diff --git a/cmd/daily_run.go b/cmd/daily_run.go
index 8481430..9b17183 100644
--- a/cmd/daily_run.go
+++ b/cmd/daily_run.go
@@ -205,7 +205,7 @@ func runDaily(ctx context.Context, deps dailyDeps, opts dailyOptions) (dailyResu
 		return dailyResult{}, fmt.Errorf(
 			"daily: agent claimed success but no file at %s: %w",
 			absPath,
-			explainToolCalls(runRes.ToolCalls, runRes.Text, statErr),
+			explainAgentOutcome(runRes, statErr),
 		)
 	}
 
@@ -217,17 +217,18 @@ func runDaily(ctx context.Context, deps dailyDeps, opts dailyOptions) (dailyResu
 	}, nil
 }
 
-// explainToolCalls returns an error summarizing what the agent did,
-// so the operator can diagnose why the expected file wasn't written.
-// agentText is the concatenated assistant output from the run;
-// truncated to keep the error message bounded.
-func explainToolCalls(calls []agent.ToolCallRecord, agentText string, statErr error) error {
+// explainAgentOutcome returns an error summarizing what the agent did
+// (and didn't do) so the operator can diagnose why the expected file
+// wasn't written. Surfaces tool calls, turns/duration/cost from the
+// SDK, and the agent's text output. Empty text is reported as
+// "<empty>" explicitly because it's a meaningful signal, not noise.
+func explainAgentOutcome(res *agent.RunResult, statErr error) error {
 	var b strings.Builder
-	if len(calls) == 0 {
+	if len(res.ToolCalls) == 0 {
 		fmt.Fprintf(&b, "agent made zero tool calls (stat: %v)", statErr)
 	} else {
-		fmt.Fprintf(&b, "agent made %d tool call(s):", len(calls))
-		for i, c := range calls {
+		fmt.Fprintf(&b, "agent made %d tool call(s):", len(res.ToolCalls))
+		for i, c := range res.ToolCalls {
 			outcome := "ok"
 			if c.Error != "" {
 				outcome = "error: " + c.Error
@@ -236,8 +237,12 @@ func explainToolCalls(calls []agent.ToolCallRecord, agentText string, statErr er
 		}
 		fmt.Fprintf(&b, "\n(stat: %v)", statErr)
 	}
-	if agentText != "" {
-		fmt.Fprintf(&b, "\nagent said: %s", truncateText(agentText, 1000))
+	fmt.Fprintf(&b, "\nturns=%d duration=%s cost_usd=%.6f",
+		res.Turns, res.Duration, res.CostUSD)
+	if res.Text != "" {
+		fmt.Fprintf(&b, "\nagent said: %s", truncateText(res.Text, 1000))
+	} else {
+		fmt.Fprintf(&b, "\nagent said: <empty>")
 	}
 	return errors.New(b.String())
 }
diff --git a/cmd/daily_run_test.go b/cmd/daily_run_test.go
index 006b96f..5004172 100644
--- a/cmd/daily_run_test.go
+++ b/cmd/daily_run_test.go
@@ -410,8 +410,9 @@ func TestRunDaily_VerifiesFileAfterRun(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 // Missing file with no tool calls: error includes the path, the
-// "zero tool calls" call-out, and the stat error. Empty agent text
-// must not produce an "agent said:" line.
+// "zero tool calls" call-out, the stat error, the SDK signal line
+// (turns/duration/cost), and an explicit "<empty>" marker for the
+// missing text so the operator can tell signal from noise.
 func TestRunDaily_FailsLoudlyWhenFileMissing(t *testing.T) {
 	deps, gatherer, runtime, _ := fixtureDeps(t)
 	gatherer.issues = []domain.Issue{{Ref: domain.ExternalRef{Provider: "linear", ID: "ENG-1"}, Title: "x"}}
@@ -425,7 +426,8 @@ func TestRunDaily_FailsLoudlyWhenFileMissing(t *testing.T) {
 	msg := err.Error()
 	assert.Contains(t, msg, "no file at")
 	assert.Contains(t, msg, "zero tool calls")
-	assert.NotContains(t, msg, "agent said:", "empty text must not emit an agent-said line")
+	assert.Contains(t, msg, "turns=0")
+	assert.Contains(t, msg, "agent said: <empty>")
 }
 
 // Missing file with tool calls: every tool call's name and outcome
@@ -489,6 +491,28 @@ func TestRunDaily_AgentTextTruncated(t *testing.T) {
 	assert.Less(t, len(msg), 2000, "error message should be bounded")
 }
 
+// Turns, duration, and cost from the SDK are surfaced so the operator
+// can tell whether the model was consulted at all when both tool
+// calls and text are empty.
+func TestRunDaily_MissingFileIncludesTurnsAndDuration(t *testing.T) {
+	deps, gatherer, runtime, _ := fixtureDeps(t)
+	gatherer.issues = []domain.Issue{{Ref: domain.ExternalRef{Provider: "linear", ID: "ENG-1"}, Title: "x"}}
+
+	runtime.result = &agent.RunResult{
+		Turns:    3,
+		Duration: 2500 * time.Millisecond,
+		CostUSD:  0.0042,
+	}
+
+	_, err := runDaily(context.Background(), deps, dailyOptions{})
+	require.Error(t, err)
+	msg := err.Error()
+	assert.Contains(t, msg, "turns=3")
+	assert.Contains(t, msg, "duration=2.5s")
+	assert.Contains(t, msg, "cost_usd=0.004200")
+	assert.Contains(t, msg, "agent said: <empty>")
+}
+
 func TestSummarizeToolCalls(t *testing.T) {
 	assert.Equal(t, "0 tool calls", summarizeToolCalls(nil))
 	assert.Equal(t, "1 tool call(s): mcp__archy__archy_write_vault_note",