diff --git a/src/agentCore.jl b/src/agentCore.jl
index 09c4297..399b19a 100644
--- a/src/agentCore.jl
+++ b/src/agentCore.jl
@@ -224,6 +224,8 @@ function _agentLoop(agent::yiemAgent)
                 followUpMsg = take!(agent.followUpChannel)
                 put!(agent.inputChannel, followUpMsg)
               end
+              processingTask = nothing        # reset
+              result = nothing                # reset
             else  # _processMessage() done and no followUp message.
               agent.agentEventSink("_agentLoop 4 agent._state.messages length $(length(agent._state.messages))")
               result = agent._state.messages[end]
@@ -233,7 +235,6 @@ function _agentLoop(agent::yiemAgent)
                 agent.agentEventSink(filtered_content[1].text)
               end
               processingTask = nothing        # reset
-              newUserMsg = nothing            # reset
               result = nothing                # reset
             end
           end
@@ -263,6 +264,11 @@ function _agentLoop(agent::yiemAgent)
         # spawn new _processMessage() if it is not already running.
         if processingTask === nothing
           agent.agentEventSink("_agentLoop 5 agent._state.messages length $(length(agent._state.messages))")
+          # discard all messages in followUpChannel
+          while isready(agent.followUpChannel)
+            _ = take!(agent.followUpChannel)
+          end
+          
           # Dispatch message through the processing pipeline
           processingTask = @spawn _processMessage(
             processMessageInputCh,