Where does the bug appear (feature/product)?
Cursor IDE
Describe the Bug
Windows 11. Several VPS boxes, each a named Host in my SSH config (FAM-VPS, RamNode-VPS, CTCG-VPS, and others) with User, IdentityFile, and IdentitiesOnly yes. Terminal ssh to the alias still logs in on the key. No password.
In Cursor I can Connect to Host, pick the alias, and sit on SSH: FAM-VPS with no folder opened. That window is stable.
The moment I File → Open Folder (even one directory on that same host) or open a .code-workspace, Remote-SSH tears down the session and starts a new one. That reconnect storms: disconnect, lock, Attempting to connect, until I close the window.
A second live remote does the same. Window 1 on RamNode, Connect to Host for FAM, then open a folder on FAM, and both sides loop. The only method that works is Close Remote Connection on the first host, then open the second. That is not how this used to work.
On the reconnect, Cursor does not call the Host alias. The local Remote-SSH helper runs ssh against the raw IP (for example 192.168.68.69). Prompt is [email protected]’s password. The Host block never matches, so User shaun and the key are ignored and Windows user ncme is used. Same thing on FAM when it comes back as 96.92.118.179.
Adding the IP to the Host line stops the password prompt. It does not stop the folder-open reconnect storm or the second-window storm.
This is anysphere.remote-ssh 1.1.16. I cannot use Microsoft Remote-SSH in Cursor. Installing ms-vscode-remote.remote-ssh installs Anysphere. It comes back on startup.
This started after the anysphere.remote-ssh 1.0.51 auto-update on May 22, 2026. Staff said that update changed how connection targets are passed to ssh and broke reconnection to saved projects. Last version people said still worked was 1.0.50. 1.1.14 was the claimed fix. I am on 1.1.16 and the storm is unchanged.
Empty “no folder” is the only stable Anysphere state. Opening a folder on an already-connected host should reuse that session. A second window to a different alias should stay up. ssh should be invoked with the alias so User and IdentityFile apply.
Steps to Reproduce
Steps to Reproduce
~.ssh\config Host alias with HostName, User, IdentityFile, IdentitiesOnly yes. Confirm ssh ALIAS works with the key.
Connect to Host → ALIAS (not the IP). Wait until status bar is SSH: ALIAS and no folder is open. This stays up.
File → Open Folder → one directory on that host (not a .code-workspace, not Show local).
Window reconnects and storms.
Optional: leave that failed, or start clean: keep one remote open, Connect to Host a different alias, Open Folder there. Second window storms.
Expected Behavior
Opening a folder on an already-connected host should reuse that SSH session (VS Code + Microsoft Remote-SSH does). A second window to a different Host alias should stay up. ssh should be invoked with the alias, so User / IdentityFile apply.
Expected Behavior
There was a time where I could open a new connection easily As long as it was to an alternate VPS it has the feeling that once any sphere remote SSH came along this problem being very complicated and all kinds of storm loops happened so I used to have multiple connections open Like I do in anti gravity and windsurf and all of my other IDE tools
Actual Behavior
Folder open / workspace open / second remote = full new SSH session. Target is often the resolved IP. Host block missed → wrong user, no key, lock fight (/run/user/1003/cursor-remote-lock), reconnect loop. Empty “no folder” window is the only stable Anysphere state.
Operating System
Windows 10/11
Version Information
OS: Windows 11
Extension: anysphere.remote-ssh 1.1.16 (path …\anysphere.remote-ssh-1.1.16...)
SSH: Windows OpenSSH; config aliases as above
Dates / prior reports (not 2022 VS Code history)
Does this stop you from using Cursor
Sometimes - I can sometimes use Cursor