fix: enhance error handling and output for non-interactive authentication in JSON and STREAM_JSON modes

.gitignore

@@ -57,4 +57,3 @@ gha-creds-*.json
 
 # Log files
 patch_output.log
-QWEN.md

integration-tests/json-output.test.ts

@@ -74,35 +74,236 @@ describe('JSON output', () => {
     expect(thrown).toBeDefined();
     const message = (thrown as Error).message;
 
-    // The error JSON is written to stderr, so it should be in the error message
-    // Use a regex to find the first complete JSON object in the string
-    const jsonMatch = message.match(/{[\s\S]*}/);
-
-    // Fail if no JSON-like text was found
+    // The error JSON is written to stdout as a CLIResultMessageError
+    // Extract stdout from the error message
+    const stdoutMatch = message.match(/Stdout:\n([\s\S]*?)(?:\n\nStderr:|$)/);
     expect(
-      jsonMatch,
-      'Expected to find a JSON object in the error output',
+      stdoutMatch,
+      'Expected to find stdout in the error message',
     ).toBeTruthy();
 
-    let payload;
+    const stdout = stdoutMatch![1];
+    let parsed: unknown[];
     try {
-      // Parse the matched JSON string
-      payload = JSON.parse(jsonMatch![0]);
+      // Parse the JSON array from stdout
+      parsed = JSON.parse(stdout);
     } catch (parseError) {
-      console.error('Failed to parse the following JSON:', jsonMatch![0]);
+      console.error('Failed to parse the following JSON:', stdout);
       throw new Error(
-        `Test failed: Could not parse JSON from error message. Details: ${parseError}`,
+        `Test failed: Could not parse JSON from stdout. Details: ${parseError}`,
       );
     }
 
