Error / Message
Terminal doesn't support interactive mode
Claude Code needs an interactive terminal to work normally — this shows up when it's run somewhere that isn't one, like piped input or certain CI environments.
Claude Code's interface depends on direct interactive control of the terminal, which isn't available when input is piped from a script, output is redirected, or it's launched inside some non-interactive automation environments.
This isn't a bug to work around in the same session — it means that particular execution context isn't a real terminal Claude Code can drive interactively, and the fix is running it from an actual interactive terminal instead.
If this shows up unexpectedly in what looks like a normal terminal, checking whether something upstream (a wrapper script, a multiplexer configuration) is altering how input reaches the process is the next step.
Run claude directly in an interactive terminal, not through a pipe or non-interactive scriptFrequently asked questions
What does "Terminal doesn't support interactive mode" mean in Claude Code?
Claude Code needs an interactive terminal to work normally — this shows up when it's run somewhere that isn't one, like piped input or certain CI environments.
How do I fix it?
Try: Run claude directly in an interactive terminal, not through a pipe or non-interactive script
Is this something to worry about?
If this shows up unexpectedly in what looks like a normal terminal, checking whether something upstream (a wrapper script, a multiplexer configuration) is altering how input reaches the process is the next step.
Is this covered in the Claude Code Toolkit?
Yes — Terminal doesn't support interactive mode and patterns like it are part of the full command, hook, and template pack included with a Claude Code Toolkit subscription.
Want the full command, hook, and template pack?
This is one pattern out of the full Claude Code Toolkit — subscribe for the complete set, plus everything we add going forward.
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