[BUG] OAuth token expires excessively — multiple times per day

[jovimedina]

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?

Description

As a Max subscription user using Claude Code i am using my work suscription jmedina@surterreproperties.com and, my OAuth authentication token is expiring multiple times per day, requiring me to repeatedly run claude logout && claude login to continue working which is annoying.

This is significantly disrupting my workflow, especially when working in environments where I only have a single terminal session (e.g., cloud-based dev environments) and cannot easily re-authenticate.

• Claude Code version: 2.1.63
• Platform: Linux
• Auth method: OAuth (Max subscription)

What Should Happen?

The OAuth token should have a reasonable lifetime, not expire multiple times within a single working session.

Error Messages/Logs

HTTP 401: authentication_error: OAuth token has expired. Please obtain a new
  token or refresh your existing token.

Steps to Reproduce

1. Log in to Claude Code using OAuth with a Max subscription (claude login)
2. Use Claude Code normally for a period of time
3. After approximately 1-2 hours of use, any command fails with:
   HTTP 401: authentication_error: OAuth token has expired
4. Must run claude logout && claude login to restore access
5. Token expires again after another 1-2 hours, repeating the cycle
6. This happens multiple times per day during normal usage

Claude Model

Opus

Is this a regression?

Yes, this worked in a previous version

Last Working Version

No response

Claude Code Version

2.1.63

Platform

Anthropic API

Operating System

Ubuntu/Debian Linux

Terminal/Shell

Terminal.app (macOS)

Additional Information

[yurukusa]

You're on v2.1.63 — that's ~18 versions behind current (v2.1.81). Several OAuth-related fixes have shipped since then:

• v2.1.81: "Fixed multiple concurrent Claude Code sessions requiring repeated re-authentication when one session refreshes its OAuth token"
• v2.1.79: "Improved non-streaming API fallback with a 2-minute per-attempt timeout, preventing sessions from hanging indefinitely"

Try updating first:

claude update
# or reinstall:
curl -fsSL https://claude.ai/install.sh | bash

After updating, if the token still expires frequently:

1. Check if you have multiple sessions open (each one refreshes the token, which can invalidate the other sessions' tokens)
2. Try claude login with the --provider flag to ensure you're using the right auth method

[github-actions]

Found 3 possible duplicate issues:

1. [BUG] Claude code requires users to constantly login #1757
2. [Bug] OAuth token expiration causing repeated 401 authentication errors during active sessions #18225
3. [BUG] OAuth token expiration disrupts autonomous workflows – refresh token handling needed #12447

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

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🤖 Generated with Claude Code

[DemonStore]

I've got the same issue on the latest claude code (v2.1.81)

[esetnik]

Same issue for me in v2.1.81