diff --git a/src/infra/heartbeat-runner.test.ts b/src/infra/heartbeat-runner.test.ts
index 24f882e94..a33d4a43d 100644
--- a/src/infra/heartbeat-runner.test.ts
+++ b/src/infra/heartbeat-runner.test.ts
@@ -321,6 +321,75 @@ describe("runHeartbeatOnce", () => {
     }
   });
 
+  it("delivers reasoning even when the main heartbeat reply is HEARTBEAT_OK", async () => {
+    const tmpDir = await fs.mkdtemp(path.join(os.tmpdir(), "clawdbot-hb-"));
+    const storePath = path.join(tmpDir, "sessions.json");
+    const replySpy = vi.spyOn(replyModule, "getReplyFromConfig");
+    try {
+      await fs.writeFile(
+        storePath,
+        JSON.stringify(
+          {
+            main: {
+              sessionId: "sid",
+              updatedAt: Date.now(),
+              lastProvider: "whatsapp",
+              lastTo: "+1555",
+            },
+          },
+          null,
+          2,
+        ),
+      );
+
+      const cfg: ClawdbotConfig = {
+        agents: {
+          defaults: {
+            heartbeat: {
+              every: "5m",
+              target: "whatsapp",
+              to: "+1555",
+              includeReasoning: true,
+            },
+          },
+        },
+        whatsapp: { allowFrom: ["*"] },
+        session: { store: storePath },
+      };
+
+      replySpy.mockResolvedValue([
+        { text: "Reasoning:\nBecause it helps" },
+        { text: "HEARTBEAT_OK" },
+      ]);
+      const sendWhatsApp = vi.fn().mockResolvedValue({
+        messageId: "m1",
+        toJid: "jid",
+      });
+
+      await runHeartbeatOnce({
+        cfg,
+        deps: {
+          sendWhatsApp,
+          getQueueSize: () => 0,
+          nowMs: () => 0,
+          webAuthExists: async () => true,
+          hasActiveWebListener: () => true,
+        },
+      });
+
+      expect(sendWhatsApp).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+      expect(sendWhatsApp).toHaveBeenNthCalledWith(
+        1,
+        "+1555",
+        "Reasoning:\nBecause it helps",
+        expect.any(Object),
+      );
+    } finally {
+      replySpy.mockRestore();
+      await fs.rm(tmpDir, { recursive: true, force: true });
+    }
+  });
+
   it("loads the default agent session from templated stores", async () => {
     const tmpDir = await fs.mkdtemp(path.join(os.tmpdir(), "clawdbot-hb-"));
     const storeTemplate = path.join(
diff --git a/src/infra/heartbeat-runner.ts b/src/infra/heartbeat-runner.ts
index bbf86f902..b8ace042e 100644
--- a/src/infra/heartbeat-runner.ts
+++ b/src/infra/heartbeat-runner.ts
@@ -262,6 +262,11 @@ export async function runHeartbeatOnce(opts: {
     const replyPayload = resolveHeartbeatReplyPayload(replyResult);
     const includeReasoning =
       cfg.agents?.defaults?.heartbeat?.includeReasoning === true;
+    const reasoningPayloads = includeReasoning
+      ? resolveHeartbeatReasoningPayloads(replyResult).filter(
+          (payload) => payload !== replyPayload,
+        )
+      : [];
 
     if (
       !replyPayload ||
@@ -291,7 +296,8 @@ export async function runHeartbeatOnce(opts: {
       ).responsePrefix,
       ackMaxChars,
     );
-    if (normalized.shouldSkip && !normalized.hasMedia) {
+    const shouldSkipMain = normalized.shouldSkip && !normalized.hasMedia;
+    if (shouldSkipMain && reasoningPayloads.length === 0) {
       await restoreHeartbeatUpdatedAt({
         storePath,
         sessionKey,
@@ -309,18 +315,18 @@ export async function runHeartbeatOnce(opts: {
     const mediaUrls =
       replyPayload.mediaUrls ??
       (replyPayload.mediaUrl ? [replyPayload.mediaUrl] : []);
-
-    const reasoningPayloads = includeReasoning
-      ? resolveHeartbeatReasoningPayloads(replyResult).filter(
-          (payload) => payload !== replyPayload,
-        )
-      : [];
+    const previewText = shouldSkipMain
+      ? reasoningPayloads
+          .map((payload) => payload.text)
+          .filter((text): text is string => Boolean(text?.trim()))
+          .join("\n")
+      : normalized.text;
 
     if (delivery.provider === "none" || !delivery.to) {
       emitHeartbeatEvent({
         status: "skipped",
         reason: delivery.reason ?? "no-target",
-        preview: normalized.text?.slice(0, 200),
+        preview: previewText?.slice(0, 200),
         durationMs: Date.now() - startedAt,
         hasMedia: mediaUrls.length > 0,
       });
@@ -333,7 +339,7 @@ export async function runHeartbeatOnce(opts: {
         emitHeartbeatEvent({
           status: "skipped",
           reason: readiness.reason,
-          preview: normalized.text?.slice(0, 200),
+          preview: previewText?.slice(0, 200),
           durationMs: Date.now() - startedAt,
           hasMedia: mediaUrls.length > 0,
         });
@@ -350,10 +356,14 @@ export async function runHeartbeatOnce(opts: {
       to: delivery.to,
       payloads: [
         ...reasoningPayloads,
-        {
-          text: normalized.text,
-          mediaUrls,
-        },
+        ...(shouldSkipMain
+          ? []
+          : [
+              {
+                text: normalized.text,
+                mediaUrls,
+              },
+            ]),
       ],
       deps: opts.deps,
     });
@@ -361,7 +371,7 @@ export async function runHeartbeatOnce(opts: {
     emitHeartbeatEvent({
       status: "sent",
       to: delivery.to,
-      preview: normalized.text?.slice(0, 200),
+      preview: previewText?.slice(0, 200),
       durationMs: Date.now() - startedAt,
       hasMedia: mediaUrls.length > 0,
     });