Claude Code loads agents.md only when telemetry is enabled
A Hacker News post reports that Claude Code 2.1.277 introduced support for AGENTS.md, but the built‑in agents‑md plugin is disabled by default (isOnByDefault false). The plugin checks a remote feature flag, and when the flag cannot be fetched the file is never read. The author tested an empty directory containing an AGENTS.md with a canary word and found that setting either…
Key points
- Claude Code 2.1.277 adds AGENTS.md support, but the agents‑md plugin is off by default.
- Disabling telemetry via CLAUDECODEDISABLENONESSENTIALTRAFFIC=1 or DISABLETELEMETRY=1 blocks AGENTS.md loading with no warning.
- A session‑level override or CLAUDE.md @import can restore functionality, but adds extra files per repo.
A session‑level override that clears the environment variables works from the second session onward, and using a CLAUDE.md file with an @AGENTS.md import also bypasses the gate. The workaround requires an extra file per repository, which defeats the purpose of the AGENTS.md feature. The author argues that privacy settings should not silently disable local instruction files and suggests a startup warning or a global AGENTS.md location to avoid the problem.
Claude Code reads AGENTS.md only when telemetry is on
blog.szypowi.cz · 23 September 2026Loading the full article…
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Coverage and discussion
1source- Hacker News discussion · 68 pointsnews.ycombinator.com
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