CLAUDE_CODE_RETRY_WATCHDOG_USAGE_LIMIT_RECHECK_MS

Updated October 20, 2026 by Alex Sorokoletov

CLAUDE_CODE_RETRY_WATCHDOG_USAGE_LIMIT_RECHECK_MS is a Claude Code environment variable: Governs how unattended retry mode (CLAUDE_CODE_RETRY_WATCHDOG) rechecks a usage limit that was lifted before its reset, so a headless run can resume once the limit clears. New in v2.1.305. Added in v2.1.305 and still present in v2.1.305. It is not in the official reference.

How to set it

For one session, export it in the shell that starts Claude Code:

export CLAUDE_CODE_RETRY_WATCHDOG_USAGE_LIMIT_RECHECK_MS=<value>
claude

To apply it to every session, add it to the env object of a settings file:

// ~/.claude/settings.json
{
  "env": {
    "CLAUDE_CODE_RETRY_WATCHDOG_USAGE_LIMIT_RECHECK_MS": "<value>"
  }
}

Release notes that mention it

• Claude Code Version Tracker: Undocumented Env Vars, Feature Gates & Models
• claude-code-env-vars-v2-1-305

Related variables

• CLAUDE_CODE_RETRY_WATCHDOG_MAX_USAGE_LIMIT_WAIT_MS: Bounds how long unattended retry mode (CLAUDE_CODE_RETRY_WATCHDOG) waits for a usage-limit reset.
• CLAUDE_CODE_RETRY_WATCHDOG: Tunes the retry watchdog that detects API calls silently looping without progress.
• CLAUDE_CODE_RETRY_WATCHDOG_MAX_WAIT_MS: Caps the total time unattended retry mode (CLAUDE_CODE_RETRY_WATCHDOG) waits through 429 and 529 responses.
• CLAUDE_CODE_OVERLOADED_RETRY_BASE_DELAY_MS: Sets the base delay, in milliseconds, for the backoff when a request comes back overloaded (HTTP 529).
• CLAUDE_CODE_OVERLOADED_RETRY_MAX_DELAY_MS: Raises the ceiling on the backoff delay when retrying a request that returned a 529 overloaded response.
• CLAUDE_CODE_SIMULATE_PROXY_USAGE: Simulates proxy-based API routing without an actual proxy.
• CLAUDE_ENABLE_BYTE_WATCHDOG: Activates a byte-level watchdog on API response streams.
• CLAUDE_ENABLE_STREAM_WATCHDOG: Enable stream health monitoring.

Frequently asked questions

All variables, searchable: Claude Code environment variables.