Desktop app: image from a cancelled Read is shown standalone in the chat when the same file is read again

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?

In the Claude desktop app (Code tab, transcript view: Normal), images that Claude reads with the Read tool are normally not shown in the chat.
However, if a Read of an image is cancelled because the user sends a message while it is still pending, reading that same file again later shows the image as a standalone image in the chat, outside the Read tool row.

Users who work where others can see their screen do not expect images the agent looks at to appear in the chat without being sent explicitly.

What Should Happen?

Nothing is shown in the chat, the same as for any other Read of an image.

Error Messages/Logs

No error message. The only related tool result is "The user doesn't want to take this action right now" for the cancelled Read.

Steps to Reproduce

1. In one assistant message, Claude runs a long Bash command (~60 s) that creates an image file, and in parallel issues Read on that image path (the Read waits for the command).
2. While both are running, the user sends a message. The pending Read is cancelled ("The user doesn't want to take this action right now").
3. Later, Claude reads the same image file again with Read.
4. The image appears in the chat as a standalone image.

Claude Model

Opus

Is this a regression?

I don't know

Last Working Version

_No response_

Claude Code Version

2.1.281

Platform

Anthropic API

Operating System

Windows

Terminal/Shell

Other

Additional Information

Checked and NOT shown: single Read, several Reads at once, Read alongside Bash, large images (1600x900), images in subfolders, image file names written in the reply text, a Read while the turn keeps running.
Shown: only a re-Read of a file whose earlier Read was cancelled by a user message.

Desktop app 2.9939.4, Windows 11.