Tool calls randomly freeze for 20-30 minutes with no progress (reproducible daily)

Bug Report: Tool calls freeze 20-30 minutes silently

Environment

• OS: Windows 11 Pro
• Claude Code (CLI / Desktop App)
• Usage: Daily, extended coding sessions

Description

Tool calls freeze completely for 20-30 minutes with:

• No token usage change during freeze
• No progress indicator or output
• No error message
• No recovery — requires manual interruption (Escape / Ctrl+C)

This has been happening 30-50 times per day for 2+ months.

Known Confirmed Trigger

The Agent tool call reproducibly causes 20+ minute hangs. This was discovered through repeated observation and is documented in the user's CLAUDE.md (Agent tool is now explicitly banned as a workaround).

However, even with Agent tool avoided, other tool calls also freeze unpredictably (Write, Playwright MCP, etc.).

Steps to Reproduce

1. Start any coding session with Claude Code
2. Execute tool calls (Write large file, Playwright MCP navigate, etc.)
3. Tool call hangs silently — 20-30 minutes with zero output
4. Token usage counter shows no change during freeze
5. Only recovery: manual interrupt

Expected Behavior

• Tool calls complete in seconds to minutes
• If something fails, an error message is shown immediately
• No silent 20-30 minute hangs

Actual Behavior

• Silent freeze for 20-30 minutes
• Zero feedback during freeze
• Requires user to manually interrupt every time

Impact

• Frequency: 30-50 times per day
• Duration: Ongoing for 2+ months
• Severity: Severely disrupts workflow, wastes significant time daily