Git Bash not detected on Windows ARM64 despite correct CLAUDE_CODE_GIT_BASH_PATH, persists after switching to x64 Git build

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 desktop app on Windows shows "Git is required for local sessions"
and refuses to start.

Environment: Windows on ARM64 (Snapdragon-based device)

Steps already taken, in order, each followed by a full system restart:

1. Installed Git for Windows (initially the ARM64/clangarm64 build)
2. Confirmed bash.exe works correctly when run manually in a Git Bash window
3. Set environment variable CLAUDE_CODE_GIT_BASH_PATH to

C:\Program Files\Git\usr\bin\bash.exe (confirmed correct via where bash)

1. Restarted — error persisted
2. Set CLAUDE_CODE_USE_POWERSHELL_TOOL=1 as an alternative
3. Restarted — error persisted
4. Uninstalled Git entirely, reinstalled using the standard x64 build

instead of ARM64 (confirmed via where git — now shows mingw64
instead of clangarm64)

1. Re-verified CLAUDE_CODE_GIT_BASH_PATH still points to the correct,

existing bash.exe path

1. Restarted — error persists identically

The error is consistent and reproducible across all of the above. Git and
Bash are both genuinely installed and functional (verified directly in a
Git Bash terminal), but Claude Code does not detect them under any of the
above configurations.

What Should Happen?

Claude should be connected with git

Error Messages/Logs

Steps to Reproduce

not sure, just keep getting messages from Claude Code that I needed to install git even though it's installed and was working yesterday and early this morning

Claude Model

Sonnet (default)

Is this a regression?

Yes, this worked in a previous version

Last Working Version

Worked in Sonnet just 3-4 hours ago

Claude Code Version

Sonnet 5

Platform

Anthropic API

Operating System

Windows

Terminal/Shell

Windows Terminal

Additional Information

_No response_