diff --git a/crates/tinyagents-harness/src/lib.rs b/crates/tinyagents-harness/src/lib.rs
index 1474a22c6..9bdd4108f 100644
--- a/crates/tinyagents-harness/src/lib.rs
+++ b/crates/tinyagents-harness/src/lib.rs
@@ -125,9 +125,9 @@ pub use error::{Result, TinyAgentsError};
 pub use ids::*;
 pub use model_registry::{ModelRegistry, ModelSelection, ResolvedModelBinding};
 pub use no_progress::{
-    DEFAULT_IDENTICAL_HALT_THRESHOLD, DEFAULT_REPEAT_CALL_THRESHOLD,
-    DEFAULT_REPEAT_OUTPUT_THRESHOLD, NoProgress, NoProgressTracker, SuccessfulRepeat,
-    SuccessfulRepeatTracker, ToolAttempt,
+    ClassifiedFailure, ClassifiedFailureTracker, DEFAULT_IDENTICAL_HALT_THRESHOLD,
+    DEFAULT_REPEAT_CALL_THRESHOLD, DEFAULT_REPEAT_OUTPUT_THRESHOLD, NoProgress, NoProgressTracker,
+    SuccessfulRepeat, SuccessfulRepeatTracker, ToolAttempt,
 };
 pub use observability::{
     AgentCallLatency, AgentLatencyMetrics, AgentObservation, FanOutSink, HarnessEventJournal,
diff --git a/crates/tinyagents-harness/src/no_progress/README.md b/crates/tinyagents-harness/src/no_progress/README.md
index ed90179b6..a8069fe94 100644
--- a/crates/tinyagents-harness/src/no_progress/README.md
+++ b/crates/tinyagents-harness/src/no_progress/README.md
@@ -31,6 +31,13 @@ follow-up; see the "Driving this from an `after_tool` hook" section in
   state for one turn. `new(identical_halt_threshold)` builds it,
   `record(step, &ToolAttempt) -> NoProgress` feeds one outcome and returns the
   verdict, `reset()` clears all counters (called internally after a halt).
+- [`ClassifiedFailureTracker`] — an additive ledger for equivalent failures
+  keyed by class, operation, and resource or permission scope. `record` accepts
+  a class-specific recovery budget; `clear` removes one group only after an
+  observation shows its blocker changed. Intervening tool calls leave it intact.
+  Hold one tracker per turn, or call `reset()` at a new turn boundary. A
+  `NoProgress::Halt` verdict does not reset classified counts: retrying the same
+  unchanged blocker in a resumed turn would halt again.
 - [`ToolAttempt`] — one observed outcome, built with `success`/`failure` plus
   the `hard_reject()`/`recoverable_miss()` modifiers.
 - [`NoProgress`] — the verdict enum: `Continue`, `Nudge(String)`,
diff --git a/crates/tinyagents-harness/src/no_progress/classified.rs b/crates/tinyagents-harness/src/no_progress/classified.rs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..2b4811af1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crates/tinyagents-harness/src/no_progress/classified.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,93 @@
+//! Failure equivalence and recovery budgets independent of literal call arguments.
+
+use std::collections::HashMap;
+use std::sync::Mutex;
+
+use super::NoProgress;
+
+/// A trusted classification of one failed operation. The caller supplies stable
+/// operation and scope identifiers; neither error prose nor literal query text
+/// belongs in this key.
+#[derive(Clone, Debug, Eq, Hash, PartialEq)]
+pub struct ClassifiedFailure {
+    pub class: String,
+    pub operation: String,
+    pub scope: String,
+}
+
+impl ClassifiedFailure {
+    pub fn new(
+        class: impl Into<String>,
+        operation: impl Into<String>,
+        scope: impl Into<String>,
+    ) -> Self {
+        Self {
+            class: class.into(),
+            operation: operation.into(),
+            scope: scope.into(),
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+/// Counts equivalent failures across intervening calls. Only an observation
+/// that the same blocker changed should call [`Self::clear`].
+#[derive(Default)]
+pub struct ClassifiedFailureTracker {
+    counts: Mutex<HashMap<ClassifiedFailure, usize>>,
+}
+
+impl ClassifiedFailureTracker {
+    /// `recovery_budget` is the number of retry calls allowed after the first
+    /// failure. A budget of one permits one retry and halts if that retry also
+    /// fails; zero stops on the first observation.
+    pub fn record(&self, key: &ClassifiedFailure, recovery_budget: usize) -> NoProgress {
+        let mut counts = self.counts.lock().unwrap();
+        let attempts = counts.entry(key.clone()).or_default();
+        *attempts += 1;
+        if *attempts > recovery_budget {
+            NoProgress::Halt(format!(
+                "Stopping after {} attempt(s): failure class `{}` still blocks operation `{}` on `{}`. Resolve this blocker before retrying.",
+                attempts, key.class, key.operation, key.scope
+            ))
+        } else {
+            NoProgress::Continue
+        }
+    }
+
+    /// Clear one blocker after an observation proves it changed or recovered.
+    pub fn clear(&self, key: &ClassifiedFailure) {
+        self.counts.lock().unwrap().remove(key);
+    }
+
+    /// Clear all groups when a new turn begins.
+    pub fn reset(&self) {
+        self.counts.lock().unwrap().clear();
+    }
+}
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod test {
+    use super::*;
+
+    #[test]
+    fn equivalent_failures_survive_intervening_calls_and_clear_by_scope() {
+        let tracker = ClassifiedFailureTracker::default();
+        let a = ClassifiedFailure::new("permission", "search", "account-a");
+        let b = ClassifiedFailure::new("permission", "search", "account-b");
+        assert_eq!(tracker.record(&a, 1), NoProgress::Continue);
+        assert_eq!(tracker.record(&b, 1), NoProgress::Continue);
+        assert!(
+            matches!(tracker.record(&a, 1), NoProgress::Halt(message) if message.contains("2 attempt(s)"))
+        );
+        tracker.clear(&a);
+        assert_eq!(tracker.record(&a, 1), NoProgress::Continue);
+        assert!(matches!(tracker.record(&b, 1), NoProgress::Halt(_)));
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn zero_budget_stops_immediately() {
+        let tracker = ClassifiedFailureTracker::default();
+        let key = ClassifiedFailure::new("policy", "write", "project");
+        assert!(matches!(tracker.record(&key, 0), NoProgress::Halt(_)));
+    }
+}
diff --git a/crates/tinyagents-harness/src/no_progress/mod.rs b/crates/tinyagents-harness/src/no_progress/mod.rs
index 2bf534374..41f44f204 100644
--- a/crates/tinyagents-harness/src/no_progress/mod.rs
+++ b/crates/tinyagents-harness/src/no_progress/mod.rs
@@ -60,9 +60,11 @@
 //! and [`NoProgress::as_str`] exist so step 4 needs no enum match, and
 //! `as_str()` gives a stable telemetry label.
 
+mod classified;
 mod successful_repeat;
 mod types;
 
+pub use classified::{ClassifiedFailure, ClassifiedFailureTracker};
 pub use successful_repeat::{DEFAULT_REPEAT_CALL_THRESHOLD, DEFAULT_REPEAT_OUTPUT_THRESHOLD};
 use types::LadderState;
 pub use types::{