iOS app cannot spawn new remote control sessions (web app works)

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?

Summary

When using Claude Code remote control (claude remote-control), spawning a new session from the iOS Claude app fails silently — no work item ever arrives at the daemon's poll loop. Spawning from the <claude.ai> web app works correctly.

Environment

• Claude Code version: 2.1.97
• Platform: Linux (systemd user service)
• Spawn mode: --spawn=worktree
• iOS Claude app: latest version as of 2026-04-09

Actual Behavior

The spawn request from iOS is silently dropped. The daemon poll loop never receives a work item for the spawn. No error is shown in the iOS app.

Workaround

Spawn new sessions from the <claude.ai> web app, then resume them from iOS.

What Should Happen?

Expected Behavior

A new session is spawned, matching the behavior of the <claude.ai> web app.

Error Messages/Logs

Confirmed via `--debug-file` log: the poll loop is active and healthy (successfully picks up sessions initiated from the web app), but iOS-initiated spawns produce zero activity.

Steps to Reproduce

Steps to Reproduce

1. Run claude remote-control --spawn=worktree as a persistent daemon (e.g. via systemd service)
2. Connect to an existing session from the iOS app — works fine
3. Attempt to spawn a new session from the iOS app
4. Observe: no new session appears; the daemon's poll loop receives no work item

Claude Model

None

Is this a regression?

Yes, this worked in a previous version

Last Working Version

_No response_

Claude Code Version

2.1.97

Platform

Anthropic API

Operating System

Other

Terminal/Shell

Other

Additional Information

Additional Notes

• Connecting to existing sessions from iOS works correctly — the issue is specific to the spawn/new session path
• Tried: force-quitting app, checking for updates, signing out and back in — none resolved it
• The web app successfully queues a new work item that the daemon picks up immediately