headroom/tests/test_cache_control_move_bust.py
Rod Boev c16be9bbbe
fix(proxy/anthropic): don't replay recorded prefix over live history (#3026) (#3052)
## Description

A Claude Code session that reads a large tool result through `headroom
proxy` can fail on turn 2 with Anthropic's `400 prompt_too_long`. The
reporter's controlled comparison completed eight turns through 0.33.0
with 187,986 input tokens, while 0.35.0 failed after five requests with
753,077 input tokens. The local regression uses an actual prior
optimized request to populate tracker state, then a decision-false
bypass turn with Claude-shaped tool-result content. The old
unconditional replay path substitutes the compressed prefix; the
eligibility gate preserves the client's outbound body without claiming a
live provider reproduction.

The Anthropic `/v1/messages` route computes whether a request should be
compressed, but cached-prefix replay currently runs outside that
decision. The replay helper also derives its prefix length from the
original message list and applies that index to the optimized list
without proving the two lists still align. A stale forwarded prefix can
therefore be grafted onto the wrong positions and enlarge later
requests.

This change limits replay to requests whose existing compression
decision permits it and whose pre-upstream backpressure path is
inactive. It also makes `overlay_cached_prefix()` decline misaligned or
inflating candidates while preserving normal append-only replay.

Reported by @itsumonotakumi, whose controlled comparison isolated the
failure from compression, headers, one-request serialization, memory,
code graph, and CCR.

Closes #3026

## Type of Change

- [x] Bug fix (non-breaking change that fixes an issue)
- [ ] New feature (non-breaking change that adds functionality)
- [ ] Breaking change (fix or feature that would cause existing
functionality to change)
- [ ] Documentation update
- [ ] Performance improvement
- [ ] Code refactoring (no functional changes)

## Changes Made

- Gate Anthropic cached-prefix replay on the existing
`CompressionDecision.should_compress` result and the existing
pre-upstream backpressure state.
- Require positional alignment between optimized and original message
arrays before replay.
- Reject replay candidates that would serialize larger than the current
optimized messages.
- Add focused handler coverage for the decision-false tool-result
regression, bypass and backpressure paths, and outbound optimize-on
preservation.
- Add direct unit coverage for positional mismatch, no-inflation, and
JSON sizing-failure bailouts.
- Update the moved-cache-control and pure-block-append regression
fixtures to keep the no-inflation contract explicit.
- Run the unchanged OpenAI cache-stability preservation proof; no OpenAI
production code was edited.

## Testing

- [x] Unit tests pass (153 focused proxy, helper, cache-control,
block-append, cross-turn, byte-faithful, Anthropic, OpenAI, and
backpressure tests)
- [x] Linting passes (Ruff check and format validation on the seven
changed repository files)
- [ ] Type checking passes (`uv run mypy headroom`)
- [x] New tests added for new functionality when applicable
- [x] Manual testing performed with the in-process proxy and local stub
upstream

### Test Output

```text
python -m pytest tests/test_proxy/test_anthropic_no_optimize_history_passthrough.py tests/test_cache_prefix_overlay.py tests/test_cross_turn_cache_safety.py tests/test_cache_control_move_bust.py tests/test_proxy_byte_faithful_forwarding.py tests/test_proxy_anthropic_cache_stability.py tests/test_anthropic_pre_upstream_backpressure.py -q
python -m pytest tests/test_proxy_openai_cache_stability.py -q
python -m pytest tests/test_issue_2671_block_growth_cache.py::test_pure_append_replays_forwarded_blocks_and_advances_breakpoint -q
153 passed across focused invocations, exit code 0
optimize_off turn2_message_count=3 marker_count=1 outbound_compact_utf8_bytes=2293 client_compact_utf8_bytes=2293
optimize_on turn2_message_count=3 client_message_count=3 marker_count=0 outbound_compact_utf8_bytes=171 client_compact_utf8_bytes=182
python -m ruff check headroom/proxy/handlers/anthropic.py headroom/cache/prefix_tracker.py tests/test_proxy/test_anthropic_no_optimize_history_passthrough.py tests/test_cache_prefix_overlay.py tests/test_cache_control_move_bust.py tests/test_issue_2671_block_growth_cache.py tests/test_proxy_openai_cache_stability.py
All checks passed!, exit code 0

python -m ruff format headroom/proxy/handlers/anthropic.py headroom/cache/prefix_tracker.py tests/test_proxy/test_anthropic_no_optimize_history_passthrough.py tests/test_cache_prefix_overlay.py tests/test_cache_control_move_bust.py tests/test_issue_2671_block_growth_cache.py tests/test_proxy_openai_cache_stability.py --check
7 files already formatted, exit code 0

git diff --check
clean, exit code 0
```

