[BUG] Claude Desktop Code tab: process exits with code 1, no response

Preflight Checklist

• [x] I have searched existing issues and this hasn't been reported yet
• [x] This is a single bug report (please file separate reports for different bugs)
• [x] I am using the latest version of Claude Code

What's Wrong?

The Code tab in Claude Desktop does not respond to any
messages. The Claude Code process exits immediately with code
1 (no error message shown to the user).

• Claude Desktop: latest version (freshly reinstalled)
• Claude Code binary: 2.1.78 (bundled by Desktop app)
• Terminal Claude Code: 2.1.81 (works perfectly fine)
• macOS: Darwin 25.3.0
• Log error: "Session query error: Claude Code process exited

with code 1"

• The Cowork tab works, only the Code tab is broken
• Reinstalling the app did not fix it
• The Desktop app always re-downloads 2.1.78, even though

2.1.81 is available

What Should Happen?

The Code tab should respond to messages, just like Claude
Code works in the terminal. The Claude Code process should
start successfully without exiting with code 1.

Error Messages/Logs

From ~/Library/Logs/Claude/main.log:

  [error] Session local_cc93e81c-81af-495e-882c-b920e9e862fe
  query error: Claude Code process exited with code 1
  [info] [CCD CycleHealth] unhealthy cycle (0s,
  hadFirstResponse=false, reason=no_response)                  
  [error] Sentry caught: { type: 'Error', value:
  'ProcessTransport is not ready for writing' }

Steps to Reproduce

1. Open Claude Desktop
2. Switch to the Code tab
3. Select a project folder (e.g.

/Users/.../Documents/Labyrinth)

1. Type any message and press Enter
2. No response appears. Message disappears.

Claude Model

Opus

Is this a regression?

Yes, this worked in a previous version

Last Working Version

unknown

Claude Code Version

2.1.78

Platform

Other

Operating System

macOS

Terminal/Shell

Terminal.app (macOS)

Additional Information

Using Claude Max Plan. The terminal version of Claude Code
(2.1.81) works perfectly in the same project directory. Only
the Desktop app Code tab is broken. Cowork tab in the Desktop
app works fine. Fresh reinstall did not fix the issue.