[BUG] API Error 400: Tool name exceeds 200 character limit causing complete session failure
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?
Claude Code session becomes completely unresponsive with API error 400 after extended usage (~75+ messages). All subsequent commands, including simple text responses, trigger the same error about tool names exceeding 200 characters. Session becomes completely unusable with no recovery mechanism.
What Should Happen?
- Tool names should never exceed the 200 character API limit
- If individual commands fail, the session should remain functional for other commands
- Simple text responses should not be affected by tool name length issues
- There should be graceful error handling and recovery mechanisms
Error Messages/Logs
API Error: 400
{"type":"error","error":{"type":"invalid_request_error","message":"messages.75.content.1.tool_use
.name:
String should have at most 200 characters"},"request_id":"req_011CSyQ2VgbQwSWHfbzxPhpV"}
Steps to Reproduce
- Start a new Claude Code session
- Perform extended analysis work over ~75+ message exchanges including:
- Use Read tool on large files (20MB+)
- Use Task tool for complex multi-step analysis
- Use WebSearch for research
- Generate comprehensive reports/documentation
- Attempt a basic git command like:
git remote add origin https://github.com/username/anyrepo.git
- Observe API 400 error appears
- Try any subsequent command (even simple text like "Need help?")
- All commands now fail with the same API 400 error
Claude Model
Sonnet (default)
Is this a regression?
I don't know
Last Working Version
_No response_
Claude Code Version
1.0.109 (Claude Code)
Platform
Anthropic API
Operating System
macOS
Terminal/Shell
Terminal.app (macOS)
Additional Information
The error seems to be triggered after extensive session use, specifically around message 75. Once it occurs, the session becomes completely corrupted - even simple text responses that shouldn't involve any tools trigger the same API error. The only workaround is force quitting (Ctrl+C) and restarting Claude Code, which loses all conversation context and work progress.
This issue has 7 comments on GitHub. Read the full discussion on GitHub ↗