[BUG] Claude Code crashes instantly in desktop app with error script not found stream-json
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?
claude code in the desktop app crashes instantly every time i send a message it dies right away showing claude code process exited with code 1
the cli is completely fine the exact same native binary handles stream json with no problem when i run claude -p test --output-format stream-json --verbose in the terminal i get clean stream json output and no crash so only the desktop app crashes not my system install
things i already tried and none helped
ran login again the cli 401 got fixed but the app still crashes
claude update says already up to date on 2.1.181
fully uninstalled and reinstalled the desktop app
cleared the app cache folders in localappdata
so this looks specific to the claude code that the desktop app spawns possibly related to issue 14442
environment
windows 11 build 26200
claude code native install 2.1.181 latest channel install method native
What Should Happen?
the desktop app should spawn claude code and respond normally just like the cli does instead of crashing
Error Messages/Logs
Claude Code process exited with code 1
error: Script not found "stream-json"Steps to Reproduce
1 open the claude desktop app on windows
2 open a project folder
3 send any message to claude code in the app
4 it crashes instantly with claude code process exited with code 1 and error script not found stream-json
note the same machine runs the native cli 2.1.181 perfectly running claude -p test --output-format stream-json --verbose in the terminal returns clean stream json with no crash so only the desktop app is affected
Claude Model
Opus
Is this a regression?
Yes, this worked in a previous version
Last Working Version
not sure
Claude Code Version
2.1.181 (Claude Code)
Platform
Anthropic API
Operating System
Windows
Terminal/Shell
Windows Terminal
Additional Information
the crash happens in the desktop gui app not in a terminal the terminal field above is just my system shell
the cli works completely fine only the desktop app crashes
attaching the crash screenshot below:
<img width="483" height="189" alt="Image" src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/6e46eab9-7b0e-4b80-9366-e283756d8978" />
4 Comments
Found 1 possible duplicate issue:
This issue will be automatically closed as a duplicate in 3 days.
🤖 Generated with Claude Code
same crash on windows 11 build 26200 but also in the desktop app not just the vscode extension and on 2.1.181 not only 2.1.179
key data point the standalone native cli is fine the exact same binary handles stream json with no crash when i run claude -p test --output-format stream-json --verbose so it seems isolated to how the app and extension spawn claude code not the binary itself
How did you fix it. I just got this same error in Claude desktop app.
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