[BUG] Error: Claude Code process terminated by signal SIGKILL

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?

I've been using Claude Code extension in vscode since a long time & it was working properly till today.

Suddenly in the evening, I started seeing this message when I open the extension - Error: Claude Code process terminated by signal SIGKILL

What Should Happen?

Claude Code should run stably without crashing.

Error Messages/Logs

2026-07-23 01:30:20.978 [info] AuthManager initialized
2026-07-23 01:30:20.978 [info] Claude code extension is now active?
2026-07-23 01:30:20.978 [info] MCP Server running on port 25869 (localhost only)
2026-07-23 01:30:20.978 [info] Getting authentication status
2026-07-23 01:30:20.978 [info] OAuth tokens found in secure storage
2026-07-23 01:30:20.978 [info] AuthManager initialized
2026-07-23 01:30:20.978 [info] Received message from webview: {"type":"request","requestId":"3q4vhk0p4ii","request":{"type":"init"}}
2026-07-23 01:30:20.978 [info] resolveShellPath: /bin/zsh failed: Error: Command timed out after 10000 milliseconds: /bin/zsh -lic printf 'ec73a42308134f1c8d34b4ad117ef053'; command printenv PATH; printf 'ec73a42308134f1c8d34b4ad117ef053'
spawnSync /bin/zsh ETIMEDOUT
loading .zprofile
Loading .zshrc
2026-07-23 01:30:20.978 [info] Getting authentication status
2026-07-23 01:30:20.978 [info] OAuth tokens found in secure storage
2026-07-23 01:30:20.978 [error] claude auth status parse failed: SyntaxError: Unexpected end of JSON input
2026-07-23 01:30:22.579 [info] Getting authentication status
2026-07-23 01:30:22.579 [info] OAuth tokens found in secure storage
2026-07-23 01:30:22.579 [info] Getting authentication status
2026-07-23 01:30:22.579 [info] OAuth tokens found in secure storage
2026-07-23 01:30:22.581 [info] Received message from webview: {"type":"request","requestId":"551fvppskwi","request":{"type":"get_claude_state"}}
2026-07-23 01:30:22.582 [info] Received message from webview: {"type":"request","requestId":"lvq1rm8sxk","request":{"type":"get_current_selection"}}
2026-07-23 01:30:22.582 [info] Received message from webview: {"type":"request","requestId":"y7omuighj18","request":{"type":"get_asset_uris"}}
2026-07-23 01:30:22.583 [info] Received message from webview: {"type":"request","requestId":"dmjz9ivjugt","request":{"type":"list_sessions_request"}}
2026-07-23 01:30:22.625 [info] Received message from webview: {"type":"launch_claude","channelId":"9yhc9baejxr","cwd":"/Users/ID/ghc/claude-testing","permissionMode":"acceptEdits","thinkingLevel":"default_on"}
2026-07-23 01:30:22.629 [info] Launching Claude on channel: 9yhc9baejxr
2026-07-23 01:30:26.153 [info] Python env: PATH=/Users/ID/miniforge3/bin:/Users/ID/software/google-cloud-sdk/bin:/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/3.8/bin:/Users/ID/.jenv/bin:/opt/homebrew/bin:/opt/homebrew/sbin:/usr/local/bin:/System/Cryptexes/App/usr/bin:/usr/bin:/bin:/usr/sbin:/sbin:/var/run/com.apple.security.cryptexd/codex.system/bootstrap/usr/local/bin:/var/run/com.apple.security.cryptexd/codex.system/bootstrap/usr/bin:/var/run/com.apple.security.cryptexd/codex.system/bootstrap/usr/appleinternal/bin:/pkg/env/global/bin:/usr/local/sbin:/usr/local/go/bin:/usr/local/munki:/opt/salt/bin:/Library/Application Support/CDM/bin:/Users/ID/.opencode/bin:/Users/ID/.local/bin:/Users/ID/.local/bin
2026-07-23 01:30:26.154 [info] Python env: VIRTUAL_ENV=/Users/ID/miniforge3
2026-07-23 01:30:26.154 [info] Spawning Claude with SDK query function - cwd: /Users/ID/ghc/claude-testing, permission mode: acceptEdits, version: 2.1.218, /Users/ID/.vscode/extensions/anthropic.claude-code-2.1.218-darwin-arm64/resources/native-binary/claude, resume: undefined
2026-07-23 01:30:28.119 [info] Closing Claude on channel: 9yhc9baejxr
2026-07-23 01:30:28.120 [error] Error spawning Claude (on channel 9yhc9baejxr): Error: Claude Code process terminated by signal SIGKILL
