[BUG] Recurring: existing Max account redirected to "Let's create your account" on web and Desktop, second occurrence (first took 3 weeks to resolve)

Preflight Checklist

• [x] I have searched existing issues and this hasn't been reported yet
• [x] This is a single bug report (please file separate reports for different bugs)
• [x] I am using the latest version of Claude Code

What's Wrong?

Preflight Checklist

• [x] I have searched existing issues. This matches #74236, #78269, #79670 and #36797, but I am filing separately because this is a recurrence on the same account.
• [x] This is a single bug report

What's Wrong?
This is the second time my existing, active Claude Max account cannot log in on claude.ai and Claude Desktop (macOS).

After Continue with Google, the email is verified but I land on the onboarding page "Let's create your account" instead of my account.

• claude.ai web: redirected to onboarding
• Claude Desktop (macOS): redirected to onboarding
• Claude iOS app: existing session still authenticated and fully working, chats and Max plan visible. The account exists and is active.

I have deliberately NOT clicked "Create account", to avoid creating a duplicate account.

History:

• First occurrence: 23 July 2026, around 19:15 CEST. Support only returned automated replies with no case number. Access came back around 11 to 13 August 2026, roughly three weeks later, without any human contact.
• Second occurrence: 15 October 2026, around 11:00 CEST. Identical symptoms.

Because it has happened twice on the same account, this looks like an underlying identity-mapping problem for this account rather than a one-off glitch.

What Should Happen?
A verified Google login for an existing paid account should open that account on web and Desktop.

What I'm asking:

1. Route this to a human who can inspect and repair the server-side mapping between my Google identity and my existing account.
2. Fix the root cause so it does not recur a third time.
3. Give me a case reference so this does not start from zero again.

I am a member of the Claude Partner Network and use Claude daily for client work, so three weeks without web and Desktop access has real business impact.

Account email: wilfred@getradicle.nl

Steps to Reproduce

1. Go to claude.ai or open Claude Desktop on macOS
2. Click Continue with Google, choose the Google account linked to the existing account
3. Observe redirect to "Let's create your account" with "Email verified as ..." at the bottom

Is this a regression?
Yes. It worked between mid August and 15 October 2026.

Claude Code Version
N/A, this is a claude.ai and Desktop login issue

Platform
claude.ai web, Claude Desktop

Operating System
macOS

What Should Happen?

A verified Google login for an existing paid account should open that account on web and Desktop.

Error Messages/Logs

This is the second time my existing, active Claude Max account cannot log in on claude.ai and Claude Desktop (macOS).

After Continue with Google, the email is verified but I land on the onboarding page "Let's create your account" instead of my account.

- claude.ai web: redirected to onboarding
- Claude Desktop (macOS): redirected to onboarding
- Claude iOS app: existing session still authenticated and fully working, chats and Max plan visible. The account exists and is active.

I have deliberately NOT clicked "Create account", to avoid creating a duplicate account.

Steps to Reproduce

After Continue with Google, the email is verified but I land on the onboarding page "Let's create your account" instead of my account.

• claude.ai web: redirected to onboarding
• Claude Desktop (macOS): redirected to onboarding
• Claude iOS app: existing session still authenticated and fully working, chats and Max plan visible. The account exists and is active.

I have deliberately NOT clicked "Create account", to avoid creating a duplicate account.

Claude Model

Not sure / Multiple models

Is this a regression?

Yes, this worked in a previous version

Last Working Version

_No response_

Claude Code Version

-

Platform

Anthropic API

Operating System

macOS

Terminal/Shell

Terminal.app (macOS)

Additional Information

<img width="1892" height="1151" alt="Image" src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/dc216887-d25f-4bf5-853c-d8f9993cfb23" />