## Real Behavior Proof

- Environment: Windows 11, Python 3.12 via `uv`, real Headroom proxy app
with a local stub Anthropic upstream
- Exact command / steps: send an actual optimize-on first request
through the in-process proxy with a deterministic production-pipeline
seam, then send a decision-false bypass turn containing a large
Claude-shaped `tool_result` with moved `cache_control`; separately send
an aligned optimize-on turn with a new suffix
- Observed result: the exact base checkout fails with `AssertionError:
assert 'compressed-tool-result' == 'large-tool-result-marker ...'`; the
guarded path passes with the client marker present once and outbound
compact JSON no larger than the client body. The optimize-on
preservation run records `optimize_on turn2_message_count=3
client_message_count=3 marker_count=0 outbound_compact_utf8_bytes=171
client_compact_utf8_bytes=182`, proving the actual compressed prefix is
outbound before the new suffix without turn-2 growth.
- Not tested: live Claude Code session against api.anthropic.com on this
host

## Runtime Rollout Safety

- Rollout-managed feature(s): none.
- Minimum rollout channel: N/A.
- Stable/default behavior changed: cached-prefix replay now follows the
existing compression and backpressure decision and rejects misaligned or
inflating candidates.
- Kill switch / disable path: no new switch; the existing optimize and
bypass controls remain available.
- Unsafe override required: none.
- Qualification impact: none.
- Rollback path: revert the implementation commit.

## Review Readiness

- [x] I have performed a self-review
- [x] This PR is ready for human review

## Checklist

- [x] My code follows the project's style guidelines
- [x] I have performed a self-review of my code
- [ ] I have commented my code, particularly in hard-to-understand areas
- [ ] I have made corresponding changes to the documentation
- [ ] My changes generate no new warnings
- [x] I have added tests that prove my fix is effective or that my
feature works
- [x] New and existing unit tests pass locally with my changes

## Additional Notes

`CHANGELOG.md` is not modified because Headroom's release automation
generates it from conventional commits.

This change does not add a context-limit guard or alter compression,
streaming tracker provenance, outbound-body selection, OpenAI behavior,
or provider limits. Local tests prove request-body ownership and replay
bounds. The reporter's live Claude Code completion and Anthropic token
acceptance remain external to this local proof.
2026-08-17 15:02:18 -07:00

