Troubleshooting · Cline
Cline 429 rate_limit_error — Stop the Retry Loop
Cline agent runs burn per-minute token budgets quickly and then loop on 429 retries. Why agent workloads trigger rate limits and how to get a run through.
What you see
HTTP 429
{"type":"error","error":{"type":"rate_limit_error","message":"This request would exceed your organization's rate limit of 80,000 input tokens per minute. Please reduce the prompt length or the maximum tokens requested, or try again later."}}Why it happens
- Agent loops are token-hungry: every step resends the conversation, file context and tool results, so a single active task can spend a minute's budget alone.
- The key is shared with other tools or teammates and their traffic fills the same window.
- Automatic retries during a saturated window keep the window saturated.
How to fix it
- Let one 429 pass — Cline backs off and retries. If a run loops on 429s, pause it for a minute instead of restarting it repeatedly.
- Reduce the context the task carries: smaller file selections, narrower task scope per run.
- Give Cline a dedicated key so other tools' bursts do not eat its window — and if you consistently need more throughput, raise the ceiling with the key's issuer rather than fighting it.
Related searches
cline 429 rate limitcline retrying request
FAQ
Why does Cline hit 429 so much faster than chat tools?+
An agent step is not one message — it resends history, file context and tool output every iteration. Token throughput per minute is several times a chat's.
Will retrying immediately help?+
No — the window is per minute, and immediate retries keep it full. Backing off for the window's remainder is what clears it.
Is this Cline's own limit?+
No. Cline has no metering of its own with your key; the 429 is the API organization's per-minute ceiling behind that key.