Or, for Claude Mythos 5.1, which offers the same capabilities to verified organizations: changedmodels/fable-5-1/migration-guide
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3838## Migrating to Claude Fable 5.1 from Claude Fable 5
3939
40Migration is mostly drop-in. The API surface, limits, per-token pricing, tokenizer, always-on adaptive thinking, refusal handling, and `stop_details` categories all match Claude Fable 5. What changes: forced tool choice returns a 400 error, thinking blocks are preserved only for the model that produced them or a newer one and only in the conversation that produced them, cache reads cost less, and agent-loop behavior differs in three ways. The same changes apply to [Claude Mythos 5.1](https://platform.claude.com/docs/en/models/fable-5-1/migration-guide#migrating-from-claude-mythos-5-to-claude-mythos-5-1), except the conversation check on thinking blocks, which Claude Mythos 5.1 doesn't run.
40Migration is mostly drop-in. The API surface, limits, per-token pricing, tokenizer, always-on adaptive thinking, refusal handling, and `stop_details` categories all match Claude Fable 5. What changes: forced tool choice returns a 400 error; only Claude Fable 5.1 and Claude Mythos 5.1 read Claude Fable 5.1's thinking blocks, and only in the conversation that produced them; cache reads cost less; and agent-loop behavior differs in three ways. The same changes apply to [Claude Mythos 5.1](https://platform.claude.com/docs/en/models/fable-5-1/migration-guide#migrating-from-claude-mythos-5-to-claude-mythos-5-1), except the conversation check on thinking blocks, which Claude Mythos 5.1 doesn't run.
4141
4242### Update your model name
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926926 Keep the `role: "system"` message in the history on later requests, as with any other turn. Mid-conversation system messages need no beta header. `tool_choice: {"type": "none"}` still works for a turn that must not call tools.
927927
9282. **Thinking blocks are preserved only for the model that produced them, or a newer one:** Every `thinking` block records which model produced it. Claude Fable 5.1 reads its own blocks and those from Claude Mythos 5.1, Claude Opus 5, Claude Fable 5, Claude Mythos 5, and earlier Claude models. A conversation moving onto `claude-fable-5-1` from any of those keeps its earlier reasoning. The condition is one-way: apart from Claude Mythos 5.1, none of those models can read Claude Fable 5.1's blocks.
9282. **Only Claude Fable 5.1 and Claude Mythos 5.1 read Claude Fable 5.1's thinking blocks:** Every `thinking` block records which model produced it. Claude Fable 5.1 reads its own blocks and those from Claude Mythos 5.1, Claude Opus 5, Claude Fable 5, Claude Mythos 5, and earlier Claude models. A conversation moving onto `claude-fable-5-1` from any of those keeps its earlier reasoning. The condition is one-way: apart from Claude Mythos 5.1, none of those models can read Claude Fable 5.1's blocks.
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930 A conversation that ran on Claude Fable 5.1 can land on an older model through a router switch, a client-side retry, or a [classifier refusal fallback](https://platform.claude.com/docs/en/build-with-claude/refusals-and-fallback), including a [server-side fallback](https://platform.claude.com/docs/en/build-with-claude/refusals-and-fallback#server-side-fallback). The API removes the blocks that model can't read before it sees them, the request succeeds, and you aren't billed for the dropped input tokens. The target model re-plans without that reasoning, which can raise cost and latency on the first turn after the switch. To see what was dropped, send the `thinking-binding-controls-2026-08-01` [beta header](https://platform.claude.com/docs/en/api/beta-headers): responses then carry an `input_transformations` array naming each dropped block with `reason: "model_binding_mismatch"`. See [Switching models mid-conversation](https://platform.claude.com/docs/en/build-with-claude/preserved-thinking#switching-models).
