[BUG] Abnormal token consumption still happening - regression from ~2 weeks ago (ref #13552)

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?

Token consumption has increased significantly compared to 2-3 weeks ago.
Hitting session limits much faster than before with no change in workflow.

This is a continuation of #13552 which was auto-closed due to inactivity,
not because the issue was resolved.

Key observations:

• Token usage spike began around mid-July to early August 2026
• Multiple experienced Claude Code users reporting the same pattern independently
• Even simple sessions consume context window unusually fast
• Issue persists on claude-sonnet-4-6 (medium)und the same timeframe.

What Should Happen?

Token consumption should be consistent with behavior from 2-3 weeks ago.

Error Messages/Logs

Steps to Reproduce

1. Start a Claude Code session on any project
2. Perform routine tasks (file reads, edits, searches)
3. Context window fills significantly faster than it did 2-3 weeks ago

Claude Model

None

Is this a regression?

Yes, this worked in a previous version

Last Working Version

_No response_

Claude Code Version

sonet4.6 ,5 /opus4.8 ,5 medium

Platform

Anthropic API

Operating System

macOS

Terminal/Shell

Terminal.app (macOS)

Additional Information

Related issues: #13552, #13466, #13536, #13551
Per #13552 comments: simply launching Claude Code without any commands
can consume ~4% of session limit — this should not count as usage.

Temporary workaround reported by community (does not fix root cause):

• Instruct Claude not to use Task tool, use Grep/Read/Edit directly
• Disable auto-compact via /config

Note: Related issues #13552, #69290 were auto-closed due to inactivity,
not because the issue was resolved. This is still occurring as of August 2026.