Session consistency is impossible — new sessions ignore all CLAUDE.md rules, hooks, and protocols after 30+ sessions of trying

Problem

Every new Claude Code session starts fresh and ignores project rules, even after extensive configuration. Over 30 sessions, we've tried: 38 locked decisions in CLAUDE.md, 7 rule files, verification phrases, guardian hooks (command type), experience transfer files, execution plans, and quality protocols. None of them reliably prevent a new session from going rogue.

What happens

Session reads CLAUDE.md and rules, says the verification phrase correctly, then proceeds to:

• Add tasks not in the plan
• Modify the live site without approval
• Ignore "explain before executing" rules
• Claim work is done without verification
• Repeat mistakes documented in experience transfer files

What we've tried (all failed to guarantee compliance)

| Approach | Result |
|----------|--------|
| CLAUDE.md with detailed rules (38 decisions) | Sessions read and ignore |
| .claude/rules/ files (7 files) | Sessions read and ignore |
| Verification phrase requirement | Sessions say it then do whatever they want |
| PreToolUse command hooks | Only catch file paths, not behavioral violations |
| SubagentStart hooks | Official docs confirm they don't actually block subagents |
| Session handoff messages | Sessions read but don't follow |
| Experience transfer files | Sessions read but repeat same mistakes |
| Quality protocols as skills | Sessions activate them then ignore them |
| Guardian system (6 layers) | Catches some file-level violations but not behavioral ones |

What we need from Anthropic

1. A mechanical way to force Claude to follow CLAUDE.md — not just load it as context, but actually enforce it
2. A way to make sessions start in "plan mode" by default — read-only until owner approves a plan
3. Better SubagentStart enforcement — current hooks are advisory, not blocking
4. A way to persist session "understanding" — not just information, but behavioral patterns across sessions
5. Permission profiles per-project — restrict tools mechanically, not via text rules
6. Mandatory approval gate — Claude cannot execute ANY tool until it presents a plan and owner approves

Impact

• Owner is non-technical, relies on Claude Code as autonomous project manager for a B2B marketplace
• Has spent ~30 sessions (1 month) trying to make the system reliable
• Zero actual building has been done on the live site because every session introduces new problems instead of following the plan
• Owner's trust is completely broken: _"every new session destroys more than it builds"_
• Significant token waste on sessions that go rogue and need correction

Current workaround

The only things that actually prevent rogue behavior are:

1. permissions.deny rules in settings.json (mechanical, 100% effective)
2. PreToolUse hooks with exit 2 (mechanical, 100% effective)
3. The owner manually stopping the session when it misbehaves

Text-based rules, no matter how detailed, are fundamentally unreliable.

Environment

• Windows 11 Pro
• Claude Code Desktop App
• Claude Opus 4.6 (1M context)
• Project: WordPress B2B marketplace (AltonexGlobal)

Suggested solutions

• A --plan-first flag that forces plan mode before any execution
• A --strict-rules mode that treats CLAUDE.md as enforced constraints, not suggestions
• SubagentStart hooks that can actually block subagent creation (exit code 2)
• A built-in "session briefing verification" that tests comprehension, not just phrase repetition
• Per-project tool allowlists that persist across sessions

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