VS Code right sidebar opens Chat tab even when built-in chat is disabled and Codex is the only active

[KoushikRMDev]

Type: Bug

Description
I have the built-in VS Code chat box enabled along with the Codex extension. When I click the chat icon beside the top search panel, the right sidebar opens with Chat | Codex tabs. After disabling the built-in chat feature, only Codex should remain available. However, clicking the same chat icon still opens the Chat tab by default instead of Codex. I then have to manually switch to the Codex tab, and the Chat tab disappears only after that. The expected behavior is that when built-in chat is disabled, the sidebar should open directly to Codex or show only the Codex tab.

Steps to Reproduce

Install the Codex extension in VS Code.
Enable the built-in VS Code chat sidebar.
Click the chat icon beside the top search panel.
Disable the built-in chat feature.
Click the same chat icon again.
Observe that the sidebar still opens on the Chat tab instead of Codex.

Actual Result
The sidebar opens on the Chat tab even when built-in chat is disabled. Codex is not selected by default.

Expected Result
When built-in chat is disabled, the sidebar should open directly to Codex only, or at least default to the Codex tab without showing Chat first.

Environment

VS Code version: 1.130.0
OS: Windows_NT x64 10.0.26200
Electron: 42.6.0
Chromium: 148.0.7778.80
Node.js: 24.18.0
Codex extension installed
Built-in chat sidebar was enabled and then disabled

Evidence
Attached screenshots and screen recording show the sidebar behavior, the VS Code version info, and the issue template.

If you want, I can also turn this into a short GitHub issue version with a more polished tone for submission.

VS Code version: Code 1.130.0 (1b6a188, 2026-07-22T14:55:04Z)
OS version: Windows_NT x64 10.0.26200
Modes:

System Info

Item	Value
CPUs	Intel(R) Core(TM) Ultra 7 255H (16 x 3686)
GPU Status	2d_canvas: enabled GPU0: VENDOR= 0x8086, DEVICE=0x7dd1 [Intel(R) Graphics], DRIVER_VENDOR=Intel, DRIVER_VERSION=32.0.101.8508 ACTIVE GPU1: VENDOR= 0x1414, DEVICE=0x008c [Microsoft Basic Render Driver], DRIVER_VERSION=10.0.26100.8115 Machine model name: Machine model version: direct_rendering_display_compositor: disabled_off_ok gpu_compositing: enabled multiple_raster_threads: enabled_on opengl: enabled_on rasterization: enabled raw_draw: disabled_off_ok skia_graphite: disabled_off trees_in_viz: disabled_off video_decode: enabled video_encode: enabled webgl: enabled webgpu: enabled webnn: disabled_off
Load (avg)	undefined
Memory (System)	31.43GB (4.55GB free)
Process Argv	--crash-reporter-id b6d676a5-5616-4848-b8f4-7cbb3b2ab4f1
Screen Reader	no
VM	0%

Extensions (15)

Name	Identifier	Author	Version
Markdown Preview Mermaid Support	bierner.markdown-mermaid	bierner	1.32.1
Go	golang.go	golang	0.56.0
Container Tools	ms-azuretools.vscode-containers	ms-azuretools	2.4.5
Docker	ms-azuretools.vscode-docker	ms-azuretools	2.0.0
Dev Containers	ms-vscode-remote.remote-containers	ms-vscode-remote	0.466.0
Remote - SSH	ms-vscode-remote.remote-ssh	ms-vscode-remote	0.124.0
Remote - SSH: Editing Configuration Files	ms-vscode-remote.remote-ssh-edit	ms-vscode-remote	0.87.0
WSL	ms-vscode-remote.remote-wsl	ms-vscode-remote	0.104.3
Remote Development	ms-vscode-remote.vscode-remote-extensionpack	ms-vscode-remote	0.26.0
Remote Explorer	ms-vscode.remote-explorer	ms-vscode	0.5.0
Remote - Tunnels	ms-vscode.remote-server	ms-vscode	1.5.3
Live Share	ms-vsliveshare.vsliveshare	ms-vsliveshare	1.1.122
Codex – OpenAI’s coding agent	openai.chatgpt	openai	26.721.30844
rust-analyzer	rust-lang.rust-analyzer	rust-lang	0.3.2981
Poor Man's T-SQL Formatter	taoklerks.poor-mans-t-sql-formatter-vscode	TaoKlerks	1.6.10

[benibenj]

This action is very specific to the VS Code Chat feature. It opens VS Code Chat, where ever it is in the UI. If you use the toggle secondary sidebar command/action in the top right it will always show the last view (codex in your case) which was opened