Status line JSON doesn't reflect output style changes mid-session

Resolved 💬 3 comments Opened Mar 14, 2026 by djdwyer Closed Mar 14, 2026

Description

When changing the output style mid-session via /config, the output_style.name field in the JSON passed to the configured status line command does not update. It retains the value from session start, even after subsequent API round-trips.

Steps to Reproduce

  1. Start a Claude Code session with output style set to "Concise"
  2. Configure a status line command that writes the raw JSON to disk for inspection
  3. Change the output style to "Explanatory" via /config
  4. Send a message and receive a response (triggering a status line refresh)
  5. Inspect the JSON — output_style.name still shows the old value

Expected Behavior

After step 4, output_style.name in the status line JSON should be "Explanatory".

Actual Behavior

output_style.name remains "Concise" (the value at session start). It only updates on session restart.

Additional Context

  • The /config command output says "Changes take effect on the next session" — if that's intentional for the status line data as well, it would be helpful if the JSON reflected the active style, since the style does appear to take effect on the model's behavior immediately.
  • Confirmed by dumping the raw JSON that Claude Code sends to the status line command on each refresh cycle.
  • Platform: macOS, Claude Code CLI

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