diff --git a/agent/agent.go b/agent/agent.go
index 34c05b9..73753c5 100644
--- a/agent/agent.go
+++ b/agent/agent.go
@@ -62,9 +62,6 @@ type Agent struct {
 
 // Backend returns the active backend from the runtime.
 func (ag *Agent) Backend() backend.Backend {
-	if ag.runtime == nil {
-		return nil
-	}
 	return ag.runtime.Backend
 }
 
@@ -76,7 +73,7 @@ func (ag *Agent) ID() string { return ag.id }
 
 // BackendName returns the name of the active backend.
 func (ag *Agent) BackendName() string {
-	if ag.runtime == nil || ag.runtime.Backend == nil {
+	if ag.runtime.Backend == nil {
 		return ""
 	}
 	return ag.runtime.Backend.Name()
@@ -84,7 +81,7 @@ func (ag *Agent) BackendName() string {
 
 // ModelName returns the name of the active model.
 func (ag *Agent) ModelName() string {
-	if ag.runtime == nil || ag.runtime.Backend == nil {
+	if ag.runtime.Backend == nil {
 		return ""
 	}
 	return ag.runtime.Backend.Model()
@@ -261,7 +258,7 @@ func (ag *Agent) ToolCallCount() int64 {
 
 // SetSessionEnv injects session env vars into the execute server.
 func (ag *Agent) SetSessionEnv(sessionID string) {
-	if ag.runtime == nil || ag.runtime.Dispatcher == nil {
+	if ag.runtime.Dispatcher == nil {
 		return
 	}
 	if srv, ok := ag.runtime.Dispatcher.GetServer("execute"); ok {
@@ -276,7 +273,7 @@ func (ag *Agent) SetSessionEnv(sessionID string) {
 
 // SetEnv stores an environment variable on the execute server.
 func (ag *Agent) SetEnv(key, value string) {
-	if ag.runtime == nil || ag.runtime.Dispatcher == nil {
+	if ag.runtime.Dispatcher == nil {
 		return
 	}
 	if srv, ok := ag.runtime.Dispatcher.GetServer("execute"); ok {
@@ -288,7 +285,7 @@ func (ag *Agent) SetEnv(key, value string) {
 
 // Close releases agent resources (dispatcher, execute server).
 func (ag *Agent) Close() {
-	if ag.runtime == nil || ag.runtime.Dispatcher == nil {
+	if ag.runtime.Dispatcher == nil {
 		return
 	}
 	if srv, ok := ag.runtime.Dispatcher.GetServer("execute"); ok {
@@ -477,7 +474,7 @@ func (ag *Agent) React(responseID, emoji string) error {
 
 // execServer returns the execute server interface, or nil if unavailable.
 func (ag *Agent) execServer() interface{} {
-	if ag.runtime == nil || ag.runtime.Dispatcher == nil {
+	if ag.runtime.Dispatcher == nil {
 		return nil
 	}
 	srv, _ := ag.runtime.Dispatcher.GetServer("execute")