diff --git a/codex-cli/src/utils/input-utils.ts b/codex-cli/src/utils/input-utils.ts
index 80a238ba5..449f27cb4 100644
--- a/codex-cli/src/utils/input-utils.ts
+++ b/codex-cli/src/utils/input-utils.ts
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ import type { ResponseInputItem } from "openai/resources/responses/responses";
 
 import { fileTypeFromBuffer } from "file-type";
 import fs from "fs/promises";
+import path from "path";
 
 export async function createInputItem(
   text: string,
@@ -14,17 +15,24 @@ export async function createInputItem(
   };
 
   for (const filePath of images) {
-    /* eslint-disable no-await-in-loop */
-    const binary = await fs.readFile(filePath);
-    const kind = await fileTypeFromBuffer(binary);
-    /* eslint-enable no-await-in-loop */
-    const encoded = binary.toString("base64");
-    const mime = kind?.mime ?? "application/octet-stream";
-    inputItem.content.push({
-      type: "input_image",
-      detail: "auto",
-      image_url: `data:${mime};base64,${encoded}`,
-    });
+    try {
+      /* eslint-disable no-await-in-loop */
+      const binary = await fs.readFile(filePath);
+      const kind = await fileTypeFromBuffer(binary);
+      /* eslint-enable no-await-in-loop */
+      const encoded = binary.toString("base64");
+      const mime = kind?.mime ?? "application/octet-stream";
+      inputItem.content.push({
+        type: "input_image",
+        detail: "auto",
+        image_url: `data:${mime};base64,${encoded}`,
+      });
+    } catch (err) {
+      inputItem.content.push({
+        type: "input_text",
+        text: `[missing image: ${path.basename(filePath)}]`,
+      });
+    }
   }
 
   return inputItem;
diff --git a/codex-cli/tests/input-utils.test.ts b/codex-cli/tests/input-utils.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..5290e5548
--- /dev/null
+++ b/codex-cli/tests/input-utils.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,43 @@
+import { describe, it, expect, vi } from "vitest";
+import fs from "fs/promises";
+import { createInputItem } from "../src/utils/input-utils.js";
+
+describe("createInputItem", () => {
+  it("returns only text when no images provided", async () => {
+    const result = await createInputItem("hello", []);
+    expect(result).toEqual({
+      role: "user",
+      type: "message",
+      content: [{ type: "input_text", text: "hello" }],
+    });
+  });
+
+  it("includes image content for existing file", async () => {
+    const fakeBuffer = Buffer.from("fake image content");
+    const readSpy = vi.spyOn(fs, "readFile").mockResolvedValue(fakeBuffer as any);
+    const result = await createInputItem("hello", ["dummy-path"]);
+    const expectedUrl = `data:application/octet-stream;base64,${fakeBuffer.toString("base64")}`;
+    expect(result.role).toBe("user");
+    expect(result.type).toBe("message");
+    expect(result.content.length).toBe(2);
+    const [textItem, imageItem] = result.content;
+    expect(textItem).toEqual({ type: "input_text", text: "hello" });
+    expect(imageItem).toEqual({
+      type: "input_image",
+      detail: "auto",
+      image_url: expectedUrl,
+    });
+    readSpy.mockRestore();
+  });
+
+  it("falls back to missing image text for non-existent file", async () => {
+    const filePath = "tests/__fixtures__/does-not-exist.png";
+    const result = await createInputItem("hello", [filePath]);
+    expect(result.content.length).toBe(2);
+    const fallbackItem = result.content[1];
+    expect(fallbackItem).toEqual({
+      type: "input_text",
+      text: "[missing image: does-not-exist.png]",
+    });
+  });
+});
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