Fable 5.2 Not Showing in Claude Code /model or VS Code: Cause and 3 Fixes#

Published November 14, 2026 by Alex Sorokoletov

If the /model picker shows "Fable 5.1" and no Fable 5.2, DISABLE_TELEMETRY=1 is the likely cause, even if you never set it: the VS Code extension sets it when VS Code telemetry is off. It also turns off feature flags, which hide the newer model list. Your account still has Fable 5.2. Run /model claude-fable-5-2, or add a modelPicker row.^[1][2]

3 fixes at a glance#

Fix 2 is the one to use if you want telemetry off and Fable 5.2 in the picker. CLAUDE_CODE_GB_DISK_CACHE_WHEN_TELEMETRY_OFF=1 is not a fix: in 2.1.325 the picker stays on Fable 5.1.

How to get Fable 5.2 back, step by step#

Fix 1: pick it by id. This works with telemetry off:

claude --model claude-fable-5-2

Or type /model claude-fable-5-2 in a session. To make it the default, set "model": "claude-fable-5-2" in ~/.claude/settings.json.

Fix 2: add a picker row. The modelPicker setting (2.1.243 or later) adds labeled rows to /model and does not need feature flags:^[3]

{
  "modelPicker": {
    "options": [
      {
        "model": "claude-fable-5-2",
        "label": "Fable 5.2",
        "description": "Most capable for your hardest and longest-running tasks"
      }
    ]
  }
}

Commenters confirm it in VS Code and in VSCodium, where turning telemetry on does nothing.

Fix 3: remove the variable. Delete DISABLE_TELEMETRY from the env block of your settings, or turn VS Code telemetry back on. The full picker returns, and Claude Code sends usage metrics again. In VSCodium, one commenter overrides the extension's value with an empty string, "DISABLE_TELEMETRY": "", in the env block.

CLAUDE_CODE_GB_DISK_CACHE_WHEN_TELEMETRY_OFF=1, which tells Claude Code to read cached flags while telemetry is off, does not bring the catalog back in 2.1.325. The log still says [servedCatalog] off (flag).

Why the picker loses Fable 5.2#

DISABLE_TELEMETRY turns off usage metrics and error reports. It also stops the feature-flag download and makes Claude Code ignore the flags cached on disk, so every flag takes its built-in default. The flag that lets the server's model catalog replace the built-in picker defaults to off.

The debug log shows the difference. Without the variable:

[servedCatalog] primary: served list replaces the compiled picker; every compiled row is served

With DISABLE_TELEMETRY=1, in 2.1.325:

[servedCatalog] off (flag)

With the catalog off, the picker uses the built-in list, where the Fable row is still Fable 5.1. Issue #108726, filed on 2.1.322, shows both pickers side by side.^[1]

You may have DISABLE_TELEMETRY without setting it#

Since 2.1.311, the VS Code extension starts Claude Code with DISABLE_TELEMETRY set whenever VS Code's own telemetry setting is off.^[2] VSCodium turns telemetry off at build time, so its sessions always have it, whatever telemetry.telemetryLevel says. Commenters on #108726 report the missing Fable 5.2 in VS Code on macOS, Windows and Ubuntu, and in VSCodium.

What else feature flags control#

The model list is one case. With flags off, other features also take their defaults. The changelog lists several fixes and changes for sessions with DISABLE_TELEMETRY:

Should you keep DISABLE_TELEMETRY?#

Keep it if sending no usage metrics matters more than the newest picker, and add a modelPicker row for each model you use. Remove it if you depend on features that roll out by flag, because with flags off you get each feature's built-in default, which is often the older behavior.

FAQ#

Q: Why is Fable 5.2 not showing in my Claude Code /model list?

A: DISABLE_TELEMETRY=1 stops feature flags from loading, so the picker uses its built-in list, where the Fable row is Fable 5.1. Run /model claude-fable-5-2 or add a modelPicker row.

Q: Why is Fable 5.2 not available in VS Code or VSCodium?

A: Since 2.1.311, the VS Code extension sets DISABLE_TELEMETRY when VS Code's telemetry is off, and VSCodium always has telemetry off. Add a modelPicker row for claude-fable-5-2 in ~/.claude/settings.json.

Q: How do I add Fable 5.2 to the Claude Code model picker?

A: Add {"modelPicker": {"options": [{"model": "claude-fable-5-2", "label": "Fable 5.2"}]}} to ~/.claude/settings.json. It needs Claude Code 2.1.243 or later and works with telemetry off.

Q: Does DISABLE_TELEMETRY only turn off telemetry?

A: No. It also stops the feature-flag download and makes Claude Code ignore cached flags, so flag-controlled features take their defaults.

Q: Can I use Fable 5.2 with telemetry off?

A: Yes. claude --model claude-fable-5-2 and /model claude-fable-5-2 work, and a modelPicker row adds it to the picker.

Q: Does CLAUDE_CODE_GB_DISK_CACHE_WHEN_TELEMETRY_OFF fix the picker?

A: Not in 2.1.325. The served catalog stays off.

Sources: [1] anthropics/claude-code issue #108726 | [2] Claude Code changelog, v2.1.311 | [3] Claude Code changelog, v2.1.243

Related: DISABLE_TELEMETRY in the env-var glossary | Install and update Claude Code | Claude Code versions