[Bug] Session names auto-overwritten, ignoring user-set names

Bug Description
Session name auto-rename loop overwrites user-set names

Type: bug / UX regression

Problem

In Claude Code desktop, session names are being auto-overwritten with random snippets from conversation dialog. I rename a session to
something meaningful, continue working, and Claude Code silently overwrites my name with arbitrary dialog text. Rename → get overwritten →
rename again → get overwritten. Endless loop.

What I want instead

For agent-driven workflows, session names should be the agent name or workstream identifier — things like:

• captain
• designex
• devex
• of-mobile
• iscp
• mdpal-cli

Short, stable, meaningful labels that tell me which agent this session is running. Random dialog snippets like "I'll start by reading the
file" tell me nothing — they describe what just happened, not what this session IS.

Impact

• User-set names get overwritten
• For multi-agent workflows (captain + N worktree agents in parallel tabs), I need stable short names to distinguish them
• Can't reliably find a session by name — they change without my action
• Forces repeated manual intervention just to keep the name I set
• Undermines the whole point of naming a session (organization, recall, tab differentiation)

Expected behavior

Once a user explicitly sets a session name, Claude Code should never auto-rename it. Even better: let the agent set the session name
programmatically at startup (e.g., from $AGENTNAME env var) so it's automatic but deterministic and meaningful.

Suggested fix

1. Track name source: user | auto | agent
2. Auto-rename only when source is auto
3. First user rename flips source to user and stops further auto-rename forever
4. Expose a way for agents to self-name at startup (e.g., CLAUDE_SESSION_NAME env var or a hook)

Reproduction

1. Start a Claude Code desktop session
2. Rename to something specific (captain, designex, etc.)
3. Continue the conversation
4. Watch the name get overwritten with a random dialog fragment within a few turns

Happens reliably, multiple times per session.

Reporter

Jordan Dea-Mattson
Head of Product and Technology, OrdinaryFolk (soon CPTO)

• Email: jdm@devopspm.com, jordan@ordinaryfolk.health
• LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/jordandeamattson
• X/Twitter: @jordandm (personal), @AgencyGroupAI (TheAgency)
• GitHub: @jordandm (personal), @jordan-of (OrdinaryFolk), @the-agency-ai (TheAgency)
• Framework: https://github.com/the-agency-ai/the-agency

Hits this constantly running multi-agent workflows (captain + N worktree agents in parallel tabs). Building TheAgency — an open-source AI
Augmented Development framework — where multi-session tab differentiation is central to the workflow.

Environment Info

• Platform: darwin
• Terminal: ghostty
• Version: 2.1.110
• Feedback ID: 61261384-a937-472e-bb41-a604caf56f0e

Errors

[{"error":"Error: Failed to download binary from https://storage.googleapis.com/claude-code-dist-86c565f3-f756-42ad-8dfa-d59b1c096819/claude-code-releases/2.1.111/darwin-arm64/claude: Request failed with status code 429\n    at qm1 (/$bunfs/root/src/entrypoints/cli.js:2749:7628)\n    at async ic9 (/$bunfs/root/src/entrypoints/cli.js:2749:7718)\n    at async tc9 (/$bunfs/root/src/entrypoints/cli.js:2749:14732)\n    at async jm1 (/$bunfs/root/src/entrypoints/cli.js:2749:17407)\n    at async ec9 (/$bunfs/root/src/entrypoints/cli.js:2751:322)\n    at async <anonymous> (/$bunfs/root/src/entrypoints/cli.js:8273:14278)\n    at processTicksAndRejections (native:7:39)","timestamp":"2026-04-16T15:36:38.142Z"},{"error":"AxiosError: Request failed with status code 429\n    at DU (/$bunfs/root/src/entrypoints/cli.js:110:1194)\n    at <anonymous> (/$bunfs/root/src/entrypoints/cli.js:115:12744)\n    at emit (node:events:92:22)\n    at endReadableNT (internal:streams/readable:865:50)\n    at processTicksAndRejections (native:7:39)\n    at request (/$bunfs/root/src/entrypoints/cli.js:117:2467)\n    at async _m1 (/$bunfs/root/src/entrypoints/cli.js:2749:5945)\n    at async qm1 (/$bunfs/root/src/entrypoints/cli.js:2749:7256)\n    at async ic9 (/$bunfs/root/src/entrypoints/cli.js:2749:7718)\n    at async tc9 (/$bunfs/root/src/entrypoints/cli.js:2749:14732)\n    at async jm1 (/$bunfs/root/src/entrypoints/cli.js:2749:17407)\n    at async ec9 (/$bunfs/root/src/entrypoints/cli.js:2751:322)\n    at async <anonymous> (/$bunfs/root/src/entrypoints/cli.js:8273:14278)\n    at processTicksAndRejections (native:7:39)","timestamp":"2026-04-16T15:36:38.143Z"},{"error":"AxiosError: Request failed with status code 402\n    at DU (/$bunfs/root/src/entrypoints/cli.js:110:1194)\n    at <anonymous> (/$bunfs/root/src/entrypoints/cli.js:115:12744)\n    at emit (node:events:92:22)\n    at endReadableNT (internal:streams/readable:865:50)…

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