Internal error: Usage credits are required for this model.: {
"errorKind": "rate_limit"
}
Still had 70% of available usage, thought I can use it till July 19, 2026, 11:59 pm PT? I guess this is an error and I am happy to see I am not the only one with this problem, so I hope there will be enough noise it comes back as announced.
> We are aware of an issue preventing users from selecting Claude Fable 5 within Claude.ai, Claude Code, and other surfaces, and are working to resolve this issue.
Jul 17, 2026 - 18:36 UTC
Yeah when things like this have happened on fridays before they've reset everyone's limits etc. Would not be surprising if this is the pretext for something of this sort.
They said 17th, I was expecting a PR today in which they'd say they included it in all plans. Was actually checking every couple hours here on HN, only to get my work stop half-way through just now.
I think it was cutting off on the 12th, then they extended to the 19th, but apparently they changed their minds again, which really sucks when you've started a big change and now your context window that understood what it was doing gets rug-pulled.
They have to refund usage credits that people accidentally spent now though, since this was unannounced many are running agents and would be billed for tokens that would be covered by their plans. You can't lie to customers like this, if it was announced beforehand it would be fine but not like this.
Good luck getting accurate accounting for all that before July 20th.
Subscription accounts just get their "best effort" service during the subscription window.
Opus is struggling through the deploy operation that Fable may have been in the middle of, it's supposed to be idempotent, but I wonder how reliable that is... Fable had re-deployed a dozen times in the past 3-4 days, but Opus (lacking the context window) seems like it's hit a wall.
Probably a cash grab to burn through users' usage credits before everyone switches to OpenAI or Kimi this weekend. I've lost all trust in Anthropic over these Fable shenanigans.
Wouldn't be surprised if they issued credits or extended the deadline again as an apology.
> Update - We are aware of an issue preventing users from selecting Claude Fable 5 within Claude.ai, Claude Code, and other surfaces, and are working to resolve this issue.
Yep, right in the middle of a big implementation plan.
I don't mind them changing the terms, I do mind them changing the terms without warning - I had concrete plans to wrap up my fable development long before the July 19th deadline, but, nope, here in the middle of the 7/17 afternoon it was working, then it cut me off.
"We are aware of an issue preventing users from selecting Claude Fable 5 within Claude.ai, Claude Code, and other surfaces, and are working to resolve this issue."
I have to assume it's a secret test to see how many users immediately switch to Opus vs. how many stop/leave as a way to approximate what will happen if they actually turn it off...I mean, I'm sure it was a mistake and there will be some kind of announcement soon.
Has anyone else noticed a crazy drop in their CREDITS since the servers went back up? I had plenty of space left and a cap set up, but it completely drained my account.
I was selected into fable, my context window had restructured my database schema and was about to deploy and migrate the existing database, then "you need to purchase credits to use this model" appeared right in the middle of the session.
Yes, in the middle of a bunch of design work on my library. Sigh…
Fable was really a step ahead of Opus on this kind of work. I guess I will be looking at Codex unless Fable is included in my Max subscription on Claude code – or the next Opus is a clear improvement (and comes out soon).
Fable was doing really well for me too, and I had scoped out a nice development plan that was going to come in on-time under token budget before the 7/19 cutoff, which just became the 7/17 cutoff right in the middle of a database schema update / migration.
Imagine building your solution using a 3rd party library, it still builds during your PR reviews and when you merge, it no longer builds. How would you feel?
I wonder if they put Fable in charge of Fable and Fable has learned dark patterns on how to gauge if there's enough whales on the hook to attached a feeding tube to the token API so they can print money.
https://status.claude.com/ now shows "Elevated errors across Fable 5" so it seems like they may not have intended to take it away...
Updated now to say it's an oops.
They were serving 500s yesterday, now this...
It's been like this for months.
Yes, ~30 Minutes ago (~18:00 UTC):
Still had 70% of available usage, thought I can use it till July 19, 2026, 11:59 pm PT? I guess this is an error and I am happy to see I am not the only one with this problem, so I hope there will be enough noise it comes back as announced.[Edit] Update from https://status.claude.com/
> We are aware of an issue preventing users from selecting Claude Fable 5 within Claude.ai, Claude Code, and other surfaces, and are working to resolve this issue. Jul 17, 2026 - 18:36 UTC
Yep. I thought it was supposed to run through the 19th?
It was definitely the 19th
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48882730
I am assuming this is some kind of bug.
They might use this bug as a reason to be able to extend it for another week or something.
Yeah when things like this have happened on fridays before they've reset everyone's limits etc. Would not be surprising if this is the pretext for something of this sort.
Maybe they don't work weekends and turned it off early?
They said 17th, I was expecting a PR today in which they'd say they included it in all plans. Was actually checking every couple hours here on HN, only to get my work stop half-way through just now.
SIGH.
EDIT: My bad, they indeed said 19th.
"July 19, 2026 at 11:59:59 PM PT" [1]
1. https://support.claude.com/en/articles/15424964-claude-fable...
My bad. Somehow I had 17th in my mind. That's even more confusing!
My claude macos app is showing "Included until July 19" - Max account
Same here. Weirdly,
> The promotion starts July 1, 2026 and ends July 19, 2026 at 11:59:59 PM PT.
from: https://support.claude.com/en/articles/15424964-claude-fable...
I think it was cutting off on the 12th, then they extended to the 19th, but apparently they changed their minds again, which really sucks when you've started a big change and now your context window that understood what it was doing gets rug-pulled.
They have to refund usage credits that people accidentally spent now though, since this was unannounced many are running agents and would be billed for tokens that would be covered by their plans. You can't lie to customers like this, if it was announced beforehand it would be fine but not like this.
