[BUG] Rate Limit Bug

Preflight Checklist

• [x] I have searched existing issues and this hasn't been reported yet
• [x] This is a single bug report (please file separate reports for different bugs)
• [x] I am using the latest version of Claude Code

What's Wrong?

Title: [BUG] API Error: Rate limit reached — persists for 7+ hours with no usage

Preflight Checklist

• [x] I have searched existing issues and this hasn't been reported yet
• [x] This is a single bug report
• [x] I am using the latest version of Claude Code

What's Wrong?

Claude Code returns "API Error: Rate limit reached" immediately on every request and has done so continuously for over 7 hours, despite having no usage today. The error appeared without any heavy usage preceding it and has not resolved on its own.

This appears to be the same server-side bug documented in #29579 and #33094, where the rate limiter incorrectly locks out accounts that have not exceeded any quota.

Expected Behavior

Requests should succeed normally. I have not used Claude Code tokens today, and waiting 7+ hours (far exceeding any documented reset window) has not resolved the issue.

Environment

• OS: macOS
• Claude Code version: Latest
• Plan: (put your plan here — Pro, Max, etc.)
• Account usage: Minimal — no significant usage in the past 24 hours

Steps to Reproduce

1. Open terminal
2. Run claude
3. Type any message (e.g., "hello")
4. Immediately receive: API Error: Rate limit reached
5. Wait 7+ hours
6. Repeat steps 2-4 — same error persists

What I've Tried

• Waiting 7+ hours for the rate limit to reset — no change
• Running claude status — usage does not reflect any significant consumption
• Restarting terminal and retrying — same error
• The error started without any preceding heavy usage session

Additional Context

This issue matches a pattern reported by multiple users:

• Issue #29579: Max subscriber locked out at 16% usage with a multi-day lockout
• Issue #33094: Rate limit on Max plan with barely any usage after extension update
• Hacker News thread (Feb 26, 2026): Multiple users reporting identical behavior

The common thread is that the server-side rate limiter appears to enter a stuck state for specific accounts, where the limit never resets regardless of time elapsed. This is not a legitimate quota exhaustion — it is a server-side bug that requires manual intervention or a fix to the rate limit reset logic.

This is blocking all work. A server-side reset of the rate limit state for my account would be appreciated while a permanent fix is developed.

What Should Happen?

claude should be replying back to me, but it just says api rate limit reached

Error Messages/Logs

API Error: Rate limit reached

Steps to Reproduce

1. run 'claude'
2. say something
3. it will say API Error: Rate limit reached

Claude Model

Not sure / Multiple models

Is this a regression?

I don't know

Last Working Version

_No response_

Claude Code Version

2.1.84 (Claude Code)

Platform

Anthropic API

Operating System

macOS

Terminal/Shell

Terminal.app (macOS)

Additional Information

_No response_