Copilot crashes Extension Host (remote) when SSH into a remote machine due to `PendingMigrationError: navigator is now a global in nodejs`

[fireattack]

• Copilot Chat Extension Version: 0.33.2
• VS Code Version: 1.106.2
• OS Version: Local: Windows 10 (Windows_NT x64 10.0.19045); Remote: Debian 10.13
• Feature (e.g. agent/edit/ask mode): Doesn't matter
• Selected model (e.g. GPT 4.1, Claude 3.7 Sonnet): Doesn't matter
• Logs:

2025-11-22 07:55:34.232 [info] Extension host with pid 26586 started
2025-11-22 07:55:34.242 [info] Lock '/home/vpsadmin/.vscode-server/data/User/workspaceStorage/09c18b6c6176eec74983b663a58a8b1a/vscode.lock': Lock acquired.
2025-11-22 07:55:34.456 [info] ExtensionService#_doActivateExtension vscode.git-base, startup: false, activationEvent: '*', root cause: vscode.git
2025-11-22 07:55:34.457 [info] ExtensionService#_doActivateExtension vscode.tunnel-forwarding, startup: false, activationEvent: 'onTunnel'
2025-11-22 07:55:34.457 [info] ExtensionService#_doActivateExtension vscode.emmet, startup: false, activationEvent: 'onLanguage'
2025-11-22 07:55:34.565 [info] ExtensionService#_doActivateExtension vscode.git, startup: false, activationEvent: '*'
2025-11-22 07:55:34.565 [info] ExtensionService#_doActivateExtension vscode.github, startup: false, activationEvent: '*'
2025-11-22 07:55:34.896 [info] Eager extensions activated
2025-11-22 07:55:34.896 [info] ExtensionService#_doActivateExtension vscode.debug-auto-launch, startup: false, activationEvent: 'onStartupFinished'
2025-11-22 07:55:34.896 [info] ExtensionService#_doActivateExtension vscode.merge-conflict, startup: false, activationEvent: 'onStartupFinished'
2025-11-22 07:55:37.088 [info] ExtensionService#_doActivateExtension GitHub.vscode-pull-request-github, startup: false, activationEvent: 'onStartupFinished'
2025-11-22 07:55:38.279 [error] Error: chatParticipant must be declared in package.json: copilot-swe-agent
    at QKt.$registerAgent (vscode-file://vscode-app/c:/Users/ikena/AppData/Local/Programs/Microsoft%20VS%20Code/resources/app/out/vs/workbench/workbench.desktop.main.js:511:6057)
2025-11-22 07:55:44.754 [info] ExtensionService#_doActivateExtension GitHub.copilot, startup: false, activationEvent: 'onStartupFinished'
2025-11-22 07:55:50.441 [info] ExtensionService#_doActivateExtension GitHub.copilot-chat, startup: false, activationEvent: 'onStartupFinished'
2025-11-22 07:56:16.101 [info] Extension host with pid 26785 started
2025-11-22 07:56:16.101 [error] Error: EEXIST: file already exists, open '/home/vpsadmin/.vscode-server/data/User/workspaceStorage/09c18b6c6176eec74983b663a58a8b1a/vscode.lock'
2025-11-22 07:56:16.102 [info] Lock '/home/vpsadmin/.vscode-server/data/User/workspaceStorage/09c18b6c6176eec74983b663a58a8b1a/vscode.lock': Could not acquire lock, checking if the file is stale.
2025-11-22 07:56:16.102 [info] Lock '/home/vpsadmin/.vscode-server/data/User/workspaceStorage/09c18b6c6176eec74983b663a58a8b1a/vscode.lock': The pid 26586 appears to be gone.
2025-11-22 07:56:16.102 [info] Lock '/home/vpsadmin/.vscode-server/data/User/workspaceStorage/09c18b6c6176eec74983b663a58a8b1a/vscode.lock': Deleting a stale lock.
2025-11-22 07:56:16.108 [info] Lock '/home/vpsadmin/.vscode-server/data/User/workspaceStorage/09c18b6c6176eec74983b663a58a8b1a/vscode.lock': Lock acquired.
2025-11-22 07:56:16.256 [info] ExtensionService#_doActivateExtension vscode.terminal-suggest, startup: false, activationEvent: 'onTerminalShellIntegration:*'
2025-11-22 07:56:16.257 [info] ExtensionService#_doActivateExtension vscode.git-base, startup: false, activationEvent: '*', root cause: vscode.git
2025-11-22 07:56:16.258 [info] ExtensionService#_doActivateExtension vscode.tunnel-forwarding, startup: false, activationEvent: 'onTunnel'
2025-11-22 07:56:16.258 [info] ExtensionService#_doActivateExtension vscode.emmet, startup: false, activationEvent: 'onLanguage'
2025-11-22 07:56:16.258 [info] ExtensionService#_doActivateExtension GitHub.copilot-chat, startup: false, activationEvent: 'onChatSession:copilotcli'
