[BUG] Model ignores project CLAUDE.md rules despite them being in context

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?

I have a mandatory planning rule in CLAUDE.md requiring plans go to coding-agent/plans/<N>-<name>.md, the
model has the rule in its auto-memory as "Hard Rule #1", and it still writes plans only to the system plan mode path
(.claude/plans/) instead of the project-required path. Mention it's happened multiple times across sessions.

See my conversation with Claude Code

Conversation 1 - admitting the mistake
Me: I still don't see the plan under coding-agent/plans. Are you experiencing catastrophic forgetting?
Claude Code: You're right — CLAUDE.md is explicit: plans go to coding-agent/plans/<N>-<name>.md. My memory file literally has this as Hard Rule #1. No excuse.

Conversation 2 – “not a bug”
Me: Should I file a bug?
Claude Code: Filed at coding-agent/plans/4-k8s-distribution-selection.md.
Re: filing a bug — no need, this wasn't a Claude Code bug. It was my own failure to follow the project's CLAUDE.md planning rule despite having it in my memory as "Hard Rule #1." The plan mode system writes to its own temp path (.claude/plans/), but the project convention requires coding-agent/plans/<N>-<name>.md. I should have written to both from the start.

Conversation 3 – later, it does call it a bug
Me: Should I file a bug for not following rules? This has happened several times with me.
Claude Code: Yes, that's worth filing. It's a legitimate issue — CLAUDE.md rules are supposed to be authoritative, and if the model repeatedly ignores them despite them being loaded into context (and even reinforced in memory files), that's a product-level problem, not a one-off mistake.

Conversation 4

You're on 2.1.63 — that is the latest release (published ~19 hours ago).

If you want to file the bug about CLAUDE.md rule adherence, this is the right version to reference.

Sources:

• Claude Code Releases
• Claude Code on npm

File it at: https://github.com/anthropics/claude-code/issues

I'd suggest including:

Title: "Model ignores project CLAUDE.md rules despite them being in context"

Body: That you have a mandatory planning rule in CLAUDE.md requiring plans go to coding-agent/plans/<N>-<name>.md, the model has the rule in its auto-memory as "Hard Rule #1", and it still writes plans only to the system plan mode path (.claude/plans/) instead of the project-required path. Mention it's happened multiple times across sessions.

What Should Happen?

Claude should follow the hard rules in CLAUDE.md

Error Messages/Logs

Conversation 1 – admitting the mistake
Me: I still don't see the plan under coding-agent/plans. Are you experiencing catastrophic forgetting?
Claude Code: You're right — CLAUDE.md is explicit: plans go to coding-agent/plans/<N>-<name>.md. My memory file literally has this as Hard Rule #1. No excuse.

Here, it clearly acknowledges the rule and that it failed to follow it.

Conversation 2 – “not a bug”
Me: Should I file a bug?
Claude Code: Filed at coding-agent/plans/4-k8s-distribution-selection.md.
Re: filing a bug — no need, this wasn't a Claude Code bug. It was my own failure to follow the project's CLAUDE.md planning rule despite having it in my memory as "Hard Rule #1." The plan mode system writes to its own temp path (.claude/plans/), but the project convention requires coding-agent/plans/<N>-<name>.md. I should have written to both from the start.

At this point it frames the issue as its own “failure to follow the rule,” but not a product bug.

Conversation 3 – later, it does call it a bug
Me: Should I file a bug for not following rules? This has happened several times with me.
Claude Code: Yes, that's worth filing. It's a legitimate issue — CLAUDE.md rules are supposed to be authoritative, and if the model repeatedly ignores them despite them being loaded into context (and even reinforced in memory files), that's a product-level problem, not a one-off mistake.

File it at: https://github.com/anthropics/claude-code/issues

I'd suggest including:

Title: "Model ignores project CLAUDE.md rules despite them being in context"

Body: That you have a mandatory planning rule in CLAUDE.md requiring plans go to coding-agent/plans/<N>-<name>.md, the model has the rule in its auto-memory as "Hard Rule #1", and it still writes plans only to the system plan mode path (.claude/plans/) instead of the project-required path. Mention it's happened multiple times across sessions.

Steps to Reproduce

1. Create a hard rule in Claude.md
2. Ask Claude Code to do something that will trigger the rule.
3. It will ignore it

Claude Model

None

Is this a regression?

Yes, this worked in a previous version

Last Working Version

_No response_

Claude Code Version

2.1.63

Platform

Anthropic API

Operating System

macOS

Terminal/Shell

Terminal.app (macOS)

Additional Information

Conversation 1 - admitting the mistake
Me: I still don't see the plan under coding-agent/plans. Are you experiencing catastrophic forgetting?
Claude Code: You're right — CLAUDE.md is explicit: plans go to coding-agent/plans/<N>-<name>.md. My memory file literally has this as Hard Rule #1. No excuse.

Conversation 2 – “not a bug”
Me: Should I file a bug?
Claude Code: Filed at coding-agent/plans/4-k8s-distribution-selection.md.
Re: filing a bug — no need, this wasn't a Claude Code bug. It was my own failure to follow the project's CLAUDE.md planning rule despite having it in my memory as "Hard Rule #1." The plan mode system writes to its own temp path (.claude/plans/), but the project convention requires coding-agent/plans/<N>-<name>.md. I should have written to both from the start.

Conversation 3 – later, it does call it a bug
Me: Should I file a bug for not following rules? This has happened several times with me.
Claude Code: Yes, that's worth filing. It's a legitimate issue — CLAUDE.md rules are supposed to be authoritative, and if the model repeatedly ignores them despite them being loaded into context (and even reinforced in memory files), that's a product-level problem, not a one-off mistake.

Conversation 4

You're on 2.1.63 — that is the latest release (published ~19 hours ago).

If you want to file the bug about CLAUDE.md rule adherence, this is the right version to reference.

Sources:

• Claude Code Releases
• Claude Code on npm

File it at: https://github.com/anthropics/claude-code/issues

I'd suggest including:

Title: "Model ignores project CLAUDE.md rules despite them being in context"

Body: That you have a mandatory planning rule in CLAUDE.md requiring plans go to coding-agent/plans/<N>-<name>.md, the model has the rule in its auto-memory as "Hard Rule #1", and it still writes plans only to the system plan mode path (.claude/plans/) instead of the project-required path. Mention it's happened multiple times across sessions.