[BUG] claude -p can return no stdout/stderr for a multi-file Read-only task while simple Read tasks succeed

Preflight

• Claude Code version: 2.1.235
• macOS, Claude Code CLI with ChatGPT-style interactive login
• Latest available release checked on 2026-08-22
• Existing related closed issues #28601 and #33757 were reviewed; neither covers this CLI print-mode reproduction.

What is wrong

A non-interactive claude -p task that performs a multi-file Read-only audit can finish with no final output and no error. Redirecting both stdout and stderr to a temporary file produces a zero-byte file.

This is not a general CLI connectivity failure:

1. A tools-disabled claude -p prompt returning exactly PONG succeeds.
2. A single Read followed by exactly PONG succeeds in normal text output and in stream-json.
3. The same runtime, when asked for a concise audit after reading several local non-secret files, returns no text and no error.

Minimal reproduction shape

claude -p --no-session-persistence --permission-mode dontAsk \
  --tools Read --output-format text \
  "Read several local non-secret source files, then return a concise audit report." \
  > /tmp/claude-audit.txt 2>&1
wc -c /tmp/claude-audit.txt
# observed: 0

The single-file control is:

claude -p --no-session-persistence --permission-mode dontAsk \
  --tools Read --output-format text \
  "Read lines 1 through 20 of a local source file, then reply with exactly: PONG."
# observed: PONG

Expected

The multi-file task should either print the final audit report or print a structured error. A silent zero-byte result makes CLI automation unable to distinguish completion from lost output.

Additional notes

Using --verbose --output-format stream-json exposes tool events for simple controls, so this may be in the non-streaming final-output delivery path. No project content, credentials, or private paths are included in this report.