codex - 💡(How to fix) Fix VSCode CODEX extension workspace_dependencies failure when trying to load new agent window. [3 comments, 3 participants]

What version of the IDE extension are you using?

openai.chatgpt-26.422.71525-win32-x64

What subscription do you have?

Plus

Which IDE are you using?

VS Code

What platform is your computer?

Microsoft Windows NT 10.0.19045.0 64bit

What issue are you seeing?

The Codex VS Code extension cannot open a new Codex agent/editor window. The window/splash screen fails to load correctly.

The Codex sidebar still works, and I can start a new chat from the sidebar. I can also sometimes open an existing chat from history. However, opening a new full/editor Codex window fails.

The main error seen in the Codex extension output is:

Request failed conversationId=none method=experimentalFeature/enablement/set error={"code":-32600,"message":"unsupported feature enablement workspace_dependencies: currently supported features are apps, memories, plugins, tool_search, tool_suggest, tool_call_mcp_elicitation"}

This was reproduced with the latest Codex VS Code extension:

openai.chatgpt-26.422.71525-win32-x64

I also tested older extension versions. The issue reproduces as far back as:

26.417.40842

In that older version the behaviour is similar, but the unsupported/failed feature name appears to be different. Instead of workspace_dependencies, the failing feature appears to be related to:

realtime_conversation

So this may not be only about workspace_dependencies. It looks more like a general extension/client feature enablement mismatch or new editor-window bootstrap issue.

Environment:

OS: Windows 10 VS Code: latest version available at time of test Codex VS Code extension: tested latest and older versions back to 26.417.40842 WSL: Ubuntu available and sometimes auto-enabled by the extension

The problem occurs in:

• My real workspace/repo
• A brand-new empty folder
• A brand-new empty folder after running git init
• With Codex WSL mode enabled
• With Codex WSL mode disabled

The issue does not appear to be caused by my project files, repo contents, or AGENTS.md, because it reproduces in a completely empty folder.

What steps can reproduce the bug?

1. Start on Windows 10 with the latest VS Code installed.

2. Install the Codex VS Code extension:

openai.chatgpt-26.422.71525-win32-x64

1. Log in to Codex/ChatGPT from the extension.

2. Open a brand-new empty folder in VS Code, for example:

E:\sourcecode\FreshEmptyFolderTEst

1. Attempt to open a new Codex agent/editor window.

2. The Codex window/splash screen fails to load correctly.

3. In the Codex extension logs, the following error appears:

Request failed conversationId=none durationMs=... error={"code":-32600,"message":"unsupported feature enablement workspace_dependencies: currently supported features are apps, memories, plugins, tool_search, tool_suggest, tool_call_mcp_elicitation"} method=experimentalFeature/enablement/set

1. To rule out a non-Git-folder issue, initialise Git in the empty folder:

cd "E:\sourcecode\FreshEmptyFolderTEst" git init "test" | Out-File README.md -Encoding utf8 git add README.md git commit -m "Initial test" code .

1. Try opening a new Codex agent/editor window again.

2. The same workspace_dependencies error returns.

3. I also tried the same test with Codex WSL mode enabled and disabled.

With WSL enabled, the extension spawned the Codex app-server inside WSL:

[spawn-codex-process] Spawning codex process inside WSL

Example command from the log:

wsl.exe -d Ubuntu --cd /mnt/e/sourcecode/Blank -- /usr/bin/bash -lc /usr/bin/env 'PATH=/mnt/c/Users/<USER>/.vscode/extensions/openai.chatgpt-26.422.71525-win32-x64/bin/linux-x86_64:$PATH' RUST_LOG=warn CODEX_INTERNAL_ORIGINATOR_OVERRIDE=codex_vscode /mnt/c/Users/<USER>/.vscode/extensions/openai.chatgpt-26.422.71525-win32-x64/bin/linux-x86_64/codex app-server --analytics-default-enabled

The same feature enablement error still appeared.

1. With WSL disabled, the same issue also occurred, so this does not seem to be only a WSL issue.

2. I also tested older Codex VS Code extension versions, including:

26.417.40842

That version still failed in the same general way, although the error referred to realtime_conversation rather than workspace_dependencies.

