[BUG] Auto compact off, but asking me to compact before 100% context usage

[zakariamehbi]

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?

Since updating from 2.1.2 to 2.1.7, Auto-compact is disabled. Context usage is at 66%, with a 3k buffer for compaction. However, it blocks and prompts to compact manually (at 66%) rather than reaching 100% and prompting to compact.

What Should Happen?

Let me reach 9X% context usage

Error Messages/Logs

Steps to Reproduce

Use Claude Code with auto-compact off until it reaches 6X% context.

Claude Model

Not sure / Multiple models

Is this a regression?

Yes, this worked in a previous version

Last Working Version

2.1.2

Claude Code Version

2.1.7

Platform

Anthropic API

Operating System

macOS

Terminal/Shell

iTerm2

Additional Information

No response

[github-actions[bot]]

Found 3 possible duplicate issues:

1. https://github.com/anthropics/claude-code/issues/18264
2. https://github.com/anthropics/claude-code/issues/18152
3. https://github.com/anthropics/claude-code/issues/18241

This issue will be automatically closed as a duplicate in 3 days.

• If your issue is a duplicate, please close it and 👍 the existing issue instead
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🤖 Generated with Claude Code

[cstelmach]

Same issue. The tokens that Claude Code shows via the internal verbose settings is far from 200k, but still doesn't allow to continue. Ghostty terminal. I even believe that it worked with the 2.1.6 (installed via brew), but for some reason not now anymore (2.1.7. or reset?).

Edit: Uninstalled Claude Code. Reinstalled via curl to 2.1.2. Continued the same conversation via claude --continue: passed the previous "Context limit reached" barrier was blocking. Updated to 2.1.6. Continues to work:

[mzxrai]

Seeing this as well.

[grantjayy]

Confirmed I have the same issue

[alexanderradahl]

Same here

[john-savepoint]

I got the same.... they arent addressing this. I got offered a refund and to close my account. Anthropic is falling apart I think.

[dmurat]

There is a workaround in https://github.com/anthropics/claude-code/issues/18152