2025-11-22 07:56:16.836 [error] PendingMigrationError: navigator is now a global in nodejs, please see https://aka.ms/vscode-extensions/navigator for additional info on this error.
    at get (file:///home/vpsadmin/.vscode-server/cli/servers/Stable-1e3c50d64110be466c0b4a45222e81d2c9352888/server/out/vs/workbench/api/node/extensionHostProcess.js:402:6611)
    at /home/vpsadmin/.vscode-server/extensions/github.copilot-chat-0.33.2/dist/extension.js:102:48546
    at /home/vpsadmin/.vscode-server/extensions/github.copilot-chat-0.33.2/dist/extension.js:1:262
    at /home/vpsadmin/.vscode-server/extensions/github.copilot-chat-0.33.2/dist/extension.js:102:50939
    at /home/vpsadmin/.vscode-server/extensions/github.copilot-chat-0.33.2/dist/extension.js:1:262
    at /home/vpsadmin/.vscode-server/extensions/github.copilot-chat-0.33.2/dist/extension.js:102:52010
    at /home/vpsadmin/.vscode-server/extensions/github.copilot-chat-0.33.2/dist/extension.js:1:262
    at /home/vpsadmin/.vscode-server/extensions/github.copilot-chat-0.33.2/dist/extension.js:102:54196
    at /home/vpsadmin/.vscode-server/extensions/github.copilot-chat-0.33.2/dist/extension.js:1:262
    at /home/vpsadmin/.vscode-server/extensions/github.copilot-chat-0.33.2/dist/extension.js:111:2598
    at /home/vpsadmin/.vscode-server/extensions/github.copilot-chat-0.33.2/dist/extension.js:1:262
    at /home/vpsadmin/.vscode-server/extensions/github.copilot-chat-0.33.2/dist/extension.js:112:2671
    at /home/vpsadmin/.vscode-server/extensions/github.copilot-chat-0.33.2/dist/extension.js:1:262
    at /home/vpsadmin/.vscode-server/extensions/github.copilot-chat-0.33.2/dist/extension.js:112:9346
    at /home/vpsadmin/.vscode-server/extensions/github.copilot-chat-0.33.2/dist/extension.js:1:262
    at /home/vpsadmin/.vscode-server/extensions/github.copilot-chat-0.33.2/dist/extension.js:114:21444
    at /home/vpsadmin/.vscode-server/extensions/github.copilot-chat-0.33.2/dist/extension.js:1:262
    at /home/vpsadmin/.vscode-server/extensions/github.copilot-chat-0.33.2/dist/extension.js:114:25511
    at /home/vpsadmin/.vscode-server/extensions/github.copilot-chat-0.33.2/dist/extension.js:1:262
    at /home/vpsadmin/.vscode-server/extensions/github.copilot-chat-0.33.2/dist/extension.js:114:27010
    at /home/vpsadmin/.vscode-server/extensions/github.copilot-chat-0.33.2/dist/extension.js:1:262
    at Object.<anonymous> (/home/vpsadmin/.vscode-server/extensions/github.copilot-chat-0.33.2/dist/extension.js:1914:22058)
    at Module._compile (node:internal/modules/cjs/loader:1706:14)
    at Object..js (node:internal/modules/cjs/loader:1839:10)
    at Module.load (node:internal/modules/cjs/loader:1441:32)
    at Function.<anonymous> (node:internal/modules/cjs/loader:1263:12)
    at e._load (file:///home/vpsadmin/.vscode-server/cli/servers/Stable-1e3c50d64110be466c0b4a45222e81d2c9352888/server/out/vs/workbench/api/node/extensionHostProcess.js:402:5984)
    at t._load (file:///home/vpsadmin/.vscode-server/cli/servers/Stable-1e3c50d64110be466c0b4a45222e81d2c9352888/server/out/vs/workbench/api/node/extensionHostProcess.js:220:22582)
    at s._load (file:///home/vpsadmin/.vscode-server/cli/servers/Stable-1e3c50d64110be466c0b4a45222e81d2c9352888/server/out/vs/workbench/api/node/extensionHostProcess.js:212:24094)
    at TracingChannel.traceSync (node:diagnostics_channel:322:14)
    at wrapModuleLoad (node:internal/modules/cjs/loader:237:24)
    at Module.<anonymous> (node:internal/modules/cjs/loader:1463:12)
    at require (node:internal/modules/helpers:147:16)
    at kX.Cb (file:///home/vpsadmin/.vscode-server/cli/servers/Stable-1e3c50d64110be466c0b4a45222e81d2c9352888/server/out/vs/workbench/api/node/extensionHostProcess.js:251:1253)
    at process.processTicksAndRejections (node:internal/process/task_queues:105:5)
2025-11-22 07:56:17.756 [info] ExtensionService#_doActivateExtension vscode.git, startup: false, activationEvent: '*'
