.claude-config/config.json not found when using CLAUDE_CONFIG_DIR

Environment

• Platform (select one):
• Claude CLI version: 0.2.45
• Operating System: macOS 15.3..2
• Terminal: VS Code terminal (zsh)

Bug Description

Trying to use the different config options described in #261. I set the env var, launch claude, set the text setting, and then get a file not found error.

Steps to Reproduce

export CLAUDE_CONFIG_DIR=./.claude-config
claude

outputs:

  ERROR  ENOENT: no such file or directory, open '.claude-config/config.json'

 node:fs:563:18

 - openSync (node:fs:563:18)
 - oW1 (file:///opt/homebrew/lib/node_modules/@anthropic-ai/claude-code/cli.js:456:55)
 - P80 (file:///opt/homebrew/lib/node_modules/@anthropic-ai/claude-code/cli.js:456:3237)
 - S4 (file:///opt/homebrew/lib/node_modules/@anthropic-ai/claude-code/cli.js:456:2620)
 - Y (file:///opt/homebrew/lib/node_modules/@anthropic-ai/claude-code/cli.js:1172:6139)
 -  (file:///opt/homebrew/lib/node_modules/@anthropic-ai/claude-code/cli.js:511:7426)
 - ud (file:///opt/homebrew/lib/node_modules/@anthropic-ai/claude-code/cli.js:81:21381)
 - AC (file:///opt/homebrew/lib/node_modules/@anthropic-ai/claude-code/cli.js:81:40838)
 -  (file:///opt/homebrew/lib/node_modules/@anthropic-ai/claude-code/cli.js:81:39053)
 - yw1 (file:///opt/homebrew/lib/node_modules/@anthropic-ai/claude-code/cli.js:75:22703)

Expected Behavior

I expect Claude to ask me for auth, although without documentation on how to use CLAUDE_CONFIG_DIR beyond the comment in #261 I'm not positive that is correct. As of 2025-03-15 I don't see any docs under https://docs.anthropic.com/en/docs/agents-and-tools/claude-code/ that mention the config dir.

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