-    // The JsonFormatter.formatError() outputs: { error: { type, message, code } }
-    expect(payload).toHaveProperty('error');
-    expect(payload.error).toBeDefined();
-    expect(payload.error.type).toBe('Error');
-    expect(payload.error.code).toBe(1);
-    expect(payload.error.message).toContain(
+    // The output should be an array of messages
+    expect(Array.isArray(parsed)).toBe(true);
+    expect(parsed.length).toBeGreaterThan(0);
+
+    // Find the result message with error
+    const resultMessage = parsed.find(
+      (msg: unknown) =>
+        typeof msg === 'object' &&
+        msg !== null &&
+        'type' in msg &&
+        msg.type === 'result' &&
+        'is_error' in msg &&
+        msg.is_error === true,
+    ) as {
+      type: string;
+      is_error: boolean;
+      subtype: string;
+      error?: { message: string; type?: string };
+    };
+
+    expect(resultMessage).toBeDefined();
+    expect(resultMessage.is_error).toBe(true);
+    expect(resultMessage).toHaveProperty('subtype');
+    expect(resultMessage.subtype).toBe('error_during_execution');
+    expect(resultMessage).toHaveProperty('error');
+    expect(resultMessage.error).toBeDefined();
+    expect(resultMessage.error?.message).toContain(
       'configured auth type is qwen-oauth',
     );
-    expect(payload.error.message).toContain('current auth type is openai');
+    expect(resultMessage.error?.message).toContain(
+      'current auth type is openai',
+    );
+  });
+
+  it('should return line-delimited JSON messages for stream-json output format', async () => {
+    const result = await rig.run(
+      'What is the capital of France?',
+      '--output-format',
+      'stream-json',
+    );
+
+    // Stream-json output is line-delimited JSON (one JSON object per line)
+    const lines = result
+      .trim()
+      .split('\n')
+      .filter((line) => line.trim());
+    expect(lines.length).toBeGreaterThan(0);
+
+    // Parse each line as a JSON object
+    const messages: unknown[] = [];
+    for (const line of lines) {
+      try {
+        const parsed = JSON.parse(line);
+        messages.push(parsed);
+      } catch (parseError) {
+        throw new Error(
+          `Failed to parse JSON line: ${line}. Error: ${parseError}`,
+        );
+      }
+    }
+
+    // Should have at least system, assistant, and result messages
+    expect(messages.length).toBeGreaterThanOrEqual(3);
+
+    // Find system message
+    const systemMessage = messages.find(
+      (msg: unknown) =>
+        typeof msg === 'object' &&
+        msg !== null &&
+        'type' in msg &&
+        msg.type === 'system',
+    );
+    expect(systemMessage).toBeDefined();
+    expect(systemMessage).toHaveProperty('subtype');
+    expect(systemMessage).toHaveProperty('session_id');
+
+    // Find assistant message
+    const assistantMessage = messages.find(
+      (msg: unknown) =>
+        typeof msg === 'object' &&
+        msg !== null &&
+        'type' in msg &&
+        msg.type === 'assistant',
+    );
+    expect(assistantMessage).toBeDefined();
+    expect(assistantMessage).toHaveProperty('message');
+    expect(assistantMessage).toHaveProperty('session_id');
+
+    // Find result message (should be the last message)
+    const resultMessage = messages[messages.length - 1] as {
+      type: string;
+      is_error: boolean;
+      result: string;
+    };
+    expect(resultMessage).toBeDefined();
+    expect(
+      typeof resultMessage === 'object' &&
+        resultMessage !== null &&
+        'type' in resultMessage &&
+        resultMessage.type === 'result',
+    ).toBe(true);
+    expect(resultMessage).toHaveProperty('is_error');
+    expect(resultMessage.is_error).toBe(false);
+    expect(resultMessage).toHaveProperty('result');
+    expect(typeof resultMessage.result).toBe('string');
+    expect(resultMessage.result.toLowerCase()).toContain('paris');
+  });
+
+  it('should include stream events when using stream-json with include-partial-messages', async () => {
+    const result = await rig.run(
+      'What is the capital of France?',
+      '--output-format',
+      'stream-json',
+      '--include-partial-messages',
+    );
+
+    // Stream-json output is line-delimited JSON (one JSON object per line)
+    const lines = result
+      .trim()
+      .split('\n')
+      .filter((line) => line.trim());
+    expect(lines.length).toBeGreaterThan(0);
+
+    // Parse each line as a JSON object
+    const messages: unknown[] = [];
+    for (const line of lines) {
+      try {
+        const parsed = JSON.parse(line);
+        messages.push(parsed);
+      } catch (parseError) {
+        throw new Error(
+          `Failed to parse JSON line: ${line}. Error: ${parseError}`,
+        );
+      }
+    }
+
+    // Should have more messages than without include-partial-messages
+    // because we're including stream events
+    expect(messages.length).toBeGreaterThan(3);
+
+    // Find stream_event messages
+    const streamEvents = messages.filter(
+      (msg: unknown) =>
+        typeof msg === 'object' &&
+        msg !== null &&
+        'type' in msg &&
+        msg.type === 'stream_event',
+    );
+    expect(streamEvents.length).toBeGreaterThan(0);
+
+    // Verify stream event structure
+    const firstStreamEvent = streamEvents[0];
+    expect(firstStreamEvent).toHaveProperty('event');
+    expect(firstStreamEvent).toHaveProperty('session_id');
+    expect(firstStreamEvent).toHaveProperty('uuid');
+
+    // Check for expected stream event types
+    const eventTypes = streamEvents.map((event: unknown) =>
+      typeof event === 'object' &&
+      event !== null &&
+      'event' in event &&
+      typeof event.event === 'object' &&
+      event.event !== null &&
+      'type' in event.event
+        ? event.event.type
+        : null,
+    );
+
+    // Should have message_start event
+    expect(eventTypes).toContain('message_start');
+
+    // Should have content_block_start event
+    expect(eventTypes).toContain('content_block_start');
+
+    // Should have content_block_delta events
+    expect(eventTypes).toContain('content_block_delta');
+
+    // Should have content_block_stop event
+    expect(eventTypes).toContain('content_block_stop');
+
+    // Should have message_stop event
+    expect(eventTypes).toContain('message_stop');
+
+    // Verify that we still have the complete assistant message
+    const assistantMessage = messages.find(
+      (msg: unknown) =>
+        typeof msg === 'object' &&
+        msg !== null &&
+        'type' in msg &&
+        msg.type === 'assistant',
+    );
+    expect(assistantMessage).toBeDefined();
+    expect(assistantMessage).toHaveProperty('message');
+
+    // Verify that we still have the result message
+    const resultMessage = messages[messages.length - 1] as {
+      type: string;
+      is_error: boolean;
+      result: string;
+    };
+    expect(resultMessage).toBeDefined();
+    expect(
+      typeof resultMessage === 'object' &&
+        resultMessage !== null &&
+        'type' in resultMessage &&
+        resultMessage.type === 'result',
+    ).toBe(true);
+    expect(resultMessage).toHaveProperty('is_error');
+    expect(resultMessage.is_error).toBe(false);
+    expect(resultMessage).toHaveProperty('result');
+    expect(resultMessage.result.toLowerCase()).toContain('paris');
   });
 });

integration-tests/test-helper.ts

@@ -340,7 +340,8 @@ export class TestRig {
           // as it would corrupt the JSON
           const isJsonOutput =
             commandArgs.includes('--output-format') &&
-            commandArgs.includes('json');
+            (commandArgs.includes('json') ||
+              commandArgs.includes('stream-json'));
 
