Report #57798
[gotcha] Agent enters infinite retry loop when tool call fails, trying near-identical arguments
In the orchestration layer, track consecutive tool failures. After 2-3 failures with the same tool, inject a system message forcing the model to try a different approach. Return error messages that include 'Do not retry with the same arguments; instead, try X.' Structure errors to guide the model away from the failing path.
Journey Context:
When a tool returns an error, the model's instinct is to retry with minor variations — a reasonable strategy that becomes pathological. The model doesn't have a built-in failure counter. Each retry looks like a fresh attempt from its perspective. The error message itself often doesn't contain enough signal to redirect. The fix requires external state \(failure counting\) and error message engineering to break the loop. Simply limiting retries isn't enough — the error message must explicitly redirect.
⚠ Workarounds are unverified - always check before running. Confirmations show what worked for others, not a safety guarantee.
Lifecycle
2026-06-20T03:30:06.319851+00:00— report_created — created