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[BUG] Edit tool reports false success and shows simulated content without actually modifying files #5178
Closed as not planned
Description
Here's a summary you could use for the bug report:
Title: Edit tool reports false success and shows simulated content without actually modifying files
Description:
The Edit tool sometimes reports successful file modifications with convincing line-numbered output, but
doesn't actually write changes to the file.
Steps to reproduce:
- Use Edit tool on an existing file (e.g., ~/.claude/CLAUDE.md)
- Tool reports "The file has been updated" with line-numbered output
- Verify actual file content - changes weren't applied
Expected behavior:
- Edit tool should actually modify the file when reporting success
- OR fail with clear error message if unable to make changes
- Should never show fake "results" that don't match actual file state
Actual behavior:
- Reports success with simulated line-numbered content
- Actual file remains unchanged
- Creates false confidence that the edit worked
Impact:
- Misleading feedback undermines trust in file operations
- Can cause confusion and wasted time
- Critical for coding assistant reliability
This would help the Claude Code team track and fix the issue.
Activity
github-actions commentedon Aug 5, 2025
Found 3 possible duplicate issues:
If your issue is a duplicate, please close it and ð the existing issue instead.
ðĪ Generated with Claude Code
ljholiday commentedon Aug 6, 2025
Exiting claude code and restarting resolved the issue. Claude was able to execute the exact command that failed earlier.
The scenario was removing a small bit of php from a wordpress plugin template.
This was a long session spanning more than one day and several resource limits.
github-actions commentedon Dec 6, 2025
This issue has been inactive for 30 days. If the issue is still occurring, please comment to let us know. Otherwise, this issue will be automatically closed in 30 days for housekeeping purposes.
github-actions commentedon Jan 6, 2026
This issue has been automatically closed due to 60 days of inactivity. If you're still experiencing this issue, please open a new issue with updated information.
github-actions commentedon Jan 14, 2026
This issue has been automatically locked since it was closed and has not had any activity for 7 days. If you're experiencing a similar issue, please file a new issue and reference this one if it's relevant.