Allow resuming conversations from different directories
Open 💬 9 comments Opened Feb 25, 2026 by butlersrepos
Problem
Conversations are tied to the directory where they were started. If the original directory no longer exists (e.g., deleted git worktree, moved/renamed directory), there's no way to resume that conversation.
The current behavior shows:
This conversation is from a different directory.
To resume, run:
cd /original/path && claude --resume <session-id>
But if /original/path no longer exists, this is impossible without manually recreating the directory structure.
Use Cases
- Git worktrees: Developers often create temporary worktrees for PRs/features, then delete them after merging. Conversations from those worktrees become inaccessible.
- Directory reorganization: Moving or renaming project directories orphans all associated conversations.
- Disk cleanup: Removing old project directories loses conversation history even if you want to reference it later.
Proposed Solution
Add a --force flag (or similar) to allow resuming a conversation regardless of directory mismatch:
claude --resume <session-id> --force
Or allow specifying a session ID without directory validation:
claude --resume <session-id> --ignore-directory
Current Workarounds
- Manually recreate the original directory path (empty directory works)
- Symlink current location to the old path
Both are cumbersome and shouldn't be necessary.
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