Desktop CC for Windows: "server --install produced no result" — downloaded server binary lacks --install flag

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?

When connecting Claude Code Desktop (Windows app v1.3561.0) to a remote Linux SSH host, session fails to start with:

Connection failed: server --install produced no result
(stderr: bash: line 1: /home/oleg/.claude/remote/server: No such file or directory)

— or with empty stderr after the binary is restored.

The ~/.claude/remote/server binary downloaded by Desktop CC (claude-ssh cee98937dc257e6af64e712d71dbe4497eb82452 built 2026-04-14T16:53:35Z, 5.9 MB) does NOT support the --install flag — only -connect, -socket, -fetch-url, -decompress-input, -fetch-output, -fetch-checksum, -version. Calling server --install returns "flag provided but not defined: -install" with exit code 2, which the client interprets as "no result".

What Should Happen?

Session should start, the install step should complete successfully, and the user can interact with Claude on the remote host.

Error Messages/Logs

Connection failed: server --install produced no result
stderr: bash: line 1: /home/oleg/.claude/remote/server: No such file or directory

(when binary exists:)
Connection failed: server --install produced no result (stderr: )

Manual test on remote:
$ ~/.claude/remote/server --install
flag provided but not defined: -install
Usage of /home/oleg/.claude/remote/server:
  -connect string ...
  -socket string ...
  -fetch-url string ...
  ...
Exit: 2

$ ~/.claude/remote/server -version
claude-ssh cee98937dc257e6af64e712d71dbe4497eb82452 (built 2026-04-14T16:53:35Z)

Steps to Reproduce

1. Install Claude for Windows v1.3561.0 (latest, no updates available).
2. Add SSH host (Linux Ubuntu 24.04, key-auth — key works fine in PowerShell ssh fornex).
3. Connect — succeeds. Folder picker reads remote files.
4. Submit any prompt to start session.
5. Desktop CC connects via SSH, downloads server to ~/.claude/remote/server, then runs server --install.
6. Fails with error above.

Claude Model

None

Is this a regression?

Yes, this worked in a previous version

Last Working Version

_No response_

Claude Code Version

Claude for Windows Desktop 1.3561.0

Platform

Anthropic API

Operating System

Windows

Terminal/Shell

Other

Additional Information

Bug occurs in Claude for Windows Desktop app v1.3561.0, NOT in Claude Code CLI.

Same Anthropic account works fine on a different Windows PC (office) — likely because that PC has a cached older server binary from before April 14, 2026. Home PC freshly downloads the new cee98937 binary which lacks the --install flag.

Tried (none helped):

• "Try again" multiple times
• "Reload Window"
• "Clear Cache and Restart"
• "Reset App Data"
• Full uninstall + fresh install of Claude Desktop
• Manually removing ~/.claude/remote/server to force re-download — Desktop CC always re-downloads the same cee98937 binary

Workaround: Claude Code CLI directly via SSH on the remote host works fine (~/.claude/remote/ccd-cli/2.1.111 launches normally).

Attached: screenshots of the full error message in Desktop CC UI.

<img width="1194" height="811" alt="Image" src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/a04b77a9-702d-4300-961b-b233153f74f6" />

<img width="930" height="878" alt="Image" src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/21e3e7d0-dcbc-42ba-95e1-1f7bed12f2bb" />

<img width="930" height="878" alt="Image" src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/877856fb-0ed5-4f6f-9f2f-1fe01e9590cc" />