system_sleep
Pause execution for a given number of seconds (max 30). Use when you need to wait for an external process to complete before retrying — e.g. message sync, backfill, or API propagation. Total sleep per run is capped at 60 seconds.
This record as markdown: /tools/io-github-saloprj-dialogbrain/system-sleep.md
What system_sleep does on Dialogbrain
AI agents invoke system_sleep to trigger actions in Dialogbrain. What it does depends on the arguments the agent supplies, and its effects often reach beyond the immediate call: builds kicked off, notifications sent, workflows started.
| Parameter | Type | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
reason | string | — | Why you are waiting (logged for debugging) |
seconds | integer | Yes | Number of seconds to sleep (1-30) |
Parameters from the server's own tool schema.
Why system_sleep is rated High
system_sleep executes a timing/delay operation that can affect the control flow of an agent's execution. While not inherently dangerous (max 30 seconds per call, 60 seconds total per run), it still falls under Execute rather than Read because it actively triggers a system-level operation that modifies execution behavior.
From the tool's definition Tool description states it pauses execution for a given number of seconds, which is a control-flow operation that affects program behavior. The capability to delay/sleep execution is a form of command execution, even though it has limited side effects.
Risk signalsAdmin/system-level operation
Attacks that exploit this kind of access
The rule that runs system_sleep safely
PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway: it sits between your AI agents and Dialogbrain, and checks every tool call against a rule you set before the call runs. Nothing changes on the server itself. For system_sleep, this is the rule to start with:
system_sleep stays usable, but rate-capped: a runaway agent can't fire it dozens of times a minute. Everything else on the server is denied unless you say otherwise.
The button opens the PolicyLayer dashboard: create your workspace, connect Dialogbrain, apply this rule, and every system_sleep call is checked against it from then on.
Questions about system_sleep
Pause execution for a given number of seconds (max 30). Use when you need to wait for an external process to complete before retrying — e.g. message sync, backfill, or API propagation. Total sleep per run is capped at 60 seconds. It is categorised as a Execute tool in the Dialogbrain MCP Server, which means it can trigger actions or run processes. Use rate limits and argument validation.
system_sleep accepts 2 parameters: reason, seconds. Required: seconds. The full parameter table on this page comes from the server's own tool schema.
Register the Dialogbrain MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for system_sleep: allow, deny, rate-limit, or require approval. Point your MCP client at the PolicyLayer proxy URL and the rule is enforced on every call, before it reaches Dialogbrain. Nothing to install.
system_sleep is a Execute tool with high risk. Execute tools should be rate-limited and have argument validation enabled.
Yes. Add a rate_limit block to the system_sleep rule in your PolicyLayer policy. For example, setting max: 10 and window: 60 limits the tool to 10 calls per minute. Rate limits are tracked per agent session and reset automatically.
Set action: deny in the PolicyLayer policy for system_sleep. The AI agent will receive a policy violation error and cannot call the tool. You can also include a reason field to explain why the tool is blocked.
system_sleep is provided by the Dialogbrain MCP server (https://api.dialogbrain.com/mcp). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.
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