[Bug] Edit tool cannot match literal tab characters in old_string/new_string parameters
Resolved 💬 1 comment Opened Jan 14, 2026 by RazgrizHsu Closed Feb 10, 2026
Bug Description
Issue: Claude cannot input literal tab characters in Edit tool parameters
When using the Edit tool, I need to match exact strings including whitespace. However, when the target file uses tab characters (0x09) for indentation, I cannot input literal tab characters in the old_string and new_string parameters.
Problem:
- The file uses tabs for indentation
- When I type "indentation" in the parameter, it becomes space characters, not tab characters
- This causes "String to replace not found in file" errors because the whitespace doesn't match
What I tried:
- Typing what looks like indentation (but it's spaces)
- Using XML entity 	 (not sure if supported)
Expected behavior:
- Either the Edit tool should support \t escape sequences
- Or there should be documentation on how to input literal tab characters in parameters
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