[BUG] API Error: Extra usage is required for 1M context when invoking skill with model: frontmatter from Opus 4.6 [1m] session on Max plan
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?
When running a skill that specifies model: sonnet in its frontmatter from an Opus 4.6 [1m] session on the Max (20x) plan, Claude Code immediately fails with:
API Error: Extra usage is required for 1M context · enable extra usage at claude.ai/settings/usage, or use --model to switch to standard context
This happens at 8% context usage (81.9k / 1m tokens) and well within plan limits (41% session, 10% weekly). The error is 100% reproducible on affected skills.
Environment
Claude Code version: 2.1.97
Interface: VS Code extension
Platform: Windows 11
Plan: Max (20x)
Session model: claude-opus-4-6[1m]
What Should Happen?
Expected Behavior
Skill executes normally. The Max (20x) plan includes 1M context for Opus 4.6. Skills with model: sonnet frontmatter should either run Sonnet without inheriting the 1M context window, or should be covered under the same Max plan entitlement.
Actual Behavior
Skill fails immediately with the extra usage error. The "You've hit your usage limit" banner also appears in the VS Code extension UI, which is misleading — usage limits are not actually reached.
Root Cause Hypothesis
When a skill specifies model: sonnet, Claude Code appears to resolve this to claude-sonnet-4-6[1m], inheriting the 1M context window from the parent session. Sonnet 4.6 [1m] may require extra usage on Max, whereas Opus 4.6 [1m] does not. The model should either not inherit the 1M context window when switching models via frontmatter, or Sonnet 4.6 [1m] should be covered under Max plan entitlement the same as Opus 4.6 [1m].
Additional Notes
Skills without a model: directive in frontmatter work correctly
Skills with model: sonnet fail 100% of the time
Context at time of error: claude-opus-4-6[1m] · 81.9k / 1m (8%)
Plan usage at time of error: 41% session, 10% weekly
Error occurs before any skill body logic runs
Possibly related to: #44117 (subagents + websearch extra usage error on Max)
Error Messages/Logs
API Error: Extra usage is required for 1M context · enable extra usage at claude.ai/settings/usage, or use --model to switch to standard contextSteps to Reproduce
Steps to Reproduce
Start a session on Max plan with default model claude-opus-4-6[1m]
Invoke any skill that has model: sonnet in its YAML frontmatter
Error fires immediately before any skill logic executes
Affected skill frontmatter example:
yaml---
name: ship
description: Commit, push, create PR, merge, and clean up the current feature branch
tools: Bash, Read, Glob
model: sonnet
permissionMode: bypassPermissions
Claude Model
Opus
Is this a regression?
No, this never worked
Last Working Version
_No response_
Claude Code Version
2.1.97 (Claude Code)
Platform
Anthropic API
Operating System
Windows
Terminal/Shell
Other
Additional Information
I am running this using the VS Code extension
11 Comments
Found 3 possible duplicate issues:
This issue will be automatically closed as a duplicate in 3 days.
🤖 Generated with Claude Code
This issue has been automatically closed as a duplicate of #34296.
If this is incorrect, please re-open this issue or create a new one.
🤖 Generated with Claude Code
having the same issue..
manual chat with claude code using opus 4.6 (1m context) works fine.. But as soon as I launch a skill : /implement with front matter that is "claude-sonnet-4-6" .ie : I want to implement using cheaper model, the API error occurs, asking to activate extra usage.. my current weekly usage is just 10% , so it is NOT the issue of running out of tokens, but bug in CC .
---
name: implement
description: Implement features and bug fixes from specs. Use when user wants to execute implementation from a spec file.
version: "1.1.0"
model: claude-sonnet-4-6
allowed-tools: "Read,Write,Edit,Glob,Grep,Bash,Task,WebFetch,WebSearch"
context-window: 200000 # Must match model's actual context window; used by INIT.1.1 for budget planning
<img width="510" height="86" alt="Image" src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/b0ba216b-a3c0-49a6-83a6-afba23076b96" /> same here
bro same issue, i have did everything on reddit to cap 200k or disable thinking to switch to standard context, it does not work. When i enable extra-usage is worked but cost me $2 even thou i am at 12% barefully using up my 5 hour limit.
<img width="1736" height="172" alt="Image" src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/fe29e0fd-8dbe-4447-b7c0-c56eaeeaf888" />
I'm experiencing the same issue while using OpusPlan.
My current session usage is at 70%, and my weekly usage is at 25%. Despite this, the system is consuming my extra-usage balance.
I haven’t enabled or changed anything related to using a larger context window, and I have auto-compaction turned on.
As mentioned earlier, I still have plenty of regular usage remaining, so this behavior seems incorrect.
+1, still reproducing on Opus 4.7 + skill with model: sonnet
claude-code v2.1.119
+1, still reproducing the same issue
<img width="332" height="212" alt="Image" src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/5d5f0c7b-e1ea-4af1-8557-23f54e4d639c" />
<img width="353" height="108" alt="Image" src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/2018fe9c-bffd-4b9a-8241-40ef99f8b8e9" />
Same here.
Claude 1.4758.0 (fb266c)
<img width="1266" height="204" alt="Image" src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/bb4a417e-583e-4ba2-83ec-2deda3271fad" />
API Error: Extra usage is required for 1M context · enable extra usage at claude.ai/settings/usage, or use --model to switch to standard context
75% week limit
WTF???
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