claude-code - 💡(How to fix) Fix [BUG] [Windows] Cowork crashes: HostLoop forces CLAUDE_CODE_GIT_BASH_PATH=%COMSPEC% (cmd.exe), overriding env/PATH/settings

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?

Can not use Corwork

What Should Happen?

Always recived

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Error Messages/Logs

Steps to Reproduce

Summary

On Windows, every Cowork session crashes with the UI banner "Claude Code crashed." The Cowork HostLoop spawns the Windows claude.exe with CLAUDE_CODE_GIT_BASH_PATH set to %COMSPEC% (C:\WINDOWS\system32\cmd.exe) instead of detecting Git Bash or honoring my configuration. The CLI rejects cmd.exe and exits with code 1.

Environment

• Claude Desktop: 1.11187.1
• Claude Code (CCD): 2.1.161
• OS: Windows x64
• Git for Windows installed at C:\Program Files\Git (C:\Program Files\Git\bin\bash.exe exists)

Log excerpt (%APPDATA%\Claude\logs\main.log)

2026-06-05 09:30:08 [warn] [HostLoop] cli.js stderr: Claude Code was unable to find CLAUDE_CODE_GIT_BASH_PATH path "C:\WINDOWS\system32\cmd.exe"
2026-06-05 09:30:08 [error] Session local_... query error: Claude Code process exited with code 1
    at SAr.getProcessExitError (app.asar/.vite/build/index.js:466:8374)

The forwarded value is always exactly %COMSPEC%, regardless of configuration.

Workarounds tried (all verified loaded — none fix it)

1. User env var CLAUDE_CODE_GIT_BASH_PATH = C:\Program Files\Git\bin\bash.exe — confirmed present in the app process ($env:CLAUDE_CODE_GIT_BASH_PATH reads bash.exe in app child processes).
2. Added C:\Program Files\Git\bin to PATH — where bash resolves to the correct bash.exe.
3. Full Windows reboot.
4. env block in C:\ProgramData\ClaudeCode\managed-settings.json (enterprise, highest precedence) and ~/.claude/settings.json:

   { "env": { "CLAUDE_CODE_GIT_BASH_PATH": "C:\\Program Files\\Git\\bin\\bash.exe" } }

In all cases the HostLoop still forwards cmd.exe.

Steps to reproduce

1. Windows x64 with Git for Windows installed.
2. Open Claude Desktop → start a Cowork session.
3. Send any message → "Claude Code crashed" (CLI exits code 1; log shows the cmd.exe line above).

Expected behavior

The Cowork HostLoop should set CLAUDE_CODE_GIT_BASH_PATH to the detected Git Bash (...\Git\bin\bash.exe) or honor the existing env var / settings.json env, and must not fall back to %COMSPEC% (cmd.exe), which the CLI explicitly rejects.

Notes

Unrelated non-blocking log noise: a stale secondary org returns 403 "Organization has status: canceled"; the app auto-switches to the valid org and initialization succeeds. Network connectivity is fine. Neither is the cause.

Claude Model

None

Is this a regression?

Yes, this worked in a previous version

Last Working Version

No response

Claude Code Version

2.1.161

Platform

Anthropic API

Operating System

macOS

Terminal/Shell

Terminal.app (macOS)

Additional Information

No response