[BUG] Claude in Chrome MCP returns stale/cached tab data across sessions

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?

Description

The Claude in Chrome MCP extension returns stale tab data that persists across:

• Chrome restarts
• Extension disable/enable cycles
• Claude Code session restarts
• Full PC reboots
• Killing the chrome-native-host process

Once a set of tabs is captured by the MCP, it keeps returning the same tab IDs and URLs even when those tabs no longer exist in the browser.

## Expected behavior

tabs_context_mcp should return the actual current tabs in Chrome, or an empty list / error if Chrome is not running.

## Actual behavior

tabs_context_mcp returns a cached list of tabs from a previous session, even when Chrome is completely closed and no native host process is running.

## Environment

• OS: Windows 11 Pro 10.0.26200
• Claude Code: latest (auto-update channel)
• Shell: bash (Git Bash)
• Chrome extension ID: fcoeoabgfenejglbffodgkkbkcdhcgfn

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What Should Happen?

When tabs_context_mcp is called, it should query Chrome in real-time and return only the tabs that currently exist in the browser. If Chrome is not running or the native host is unreachable, it should return an error or an empty tab list — not cached data from a previous session.

Error Messages/Logs

No one

Steps to Reproduce

## Steps to reproduce

1. Open Chrome with several tabs
2. Start a Claude Code session and call tabs_context_mcp → returns correct tabs
3. Close all tabs in Chrome
4. Call tabs_context_mcp again → still returns the old tabs
5. Close Chrome entirely, restart it with a blank page
6. Start a new Claude Code session
7. Call tabs_context_mcp → still returns the old stale tabs

## What I tried (none of these fixed it)

• Restarted Chrome multiple times
• Disabled and re-enabled the Claude in Chrome extension
• Killed chrome-native-host.exe process
• Deleted the extension's Local Storage folder:

%LOCALAPPDATA%\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Local Extension Settings\<extension-id>

• Rebooted the PC (twice)
• Started 3+ new Claude Code sessions
• Verified with tasklist that no Chrome/native-host process was running — MCP still returned tab data

Claude Model

Opus

Is this a regression?

I don't know

Last Working Version

_No response_

Claude Code Version

2.1.74

Platform

Anthropic API

Operating System

Windows

Terminal/Shell

Windows Terminal

Additional Information

_No response_