diff --git a/strix/core/agents.py b/strix/core/agents.py
index dd117b45..bba2bc54 100644
--- a/strix/core/agents.py
+++ b/strix/core/agents.py
@@ -37,8 +37,10 @@ _CHATGPT_TRANSCRIPT_TAGS = (
     "final",
     "user",
 )
+_CHATGPT_TRANSCRIPT_TAG_ALTERNATION = "|".join(re.escape(tag) for tag in _CHATGPT_TRANSCRIPT_TAGS)
+_OPTIONAL_TAG_ATTRIBUTES_PATTERN = r"(?:\s+[^>]*)?"
 _CHATGPT_TRANSCRIPT_TAG_RE = re.compile(
-    rf"</?(?:{'|'.join(_CHATGPT_TRANSCRIPT_TAGS)})\s*>",
+    rf"</?(?:{_CHATGPT_TRANSCRIPT_TAG_ALTERNATION}){_OPTIONAL_TAG_ATTRIBUTES_PATTERN}\s*/?>",
     flags=re.IGNORECASE,
 )
 
@@ -454,9 +456,10 @@ class AgentCoordinator:
 
     def _message_to_session_item(self, message: dict[str, Any]) -> TResponseInputItem:
         sender = str(message.get("from", "unknown"))
-        content = _strip_chatgpt_transcript_tags(str(message.get("content", "")))
+        content = str(message.get("content", ""))
         if sender == "user":
             return cast("TResponseInputItem", {"role": "user", "content": content})
+        content = _strip_chatgpt_transcript_tags(content)
         sender_name = self.names.get(sender, sender)
         msg_type = message.get("type", "information")
         priority = message.get("priority", "normal")
diff --git a/tests/test_agent_messages.py b/tests/test_agent_messages.py
index 1594c47e..76e8f2d0 100644
--- a/tests/test_agent_messages.py
+++ b/tests/test_agent_messages.py
@@ -8,6 +8,16 @@ from strix.core.agents import AgentCoordinator
 CHATGPT_TRANSCRIPT_CONTENT = (
     "<analysis>checked target</analysis>\n<channel>final</channel>\n<final>done</final>"
 )
+CHATGPT_TRANSCRIPT_CONTENT_WITH_ATTRIBUTES = (
+    '<analysis trace="true">checked target</analysis>\n'
+    '<channel name="final">final</channel>\n'
+    '<final reason="done">done</final>\n'
+    "<assistant/>"
+)
+USER_LITERAL_TAG_CONTENT = (
+    "Please preserve this XML-like snippet: "
+    '<analysis>literal user content</analysis> and <final reason="example">done</final>'
+)
 
 
 def test_message_to_session_item_strips_chatgpt_transcript_tags() -> None:
@@ -33,3 +43,39 @@ def test_message_to_session_item_strips_chatgpt_transcript_tags() -> None:
     assert "</final>" not in content
     assert "checked target" in content
     assert "done" in content
+
+
+def test_message_to_session_item_preserves_user_literal_tags() -> None:
+    coordinator = AgentCoordinator()
+
+    item = coordinator._message_to_session_item(
+        {
+            "from": "user",
+            "content": USER_LITERAL_TAG_CONTENT,
+        }
+    )
+
+    assert item["content"] == USER_LITERAL_TAG_CONTENT
+
+
+def test_message_to_session_item_strips_attributed_chatgpt_transcript_tags() -> None:
+    coordinator = AgentCoordinator()
+    coordinator.names["child"] = "Researcher"
+
+    item = coordinator._message_to_session_item(
+        {
+            "from": "child",
+            "type": "information",
+            "priority": "normal",
+            "content": CHATGPT_TRANSCRIPT_CONTENT_WITH_ATTRIBUTES,
+        }
+    )
+
+    content = str(item["content"])
+
+    assert '<analysis trace="true">' not in content
+    assert '<channel name="final">' not in content
+    assert '<final reason="done">' not in content
+    assert "<assistant/>" not in content
+    assert "checked target" in content
+    assert "done" in content