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Description
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Question
I am trying to do hand-offs in my production code, but I am facing a peculiar issue. I am simplifying the code here to show what I am getting.
Here's my code:
import asyncio
import random
from agents import Agent, Runner, function_tool
from agents.extensions.handoff_prompt import RECOMMENDED_PROMPT_PREFIX
from openai.types.responses import ResponseTextDeltaEvent
from pydantic import BaseModel
@function_tool
def how_many_jokes() -> int:
return random.randint(1, 5)
class JokeFormat(BaseModel):
joke: list[str]
language: str
async def main():
format_agent = Agent(
name="Format Agent",
instructions=f"""{RECOMMENDED_PROMPT_PREFIX}
You will format the received joke as a Markdown. You will only return the formatted jokes.""",
model="gpt-4.1",
handoff_description="You are a joke formatter. You will format the jokes in Markdown.",
)
english_agent = Agent(
name="English Joker",
instructions=f"""{RECOMMENDED_PROMPT_PREFIX}
First call the `how_many_jokes` tool. Then, tell those many jokes in English. The jokes should be very short!
Once you have the jokes, you will pass them to the Format Agent
""",
tools=[how_many_jokes],
model="gpt-4.1",
handoff_description="You are a joke teller. You will tell jokes ONLY in English.",
output_type=JokeFormat,
handoffs=[format_agent]
)
marathi_agent = Agent(
name="Marathi Joker",
instructions=f"""{RECOMMENDED_PROMPT_PREFIX}
First call the `how_many_jokes` tool. Then, tell those many jokes in Marathi. The jokes should be very short!
Once you have the jokes, you will pass them to the Format Agent
""",
tools=[how_many_jokes],
model="gpt-4.1",
handoff_description="You are a joke teller. You will tell jokes ONLY in Marathi.",
output_type=JokeFormat,
handoffs=[format_agent]
)
agent = Agent(
name="Triage Agent",
instructions="You determine which agent to use based on the user joke language preference.",
handoffs=[english_agent, marathi_agent],
model="gpt-4.1",
)
result = Runner.run_streamed(
agent,
input="Hello, tell me a joke in English.",
)
print("=== Run starting ===")
async for event in result.stream_events():
# We'll ignore the raw responses event deltas
if event.type == "raw_response_event":
# print(f"** -- Type of event data: {type(event.data)}")
if isinstance(event.data, ResponseTextDeltaEvent):
print(event.data.delta, end="", flush=True)
continue
# When the agent updates, print that
elif event.type == "agent_updated_stream_event":
print(f"\nAgent updated: {event.new_agent.name}")
continue
# When items are generated, print them
elif event.type == "run_item_stream_event":
if event.item.type == "tool_call_item":
print("-- Tool was called")
elif event.item.type == "tool_call_output_item":
print(f"-- Tool output: {event.item.output}")
elif event.item.type == "message_output_item":
pass
else:
print(f"** -- Skipped Event Item type: {event.item.type}")
if __name__ == "__main__":
asyncio.run(main())For this, consistently, I am getting the following output:
=== Run starting ===
Agent updated: Triage Agent
Agent updated: English Joker
{"joke":["Why did the scarecrow win an award? Because he was outstanding in his field!"],"language":"English"}% Problem
As you see, neither the tool is called, nor the format_agent is called. How do I ensure (not enforce, but ensure) that tools and the handoffs will work as expected? I have tried changing the prompts a little bit, the max I have gotten is that the how_many_jokes is called - but the format_agent is never called.
Example:
=== Run starting ===
Agent updated: Triage Agent
Agent updated: English Joker
-- Tool was called
-- Tool output: 2
{"joke":["Why did the scarecrow win an award? Because he was outstanding in his field!","Why don’t skeletons fight each other? They don’t have the guts."],"language":"English"}% @rm-openai Could you help me with please? I am running the latest version of the SDK.