remoteControlAtStartup silently ignored by VS Code extension (not a dup of #29929)

Preflight Checklist

• [x] I have searched existing issues to make sure this isn't a duplicate
• [x] This is a single bug report (not bundling multiple bugs)
• [x] I am using the latest version of Claude Code

What's wrong?

The remoteControlAtStartup: true setting (in either ~/.claude/settings.json or ~/.claude.json) auto-enables the Remote Control bridge for terminal CLI sessions but is silently ignored by the VS Code extension. Same bug as #41036, which was auto-closed as a duplicate of #29929 — but #29929 is about CLI /config persistence, not the VS Code extension. mischacoster called this out in #41036 before the thread was locked. Re-filing with code-level evidence so the auto-dup bot doesn't misroute it again.

Root cause (binary version 2.1.120)

The bridge auto-start gate in the claude binary feeds into replBridgeEnabled:

replBridgeEnabled: (tY || RD)
// tY = !resume && !continue && !inRemoteSession && (cliFlag || zi() || daemonFlag)
// zi() reads remoteControlAtStartup from settings.json or ~/.claude.json

The field is replBridgeEnabled — it only takes effect for interactive REPL sessions. The VS Code extension launches claude in print/SDK mode (--input-format stream-json --output-format stream-json --print), which has no REPL, so the gate is never reached.

Separately, the VS Code extension has its own per-channel remote-control state (remoteControlState in extension.js) and an IPC handler toggleRemoteControl(channelId, enable). The handler is invoked only by the webview's UI toggle. Nothing in claudeLaunched(V) reads remoteControlAtStartup and auto-calls toggleRemoteControl(V, true).

What should happen

When remoteControlAtStartup: true, the VS Code extension should call toggleRemoteControl(channelId, true) after claudeLaunched(channelId), matching the CLI's behavior.

Steps to reproduce

1. Set "remoteControlAtStartup": true in ~/.claude/settings.json
2. Run claude in a terminal — bridge auto-starts, session URL prints ✅
3. Open a new conversation in the VS Code extension (native UI, not claudeCode.useTerminal) — bridge does not auto-start ❌
4. Manually clicking the Remote Control toggle in the webview works, confirming the feature is supported per-session

Claude Code Version

CLI binary 2.1.120, VS Code extension 2.1.120

Platform

Anthropic API (claude.ai Max)

OS / Shell

Linux (Ubuntu) / VS Code Remote-SSH

Workaround

Set claudeCode.useTerminal: true to launch sessions in a terminal pane (gets remote control, but loses the native UI).

Related

• #41036 — same bug, wrongly closed as dup of #29929, then locked
• #29929 — actually about CLI /config reset, different bug
• #28951 — older issue about /rc not supported in VS Code; that part is now fixed (manual toggle works)