Claude Overloaded Error
Getting "Claude is currently overloaded" or HTTP 529? Here is what it means, how to fix it in your code, and what to do while you wait.
Claude / Anthropic — live status
If "Operational", Claude is running but busy. View full status →
What does "Claude overloaded" mean?
The overloaded error (HTTP 529 in the API) means Anthropic's servers are handling more concurrent requests than they can process. Claude is not down — it is rejecting excess traffic to stay stable under load. This is different from a rate limit (429, per-account) or an actual outage.
In claude.ai: you will see a message like "Claude is currently overloaded with requests." In the API: HTTP 529 with body {"error":{"type":"overloaded_error","message":"Overloaded"}}.
Fix for API users: exponential backoff
Anthropic's official SDKs have built-in retry logic. Enable it:
# Python
import anthropic
client = anthropic.Anthropic(max_retries=5) # retries 529 + 529 + 529 ...
# TypeScript/JavaScript
import Anthropic from '@anthropic-ai/sdk';
const client = new Anthropic({ maxRetries: 5 }); If writing retry logic manually, use exponential backoff: wait 1s, 2s, 4s, 8s, 16s between retries. Only retry on 529 (overloaded) and 529; not on 400 or 401 (those are errors in your request).
Is it an outage or just high traffic?
- Operational + 529 — High traffic. Retry in minutes. No action needed beyond backoff.
- Degraded or outage — Platform problem. May take hours. Follow status page.
- claude-3-7-sonnet overloaded but haiku works — Model-specific load. Fall back to a faster model temporarily.
Alternatives while Claude is overloaded
Get notified when Claude recovers
Star Anthropic on Prismix and get an email the moment overload resolves or a real outage is declared. Free, no credit card.