Claude Code v2.1.177: Fable 5 Forced Fallback to Opus 4.8, Bedrock Cache Fix, Security Patch
Anthropic
Claude Code v2.1.177 shipped on June 13, 2026. Due to the US government directive, all Fable 5 model selections are automatically redirected to Claude Opus 4.8 without user action. Other changes: session titles are now generated in the conversation language (configurable via the 'language' setting); a new 'footerLinksRegexes' setting enables regex-matched link badges in the footer; Bedrock credential caching now respects actual token expiration rather than a fixed 1-hour window; a security fix closes a loophole where blocked models could be bypassed via the 'availableModels' allowlist. Additional bug fixes cover copy/paste over tmux SSH, Remote Control model switching, and Linux sandbox with symlinked settings files.
Why it matters
The forced Fable 5 → Opus 4.8 redirect means any Claude Code workflow that was tuned to Fable 5's capabilities is silently downgraded. The Bedrock credential fix matters for teams running long CI/CD jobs on AWS. The security fix for allowlist bypass is relevant for operators who use 'availableModels' to restrict model access.
Importance: 3/5
Notable release with regulatory-driven breaking change (Fable 5 fallback) and a security fix.