diff --git a/open-sse/executors/codex.js b/open-sse/executors/codex.js
index 0814e4f..0c0ee6d 100644
--- a/open-sse/executors/codex.js
+++ b/open-sse/executors/codex.js
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import { BaseExecutor } from "./base.js";
 import { CODEX_DEFAULT_INSTRUCTIONS } from "../config/codexInstructions.js";
 import { PROVIDERS } from "../config/constants.js";
+import { normalizeResponsesInput } from "../translator/helpers/responsesApiHelper.js";
 
 /**
  * Codex Executor - handles OpenAI Codex API (Responses API format)
@@ -24,6 +25,10 @@ export class CodexExecutor extends BaseExecutor {
    * Transform request before sending - inject default instructions if missing
    */
   transformRequest(model, body, stream, credentials) {
+    // Convert string input to array format (Codex API requires input as array)
+    const normalized = normalizeResponsesInput(body.input);
+    if (normalized) body.input = normalized;
+
     // Ensure input is present and non-empty (Codex API rejects empty input)
     if (!body.input || (Array.isArray(body.input) && body.input.length === 0)) {
       body.input = [{ type: "message", role: "user", content: [{ type: "input_text", text: "..." }] }];
diff --git a/open-sse/handlers/chatCore.js b/open-sse/handlers/chatCore.js
index f8161a6..51541b3 100644
--- a/open-sse/handlers/chatCore.js
+++ b/open-sse/handlers/chatCore.js
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ import { HTTP_STATUS } from "../config/constants.js";
 import { handleBypassRequest } from "../utils/bypassHandler.js";
 import { saveRequestUsage, trackPendingRequest, appendRequestLog, saveRequestDetail } from "@/lib/usageDb.js";
 import { getExecutor } from "../executors/index.js";
+import { convertResponsesStreamToJson } from "../transformer/streamToJsonConverter.js";
 
 /**
  * Translate non-streaming response to OpenAI format
@@ -365,8 +366,12 @@ export async function handleChatCore({ body, modelInfo, credentials, log, onCred
   const modelTargetFormat = getModelTargetFormat(alias, model);
   const targetFormat = modelTargetFormat || getTargetFormat(provider);
 
+  // Track if client actually wants streaming (before we force it for providers)
+  const clientRequestedStreaming = body.stream === true;
+  const providerRequiresStreaming = provider === 'openai' || provider === 'codex';
+
   // Force streaming for OpenAI/Codex models (they don't support non-streaming mode properly)
-  const stream = (provider === 'openai' || provider === 'codex') ? true : (body.stream !== false);
+  const stream = providerRequiresStreaming ? true : (body.stream !== false);
 
   // Create request logger for this session: sourceFormat_targetFormat_model
   const reqLogger = await createRequestLogger(sourceFormat, targetFormat, model);
@@ -552,6 +557,77 @@ export async function handleChatCore({ body, modelInfo, credentials, log, onCred
     return createErrorResult(statusCode, errMsg, retryAfterMs);
   }
 
