Temporary files not cleaned up on Windows (tmpclaude-*-cwd, nul)
Status Closed — not planned
Reported on v2.1.6
Maintainer reply None cached
Activity 9 comments · opened Jan 13, 2026 · closed Feb 27, 2026
Bug Description
Claude Code leaves temporary files in the working directory on Windows that are not cleaned up after use.
Files affected
tmpclaude-XXXX-cwd- Multiple files containing the current working directory pathnul- File created when output is redirected to NUL (Windows null device) via bash
Environment
- Claude Code version: 2.1.6
- OS: Windows 10/11
- Shell: Git Bash / MinGW (used by Claude Code)
Steps to reproduce
- Start Claude Code in any directory on Windows
- Work with it for a while (run some commands)
- Close/restart Claude Code
- Check the working directory - temp files remain
Expected behavior
Temporary files should be automatically deleted when no longer needed.
Additional context
The nul file issue occurs because bash interprets > nul as a file path rather than the Windows NUL device. The redirect should use > /dev/null or > NUL: on Windows.
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