[BUG]

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?

Fresh install from command line, it recommended using voice mode and I get this exchange:

▐▛███▜▌ Claude Code v2.1.92
▝▜█████▛▘ Sonnet 4.6 · Claude Pro
▘▘ ▝▝ ~/Documents/homeschool/c

✻ Voice mode is now available · /voice to enable

──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
❯ /voiceALSA lib pcm_dsnoop.c:567:(snd_pcm_dsnoop_open) unable to open slave
❯ /voice
⎿ Voice mode enabled. HoldgSpaceito record. Dictation language: en (/config to change).

❯ There is a bug with voice mode with claude code, help me report it: ❯ /voiceALSA lib
pcm_dsnoop.c:567:(snd_pcm_dsnoop_open) unable to open slave
❯ /voice

⎿ Voice mode enabled. HoldgSpaceito record. Dictation language: en (/config to change).

● Let me help you report this bug. The issue is clear: when /voice is enabled, the ALSA error unable to open
slave is printed to the terminal, and there appears to be garbled text in the status line ("HoldgSpaceito"
instead of "Hold Space to").

● Here's a draft bug report you can submit at https://github.com/anthropics/claude-code/issues/new:

---
Title: /voice mode prints ALSA error to terminal and has garbled status text

Description:

When enabling voice mode with /voice, two issues occur:

1. ALSA error printed to terminal:

ALSA lib pcm_dsnoop.c:567:(snd_pcm_dsnoop_open) unable to open slave

1. This error leaks to stdout/stderr in the terminal instead of being suppressed or handled gracefully.
2. Garbled status line text:

The confirmation message reads "HoldgSpaceito record" instead of "Hold Space to record" — spaces are missing
and characters appear merged.

Steps to reproduce:

1. Run claude in a terminal on Linux
2. Type /voice and press Enter

Expected behavior:

• ALSA errors should be suppressed or handled internally (not printed to the user's terminal)
• Status text should read: "Voice mode enabled. Hold Space to record. Dictation language: en (/config to

change)."

Actual behavior:

• ALSA error printed to terminal before voice mode activates
• Status text is garbled: "Voice mode enabled. HoldgSpaceito record. Dictation language: en (/config to

change)."

Environment:

• OS: Linux (Ubuntu/Debian — kernel 6.17.0-19-generic)
• Shell: bash

---
You can file it at: https://github.com/anthropics/claude-code/issues

What Should Happen?

It should work for one, but also dsnoop.c it references is kindof delicate and since linux kernel version 5.15 (see the ardopc bug that inspired the ardopcf clone if you really care about the details... but...) doesn't work right because of some deeper level changes that were literally never reconciled and nobody ever seemed to address.... claude should probably default to pipewire or pulseaudio backends by default, definitely not alsa plugins that honestly have not been maintained. It seems like this feature was vibecoded without care or thought or experience.

Error Messages/Logs

Steps to Reproduce

I literally just installed a fresh clade code install from the https://code.claude.com/docs/en/overview website then authenticated and then tried to use voice.

Claude Model

Sonnet (default)

Is this a regression?

I don't know

Last Working Version

_No response_

Claude Code Version

2.1.92

Platform

Anthropic API

Operating System

Ubuntu/Debian Linux

Terminal/Shell

Other

Additional Information

Just a regular ubuntu Konsole terminal nothing special here!