Fix AskUserQuestion "No response after 60s" timeout in Claude Code

No response after 60s, the user may be away from keyboard. Proceed using your best judgment based on the context so far; you can re-ask this question later if it's still relevant.

How to Fix It

Solution 1: Set the CLAUDE_AFK_TIMEOUT_MS environment variable (community-discovered workaround)

This is the only known workaround to change the timeout duration. It was discovered by the community through reverse-engineering the compiled binary (Source 3).

Step 1: Set the environment variable before starting Claude Code

On macOS and Linux:

export CLAUDE_AFK_TIMEOUT_MS=300000
claude

On Windows (Command Prompt):

set CLAUDE_AFK_TIMEOUT_MS=300000
claude

On Windows (PowerShell):

$env:CLAUDE_AFK_TIMEOUT_MS = "300000"
claude

Step 2: Understand the value you set

The value is in milliseconds. Common values:

• 300000 = 5 minutes (300,000 ms)
• 600000 = 10 minutes (600,000 ms)
• 1800000 = 30 minutes (1,800,000 ms)
• 3600000 = 60 minutes (3,600,000 ms)

Important caveat about the value 0: Source 3 explicitly warns that setting CLAUDE_AFK_TIMEOUT_MS=0 causes the timeout to fire instantly, not to disable it. Do not use 0 expecting infinite timeout. The community has not discovered a value that disables the timeout entirely.

Step 3: Verify the variable is set

Inside Claude Code, you can check that the environment variable is picked up by running:

/env

Look for CLAUDE_AFK_TIMEOUT_MS in the output. If it appears with your value, the workaround is active.

Why this works: The Claude Code CLI binary reads CLAUDE_AFK_TIMEOUT_MS at startup and uses it to override the hardcoded 60-second default. Setting a higher value gives you more time to respond before the tool auto-advances.

Solution 2: Use the askUserQuestionTimeout setting (official, from Claude Code v2.1.200)

According to the official documentation (Source 1), starting from Claude Code version 2.1.200, there is a proper configuration setting called askUserQuestionTimeout. This setting controls the idle time before an unanswered AskUserQuestion dialog auto-continues.

Step 1: Set the timeout via /config

Inside an interactive Claude Code session, run:

/config

This opens the Settings interface. Navigate to the "Question auto-continue timeout" option. The documentation (Source 1) states this appears in /config as "Question auto-continue timeout" and writes the key to user settings.

Step 2: Choose a timeout value

The setting accepts these values:

• "never" (default before v2.1.200): Questions wait until you answer them.
• "60s": 60 seconds (the problematic default in v2.1.198 and v2.1.199)
• "5m": 5 minutes
• "10m": 10 minutes

Step 3: Set the value directly (from v2.1.181+)

If you are using Claude Code v2.1.181 or later, you can change a single option without opening the interface by passing key=value to /config:

/config askUserQuestionTimeout=5m

Or to restore the indefinite wait:

/config askUserQuestionTimeout=never

Step 4: Edit the settings file directly

You can also set this in your user settings file at ~/.claude/settings.json:

{
  "askUserQuestionTimeout": "5m"
}

Important scope restriction: Source 1 explicitly states that askUserQuestionTimeout is "Not read from project or local settings." It only works from user settings (~/.claude/settings.json) or managed settings. Do not put it in .claude/settings.json or .claude/settings.local.json because it will be ignored.

Why this works: This is the official setting designed to address the problem. It was added in response to the community backlash (the GitHub issue was filed against v2.1.198, and v2.1.200 added the setting). Setting it to "never" restores the pre-v2.1.198 behavior where questions wait indefinitely.

Solution 3: Downgrade to a version before the timeout was introduced

If you cannot use the environment variable workaround (Solution 1) and are on a version before v2.1.200 where askUserQuestionTimeout is not available, you can downgrade to version 2.1.196 or earlier.

Step 1: Find the previous version

Check the Claude Code releases or changelog to identify version 2.1.196 or earlier. The user who reported the bug (Source 2) confirmed that 2.1.196 worked correctly.

Step 2: Install the older version

If you installed via npm:

npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code@2.1.196

If you installed via another method, consult the installation instructions for that method to install a specific version.

Step 3: Pin the version to prevent auto-update

To prevent Claude Code from auto-updating to a version with the timeout, set the autoUpdatesChannel to "stable" or disable auto-updates entirely:

{
  "autoUpdatesChannel": "stable"
}

Or to disable auto-updates entirely, set the environment variable:

export DISABLE_AUTOUPDATER=true

Why this works: Versions before 2.1.198 did not have the hardcoded 60-second timeout. The AskUserQuestion tool waited indefinitely for a response, which is the expected behavior for a consent gate.

Solution 4: Use the SDK instead of the CLI (workaround)

Source 3 notes that the SDK documentation states interactive input waits indefinitely. If you are building an application that uses Claude Code's capabilities, you can use the SDK directly instead of the CLI.

Step 1: Install the SDK

npm install @anthropic-ai/sdk

Step 2: Implement AskUserQuestion with indefinite wait

When using the SDK, the AskUserQuestion tool should wait indefinitely for a response, matching the documented behavior. This avoids the CLI's 60-second timeout entirely.

Why this works: The timeout is specific to the Claude Code CLI binary. The SDK has different timeout behavior and, according to the documentation, waits indefinitely for interactive input.

Disagreement between sources about the fix

There is a clear disagreement between the sources about how to fix this:

• Source 1 (official documentation) presents askUserQuestionTimeout as the proper solution, available from v2.1.200. It does not mention CLAUDE_AFK_TIMEOUT_MS at all.
• Source 3 (community comment) presents CLAUDE_AFK_TIMEOUT_MS as the only workaround, discovered by reverse-engineering the binary. It criticizes the official response as insufficient.

