Claude responds "No response requested" after tool rejection, ignoring user messages

Description

When a tool call is rejected (widget dismissed, permission denied), Claude receives a system signal and responds with "No response requested" — completely ignoring the user's actual message. This happens even when:

• Memory explicitly says "NEVER respond with No response requested"
• A UserPromptSubmit hook injects a reminder on every user message
• The user's message clearly expects a reply ("Continue from where you left off")

Steps to reproduce

1. Claude calls a tool that shows an interactive widget (ExitPlanMode, commit proposal)
2. User types a message instead of clicking the widget
3. Widget is dismissed, tool is "rejected"
4. Claude outputs "No response requested" instead of processing user's message
5. User sends "Continue from where you left off"
6. Claude again outputs "No response requested"
7. Cycle repeats 3-6 times before Claude eventually responds

Expected behavior

After any tool rejection, Claude should:

1. Acknowledge the rejection briefly
2. Process the user's actual message
3. Never output "No response requested" when there IS a user message

Additional issue: excessive tool chaining

Claude chains 10-20 tool calls in a single turn, becoming "deaf" to user input for 5-10 minutes. This violates its own instructions (max 3 tool calls without text output). The user's messages queue silently. Combined with the "No response" bug, this creates a frustrating loop where the user cannot get Claude's attention.

Environment

• Claude Code via Nimbalyst (Windows 11 Pro 10.0.26200)
• Model: Claude Opus 4.6
• Reproducible across sessions