+  // Provider forced streaming but client wants JSON - convert SSE to JSON
+  if (!clientRequestedStreaming && providerRequiresStreaming) {
+    trackPendingRequest(model, provider, connectionId, false);
+    const contentType = providerResponse.headers.get("content-type") || "";
+
+    // Treat as SSE if content-type says so OR if it's empty/missing
+    // (Codex API doesn't always set Content-Type on streaming responses)
+    const isSSEResponse = contentType.includes("text/event-stream") || (contentType === "" && provider === "codex");
+    if (isSSEResponse) {
+      const isResponsesApi = sourceFormat === 'openai-responses';
+
+      if (isResponsesApi) {
+        // Responses API SSE → Responses API JSON (for pydantic_ai, OpenAI SDK, etc.)
+        try {
+          const jsonResponse = await convertResponsesStreamToJson(providerResponse.body);
+          log?.info?.("STREAM", `Converted Responses API SSE → JSON for non-streaming client`);
+
+          if (onRequestSuccess) await onRequestSuccess();
+
+          const usage = jsonResponse.usage || {};
+          appendRequestLog({ model, provider, connectionId, tokens: usage, status: "200 OK" }).catch(() => { });
+
+          if (usage && typeof usage === 'object') {
+            const msg = `[${new Date().toLocaleTimeString("en-US", { hour12: false, hour: "2-digit", minute: "2-digit" })}] 📊 [USAGE] ${provider.toUpperCase()} | in=${usage?.input_tokens || 0} | out=${usage?.output_tokens || 0}${connectionId ? ` | account=${connectionId.slice(0, 8)}...` : ""}`;
+            console.log(`${COLORS.green}${msg}${COLORS.reset}`);
+
+            saveRequestUsage({
+              provider: provider || "unknown",
+              model: model || "unknown",
+              tokens: { prompt_tokens: usage.input_tokens || 0, completion_tokens: usage.output_tokens || 0 },
+              timestamp: new Date().toISOString(),
+              connectionId: connectionId || undefined,
+              apiKey: apiKey || undefined
+            }).catch(() => { });
+          }
+
+          return {
+            success: true,
+            response: new Response(JSON.stringify(jsonResponse), {
+              headers: {
+                "Content-Type": "application/json",
+                "Access-Control-Allow-Origin": "*"
+              }
+            })
+          };
+        } catch (error) {
+          console.error("[ChatCore] Responses API SSE→JSON conversion failed:", error);
+          return createErrorResult(HTTP_STATUS.BAD_GATEWAY, "Failed to convert streaming response to JSON");
+        }
+      } else {
+        // Chat Completions SSE → Chat Completions JSON
+        const sseText = await providerResponse.text();
+        const parsed = parseSSEToOpenAIResponse(sseText, model);
+        if (parsed) {
+          if (onRequestSuccess) await onRequestSuccess();
+          appendRequestLog({ model, provider, connectionId, tokens: parsed.usage, status: "200 OK" }).catch(() => { });
+          return {
+            success: true,
+            response: new Response(JSON.stringify(parsed), {
+              headers: {
+                "Content-Type": "application/json",
+                "Access-Control-Allow-Origin": "*"
+              }
+            })
+          };
+        }
+        return createErrorResult(HTTP_STATUS.BAD_GATEWAY, "Invalid SSE response for non-streaming request");
+      }
+    }
+  }
+
   // Non-streaming response
   if (!stream) {
     trackPendingRequest(model, provider, connectionId, false);
diff --git a/open-sse/handlers/responsesHandler.js b/open-sse/handlers/responsesHandler.js
index 3f9dbb1..c256985 100644
--- a/open-sse/handlers/responsesHandler.js
+++ b/open-sse/handlers/responsesHandler.js
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 import { handleChatCore } from "./chatCore.js";
 import { convertResponsesApiFormat } from "../translator/helpers/responsesApiHelper.js";
 import { createResponsesApiTransformStream } from "../transformer/responsesTransformer.js";
+import { convertResponsesStreamToJson } from "../transformer/streamToJsonConverter.js";
 
 /**
  * Handle /v1/responses request
@@ -24,8 +25,12 @@ export async function handleResponsesCore({ body, modelInfo, credentials, log, o
   // Convert Responses API format to Chat Completions format
   const convertedBody = convertResponsesApiFormat(body);
 
-  // Ensure stream is enabled
-  convertedBody.stream = true;
+  // Preserve client's stream preference (matches OpenClaw behavior)
+  // Default to false if omitted: Boolean(undefined) = false
+  const clientRequestedStreaming = convertedBody.stream === true;
+  if (convertedBody.stream === undefined) {
+    convertedBody.stream = false;
+  }
 
   // Call chat core handler
   const result = await handleChatCore({
@@ -46,26 +51,52 @@ export async function handleResponsesCore({ body, modelInfo, credentials, log, o
   const response = result.response;
   const contentType = response.headers.get("Content-Type") || "";
 
-  // If not SSE or error, return as-is
-  if (!contentType.includes("text/event-stream") || response.status !== 200) {
-    return result;
+  // Case 1: Client wants non-streaming, but got SSE (provider forced it, e.g., Codex)
+  if (!clientRequestedStreaming && contentType.includes("text/event-stream")) {
+    try {
+      const jsonResponse = await convertResponsesStreamToJson(response.body);
+
+      return {
+        success: true,
+        response: new Response(JSON.stringify(jsonResponse), {
+          status: 200,
+          headers: {
+            "Content-Type": "application/json",
+            "Cache-Control": "no-cache",
+            "Access-Control-Allow-Origin": "*"
+          }
+        })
+      };
+    } catch (error) {
+      console.error("[Responses API] Stream-to-JSON conversion failed:", error);
+      return {
+        success: false,
+        status: 500,
+        error: "Failed to convert streaming response to JSON"
+      };
+    }
   }
 
