Desktop app: file card for an edited non-git file opens an empty "Changes need a Git repository" pane instead of the file

Status Open
Maintainer reply None cached
Activity 0 comments · opened Oct 14, 2026

What happened
In the Claude desktop app (Code tab, macOS), Claude created and edited a Markdown file in a folder that is not a git repository (the session's working folder is a plain parent folder that contains several repos). The file card in the transcript (notes.md +172 -214) opens the side pane with "Changes need a Git repository. None was found for this session, or its folder couldn't be reached." The file itself is never shown.

Expected
When there is no git repository, clicking the card should open the file in the Files pane, or show a diff computed from the edit itself (the card already knows +172/-214).

Steps to reproduce

  1. Start a desktop Code session in a folder that is not a git repo.
  2. Ask Claude to create or edit a file in that folder.
  3. Click the file card in the transcript.

Related: #95464 (empty diff pane when the session root is not the edited git repo).

Platform: macOS, Claude desktop app.

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