Fix Claude Code 'API Error: Request timed out' Retry Loop on Linux

API Error: Request timed out.

API Error (Request timed out.) · Retrying in 1 seconds… (attempt 1/10)
API Error (Request timed out.) · Retrying in 1 seconds… (attempt 2/10)
API Error (Request timed out.) · Retrying in 2 seconds… (attempt 3/10)
API Error (Request timed out.) · Retrying in 5 seconds… (attempt 4/10)
API Error (Request timed out.) · Retrying in 9 seconds… (attempt 5/10)
API Error (Request timed out.) · Retrying in 17 seconds… (attempt 6/10)
API Error (Request timed out.) · Retrying in 36 seconds… (attempt 7/10)
API Error (Request timed out.) · Retrying in 40 seconds… (attempt 8/10)
API Error (Request timed out.) · Retrying in 1 seconds… (attempt 1/10)
API Error (Request timed out.) · Retrying in 1 seconds… (attempt 2/10)
API Error (Request timed out.) · Retrying in 2 seconds… (attempt 3/10)
API Error (Request timed out.) · Retrying in 4 seconds… (attempt 4/10)
API Error (Request timed out.) · Retrying in 40 seconds… (attempt 9/10)
API Error (Request timed out.) · Retrying in 8 seconds… (attempt 5/10)
API Error (Request timed out.) · Retrying in 20 seconds… (attempt 6/10)
API Error (Request timed out.) · Retrying in 34 seconds… (attempt 7/10)
API Error (Request timed out.) · Retrying in 39 seconds… (attempt 8/10)
API Error (Request timed out.) · Retrying in 37 seconds… (attempt 9/10)
API Error (Request timed out.) · Retrying in 35 seconds… (attempt 10/10)

Account • /login
  L Login Method: Claude Max Account
  L Organization:

How to Fix It

Solution 1: Downgrade Claude Code to a stable version (community-recommended)

Since the issue appears to be a regression in version 0.3.5, the most reliable fix reported by the community is to revert to a previous version that did not exhibit the timeout behavior.

To check your current version:

claude --version

Or look at the status output, which shows:

Claude Code Status v1.0.35
  L Session ID: 3824b60a-912c-4fad-8492-ad4c76098456
  L Currently running: npm-local (1.0.35)
  L Invoked: /home/user/.claude/local/node_modules/.bin/claude
  L Auto-updates: Yes
  L Config install method: local
  L Config auto-updates: true

If you installed via npm, you can install a specific earlier version:

npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code@<previous-version>

Replace <previous-version> with a version known to be stable before 0.3.5 (for example, 0.3.4 or 0.3.3). Check the npm registry for available versions:

npm view @anthropic-ai/claude-code versions --json

If you installed via the local auto-update method shown in the status output, you may need to disable auto-updates to prevent re-upgrading:

claude config set auto-updates false

Then manually install the older version using the npm method above.

Solution 2: Switch to macOS or WSL (workaround)

According to the community report, the issue does not occur on macOS or WSL. If you have access to either of those platforms, you can use Claude Code there without encountering the timeout loop. This is a workaround, not a fix, but it confirms the problem is Linux-specific.

Solution 3: Check network configuration (official troubleshooting)

Even though the issue is likely a version bug, you should rule out network problems:

1. Test your connection to the Anthropic API:

curl -v https://api.anthropic.com/v1/messages --max-time 10

If this times out, you have a network issue. Check:

• Proxy settings: echo $HTTP_PROXY $HTTPS_PROXY
• DNS resolution: nslookup api.anthropic.com
• Firewall rules that might block outbound HTTPS on port 443

2. Try a different network (e.g., switch from corporate VPN to a personal hotspot).

3. Restart the Claude Code session entirely:

claude session clear

Or kill any hanging processes:

pkill -f claude

Solution 4: Use a different model (partial mitigation)

The issue reporter tried both Opus and Sonnet and saw the same behavior. However, if you are on a version where the bug is model-specific, switching to a faster model like Haiku might reduce the likelihood of timeouts because responses are generated more quickly. This is not a guaranteed fix but is worth trying if you cannot downgrade.

If Nothing Works

If none of the above solutions resolve the issue:

1. Report the bug on the GitHub issue tracker. The relevant issue is at https://github.com/anthropics/claude-code/issues/2728. Add your system details (Linux distribution, kernel version, Claude Code version, network setup) to help the developers diagnose the regression.

2. Use the web interface as a temporary workaround. While Claude Code is the CLI tool, you can access Claude through the web UI at claude.ai for your tasks until the bug is fixed in a future update.

3. Check for updates. The Claude Code team may release a patch (0.3.6 or later) that addresses this timeout issue. Run:

claude update

Or check the GitHub releases page for the latest version notes.

How to Prevent It

1. Disable auto-updates if you rely on a stable version for production work. Use:

claude config set auto-updates false

This prevents automatic upgrades to potentially buggy versions. You can manually update after verifying that a new version is stable by checking community reports on GitHub or Reddit.

2. Pin your Claude Code version in CI/CD or shared environments by specifying the exact version in your package.json or installation script.

3. Monitor the GitHub issue tracker for known regressions before upgrading. Subscribe to the repository at https://github.com/anthropics/claude-code to receive notifications about new issues and releases.

4. Test on a non-Linux platform first if you have access to macOS or WSL, as those platforms appear to be unaffected by this particular bug.

5. Keep a fallback session using the web UI or a different tool (like the Anthropic API directly via curl or a Python script) so you are not blocked if Claude Code becomes unusable.