How to break the AI "fix it" loop in Cursor, Lovable, Bolt and Replit

You paste an error, the AI says "Fixed!", and the same error comes back. Or a new one. A few rounds later, half your app has changed and the original problem is still there. Here's why it happens and how to stop it.

Why the loop happens

When you just say "fix it," the AI has to guess the cause. Each guess changes more code, so the real cause gets buried under new changes. The AI isn't getting dumber. It just doesn't have enough information.

The 4-step way out

1. Copy the exact error. Include the file name and line number if there is one. Screenshots and "it's broken" don't give the AI enough to go on.
2. Ask for a diagnosis, not a fix. Try: "Don't change any code yet. Explain the most likely cause of this error in one sentence, and show me the file it comes from."
3. Ask for the smallest fix. "Now make the smallest change that fixes this, only in that file. Don't add new packages. Tell me exactly what you changed."
4. Test right away. If something else breaks, undo the change and start again from step 1 with the new error.

If you're still going in circles

Some errors look the same but have different causes. Our page on the AI "fixing" the same bug has a ready-made prompt you can paste. Or paste your exact error into Unstuck and get one prompt written for your tool.