           // If we have stderr output and it's not a JSON test, include that also
           if (stderr && !isJsonOutput) {
@@ -349,7 +350,23 @@ export class TestRig {
 
           resolve(result);
         } else {
-          reject(new Error(`Process exited with code ${code}:\n${stderr}`));
+          // Check if this is a JSON output test - for JSON errors, the error is in stdout
+          const isJsonOutputOnError =
+            commandArgs.includes('--output-format') &&
+            (commandArgs.includes('json') ||
+              commandArgs.includes('stream-json'));
+
+          // For JSON output tests, include stdout in the error message
+          // as the error JSON is written to stdout
+          if (isJsonOutputOnError && stdout) {
+            reject(
+              new Error(
+                `Process exited with code ${code}:\nStdout:\n${stdout}\n\nStderr:\n${stderr}`,
+              ),
+            );
+          } else {
+            reject(new Error(`Process exited with code ${code}:\n${stderr}`));
+          }
         }
       });
     });

packages/cli/package.json

@@ -16,10 +16,6 @@
     ".": {
       "types": "./dist/index.d.ts",
       "import": "./dist/index.js"
-    },
-    "./protocol": {
-      "types": "./dist/src/types/protocol.d.ts",
-      "import": "./dist/src/types/protocol.js"
     }
   },
   "scripts": {

packages/cli/src/validateNonInterActiveAuth.test.ts

@@ -10,6 +10,9 @@ import { AuthType, OutputFormat } from '@qwen-code/qwen-code-core';
 import type { Config } from '@qwen-code/qwen-code-core';
 import * as auth from './config/auth.js';
 import { type LoadedSettings } from './config/settings.js';
+import * as JsonOutputAdapterModule from './nonInteractive/io/JsonOutputAdapter.js';
+import * as StreamJsonOutputAdapterModule from './nonInteractive/io/StreamJsonOutputAdapter.js';
+import * as cleanupModule from './utils/cleanup.js';
 
 describe('validateNonInterActiveAuth', () => {
   let originalEnvGeminiApiKey: string | undefined;
@@ -17,8 +20,8 @@ describe('validateNonInterActiveAuth', () => {
   let originalEnvGcp: string | undefined;
   let originalEnvOpenAiApiKey: string | undefined;
   let consoleErrorSpy: ReturnType<typeof vi.spyOn>;
-  let processExitSpy: ReturnType<typeof vi.spyOn>;
-  let refreshAuthMock: vi.Mock;
+  let processExitSpy: ReturnType<typeof vi.spyOn<[code?: number], never>>;
+  let refreshAuthMock: ReturnType<typeof vi.fn>;
   let mockSettings: LoadedSettings;
 
   beforeEach(() => {
@@ -33,7 +36,7 @@ describe('validateNonInterActiveAuth', () => {
     consoleErrorSpy = vi.spyOn(console, 'error').mockImplementation(() => {});
     processExitSpy = vi.spyOn(process, 'exit').mockImplementation((code) => {
       throw new Error(`process.exit(${code}) called`);
-    });
+    }) as ReturnType<typeof vi.spyOn<[code?: number], never>>;
     refreshAuthMock = vi.fn().mockResolvedValue('refreshed');
     mockSettings = {
       system: { path: '', settings: {} },
@@ -235,7 +238,24 @@ describe('validateNonInterActiveAuth', () => {
   });
 
   describe('JSON output mode', () => {
-    it('prints JSON error when no auth is configured and exits with code 1', async () => {
+    let emitResultMock: ReturnType<typeof vi.fn>;
+    let runExitCleanupMock: ReturnType<typeof vi.fn>;
+
+    beforeEach(() => {
+      emitResultMock = vi.fn();
+      runExitCleanupMock = vi.fn().mockResolvedValue(undefined);
+      vi.spyOn(JsonOutputAdapterModule, 'JsonOutputAdapter').mockImplementation(
+        () =>
+          ({
+            emitResult: emitResultMock,
+          }) as unknown as JsonOutputAdapterModule.JsonOutputAdapter,
+      );
+      vi.spyOn(cleanupModule, 'runExitCleanup').mockImplementation(
+        runExitCleanupMock,
+      );
+    });
+
+    it('emits error result and exits when no auth is configured', async () => {
       const nonInteractiveConfig = {
         refreshAuth: refreshAuthMock,
         getOutputFormat: vi.fn().mockReturnValue(OutputFormat.JSON),
@@ -244,7 +264,6 @@ describe('validateNonInterActiveAuth', () => {
           .mockReturnValue({ authType: undefined }),
       } as unknown as Config;
 