2025-11-22 07:56:17.756 [info] ExtensionService#_doActivateExtension vscode.github, startup: false, activationEvent: '*'
2025-11-22 07:56:17.978 [info] Eager extensions activated
2025-11-22 07:56:17.978 [info] ExtensionService#_doActivateExtension vscode.debug-auto-launch, startup: false, activationEvent: 'onStartupFinished'
2025-11-22 07:56:17.978 [info] ExtensionService#_doActivateExtension vscode.merge-conflict, startup: false, activationEvent: 'onStartupFinished'
2025-11-22 07:56:17.979 [info] ExtensionService#_doActivateExtension GitHub.copilot, startup: false, activationEvent: 'onStartupFinished'
2025-11-22 07:56:42.450 [info] Extension host with pid 26817 started
2025-11-22 07:56:42.450 [error] Error: EEXIST: file already exists, open '/home/vpsadmin/.vscode-server/data/User/workspaceStorage/09c18b6c6176eec74983b663a58a8b1a/vscode.lock'
2025-11-22 07:56:42.451 [info] Lock '/home/vpsadmin/.vscode-server/data/User/workspaceStorage/09c18b6c6176eec74983b663a58a8b1a/vscode.lock': Could not acquire lock, checking if the file is stale.
2025-11-22 07:56:42.452 [info] Lock '/home/vpsadmin/.vscode-server/data/User/workspaceStorage/09c18b6c6176eec74983b663a58a8b1a/vscode.lock': The pid 26785 appears to be gone.
2025-11-22 07:56:42.452 [info] Lock '/home/vpsadmin/.vscode-server/data/User/workspaceStorage/09c18b6c6176eec74983b663a58a8b1a/vscode.lock': Deleting a stale lock.
2025-11-22 07:56:42.458 [info] Lock '/home/vpsadmin/.vscode-server/data/User/workspaceStorage/09c18b6c6176eec74983b663a58a8b1a/vscode.lock': Lock acquired.
2025-11-22 07:56:42.580 [info] ExtensionService#_doActivateExtension vscode.terminal-suggest, startup: false, activationEvent: 'onTerminalShellIntegration:*'
2025-11-22 07:56:42.581 [info] ExtensionService#_doActivateExtension vscode.git-base, startup: false, activationEvent: '*', root cause: vscode.git
2025-11-22 07:56:42.582 [info] ExtensionService#_doActivateExtension vscode.tunnel-forwarding, startup: false, activationEvent: 'onTunnel'
2025-11-22 07:56:42.582 [info] ExtensionService#_doActivateExtension vscode.emmet, startup: false, activationEvent: 'onLanguage'
2025-11-22 07:56:42.582 [info] ExtensionService#_doActivateExtension GitHub.copilot-chat, startup: false, activationEvent: 'onChatSession:copilotcli'
2025-11-22 07:56:43.245 [error] PendingMigrationError: navigator is now a global in nodejs, please see https://aka.ms/vscode-extensions/navigator for additional info on this error.
    at get (file:///home/vpsadmin/.vscode-server/cli/servers/Stable-1e3c50d64110be466c0b4a45222e81d2c9352888/server/out/vs/workbench/api/node/extensionHostProcess.js:402:6611)
    at /home/vpsadmin/.vscode-server/extensions/github.copilot-chat-0.33.2/dist/extension.js:102:48546
    at /home/vpsadmin/.vscode-server/extensions/github.copilot-chat-0.33.2/dist/extension.js:1:262
    at /home/vpsadmin/.vscode-server/extensions/github.copilot-chat-0.33.2/dist/extension.js:102:50939
    at /home/vpsadmin/.vscode-server/extensions/github.copilot-chat-0.33.2/dist/extension.js:1:262
    at /home/vpsadmin/.vscode-server/extensions/github.copilot-chat-0.33.2/dist/extension.js:102:52010
    at /home/vpsadmin/.vscode-server/extensions/github.copilot-chat-0.33.2/dist/extension.js:1:262
    at /home/vpsadmin/.vscode-server/extensions/github.copilot-chat-0.33.2/dist/extension.js:102:54196
    at /home/vpsadmin/.vscode-server/extensions/github.copilot-chat-0.33.2/dist/extension.js:1:262
    at /home/vpsadmin/.vscode-server/extensions/github.copilot-chat-0.33.2/dist/extension.js:111:2598
    at /home/vpsadmin/.vscode-server/extensions/github.copilot-chat-0.33.2/dist/extension.js:1:262
    at /home/vpsadmin/.vscode-server/extensions/github.copilot-chat-0.33.2/dist/extension.js:112:2671
    at /home/vpsadmin/.vscode-server/extensions/github.copilot-chat-0.33.2/dist/extension.js:1:262
    at /home/vpsadmin/.vscode-server/extensions/github.copilot-chat-0.33.2/dist/extension.js:112:9346
    at /home/vpsadmin/.vscode-server/extensions/github.copilot-chat-0.33.2/dist/extension.js:1:262
