[BUG] "Notification" hook doesn't work in VS Code extension "native UI" mode

[jsh9]

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 Code version 2.0.8, in VS Code extension's "Native UI" mode.

The "Notification" hook doesn't work any more: when Claude Code pauses to ask for my intervention, the hook doesn't work, because I set up a hook to play a sound at that moment. I can't hear that sound any more.

But in the CLI mode (version 2.0.8), I could hear that sound.

What Should Happen?

"Notification" hook should be engaged.

Error Messages/Logs

Steps to Reproduce

Put the following into ~/.claude/settings.json:

{
  "hooks": {
    "Notification": [
      {
        "hooks": [
          {
            "type": "command",
            "command": "afplay -v 3 /System/Library/Sounds/Blow.aiff"
          }
        ]
      }
    ],
    "Stop": [
      {
        "hooks": [
          {
            "type": "command",
            "command": "afplay -v 3 /System/Library/Sounds/Bottle.aiff"
          }
        ]
      }
    ]
  }
}

And do something that would make Claude Code ask for human intervention.

Claude Model

None

Is this a regression?

Yes, this worked in a previous version

Last Working Version

No response

Claude Code Version

2.0.8

Platform

Anthropic API

Operating System

macOS

Terminal/Shell

Other

Additional Information

It happened in the new "native UI" of the VS Code extension.

[redbeard]

Second this -- works in terminal, fails in vscode ui mode.

[bsdev90]

Same here (Cursor, Windows 11). Stop hook works though

[joemillerpe-ux]

Confirmed: Notification Hooks Not Firing for Permission Prompts

I can verify this issue affects permission_prompt notifications specifically.

Configuration

• Empty matcher "matcher": "" to catch all notifications
• Windows 11, VS Code extension
• Enhanced script that logs notification type and message

Testing Results

✅ Manual script test: Works perfectly when invoked directly
✅ PreToolUse/PostToolUse hooks: Fire correctly for Read tool
❌ Notification hooks: Never fire despite multiple permission prompts

Evidence

• Cleared .claude/settings.local.json allow list to force prompts
• Confirmed seeing 3+ permission prompts in UI
• Zero notification hook invocations logged
• Tested after full restart - same result
• Hook script verified working via manual JSON piping

The notification hook system is completely non-functional for permission_prompt events in VS Code extension. Script works, config is correct, other hooks work, but Notification hooks are never called.

Detailed test report available if maintainers need it.

[glasser]

I think duplicate of #11156

[TimeHunter81]

I think duplicate of #11156

Linked issue is a consequence if this one, which is the root cause. Once hooks are supported we can intercept notification events via hooks. BTW, this is more a feature request for the VSCode extension than a bug. Unless the lack of feature parity with CLI is assumed to be a bug :) Can't wait for this to be tackled by the Anthropic team so that I can share a Claude Code notifier that uplevels notifications to MacOS system notifs when Cursor / VSCode is in the background.