{"version":"2.1.323","anchor":"auth-less-sessions-skip-api-key-lookup","canonical_anchor":"auth-less-sessions-skip-api-key-lookup","heading":"Some sessions now skip looking for an API key","tier":"notice","area":"Auth","scope":"individual","heads_up":false,"url":"https:\/\/changelogs.core-directive.com\/v\/2.1.323\/e\/auth-less-sessions-skip-api-key-lookup","release_url":"https:\/\/changelogs.core-directive.com\/v\/2.1.323","markdown":"### Some sessions now skip looking for an API key\n\nIn some sessions Claude Code now reports that it has no API key or token before it checks `ANTHROPIC_API_KEY`\n\n**Unclear.** Which sessions the extra check matches is not known, so it is unclear when `ANTHROPIC_API_KEY` is skipped.\n\n**What**\n\nClaude Code has an extra check at the start of looking for credentials. When that check matches, Claude Code reports that it has no API key and no token, and it never reaches the step that reads `ANTHROPIC_API_KEY`. An API key is a secret that lets Claude Code use Anthropic's service without a subscription login. Before, Claude Code always went on to handle `ANTHROPIC_API_KEY`.\n\n**Why**\n\nIn the sessions the check matches, a key you have set in `ANTHROPIC_API_KEY` would not be picked up.\n\n- Area: Auth\n- Names: `ANTHROPIC_API_KEY`\n- Tier: You'll notice\n- Useful: 1\/5\n- Signal: 2\/5\n- Scope: individual\n- Heads-up: no"}