diff --git a/strands-ts/src/models/__tests__/model.test.ts b/strands-ts/src/models/__tests__/model.test.ts
index 3530e68df..0d39ce7dd 100644
--- a/strands-ts/src/models/__tests__/model.test.ts
+++ b/strands-ts/src/models/__tests__/model.test.ts
@@ -323,16 +323,16 @@ describe('Model', () => {
         )
       })
 
-      it('preserves SyntaxError instead of overwriting with MaxTokensError when tool input JSON is malformed', async () => {
+      it('throws MaxTokenError when contentBlockStop arrives with truncated tool input JSON and stopReason is maxTokens', async () => {
         const provider = new TestModelProvider(async function* () {
           yield { type: 'modelMessageStartEvent', role: 'assistant' }
           yield {
             type: 'modelContentBlockStartEvent',
-            start: { type: 'toolUseStart', toolUseId: 'tool1', name: 'get_weather' },
+            start: { type: 'toolUseStart', toolUseId: 't', name: 'tool' },
           }
           yield {
             type: 'modelContentBlockDeltaEvent',
-            delta: { type: 'toolUseInputDelta', input: '{invalid json' },
+            delta: { type: 'toolUseInputDelta', input: '{"field": "value"' },
           }
           yield { type: 'modelContentBlockStopEvent' }
           yield { type: 'modelMessageStopEvent', stopReason: 'maxTokens' }
@@ -340,12 +340,62 @@ describe('Model', () => {
 
         const messages = [new Message({ role: 'user', content: [new TextBlock('Hi')] })]
 
+        await expect(async () => await collectGenerator(provider.streamAggregated(messages))).rejects.toThrow(
+          MaxTokensError
+        )
+      })
+
+      it('surfaces SyntaxError as cause when tool input JSON is malformed and stopReason is not maxTokens', async () => {
+        const provider = new TestModelProvider(async function* () {
+          yield { type: 'modelMessageStartEvent', role: 'assistant' }
+          yield {
+            type: 'modelContentBlockStartEvent',
+            start: { type: 'toolUseStart', toolUseId: 't', name: 'tool' },
+          }
+          yield {
+            type: 'modelContentBlockDeltaEvent',
+            delta: { type: 'toolUseInputDelta', input: '{invalid json' },
+          }
+          yield { type: 'modelContentBlockStopEvent' }
+          yield { type: 'modelMessageStopEvent', stopReason: 'toolUse' }
+        })
+
+        const messages = [new Message({ role: 'user', content: [new TextBlock('Hi')] })]
+
+        try {
+          await collectGenerator(provider.streamAggregated(messages))
+          expect.fail('Expected error to be thrown')
+        } catch (error) {
+          expect(error).toBeInstanceOf(ModelError)
+          expect(error).not.toBeInstanceOf(MaxTokensError)
+          expect((error as ModelError).message).toBe('unable to parse tool input JSON')
+          expect((error as ModelError).cause).toBeInstanceOf(SyntaxError)
+        }
+      })
+
+      it('attaches SyntaxError as cause when stream ends without a stop event after malformed tool input', async () => {
+        const provider = new TestModelProvider(async function* () {
+          yield { type: 'modelMessageStartEvent', role: 'assistant' }
+          yield {
+            type: 'modelContentBlockStartEvent',
+            start: { type: 'toolUseStart', toolUseId: 't', name: 'tool' },
+          }
+          yield {
+            type: 'modelContentBlockDeltaEvent',
+            delta: { type: 'toolUseInputDelta', input: '{invalid json' },
+          }
+          yield { type: 'modelContentBlockStopEvent' }
+        })
+
+        const messages = [new Message({ role: 'user', content: [new TextBlock('Hi')] })]
+
         try {
           await collectGenerator(provider.streamAggregated(messages))
           expect.fail('Expected error to be thrown')
         } catch (error) {
           expect(error).toBeInstanceOf(ModelError)
           expect(error).not.toBeInstanceOf(MaxTokensError)
+          expect((error as ModelError).message).toBe('Stream ended without completing a message')
           expect((error as ModelError).cause).toBeInstanceOf(SyntaxError)
         }
       })
diff --git a/strands-ts/src/models/model.ts b/strands-ts/src/models/model.ts
index 892c46e97..76f8a744a 100644
--- a/strands-ts/src/models/model.ts
+++ b/strands-ts/src/models/model.ts
@@ -349,6 +349,7 @@ export abstract class Model<T extends BaseModelConfig = BaseModelConfig> {
       let finalStopReason: StopReason | null = null
       let metadata: ModelMetadataEvent | undefined = undefined
       let redactionMessage: string | undefined = undefined
+      let deferredToolInputParseError: SyntaxError | undefined = undefined
 
       for await (const event_data of this.stream(messages, options)) {
         const event = this._convert_to_class_event(event_data)
@@ -425,8 +426,8 @@ export abstract class Model<T extends BaseModelConfig = BaseModelConfig> {
               yield block
             } catch (e: unknown) {
               if (e instanceof SyntaxError) {
-                logger.error('unable to parse JSON string', e)
-                throw e
+                logger.error('unable to parse tool input JSON', e)
+                deferredToolInputParseError = e
               }
             }
             break
@@ -471,7 +472,10 @@ export abstract class Model<T extends BaseModelConfig = BaseModelConfig> {
 
       if (!stoppedMessage || !finalStopReason) {
         // If we exit the loop without completing a message or stop reason, throw an error
-        throw new ModelError('Stream ended without completing a message')
+        throw new ModelError(
+          'Stream ended without completing a message',
+          deferredToolInputParseError ? { cause: deferredToolInputParseError } : undefined
+        )
       }
 
       // Attach metadata after redaction so it applies to the final message.
@@ -495,6 +499,10 @@ export abstract class Model<T extends BaseModelConfig = BaseModelConfig> {
         )
       }
 
+      if (deferredToolInputParseError !== undefined) {
+        throw new ModelError('unable to parse tool input JSON', { cause: deferredToolInputParseError })
+      }
+
       // Return the final message with stop reason and optional metadata
       const result: StreamAggregatedResult = {
         message: stoppedMessage,