Good luck getting accurate accounting for all that before July 20th.
Subscription accounts just get their "best effort" service during the subscription window.
Opus is struggling through the deploy operation that Fable may have been in the middle of, it's supposed to be idempotent, but I wonder how reliable that is... Fable had re-deployed a dozen times in the past 3-4 days, but Opus (lacking the context window) seems like it's hit a wall.
Yep, confirmed. Off to Codex I guess..
“Elevated errors across Fable 5 Investigating - We are currently investigating this issue.”
That’s a bug
Probably a cash grab to burn through users' usage credits before everyone switches to OpenAI or Kimi this weekend. I've lost all trust in Anthropic over these Fable shenanigans.
Same here. It may be related to the incidents reported today.
https://status.claude.com/
Now there's an entry for Fable.
From the look of it, their ops team is having a really bad Friday.
Wouldn't be surprised if they issued credits or extended the deadline again as an apology.
https://status.claude.com/Same issue here. I wonder if they made a mistake while preparing for some "permanent" change, instead of the never ending extensions of theirs.
Yep, right in the middle of a big implementation plan.
I don't mind them changing the terms, I do mind them changing the terms without warning - I had concrete plans to wrap up my fable development long before the July 19th deadline, but, nope, here in the middle of the 7/17 afternoon it was working, then it cut me off.
Anthropic cried "I yield" in the "reset quota" wars. Someone has to pay for all those tokens.
Hopefully that's not the case though, I was retaining a buffer to hit it hard this weekend.
"We are aware of an issue preventing users from selecting Claude Fable 5 within Claude.ai, Claude Code, and other surfaces, and are working to resolve this issue."
Specific and helpful so that's good.
Claude has predicted your actions and now we all must suffer.
Hopefully this is a bug and it makes them do another reset.
More likely Fable usage was trending to take up more resources than they have available this coming weekend, so they cut it before that happened.
Even 2 hours notice would have been nice, though.
I logged into my Claude work account with $99 per month level and it says included until July 19 next to Fable when I click the model selector button.
Same for me!
My Max sub got renewed today, wish I've cancelled it earlier. I have been mainly using Sol anyways. I don't want to deal with dumb Opus anymore.
Looks like I'm convinced to try Kimi K3 today.
Yes.
I just did get "Agent terminated early due to an API error: Usage credits are required for this model"
I have to assume it's a secret test to see how many users immediately switch to Opus vs. how many stop/leave as a way to approximate what will happen if they actually turn it off...I mean, I'm sure it was a mistake and there will be some kind of announcement soon.
Yep, and I came to HN to make sure. Happened literally less than 20 minutes ago.
> Usage credits are required for this model.
That is what my Claude Code instance says, too.
I got the same, right in the middle of an implementation.
Usage credits weren't required before, and I was far from using up my Fable quota for the week under the promo...
Has anyone else noticed a crazy drop in their CREDITS since the servers went back up? I had plenty of space left and a cap set up, but it completely drained my account.
Same here. I was carefully planning and rationalizing my usage :/
Thought it was just me, strange time to flip that switch without notice
Just happened to me. And disappeared from the 'Usage' tab.
Man, they should really stop using AI for their products.
Same thing here. Fable 5 disappeared from usage tab.
I can still select Fable, I have a pro subscription.
But can you use it?
I was selected into fable, my context window had restructured my database schema and was about to deploy and migrate the existing database, then "you need to purchase credits to use this model" appeared right in the middle of the session.
Lol, I thought only for me.. But in that case I think we can expect another extension for next week :D
It's Anthropic, they almost certainly broke something. Doubt they just decided to pull it early.
Just got it back, seems like we're good (for now).
can confirm as well, i was cut mid response, like 10mins ago... waiting for an official announcemnt?
Same - Usage credits are required for this model. but I still have a lot of usage...
Can confirm happened to me too
Usage credits are required for this model.
Why can't they keep up their own words
Disappointing they can just say things and get away with it.
It just appeared again.
Can confirm, just now.
It’s back for me!
For how long? Will you trust it?
same here... Fable 5 disappeared from usage tab.
Yes, in the middle of a bunch of design work on my library. Sigh…
Fable was really a step ahead of Opus on this kind of work. I guess I will be looking at Codex unless Fable is included in my Max subscription on Claude code – or the next Opus is a clear improvement (and comes out soon).
Fable was doing really well for me too, and I had scoped out a nice development plan that was going to come in on-time under token budget before the 7/19 cutoff, which just became the 7/17 cutoff right in the middle of a database schema update / migration.
yes, I'm getting charged for usage too
I have 60% usage left for Fable… wtf
Had. They have altered the deal. Pray they do not need to alter it further.
can confirm
I can't even use it properly even if I pay for it with my own money
Who here wants to put on tinfoil hats and wildly speculate that the government gave them another impossible roadblock?
Ah, just saw that it’s still available but requires credits now.
False alarm, remove tinfoil.
Yes
Imagine building your solution using a 3rd party library, it still builds during your PR reviews and when you merge, it no longer builds. How would you feel?
Likewise. I saw it vanish from the "Plan usage limits" page in real time.
Kinda impressive to not even require a page refresh.
Got it here too. Hopefully they give us another reset!
ah okay, not just me
Fable is back up!
must be a bug
now it's back? i saw it was gone from the usage but then reappeared about 10 min later, lol
I have 56% usage left for Fable. wtf anthropic!?!
another usage reset incoming i guess
I wonder if they put Fable in charge of Fable and Fable has learned dark patterns on how to gauge if there's enough whales on the hook to attached a feeding tube to the token API so they can print money.
Yes, it did, same message. As others indicated, they will give us "another week" as an apology.
That would be cool
It is now fixed for me