{"version":"2.1.314","anchor":"plugin-and-agents-flags-startup-failure-handling-and-migrat","canonical_anchor":"plugin-and-agents-flags-startup-failure-handling-and-migrat","heading":"Startup failures now show a readable error message","tier":"notice","area":"Elsewhere","scope":"individual","heads_up":false,"url":"https:\/\/changelogs.core-directive.com\/v\/2.1.314\/e\/plugin-and-agents-flags-startup-failure-handling-and-migrat","release_url":"https:\/\/changelogs.core-directive.com\/v\/2.1.314","markdown":"### Startup failures now show a readable error message\n\nIf Claude Code fails while starting up, it now exits with a message beginning 'Claude Code could not start:' instead of an unhandled error\n\n**What**\n\nIf something goes wrong while Claude Code is setting itself up at startup, it now catches the failure and exits with a message that starts with \"Claude Code could not start:\" followed by the reason. This happens in most modes. Before, such a failure was not caught.\n\nSome migrations, steps that update older saved data to a newer format, can now be put off and run later as one batch.\n\nThe startup check on `--plugin-dir`, `--plugin-url` and `--agents` when plugins are also given through `CLAUDE_CODE_PLUGIN_DIRS` works as before.\n\n**Why**\n\nA failed startup now tells you what went wrong in plain text, instead of ending with a raw error.\n\n- Area: Elsewhere\n- Tier: You'll notice\n- Useful: 2\/5\n- Signal: 1\/5\n- Scope: individual\n- Heads-up: no"}