[BUG] permission_required on all domains when using CIC browser tools from claude.ai Project via Desktop App

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?

Every browser tool call via the CIC MCP returns permission_required: <domain> regardless of the domain, including google.com. The error is not domain-specific — it affects all navigation and all computer tool calls universally. The sidepanel Claude instance can see and interact with pages correctly — the error only affects the Project chat instance in the Desktop App.
Steps to reproduce:

Open a claude.ai Project conversation in the Claude Desktop App
Call switch_browser — connects successfully
Call tabs_context_mcp with createIfEmpty: true — creates tab group and tab successfully
Call navigate or computer on any domain — returns permission_required: <domain> immediately

What Should Happen?

Browser tools should work from a claude.ai Project conversation in the Desktop App in the same way they work from the sidepanel. navigate and computer calls should execute successfully on any domain where the extension is permitted.

Error Messages/Logs

permission_required: mcaughtry.photo
permission_required: google.com
Error returned immediately on every navigate and computer call regardless of domain. No permission prompt is displayed to the user.

Steps to Reproduce

Open a claude.ai Project conversation in the Claude Desktop App
Call switch_browser — connects successfully
Call tabs_context_mcp with createIfEmpty: true — creates tab group successfully
Call navigate to any domain (tested mcaughtry.photo and google.com)
Receive permission_required: <domain> immediately — no prompt shown

Workarounds attempted with no effect: "Allow extension" set at claude.ai/settings/browser-extension, extension toggled off/on in chrome://extensions, Reconnect extension in Desktop App Connectors, full Chrome restart.

Claude Model

Sonnet (default)

Is this a regression?

Yes, this worked in a previous version

Last Working Version

unknown — last confirmed working 20 May 2026.

Claude Code Version

N/A — using Claude Desktop App and claude.ai, not Claude Code CLI.

Platform

Anthropic API

Operating System

Windows

Terminal/Shell

PowerShell

Additional Information

This bug affects claude.ai Projects specifically. The issue does not affect the sidepanel Claude instance, which can see and interact with pages correctly. This suggests the Project chat and sidepanel use different permission flows, and the Project chat flow has no mechanism to grant domain permissions.
Related GitHub issues: #53630, #56787 (similar permission_required errors reported by other users).
Note: Claude Code CLI is not involved — this is purely the claude.ai web interface accessed via the Claude Desktop App.