397 lines
16 KiB
Python

"""Reproduce the residual cache-bust: client MOVING cache_control defeats the
prefix overlay.
Real clients (Claude Code, litellm) move the cache_control breakpoint to the
newest message every turn — so a message that was marked last turn is unmarked
this turn (its dict bytes change). The first overlay fix compared *raw* message
dicts for its append-only guard, so a moved marker in the frozen prefix made the
guard fail → the overlay skipped the replay → the raw freeze forwarded ORIGINAL
bytes over the cached COMPRESSED prefix → partial bust (the ~42% residual seen
on the a10 run, with prefix_change=0).
These tests pin the exact scenario, prove the content-only guard fixes it, and
document the remaining piece (marker accumulation > 4 → needs stable placement).
"""
from headroom.cache.prefix_tracker import (
PrefixCacheTracker,
PrefixFreezeConfig,
overlay_cached_prefix,
)
def M(role, text, cc=False):
m = {"role": role, "content": text}
if cc:
m["cache_control"] = {"type": "ephemeral"}
return m
def _toklen(m):
return max(1, len(str(m.get("content", ""))))
def _compress(m):
c = str(m.get("content", ""))
return {**m, "content": c[: max(1, len(c) // 2)]}
def _freeze(original, frozen):
# content_router freeze model: frozen prefix = ORIGINAL bytes, rest compressed.
return [(original[i] if i < frozen else _compress(original[i])) for i in range(len(original))]
# ── Unit reproduction ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
# Last turn we forwarded the compressed prefix; the client had marked msg1.
PREV_ORIG = [M("user", "READ foo:\n<big>"), M("assistant", "ok", cc=True)]
PREV_FWD = [M("user", "READ foo:\n<compressed>"), M("assistant", "ok", cc=True)]
# This turn the client MOVED the marker off msg1 onto the new last message (msg2).
CUR_ORIG = [M("user", "READ foo:\n<big>"), M("assistant", "ok"), M("user", "grep:\n<big>", cc=True)]
# Freeze forwarded ORIGINAL bytes for the frozen prefix + compressed tail.
OPTIMIZED = [M("user", "READ foo:\n<big>"), M("assistant", "ok"), M("user", "grep:\n<compressed>")]
def test_marker_move_would_fail_a_raw_dict_guard():
# This is the exact condition the old (raw) guard tripped on: the frozen
# prefix differs ONLY because cache_control moved off msg1.
assert CUR_ORIG[:2] != PREV_ORIG
# ...but with cache_control stripped, the content is an append-only extension.
from headroom.cache.prefix_tracker import _strip_cache_control
assert _strip_cache_control(CUR_ORIG[:2]) == _strip_cache_control(PREV_ORIG)
def test_overlay_skips_inflating_moved_marker_replay():
out = overlay_cached_prefix(OPTIMIZED, CUR_ORIG, PREV_ORIG, PREV_FWD)
# Moving cache_control must not exempt a larger replay candidate from the
# no-inflation bound, even when content-only history alignment succeeds.
assert out == OPTIMIZED
# ── Cross-turn: client moves the marker every turn, provider keys on full bytes ─
def _client_convo(t):
msgs = [{"role": "user", "content": f"turn-{k}:" + "X" * 300} for k in range(1, t + 1)]
msgs[-1] = {**msgs[-1], "cache_control": {"type": "ephemeral"}} # mark ONLY the newest
return msgs
def _cache_read(fwd, prev_fwd):
# cache_control-AWARE (worst case): a moved marker changes the block's bytes,
# so it breaks the byte-identical prefix.
if not prev_fwd:
return 0
matched = 0
for a, b in zip(fwd, prev_fwd):
if a == b:
matched += _toklen(a)
else:
break
return matched
def _drive(use_overlay, turns=5):
tracker = PrefixCacheTracker("anthropic", PrefixFreezeConfig(min_cached_tokens=0))
prev_fwd = None
results = []
last_fwd = None
for t in range(1, turns + 1):
cur = _client_convo(t)
frozen = tracker.get_frozen_message_count()
fwd = _freeze(cur, frozen)
if use_overlay:
fwd = overlay_cached_prefix(
fwd,
cur,
tracker.get_last_original_messages(),
tracker.get_last_forwarded_messages(),
)
exp = sum(_toklen(m) for m in prev_fwd) if prev_fwd else 0
act = _cache_read(fwd, prev_fwd)
results.append((exp, act))
counts = [_toklen(m) for m in fwd]
tracker.update_from_response(
act, sum(counts) - act, fwd, message_token_counts=counts, original_messages=cur
)
prev_fwd = fwd
last_fwd = fwd
return results, last_fwd
def test_moving_marker_busts_without_overlay():
results, _ = _drive(use_overlay=False)
assert any(exp > act for exp, act in results[1:]), "moving marker should bust the raw freeze"
def test_moving_marker_no_bust_with_overlay():
results, _ = _drive(use_overlay=True)
for exp, act in results[1:]:
assert act >= exp, f"cache bust under moved marker: expected {exp} read {act}"
# ── fix-2: Headroom owns cache_control placement (realistic block content) ────
from headroom.cache.prefix_tracker import ( # noqa: E402
_strip_cache_control,
normalize_message_cache_control,
)
def B(role, text, cc=False):
"""Anthropic block-style message (cache_control lives on a content block)."""
blk = {"type": "text", "text": text}
if cc:
blk["cache_control"] = {"type": "ephemeral"}
