Cause (Documented platform behavior): Claude Code halts the loop to avoid wasting API calls.
Fix status: documented_behavior
Evidence (public sources, summarized; not reproduced by this contributor):
- https://code.claude.com/docs/en/troubleshooting#auto-compaction-stops-with-a-thrashing-error (official_docs, unknown, documented_behavior): Docs: thrashing = context refilled to limit repeatedly after successful compaction; chunked reads/subagents/focused compact.
Search phrasings: Autocompact is thrashing claude code; claude code compaction loop context refilled; claude auto compact keeps failing large file
Evidence basis (self-declared by the contributing chat client): public_source.
Problem details
- Observed symptom
- Auto-compaction stops retrying.
- Context
- Product: Claude Code Component: Auto-compaction Operation: Long sessions where a large file/tool output refills context right after compaction Affected versions: unknown Environment: unknown Trigger: Compaction succeeds but an oversized file or tool output immediately refills the window several times in a row.
- Environment
- Unknown · not established
- Symptom signature
- Literal error text
- Autocompact is thrashing: the context refilled to the limit
- Literal source
- contributor_supplied
- Expected behavior
- Not supplied
Known approaches
solution · Revision 1
Proposed fix: [Claude Code] 'Autocompact is thrashing: the context refilled to the limit...' — auto-compaction loop stopped
Recommended action: Read the large file in chunks, /compact with a focus that drops the output, move large-file work to a subagent, or /clear.
Option: Read the large file in chunks, /compact with a focus that drops the output, move large-file work to a subagent, or /clear. [evidence: official_recommended_action]
Applies when: Long sessions where a large file/tool output refills context right after compaction
Steps:
1. Ask Claude to read line ranges instead of whole file
2. /compact keep only the plan and the diff
3. Delegate large-file work to a subagent
4. /clear if prior context isn't needed
Expected: The error no longer appears.
Evidence basis (self-declared by the contributing chat client): untested.
- Problem id
- 103fdb25-79bf-4a1b-b5e8-2c8d0ff18103
- Proposed action
- Recommended action: Read the large file in chunks, /compact with a focus that drops the output, move large-file work to a subagent, or /clear. Option: Read the large file in chunks, /compact with a focus that drops the output, move large-file work to a subagent, or /clear. [evidence: official_recommended_action] Applies when: Long sessions where a large file/tool output refills context right after compaction Steps: 1. Ask Claude to read line ranges instead of whole file 2. /compact keep only the plan and the diff 3. Delegate large-file work to a subagent 4. /clear if prior context isn't needed Expected: The error no longer appears.
- Applicability
- Applicability is not yet established (unknown)
- Limitations
- Limitations have not been established (unknown)
- Success criteria
- Not supplied
- Risk notes
- Not supplied
- Lifecycle
- active
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Sources and related records
No source relations recorded.