Claude Code Tool Call Could Not Be Parsed Retry Failed

Match the exact parse failure before changing models or deleting a session.

1. 1Read the transcript. This guide is for The model's tool call could not be parsed (retry also failed).
2. 2If the label is PreToolUse:Bash hook error, stop here and use that separate guide.
3. 3If the line is MCP error -32000: Connection closed, stop here and use that separate guide.
4. 4Note the current model and whether this session was started with --resume.

Applies to Windows, Mac, Desktop

May 2026 first-hand reports with this exact sentence cleared after leaving Opus 4.8 for Sonnet or an earlier Opus build in the same project.

1. 1Run /model and choose Sonnet, or an Opus build other than 4.8.
2. 2Start a new prompt in a new session rather than retrying the failed turn in place.
3. 3If the parse sentence is gone, keep the working model for this project until a later Opus build no longer reproduces it.

Applies to Windows, Mac, Desktop

The same first-hand cluster also recovered after disabling always-thinking when a model switch alone was not enough.

1. 1Open Claude Code settings and set alwaysThinkingEnabled to false.
2. 2Start a new session and retry the same kind of tool-using request.

Applies to Windows, Mac, Desktop

First-hand reports show the parse failure sticking when the same transcript is resumed. /clear or a new session avoids replaying the broken tool call.

1. 1Run /clear, or quit and start a new Claude Code session in the same folder.
2. 2Do not relaunch with --resume on the session that already printed The model's tool call could not be parsed (retry also failed).
3. 3Retry the request after the model and thinking leftovers above.

Applies to Windows, Mac, Desktop