deepseek-ai/deepseek-harness · error · Error

PTY shell exited during startup

Error message

PTY shell exited during startup

What it means

Error "PTY shell exited during startup" thrown in deepseek-ai/deepseek-harness.

Source

Thrown at packages/terminal/terminal-bash/src/session.ts:214

    terminal.output.once('end', this.onTerminalEnd)
    terminal.output.once('error', this.onTerminalError)
    this.completion = terminal.done.then(
      outcome => this.onExit(outcome),
      (error: unknown) => { this.onTransportFailure(error) },
    )
  }

  /**
   * Capture startup output through the same readiness contract as later sends.
   * @param signal - optional cancellation while the shell reaches its first prompt.
   * @returns Resolves after startup readiness; rejects on exit or readiness timeout.
   */
  async initialize(signal?: AbortSignal): Promise<void> {
    this.initializing = true
    try {
      const operation = this.startSend({ text: '', submit: false, ...signal !== undefined ? { signal } : {} })
      const result = await operation.done
      if (result.waitReason === 'session_exit') throw new Error('PTY shell exited during startup')
      if (result.waitReason === 'timeout') throw new Error('PTY shell did not reach readiness before startup timeout')
      this.motd = result.viewport
    } catch (error: unknown) {
      signal?.throwIfAborted()
      throw error
    } finally {
      this.initializing = false
    }
  }

  startSend(request: TerminalSendRequest): TerminalSendOperation {
    if (this.closing) throw new Error('PTY session is closing')
    if (this.statusValue.kind === 'exited') throw new Error('PTY session has exited')
    if (this.active !== undefined) {
      const draining = this.activeWrite !== undefined
        ? ' or draining provider write'
        : this.interrupting !== undefined
          ? ' or draining foreground interrupt'

View on GitHub (pinned to b150a551b8)

Solutions

1. Check the shell binary and startup environment; capture PTY output for the exit reason.

When it happens

Trigger: Thrown at packages/terminal/terminal-bash/src/session.ts:214 when the library encounters an invalid state.

Common situations: See trigger scenarios.

AI-assisted analysis of deepseek-ai/deepseek-harness@b150a551b8 (2026-08-24). Data as JSON: /api/errors/4a0140c016be7e78. Report an issue: GitHub.