930 A conversation that ran on Claude Fable 5.1 can land on another model, older or newer, through a router switch, a client-side retry, or a [classifier refusal fallback](https://platform.claude.com/docs/en/build-with-claude/refusals-and-fallback), including a [server-side fallback](https://platform.claude.com/docs/en/build-with-claude/refusals-and-fallback#server-side-fallback). The API removes the blocks that model can't read before it sees them, the request succeeds, and you aren't billed for the dropped input tokens. The target model re-plans without that reasoning, which can raise cost and latency on the first turn after the switch. To see what was dropped, send the `thinking-binding-controls-2026-08-01` [beta header](https://platform.claude.com/docs/en/api/beta-headers): responses then carry an `input_transformations` array naming each dropped block with `reason: "model_binding_mismatch"`. See [Switching models mid-conversation](https://platform.claude.com/docs/en/build-with-claude/preserved-thinking#switching-models).
931931
9329323. **Editing earlier turns invalidates thinking blocks:** Each `thinking` block from Claude Fable 5.1 is valid only against the `system` prompt, `tools`, and conversation history that preceded it. If Claude Code, claude.ai, [Claude Managed Agents](https://platform.claude.com/docs/en/managed-agents/overview), or the [Claude Agent SDK](https://code.claude.com/docs/en/agent-sdk/overview) manages your conversation history, it already keeps that prefix intact. If your code builds the `messages` array itself, this item applies to you, and [Preserved thinking](https://platform.claude.com/docs/en/build-with-claude/preserved-thinking) is the full integration guide. Where the check is enforced, a request that sends the block back after any of those changed is rejected with a 400 error:
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15021502 ```
15031503 </CodeGroup>
15041504
1505 The value applies to the following user turn and every later turn until another `role: "system"` message changes it. Only the named levels are accepted (`low`, `medium`, `high`, `xhigh`, `max`), and the `mid-conversation-output-config-2026-07-01` beta header is required. See [Per-message effort](https://platform.claude.com/docs/en/build-with-claude/effort#change-effort-mid-conversation-beta).
1505 Placed between an `assistant` turn and the next `user` turn, as here, the message takes effect from that `user` turn. Placed directly after a `user` turn with new input, it sets the level for Claude's reply to that turn. A `user` turn that holds only tool results doesn't count as new input: the change waits for the next `user` turn with new input. The level then holds until another `role: "system"` message changes it. Only the named levels are accepted (`low`, `medium`, `high`, `xhigh`, `max`), and the `mid-conversation-output-config-2026-07-01` beta header is required. See [Per-message effort](https://platform.claude.com/docs/en/build-with-claude/effort#change-effort-mid-conversation-beta).
15061506
150715072. **Change instructions and tools with mid-conversation system messages:** To change instructions or tools partway through a session, append a [`role: "system"` message](https://platform.claude.com/docs/en/build-with-claude/mid-conversation-system-messages), with `tool_addition` and `tool_removal` blocks for tool changes (beta header `inline-tools-2026-09-15` on the Claude API). A `tool_addition` block can name a tool declared in `tools` at session start or [carry the tool's full definition](https://platform.claude.com/docs/en/build-with-claude/mid-conversation-system-messages#define-tools-in-a-message-beta), so a tool that is unknown at session start doesn't need to be in `tools`. This preserves prompt cache hits on earlier turns and keeps the conversation history append-only. The older `mid-conversation-tool-changes-2026-07-01` header still works for changes that name a tool by reference, on the Claude API, Amazon Bedrock, and Google Cloud. The same message replaces forced `tool_choice` when a specific tool must run on the current turn (see [Breaking changes](https://platform.claude.com/docs/en/models/fable-5-1/migration-guide#fable-5-1-breaking-changes)). For a reminder that applies to one turn only, send it as a separate text-only `role: "system"` message with `clear_at: "next_user_message"` ([turn-scoped system messages](https://platform.claude.com/docs/en/build-with-claude/mid-conversation-system-messages#turn-scoped-system-messages), beta header `mid-conversation-system-clear-at-2026-08-21`) and leave it in the history: it stops rendering after the next user message and costs no tokens once cleared. A message that carries `tool_addition` or `tool_removal` blocks can't be turn-scoped.