return {"role": role, "content": [blk]}
def _markers(messages):
return sum(
1
for m in messages
if isinstance(m.get("content"), list)
for b in m["content"]
if isinstance(b, dict) and "cache_control" in b
)
def test_normalize_strips_all_and_keeps_one_on_last():
# 5 accumulated markers (the pile-up the overlay would produce).
msgs = [
B("user", "a", cc=True),
B("assistant", "b", cc=True),
B("user", "c", cc=True),
B("user", "d", cc=True),
B("user", "e", cc=True),
]
out = normalize_message_cache_control(msgs)
assert _markers(out) == 1 # bounded — no >4 error
assert "cache_control" in out[-1]["content"][-1] # on the last block
assert _strip_cache_control(out) == _strip_cache_control(msgs) # content untouched
def test_normalize_stays_bounded_across_many_turns():
"""The accumulation that would 400 Anthropic is now capped at 1 every turn."""
conv = []
forwarded = []
for t in range(1, 12):
conv = conv + [B("user", f"turn-{t}", cc=True)] # client marks the newest
forwarded = normalize_message_cache_control(conv)
assert _markers(forwarded) <= 4 # never exceeds Anthropic's limit
assert _markers(forwarded) == 1 # exactly one, on the last message
def test_normalize_is_noop_when_no_block_markers():
plain = [B("user", "a"), B("assistant", "b")] # no cache_control
out = normalize_message_cache_control(plain)
# places exactly one breakpoint (so the prefix gets cached), content stable
assert _markers(out) == 1
assert _strip_cache_control(out) == _strip_cache_control(plain)
# ── fix-3 (#2375): consolidation must not silently drop the client's ttl ─────
def B_ttl(role, text, ttl):
"""Block-style message whose marker carries an explicit ttl (1h caching)."""
blk = {"type": "text", "text": text, "cache_control": {"type": "ephemeral", "ttl": ttl}}
return {"role": role, "content": [blk]}
def test_normalize_preserves_ttl_of_newest_marker():
"""A 1h-ttl client must not be silently downgraded to the 5m default."""
msgs = [B("user", "a", cc=True), B_ttl("user", "b", "1h")]
out = normalize_message_cache_control(msgs)
assert _markers(out) == 1
assert out[-1]["content"][-1]["cache_control"] == {"type": "ephemeral", "ttl": "1h"}
def test_normalize_newest_marker_wins_over_stale_ttl():
# Older replayed markers still carry 1h, but the client's NEWEST marker has
# no ttl — the client switched back to the default; don't resurrect 1h.
msgs = [B_ttl("user", "a", "1h"), B_ttl("assistant", "b", "1h"), B("user", "c", cc=True)]
out = normalize_message_cache_control(msgs)
assert _markers(out) == 1
assert out[-1]["content"][-1]["cache_control"] == {"type": "ephemeral"}
def test_normalize_ttl_survives_many_turns():
"""The #2375 scenario: ttl held for one turn, gone on every later turn."""
conv = []
for t in range(1, 8):
conv = conv + [B_ttl("user", f"turn-{t}", "1h")] # client always asks 1h
conv = normalize_message_cache_control(conv)
assert _markers(conv) == 1
assert conv[-1]["content"][-1]["cache_control"] == {"type": "ephemeral", "ttl": "1h"}
# ── fix-4: mirror the CLIENT's marker positions (20-block lookback chain) ────
# Anthropic resolves each breakpoint by walking back at most ~20 content
# blocks. Agentic clients keep a marker on the previous turn's newest message
# as the read anchor; collapsing to a single newest-block marker breaks the
# chain on tool-heavy turns. With client_messages provided, normalize must
# keep exactly the client's positions.
def test_normalize_mirrors_client_marker_positions():
client = [
B("user", "a", cc=True),
B("assistant", "b"),
B("user", "c", cc=True), # read anchor (previous newest)
B("assistant", "d"),
B("user", "e", cc=True), # newest
]
# Forwarded form: replay leftovers piled markers onto other messages too.
merged = [
B("user", "a", cc=True),
B("assistant", "b", cc=True),
B("user", "c", cc=True),
B("assistant", "d", cc=True),
B("user", "e", cc=True),
]
out = normalize_message_cache_control(merged, client_messages=client)
assert _markers(out) == 3 # exactly the client's three, not one
for idx in (0, 2, 4):
assert "cache_control" in out[idx]["content"][-1], idx
for idx in (1, 3):
assert _markers([out[idx]]) == 0, idx
assert _strip_cache_control(out) == _strip_cache_control(merged)
def test_normalize_mirror_preserves_per_position_ttl():
client = [B_ttl("user", "a", "1h"), B("user", "b", cc=True)]
merged = [B("user", "a", cc=True), B("user", "b", cc=True)]
out = normalize_message_cache_control(merged, client_messages=client)
assert out[0]["content"][-1]["cache_control"] == {"type": "ephemeral", "ttl": "1h"}
assert out[1]["content"][-1]["cache_control"] == {"type": "ephemeral"}
def test_normalize_mirror_bounded_across_many_turns():
"""Client moves its pair of markers forward; forwarded stays at client count."""
conv = []
for t in range(1, 12):
conv = conv + [B("user", f"turn-{t}")]
# Client marks the newest and second-newest marked position (CC pattern).
client = [dict(m) for m in conv]
