VS Code extension: AskUserQuestion dialog covers the assistant message it refers to, with no way to read the text underneath
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?
When Claude asks a multiple-choice question (AskUserQuestion tool) in the VS Code extension chat panel, the question dialog renders as an overlay on top of the chat transcript. The dialog covers the assistant message directly beneath it — which is usually the explanation/context for the question itself — and there is no way to read that text while the dialog is open:
The dialog cannot be moved, resized, or collapsed.
The chat transcript cannot be scrolled while the dialog is open.
The only way to read the covered text is to press Esc and cancel the question, losing the clickable options.
This is especially bad because the covered message typically contains exactly the information needed to answer the question (comparison tables, option explanations, etc.). Screenshot attached: a comparison table of notification channels is hidden behind the question asking which channel to choose.
<img width="720" height="451" alt="Image" src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/85cae97f-5b9e-4324-9165-d61583b4a98c" />
What Should Happen?
Be able to read the full assistant message while the question dialog is open — e.g., make the dialog draggable/collapsible, allow scrolling the transcript behind it, dock the dialog at the bottom of the panel instead of overlaying content, or auto-scroll so the related message stays visible above the dialog.
Error Messages/Logs
Steps to Reproduce
Open the Claude Code extension chat panel in VS Code.
Send a prompt that makes Claude ask a multiple-choice question right after a long explanatory message. For example: "Compare 4 notification channel options for collecting user feedback in a detailed table, then ask me to pick one using a multiple-choice question."
Claude writes the explanation/comparison table, then the AskUserQuestion dialog ("Submit answers / Esc to cancel") appears as an overlay in the chat panel.
Try to read the assistant message behind the dialog:
Try scrolling the chat transcript — it doesn't scroll while the dialog is open.
Try moving, resizing, or collapsing the dialog — none of these are possible.
Observe: the only way to read the covered text is to press Esc, which cancels the question and loses the clickable options.
Result: The dialog covers the explanation needed to answer the question, and there is no way to view it without dismissing the dialog.
Expected: The full assistant message remains readable while the dialog is open (draggable/collapsible dialog, scrollable transcript behind it, or the dialog docked below the message instead of overlaying it).
Claude Model
claude-fable-5
Is this a regression?
N/A
Last Working Version
_No response_
Claude Code Version
2.1.37
Platform
Anthropic API
Operating System
Windows
Terminal/Shell
VS Code integrated terminal
Additional Information
_No response_
3 Comments
On macOS, I can still scroll through the full assistant message while the question dialog is open. However, the remaining viewport is too small to comfortably review and understand the context behind the question, which makes scrolling back through the response frustrating.
I’d prefer the question dialog to collapse into one or two lines by default, with an option to expand it when needed. That would preserve more screen space for the assistant message while still keeping the pending question visible.
This has been a big development time waste; I see 3 lines of output so i have to carefully copy it into notepad to read. please fix
Same defect on the permission prompt, not just AskUserQuestion.
On VS Code 1.132.0 (df53daab) / Windows 11, the "Allow this bash command?" prompt renders
over the assistant message explaining why the command is being run, and it frequently
appears before I have finished reading that message.
Things I checked, in case they help narrow it down:
Copy/Paste menu.
underneath by any means, including scrolling with the pointer over the uncovered upper
region of the view.
own isolated webview.
To be clear about what I am asking for: I want to keep the prompt. It is a useful
checkpoint, especially when multitasking. The problem is only that it covers text I have
not finished reading, with no way back to that text without answering first.
Any of these would resolve it: docking the prompt below the transcript rather than
overlaying it, allowing the transcript to scroll while a prompt is open, or offering to
render the prompt in a separate VS Code auxiliary window. The last one would suit
multi-monitor setups particularly well, since the prompt could sit on a second display
and never cover the transcript at all. VS Code has supported auxiliary windows since
1.85, and the extension already uses them for "Claude Code: Open in New Window".