diff --git a/openadapt_ml/training/grpo/trainer.py b/openadapt_ml/training/grpo/trainer.py
index bf7389b..88c1c86 100644
--- a/openadapt_ml/training/grpo/trainer.py
+++ b/openadapt_ml/training/grpo/trainer.py
@@ -98,12 +98,16 @@ def policy_gradient_loss(
 
 
 def _build_agent_messages(
-    instruction: str, *, include_image: bool = False
+    instruction: str,
+    *,
+    include_image: bool = False,
+    action_history: str = "",
 ) -> list[dict]:
     """Build chat messages for the GRPO agent.
 
-    Uses the same SYSTEM_PROMPT as SFT training so GRPO operates in
-    the same prompt distribution the model was warm-started on.
+    Uses the same SYSTEM_PROMPT and prompt format as SFT training
+    (``next_action.py``) so GRPO operates in the same prompt
+    distribution the model was warm-started on.
 
     This is the **single source of truth** for prompt construction
     during both rollout collection and loss computation.
@@ -113,10 +117,15 @@ def _build_agent_messages(
         include_image: If True, include an image placeholder in the user
             message so ``apply_chat_template`` inserts ``<|image_pad|>``
             tokens required by Qwen2.5-VL and similar VLMs.
+        action_history: Formatted action history from previous steps
+            (e.g. "Step 1: CLICK(x=0.5, y=0.3)\\nStep 2: TYPE(...)").
     """
+    history_text = f"{action_history}\n" if action_history else ""
     text_content = (
         f"Goal: {instruction}\n\n"
+        f"{history_text}"
         "Look at the screenshot and determine the NEXT action.\n\n"
+        "Thought: [what element to interact with and why]\n"
         'Action: [CLICK(x=..., y=...) or TYPE(text="...") or WAIT() or DONE()]'
     )
     if include_image:
@@ -161,6 +170,37 @@ class BenchmarkAction:  # type: ignore[no-redef]
     text = text.strip()
     width, height = screen_size
 
+    # Log raw output for debugging zero-reward issues
+    logger.debug("Parsing VLM output (%d chars): %.200s", len(text), text)
+
+    # Extract action from "Thought: ...\nAction: ..." format (SFT output)
+    action_match = re.search(r"Action:\s*(.+)", text, re.IGNORECASE)
+    if action_match:
+        text = action_match.group(1).strip()
+
+    # Try JSON format: {"action_type": "click", "coordinate": [x, y]}
+    json_match = re.search(r'\{[^}]*"action_type"[^}]*\}', text)
+    if json_match:
+        try:
+            import json as _json
+            action_data = _json.loads(json_match.group())
+            atype = action_data.get("action_type", "").lower()
+            coord = action_data.get("coordinate", action_data.get("coords", []))
+            if atype == "click" and len(coord) >= 2:
+                x_val, y_val = float(coord[0]), float(coord[1])
+                # Handle both normalized (0-1) and pixel coordinates
+                if x_val <= 1.0 and y_val <= 1.0:
+                    x_val, y_val = x_val * width, y_val * height
+                return BenchmarkAction(type="click", x=int(x_val), y=int(y_val))
+            if atype == "type":
+                return BenchmarkAction(
+                    type="type", text=action_data.get("text", "")
+                )
+            if atype in ("done", "wait"):
+                return BenchmarkAction(type=atype)
+        except Exception:
+            pass  # Fall through to regex parsing
+
     # CLICK(x=..., y=...)
     m = re.search(r"CLICK\(x=(-?[\d.]+),\s*y=(-?[\d.]+)\)", text, re.IGNORECASE)
     if m: