Skip to main content
Sometimes a Hive Agent needs one clarifying answer before it can plan its work. When the objective is ambiguous, the run pauses and asks the recipient a short multiple-choice question.

​
When does a run pause?

Fetch Hive asks for clarification only during planning, before any work nodes start. A run asks at most one question per run. The question can include up to four choices, and you can type a custom answer when that option is offered. Dashboard Start Run and attended API runs can pause this way. Unattended API runs (unattended: true) never pause for clarification: Fetch Hive continues with a default interpretation and lists those choices as Assumptions made on the run. While waiting, the run status becomes blocked. No new node work starts until you answer or the request expires.

​
Who receives the question?

Fetch Hive sends the clarification to the Hive Agent creator when that person is still a member of the account. If not, it sends the request to the account owner. If Email address is set under Notifications, alerts go there. If Send via is Telegram, Fetch Hive sends to the selected connected Telegram account. If Telegram is selected but no active destination is available, Fetch Hive falls back to email.

​
How do I answer?

Open the clarification page from the email or Telegram magic link, or click Open clarification in the Hive Agent run console while the run is waiting. Review the objective and the question, choose an option (or enter a custom answer), then submit. Fetch Hive resumes planning with your answer and continues the run. Clarification links expire after 24 hours. If the request can still be resent, click Send a fresh link from the expired page. Fetch Hive sends a new notification. Open that new link to continue. If the request times out without an answer, the run stops and does not continue planning.

​
How does clarification affect the rest of the run?

After you answer, Fetch Hive re-plans using your clarification and then executes the planned work nodes as usual. Budget approval can still pause the same run later if spending crosses your budget guardrails. Clarification and budget approval are separate pauses. See also: Budget Approval, Notifications, and Running Tasks.