[Bug] Claude Desktop spawns claude-code with --include-partial-messages without --print flag

Resolved 💬 3 comments Opened Apr 28, 2026 by vikash5472 Closed May 2, 2026

Bug Description
Claude desktop app spawns its bundled claude-code 2.1.119 binary with --include-partial-messages but without --print, causing immediate exit code 1 on every session. The bundled binary errors with "Error: --include-partial-messages requires --print and --output-format=stream-json." Reproduced by capturing the spawn command via ps polling and re-running it manually. Workaround: use the terminal CLI directly. macOS 14+, Apple Silicon, native install 2.1.121 works fine.

Environment Info

  • Platform: darwin
  • Terminal: Apple_Terminal
  • Version: 2.1.121
  • Feedback ID: f7b15ef1-0069-4ceb-b6bf-27df1f153b4b

Errors

**Reproduction**

The desktop app spawns the bundled CLI with this exact command (captured via `ps` polling):

    /Users/<user>/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude-code/2.1.119/claude.app/Contents/MacOS/claude \
      --output-format stream-json --verbose --input-format stream-json \
      --effort medium --model 'claude-opus-4-7[1m]' \
      --permission-prompt-tool stdio \
      --allowedTools mcp__computer-use,mcp__ccd_session__spawn_task,mcp__ccd_session__mark_chapter \
      --setting-sources=user,project,local \
      --permission-mode acceptEdits \
      --allow-dangerously-skip-permissions \
      --include-partial-messages \
      --plugin-dir <path> \
      --managed-settings '{}' \
      --replay-user-messages \
      --settings '{}'

Running that command directly produces:

    Error: --include-partial-messages requires --print and --output-format=stream-json.

Note: `--output-format=stream-json` IS passed, but `--print` is NOT. The bundled 2.1.119 binary's argument validator requires `--print` to be explicit when `--include-partial-messages` is used.

**Expected**: desktop app passes `--print` alongside `--include-partial-messages`, OR the bundled binary's validation accepts `--output-format=stream-json` as sufficient.

**Workaround**: use the terminal CLI (`~/.local/bin/claude`, v2.1.121) directly. The desktop app is unusable.

**Affected**: every project, every model, every effort level. Not project-specific.

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