claude-code - 💡(How to fix) Fix [BUG] Cowork: "Claude Code process exited with code 1" on every session — macOS Apple Silicon, clean reinstall, no fix [4 comments, 5 participants]

claude-code2026-04-16 19:32:15

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anthropics/claude-code#49426•Fetched 2026-04-17 08:41:32

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Error Message

UI error: "Claude Code process exited with code 1"

cowork_vm_swift.log: no entries after initial session load main.log: Session query error — Claude Code process exited with code 1 (0s, hadFirstResponse=false)

Fix Action

Fix / Workaround

ANTHROPIC_API_KEY is unset in the environment
CLAUDE_CODE_OAUTH_TOKEN is present and valid (login succeeds)
Chat mode in Claude Desktop works normally
Crash is deterministic — 0 seconds, no first response, every attempt
macOS code signing prevented binary wrapper workaround (sudo was insufficient)
Issue persists across multiple fresh installs on the same machine

Code Example

UI error: "Claude Code process exited with code 1"

cowork_vm_swift.log: no entries after initial session load
main.log: Session query error — Claude Code process exited with code 1 (0s, hadFirstResponse=false)

RAW_BUFFERClick to expand / collapse

Preflight Checklist

I have searched existing issues and this hasn't been reported yet
This is a single bug report (please file separate reports for different bugs)
I am using the latest version of Claude Code

What's Wrong?

Every Cowork session crashes immediately with "Claude Code process exited with code 1." The crash is instant — no VM boot, no response. Chat mode works fine. The issue began around April 16, 2026. After the April 15th Anthropic outage and persists after services recovered.

Troubleshooting already attempted (none resolved it):

Unset ANTHROPIC_API_KEY — no change
Deleted ~/.claude/ and ~/.claude.json — no change
Attempted shell wrapper on the Claude binary — blocked by macOS code signing even with sudo
Deleted Cowork-specific cache (com.anthropic.claude/cowork, ~/.cowork) — no change
Full uninstall (app + all Library support/cache/log directories) — no change
Clean reinstall from claude.ai/download — same error

The binary loads but the VM never boots. cowork_vm_swift.log shows no entries after initial load. Likely related to #36419, #39270, #46029, #46161.

What Should Happen?

Cowork session starts, the VM boots, and the Claude Code process responds to messages normally.

Error Messages/Logs

UI error: "Claude Code process exited with code 1"

cowork_vm_swift.log: no entries after initial session load
main.log: Session query error — Claude Code process exited with code 1 (0s, hadFirstResponse=false)

Steps to Reproduce

Install Claude Desktop (latest, clean install from claude.ai/download)
Log in via claude.ai OAuth
Open the Cowork tab
Start any new session
Observe: "Claude Code process exited with code 1" appears instantly

No specific project or prompt needed — crash is immediate and 100% reproducible.

Claude Model

None

Is this a regression?

Yes, this worked in a previous version

Last Working Version

No response

Claude Code Version

Binary version: 2.1.111 (confirmed via ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude-code/ directory) Run claude --version to confirm CLI version if installed.

Platform

Anthropic API

Operating System

macOS

Terminal/Shell

Terminal.app (macOS)

Additional Information

ANTHROPIC_API_KEY is unset in the environment
CLAUDE_CODE_OAUTH_TOKEN is present and valid (login succeeds)
Chat mode in Claude Desktop works normally
Crash is deterministic — 0 seconds, no first response, every attempt
macOS code signing prevented binary wrapper workaround (sudo was insufficient)
Issue persists across multiple fresh installs on the same machine

extent analysis

TL;DR

The issue is likely related to a regression in the Claude Code binary version 2.1.111, causing the Cowork session to crash immediately with a "Claude Code process exited with code 1" error.

Guidance

Verify that the issue is indeed related to the binary version by checking the cowork_vm_swift.log file for any error messages or clues.
Since the issue persists across multiple fresh installs, try to isolate the problem by testing the Cowork session on a different machine or environment to see if the issue is machine-specific.
Review the related issues (#36419, #39270, #46029, #46161) to see if there are any common patterns or potential fixes that can be applied.
Consider reaching out to the Anthropic support team for further assistance, as the issue may be related to the Anthropic API or the Claude Code binary.

Example

No code snippet is provided as the issue seems to be related to a binary version regression rather than a code-specific problem.

Notes

The issue is likely related to a regression in the Claude Code binary version, and the fact that it persists across multiple fresh installs suggests that it may be a more complex issue. The related issues listed may provide some clues, but further investigation and support from the Anthropic team may be necessary to resolve the issue.

Recommendation

Apply workaround: Since the issue is likely related to a regression in the binary version, it may be necessary to wait for an updated version of the Claude Code binary that fixes the issue. In the meantime, users may need to use alternative methods or workarounds to access the Cowork session.

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claude-code - 💡(How to fix) Fix [BUG] Cowork: "Claude Code process exited with code 1" on every session — macOS Apple Silicon, clean reinstall, no fix [4 comments, 5 participants]

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Error Message

Fix Action

Fix / Workaround

Code Example

Preflight Checklist

What's Wrong?

What Should Happen?

Error Messages/Logs

Steps to Reproduce

Claude Model

Is this a regression?

Last Working Version

Claude Code Version

Platform

Operating System

Terminal/Shell

Additional Information

extent analysis

TL;DR

Guidance

Example

Notes

Recommendation

Still need to ship something?

TRENDING

claude-code - 💡(How to fix) Fix [BUG] Cowork: "Claude Code process exited with code 1" on every session — macOS Apple Silicon, clean reinstall, no fix [4 comments, 5 participants]

Recommended Tools

GitHub issue graph ai analysis

Error Message

Fix Action

Fix / Workaround

Code Example

Preflight Checklist

What's Wrong?

What Should Happen?

Error Messages/Logs

Steps to Reproduce

Claude Model

Is this a regression?

Last Working Version

Claude Code Version

Platform

Operating System

Terminal/Shell

Additional Information

extent analysis

TL;DR

Guidance

Example

Notes

Recommendation

Still need to ship something?

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