{"version":"2.1.323","anchor":"peer-messaging-local-hop-limits-and-chain-tracking","canonical_anchor":"cross-session-message-relay-hop-limits","heading":"Cross-session messages gain local relay limits and chain tracking","tier":"notice","area":"Session Messaging","scope":"individual","heads_up":true,"url":"https:\/\/changelogs.core-directive.com\/v\/2.1.323\/e\/peer-messaging-local-hop-limits-and-chain-tracking","release_url":"https:\/\/changelogs.core-directive.com\/v\/2.1.323","markdown":"### Cross-session messages gain local relay limits and chain tracking\n\nSendMessage now counts local and bridge sends per starter and pauses with hop_loop when limits such as maxLocalRelays are exceeded\n\n**What**\n\n`SendMessage` is the tool one Claude Code session uses to message another. Message chains between agents could already be stopped by a per-recipient limit (`maxSelfHops`). That protection now also covers relays on the same machine and through the bridge (the connection between a local session and a remote one).\n\n- `SendMessage` now counts local and bridge sends for each session that started a chain. Before, it passed the hop chain along with no counters.\n\n- When a limit such as `maxLocalRelays` or `maxSelfHops` is exceeded, sending pauses and reports a `degradedClass` of `hop_loop`.\n\n- The configuration gains `maxDesktopForwards`, `maxLocalRelays` (default 100,000) and `countLocalHops` (default false).\n\n- Sends now carry a `local_chain` along with the hop chain.\n\n- Passing the hop chain is still controlled by the gate `tengu_tidy_fern`, which defaults to true in the code. Nothing has been read about this gate.\n\nThe stock description of the `SendMessage` tool is unchanged at 4,259 characters, from a capture taken under this release.\n\n**Why**\n\nSessions that keep relaying messages to each other on the same machine or across the bridge now stop with a `hop_loop` pause instead of passing messages back and forth without end. With `countLocalHops` false by default, local hops may not be counted unless that setting is turned on.\n\n- Flag `tengu_tidy_fern`: Not enough to say (read for one account on one subscription tier against v2.1.323; this account: no value returned, anonymous baseline: no value returned, compiled default: on) These values were read against a different version of Claude Code, so treat them as the nearest reading available instead of one taken on this release.\n- Area: Session Messaging\n- Tier: You'll notice\n- Useful: 3\/5\n- Signal: 4\/5\n- Scope: individual\n- Heads-up: yes"}