What is the expected behavior?

Opening a new Codex agent/editor window in VS Code should work.

Expected behaviour:

• The new Codex agent/editor window should load normally.
• A new chat/session should be created.
• The extension should not fail during experimental feature enablement.
• If a feature is unsupported on Windows 10 or in the current runtime, the extension should either disable it automatically or degrade gracefully.
• The user should not need to create a chat in the sidebar first and then reopen it from history as a workaround.

Actual behaviour:

• The new full/editor Codex window fails to load.
• The Codex sidebar can still start a new chat.
• A chat created from the sidebar can sometimes be opened from history in the editor window.
• Existing chats/history may open, but new editor-window creation fails.

So the failure seems specific to the new editor/full-window chat bootstrap path, not to Codex authentication or all Codex functionality.

Additional information

I have done a fairly extensive reset and tried to remove local state.

Actions already tried:

• Restarted VS Code.
• Fully rebooted Windows.
• Logged out of Codex/ChatGPT.
• Logged back in through the VS Code extension/app.
• Logged out via the WSL Codex CLI.
• Restarted VS Code and logged back in.
• Updated WSL.
• Confirmed the WSL Codex CLI no longer hangs when launched manually.
• Tested with Codex WSL mode enabled.
• Tested with Codex WSL mode disabled.
• Tested in my real repo.
• Tested in a brand-new empty folder.
• Tested again after running git init in the empty folder.
• Tested several Codex extension versions, including the latest and versions back to 26.417.40842.

I also attempted a more complete local reset:

• Uninstalled the Codex VS Code extension.
• Removed/renamed Windows Codex state under:

C:\Users<USER>.codex

• Removed/renamed WSL Codex state under:

~/.codex

• Removed/renamed Codex temporary/plugin cache folders where present.
• Removed/renamed VS Code workspace storage where relevant:

%APPDATA%\Code\User\workspaceStorage

• Rebooted Windows.
• Reinstalled the Codex VS Code extension.
• Logged in again.

Unfortunately, this appears to have removed my previous local Codex sessions/history, so I may no longer have access to some previous chats. That may be expected from the reset, but it is worth noting.

There was also a separate log flood involving Git metadata in an empty folder:

worker_rpc_response_error error={} method=stable-metadata workerId=git

[git-init-watcher] Failed to watch workspace root for git init errorCode=ENOENT errorMessage="ENOENT: no such file or directory, watch '/mnt/e/sourcecode/FreshEmptyFolderTEst'"

This looked alarming at first, but I believe it was a red herring caused by the test folder not being Git-initialised and/or by Windows/WSL path translation. After running git init in the blank folder, the original feature enablement error still returned.

The main failing error remains:

unsupported feature enablement workspace_dependencies

Representative log excerpt from the latest extension:

2026-04-29 09:55:18.940 [info] Features enabled enabledFeatures="enable_request_compression, collaboration_modes, personality, request_rule, fast_mode, image_generation, image_detail_original, workspace_dependencies, guardian_approval, workspace_owner_usage_nudge, apps, plugins, tool_search, tool_call_mcp_elicitation"

2026-04-29 09:55:18.991 [error] Request failed conversationId=none durationMs=41 error={"code":-32600,"message":"unsupported feature enablement workspace_dependencies: currently supported features are apps, memories, plugins, tool_search, tool_suggest, tool_call_mcp_elicitation"} id=dfeb262c-3d39-4b8e-9786-4e8549da3eed method=experimentalFeature/enablement/set pendingCountAfter=2 timeoutMs=0

2026-04-29 09:55:18.992 [error] Failed to sync experimental feature enablement error={"code":-32600,"message":"unsupported feature enablement workspace_dependencies: currently supported features are apps, memories, plugins, tool_search, tool_suggest, tool_call_mcp_elicitation"} hostId=local

Another log seen with WSL disabled included plugin sync/auth/Cloudflare-related warnings:

startup remote plugin sync failed; will retry on next app-server start error=chatgpt authentication required to sync remote plugins

remote plugin sync request to https://chatgpt.com/backend-api/plugins/featured failed with status 403 Forbidden