/remote-control silently does nothing in Desktop app (macOS) — same account/machine works fine via CLI in both git and non-git folders

Description

Typing /remote-control in a session inside the Claude Desktop app produces no output at all: the command renders as a sent message bubble, a spinner appears briefly, and then — nothing. No "Remote Control active" banner, no URL/QR, no error message. The command IS recognized by the app's slash-command autocomplete.

The same feature works perfectly on the same machine and account via the CLI, in BOTH a non-git folder and a git repository (footer shows "Remote Control active", and the session becomes visible/usable on the mobile app and other devices).

This used to work in the Desktop app until roughly early June 2026 (after an update); before failing silently it briefly showed errors.

Reproduction matrix (all on the same Mac/account, minutes apart)

| Surface | Folder | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Desktop app session | git repo (large, with MCP servers configured) | ❌ silent — message bubble + spinner, no output, no banner |
| CLI (claude in Terminal) | non-git folder (~/Desktop/teste-remote) | ✅ "Remote Control connecting…" → footer "Remote Control active" |
| CLI (claude in Terminal) | same git repo as the failing app session | ✅ "Remote Control active" |

Environment

• Desktop app: "You are running the latest version" (checked via the app updater on 2026-06-09); bundled runtime reports Claude Code v2.1.167
• CLI: v2.1.167 (standalone; update to 2.1.170+ available but not yet applied when tested)
• macOS: Darwin 25.3.0 (Apple Silicon Mac mini)
• Auth: claude.ai account (Max plan), not API key. No ANTHROPIC_API_KEY in environment; no CLAUDE_CODE_DISABLE_NONESSENTIAL_TRAFFIC / DISABLE_TELEMETRY / Bedrock/Vertex/Foundry vars set
• Project where the app session was running: a git repo with several MCP servers configured; CLI shows "⚠ 1 setup issue: MCP" via /doctor (possibly unrelated, noted for completeness)

Steps to reproduce

1. Open the Claude Desktop app on macOS, in a project that is a git repository
2. Start a session, send any message, wait for the response
3. Type /remote-control (autocomplete recognizes it) and press Enter
4. Observe: the command appears as a user message bubble; spinner; then nothing — no banner, no URL, no error

Expected

Same behavior as the CLI: "Remote Control connecting…" → "Remote Control active" (+ the session listed on mobile/web), or at minimum an actionable error message.

Notes

• Possibly related to #60780 (remote control hangs tied to git repos) — but in our case the CLI works fine in the same git repo, so the failure seems specific to the Desktop app layer, not to git handling.
• #30691 (session only appears on mobile after opening the URL once) is a separate issue we also observed historically.
• Screenshots available (1: /remote-control rendered as a plain message bubble with no output below; 2: the app's slash autocomplete showing the command exists) — happy to attach in a comment if useful.