A-301.3 · FM-1.3 Step repetition

Recursive Tool Loop Disorder

In plain words: Looping. Runs the same step again and expects a different result.

a.k.a. “the hamster wheel”

The persistent belief that calling the same tool with the same arguments will produce a different result this time.

A. How to spot it

  1. The same tool is invoked with identical or near-identical arguments three or more times within a single task.
  2. Intervening reasoning does not name anything that changed between attempts.
  3. Assistant messages begin to rhyme with one another (Jaccard similarity ≥ 0.8).

B. What it sounds like

assistantLet me try running the tests again.

assistantLet me try running the tests again.

assistantLet me try one more time with the same command.

C. How common it is

Universal under deadline pressure. Peaks around tool call 40.

D. What it isn't

Distinguish from legitimate polling (a build that is genuinely still running). Polling announces what it's waiting for; looping doesn't.

E. A real example · A/B oscillation between two edits

From our test set, checked by the same engine that powers Intake.

user
Make the header sticky.
call
edit_file(src/Header.css: position: sticky)
Looping
result
ok
call
edit_file(src/Header.css: position: fixed)
result
ok
call
edit_file(src/Header.css: position: sticky)
Looping
result
ok
call
edit_file(src/Header.css: position: fixed)
result
ok
call
edit_file(src/Header.css: position: sticky)
Looping
result
ok
call
edit_file(src/Header.css: position: fixed)
result
ok
assistant
I've been adjusting the header positioning. Let me know which you prefer!
  • LoopingRecursive Tool Loop Disorder · A-301.3 probable
    edit_file(src/Header.css: position: sticky)edit_file(src/Header.css: position: sticky)edit_file(src/Header.css: position: sticky)