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Claude: Internal server error

An internal error needs the product and context to be identified.

Quick answer

If your Claude API response includes HTTP 500, Anthropic calls it an api_error: an unexpected error inside its systems. If you only see “Internal server error” in a web or app interface, first identify where it appeared; that wording alone does not prove the request returned HTTP 500.

Exact message

Internal server error

What it means

Anthropic’s API error reference separates 500 from 529 overload and 429 rate limit. That distinction matters when you report the issue. A confirmed 500 is a server error, but it does not disclose the failed component or whether an earlier side effect finished before the response failed.

What to try

  1. Note whether the message came from the API, Claude Code, or the Claude interface. Copy the HTTP status, error type, and request ID if your client displays them.
  2. Check Claude status. For an API integration, allow a limited retry with backoff rather than sending the same request continuously; Anthropic’s SDKs already retry some errors by default.
  3. Before repeating a task that writes files or calls other services, inspect what it may have completed. If confirmed API 500s continue, contact Anthropic support with the request ID and time.

FAQ

Is the failure on my side?

A confirmed API 500 is documented as an internal Anthropic error. That does not mean every message containing “internal server error” came from the same API path. If you saw it in Claude Code or a browser, record the client and exact text. Trying a small new request may show whether the problem is tied to one task, but it does not identify the server component.

How is it different from 529?

Anthropic assigns 500 to a general api_error and 529 to overloaded_error when the API is under high traffic. The numbers are more useful than the broad phrase “server error.” If your log shows 529, use the 529 guide for that response. If it shows 500, include the request ID and retry history when you report it.

Should I keep retrying?

Use a small number of retries spaced apart for a confirmed API 500. Anthropic’s SDK may already perform retries, so check the client behavior before adding another loop. If the request creates files or changes another system, inspect for partial completion first. Repeated failures with a request ID are a better support case than an endless retry cycle.

Sources