[BUG] Severe Session Memory Loss - Instructions and Context Not Retained

Environment

Platform: Multiple systems affected
Claude CLI version: 0.2.54 (Claude Code)
Operating System: Various (Linux, Windows)
Timeline: Issues began June 23, 2025

Bug Description
Claude Code is experiencing severe memory loss within sessions, failing to retain explicit instructions, configuration settings, and context from earlier in the same conversation.
Expected Behavior

Instructions given within a session should be remembered and applied consistently
Configuration preferences should persist throughout the session
Context from earlier in the conversation should inform later responses
Explicit user corrections should be retained and applied

Actual Behavior

Instructions given 30 minutes earlier are completely forgotten
Configuration settings are repeatedly asked for despite being provided
Previous context is lost, requiring re-explanation of the same information
User corrections and preferences are not retained

Specific Examples
Git Configuration Memory Loss

Explicitly instructed Claude Code to use my name and email for Git commits
30 minutes later, Claude Code attempted to push with username "claude" and email "noreply@anthropic.ai"
When questioned, acted as if no previous Git configuration instructions existed

Repeated Configuration Requests

Asks for the same configuration information multiple times per session
Doesn't remember project-specific preferences already established
Requires re-explanation of established workflows within the same conversation

Context Loss Mid-Session

Forgets file locations and project structure discussed earlier
Loses track of what actions it has performed
Cannot reference previous analysis or decisions made in the same session

Steps to Reproduce

Start Claude Code session
Provide explicit configuration instructions (Git settings, workflow preferences, etc.)
Continue working for 30+ minutes
Observe Claude Code asking for the same information again or acting contrary to earlier instructions

Impact

Productivity Loss: Constantly re-explaining the same information
Operational Errors: Wrong configurations applied due to memory loss
User Frustration: Tool appears unreliable and inconsistent
Workflow Disruption: Cannot maintain consistent session state

Frequency

Consistent across multiple sessions
Affects both short-term (minutes) and longer-term (hours) memory
Occurs with various types of instructions (technical configs, workflow preferences, project context)

Severity
High - Memory loss makes Claude Code unreliable for sustained development work and creates risk of incorrect actions being taken based on forgotten context.
Additional Context
This memory loss appears to be part of a broader quality regression affecting instruction following and context retention. The issue persists across fresh sessions and different repositories.

Workaround
Instruct claude code to read jsonl history files to make it remember what we were just doing