-  // Transform SSE stream to Responses API format (no logging in worker)
-  const transformStream = createResponsesApiTransformStream(null);
-  const transformedBody = response.body.pipeThrough(transformStream);
+  // Case 2: Client wants streaming, got SSE - transform it
+  if (clientRequestedStreaming && contentType.includes("text/event-stream")) {
+    const transformStream = createResponsesApiTransformStream(null);
+    const transformedBody = response.body.pipeThrough(transformStream);
 
-  return {
-    success: true,
-    response: new Response(transformedBody, {
-      status: 200,
-      headers: {
-        "Content-Type": "text/event-stream",
-        "Cache-Control": "no-cache",
-        "Connection": "keep-alive",
-        "Access-Control-Allow-Origin": "*"
-      }
-    })
-  };
+    return {
+      success: true,
+      response: new Response(transformedBody, {
+        status: 200,
+        headers: {
+          "Content-Type": "text/event-stream",
+          "Cache-Control": "no-cache",
+          "Connection": "keep-alive",
+          "Access-Control-Allow-Origin": "*"
+        }
+      })
+    };
+  }
+
+  // Case 3: Non-SSE response (error or non-streaming from provider) - return as-is
+  return result;
 }
 
diff --git a/open-sse/services/provider.js b/open-sse/services/provider.js
index 4c50efe..4f7250e 100644
--- a/open-sse/services/provider.js
+++ b/open-sse/services/provider.js
@@ -36,8 +36,9 @@ function buildAnthropicCompatibleUrl(baseUrl) {
 
 // Detect request format from body structure
 export function detectFormat(body) {
-  // OpenAI Responses API: has input[] array instead of messages[]
-  if (body.input && Array.isArray(body.input)) {
+  // OpenAI Responses API: has input (array or string) instead of messages[]
+  // The Responses API accepts both input as array and input as a plain string
+  if (body.input && (Array.isArray(body.input) || typeof body.input === "string") && !body.messages) {
     return "openai-responses";
   }
 
