diff --git a/packages/harness/src/runner.mjs b/packages/harness/src/runner.mjs
index 00595542b..57f4b141a 100644
--- a/packages/harness/src/runner.mjs
+++ b/packages/harness/src/runner.mjs
@@ -62,7 +62,9 @@ export function founderCheck(policy, env) {
 
 // The request text one message becomes.
 export function turnRequest(m) {
-  const head = [`Message ${m.id} from ${m.from_role}`, `class ${m.class}`];
+  const head = [`Message ${m.id} from ${m.from_role}`];
+  // Row 109 (#1603): when the sender sent it, so a message that waited reads as old.
+  head.push(`class ${m.class}`);
   if (m.in_reply_to) head.push(`in reply to ${m.in_reply_to}`);
   if (m.decision) head.push(`citing decision ${m.decision}`);
   // Row 90 (#1584): the human input id task_create cites as its request.
@@ -70,6 +72,22 @@ export function turnRequest(m) {
   return `${head.join(", ")}:\n\n${m.body}`;
 }
 
+// Row 109 (#1603): the block at the top of a turn's request. It is what the broker said at `readAt`,
+// the truth for launch state and task status over any older message.
+export function stateBlock(state, readAt) {
+  const { launch, tasks } = state;
+  const since = launch.at ? ` since ${launch.at} (event ${launch.event})` : " (never switched)";
+  const shown = tasks.open.length < tasks.total ? `, the first ${tasks.open.length} of cap ${tasks.cap}` : "";
+  const open = tasks.open.map((t) => `- ${t.task_ref} ${t.title ?? ""}`.trimEnd());
+  return [
+    `Current state, read at ${readAt}:`,
+    `Launches: ${launch.state}${since}.`,
+    `Open tasks: ${tasks.total}${shown}.`,
+    ...open,
+    "",
+  ].join("\n");
+}
+
 function clip(text) {
   return text.length > BODY_MAX ? text.slice(0, BODY_MAX) + "\n[answer cut at 32000 characters]" : text;
 }
@@ -339,7 +357,23 @@ export async function main(runDir, { stdin = process.stdin, env = process.env, l
     }
     for (const m of messages) {
       if (stopping) break loop;
-      const turn = await runTurn({ session, request: turnRequest(m), n: ++n, env: turnEnv, onChild: (c) => (child = c) });
+      // Row 109 (#1603): read the state now, not when the message was sent. A failed read fails the turn.
+      let block = null;
+      let unread = null;
+      try {
+        block = stateBlock(await client.call("state"), new Date().toISOString());
+      } catch (e) {
+        if (SESSION_GONE.has(e.code)) {
+          log(`runner: session stopped working: ${e.code}`);
+          code = EXIT.session;
+          break loop;
+        }
+        unread = `could not read the current state: ${e.code ?? e.message}`;
+      }
+      ++n;
+      const turn = unread
+        ? { ok: false, reason: unread }
+        : await runTurn({ session, request: `${block}\n${turnRequest(m)}`, n, env: turnEnv, onChild: (c) => (child = c) });
       if (stopping) break loop;
       if (!turn.ok) log(`runner: turn ${n} for message ${m.id} failed: ${turn.reason}`);
       try {