[BUG] /goal and /permissions report "not available in this environment" in Claude Desktop Code tab (macOS)

Resolved 💬 2 comments Opened May 17, 2026 by GregorGk Closed Jul 13, 2026

Preflight Checklist

  • [x] I have searched existing issues and this hasn't been reported yet
  • [x] This is a single bug report (please file separate reports for different bugs)
  • [x] I am using the latest version of Claude Code

What's Wrong?

Built-in slash commands /goal and /permissions are unavailable in Claude Desktop's "Code" tab on macOS. Both reply with "isn't available in this environment" when invoked.
The same commands work normally in the standalone Terminal CLI (claude v2.1.143). Other slash commands in the Code tab (e.g. /help) work fine — only some are blocked.
Anthropic's docs (https://code.claude.com/docs/en/commands.md, https://code.claude.com/docs/en/goal.md) do not mention any environment restriction for these commands, so it's unclear whether this is an intentional limitation of the Code tab or a bug. Either way the behavior is confusing.

What Should Happen?

Either:

  1. /goal and /permissions should work in Claude Desktop's Code tab the same way they work in the Terminal CLI, OR
  2. The "not available in this environment" message should explain that the Code tab doesn't support these commands, and the official Commands docs should list which built-in commands are restricted in which environments.

Error Messages/Logs

> /goal does it work?
/goal isn't available in this environment.
> /permissions
/permissions isn't available in this environment.

Steps to Reproduce

  1. Open Claude Desktop on macOS
  2. Switch to the "Code" tab
  3. Open any workspace/project
  4. Type /goal some condition and submit

→ Response: "/goal isn't available in this environment."

  1. Type /permissions and submit

→ Response: "/permissions isn't available in this environment."
For comparison, in Terminal:

  • Run claude --version2.1.143 (Claude Code)
  • Run claude in the same project, then type /goal or /permissions → both work as documented.

Claude Model

Not sure / Multiple models

Is this a regression?

Not sure.

Last Working Version

_No response_

Claude Code Version

2.1.143

Platform

Anthropic API

Operating System

macOS

Terminal/Shell

Other

Additional Information

This bug is specific to Claude Desktop's "Code" tab on macOS, NOT the standalone Terminal CLI. The Terminal/Shell field above is filled in as a placeholder since the form requires it.
Environment details:

  • Claude Desktop for macOS, Code tab, version 1.7196.0 (2dbd78)
  • Standalone CLI version: 2.1.143 (commands work correctly there)
  • macOS Darwin 25.5.0

Requests:

  1. Confirm whether this is intentional or a bug.
  2. If intentional, publish an authoritative list of which built-in slash commands are restricted in the Desktop Code tab vs the Terminal CLI, and update the "not available in this environment" error to link to it.
  3. If a bug, expose /goal and /permissions in the Code tab.

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