claude-code - 💡(How to fix) Fix [Bug] Effort level not respecting `CLAUDE_CODE_EFFORT_LEVEL` environment variable when `xhigh` is default [1 comments, 2 participants]

[{"error":"Error: NON-FATAL: Lock acquisition failed for /Users/Tyler Laprade/.local/share/claude/versions/2.1.111 (expected in multi-process scenarios)\n at Kd_ (/$bunfs/root/src/entrypoints/cli.js:2748:2177)\n at qe6 (/$bunfs/root/src/entrypoints/cli.js:2748:1257)\n at processTicksAndRejections (native:7:39)","timestamp":"2026-04-16T18:40:24.299Z"}]

TL;DR

Setting the default effort level to medium in ~/.claude/settings.json may serve as a temporary workaround to start sessions on max effort despite the "CLAUDE_CODE_EFFORT_LEVEL": "max" setting being ignored in version v2.1.111.

Guidance

• Verify that the issue persists when setting the default effort level to other values in ~/.claude/settings.json to isolate if the problem is specific to the max effort level or a general configuration issue.
• Check for any other configuration files or environment variables that might be overriding the "CLAUDE_CODE_EFFORT_LEVEL": "max" setting.
• Consider reporting this inconsistency as a bug, especially since it seems to be version-specific, starting from v2.1.111.
• Review the error message for any clues on lock acquisition failures and their potential impact on configuration settings.

Example

No specific code example is applicable here, as the issue seems related to configuration and versioning rather than code implementation.

Notes

The provided error message does not directly relate to the effort level issue but indicates a problem with lock acquisition, which might be a separate issue or a symptom of a larger problem. The workaround suggested involves changing a configuration setting, which may not address the underlying cause but could provide temporary relief.

Recommendation

Apply workaround: Setting the default effort level to medium in ~/.claude/settings.json as it has been observed to correctly start sessions on max effort, providing a temporary solution until the root cause is addressed.