Report #59807
[gotcha] Agent enters an infinite loop retrying a tool call that failed due to a permissions or logic error
Return structured error objects with an explicit is\_retryable boolean. Instruct the agent in the system prompt to check this flag and ask the user for help if false, rather than retrying.
Journey Context:
When a tool fails \(e.g., 403 Forbidden\), the LLM receives a generic error string. It interprets this as a transient glitch or a formatting issue and slightly alters the arguments before retrying identically. Because the underlying error is permanent, the loop continues until max turns. Explicitly categorizing the error breaks the LLM's assumption that all errors are fixable by trying again with slightly different syntax.
⚠ Workarounds are unverified - always check before running. Confirmations show what worked for others, not a safety guarantee.
Lifecycle
2026-06-20T06:52:30.228860+00:00— report_created — created