Driftwatch

Clerk / Clerk Backend API (2026-05-12) /

Breakingdirection flip: their tools call this safe

specter_enabled is no longer accepted

What changed

Usually ignored rather than rejected, so the call succeeds and does something subtly different.

Affects specter_enabled on PATCH /instance/protect. Grep for it: nothing else will tell you.

Who is affected

Code that sends PATCH /instance/protect (specter_enabled).

Before and after

WhereBeforeAfter
PATCH /instance/protect · specter_enabledpresentabsent

Code that breaks

await client.post("/instance/protect", {
  // specter_enabled is now ignored, not rejected
  specter_enabled: value,
});

Based on Clerk’s published API specification. How severity is decided.