Bug: /btw command no longer works in VS Code

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?

Version: Claude Code v2.1.175 in VS code

Issue:
The /btw side chat feature, which previously worked, is now broken in VS Code. When attempting to use /btw, VS Code reports that it cannot find the command.

Expected behavior:
/btw should open an ephemeral overlay with access to the current conversation context, allowing quick questions without interrupting the main task.

Actual behavior:
Command not found / feature unavailable.

Steps to reproduce:

Open Claude Code in VS Code
Type /btw followed by a question
Command is not recognized

Yet the command works fine in claude app claude code

What Should Happen?

/btw should open an ephemeral overlay that has access to the current conversation context but no tools. The overlay should display the answer to the quick question without adding anything to the conversation history. Dismissing it with Space, Enter, or Esc should return focus to the main task uninterrupted.

Error Messages/Logs

no matching command

Steps to Reproduce

Open a project in VS Code with Claude Code extension installed (v2.1.175)
Start or have an ongoing task/conversation in the main chat
Type /btw followed by a question (e.g. /btw what was the last file name mentioned?)
Observe that the command is not recognized or the overlay does not appear

Claude Model

None

Is this a regression?

Yes, this worked in a previous version

Last Working Version

_No response_

Claude Code Version

v2.1.175

Platform

Anthropic API

Operating System

macOS

Terminal/Shell

VS Code integrated terminal

Additional Information

_No response_