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2026/07/14 - Answer the mabl agent when it needs your input

Molly Exten
  • Updated

When you create a test with the mabl agent, it works in the mabl cloud: opening your app, taking actions, and building steps toward the outcome you described. Sometimes it reaches a point it can't get past on its own, such as a login screen with no stored credential, a multi-factor prompt waiting on a code, an environment it can't reach, or an instruction that could be read more than one way. Until now, the agent had no choice but to stop and fail. Now it pauses and asks you a question instead. Once you answer, it picks up the same test right where it left off.

You don't have to be watching when it happens. A paused task waits for you, so you can answer minutes or days later, from wherever you work:

  • In the mabl app: an answer box on the task details page.
  • From the mabl CLI: find paused tasks and answer them in your terminal.
  • Through the mabl MCP: let an AI client, or you working through one, check for paused tasks and answer them.

How it works

When the mabl agent can't finish a step on its own, it saves the test it has built so far and pauses the task. The task moves into a state that's waiting on you, and the question the agent needs answered appears alongside it. Answering does two things at once: it gives the agent what it asked for, and it resumes the task. If your answer still leaves room for interpretation, the agent may come back with a follow-up question before it continues.

Because the agent saves its progress before pausing, resuming continues the test it was already building instead of starting a new one.

Where you can answer

mabl app

In the mabl app, the Tasks page under Agents gathers every session waiting on you into a Needs input section, shown above your recently completed tasks, so nothing that needs an answer slips by.

The Agents Tasks page with a "Needs input" section listing paused sessions in a table above the "Recently completed" section.

Open one to answer it. A banner at the top of the task's details page shows the agent's question with a box to type your reply. Send it, and the page updates as soon as the agent resumes or asks a follow-up.

The answer banner at the top of a paused task's details page, showing the "Needs input" status and the agent's question above a text box and Send button.

mabl CLI

Make sure you're on mabl CLI version 2.119.7 or later, then use the mabl agent authoring commands:

  • mabl agent authoring list shows your cloud authoring tasks, defaulting to the ones waiting for input.
  • mabl agent authoring status <session-id> shows a paused task's pending question, along with the agent's plan so far.
  • mabl agent authoring answer <session-id> "your answer" answers the question and resumes the task. Pass a longer answer from a file with --file.

mabl MCP

The mabl MCP server now includes three tools for paused tasks. The mabl MCP is hosted, so there's nothing to update:

  • mabl_authoring_list lists authoring tasks, defaulting to those awaiting an answer.
  • mabl_authoring_status reads a paused task's pending question and plan summary.
  • mabl_authoring_answer answers the question and resumes the task.

Learn more

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