[BUG] /desktop command fails with "Could not load cloud sessions" on Windows

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?

Details:

• CLI v2.1.79, Windows 11
• Auth: claude.ai / Pro plan
• /desktop creates "General coding session" in Desktop app but shows "Could not load cloud sessions"
• Same account on both CLI and Desktop app

What Should Happen?

When /desktop is run in the Claude Code CLI, the current session should open in the Claude Desktop app with the full conversation history loaded. The Desktop app should successfully sync the cloud session and display the ongoing conversation, allowing the user to continue working seamlessly in the GUI.

Error Messages/Logs

Could not load cloud sessions

Steps to Reproduce

1. Open Claude Desktop app and sign in
2. Open a terminal and start a Claude Code session (claude in any directory)
3. Have a conversation (so there's session history to transfer)
4. Run /desktop in the Claude Code CLI
5. Observe that a "General coding session" is created in the Desktop app
6. Observe the error: "Could not load cloud sessions"

Claude Model

None

Is this a regression?

Yes, this worked in a previous version

Last Working Version

Sonnet 4.6

Claude Code Version

v2.1.79,

Platform

Anthropic API

Operating System

Windows

Terminal/Shell

PowerShell

Additional Information

_No response_