[BUG] claude --continue hangs in directory with no previous session (macOS)

Bug description

Running claude --continue in a directory where no previous Claude Code session has ever been opened causes the terminal to hang completely. Ctrl+C is also unresponsive — the process must be killed externally.

Steps to reproduce

1. cd into a directory where Claude Code has never been opened
2. Run claude --continue
3. Terminal hangs — no prompt, no output, no response to input
4. Ctrl+C does not work

Expected behavior

Should either fall back to a new session, or display an error like "No previous session found" and exit gracefully.

Environment

• macOS (Darwin 23.6.0, Apple Silicon)
• Claude Code version: 2.1.74
• Shell: zsh (iTerm2)

Related issues

• #7144, #7426, #24191 — similar freeze symptoms but all on Windows and with existing sessions