diff --git a/strix/interface/streaming_parser.py b/strix/interface/streaming_parser.py
index 2ea69fa3..da4e963e 100644
--- a/strix/interface/streaming_parser.py
+++ b/strix/interface/streaming_parser.py
@@ -25,7 +25,15 @@ def _get_safe_content(content: str) -> tuple[str, str]:
 
     suffix = content[last_lt:]
 
-    if _FUNCTION_TAG_PREFIX.startswith(suffix) or _INVOKE_TAG_PREFIX.startswith(suffix):
+    if ">" in suffix:
+        return content, ""
+
+    if (
+        _FUNCTION_TAG_PREFIX.startswith(suffix)
+        or _INVOKE_TAG_PREFIX.startswith(suffix)
+        or suffix.startswith(_FUNCTION_TAG_PREFIX)
+        or suffix.startswith(_INVOKE_TAG_PREFIX)
+    ):
         return content[:last_lt], suffix
 
     return content, ""
diff --git a/tests/interface/test_streaming_parser.py b/tests/interface/test_streaming_parser.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e364c663
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/interface/test_streaming_parser.py
@@ -0,0 +1,168 @@
+"""Tests for streaming_parser._get_safe_content.
+
+In particular, tests for the edge case where the LLM has streamed enough characters
+that the suffix goes *past* the tag prefix (e.g. '<function=terminal') but hasn't
+emitted the closing '>' yet.  Before the fix, _get_safe_content would treat such a
+suffix as safe text and expose the partial tag in the TUI.
+"""
+
+import importlib.util
+from pathlib import Path
+
+
+def _load_streaming_parser():
+    module_path = (
+        Path(__file__).resolve().parents[2]
+        / "strix"
+        / "interface"
+        / "streaming_parser.py"
+    )
+    spec = importlib.util.spec_from_file_location("streaming_parser_test", module_path)
+    if spec is None or spec.loader is None:
+        raise RuntimeError("Failed to load streaming_parser for tests")
+    module = importlib.util.module_from_spec(spec)
+
+    # streaming_parser imports normalize_tool_format; provide a minimal stub so
+    # the module can be loaded without the full strix package installed.
+    import types, sys
+
+    fake_llm_utils = types.ModuleType("strix.llm.utils")
+    fake_llm_utils.normalize_tool_format = lambda s: s  # type: ignore[attr-defined]
+    sys.modules.setdefault("strix", types.ModuleType("strix"))
+    sys.modules.setdefault("strix.llm", types.ModuleType("strix.llm"))
+    sys.modules["strix.llm.utils"] = fake_llm_utils
+
+    spec.loader.exec_module(module)
+    return module
+
+
+_mod = _load_streaming_parser()
+_get_safe_content = _mod._get_safe_content
+
+
+class TestGetSafeContentEmptyAndNoTag:
+    def test_empty_string(self):
+        assert _get_safe_content("") == ("", "")
+
+    def test_no_angle_bracket(self):
+        assert _get_safe_content("hello world") == ("hello world", "")
+
+    def test_non_function_tag(self):
+        # A regular XML tag that is NOT a function/invoke tag must pass through.
+        assert _get_safe_content("text<other") == ("text<other", "")
+
+    def test_math_less_than(self):
+        # A bare '<' that is not the start of any known tag must pass through.
+        assert _get_safe_content("a < b") == ("a < b", "")
+
+
+class TestGetSafeContentShortPrefixes:
+    """Suffixes that are strict prefixes of '<function=' or '<invoke '."""
+
+    def test_angle_bracket_only(self):
+        safe, pending = _get_safe_content("text<")
+        assert safe == "text"
+        assert pending == "<"
+
+    def test_f(self):
+        safe, pending = _get_safe_content("text<f")
+        assert safe == "text"
+        assert pending == "<f"
+
+    def test_func(self):
+        safe, pending = _get_safe_content("text<func")
+        assert safe == "text"
+        assert pending == "<func"
+
+    def test_function_no_equals(self):
+        safe, pending = _get_safe_content("text<function")
+        assert safe == "text"
+        assert pending == "<function"
+
+    def test_function_equals(self):
+        safe, pending = _get_safe_content("text<function=")
+        assert safe == "text"
+        assert pending == "<function="
+
+    def test_inv(self):
+        safe, pending = _get_safe_content("text<inv")
+        assert safe == "text"
+        assert pending == "<inv"
+
+    def test_invoke_no_space(self):
+        safe, pending = _get_safe_content("text<invoke")
+        assert safe == "text"
+        assert pending == "<invoke"
+
+    def test_invoke_with_space(self):
+        safe, pending = _get_safe_content("text<invoke ")
+        assert safe == "text"
+        assert pending == "<invoke "
+
+
+class TestGetSafeContentLongPartialTags:
+    """
+    Suffixes that have gone *past* the tag prefix but have not yet received '>'.
+
+    This is the regression case: previously _FUNCTION_TAG_PREFIX.startswith(suffix)
+    returned False for these (the suffix is longer than the prefix), so the partial
+    tag leaked into the 'safe' portion of the content.
+    """
+
+    def test_partial_function_name(self):
+        """'<function=termin' must be held as pending, not shown as text."""
+        safe, pending = _get_safe_content("Analyzing...\n<function=termin")
+        assert safe == "Analyzing...\n"
+        assert pending == "<function=termin"
+
+    def test_full_function_name_no_close(self):
+        """'<function=terminal_execute' (without '>') must still be held as pending."""
+        safe, pending = _get_safe_content("text<function=terminal_execute")
+        assert safe == "text"
+        assert pending == "<function=terminal_execute"
+
+    def test_partial_invoke_name(self):
+        """'<invoke name=cmd' (without '>') must be held as pending."""
+        safe, pending = _get_safe_content("text<invoke name=cmd")
+        assert safe == "text"
+        assert pending == "<invoke name=cmd"
+
+    def test_partial_invoke_with_more_attrs(self):
+        """'<invoke name=terminal_execute' (without '>') must be held."""
+        safe, pending = _get_safe_content("text<invoke name=terminal_execute")
+        assert safe == "text"
+        assert pending == "<invoke name=terminal_execute"
+
+
+class TestGetSafeContentCompleteTags:
+    """When a complete tag (including '>') is present, it is safe text — not pending."""
+
+    def test_complete_function_tag(self):
+        """A complete '<function=name>' must NOT be held as pending."""
+        content = "text<function=terminal_execute>"
+        safe, pending = _get_safe_content(content)
+        assert safe == content
+        assert pending == ""
+
+    def test_complete_invoke_tag(self):
+        """A complete '<invoke name=cmd>' must NOT be held as pending."""
+        content = "text<invoke name=cmd>"
+        safe, pending = _get_safe_content(content)
+        assert safe == content
+        assert pending == ""
+
+
+class TestGetSafeContentMultipleTags:
+    """Content that already contains a complete function tag followed by a partial one."""
+
+    def test_complete_then_partial(self):
+        content = "pre<function=x> more text<function=y"
+        safe, pending = _get_safe_content(content)
+        assert safe == "pre<function=x> more text"
+        assert pending == "<function=y"
+
+    def test_complete_then_partial_invoke(self):
+        content = "pre<function=x> text<invoke name=b"
+        safe, pending = _get_safe_content(content)
+        assert safe == "pre<function=x> text"
+        assert pending == "<invoke name=b"