claude-code - 💡(How to fix) Fix [BUG] Desktop app 1.8089.1 crashes on launch: bundled Claude Code 2.1.142 binary is unsigned / malformed Mach-O (macOS arm64)

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?

Summary

The Claude desktop app (macOS) crashes ~20 seconds after launch on every start. The root cause is the Claude Code component (version 2.1.142) bundled with Desktop release 1.8089.1: its executable is unsigned and is a malformed Mach-O, so macOS on Apple Silicon refuses to spawn it and the app crashes.

This appears to be a distribution/packaging-level problem, not a local machine issue — a clean reinstall pulls down the same broken component every time.

Environment

• Device: MacBook Pro (Apple M3 Pro, Apple Silicon / arm64)
• macOS: 25.2.0
• Claude desktop app version: 1.8089.1
• Bundled Claude Code component: 2.1.142

Symptom

• App launches, then crashes and closes every time after ~20 seconds.
• No error message shown to the user.
• Started 2026-05-20, immediately after updating the app to 1.8089.1.
• Worked fine through 2026-05-19 (previous version).

Root cause (investigated)

The bundled Claude Code executable is unsigned and fails Mach-O validation:

Affected file: ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude-code/2.1.142/claude.app/Contents/MacOS/claude (~157 MB)

• codesign -dv reports: code object is not signed at all
• Attempting to ad-hoc sign it fails with: main executable failed strict validation (malformed Mach-O)
• App logs show:
  • Failed to get agents from temporary query: spawn Unknown system error -88 (errno -88 = EBADMACHO / malformed Mach-O file)
  • [CCD] Binary preflight: .verified marker missing but binary exists ... Proceeding with spawn.

macOS on Apple Silicon cannot execute an unsigned/malformed Mach-O, so the app fails to spawn this binary and crashes.

Troubleshooting already tried (none resolved it)

• Restarted the Mac multiple times
• Full reinstall of the app (same 1.8089.1 — reinstall pulls the same broken component)
• Cleared GPU / rendering caches
• Cleared Claude Code session state
• Fully reset ~/Library/Application Support/Claude (the app regenerates claude-code 2.1.142, still in the same broken state)
• Ad-hoc signing the binary — fails because the Mach-O is malformed

Additional notes

• The browser version (claude.ai) works fine. Only the desktop app crashes.
• Claude Code CLI installed separately via npm (version 2.1.146) on the SAME Mac works correctly and is properly signed.
• Only the 2.1.142 component unpacked internally by the desktop app is broken — strongly suggesting the 2.1.142 component shipped in the 1.8089.1 release is corrupted or unsigned at the distribution source.

Expected

The bundled Claude Code binary should be signed by "Anthropic PBC" and notarized, and pass codesign --verify --verbose.

Request

Please investigate the signing/packaging process for the Claude Code 2.1.142 component in Desktop release 1.8089.1.

What Should Happen?

The Claude Desktop app should launch and run stably without crashing.

Error Messages/Logs

Steps to Reproduce

1. Install Claude Desktop app version 1.8089.1 on macOS (Apple Silicon)
2. Launch the app
3. Wait approximately 20 seconds
4. App crashes and closes automatically — no error message shown to user

Claude Model

None

Is this a regression?

Yes, this worked in a previous version

Last Working Version

1.8088.x (worked fine on 2026-05-19)

Claude Code Version

2.1.142 (bundled with Desktop 1.8089.1 — cannot run claude --version as app crashes)

Platform

Anthropic API

Operating System

macOS

Terminal/Shell

Terminal.app (macOS)

Additional Information

No response