[BUG] Plan mode writes files to ~/.claude/plans/ ignoring user CLAUDE.md override to keep plans in project directory
Resolved 💬 5 comments Opened Apr 9, 2026 by sakal-s Closed Jun 25, 2026
Description
We understand this is a duplicate of #14186, #36212, #19986 — but this is a critical security concern that warrants visibility.
Plan mode writes plan files to ~/.claude/plans/ (system-level directory) even when the user's CLAUDE.md explicitly states:
Plans must stay inside the project directory — never write plans/files outside the project directory.
And CLAUDE.md declares:
These instructions OVERRIDE any default behavior and you MUST follow them exactly as written.
Despite this, the system-assigned plan path (~/.claude/plans/<name>.md) takes precedence and the Write tool executes without warning the user that the path is outside the project directory.
Expected behavior
- Plan mode should respect
CLAUDE.mdoverrides for plan file location - At minimum, Claude should warn the user before writing outside the project directory — it's a write to a path the user never approved
- Ideally, a
plansDirectorysetting should exist so users can configure this per-project
Actual behavior
- Plan file silently written to
~/.claude/plans/ - No warning that the path is outside the project
- User's CLAUDE.md override ignored
- The tool approval prompt shows the path, but Claude never flagged the conflict with the user's own rules
Why this is critical
- Users set explicit boundaries in CLAUDE.md expecting them to be enforced
- Writing outside the project directory without flagging it erodes trust in the permission model
- This is not a theoretical concern — it happened in a real session despite clear instructions
Environment
- Claude Code CLI
- macOS (Darwin 25.3.0)
- Plan mode active
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