[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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