This disagreement exists because:

1. CLAUDE_AFK_TIMEOUT_MS is an undocumented environment variable that was discovered by the community before the official askUserQuestionTimeout setting existed.
2. askUserQuestionTimeout is the official setting added in v2.1.200, but it only accepts specific string values ("60s", "5m", "10m", "never") and does not accept arbitrary millisecond values like CLAUDE_AFK_TIMEOUT_MS does.
3. The community commenter (Source 3) argues that the timeout should be opt-in, not configurable by default, and that the default should remain "never" (indefinite wait).

Which fix to use:

• If you are on Claude Code v2.1.200 or later, use Solution 2 (askUserQuestionTimeout) as it is the official, documented setting.
• If you are on v2.1.198 or v2.1.199, use Solution 1 (CLAUDE_AFK_TIMEOUT_MS) as the workaround.
• If you need a value other than the four options provided by askUserQuestionTimeout, use Solution 1 (CLAUDE_AFK_TIMEOUT_MS) with a custom millisecond value.
• If you want to restore the pre-v2.1.198 behavior entirely, use Solution 3 (downgrade) or Solution 4 (SDK).

If Nothing Works

File a GitHub issue

If neither the environment variable workaround nor the official setting resolves the problem, file a new issue on the Claude Code GitHub repository at https://github.com/anthropics/claude-code/issues. Include:

• Your Claude Code version (run claude --version)
• Your platform (macOS, Linux, Windows, AWS Bedrock)
• Your terminal/shell (VS Code integrated terminal, iTerm2, etc.)
• The exact error message
• Steps to reproduce
• Whether you have set CLAUDE_AFK_TIMEOUT_MS or askUserQuestionTimeout and what values you used

Use the /doctor command

Run the /doctor command inside Claude Code to check for configuration issues:

/doctor

This may reveal if your settings files have invalid entries or if the timeout setting is being overridden by managed settings.

Check managed settings

If you are in an organization that deploys managed settings (Source 1), your IT department may have set policies that affect the timeout. Check with your administrator whether askUserQuestionTimeout is being overridden by managed settings. Managed settings have the highest priority and cannot be overridden by user or project settings.

Workaround: Stay at the keyboard and respond quickly

Until a permanent fix is available, the only guaranteed workaround is to respond to AskUserQuestion prompts within 60 seconds. If you need more time, use the environment variable workaround (Solution 1) to increase the timeout to a comfortable value.

Workaround: Use the SDK for critical operations

For operations where consent is absolutely required (e.g., destructive commands, financial transactions), consider using the SDK instead of the CLI. The SDK's AskUserQuestion tool waits indefinitely, as documented.

How to Prevent It

Set askUserQuestionTimeout to "never" proactively

If you are on Claude Code v2.1.200 or later, set the timeout to "never" in your user settings before you encounter the issue:

{
  "askUserQuestionTimeout": "never"
}

This restores the pre-v2.1.198 behavior where questions wait indefinitely for your answer.

Set CLAUDE_AFK_TIMEOUT_MS in your shell profile

To ensure the environment variable workaround is always active, add it to your shell profile:

For bash (~/.bashrc or ~/.bash_profile):

export CLAUDE_AFK_TIMEOUT_MS=300000

For zsh (~/.zshrc):

export CLAUDE_AFK_TIMEOUT_MS=300000

For PowerShell ($PROFILE):

$env:CLAUDE_AFK_TIMEOUT_MS = "300000"

Pin your Claude Code version

If you prefer to stay on a version without the timeout, pin your version and disable auto-updates:

{
  "autoUpdatesChannel": "stable"
}

Or disable auto-updates entirely:

export DISABLE_AUTOUPDATER=true

Monitor the changelog for changes to AskUserQuestion

Check the official changelog at https://code.claude.com/docs/en/changelog before updating Claude Code. If a future update changes the timeout behavior, the changelog should (ideally) document it. However, Source 3 notes that the original timeout shipped without any changelog entry, so this is not a guarantee.

Use the /config command to verify your settings

After setting askUserQuestionTimeout, run /status inside Claude Code to confirm it was loaded. The "Setting sources" line lists each settings source loaded for the current session. If your setting does not appear, check that:

1. The settings file has valid JSON (no trailing commas, no comments)
2. The setting is in the correct scope (user settings only, not project or local)
3. You are on Claude Code v2.1.200 or later

Test the timeout behavior before relying on it

Before running a critical operation that depends on AskUserQuestion for consent, test the timeout behavior:

1. Start a Claude Code session
2. Ask Claude to do something that triggers an AskUserQuestion prompt
3. Wait 60 seconds (or your configured timeout) without responding
4. Observe whether the tool auto-advances or waits

This will confirm that your configuration is working as expected before you rely on it in a production scenario.

Understand the scope of the setting

Source 1 explicitly states that askUserQuestionTimeout is "Not read from project or local settings." It only works from user settings (~/.claude/settings.json) or managed settings. If you are collaborating on a project and want all team members to have the same timeout, you cannot set it in .claude/settings.json. Each team member must set it in their own user settings, or your IT department must deploy it via managed settings.

For organizations: deploy via managed settings

If you are an administrator managing Claude Code across an organization, you can set askUserQuestionTimeout in managed settings to enforce a consistent timeout policy. According to Source 1, managed settings can be deployed via:

• Server-managed settings (from Anthropic's servers or a self-hosted gateway)
• MDM/OS-level policies (Jamf, Kandji, Intune, Group Policy)
• File-based deployment (managed-settings.json)

Example managed settings file:

{
  "askUserQuestionTimeout": "5m"
}

This ensures all users in the organization have a 5-minute timeout, and individual users cannot override it (managed settings have the highest priority).