VS Code shows "browser connected" for @browser while the Chrome extension is signed out

Environment

• Windows 11 Home 10.0.26200, Chrome 154.0.8037.98
• Claude Code VS Code extension 2.1.296 (updated 2026-10-11 07:22); native host .bat points to npm-global CLI 2.1.289
• Claude in Chrome extension 1.0.100 (fcoeoabgfenejglbffodgkkbkcdhcgfn)
• Claude Desktop installed; its chrome-native-host.exe updated 2026-10-10 14:24, manifest com.anthropic.claude_browser_extension.json rewritten 2026-10-11 07:17

What happens
Since 2026-10-11 the extension always launches Claude Desktop's native host (%APPDATA%\Claude\ChromeNativeHost\chrome-native-host.exe), even with Claude Desktop fully quit and Chrome restarted. Claude Code's host (claude --chrome-native-host, registered as com.anthropic.claude_code_browser_extension) never starts. The VS Code chat shows a "browser connected" chip when typing @browser, but Claude reports the extension as not connected, list_connected_browsers returns [], and the claude-in-chrome MCP server later disappears from the session. @browser no longer appears in the @-mention dropdown.

Expected
When Claude Desktop isn't running (or when the request comes from Claude Code), the extension should connect to Claude Code's native host, as it did until 2026-10-10.

Workaround (being tested)
Renaming Desktop's native host manifest so Chrome can't launch it, then restarting Chrome and reloading the VS Code window. Claude Desktop likely restores the manifest on its next launch. Will update this issue with the result.

Possibly related
2.1.296 changelog: "[VSCode] Changed Claude in Chrome to ask before browser actions in every session, including one connected with @browser".