[Bug] Background agents fail with "classifyHandoffIfNeeded is not defined" after completing work (v2.1.37)
## Description
Background agents (run_in_background: true) report status: failed with
error
classifyHandoffIfNeeded is not defined despite completing their work
successfully.
## Reproduction
- Launch 2+ background agents via the Task tool (subagent types:
researcher, Explore)
- Agents complete all tool calls and produce final assistant messages
- Both agents independently fail with the same error during handoff
## Environment
- Claude Code version: 2.1.37
- Platform: macOS Darwin 25.2.0
- Model: claude-opus-4-6 (parent), claude-sonnet-4-5-20250929 /
claude-haiku-4-5-20251001 (agents)
## Details
- Agent aa37eab (researcher, Sonnet): 2 assistant messages, full research
output produced → failed
- Agent a0bf922 (Explore, Haiku): 129 tool calls, comprehensive codebase
exploration → failed
- Error occurs AFTER agent completes work, during the subprocess
handoff/classification phase
- Error string not present in parent session debug log — only surfaces in
task notification
- Agent output transcripts contain complete, correct results
- Zero data loss — parent successfully read agent output before failure
notification
## Expected Behavior
Agents that complete their work should report status: completed, not
status: failed.
## Impact
Low (workaround: parent reads output before failure notification).
But the false failure status is confusing and could cause automation to
incorrectly retry.
Environment Info
- Platform: darwin
- Terminal: iTerm.app
- Version: 2.1.37
- Feedback ID: 150ad51b-6d49-4804-b5ff-8e22ba39b622
Errors
[{"error":"Error: Error opening file /Users/filipehenrique/.claude/projects/-Users-filipehenrique-abeam/agent-a0c5f1f.jsonl: Error: ENOENT: no such file or directory, open '/Users/filipehenrique/.claude/projects/-Users-filipehenrique-abeam/agent-a0c5f1f.jsonl'\n at JRT (/$bunfs/root/claude:62:318)\n at async <anonymous> (/$bunfs/root/claude:4453:4044)\n at async LLT (/$bunfs/root/claude:4453:3886)\n at async <anonymous> (/$bunfs/root/claude:4453:11500)\n at async YjA (/$bunfs/root/claude:4453:141)\n at async cnB (/$bunfs/root/claude:4453:10998)\n at processTicksAndRejections (native:7:39)","timestamp":"2026-02-08T01:32:53.548Z"},{"error":"Error: Error opening file /Users/filipehenrique/.claude/projects/-Users-filipehenrique-abeam/agent-ac47672.jsonl: Error: ENOENT: no such file or directory, open '/Users/filipehenrique/.claude/projects/-Users-filipehenrique-abeam/agent-ac47672.jsonl'\n at JRT (/$bunfs/root/claude:62:318)\n at async <anonymous> (/$bunfs/root/claude:4453:4044)\n at async LLT (/$bunfs/root/claude:4453:3886)\n at async <anonymous> (/$bunfs/root/claude:4453:11500)\n at async YjA (/$bunfs/root/claude:4453:141)\n at async cnB (/$bunfs/root/claude:4453:10998)\n at processTicksAndRejections (native:7:39)","timestamp":"2026-02-08T01:32:53.615Z"},{"error":"Error: Error opening file /Users/filipehenrique/.claude/projects/-Users-filipehenrique-abeam/agent-a9fc820.jsonl: Error: ENOENT: no such file or directory, open '/Users/filipehenrique/.claude/projects/-Users-filipehenrique-abeam/agent-a9fc820.jsonl'\n at JRT (/$bunfs/root/claude:62:318)\n at async <anonymous> (/$bunfs/root/claude:4453:4044)\n at async LLT (/$bunfs/root/claude:4453:3886)\n at async <anonymous> (/$bunfs/root/claude:4453:11500)\n at async YjA (/$bunfs/root/claude:4453:141)\n at async cnB (/$bunfs/root/claude:4453:10998)\n at processTicksAndRejections (native:7:39)","timestamp":"2026-02-08T01:32:53.632Z"},{"error":"Error: EISDIR: illegal operation on a directory, read\n at readFileSync (unknown)\n at <anonymous> (/$bunfs/root/claude:12:742)\n at oC (/$bunfs/root/claude:11:49132)\n at readFileSync (/$bunfs/root/claude:12:701)\n at nzB (/$bunfs/root/claude:6110:17996)\n at call (/$bunfs/root/claude:3269:2360)\n at yO8 (/$bunfs/root/claude:3447:13995)\n at processTicksAndRejections (native:7:39)","timestamp":"2026-02-08T01:33:07.113Z"},{"error":"Error: EISDIR: illegal operation on a directory, read\n at readFileSync (unknown)\n at <anonymous> (/$bunfs/root/claude:12:742)\n at oC (/$bunfs/root/claude:11:49132)\n at readFileSync (/$bunfs/root/claude:12:701)\n at nzB (/$bunfs/root/claude:6110:17996)\n at call (/$bunfs/root/claude:3269:2360)\n at yO8 (/$bunfs/root/claude:3447:13995)\n at processTicksAndRejections (native:7:39)","timestamp":"2026-02-08T01:49:25.975Z"}]This issue has 3 comments on GitHub. Read the full discussion on GitHub ↗