diff --git a/graphcore/graph.py b/graphcore/graph.py
index 6cddf71..e7f9cb6 100644
--- a/graphcore/graph.py
+++ b/graphcore/graph.py
@@ -348,7 +348,48 @@ def to_return(state: StateT) -> PureFunctionGenerator:
             return {}
     return to_return
 
+class NoToolCallsError(RuntimeError):
+    """The model kept ending its turn without a tool call, past the point of scolding it.
+
+    The scolding node exists because a turn with no tool call cannot advance the graph:
+    it tells the model to call one and routes back for another try. A model that answers
+    every scolding the same way turns that into a cycle whose only exit is langgraph's
+    recursion limit, hundreds of paid calls later. One scolding is enough for a model that
+    is going to recover, so past ``MAX_CONSECUTIVE_NO_TOOL_TURNS`` we stop and say so.
+    """
+
+
+#: Consecutive no-tool-call AI turns tolerated before :class:`NoToolCallsError`.
+MAX_CONSECUTIVE_NO_TOOL_TURNS = 3
+
+
+def _consecutive_no_tool_turns(messages: Iterable[AnyMessage]) -> int:
+    """Count the AI turns at the tail that ended without a tool call.
+
+    Only the scoldings this node inserts may sit between them; anything else means the
+    run advanced in between, so the count starts over.
+    """
+    count = 0
+    for m in reversed(list(messages)):
+        if isinstance(m, AIMessage):
+            if m.tool_calls:
+                break
+            count += 1
+        elif isinstance(m, HumanMessage) and getattr(m, "display_tag", None) == "scolding":
+            continue
+        else:
+            break
+    return count
+
+
 def _scolding_node(state: MessagesState) -> dict[str, list[BaseMessage]]:
+    turns = _consecutive_no_tool_turns(state["messages"])
+    if turns >= MAX_CONSECUTIVE_NO_TOOL_TURNS:
+        raise NoToolCallsError(
+            f"The model ended {turns} consecutive turns without a tool call, after being "
+            "told each time that every turn must end with one. Giving up rather than "
+            "cycling to the recursion limit."
+        )
     return {"messages": [HumanMessage(
         content="Every AI turn must end with at least one tool call. Double check your "
                 "initial prompt for what tools you should be using. In particular, if you "
diff --git a/tests/test_no_tool_turns.py b/tests/test_no_tool_turns.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..27fca56
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_no_tool_turns.py
@@ -0,0 +1,72 @@
+import pytest
+
+from langchain_core.messages import AIMessage, AnyMessage, HumanMessage, ToolMessage
+
+from graphcore.graph import (
+    MAX_CONSECUTIVE_NO_TOOL_TURNS,
+    NoToolCallsError,
+    _consecutive_no_tool_turns,
+    _scolding_node,
+)
+
+
+def _no_tool_turn() -> AIMessage:
+    return AIMessage(content="I am done, thanks.")
+
+
+def _tool_turn() -> AIMessage:
+    return AIMessage(
+        content="",
+        tool_calls=[{"name": "result", "args": {}, "id": "call-1"}],
+    )
+
+
+def _scolding() -> HumanMessage:
+    return HumanMessage(content="call a tool", display_tag="scolding")
+
+
+def test_counts_only_the_tail():
+    messages: list[AnyMessage] = [_tool_turn(), ToolMessage(content="ok", tool_call_id="call-1"), _no_tool_turn()]
+    assert _consecutive_no_tool_turns(messages) == 1
+
+
+def test_scoldings_do_not_break_the_run():
+    messages: list[AnyMessage] = [_no_tool_turn(), _scolding(), _no_tool_turn(), _scolding(), _no_tool_turn()]
+    assert _consecutive_no_tool_turns(messages) == 3
+
+
+def test_a_tool_call_resets_the_count():
+    messages: list[AnyMessage] = [
+        _no_tool_turn(), _scolding(),
+        _tool_turn(), ToolMessage(content="ok", tool_call_id="call-1"),
+        _no_tool_turn(),
+    ]
+    assert _consecutive_no_tool_turns(messages) == 1
+
+
+def test_scolds_while_under_the_limit():
+    messages: list[AnyMessage] = [_no_tool_turn()]
+    out = _scolding_node({"messages": messages})
+    assert len(out["messages"]) == 1
+    assert getattr(out["messages"][0], "display_tag", None) == "scolding"
+
+
+def _run_of_no_tool_turns(n: int) -> list[AnyMessage]:
+    """n no-tool turns, each scolded except the last — the state the node sees."""
+    messages: list[AnyMessage] = []
+    for _ in range(n - 1):
+        messages += [_no_tool_turn(), _scolding()]
+    messages.append(_no_tool_turn())
+    return messages
+
+
+def test_last_turn_before_the_limit_is_still_scolded():
+    messages = _run_of_no_tool_turns(MAX_CONSECUTIVE_NO_TOOL_TURNS - 1)
+    out = _scolding_node({"messages": messages})
+    assert getattr(out["messages"][0], "display_tag", None) == "scolding"
+
+
+def test_raises_once_scolding_stops_working():
+    messages = _run_of_no_tool_turns(MAX_CONSECUTIVE_NO_TOOL_TURNS)
+    with pytest.raises(NoToolCallsError):
+        _scolding_node({"messages": messages})