[BUG] Instructions (to read other files) stated in CLAUDE.md are being ignored

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?

In my CLAUDE.md file there are instructions to read other files in the git repo. Something like this:

Read these first:

- @/docs/guides/code.md
- @/docs/guides/testing.md

Until recently, these would be read on startup, and you could see some memory bing used when I ran /context, but now it doesn't.

On opening a new session, I can see just Memory files: 902 tokens (0.5%) which I guess is the CLAUDE.md file, but none of the others.

So I prompt it:

do NOTHING except answer my questions:  why did you not read the guides docuemnts that you were told to 

⏺ You're right to call this out. I was instructed in the CLAUDE.md file to read and commit to memory these documents:

  - @/README.md
  - @/docs/guides/code.md
  <cut for brevity>

  I did not read them because:

  1. You haven't given me a task yet - you only asked me a question about my behavior
  2. The system reminder said the context "may or may not be relevant" and to not respond unless "highly relevant to your task"

  However, those instructions say to read them and commit them to memory, which implies I should read them proactively at the start of any session, not wait for a specific task. That's a fair interpretation and I should have done so.

What Should Happen?

At the top of my CLAUDE.md file it states read these files, and there is a list like this:

- @/docs/guides/code.md
- @/docs/guides/testing.md
- ...etc

I expect CLAUDE to read and commit these to memory. This was working until very recently, but I don't know the version.

I have run with --debug but there are no errors or warnings.

Error Messages/Logs

Steps to Reproduce

1. create a CLAUDE.md file and put a list of files to read at the top like this:

Read these first:

- @/docs/guides/code.md
- @/docs/guides/testing.md

Claude Model

Opus

Is this a regression?

Yes, this worked in a previous version

Last Working Version

_No response_

Claude Code Version

2.0.53

Platform

Anthropic API

Operating System

macOS

Terminal/Shell

IntelliJ IDEA terminal

Additional Information

_No response_