thedotmack/claude-mem · error · Error

CLAUDE_CODE_PATH is set to "${settings.CLAUDE_CODE_PATH}" bu

Error message

CLAUDE_CODE_PATH is set to "${settings.CLAUDE_CODE_PATH}" but the file does not exist.

What it means

Thrown by findClaudeExecutable when settings.CLAUDE_CODE_PATH is set but, after tilde expansion, existsSync reports the file does not exist. This is the first resolution strategy (explicit configured path); it fails loud rather than silently falling through, so a misconfigured path is obvious. Resolution stops here — no PATH probing occurs.

Source

Thrown at src/shared/find-claude-executable.ts:295

export function findClaudeExecutable(logComponent: Component = 'SDK'): string {
  if (cachedResolution && cachedResolution.expiresAtMs > Date.now() && _internals.existsSync(cachedResolution.path)) {
    return cachedResolution.path;
  }
  cachedResolution = null;

  const settings = _internals.loadSettings();

  // --- 1. Explicit configured path ----------------------------------------
  if (settings.CLAUDE_CODE_PATH) {
    // A user who types `~/.local/bin/claude` in settings.json expects the shell
    // convention, but nothing here runs through a shell — existsSync and
    // posix_spawn take the string verbatim, so a literal `~` fails with ENOENT.
    // Expand it defensively at read time so both the existence check and every
    // probe spawn see a real absolute path (SettingsRoutes also normalizes on
    // write; this covers files edited by hand).
    const configuredPath = expandTilde(settings.CLAUDE_CODE_PATH, _internals.homedir());
    if (!_internals.existsSync(configuredPath)) {
      throw new Error(
        `CLAUDE_CODE_PATH is set to "${settings.CLAUDE_CODE_PATH}" but the file does not exist.`
      );
    }

    const probe = probeCandidate(configuredPath);
    if (probe.kind === 'capable') {
      logger.info(logComponent, `Using configured CLAUDE_CODE_PATH: ${configuredPath} (${probe.version})`);
      cachedResolution = {
        path: configuredPath,
        version: probe.version,
        expiresAtMs: Date.now() + RESOLUTION_CACHE_TTL_MS,
      };
      return configuredPath;
    }
    if (probe.kind === 'incompatible') {
      throw new Error(
        `CLAUDE_CODE_PATH is set to "${settings.CLAUDE_CODE_PATH}" (${probe.version}) but that CLI is too old for claude-mem — ` +
        `it rejects flags every memory agent spawn requires (${probe.detail}). ${updateInstructions()}`

View on GitHub (pinned to d768ba3643)

Solutions

Verify the path exists: `ls -la <expanded-path>` (remember ~ is expanded to $HOME).
Correct or remove CLAUDE_CODE_PATH in ~/.claude-mem/settings.json to let PATH auto-discovery run.
If you moved claude, update the setting to the new absolute location.
Run `which claude` and paste that absolute path into the setting.

Example fix

// settings.json before: "CLAUDE_CODE_PATH": "~//.local/bin/claude"
// after (verified): "CLAUDE_CODE_PATH": "/usr/local/bin/claude"

Defensive patterns

Strategy: validation

Validate before calling

import { existsSync } from 'fs';
const settings = loadSettings();
if (settings.CLAUDE_CODE_PATH) {
  const p = expandTilde(settings.CLAUDE_CODE_PATH, homedir());
  if (!existsSync(p)) {
    throw new Error(`CLAUDE_CODE_PATH does not exist: ${p} — fix or remove the setting`);
  }
}

Try / catch

try {
  return findClaudeExecutable('SDK');
} catch (err) {
  if (err instanceof Error && /CLAUDE_CODE_PATH.*does not exist/.test(err.message)) {
    logger.error('SDK', err.message);
    // remove the bad setting or prompt user; fall back is disabled by design
  }
  throw err;
}

Prevention

Validate CLAUDE_CODE_PATH exists before relying on it.
Use absolute paths (no '~') in settings, or rely on the built-in tilde expansion.
After moving/removing claude, update or delete the setting.

When it happens

Trigger: User set CLAUDE_CODE_PATH in ~/.claude-mem/settings.json to a path that doesn't exist on disk (after ~ expansion).

Common situations: Typo in the path; binary moved/removed after upgrade; literal '~' that doesn't expand to a real path; settings edited by hand with a relative path; different machine where the path differs.

Related errors

AI-assisted analysis of thedotmack/claude-mem@d768ba3643 (2026-08-12). Data as JSON: /api/errors/d9429303ef5940ab. Report an issue: GitHub.