Plugin install silently fails when folder/symlink with same name exists
Resolved 💬 2 comments Opened Feb 6, 2026 by Chipagosfinest Closed Mar 7, 2026
Description
When running /plugin install <plugin-name>@<marketplace>, if a folder or symlink with the same name already exists in ~/.claude/plugins/, the command returns no output and silently does nothing.
Steps to Reproduce
- Create a symlink in plugins directory:
``bash``
ln -s /some/path ~/.claude/plugins/my-plugin
- Add a marketplace containing a plugin named
my-plugin:
``bash``
/plugin marketplace add someuser/marketplace-repo
- Try to install:
``bash``
/plugin install my-plugin@marketplace-name
- Result: No output, no error, nothing happens
Expected Behavior
The command should output a clear message, such as:
Error: "my-plugin" already exists at ~/.claude/plugins/my-plugin (symlink)
Use --force to replace, or remove it manually first.
Actual Behavior
Command completes with no output, leaving user confused about whether installation succeeded or failed.
Environment
- Claude Code CLI
- macOS
Suggested Fix
- Detect existing folders/symlinks before install
- Output clear error message explaining the conflict
- Optionally support
--forceflag to overwrite
---
🤖 Filed via Claude Code
This issue has 2 comments on GitHub. Read the full discussion on GitHub ↗