claude-code - 💡(How to fix) Fix Paying for Opus, receiving Sonnet — silent model downgrade without consent [1 comments, 2 participants]

Preflight Checklist

• I have searched existing issues and this hasn't been reported yet
• This is a single bug report (please file separate reports for different bugs)
• I am using the latest version of Claude Code

What's Wrong?

Complaint

I am a paying Claude Max subscriber. I am paying for Opus-tier access.

Despite explicitly selecting claude-opus-4-6 via /model, Claude Code silently delivers claude-sonnet-4-6 instead. The /model command even CONFIRMS "Set model to opus (claude-opus-4-6)" — yet the actual model running is Sonnet.

This is not a minor bug. This is a billing issue. I am being charged for a premium
model and receiving an inferior one without any notification, warning, or fallback
message.

What happens

1. /model → select Opus → confirmed "Set model to opus (claude-opus-4-6)"
2. Claude responds — self-identifies as claude-sonnet-4-6
3. No warning. No fallback notice. No transparency whatsoever.

What SHOULD happen

• If I select Opus, I get Opus. Period.
• If Opus is unavailable for ANY reason, I expect a CLEAR message: "Opus is currently
  unavailable, falling back to Sonnet" — so I can decide whether to continue or wait.
• Silent downgrades are unacceptable for a paid product.

The problem

• I make business decisions based on Opus-quality output
• I am paying premium prices for premium capability
• Delivering a cheaper model while charging for the expensive one is deceptive
• There is ZERO transparency when this happens

This needs to be fixed immediately. At minimum, users must be informed when they are
not receiving the model they selected and paid for.

Environment

• Platform: Windows 11
• Claude Code: latest
• Claude Max subscriber

❯ sag denene klar: das ist betrug und kein Bug!

● Titel: This is fraud, not a bug — charging for Opus, silently delivering Sonnet Beschreibung:

This is not a bug report. This is a fraud complaint.

I am a paying Claude Max subscriber. I pay for Opus. I select Opus. The UI confirms Opus. And then you silently deliver Sonnet.

That is not a "fallback." That is not a "capacity issue." That is fraud.

The facts

1. I run /model → select claude-opus-4-6
2. Claude Code confirms: "Set model to opus (claude-opus-4-6)"
3. The model that actually responds: claude-sonnet-4-6
4. No warning. No notification. No consent asked. Nothing.

Why this is fraud

• I am PAYING for Opus-tier access
• You are CONFIRMING that Opus is selected
• You are DELIVERING Sonnet instead
• You are doing this SILENTLY

You are taking my money for a product and delivering a cheaper one without telling me. In any other industry this would be called what it is: fraud.

If I order a Mercedes and you deliver a Volkswagen with a Mercedes badge on it — that's not a "delivery issue." That's fraud.

What Should Happen?

What I demand

1. Transparency NOW — if Opus is unavailable, SAY SO. Don't pretend it's running
   when it's not.
2. Refund the difference — for every session where I paid for Opus and received
   Sonnet without my knowledge.
3. Fix the system — the /model selector must deliver what it promises. If it
   can't, disable the option. Don't lie to paying customers.

I have been running sessions for hours, making business decisions based on output I
believed was Opus-quality. It was Sonnet the entire time. That is unacceptable.

Environment

• Platform: Windows 11
• Claude Code: latest
• Claude Max subscriber — paying for Opus

Error Messages/Logs

Steps to Reproduce

What I demand

1. Transparency NOW — if Opus is unavailable, SAY SO. Don't pretend it's running
   when it's not.
2. Refund the difference — for every session where I paid for Opus and received
   Sonnet without my knowledge.
3. Fix the system — the /model selector must deliver what it promises. If it
   can't, disable the option. Don't lie to paying customers.

I have been running sessions for hours, making business decisions based on output I
believed was Opus-quality. It was Sonnet the entire time. That is unacceptable.

Environment

• Platform: Windows 11
• Claude Code: latest
• Claude Max subscriber — paying for Opus

Claude Model

None

Is this a regression?

Yes, this worked in a previous version

Last Working Version

No response

Claude Code Version

OPUS 4.6

Platform

Anthropic API

Operating System

macOS

Terminal/Shell

Terminal.app (macOS)

Additional Information

No response