### Preflight Checklist - [x] I have searched [existing issues](https://github.com/anthropics/claude-code/issues?q=is%3Aissue%20state%3Aopen%20label%3Abug) 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? The timeline is crystal clear now. Each MCP server startup triggers a new VS Code window:

[BUG] v2.1.68 (updated 2026-03-04) opens 3 blank VS Code windows when claude is started in the integrated terminal.

Status Fixed / completed

Reported on v2.1.66

Maintainer reply ✓ Yes — blois

Workaround ✓ Mentioned in thread ↓

Activity 9 comments · opened Mar 4, 2026 · closed Mar 6, 2026

💡 Likely answer: A maintainer (blois, collaborator) responded on this thread — see the highlighted reply below.

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?

The timeline is crystal clear now. Each MCP server startup triggers a new VS Code window:
┌──────────┬─────────────────────────────────────┬────────────────┐
│ Time │ MCP Event │ VS Code Window │ ├──────────┼─────────────────────────────────────┼────────────────┤
│ 23:25:09 │ serena/context7/playwright start │ │ ├──────────┼─────────────────────────────────────┼────────────────┤ │ 23:25:10 │ serena.exe initializes │ Window 1 opens │ ├──────────┼─────────────────────────────────────┼────────────────┤ │ 23:25:13 │ context7-mcp + playwright-mcp ready │ Window 2 opens │ ├──────────┼─────────────────────────────────────┼────────────────┤ │ 23:25:16 │ playwright launches firefox │ Window 3 opens │ └──────────┴─────────────────────────────────────┴────────────────┘ It's the 3 MCP servers (serena, context7, playwright) that each trigger a new VS Code window when they initialize. This is likely a bug in the Claude Code VS Code extension v2.1.68 (updated today) - it's creating new windows for each MCP server connection. It's the Claude Code VS Code extension v2.1.68 itself (updated today). The plugin cache likely gets regenerated on startup,

What Should Happen?

fix the bug that startsup vscode sessions

Error Messages/Logs

Steps to Reproduce

Claude Model

Sonnet (default)

Is this a regression?

Yes, this worked in a previous version

Last Working Version

2.1.66

Claude Code Version

2.1.68

Platform

Anthropic API

Operating System

Windows

Terminal/Shell

VS Code integrated terminal

Additional Information

_No response_

View original on GitHub ↗

9 Comments

github-actions[bot] · 5 months ago

Found 2 possible duplicate issues:

This issue will be automatically closed as a duplicate in 3 days.

If your issue is a duplicate, please close it and 👍 the existing issue instead
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🤖 Generated with Claude Code

projectkindred11 · 5 months ago

I am having the same issue. The other referenced potential duplicate issues you closed and locked stating they were duplicates. This issue has not been resolved, this is no longer a duplicate because you locked out the others.

ivanjuras · 5 months ago

Having this issue.

Will-Eco · 5 months ago

Having this issue！！！！

jacobhallgren · 5 months ago

Very annoying please fix.

ggallipoli · 5 months ago

I have the same problem running Claude Code v2.1.69 on Windows 11 Pro (build 26200).

Actually, I am experiencing two related bugs that have persisted across versions v2.1.68 and v2.1.69 and survive all documented workarounds:

Bug 1: Three blank VS Code windows spawn on every Claude Code session start. Every time I start a Claude Code session from the integrated terminal, three empty VS Code windows open automatically. Based on community reports (issues #30848, #31136), the cause appears to be one window per MCP server initializing (serena, context7, playwright). Setting the window.restoreWindows: none,
openFoldersInNewWindow: off, and hotExit: off in VS Code settings had no effect. Disabling the anthropic.The Claude-code VS Code extension also did not resolve it.

Bug 2: Claude Code session history is visible in the GitHub Copilot Chat panel. My Claude Code conversation history appears in the VS Code Copilot Chat sidebar, which is a privacy concern. These sessions should be isolated. This appears to be related to Microsoft/vscode issue #296181.

Both bugs appear to stem from the Claude Code IDE integration layer interacting unexpectedly with VS Code on Windows. They are reproducible on every session start.

I would appreciate confirmation that these are known issues and an estimated timeline for a fix. Are you going to push an update soon? They are both very annoying bugs.

Abdullah-967 · 5 months ago

having the same issue.

blois collaborator · 5 months ago

Should be fixed in 2.1.70.