diff --git a/packages/ssestream/ssestream.go b/packages/ssestream/ssestream.go
index 3534aed8..a595a3f2 100644
--- a/packages/ssestream/ssestream.go
+++ b/packages/ssestream/ssestream.go
@@ -163,6 +163,11 @@ func (s *Stream[T]) Next() bool {
 			continue
 		}
 
+		// Skip events with empty data (e.g., from SSE retry: or comment lines)
+		if len(s.decoder.Event().Data) == 0 {
+			continue
+		}
+
 		var nxt T
 
 		if s.decoder.Event().Type == "" || !strings.HasPrefix(s.decoder.Event().Type, "thread.") {
diff --git a/packages/ssestream/ssestream_test.go b/packages/ssestream/ssestream_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..2e6ea81b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/ssestream/ssestream_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,154 @@
+package ssestream
+
+import (
+	"bytes"
+	"net/http"
+	"testing"
+)
+
+type mockReadCloser struct {
+	*bytes.Reader
+}
+
+func (m mockReadCloser) Close() error {
+	return nil
+}
+
+// TestStream_EmptyEvents tests that the stream correctly handles empty SSE events
+// (e.g., from retry: directives or comment lines) without crashing on JSON unmarshal
+func TestStream_EmptyEvents(t *testing.T) {
+	// Simulate SSE stream with retry directive that creates empty event
+	sseData := `retry: 3000
+
+data: {"id":"msg_01ABC","type":"content_block_delta","delta":{"type":"text","text":"Hello"}}
+
+data: [DONE]
+
+`
+
+	resp := &http.Response{
+		StatusCode: 200,
+		Header:     http.Header{"Content-Type": []string{"text/event-stream"}},
+		Body:       mockReadCloser{bytes.NewReader([]byte(sseData))},
+	}
+
+	decoder := NewDecoder(resp)
+	if decoder == nil {
+		t.Fatal("Expected decoder to be created, got nil")
+	}
+
+	type testMsg struct {
+		ID    string `json:"id"`
+		Type  string `json:"type"`
+		Delta struct {
+			Type string `json:"type"`
+			Text string `json:"text"`
+		} `json:"delta"`
+	}
+
+	stream := NewStream[testMsg](decoder, nil)
+
+	// Should successfully iterate without crashing on empty event
+	var receivedMessages int
+	for stream.Next() {
+		msg := stream.Current()
+		receivedMessages++
+
+		if msg.ID != "msg_01ABC" {
+			t.Errorf("Expected ID 'msg_01ABC', got '%s'", msg.ID)
+		}
+		if msg.Delta.Text != "Hello" {
+			t.Errorf("Expected text 'Hello', got '%s'", msg.Delta.Text)
+		}
+	}
+
+	if err := stream.Err(); err != nil {
+		t.Errorf("Expected no error, got: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	if receivedMessages != 1 {
+		t.Errorf("Expected 1 message, got %d", receivedMessages)
+	}
+}
+
+// TestStream_OnlyRetryDirective tests stream with only retry directive (no data events)
+func TestStream_OnlyRetryDirective(t *testing.T) {
+	sseData := `retry: 3000
+
+`
+
+	resp := &http.Response{
+		StatusCode: 200,
+		Header:     http.Header{"Content-Type": []string{"text/event-stream"}},
+		Body:       mockReadCloser{bytes.NewReader([]byte(sseData))},
+	}
+
+	decoder := NewDecoder(resp)
+	type testMsg struct {
+		ID string `json:"id"`
+	}
+	stream := NewStream[testMsg](decoder, nil)
+
+	// Should handle gracefully without any messages
+	var count int
+	for stream.Next() {
+		count++
+	}
+
+	if err := stream.Err(); err != nil {
+		t.Errorf("Expected no error, got: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	if count != 0 {
+		t.Errorf("Expected 0 messages, got %d", count)
+	}
+}
+
+// TestStream_MultipleEmptyEvents tests handling of multiple empty events
+func TestStream_MultipleEmptyEvents(t *testing.T) {
+	sseData := `retry: 3000
+
+: comment line
+
+data: {"id":"1","text":"first"}
+
+retry: 5000
+
+data: {"id":"2","text":"second"}
+
+`
+
+	resp := &http.Response{
+		StatusCode: 200,
+		Header:     http.Header{"Content-Type": []string{"text/event-stream"}},
+		Body:       mockReadCloser{bytes.NewReader([]byte(sseData))},
+	}
+
+	decoder := NewDecoder(resp)
+	type testMsg struct {
+		ID   string `json:"id"`
+		Text string `json:"text"`
+	}
+	stream := NewStream[testMsg](decoder, nil)
+
+	messages := []testMsg{}
+	for stream.Next() {
+		messages = append(messages, stream.Current())
+	}
+
+	if err := stream.Err(); err != nil {
+		t.Errorf("Expected no error, got: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	if len(messages) != 2 {
+		t.Fatalf("Expected 2 messages, got %d", len(messages))
+	}
+
+	if messages[0].ID != "1" || messages[0].Text != "first" {
+		t.Errorf("First message incorrect: %+v", messages[0])
+	}
+
+	if messages[1].ID != "2" || messages[1].Text != "second" {
+		t.Errorf("Second message incorrect: %+v", messages[1])
+	}
+}