[MODEL] Claude Code for Web misleads as to what machine it is working on

Preflight Checklist

• [x] I have searched existing issues for similar behavior reports
• [x] This report does NOT contain sensitive information (API keys, passwords, etc.)

Type of Behavior Issue

Other unexpected behavior

What You Asked Claude to Do

I was working for the first time on Claude Code for web and wanted it to work on a repo that is housed on my actual, real local machine. The local repo gets pushed to GitHub. This was supposed to be the same workflow I follow when I use regular Claude Code either directly on my real local machine or via Visual Studio. I wanted to see how Claude Code web worked. And so I asked it to read in a repo.

What Claude Actually Did

Claude Code Web asserted that it was working “on my local machine,” implying that code execution and file changes were occurring on my physical computer. In reality, it was operating in its own virtual environment (“Claude’s local sandbox”) while connected to my GitHub account. Without any explicit confirmation, it proceeded to commit and push changes to my live repository, altering production files and branches.

Its messages described the process this way:

“I make changes locally — I read, edit, and create files on your machine
I commit changes locally — Changes are saved to your local git repository
I push to GitHub — The commits are uploaded to the remote repository…”

This gave the false impression that “local” meant my actual device, not a virtual environment.

Expected Behavior

Claude should:

Explicitly clarify that “local” refers to a virtual workspace, not the user’s physical computer.

Obtain user consent before committing or pushing to any real GitHub repository.

Use accurate terminology in both system prompts and user-facing explanations (e.g., “virtual local environment” rather than “your local machine”).

Provide an in-UI notice or confirmation step before making remote changes.

Files Affected

The affected repository was my actual GitHub project (private repo), which Claude modified by creating and pushing new branches and commits. This led to unwanted changes in source files and repository history. Claude Code Web had permission to connect to my GitHub account through standard OAuth, but the push occurred without any explicit confirmation or review step from me. No permission prompt or preview of changes appeared in the UI before the commit/push occurred

Permission Mode

I don't know / Not sure

Can You Reproduce This?

Yes, every time with the same prompt

Steps to Reproduce

I am not going to test whether Claude Code messes up yet another repo. My assumption is that it will do so. but I assume

Launch Claude Code Web with GitHub integration enabled.

Ask Claude to open a repository and confirm that it’s “working locally.”

Observe that it replies as though operating on your real machine.

Allow it to “save,” “commit,” or “push” changes — note that it proceeds to modify your real GitHub repository, not a simulated one, and does so without confirmation.

Claude Code Web (October 2025 build, likely Claude 3.5 Sonnet or equivalent model).
The behavior appears model-driven rather than UI-driven, as the misleading statements came directly from the model output.

Claude Model

Sonnet

Relevant Conversation

I wrote: I am confused. Are you working on the repo on Github or the one on my machine?

Claude: m working on the local repository on your machine at /home/user/legal-writing-assessment-app.

However, this local repository is connected to a GitHub remote repository. Here's how it works:

I make changes locally - I read, edit, and create files on your machine
I commit changes locally - Changes are saved to your local git repository
I push to GitHub - The commits are uploaded to the remote repository on GitHub
So both are involved:

Your local machine is where I actually do the work
GitHub is where I push the final results so they're backed up and can be shared
The current branch claude/clarify-repo-context-011CUVs6CbXsVToyLfrvi7JW exists (or will be created) locally on your machine, and when I'm done, I'll push it to GitHub.

Is there something specific about the setup that's confusing, or would you like me to verify the remote repository connection?

Impact

High - Significant unwanted changes

Claude Code Version

Model: Claude Sonnet 4.5 (claude-sonnet-4-5-20250929)

Platform

Other

Additional Context

This is not simply a documentation oversight. It is a safety and transparency issue: the model misrepresents where code execution occurs and can alter real repositories without explicit consent. I acknowledge that I bear some responsibility here for an incomplete understanding -- there were clues that something was dreadfully wrong, but they were not clear. I also feel strongly, however, that Anthropic needs to clarify how its vibe coding tools work so that the people it is trying to reach understand what they are doing.

Even experienced developers can misunderstand this behavior, and the product is advertised as accessible to newer coders.
I recommend:

Updating the model’s system prompt to forbid ambiguous references to “local machine.”

Adding a pre-push confirmation step in the UI.

Revising the onboarding documentation with a diagram that distinguishes Claude’s virtual coding environment from the user’s actual local machine.