[BUG] Claude Code desktop app session list incomplete — missing sessions from ~/.claude/projects/

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 desktop app sidebar only shows a subset of sessions. Sessions exist in ~/.claude/projects/ and are accessible via claude --resume in the CLI, but don't appear in the app's left sidebar. Currently 57 sessions in ~/.claude/projects/ but only 43 visible in the app.

What Should Happen?

The app maintains a separate session index in ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/local-agent-mode-sessions/ which gets out of sync with the actual session data in ~/.claude/projects/. There is no way to force a re-index.

Error Messages/Logs

2026-03-11 21:08:45 [error] [LocalSessionManager] Failed to check git status: Failed to spawn git (via disclaimer): /Applications/Claude.app/Contents/Helpers/disclaimer exited with code 128: fatal: Unable to read current working directory: Operation not permitted

2026-03-11 21:09:46 [error] [detectedProjects] source failed: Error: Failed to spawn /usr/bin/sqlite3 (via disclaimer): /Applications/Claude.app/Contents/Helpers/disclaimer exited with code 14: Error: in prepare, unable to open database file (14)

2026-03-11 21:10:11 [error] Session local_1211a135-0b1e-4897-9333-367cc247b7b2 query error: Claude Code process exited with code 1

Steps to Reproduce

1. Open Claude Code desktop app
2. When macOS prompts for Documents Folder access, click "Deny"
3. Try to open any session in the sidebar
4. "Failed to load session" error appears with no indication of the cause

Expected: Clear error message stating Documents Folder permission is required, with a link to grant it in System Settings

Actual: Generic "Failed to load session" error with only a "Back to landing page" button — no indication that a macOS permission is missing

Claude Model

Opus

Is this a regression?

Yes, this worked in a previous version

Last Working Version

_No response_

Claude Code Version

Claude 1.1.6041

Platform

Anthropic API

Operating System

macOS

Terminal/Shell

Terminal.app (macOS)

Additional Information

The original "Failed to load session" error was caused by macOS denying Documents Folder access to Claude Code helper processes. The error message gives no indication of this — it should say something like "Missing permission to access Documents Folder" instead of the generic "Failed to load session".