Based on the available sources, I don’t have specific information about the root cause of why {{current_time_America/Los_Angeles}} got stuck in your original agent while {{current_time}} continued working.
However, there’s a similar documented case where a system dynamic variable ({{user_number}}) had caching issues. In that case, the user found that after setting a fallback dynamic value and then deleting it again, the variable started working correctly.(1) The user noted: “Strange. I dont know if you guys fix something from backend but this is what I see”.(1)
This suggests the issue may be related to how the platform handles certain dynamic variables at the agent level, potentially involving backend caching or version compatibility.
To minimize risk in production:
- Test dynamic variables in live calls (not just simulations) before deploying(1)
- Set default dynamic variables at the agent level as fallbacks using the
default_dynamic_variablesfield(2)(3) - Monitor for unexpected values and consider duplicating agents if variables behave inconsistently
Unfortunately, without more technical details from Retell’s engineering team, there isn’t a definitive preventive measure on your end beyond these best practices. If this becomes a recurring issue, I’d recommend reaching out through these support channels:
- Visit Documentation
- Ask questions on Discord