-      let thrown: Error | undefined;
       try {
         await validateNonInteractiveAuth(
           undefined,
@@ -252,21 +271,27 @@ describe('validateNonInterActiveAuth', () => {
           nonInteractiveConfig,
           mockSettings,
         );
+        expect.fail('Should have exited');
       } catch (e) {
-        thrown = e as Error;
+        expect((e as Error).message).toContain('process.exit(1) called');
       }
 
-      expect(thrown?.message).toBe('process.exit(1) called');
-      const errorArg = consoleErrorSpy.mock.calls[0]?.[0] as string;
-      const payload = JSON.parse(errorArg);
-      expect(payload.error.type).toBe('Error');
-      expect(payload.error.code).toBe(1);
-      expect(payload.error.message).toContain(
-        'Please set an Auth method in your',
-      );
+      expect(emitResultMock).toHaveBeenCalledWith({
+        isError: true,
+        errorMessage: expect.stringContaining(
+          'Please set an Auth method in your',
+        ),
+        durationMs: 0,
+        apiDurationMs: 0,
+        numTurns: 0,
+        usage: undefined,
+      });
+      expect(runExitCleanupMock).toHaveBeenCalled();
+      expect(processExitSpy).toHaveBeenCalledWith(1);
+      expect(consoleErrorSpy).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
     });
 
-    it('prints JSON error when enforced auth mismatches current auth and exits with code 1', async () => {
+    it('emits error result and exits when enforced auth mismatches current auth', async () => {
       mockSettings.merged.security!.auth!.enforcedType = AuthType.QWEN_OAUTH;
       process.env['OPENAI_API_KEY'] = 'fake-key';
 
@@ -278,7 +303,6 @@ describe('validateNonInterActiveAuth', () => {
           .mockReturnValue({ authType: undefined }),
       } as unknown as Config;
 
-      let thrown: Error | undefined;
       try {
         await validateNonInteractiveAuth(
           undefined,
@@ -286,23 +310,27 @@ describe('validateNonInterActiveAuth', () => {
           nonInteractiveConfig,
           mockSettings,
         );
+        expect.fail('Should have exited');
       } catch (e) {
-        thrown = e as Error;
+        expect((e as Error).message).toContain('process.exit(1) called');
       }
 
-      expect(thrown?.message).toBe('process.exit(1) called');
-      {
-        const errorArg = consoleErrorSpy.mock.calls[0]?.[0] as string;
-        const payload = JSON.parse(errorArg);
-        expect(payload.error.type).toBe('Error');
-        expect(payload.error.code).toBe(1);
-        expect(payload.error.message).toContain(
+      expect(emitResultMock).toHaveBeenCalledWith({
+        isError: true,
+        errorMessage: expect.stringContaining(
           'The configured auth type is qwen-oauth, but the current auth type is openai.',
-        );
-      }
+        ),
+        durationMs: 0,
+        apiDurationMs: 0,
+        numTurns: 0,
+        usage: undefined,
+      });
+      expect(runExitCleanupMock).toHaveBeenCalled();
+      expect(processExitSpy).toHaveBeenCalledWith(1);
+      expect(consoleErrorSpy).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
     });
 
-    it('prints JSON error when validateAuthMethod fails and exits with code 1', async () => {
+    it('emits error result and exits when validateAuthMethod fails', async () => {
       vi.spyOn(auth, 'validateAuthMethod').mockReturnValue('Auth error!');
       process.env['OPENAI_API_KEY'] = 'fake-key';
 
@@ -314,7 +342,6 @@ describe('validateNonInterActiveAuth', () => {
           .mockReturnValue({ authType: undefined }),
       } as unknown as Config;
 
