Here we go again. Another Claude Code bug post.

If my last one was about the “File has been unexpectedly modified” error, this time it’s VSCode windows multiplying like rabbits.

The Symptom

Run claude from VSCode’s integrated terminal → 3 blank VSCode windows appear. Every. Single. Time.

  • From a standalone PowerShell? No problem.
  • From VSCode’s integrated terminal only? 100% reproducible.

At first I thought it was my config. I messed with VSCode tasks, disabled extensions, wasted a day. Turns out it wasn’t just me.

The Cause

This is a bug introduced in Claude Code v2.1.68 (released 2026-03-04).

VSCode’s integrated terminal sets an environment variable: TERM_PROGRAM=vscode. Claude Code detects this and tries to connect to the IDE. The bug? Each MCP server initialization triggers a new VSCode window.

3 MCP servers configured = 3 windows. Simple math.

GitHub is flooded with reports:

  • #30848 — v2.1.68 opens 3 blank VS Code windows
  • #31016 — Starting Claude in VSCode terminal opens 3 new windows
  • #31136 — Windows: 3 blank VS Code windows spawn on every session start

Still not fixed in v2.1.69. No official patch yet.

The Fix

Strip the environment variables that tell Claude Code it’s running inside VSCode.

Add to your .vscode/settings.json:

{
    "terminal.integrated.env.windows": {
        "TERM_PROGRAM": "",
        "VSCODE_INJECTION": ""
    }
}

If you already have terminal.integrated.env.windows, just add the two new keys to it.

Reload VSCode after applying (opening a new terminal alone may not be enough).

Option 2: Per-Session Workaround

PowerShell:

$env:TERM_PROGRAM=''; $env:VSCODE_INJECTION=''; claude

Bash:

TERM_PROGRAM= VSCODE_INJECTION= claude

Any Side Effects?

Clearing these variables disables Claude Code’s VSCode IDE integration:

  • Opening files directly in VSCode’s editor
  • VSCode diff viewer integration
  • The “Connected to VSCode” indicator

Honestly, if you run multiple Claude Code instances in parallel (like I do), this feature never worked properly anyway — only one instance can connect, the rest show “disconnected.” Not much to lose.

Remove the workaround once Anthropic ships a proper fix.

Takeaway

Another cycle of “Claude Code updates → something breaks.” At least the community finds workarounds fast.

As I said in my previous post, the most reliable source of truth is always GitHub Issues.

Related links: