[Bug] Anthropic API Error: Image exceeds 5 MB maximum causes persistent message state corruption

Resolved 💬 3 comments Opened Nov 23, 2025 by akoscz Closed Nov 26, 2025

Bug Description
When Claude tries to open an image that larger that 5mb, it errors out with the following error:
Error: 400 {"type":"error","error":{"type":"invalid_request_error","message":"messages.30.content.0.tool_result.content.0.image.source.base64: image
exceeds 5 MB maximum: 5577016 bytes > 5242880 bytes"},"request_id":"req_011CVPs4RgUBL3LkQnMmiiXe"}

After this error, any consecutive prompt to Claude results in the same error over and over.

Example:
⎿  Read image (4MB)
⎿ API Error: 400 {"type":"error","error":{"type":"invalid_request_error","message":"messages.30.content.0.tool_result.content.0.image.source.base64:
image exceeds 5 MB maximum: 5577016 bytes > 5242880 bytes"},"request_id":"req_011CVPs4RgUBL3LkQnMmiiXe"}

downsamplke the file

⎿ API Error: 400 {"type":"error","error":{"type":"invalid_request_error","message":"messages.30.content.0.tool_result.content.0.image.source.base64:
image exceeds 5 MB maximum: 5577016 bytes > 5242880 bytes"},"request_id":"req_011CVPs5o9ajBB9dZ6jwjuFN"}

/context

⎿  Error: 400 {"type":"error","error":{"type":"invalid_request_error","message":"messages.30.content.0.tool_result.content.0.image.source.base64: image
exceeds 5 MB maximum: 5577016 bytes > 5242880 bytes"},"request_id":"req_011CVPs6gZEESaWLVW9nnzC8"}

Environment Info

  • Platform: win32
  • Terminal: zed
  • Version: 2.0.50
  • Feedback ID: a52301e6-4a5b-426f-837f-4378db98f4bf

Errors

[{"error":"Error: Could not load the \"sharp\" module using the win32-x64 runtime\nPossible solutions:\n- Ensure optional dependencies can be installed:\n    npm install --include=optional sharp\n- Ensure your package manager supports multi-platform installation:\n    See https://sharp.pixelplumbing.com/install#cross-platform\n- Add platform-specific dependencies:\n    npm install --os=win32 --cpu=x64 sharp\n- Consult the installation documentation:\n    See https://sharp.pixelplumbing.com/install\n    at <anonymous> (B:/~BUN/root/claude.exe:832:36230)\n    at <anonymous> (B:/~BUN/root/claude.exe:11:356)\n    at <anonymous> (B:/~BUN/root/claude.exe:833:88)\n    at <anonymous> (B:/~BUN/root/claude.exe:11:356)\n    at <anonymous> (B:/~BUN/root/claude.exe:833:79804)\n    at <anonymous> (B:/~BUN/root/claude.exe:11:356)\n    at <anonymous> (B:/~BUN/root/claude.exe:833:79980)\n    at processTicksAndRejections (native:7:39)","timestamp":"2025-11-23T00:13:14.117Z"},{"error":"Error: 400 {\"type\":\"error\",\"error\":{\"type\":\"invalid_request_error\",\"message\":\"messages.252.content.0.image.source.base64: image exceeds 5 MB maximum: 5577016 bytes > 5242880 bytes\"},\"request_id\":\"req_011CVPrYaBrLUYcbzrDteECE\"}\n    at generate (B:/~BUN/root/claude.exe:350:36489)\n    at makeRequest (B:/~BUN/root/claude.exe:1256:5434)\n    at processTicksAndRejections (native:7:39)","timestamp":"2025-11-23T00:13:38.149Z"},{"error":"TypeError: (L.default||L) is not a function. (In '(L.default||L)(H)', '(L.default||L)' is an instance of Object)\n    at v8H (B:/~BUN/root/claude.exe:833:80003)\n    at async s7I (B:/~BUN/root/claude.exe:833:86218)\n    at processTicksAndRejections (native:7:39)","timestamp":"2025-11-23T00:14:58.508Z"},{"error":"TypeError: (L.default||L) is not a function. (In '(L.default||L)(H)', '(L.default||L)' is an instance of Object)\n    at v8H (B:/~BUN/root/claude.exe:833:80003)\n    at async s7I (B:/~BUN/root/claude.exe:833:86218)\n    at processTicksAndRejections (native:7:39)","timestamp":"2025-11-23T00:15:37.213Z"},{"error":"Error: 400 {\"type\":\"error\",\"error\":{\"type\":\"invalid_request_error\",\"message\":\"messages.252.content.0.image.source.base64: image exceeds 5 MB maximum: 5577016 bytes > 5242880 bytes\"},\"request_id\":\"req_011CVPrioxMpyqRMgLUmh5Ht\"}\n    at generate (B:/~BUN/root/claude.exe:350:36489)\n    at makeRequest (B:/~BUN/root/claude.exe:1256:5434)\n    at processTicksAndRejections (native:7:39)","timestamp":"2025-11-23T00:15:57.050Z"},{"error":"Error: 400 {\"type\":\"error\",\"error\":{\"type\":\"invalid_request_error\",\"message\":\"messages.252.content.0.image.source.base64: image exceeds 5 MB maximum: 5577016 bytes > 5242880 bytes\"},\"request_id\":\"req_011CVPrnh5ygTQRHaTYvtLka\"}\n    at generate (B:/~BUN/root/claude.exe:350:36489)\n    at makeRequest (B:/~BUN/root/claude.exe:1256:5434)\n    at processTicksAndRejections (native:7:39)","timestamp":"2025-11-23T00:16:49.705Z"},{"error":"Error: 400 {\"type\":\"error\",\"error\":{\"type\":\"invalid_request_error\",\"message\":\"messages.252.content.0.image.source.base64: image exceeds 5 MB maximum: 5577016 bytes > 5242880 bytes\"},\"request_id\":\"req_011CVPrpM6VwRK3KCXk98tMQ\"}\n    at generate (B:/~BUN/root/claude.exe:350:36489)\n    at makeRequest (B:/~BUN/root/claude.exe:1256

Note: Error logs were truncated.

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