diff --git a/AGENTS.md b/AGENTS.md
index 92184fc..4dd0d2a 100644
--- a/AGENTS.md
+++ b/AGENTS.md
@@ -246,7 +246,7 @@ This file defines how coding agents should work in this repository.
   outcome lists whose `errors` keys exactly match `failed`, and `list_gpus` GPU
   records with visible ordinal metadata. Service-returned job IDs must satisfy
   the shared URL-path-safe job-id contract. Known nested `status.params` fields
-  must match the public session contract while extra fields remain
+  must be present and match the public session contract while extra fields remain
   forward-compatible. Session `state` values in status records must be one of
   `active`, `starting`, `stopping`, `runtime_failed`, or `stop_failed`.
 - Targeted CLI service commands must reject success payloads for the wrong
diff --git a/docs/guides/mcp.md b/docs/guides/mcp.md
index 669f621..212a314 100644
--- a/docs/guides/mcp.md
+++ b/docs/guides/mcp.md
@@ -188,7 +188,8 @@ is still in progress. That includes both `status(job_id)` and the all-session
 `status()` list, so agents do not mistake an in-progress start for no session.
 Returned session `params` are snapshots; local embedding callers can inspect
 or modify the returned object without mutating service state. Known fields in
-`params` follow the same public session contract as `start_keep`.
+`params` are always present and follow the same public session contract as
+`start_keep`.
 If an already-started worker later reports a terminal runtime or allocation
 failure, the retained session is refreshed to `state="runtime_failed"` with
 `last_error`. It remains visible and stoppable. This is distinct from normal
diff --git a/docs/reference/cli.md b/docs/reference/cli.md
index 870e6ea..873264e 100644
--- a/docs/reference/cli.md
+++ b/docs/reference/cli.md
@@ -209,6 +209,9 @@ legacy local scripts.
 Omitted direct-call `params` are treated as `{}` for compatibility, but explicit
 `params: null` or any other non-object `params` value returns `-32602 Invalid
 params` before method side effects.
+Status records include a complete `params` snapshot with `gpu_ids`, `vram`,
+`interval`, and `busy_threshold`; omitted `gpu_ids` is represented as `null`,
+not by omitting the key.
 
 | Endpoint | Method | Purpose |
 | --- | --- | --- |
diff --git a/src/keep_gpu/cli.py b/src/keep_gpu/cli.py
index ada1b4b..6f5241d 100644
--- a/src/keep_gpu/cli.py
+++ b/src/keep_gpu/cli.py
@@ -846,7 +846,7 @@ def _validate_status_params(params: Dict[str, Any], method: str, prefix: str) ->
     }
     for field, validator in validators.items():
         if field not in params:
-            continue
+            raise _malformed_method_result(method, f"{prefix}.{field} is required")
         try:
             validator(params[field])
         except (TypeError, ValueError, OverflowError) as exc:
diff --git a/tests/test_cli_service_commands.py b/tests/test_cli_service_commands.py
index 8e0096d..bafa201 100644
--- a/tests/test_cli_service_commands.py
+++ b/tests/test_cli_service_commands.py
@@ -997,14 +997,7 @@ def fake_rpc(method, params, host, port):
         assert params == {}
         return {
             "active": True,
-            "active_jobs": [
-                {
-                    "job_id": "job-1",
-                    "params": {"gpu_ids": [0]},
-                    "state": "active",
-                    "last_error": None,
-                }
-            ],
+            "active_jobs": [_status_session_record()],
         }
 
     monkeypatch.setattr(cli, "_rpc_call", fake_rpc)
@@ -1078,13 +1071,7 @@ def test_status_job_outputs_single_decoded_json_object(monkeypatch):
     def fake_rpc(method, params, host, port):
         assert method == "status"
         assert params == {"job_id": "job-1"}
-        return {
-            "active": True,
-            "job_id": "job-1",
-            "params": {"gpu_ids": [0]},
-            "state": "active",
-            "last_error": None,
-        }
+        return {"active": True, **_status_session_record()}
 
     monkeypatch.setattr(cli, "_rpc_call", fake_rpc)
 
@@ -1263,6 +1250,30 @@ def fake_rpc(method, params, host, port):
     assert "Traceback" not in result.output
 
 
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    "missing_field",
+    ["gpu_ids", "vram", "interval", "busy_threshold"],
+)
+def test_status_rejects_missing_session_params(monkeypatch, missing_field):
+    session = _status_session_record()
+    del session["params"][missing_field]
+
+    def fake_rpc(method, params, host, port):
+        assert method == "status"
+        assert params == {}
+        return {"active_jobs": [session]}
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(cli, "_rpc_call", fake_rpc)
+
+    result = runner.invoke(cli.app, ["status"])
+
+    assert result.exit_code == 1
+    decoded = _single_decoded_json_object(result.output)
+    assert "Malformed status response" in decoded["error"]
+    assert f"active_jobs[0].params.{missing_field} is required" in decoded["error"]
+    assert "Traceback" not in result.output
+
+
 @pytest.mark.parametrize(
     "payload",
     [
@@ -1358,10 +1369,8 @@ def fake_rpc(method, params, host, port):
         {"active": False, "job_id": "other-job"},
         {
             "active": True,
+            **_status_session_record(),
             "job_id": "other-job",
-            "params": {},
-            "state": "active",
-            "last_error": None,
         },
     ],
 )
@@ -2914,16 +2923,7 @@ def fake_rpc(method, params, host, port, timeout=8.0):
             calls["status"] += 1
             if calls["status"] == 1:
                 return {"active_jobs": []}
-            return {
-                "active_jobs": [
-                    {
-                        "job_id": "late-job",
-                        "params": {},
-                        "state": "active",
-                        "last_error": None,
-                    }
-                ]
-            }
+            return {"active_jobs": [{**_status_session_record(), "job_id": "late-job"}]}
         if method == "stop_keep":
             return {
                 "stopped": [],
@@ -3036,16 +3036,7 @@ def test_service_stop_refuses_active_sessions_without_force(monkeypatch):
         cli,
         "_rpc_call",
         lambda method, params, host, port, timeout=8.0: (
-            {
-                "active_jobs": [
-                    {
-                        "job_id": "j1",
-                        "params": {},
-                        "state": "active",
-                        "last_error": None,
-                    }
-                ]
-            }
+            {"active_jobs": [{**_status_session_record(), "job_id": "j1"}]}
             if method == "status"
             else {"stopped": []}
         ),