[BUG] Unable to connect claude to private github repository.

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?

Claude is unable to access a GitHub repo. In Claude settings > connectors GitHub integration is enabled. In the GitHub repo being accessed Settings > Applications > Claude > Repositories shows the repo as accessible. I have tried the add from GitHub function in Claude to send a link to the chat. Now Claude is suggesting filing this bug report to get a manual backend repository index reset for the account.

I am using both Claude and GitHub in browser.
My Claude email is lily.french@mymail.champlain.edu
My github username is LilyFrench10
The private repository is LilyFrench10/sec-480

What Should Happen?

Claude should be able to access the repository.

Error Messages/Logs

Here is a log generated by Claude for this problem
GitHub Connection Attempt Log

Session date: 2026-09-04 Repository in question: LilyFrench10/sec-480 Context: Chat interface (claude.ai), not Claude Code CLI/web

Attempt 1
Target: https://github.com/LilyFrench10/sec-480/tree/main
Method: web_fetch tool (Claude.ai's page-fetch capability)
Result: Failed
Error: ROBOTS_DISALLOWED — "Site disallows automated access. Use the search-result snippet, or find an alternative source."
Attempt 2
Target: https://github.com/LilyFrench10/TechJournal/tree/main
Method: web_fetch tool
Result: Failed
Error: Same as above — ROBOTS_DISALLOWED
Attempt 3
Target: https://github.com/LilyFrench10/sec-480.git
Method: web_fetch tool
Result: Failed
Error: Same as above — ROBOTS_DISALLOWED
Attempt 4
Target: LilyFrench10/sec-480 (indirect, via search)
Method: web_search — general web search for the repo name/owner
Result: No matching results returned for this specific repository
Attempt 5
Target: Same repo link, re-submitted by user
Method: No new fetch attempted — same ROBOTS_DISALLOWED limitation applies, so this was not re-run
Notes for a bug report
These failures are web_fetch limitations (GitHub disallows Claude.ai's page-fetching bot via robots.txt), which is a separate issue from the native GitHub integration ("Add from GitHub" / GitHub App).
User reports the native integration was used: repo was added via "Add from GitHub," and the Claude GitHub App is installed on GitHub with sec-480 explicitly listed under Repository access.
Despite that, the repo has not become accessible/browsable in this chat.
This matches a known, previously-reported pattern (see prior turn) of a backend repository-indexing issue affecting the GitHub App integration, distinct from the web_fetch robots-block above.
Suggested next step

File at github.com/anthropics/claude-code/issues with:

Claude account email
GitHub username
Repo: LilyFrench10/sec-480
Confirmation repo is listed under the app's Repository access
This log as supporting detail

Steps to Reproduce

In Claude go to Settings, Connectors, and connect GitHub. In GitHub go to Settings > Applications and INstall Claude and give it access to the directory. In Claude chat add files, Add from GitHub, then select the repository.
I dont know if this is reproducible, others have done these same steps and have had no issue.

Claude Model

Sonnet (default)

Is this a regression?

I don't know

Last Working Version

_No response_

Claude Code Version

Claude Sonnet 5

Platform

Anthropic API

Operating System

Windows

Terminal/Shell

Other

Additional Information

_No response_