diff --git a/backend/packages/harness/deerflow/runtime/journal.py b/backend/packages/harness/deerflow/runtime/journal.py
index 65dec3754..dccc9f481 100644
--- a/backend/packages/harness/deerflow/runtime/journal.py
+++ b/backend/packages/harness/deerflow/runtime/journal.py
@@ -366,6 +366,19 @@ class RunJournal(BaseCallbackHandler):
         """Record the first human message for convenience fields."""
         self._first_human_msg = content[:2000] if content else None
 
+    def record_middleware(self, name: str, hook: str, action: str, changes: dict) -> None:
+        """Record a middleware trace event.
+
+        Called by middleware implementations when they perform a meaningful
+        state change (e.g., title generation, summarization, HITL approval).
+        Pure-observation middleware should not call this.
+        """
+        self._put(
+            event_type="middleware",
+            category="trace",
+            content={"name": name, "hook": hook, "action": action, "changes": changes},
+        )
+
     async def flush(self) -> None:
         """Force flush remaining buffer. Called in worker's finally block."""
         if self._buffer:
diff --git a/backend/tests/test_run_journal.py b/backend/tests/test_run_journal.py
index 8518bf50b..3904293f2 100644
--- a/backend/tests/test_run_journal.py
+++ b/backend/tests/test_run_journal.py
@@ -743,3 +743,24 @@ class TestLlmRequestResponse:
         await j.flush()
         events = await store.list_events("t1", "r1")
         assert not any(e["event_type"] == "llm_start" for e in events)
+
+
+class TestMiddlewareTrace:
+    @pytest.mark.anyio
+    async def test_record_middleware(self, journal_setup):
+        j, store = journal_setup
+        j.record_middleware(
+            name="TitleMiddleware",
+            hook="after_model",
+            action="generate_title",
+            changes={"title": "Test Title", "thread_id": "t1"},
+        )
+        await j.flush()
+        events = await store.list_events("t1", "r1")
+        mw_events = [e for e in events if e["event_type"] == "middleware"]
+        assert len(mw_events) == 1
+        assert mw_events[0]["category"] == "trace"
+        assert mw_events[0]["content"]["name"] == "TitleMiddleware"
+        assert mw_events[0]["content"]["hook"] == "after_model"
+        assert mw_events[0]["content"]["action"] == "generate_title"
+        assert mw_events[0]["content"]["changes"]["title"] == "Test Title"