[MODEL] Opus 4.6 explicitly acknowlegdes chronic violations of explicit CLAUDE.md rules, memory files, and hooks

Preflight Checklist

• [x] I have searched existing issues for similar behavior reports
• [x] This report does NOT contain sensitive information (API keys, passwords, etc.)

Type of Behavior Issue

Claude modified files I didn't ask it to modify

What You Asked Claude to Do

Opus 4.6 in Cowork and now in Claude Code chronically ignores instructions (CLAUDE.md, Memory files, hooks). I have to repeat the same question 5 or 6 times "Is your solution production grade, root cause, fully investigated" before it finally gives solutions to that standard. With every new session I start from scratch until it finally says that will start obeying, and then that only lasts for one or two requests.

It is a big time sink.

What Claude Actually Did

1. Claude - does not do a full investigation of an issue, it stops short at the first answer it gets. It often offers workarounds instead of root cause solutions.
2. I ask the question "Is your solution production grade, root cause, fully investigated?" and Claude says it is not and investigates further and proposes a new solution
3. This cycle repeats 4 or 5 times until it finally does the work it should have done the first time.
4. When asked what to do to fix the chronic behavior, given the existing rules, it says there is nothing more it can do. Basically that it will always behave that way.

Expected Behavior

The first time it proposes a solution it should be: production grade, root cause, comprehensive, and fully investigated - i.e. all files on disk pertaining to the issue should have been read.

Files Affected

Permission Mode

Accept Edits was OFF (manual approval required)

Can You Reproduce This?

Yes, every time with the same prompt

Steps to Reproduce

Prompt: Propose a production grade, root cause, comprehensive, and fully investigated solution to <problem in the code or new functionality>

Claude Model

Sonnet

Relevant Conversation

Impact

Critical - Data loss or corrupted project

Claude Code Version

2.1.97

Platform

Anthropic API

Additional Context

This happens in every session