diff --git a/code-rs/code-auto-drive-core/src/auto_coordinator.rs b/code-rs/code-auto-drive-core/src/auto_coordinator.rs
index a9b785bbb5c..595b67960a3 100644
--- a/code-rs/code-auto-drive-core/src/auto_coordinator.rs
+++ b/code-rs/code-auto-drive-core/src/auto_coordinator.rs
@@ -2346,7 +2346,7 @@ fn agent_action_to_event(action: &AgentAction) -> AutoTurnAgentsAction {
     }
 }
 
-pub(super) fn extract_first_json_object(input: &str) -> Option<String> {
+pub(crate) fn extract_first_json_object(input: &str) -> Option<String> {
     let mut depth = 0usize;
     let mut in_str = false;
     let mut escape = false;
diff --git a/code-rs/code-auto-drive-core/src/coordinator_user_schema.rs b/code-rs/code-auto-drive-core/src/coordinator_user_schema.rs
index 2b1887a22b7..b3f63f392b3 100644
--- a/code-rs/code-auto-drive-core/src/coordinator_user_schema.rs
+++ b/code-rs/code-auto-drive-core/src/coordinator_user_schema.rs
@@ -3,6 +3,8 @@
 use anyhow::Context;
 use serde_json::Value;
 
+use crate::auto_coordinator::extract_first_json_object;
+
 pub fn user_turn_schema() -> Value {
     serde_json::json!({
         "type": "object",
@@ -24,8 +26,20 @@ pub fn user_turn_schema() -> Value {
 }
 
 pub fn parse_user_turn_reply(raw: &str) -> anyhow::Result<(Option<String>, Option<String>)> {
-    let value: Value = serde_json::from_str(raw)
-        .context("parsing coordinator user turn JSON")?;
+    let value: Value = match serde_json::from_str(raw) {
+        Ok(v) => v,
+        Err(first_err) => {
+            let Some(blob) = extract_first_json_object(raw) else {
+                return Err(first_err).context("parsing coordinator user turn JSON");
+            };
+            let first_err_msg = first_err.to_string();
+            serde_json::from_str(&blob).with_context(|| {
+                format!(
+                    "parsing coordinator user turn JSON (after salvage); initial parse error: {first_err_msg}"
+                )
+            })?
+        }
+    };
     let obj = value
         .as_object()
         .ok_or_else(|| anyhow::anyhow!("coordinator response was not a JSON object"))?;
@@ -52,3 +66,29 @@ pub fn parse_user_turn_reply(raw: &str) -> anyhow::Result<(Option<String>, Optio
 
     Ok((extract("user_response")?, extract("cli_command")?))
 }
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod tests {
+    use super::*;
+    use anyhow::Result;
+
+    #[test]
+    fn parse_user_turn_reply_strict_object() -> Result<()> {
+        let raw = r#"{"user_response":"  Thanks!  ","cli_command":null}"#;
+        let (user, cli) = parse_user_turn_reply(raw)?;
+        assert_eq!(user.as_deref(), Some("Thanks!"));
+        assert_eq!(cli, None);
+        Ok(())
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn parse_user_turn_reply_salvages_embedded_json() -> Result<()> {
+        let raw = r#"Here are two options: do A or B.
+{"user_response":null,"cli_command":" echo done "}
+Let me know."#;
+        let (user, cli) = parse_user_turn_reply(raw)?;
+        assert_eq!(user, None);
+        assert_eq!(cli.as_deref(), Some("echo done"));
+        Ok(())
+    }
+}