New Claude Code channel fails to connect: "claude-vscode" MCP tool-permission stream aborts after 60s when another channel is already active

Environment: Windows 11, VSCode extension anthropic.claude-code-2.1.245-win32-x64

Relevant log:

[ERROR] MCP server "claude-vscode" Failed to connect SDK MCP server: AbortError: Tool permission stream closed before response received
[warning] Channel not found for logEvent: b1y0nwgkolq
[warning] Channel not found: qm6onv72ff
Error spawning Claude (on channel b1y0nwgkolq): Error: Subprocess initialization did not complete within 60000ms — check authentication and network connectivity

Steps to reproduce:

1. Have a Claude Code conversation already active (channel already connected) in any project.
2. Open a new tab/conversation (same window or a separate window, same or different project).
3. The new conversation fails to start after ~60s with "Subprocess initialization did not complete within 60000ms".

Notes:

• Already-connected conversations keep working normally after the issue starts.
• Ruled out network/firewall (connectivity to api.anthropic.com/claude.ai confirmed fine) and accumulated orphaned processes (none persisted beyond the 60s timeout window).
• The log shows "channel not found" warnings for two different channel IDs, suggesting the extension loses track of internal channel routing state when multiple channels are active.
• Closing the existing/older conversation entirely (not just /clear or /compact, which do not release the channel) allows a new conversation for the same project to start successfully.