-      let thrown: Error | undefined;
       try {
         await validateNonInteractiveAuth(
           AuthType.USE_OPENAI,
@@ -322,18 +349,159 @@ describe('validateNonInterActiveAuth', () => {
           nonInteractiveConfig,
           mockSettings,
         );
+        expect.fail('Should have exited');
       } catch (e) {
-        thrown = e as Error;
+        expect((e as Error).message).toContain('process.exit(1) called');
       }
 
-      expect(thrown?.message).toBe('process.exit(1) called');
-      {
-        const errorArg = consoleErrorSpy.mock.calls[0]?.[0] as string;
-        const payload = JSON.parse(errorArg);
-        expect(payload.error.type).toBe('Error');
-        expect(payload.error.code).toBe(1);
-        expect(payload.error.message).toBe('Auth error!');
+      expect(emitResultMock).toHaveBeenCalledWith({
+        isError: true,
+        errorMessage: 'Auth error!',
+        durationMs: 0,
+        apiDurationMs: 0,
+        numTurns: 0,
+        usage: undefined,
+      });
+      expect(runExitCleanupMock).toHaveBeenCalled();
+      expect(processExitSpy).toHaveBeenCalledWith(1);
+      expect(consoleErrorSpy).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    });
+  });
+
+  describe('STREAM_JSON output mode', () => {
+    let emitResultMock: ReturnType<typeof vi.fn>;
+    let runExitCleanupMock: ReturnType<typeof vi.fn>;
+
+    beforeEach(() => {
+      emitResultMock = vi.fn();
+      runExitCleanupMock = vi.fn().mockResolvedValue(undefined);
+      vi.spyOn(
+        StreamJsonOutputAdapterModule,
+        'StreamJsonOutputAdapter',
+      ).mockImplementation(
+        () =>
+          ({
+            emitResult: emitResultMock,
+          }) as unknown as StreamJsonOutputAdapterModule.StreamJsonOutputAdapter,
+      );
+      vi.spyOn(cleanupModule, 'runExitCleanup').mockImplementation(
+        runExitCleanupMock,
+      );
+    });
+
+    it('emits error result and exits when no auth is configured', async () => {
+      const nonInteractiveConfig = {
+        refreshAuth: refreshAuthMock,
+        getOutputFormat: vi.fn().mockReturnValue(OutputFormat.STREAM_JSON),
+        getIncludePartialMessages: vi.fn().mockReturnValue(false),
+        getContentGeneratorConfig: vi
+          .fn()
+          .mockReturnValue({ authType: undefined }),
+      } as unknown as Config;
+
+      try {
+        await validateNonInteractiveAuth(
+          undefined,
+          undefined,
+          nonInteractiveConfig,
+          mockSettings,
+        );
+        expect.fail('Should have exited');
+      } catch (e) {
+        expect((e as Error).message).toContain('process.exit(1) called');
       }
+
+      expect(emitResultMock).toHaveBeenCalledWith({
+        isError: true,
+        errorMessage: expect.stringContaining(
+          'Please set an Auth method in your',
+        ),
+        durationMs: 0,
+        apiDurationMs: 0,
+        numTurns: 0,
+        usage: undefined,
+      });
+      expect(runExitCleanupMock).toHaveBeenCalled();
+      expect(processExitSpy).toHaveBeenCalledWith(1);
+      expect(consoleErrorSpy).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    });
+
+    it('emits error result and exits when enforced auth mismatches current auth', async () => {
+      mockSettings.merged.security!.auth!.enforcedType = AuthType.QWEN_OAUTH;
+      process.env['OPENAI_API_KEY'] = 'fake-key';
+
+      const nonInteractiveConfig = {
+        refreshAuth: refreshAuthMock,
+        getOutputFormat: vi.fn().mockReturnValue(OutputFormat.STREAM_JSON),
+        getIncludePartialMessages: vi.fn().mockReturnValue(false),
+        getContentGeneratorConfig: vi
+          .fn()
+          .mockReturnValue({ authType: undefined }),
+      } as unknown as Config;
+
+      try {
+        await validateNonInteractiveAuth(
+          undefined,
+          undefined,
+          nonInteractiveConfig,
+          mockSettings,
+        );
+        expect.fail('Should have exited');
+      } catch (e) {
+        expect((e as Error).message).toContain('process.exit(1) called');
+      }
+
+      expect(emitResultMock).toHaveBeenCalledWith({
+        isError: true,
+        errorMessage: expect.stringContaining(
+          'The configured auth type is qwen-oauth, but the current auth type is openai.',
+        ),
+        durationMs: 0,
+        apiDurationMs: 0,
+        numTurns: 0,
+        usage: undefined,
+      });
+      expect(runExitCleanupMock).toHaveBeenCalled();
+      expect(processExitSpy).toHaveBeenCalledWith(1);
+      expect(consoleErrorSpy).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    });
+
+    it('emits error result and exits when validateAuthMethod fails', async () => {
+      vi.spyOn(auth, 'validateAuthMethod').mockReturnValue('Auth error!');
+      process.env['OPENAI_API_KEY'] = 'fake-key';
+
+      const nonInteractiveConfig = {
+        refreshAuth: refreshAuthMock,
+        getOutputFormat: vi.fn().mockReturnValue(OutputFormat.STREAM_JSON),
+        getIncludePartialMessages: vi.fn().mockReturnValue(false),
+        getContentGeneratorConfig: vi
+          .fn()
+          .mockReturnValue({ authType: undefined }),
+      } as unknown as Config;
+
+      try {
+        await validateNonInteractiveAuth(
+          AuthType.USE_OPENAI,
+          undefined,
+          nonInteractiveConfig,
+          mockSettings,
+        );
+        expect.fail('Should have exited');
+      } catch (e) {
+        expect((e as Error).message).toContain('process.exit(1) called');
+      }
+
+      expect(emitResultMock).toHaveBeenCalledWith({
+        isError: true,
+        errorMessage: 'Auth error!',
+        durationMs: 0,
+        apiDurationMs: 0,
+        numTurns: 0,
+        usage: undefined,
+      });
+      expect(runExitCleanupMock).toHaveBeenCalled();
+      expect(processExitSpy).toHaveBeenCalledWith(1);
+      expect(consoleErrorSpy).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
     });
   });
 });