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15221522
15231523* Update the model name from `claude-fable-5` to `claude-fable-5-1` (or `claude-mythos-5` to `claude-mythos-5-1`).
15241524* Replace forced `tool_choice` (`{type: "any"}` or `{type: "tool", ...}`). It returns a 400 error. Use `{type: "auto"}` plus an explicit instruction and `strict: true` tools, or JSON outputs. Put the instruction in the `user` turn, or in a mid-conversation `role: "system"` message when your application requires the call.
1525* Keep passing `thinking` blocks back unchanged on every turn, including empty ones. Claude Fable 5.1 reads blocks from Claude Opus 5, Claude Fable 5, Claude Mythos 5, and earlier models. Moving a conversation from Claude Fable 5.1 to an earlier model drops its blocks (Claude Mythos 5.1 reads them).
1525* Keep passing `thinking` blocks back unchanged on every turn, including empty ones. Claude Fable 5.1 reads blocks from Claude Opus 5, Claude Fable 5, Claude Mythos 5, and earlier models. Moving a conversation from Claude Fable 5.1 to any model other than Claude Mythos 5.1 drops its blocks.
15261526* If your code builds the `messages` array itself, check whether it [edits earlier turns](https://platform.claude.com/docs/en/models/fable-5-1/migration-guide#fable-5-1-preserved-thinking): run a session with the `thinking-binding-controls-2026-08-01` beta header and `prefix_mismatch_behavior: "drop_block"`, log `input_transformations`, and fix every `prefix_binding_mismatch`. `model_binding_mismatch` entries after a model switch are expected.
15271527* Keep conversation history append-only: freeze `system` and `tools` at session start and move mid-session changes to `role: "system"` messages and `tool_addition` / `tool_removal` blocks, send per-turn reminders as turn-scoped system messages you never remove, trim context server-side or strip thinking blocks from any turns you carry across a client-side summary, and reference cross-turn files by `file_id`.
15281528* Pick a production `prefix_mismatch_behavior` (`"error"` by default, or `"drop_block"`) and monitor it. If you maintain a tool that others run with their own API key, test with the field set: new accounts are enforced by default even if yours isn't.
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16031603[Claude Mythos 5.1](https://platform.claude.com/docs/en/models/mythos-5-1/overview) is the counterpart to Claude Fable 5.1 for organizations verified through Anthropic's verification programs, such as the [Cyber Verification Program](https://support.claude.com/en/articles/14604842). Confirm that your organization has access to Claude Mythos 5.1 before you switch model IDs.
16041604
1605The API-level delta matches [Migrating to Claude Fable 5.1 from Claude Fable 5](https://platform.claude.com/docs/en/models/fable-5-1/migration-guide#migrating-from-claude-fable-5-to-claude-fable-5-1): forced tool choice returns a 400 error, and thinking blocks are preserved only for the model that produced them or a newer one (Claude Mythos 5.1 reads Claude Mythos 5's blocks, not the reverse). Unlike Claude Fable 5.1, Claude Mythos 5.1 doesn't run the conversation check, so editing earlier turns doesn't [invalidate thinking blocks](https://platform.claude.com/docs/en/models/fable-5-1/migration-guide#fable-5-1-preserved-thinking), though it still restarts the prompt cache.
1605The API-level delta matches [Migrating to Claude Fable 5.1 from Claude Fable 5](https://platform.claude.com/docs/en/models/fable-5-1/migration-guide#migrating-from-claude-fable-5-to-claude-fable-5-1): forced tool choice returns a 400 error, and only Claude Mythos 5.1 and Claude Fable 5.1 read Claude Mythos 5.1's thinking blocks (Claude Mythos 5.1 reads Claude Mythos 5's blocks, not the reverse). Unlike Claude Fable 5.1, Claude Mythos 5.1 doesn't run the conversation check, so editing earlier turns doesn't [invalidate thinking blocks](https://platform.claude.com/docs/en/models/fable-5-1/migration-guide#fable-5-1-preserved-thinking), though it still restarts the prompt cache.
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16071607### Update your model name
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