    at /home/vpsadmin/.vscode-server/extensions/github.copilot-chat-0.33.2/dist/extension.js:114:21444
    at /home/vpsadmin/.vscode-server/extensions/github.copilot-chat-0.33.2/dist/extension.js:1:262
    at /home/vpsadmin/.vscode-server/extensions/github.copilot-chat-0.33.2/dist/extension.js:114:25511
    at /home/vpsadmin/.vscode-server/extensions/github.copilot-chat-0.33.2/dist/extension.js:1:262
    at /home/vpsadmin/.vscode-server/extensions/github.copilot-chat-0.33.2/dist/extension.js:114:27010
    at /home/vpsadmin/.vscode-server/extensions/github.copilot-chat-0.33.2/dist/extension.js:1:262
    at Object.<anonymous> (/home/vpsadmin/.vscode-server/extensions/github.copilot-chat-0.33.2/dist/extension.js:1914:22058)
    at Module._compile (node:internal/modules/cjs/loader:1706:14)
    at Object..js (node:internal/modules/cjs/loader:1839:10)
    at Module.load (node:internal/modules/cjs/loader:1441:32)
    at Function.<anonymous> (node:internal/modules/cjs/loader:1263:12)
    at e._load (file:///home/vpsadmin/.vscode-server/cli/servers/Stable-1e3c50d64110be466c0b4a45222e81d2c9352888/server/out/vs/workbench/api/node/extensionHostProcess.js:402:5984)
    at t._load (file:///home/vpsadmin/.vscode-server/cli/servers/Stable-1e3c50d64110be466c0b4a45222e81d2c9352888/server/out/vs/workbench/api/node/extensionHostProcess.js:220:22582)
    at s._load (file:///home/vpsadmin/.vscode-server/cli/servers/Stable-1e3c50d64110be466c0b4a45222e81d2c9352888/server/out/vs/workbench/api/node/extensionHostProcess.js:212:24094)
    at TracingChannel.traceSync (node:diagnostics_channel:322:14)
    at wrapModuleLoad (node:internal/modules/cjs/loader:237:24)
    at Module.<anonymous> (node:internal/modules/cjs/loader:1463:12)
    at require (node:internal/modules/helpers:147:16)
    at kX.Cb (file:///home/vpsadmin/.vscode-server/cli/servers/Stable-1e3c50d64110be466c0b4a45222e81d2c9352888/server/out/vs/workbench/api/node/extensionHostProcess.js:251:1253)
    at process.processTicksAndRejections (node:internal/process/task_queues:105:5)
2025-11-22 07:56:44.294 [info] ExtensionService#_doActivateExtension vscode.git, startup: false, activationEvent: '*'
2025-11-22 07:56:44.295 [info] ExtensionService#_doActivateExtension vscode.github, startup: false, activationEvent: '*'
2025-11-22 07:56:44.743 [info] Eager extensions activated
2025-11-22 07:56:44.743 [info] ExtensionService#_doActivateExtension vscode.debug-auto-launch, startup: false, activationEvent: 'onStartupFinished'
2025-11-22 07:56:44.744 [info] ExtensionService#_doActivateExtension vscode.merge-conflict, startup: false, activationEvent: 'onStartupFinished'
2025-11-22 07:56:44.744 [info] ExtensionService#_doActivateExtension GitHub.copilot, startup: false, activationEvent: 'onStartupFinished'
2025-11-22 07:56:48.226 [info] ExtensionService#_doActivateExtension GitHub.vscode-pull-request-github, startup: false, activationEvent: 'onStartupFinished'

Steps to Reproduce:

1. SSH into the remote server and wait until it finishes the setup
2. Install Copilot Chat

This is basically the #252077 , but I only encounter it with Copilot, so I think a specific bug report regarding Copilot Chat should be opened.

It has been broken for at least 3 months and it seems no one is working on a fix. It is also a serious bug since it crashes the entire extension host, meaning when you're SSHing into a server you will have no extensions at all, or you have to disable Copilot Chat manually (and re-enable it afterwards, because disabling it will disable it on your local environment too).

It can only run on the remote end, too (#259742 (comment)) so running it locally when SSHing isn't an option either.

It's an understatement to say it's quite annoying.

So I hope this new ticket could help accelerate that, or at least let the Copilot developers be aware of this issue.

Thanks.

[chrmarti]

This is only a log message and does not cause a crash. If Chat doesn't work it must be due to some other issue.

[chrmarti]

#252077