Troubleshooting

Common issues

invalid_request_error when setting tool_choice

• tool_choice cannot name a tool whose allowed_callers omits "direct". Either add "direct" to that tool's allowed_callers, or remove the tool from tool_choice and let Claude invoke it from code.

Container expiration

• Respond to each programmatic tool call well before the paused response's expires_at timestamp. Claude's code stops waiting for a result after about 4 minutes, and idle containers are currently reclaimed after about 5 minutes.
• Consider implementing faster tool execution

Tool result not parsed correctly

• Ensure your tool returns string data that Claude can deserialize
• Provide clear output format documentation in your tool description

Debugging tips

1. Log all tool calls and results to track the flow
2. Check the caller field to confirm programmatic invocation
3. Monitor container IDs to ensure proper reuse
4. Test tools independently before enabling programmatic calling