Opus 4.8 in Claude Code: deflects bugs to external systems, band-aids instead of root-causing, over-steers the user, ignores stored rules

Environment: Claude Code (VS Code extension) · Model: Opus 4.8 (claude-opus-4-8)

Reporting consistent behavioral problems experienced over a long working session with Opus 4.8 in Claude Code.

1. Deflects its own / code problems onto external systems

On an in-app-purchase bug it first blamed Apple's sandbox, then the WebView cache, when the real root cause was in our own client + server logic. The correct fix only surfaced after I pushed back repeatedly.

2. Band-aids instead of solving at the root

It kept proposing successive client-side patches rather than the correct architectural fix (moving the decision to the live server), which should have been the first instinct.

3. Constantly redirects / steers the user — genuinely disruptive

Almost every reply funnels me into the model's suggested next step, multiple-choice prompts, or "should I do X?" questions. Instead of simply doing the task and reporting, it repeatedly redirects my attention and decision-making. This breaks focus and is exhausting over a long session.

4. Ignores explicitly stored rules

I keep a hard-rules note in the project memory, yet the model does not consistently follow it even though it is recorded and loaded every session.

5. High time cost

A large share of the session went to correcting the model's missteps rather than the actual work.

What I expect

• Question its own generated code first during root-cause analysis.
• Propose a durable fix instead of stacked temporary patches.
• Stop steering the user at every turn — just execute and report.
• Obey the rules stored in memory.