{"version":"2.1.323","anchor":"background-session-dispatch-daemon-outdated-and-credential","canonical_anchor":"background-session-dispatch-daemon-outdated-and-credential","heading":"Clearer errors when a background session can't start","tier":"notice","area":"Sessions","scope":"individual","heads_up":false,"url":"https:\/\/changelogs.core-directive.com\/v\/2.1.323\/e\/background-session-dispatch-daemon-outdated-and-credential","release_url":"https:\/\/changelogs.core-directive.com\/v\/2.1.323","markdown":"### Clearer errors when a background session can't start\n\nStarting a background session now fails with a clear message when the helper program is outdated or your sign-in credential is unavailable\n\n**What**\n\nA background session is a Claude Code session that keeps running apart from your terminal. A helper program running behind the scenes, called a daemon, starts and manages it. Before starting one, Claude Code now checks two more things and refuses with \"Couldn't start a background session: ...\" plus the detail when either fails:\n\n- The daemon is outdated\n\n- Your sign-in credential is unavailable\n\nBefore, the only reasons it gave were a short-lived or stale daemon, a missing working folder, or a daemon it could not reach.\n\nWhen the environment for the new session sets `ANTHROPIC_CONFIG_DIR`, Claude Code now prefers to reach the daemon over its direct connection instead of handing off through a file.\n\n**Why**\n\nA background session started against an old daemon now fails with a clear reason. A custom config folder set with `ANTHROPIC_CONFIG_DIR` now carries through to the session.\n\n- Area: Sessions\n- Tier: You'll notice\n- Useful: 1\/5\n- Signal: 1\/5\n- Scope: individual\n- Heads-up: no"}