[BUG] Windows: Trust dialog stuck — Enter key does nothing due to mkdirSync EEXIST error

[peregori]

Preflight Checklist

• I have searched existing issues and this hasn't been reported yet
• This is a single bug report (please file separate reports for different bugs)
• I am using the latest version of Claude Code

What's Wrong?

Bug Description

On Windows 11, the workspace trust dialog appears but pressing Enter does nothing. The dialog gets stuck indefinitely, preventing th launch of interactive sessions in any new project directory.

Root Cause

The config save function in cli.js calls mkdirSync(dirname(configPath)) without {recursive: true}. The config file is ~/.claude.json, so dirname resolves to C:\Users\<username> — which already exists. mkdirSync throws EEXIST, the trust dialog answer can't be saved, and the dialog loops.

From the debug log:

Stack trace:

at mkdirSync (unknown)
at mkdirSync (B:/~BUN/root/src/entrypoints/cli.js:12:3048)
at d38 (B:/~BUN/root/src/entrypoints/cli.js:6483:5856)
at IA (B:/~BUN/root/src/entrypoints/cli.js:6483:4432)

Both d38() and B38() in cli.js call mkdirSync on the config parent directory without EEXIST handling (unlike the backup directory code which does catch it).

What Should Happen?

Change mkdirSync(L) to mkdirSync(L, { recursive: true }) in both d38 and B38 functions, or wrap with try/catch for EEXIST like the backup code already does.

Workaround

Manually add trust entries to ~/.claude.json under projects.<path>.hasTrustDialogAccepted: true for each project directory, using both forward-slash and backslash path variants.

Environment

• Windows 11 Enterprise 10.0.22631
• Claude Code v2.1.51 (native install, org-managed)
• Terminal: Windows Terminal (cmd)
• Bun runtime (standalone binary)

Error Messages/Logs

Steps to Reproduce

Steps to Reproduce

1. Install Claude Code on Windows 11 (native install via org-managed deployment)
2. Open Windows Terminal (cmd or PowerShell)
3. Navigate to any project directory that has NOT been previously trusted:

cd C:\Users\Documents

4. Run claude (interactive mode)
5. The workspace trust dialog appears:

Accessing workspace:
C:\Users\Documents
❯ 1. Yes, I trust this folder ✔
2. No, exit
Enter to confirm · Esc to cancel

6. Press Enter — nothing happens. The dialog stays. Cannot proceed.

Expected Behavior

Pressing Enter should accept the trust selection, save the config, and launch the interactive session.

Actual Behavior

Enter does nothing. Debug log (~/.claude/debug/*.txt) shows repeated errors:

[ERROR] Failed to save config with lock: Error: EEXIST: file already exists, mkdir 'C:\Users'

The trust dialog answer cannot be persisted, so the dialog loops forever.

Additional Context

• The -p (print) flag skips the trust dialog successfully, confirming it's specific to the interactive trust prompt save path
• Directories that already have hasTrustDialogAccepted: true in ~/.claude.json work fine
• The workaround is manually adding trust entries to ~/.claude.json
• The bug is in the d38() and B38() functions in cli.js which call mkdirSync(dirname(configPath)) without { recursive: true } — when configPath is ~/.claude.json, dirname is the home directory which already exists

Claude Model

None

Is this a regression?

I don't know

Last Working Version

No response

Claude Code Version

v2.1.51 (native install, org-managed)

Platform

Anthropic API

Operating System

Windows

Terminal/Shell

Windows Terminal

Additional Information

No response

[pdebuitlear]

This is really bad. I know claude code is actually being used to build the tool, but can ye not run basic smoke tests to ensure that a new release isn't broken on an entire OS.

[github-actions]

Found 3 possible duplicate issues:

1. [BUG] Interactive TUI hangs after trust prompt on Windows -- regression between 2.1.58 and 2.1.69 #31128
2. [Bug] Claude Code 2.1.69 silently exits on Windows — EEXIST: file already exists, mkdir 'C:\Users\<username>' #31074
3. v2.1.69: Freezes on startup on Windows - mkdirSync EEXIST error loop #30960

This issue will be automatically closed as a duplicate in 3 days.

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🤖 Generated with Claude Code

[seanGSISG]

Workaround

Manually add trust entries to ~/.claude.json under projects.<path>.hasTrustDialogAccepted: true for each project directory, using both forward-slash and backslash path variants.

This just seems to make the prompt go away but claude still wont load

[khalid-hasan]

I have been having the same issue for the last hour.

[seanGSISG]

Reverting back to v2.1.68 made the problem go away, had Claude create a quick script to easily revert

https://gist.github.com/seanGSISG/4fc416eaf6f1dd4b731053165c72b918

run it with: powershell -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File revert-claude-code.ps1

just be sure to disable auto-updates in settings once you get back in

[MichaelCurrie-RJW]

Doesn't seem to be happening to me anymore as of v2.1.71.

[github-actions]

Closing for now — inactive for too long. Please open a new issue if this is still relevant.