Fable 5: "Service is busy" error on code review task with Opus→Fable handoff
Open 💬 0 comments Opened Jul 6, 2026 by arturo-natella
Issue
Fable 5 returned "Service is busy" error while reviewing a bug, forcing a retry and token re-burn for the same task.
Repro
- Read a handoff file from Opus (completed task context)
- Pass to Fable 5 for continuation/code review
- Fable 5 starts processing, then returns "Service is busy" error
Environment
- Model: Fable 5
- Task: Code review / bug analysis
- Date/Time: 2026-07-06 (just now)
- Context: Task continuation (Opus→Fable handoff)
Impact
Transient service capacity issue forced a full retry, doubling token cost for the same work. If this is recurring, it makes multi-model handoffs unreliable.