Desktop: list_allowed_directories fails with endless retry loop

Description

Claude Desktop app cannot read files. The list_allowed_directories call fails repeatedly until max attempts reached.

Error Sequence

list_allowed_directories
Request
{}
Taking longer than usual. Trying again shortly (attempt 2 of 10)

This repeats until attempt 10, then fails completely. The app never successfully enumerates allowed directories, blocking all file operations.

Environment

• Platform: Claude Desktop (latest version)
• OS: Windows 10/11
• Date observed: January 27, 2026

Expected Behavior

list_allowed_directories should return the configured allowed directories and allow file operations to proceed.

Actual Behavior

The call times out repeatedly with "Taking longer than usual" message, never completing successfully.

Impact

Cannot use Claude Desktop for any file-based project work - the app is effectively unusable for coding tasks.