Feature Request: Configurable Approval Request Timeout (or Unlimited)

[alonsoguillen]

Feature Request: Configurable Approval Request Timeout (or Unlimited)

Current Behavior

Approval requests in Kimi Code CLI have a hardcoded 300-second (5-minute) timeout. When this timeout is reached, the approval is automatically cancelled with "approval timed out" feedback, which appears as "Rejected by user" in the terminal (red text).

This behavior is defined in:

# approval_runtime/runtime.py, line 86
async def wait_for_response(
    self, request_id: str, timeout: float = 300.0
) -> tuple[ApprovalResponseKind, str]:

Problem

Users who need time to research, verify, or think through approval decisions are experiencing frustrating timeouts. Common scenarios include:

1. Researching unfamiliar tools/commands: When Kimi proposes using a tool the user isn't familiar with, they may need to search documentation or Google to understand what it does before approving.

2. Verifying proposed changes: For complex diffs or file modifications, users may need to carefully review the changes, potentially opening files in their editor to understand the full context.

3. Cross-referencing requirements: Users may need to check project requirements, existing code patterns, or team conventions before approving certain actions.

4. Stepping away briefly: Users may need to step away from their desk momentarily while an approval is pending.

Comparison with Other Tools

Tool	Approval Timeout Behavior
Claude Code	Unlimited - waits indefinitely for user response
Kimi Code CLI	300 seconds (5 minutes) - hardcoded
GitHub Copilot Chat	Unlimited in chat mode

Proposed Solution

Option 1: Configurable Timeout (Recommended)

Add a configuration option in ~/.kimi/config.toml:

[approval]
# Timeout for approval requests in seconds
# Set to 0 or null for unlimited wait time
timeout_s = 300  # Default: 300 (5 minutes)

Option 2: Unlimited by Default

Change the default behavior to wait indefinitely, matching other agentic coding tools like Claude Code. Users who want timeouts can opt-in via configuration.

Option 3: Per-Request Timeout

Allow the AI to specify a timeout hint for urgent operations, while defaulting to unlimited for standard requests:

[approval]
default_timeout_s = 0  # 0 = unlimited
max_timeout_s = 3600   # Upper limit even for urgent requests

Additional Context

Related Code Locations

• kimi_cli/approval_runtime/runtime.py:86 - wait_for_response() method
• kimi_cli/tools/utils.py:182-198 - ToolRejectedError class (generates "Rejected by user" message)

Current Workarounds (Not Ideal)

1. YOLO mode (/yolo): Auto-approves all requests, but this is risky for important decisions
2. Quick-approve then revert: Approve hastily, then use git to revert if needed
3. Downgrade to v1.22: Some users report v1.22 has better timeout handling

Related Issues

• Issue Add /timeout so we can adjust the timeout #625: "Add /timeout so we can adjust the timeout" - for shell command timeouts
• Issue Kimi-CLI does not seem to respect task timeout parameters, leading to persistent timeouts #1761: Reports timeout parameters not being respected in v1.30

Implementation Notes

The change would primarily involve:

1. Reading the timeout value from configuration in ApprovalRuntime
2. Handling None or 0 as "unlimited" (no asyncio.wait_for() wrapper)
3. Documentation updates

Environment

• Kimi Code CLI version: 1.30 (and likely earlier)
• Platform: All platforms affected

---

Thank you for considering this feature request! The ability to have unlimited or configurable approval timeouts would significantly improve the user experience for thoughtful, careful development workflows.

[bloodycoder]

Hi maintainers, I implemented a fix for #1823 and prepared tests, but I’m currently blocked by local runtime/tooling mismatch before I can provide full green test evidence.

What has been implemented locally:

• Added approval.timeout_s config (default 300).
• Supports timeout_s = 0 as unlimited wait.
• Keeps internal None semantics for unlimited mode in runtime.
• Added finite/non-negative validation (<0, NaN, Inf rejected).
• Wired config into shared approval state so root/subagent behavior stays consistent.
• Updated EN/ZH docs for configuration semantics.

Current blocker:

• Local Python is 3.9, while repo requires >=3.12 (.python-version is 3.14).
• uv and tmux are not available in current environment.

Could you confirm expected validation baseline for this issue?

1. Preferred local Python target (3.12 or 3.14)
2. Whether tmux-related e2e is required for merge on Feature Request: Configurable Approval Request Timeout (or Unlimited) #1823

If this direction looks right, I will keep this as a Draft PR now and follow up with full passing test evidence once environment is aligned.

[bloodycoder]

Follow-up update for #1823:

Draft PR: #1837

Implemented:

• added approval.timeout_s config (default 300)
• supports timeout_s = 0 as unlimited wait
• rejects invalid timeout values (negative/NaN/Inf)
• keeps root/subagent approval timeout behavior consistent

Validation:

• pytest tests/core/test_config.py tests/core/test_approval_runtime.py tests/core/test_approval_timeout_config.py -q
• 33 passed

If you want additional coverage before ready-for-review, I can add it in a follow-up commit.