Auto Mode: should only auto-approve tool calls, not inject behavioral overrides
Resolved 💬 3 comments Opened Apr 29, 2026 by get951753 Closed Apr 29, 2026
Problem
When I enable Auto Mode, a system prompt is silently injected that changes the AI's reasoning behavior:
- Execute immediately — Start implementing right away. Make reasonable assumptions and proceed on low-risk work.
- Minimize interruptions — Prefer making reasonable assumptions over asking questions for routine decisions.
- Prefer action over planning — Do not enter plan mode unless the user explicitly asks.
- Expect course corrections
- Do not take overly destructive actions
- Avoid data exfiltration
My intent when enabling Auto Mode is simply to skip the tool permission/approval prompts — not to fundamentally change how the AI reasons, plans, or communicates.
Observed issues
These injected instructions cause the AI to:
- Rush into implementation without confirming ambiguous requirements
- Skip planning steps that would otherwise be appropriate
- Make assumptions instead of asking clarifying questions
- Acknowledge mid-response that it should confirm with the user, but never actually pause — it immediately proceeds because "Auto Mode is active"
- Frequently take unsolicited next steps beyond what was asked
Suggestion
Auto Mode should only affect the tool permission layer (auto-approve tool calls), without injecting any system-level behavioral instructions. Let my CLAUDE.md and conversation context control the AI's working style. If behavioral hints must be kept, they should be opt-out or separately configurable from the permission setting.
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