{"version":"2.1.311","anchor":"unwatched-reply-hold-buffering-of-sse-streams-for-subagent","canonical_anchor":"unwatched-reply-hold-buffering-of-sse-streams-for-subagent","heading":"Optional delay for streamed replies nobody is watching","tier":"internal","area":"Streaming","scope":"individual","heads_up":false,"url":"https:\/\/changelogs.core-directive.com\/v\/2.1.311\/e\/unwatched-reply-hold-buffering-of-sse-streams-for-subagent","release_url":"https:\/\/changelogs.core-directive.com\/v\/2.1.311","markdown":"### Optional delay for streamed replies nobody is watching\n\nSetting `CLAUDE_CODE_UNWATCHED_REPLY_HOLD_MS` makes Claude Code batch streamed replies for subagents, side requests and compaction instead of handling each piece\n\n**What**\n\nClaude's replies arrive as a stream of small pieces. Some requests run in the background where no one is watching the text appear:\n\n- subagents, which are helper agents Claude starts to do part of a task\n\n- auxiliary requests, which are small side calls Claude Code makes for itself\n\n- compaction, where Claude Code summarises a long conversation to save space\n\nFor these, Claude Code can now hold the streamed pieces back and pass them along in batches. The hold time, in milliseconds, comes from the environment variable `CLAUDE_CODE_UNWATCHED_REPLY_HOLD_MS`. It defaults to 0, which means no holding at all, so nothing changes unless you set it.\n\n**Why**\n\nBatching background streams can mean less work for your computer while nobody is reading them. It stays off unless the variable is set above 0.\n\n- Area: Streaming\n- Tier: Under the hood\n- Useful: 2\/5\n- Signal: 3\/5\n- Scope: individual\n- Heads-up: no"}