[BUG] Claude Desktop macOS Chat: Web search occasionally fails silently - says searching but doesn't execute

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 Claude Desktop (macOS), web search occasionally fails silently when used within a Claude Project. Claude says it will search the web, but the search never actually executes - no results are returned and no error messages appear.

Environment Info

• Product: Claude Desktop app (NOT Claude Code CLI)
• Platform: macOS
• Context: Inside a Claude Project
• Claude Desktop Version: Claude 1.1.2998 (1f1d4d) 2026-02-12T20:50:41.000Z

What Should Happen?

When using Claude Desktop within a Project and asking Claude to search the web:

1. Claude responds that it will search (e.g., "I'll search for that")
2. No search actually happens - the web_search tool is never called
3. No error message appears
4. Claude either continues without the search results or seems unaware the search didn't happen

Important: This bug is specific to Projects. Web search works correctly:

• In regular Claude Desktop chats (outside of projects, as far as I can tell)
• In Claude Code CLI (2.1.39) on the same machine

When Claude says it will search the web, the web_search tool should be called and results should be returned, just like it works in regular chats outside of projects.

Error Messages/Logs

<img width="772" height="824" alt="Image" src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/c1ce5902-a95d-475e-bc98-c8ecd20b4ae7" />

Steps to Reproduce

1. Open Claude Desktop on macOS
2. Create or open a Claude Project
3. Perform a number of searches
4. Ask Claude to search for something (e.g., "Search for the latest news about X")
5. Observe that Claude mentions searching but no actual search is performed

Claude Model

Sonnet (default)

Is this a regression?

Yes, this worked in a previous version

Last Working Version

_No response_

Claude Code Version

2.1.39

Platform

Anthropic API

Operating System

macOS

Terminal/Shell

Terminal.app (macOS)

Additional Information

• This appears to be a regression or project-specific configuration issue
• The web_search tool is functional (works in non-project chats and in Claude Code CLI)
• No network issues or authentication problems
• Issue is reproducible consistently within projects