[FEATURE] Add a configurable token usage threshold to pause or stop Claude Code execution
Preflight Checklist
- [x] I have searched existing requests and this feature hasn't been requested yet
- [x] This is a single feature request (not multiple features)
Problem Statement
Currently, Claude Code has no built-in way to automatically pause or stop an agentic session when the context window reaches a certain fill percentage. The only automated response available is auto-compaction, which summarizes context rather than halting execution.
Proposed Solution
What I'd like:
A setting (e.g. in settings.json) that stops Claude Code's agentic loop when context usage reaches a user-defined threshold — for example, 70%. Something like:
{
"contextWindowStopThreshold": 70
}
Why this matters:
- Compaction loses context. Stopping at 70% lets the user decide whether to
/clear,/compact, or continue manually. - Hooks (PreToolUse, PostToolUse, Stop) don't expose context usage metrics, so there's no reliable workaround today (see related issues #27969, #34340).
- StatusLine is the only hook that receives
remaining_percentage, but it cannot inject/clearor halt execution.
Expected behavior:
Claude Code pauses the agentic loop, displays a message like: _"Context window at 70%. Session paused. Run /compact to summarize or /clear to start fresh."_ — and waits for user input.
This would give users meaningful control over long-running sessions without relying on lossy auto-compaction.
Alternative Solutions
_No response_
Priority
Medium - Would be very helpful
Feature Category
Configuration and settings
Use Case Example
_No response_
Additional Context
_No response_
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