accepted.
-- Complete `AssistantMessage` objects after each assistant turn completes.
+- Complete `AssistantMessage` objects when assistant messages finish.
+- Complete `ToolResultMessage` objects when tool results are available.
 - `{"type":"agent_end"}` when a run ends.
 
 ## Output Format
@@ -21,10 +22,11 @@ Each line is one transcript record:
 {"type":"agent_start"}
 {"role":"user","content":"Hello","timestamp":...}
 {"role":"assistant","content":[{"type":"text","text":"Hello"}],"provider":"openai","model":"gpt-4o-mini","stopReason":"stop",...}
+{"role":"toolResult","toolCallId":"call_123","toolName":"read","content":[{"type":"text","text":"..."}],"isError":false,"timestamp":...}
 {"type":"agent_end"}
 ```
 
-Runs with multiple assistant turns output one completed assistant-turn message per turn.
+Runs with tool calls output the assistant message that requested the tool, followed by the resulting tool-result message.
 
 For a persistent protocol with streaming events and command responses, use [`--mode rpc`](rpc.md).
 
diff --git a/packages/coding-agent/src/modes/print-mode.ts b/packages/coding-agent/src/modes/print-mode.ts
index 27eb0ac3a48..872776116f8 100644
--- a/packages/coding-agent/src/modes/print-mode.ts
+++ b/packages/coding-agent/src/modes/print-mode.ts
@@ -30,9 +30,10 @@ export interface PrintModeOptions {
 function writeJsonTranscriptRecord(event: AgentSessionEvent): void {
 	if (event.type === "agent_start") {
 		writeRawStdout(serializeJsonLine({ type: "agent_start" }));
-	} else if (event.type === "message_end" && event.message.role === "user") {
-		writeRawStdout(serializeJsonLine(event.message));
-	} else if (event.type === "turn_end" && event.message.role === "assistant") {
+	} else if (
+		event.type === "message_end" &&
+		(event.message.role === "user" || event.message.role === "assistant" || event.message.role === "toolResult")
+	) {
 		writeRawStdout(serializeJsonLine(event.message));
 	} else if (event.type === "agent_end") {
 		writeRawStdout(serializeJsonLine({ type: "agent_end" }));
diff --git a/packages/coding-agent/test/print-mode.test.ts b/packages/coding-agent/test/print-mode.test.ts
index 3db594785b5..2ca7db56502 100644
--- a/packages/coding-agent/test/print-mode.test.ts
+++ b/packages/coding-agent/test/print-mode.test.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import type { AssistantMessage, ImageContent, UserMessage } from "@mariozechner/pi-ai";
+import type { AssistantMessage, ImageContent, ToolResultMessage, UserMessage } from "@mariozechner/pi-ai";
 import { afterEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
 import type { AgentSessionEvent, AgentSessionEventListener, SessionShutdownEvent } from "../src/index.js";
 import { runPrintMode } from "../src/modes/print-mode.js";
@@ -63,6 +63,17 @@ function createUserMessage(text: string): UserMessage {
 	};
 }
 
+function createToolResultMessage(): ToolResultMessage {
+	return {
+		role: "toolResult",
+		toolCallId: "call-1",
+		toolName: "read",
+		content: [{ type: "text", text: "tool output" }],
+		isError: false,
+		timestamp: Date.now(),
+	};
+}
+
 function captureStdout(): string[] {
 	const chunks: string[] = [];
 	vi.spyOn(process.stdout, "write").mockImplementation(((
@@ -157,10 +168,11 @@ describe("runPrintMode", () => {
 	});
 
 	it("outputs only transcript records in json mode", async () => {
-		const assistantMessage = createAssistantMessage({ text: "done" });
-		const messageEndAssistantMessage = createAssistantMessage({ text: "message end" });
+		const assistantMessage = createAssistantMessage({ text: "message end" });
+		const turnEndAssistantMessage = createAssistantMessage({ text: "turn end" });
 		const partialMessage = createAssistantMessage({ text: "do" });
 		const userMessage = createUserMessage("hello");
+		const toolResultMessage = createToolResultMessage();
 		const runtimeHost = createRuntimeHost(assistantMessage, [
 			{ type: "agent_start" },
 			{ type: "turn_start" },
@@ -172,9 +184,12 @@ describe("runPrintMode", () => {
 				assistantMessageEvent: { type: "text_delta", contentIndex: 0, delta: "ne", partial: partialMessage },
 			},
 			{ type: "message_end", message: userMessage },
-			{ type: "message_end", message: messageEndAssistantMessage },
-			{ type: "turn_end", message: assistantMessage, toolResults: [] },
-			{ type: "agent_end", messages: [userMessage, assistantMessage] },
+			{ type: "message_end", message: assistantMessage },
+			{ type: "tool_execution_start", toolCallId: "call-1", toolName: "read", args: {} },
+			{ type: "message_start", message: toolResultMessage },
+			{ type: "message_end", message: toolResultMessage },
+			{ type: "turn_end", message: turnEndAssistantMessage, toolResults: [toolResultMessage] },
+			{ type: "agent_end", messages: [userMessage, assistantMessage, toolResultMessage] },
 		]);
 		const stdout = captureStdout();
 
@@ -189,6 +204,7 @@ describe("runPrintMode", () => {
 			{ type: "agent_start" },
 			userMessage,
 			assistantMessage,
+			toolResultMessage,
 			{ type: "agent_end" },
 		]);
 	});