diff --git a/open-sse/transformer/streamToJsonConverter.js b/open-sse/transformer/streamToJsonConverter.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..282f9cf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/open-sse/transformer/streamToJsonConverter.js
@@ -0,0 +1,103 @@
+/**
+ * Stream-to-JSON Converter
+ * Converts Responses API SSE stream to single JSON response
+ * Used when client requests non-streaming but provider forces streaming (e.g., Codex)
+ */
+
+/**
+ * Convert Responses API SSE stream to single JSON response
+ * @param {ReadableStream} stream - SSE stream from provider
+ * @returns {Promise<Object>} Final JSON response in Responses API format
+ */
+export async function convertResponsesStreamToJson(stream) {
+  const reader = stream.getReader();
+  const decoder = new TextDecoder();
+
+  let buffer = "";
+  let responseId = "";
+  let output = [];
+  let created = Math.floor(Date.now() / 1000);
+  let status = "in_progress";
+  let usage = { input_tokens: 0, output_tokens: 0, total_tokens: 0 };
+
+  // Map of output_index -> item (for ordered output array)
+  const items = new Map();
+
+  try {
+    while (true) {
+      const { done, value } = await reader.read();
+      if (done) break;
+
+      buffer += decoder.decode(value, { stream: true });
+
+      // Split by double newline (SSE event separator)
+      const messages = buffer.split("\n\n");
+      buffer = messages.pop() || ""; // Keep incomplete message in buffer
+
+      for (const msg of messages) {
+        if (!msg.trim()) continue;
+
+        // Parse SSE event
+        const eventMatch = msg.match(/^event:\s*(.+)$/m);
+        const dataMatch = msg.match(/^data:\s*(.+)$/m);
+
+        if (!eventMatch || !dataMatch) continue;
+
+        const eventType = eventMatch[1].trim();
+        const dataStr = dataMatch[1].trim();
+
+        if (dataStr === "[DONE]") continue;
+
+        let parsed;
+        try {
+          parsed = JSON.parse(dataStr);
+        } catch {
+          // Skip malformed JSON
+          continue;
+        }
+
+        // Handle different event types
+        if (eventType === "response.created") {
+          responseId = parsed.response?.id || responseId;
+          created = parsed.response?.created_at || created;
+        }
+        else if (eventType === "response.output_item.done") {
+          const idx = parsed.output_index ?? 0;
+          items.set(idx, parsed.item);
+        }
+        else if (eventType === "response.completed") {
+          status = "completed";
+          if (parsed.response?.usage) {
+            usage.input_tokens = parsed.response.usage.input_tokens || 0;
+            usage.output_tokens = parsed.response.usage.output_tokens || 0;
+            usage.total_tokens = parsed.response.usage.total_tokens || 0;
+          }
+        }
+        else if (eventType === "response.failed") {
+          status = "failed";
+        }
+      }
+    }
+  } finally {
+    reader.releaseLock();
+  }
+
+  // Build output array from accumulated items (ordered by index)
+  const maxIndex = items.size > 0 ? Math.max(...items.keys()) : -1;
+  for (let i = 0; i <= maxIndex; i++) {
+    output.push(items.get(i) || {
+      type: "message",
+      content: [],
+      role: "assistant"
+    });
+  }
+
+  return {
+    id: responseId || `resp_${Date.now()}_${Math.random().toString(36).slice(2, 8)}`,
+    object: "response",
+    created_at: created,
+    status: status || "completed",
+    output,
+    usage
+  };
+}
diff --git a/open-sse/translator/helpers/responsesApiHelper.js b/open-sse/translator/helpers/responsesApiHelper.js
index 423b2a2..5fff8bd 100644
--- a/open-sse/translator/helpers/responsesApiHelper.js
+++ b/open-sse/translator/helpers/responsesApiHelper.js
@@ -1,3 +1,18 @@
+/**
+ * Normalize Responses API input to array format.
+ * Accepts string or array, returns array of message items.
+ * @param {string|Array} input - raw input from Responses API body
+ * @returns {Array|null} normalized array or null if invalid
+ */
+export function normalizeResponsesInput(input) {
+  if (typeof input === "string") {
+    const text = input.trim() === "" ? "..." : input;
+    return [{ type: "message", role: "user", content: [{ type: "input_text", text }] }];
+  }
+  if (Array.isArray(input)) return input;
+  return null;
+}
+
 /**
  * Convert OpenAI Responses API format to standard chat completions format
  * Responses API uses: { input: [...], instructions: "..." }
@@ -19,7 +34,10 @@ export function convertResponsesApiFormat(body) {
   let pendingToolCalls = [];
   let pendingToolResults = [];
 
-  for (const item of body.input) {
+  const inputItems = normalizeResponsesInput(body.input);
+  if (!inputItems) return body;
+
+  for (const item of inputItems) {
     // Determine item type - Droid CLI sends role-based items without 'type' field
     // Fallback: if no type but has role property, treat as message
     const itemType = item.type || (item.role ? "message" : null);
diff --git a/open-sse/translator/request/openai-responses.js b/open-sse/translator/request/openai-responses.js
index 2efa01e..66e0541 100644
--- a/open-sse/translator/request/openai-responses.js
+++ b/open-sse/translator/request/openai-responses.js
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
  */
 import { register } from "../index.js";
 import { FORMATS } from "../formats.js";
+import { normalizeResponsesInput } from "../helpers/responsesApiHelper.js";
 
 /**
  * Convert OpenAI Responses API request to OpenAI Chat Completions format
@@ -25,7 +26,10 @@ export function openaiResponsesToOpenAIRequest(model, body, stream, credentials)
   let currentAssistantMsg = null;
   let pendingToolResults = [];
 
-  for (const item of body.input) {
+  const inputItems = normalizeResponsesInput(body.input);
+  if (!inputItems) return body;
+
+  for (const item of inputItems) {
     // Determine item type - Droid CLI sends role-based items without 'type' field
     // Fallback: if no type but has role property, treat as message
     const itemType = item.type || (item.role ? "message" : null);
@@ -234,4 +238,3 @@ export function openaiToOpenAIResponsesRequest(model, body, stream, credentials)
 // Register both directions
 register(FORMATS.OPENAI_RESPONSES, FORMATS.OPENAI, openaiResponsesToOpenAIRequest, null);
 register(FORMATS.OPENAI, FORMATS.OPENAI_RESPONSES, openaiToOpenAIResponsesRequest, null);
-