diff --git a/internal/runtime/run.go b/internal/runtime/run.go
index 55a86ab5..7c05dee5 100644
--- a/internal/runtime/run.go
+++ b/internal/runtime/run.go
@@ -494,11 +494,11 @@ func (s *Service) applyCompactForState(
 		if compactErr != nil {
 			return compactErr
 		}
-		if mode == contextcompact.ModeProactive || mode == contextcompact.ModeReactive {
-			state.compactCount++
-		}
 		state.session = session
 		if result.Applied {
+			if mode == contextcompact.ModeProactive || mode == contextcompact.ModeReactive {
+				state.compactCount++
+			}
 			state.resetTokenTotals()
 			state.nextAttemptSeq++
 			applied = true
diff --git a/internal/runtime/runtime_remaining_branches_test.go b/internal/runtime/runtime_remaining_branches_test.go
index 2eeabc2c..53400e1f 100644
--- a/internal/runtime/runtime_remaining_branches_test.go
+++ b/internal/runtime/runtime_remaining_branches_test.go
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ import (
 
 	providertypes "neo-code/internal/provider/types"
 	approvalflow "neo-code/internal/runtime/approval"
+	"neo-code/internal/runtime/controlplane"
 	"neo-code/internal/runtime/streaming"
 	"neo-code/internal/security"
 	agentsession "neo-code/internal/session"
@@ -329,6 +330,35 @@ func TestApplyCompactForStateStrictErrorBranch(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestApplyCompactForStateDoesNotIncreaseCompactCountWhenNotApplied(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	service := &Service{
+		events: make(chan RuntimeEvent, 8),
+		compactRunner: &stubCompactRunner{
+			result: contextcompact.Result{
+				Applied: false,
+			},
+		},
+	}
+	state := newRunState("run-apply-compact-not-applied", newRuntimeSession("session-apply-compact-not-applied"))
+	state.compactCount = 1
+	if err := service.setBaseRunState(context.Background(), &state, controlplane.RunStatePlan); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("set base run state: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	applied, err := service.applyCompactForState(context.Background(), &state, config.Config{}, contextcompact.ModeProactive, compactErrorStrict)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("applyCompactForState() error = %v", err)
+	}
+	if applied {
+		t.Fatalf("expected applied=false when compact runner result is not applied")
+	}
+	if state.compactCount != 1 {
+		t.Fatalf("expected compactCount to stay 1 when compact not applied, got %d", state.compactCount)
+	}
+}
+
 func TestExecuteToolCallWithPermissionRemainingBranches(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Parallel()