2026-07-23 01:30:28.120 [info] OAuth tokens found in secure storage
2026-07-23 01:30:28.120 [error] Failed to load config cache: Error: Claude Code process terminated by signal SIGKILL
2026-07-23 01:30:28.123 [error] Error processing client request: Error: Claude Code process terminated by signal SIGKILL
2026-07-23 01:30:28.128 [info] Received message from webview: {"type":"interrupt_claude","channelId":"551fvppskwi"}
2026-07-23 01:30:28.128 [warning] Channel not found: 551fvppskwi
2026-07-23 01:30:33.134 [warning] direct telemetry post failed: AxiosError: timeout of 5000ms exceeded
2026-07-23 01:30:35.893 [info] Received message from webview: {"type":"launch_claude","channelId":"u8qrujfh95j","cwd":"/Users/ID/ghc/claude-testing","permissionMode":"acceptEdits","thinkingLevel":"default_on"}
2026-07-23 01:30:35.894 [info] Launching Claude on channel: u8qrujfh95j
2026-07-23 01:30:35.896 [info] Received message from webview: {"type":"io_message","channelId":"u8qrujfh95j","message":{"type":"user","uuid":"1c450494-dfd8-4357-aafa-3dce743f435e","session_id":"","parent_tool_use_id":null,"origin":{"kind":"human"},"message":{"role":"user","content":[{"type":"text","text":"hi"}]}},"done":false}
2026-07-23 01:30:35.896 [info] Received message from webview: {"type":"request","requestId":"bsyprrm5yac","request":{"type":"generate_session_title","channelId":"u8qrujfh95j","description":"hi"}}
2026-07-23 01:30:35.931 [info] Python env: PATH=/Users/ID/miniforge3/bin:/Users/ID/software/google-cloud-sdk/bin:/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/3.8/bin:/Users/ID/.jenv/bin:/opt/homebrew/bin:/opt/homebrew/sbin:/usr/local/bin:/System/Cryptexes/App/usr/bin:/usr/bin:/bin:/usr/sbin:/sbin:/var/run/com.apple.security.cryptexd/codex.system/bootstrap/usr/local/bin:/var/run/com.apple.security.cryptexd/codex.system/bootstrap/usr/bin:/var/run/com.apple.security.cryptexd/codex.system/bootstrap/usr/appleinternal/bin:/pkg/env/global/bin:/usr/local/sbin:/usr/local/go/bin:/usr/local/munki:/opt/salt/bin:/Library/Application Support/CDM/bin:/Users/ID/.opencode/bin:/Users/ID/.local/bin:/Users/ID/.local/bin
2026-07-23 01:30:35.931 [info] Python env: VIRTUAL_ENV=/Users/ID/miniforge3
2026-07-23 01:30:35.931 [info] Spawning Claude with SDK query function - cwd: /Users/ID/ghc/claude-testing, permission mode: acceptEdits, version: 2.1.218, /Users/ID/.vscode/extensions/anthropic.claude-code-2.1.218-darwin-arm64/resources/native-binary/claude, resume: undefined
2026-07-23 01:30:36.315 [info] Closing Claude on channel: u8qrujfh95j
2026-07-23 01:30:36.315 [error] Error spawning Claude (on channel u8qrujfh95j): Error: Claude Code process terminated by signal SIGKILL
2026-07-23 01:30:36.315 [info] generateSessionTitle failed: Error: Error: Claude Code process terminated by signal SIGKILL
2026-07-23 01:30:36.317 [info] Received message from webview: {"type":"request","channelId":"u8qrujfh95j","requestId":"5lvyvz398dl","request":{"type":"log_event","eventName":"sdk_stream_ended_no_result","eventData":{"had_error":true,"subagent_count":0,"message_count":1}}}
2026-07-23 01:30:36.317 [warning] Channel not found for logEvent: u8qrujfh95j

Steps to Reproduce

1. Install Claude Code extension in VS Code on MAC
2. Open any project folder
3. Launch Claude Code panel
4. Either: (a) the process crashes immediately at startup, or (b) start a conversation and after a few minutes.
5. Output logs show: "Error: Claude Code process terminated by signal SIGKILL"

Claude Model

None

Is this a regression?

Yes, this worked in a previous version

Last Working Version

_No response_

Claude Code Version

2.1.218 (anthropic.claude-code-2.1.218-darwin-arm64)

Platform

Anthropic API

Operating System

macOS

Terminal/Shell

VS Code integrated terminal

Additional Information

_No response_