client[-1] = B("user", f"turn-{t}", cc=True)
if len(client) >= 2:
client[-2] = B(client[-2]["role"], client[-2]["content"][0]["text"], cc=True)
# Forwarded side accumulated replay leftovers everywhere.
merged = [B(m["role"], m["content"][0]["text"], cc=True) for m in client]
out = normalize_message_cache_control(merged, client_messages=client)
assert _markers(out) == min(2, len(client))
assert "cache_control" in out[-1]["content"][-1]
def test_normalize_falls_back_when_counts_mismatch():
client = [B("user", "a", cc=True)] # transform changed message count
merged = [B("user", "a", cc=True), B("user", "b", cc=True)]
out = normalize_message_cache_control(merged, client_messages=client)
assert _markers(out) == 1 # legacy consolidation
assert "cache_control" in out[-1]["content"][-1]
def test_normalize_falls_back_when_client_has_no_markers():
client = [B("user", "a"), B("user", "b")]
merged = [B("user", "a", cc=True), B("user", "b")]
out = normalize_message_cache_control(merged, client_messages=client)
assert _markers(out) == 1 # legacy: still place one so the prefix caches
assert "cache_control" in out[-1]["content"][-1]
def test_normalize_mirror_skips_string_content_positions():
# Client marked message 0; forwarded counterpart is string-content (cannot
# carry a marker) — the position is skipped, the rest still mirror.
client = [B("user", "a", cc=True), B("user", "b", cc=True)]
merged = [{"role": "user", "content": "a"}, B("user", "b", cc=True)]
out = normalize_message_cache_control(merged, client_messages=client)
assert _markers(out) == 1
assert "cache_control" in out[1]["content"][-1]
# ── fix-5: block-level mirroring (multiple client markers in one message) ────
def test_normalize_mirrors_multiple_markers_within_one_message():
"""A 2-message request where the client marks TWO blocks of message 0
(Claude Code's pattern on large first messages) keeps all three markers."""
big = {
"role": "user",
"content": [
{"type": "text", "text": "part-1", "cache_control": {"type": "ephemeral"}},
{"type": "text", "text": "part-2"},
{"type": "text", "text": "part-3", "cache_control": {"type": "ephemeral"}},
],
}
client = [big, B("user", "follow-up", cc=True)]
# Forwarded form: an extra replay leftover on message 1's sibling... use
# identical structure with markers everywhere to prove selective stripping.
merged = [
{
"role": "user",
"content": [
{"type": "text", "text": "part-1", "cache_control": {"type": "ephemeral"}},
{"type": "text", "text": "part-2", "cache_control": {"type": "ephemeral"}},
{"type": "text", "text": "part-3", "cache_control": {"type": "ephemeral"}},
],
},
B("user", "follow-up", cc=True),
]
out = normalize_message_cache_control(merged, client_messages=client)
assert _markers(out) == 3
assert "cache_control" in out[0]["content"][0]
assert "cache_control" not in out[0]["content"][1]
assert "cache_control" in out[0]["content"][2]
assert "cache_control" in out[1]["content"][-1]
assert _strip_cache_control(out) == _strip_cache_control(merged)
def test_normalize_mirror_clamps_out_of_range_block_index():
# Client marked block 2; forwarded message only has 1 block (transform
# merged content) — marker falls back to the last block, not dropped.
client = [
{
"role": "user",
"content": [
{"type": "text", "text": "a"},
{"type": "text", "text": "b"},
{"type": "text", "text": "c", "cache_control": {"type": "ephemeral"}},
],
},
B("user", "tail", cc=True),
]
merged = [B("user", "abc-merged"), B("user", "tail", cc=True)]
out = normalize_message_cache_control(merged, client_messages=client)
assert _markers(out) == 2
assert "cache_control" in out[0]["content"][-1]
assert "cache_control" in out[1]["content"][-1]
def test_normalize_mirror_scalar_only_content_is_left_unchanged():
"""Client marks a message whose forwarded counterpart carries only scalar
blocks: nothing can hold a marker and nothing was stripped, so the input
comes back unchanged (identity, not a copy)."""
client = [B("user", "a", cc=True)]
merged = [{"role": "user", "content": ["scalar-only"]}]
out = normalize_message_cache_control(merged, client_messages=client)
assert out is merged
assert _markers(out) == 0
def test_normalize_mirror_scalar_target_still_strips_leftovers():
# Message 0's forwarded content is scalar-only (marker unplaceable) but a
# replay leftover on message 1 still gets stripped, and message 1 keeps
# its client marker.
client = [B("user", "a", cc=True), B("user", "b", cc=True)]
merged = [
{"role": "user", "content": ["scalar-only"]},
{
"role": "user",
"content": [
{"type": "text", "text": "left-over", "cache_control": {"type": "ephemeral"}},
{"type": "text", "text": "b"},
],
},
]
out = normalize_message_cache_control(merged, client_messages=client)
assert _markers(out) == 1
assert "cache_control" not in out[1]["content"][0]
assert "cache_control" in out[1]["content"][-1]