diff --git a/src/app_runtime/control/http_app.py b/src/app_runtime/control/http_app.py
index ef2dec3..826d03a 100644
--- a/src/app_runtime/control/http_app.py
+++ b/src/app_runtime/control/http_app.py
@@ -147,7 +147,15 @@ class HttpControlAppFactory:
         ]
         lines.extend(self._child_id_lines(trace_view.child_ids))
         lines.append("--------------------------------------------------")
+        previous_step: str | None = None
         for record in trace_view.records:
+            current_step = str(record.step or "")
+            if previous_step is None:
+                lines.append(f"step: {current_step}")
+            elif current_step != previous_step:
+                lines.append("--------------------------------------------------")
+                lines.append(f"step: {current_step}")
+            previous_step = current_step
             line = record.message
             if request.include_attrs_json:
                 line = f"{line}, {json.dumps(record.attrs_json, ensure_ascii=False, separators=(',', ':'))}"
diff --git a/tests/test_trace_endpoint.py b/tests/test_trace_endpoint.py
index 1685e75..63fc670 100644
--- a/tests/test_trace_endpoint.py
+++ b/tests/test_trace_endpoint.py
@@ -19,14 +19,16 @@ def _trace_record(
     row_id: int,
     level: str,
     message: str,
+    step: str = "process",
+    status: str = "failed",
     attrs_json: object | None = None,
 ) -> TraceLogRecord:
     return TraceLogRecord(
         id=row_id,
         trace_id="trace-1",
         event_time=datetime(2026, 4, 28, 10, 11, 12, tzinfo=timezone.utc),
-        step="process",
-        status="failed",
+        step=step,
+        status=status,
         level=level,  # type: ignore[arg-type]
         message=message,
         attrs_json=attrs_json if attrs_json is not None else {},
@@ -73,6 +75,7 @@ def test_trace_endpoint_returns_text_with_default_levels() -> None:
         " - child-1\n"
         " - child-2\n"
         "--------------------------------------------------\n"
+        "step: process\n"
         "first error\n"
         "second warning"
     )
@@ -102,10 +105,45 @@ def test_trace_endpoint_appends_attrs_json_in_text_mode() -> None:
         "parent_id: \n"
         "child_ids:\n"
         "--------------------------------------------------\n"
+        "step: process\n"
         'failure, {"attempt":2,"source":"crm"}'
     )
 
 
+def test_trace_endpoint_separates_messages_by_step_in_text_mode() -> None:
+    async def trace_provider(_trace_id: str, _request: TraceQueryRequest) -> TraceLogView:
+        return TraceLogView(
+            trace_id="trace-1",
+            parent_id=None,
+            child_ids=(),
+            records=(
+                _trace_record(row_id=1, level="INFO", message="load first", step="load_stocks"),
+                _trace_record(row_id=2, level="INFO", message="load second", step="load_stocks"),
+                _trace_record(row_id=3, level="INFO", message="filter first", step="filter_stocks"),
+            ),
+        )
+
+    client = _build_client(trace_provider)
+    try:
+        response = client.get("/traces/trace-1")
+    finally:
+        client.close()
+
+    assert response.status_code == 200
+    assert response.text == (
+        "trace_id: trace-1\n"
+        "parent_id: \n"
+        "child_ids:\n"
+        "--------------------------------------------------\n"
+        "step: load_stocks\n"
+        "load first\n"
+        "load second\n"
+        "--------------------------------------------------\n"
+        "step: filter_stocks\n"
+        "filter first"
+    )
+
+
 def test_trace_endpoint_returns_json_payload() -> None:
     async def trace_provider(_trace_id: str, _request: TraceQueryRequest) -> TraceLogView:
         return TraceLogView(