packages/cli/src/validateNonInterActiveAuth.ts

@@ -9,7 +9,9 @@ import { AuthType, OutputFormat } from '@qwen-code/qwen-code-core';
 import { USER_SETTINGS_PATH } from './config/settings.js';
 import { validateAuthMethod } from './config/auth.js';
 import { type LoadedSettings } from './config/settings.js';
-import { handleError } from './utils/errors.js';
+import { JsonOutputAdapter } from './nonInteractive/io/JsonOutputAdapter.js';
+import { StreamJsonOutputAdapter } from './nonInteractive/io/StreamJsonOutputAdapter.js';
+import { runExitCleanup } from './utils/cleanup.js';
 
 function getAuthTypeFromEnv(): AuthType | undefined {
   if (process.env['OPENAI_API_KEY']) {
@@ -27,7 +29,7 @@ export async function validateNonInteractiveAuth(
   useExternalAuth: boolean | undefined,
   nonInteractiveConfig: Config,
   settings: LoadedSettings,
-) {
+): Promise<Config> {
   try {
     const enforcedType = settings.merged.security?.auth?.enforcedType;
     if (enforcedType) {
@@ -58,15 +60,38 @@ export async function validateNonInteractiveAuth(
     await nonInteractiveConfig.refreshAuth(authType);
     return nonInteractiveConfig;
   } catch (error) {
-    if (nonInteractiveConfig.getOutputFormat() === OutputFormat.JSON) {
-      handleError(
-        error instanceof Error ? error : new Error(String(error)),
-        nonInteractiveConfig,
-        1,
-      );
-    } else {
-      console.error(error instanceof Error ? error.message : String(error));
+    const outputFormat = nonInteractiveConfig.getOutputFormat();
+
+    // In JSON and STREAM_JSON modes, emit error result and exit
+    if (
+      outputFormat === OutputFormat.JSON ||
+      outputFormat === OutputFormat.STREAM_JSON
+    ) {
+      let adapter;
+      if (outputFormat === OutputFormat.JSON) {
+        adapter = new JsonOutputAdapter(nonInteractiveConfig);
+      } else {
+        adapter = new StreamJsonOutputAdapter(
+          nonInteractiveConfig,
+          nonInteractiveConfig.getIncludePartialMessages(),
+        );
+      }
+      const errorMessage =
+        error instanceof Error ? error.message : String(error);
+      adapter.emitResult({
+        isError: true,
+        errorMessage,
+        durationMs: 0,
+        apiDurationMs: 0,
+        numTurns: 0,
+        usage: undefined,
+      });
+      await runExitCleanup();
       process.exit(1);
     }
+
+    // For other modes (text), use existing error handling
+    console.error(error instanceof Error ? error.message : String(error));
+    process.exit(1);
   }
 }