diff --git a/pkg/agentic/actions.go b/pkg/agentic/actions.go
index 944ab4d..a085f51 100644
--- a/pkg/agentic/actions.go
+++ b/pkg/agentic/actions.go
@@ -193,7 +193,11 @@ func (s *PrepSubsystem) handlePersona(_ context.Context, options core.Options) c
 //
 // ))
 func (s *PrepSubsystem) handleComplete(ctx context.Context, options core.Options) core.Result {
-	return s.Core().Task("agent.completion").Run(ctx, s.Core(), options)
+	c := s.Core()
+	if c == nil {
+		return core.Result{Value: core.E("agentic.complete", "core runtime is required", nil), OK: false}
+	}
+	return c.Task("agent.completion").Run(ctx, c, options)
 }
 
 // input := agentic.CompleteInput{Workspace: "/srv/.core/workspace/core/go-io/task-42"}
diff --git a/pkg/agentic/actions_test.go b/pkg/agentic/actions_test.go
index 5368c24..840d467 100644
--- a/pkg/agentic/actions_test.go
+++ b/pkg/agentic/actions_test.go
@@ -201,6 +201,17 @@ func TestActions_HandleIngest_Bad_NoWorkspace(t *testing.T) {
 	assert.False(t, r.OK)
 }
 
+func TestActions_HandleComplete_Bad_NoCore(t *testing.T) {
+	s := &PrepSubsystem{}
+
+	r := s.handleComplete(context.Background(), core.NewOptions())
+
+	assert.False(t, r.OK)
+	err, ok := r.Value.(error)
+	require.True(t, ok)
+	assert.Contains(t, err.Error(), "core runtime is required")
+}
+
 func TestActions_HandleWorkspaceQuery_Good(t *testing.T) {
 	s := newPrepWithProcess()
 	s.workspaces = core.NewRegistry[*WorkspaceStatus]()