Claude Code auth

OAuth Token Lost Between Sessions

After successfully authenticating with OAuth during a Claude Code session, the token is lost when starting a new session. Users are forced to re-authenticate every time they run Claude Code, defeating the purpose of persistent authentication.

This commonly occurs when the agent doesn't properly serialize session state or when the token storage mechanism isn't configured for persistence across CLI invocations.

Error Messages You Might See

Error: No valid OAuth token found Session expired, re-authentication required Failed to load persisted credentials
Error: No valid OAuth token foundSession expired, re-authentication requiredFailed to load persisted credentials

Common Causes

  1. Session token stored in memory-only structures instead of persistent storage (files or database)
  2. Token refresh mechanism not triggered before token expiration
  3. Missing environment variable or config file for token persistence path
  4. Session directory permissions preventing write/read operations
  5. Token encryption/decryption logic failing silently on reload

How to Fix It

Implement a token store using a local file (e.g., ~/.claude-code/tokens.json) with proper encryption. Add a token refresh check at CLI startup. Ensure the session directory exists with correct permissions (700). Test token round-trip serialization with unit tests.

Real developers can help you.

Meïr Ankri Meïr Ankri Full-stack developer specializing in React / Next.js / Node.js with 6+ years of experience. I've worked across various sectors including automotive (Reezocar/Société Générale), healthcare (Medical Link SaaS), and e-commerce (Glasman). I build web apps end-to-end, from architecture to production, with a focus on scalability, performance, and code quality. I also mentor junior developers and contribute to technical decisions and code reviews. ISHANTDEEP SINGH ISHANTDEEP SINGH Senior Software Engineer with 7+ years of experience in React, JavaScript, TypeScript, Next.js, and Node.js. I’ve also worked as a tech lead for startups, owning end-to-end technical execution including architecture, development, scaling, and delivery. I bring a strong mix of hands-on coding, product thinking, and technical leadership, and I’m comfortable building products from scratch as well as improving and scaling existing systems. Jacek Rozanski Jacek Rozanski Senior PHP/Symfony developer and DevOps engineer with 20+ years of professional experience, running opcode.pl (web development agency, est. 2004). Day job: I'm the sole backend developer at merketing company where I own and maintain 11 PHP/Symfony microservices on AWS (ECS Fargate, RDS, S3, CloudFront), handle the full CI/CD pipeline (Bitbucket Pipelines, Docker), and manage monitoring with Sentry and CloudWatch. These services handle high request volumes in production every month. What I bring to AI-built apps: - I audit and fix security issues (OWASP methodology), performance bottlenecks, and architectural problems in codebases generated by Cursor, Claude Code, Lovable, Bolt, and v0 - I refactor AI-generated prototypes into production-grade applications with proper error handling, testing, and clean architecture (SOLID, DDD, hexagonal architecture) - I set up the infrastructure AI tools don't touch: AWS hosting, CI/CD pipelines, automated deployments, database optimization, monitoring, and alerting - I integrate external services: payment providers, email systems, partner APIs, SSO/auth Tech stack: PHP 8.x, Symfony, React, Next.js, PostgreSQL, MySQL, Docker, AWS (ECS, RDS, S3, SQS/SNS, CloudFront), Terraform, Supabase. I also use AI tools daily (Claude Code, Cursor) in my own workflow, so I understand both the strengths and the gaps in AI-generated code. Based in Poland (CET timezone). Available for async work and calls during EU/US business hours. zipking zipking I am a technologist and product builder dedicated to creating high-impact solutions at the intersection of AI and specialized markets. Currently, I am focused on PropScan (EstateGuard), an AI-driven SaaS platform tailored for the Japanese real estate industry, and exploring the potential of Archify. As an INFJ-T, I approach development with a "systems-thinking" mindset—balancing technical precision with a deep understanding of user needs. I particularly enjoy the challenge of architecting Vertical AI SaaS and optimizing Small Language Models (SLMs) to solve specific, real-world business problems. Whether I'm in a CTO-level leadership role or hands-on with the code, I thrive on building tools that turn complex data into actionable value. PawelPloszaj PawelPloszaj I'm fronted developer with 10+ years of experience with big projects. I have small backend background too Daniel Vázquez Daniel Vázquez Software Engineer with over 10 years of experience on Startups, Government, big tech industry & consulting. David Olverson David Olverson Solo dev shipping production apps with AI-assisted development. I specialize in rescuing broken Lovable/Bolt/Cursor builds and taking them to production. 10+ apps shipped including SaaS CRMs, gaming platforms, real estate tools, and Discord bots. Stack: Next.js 16, TypeScript, Tailwind CSS, FastAPI, PostgreSQL, Prisma. I use Claude Code with 50+ custom skills for rapid delivery. Average turnaround: 2-4 weeks from broken prototype to production. Antriksh Narang Antriksh Narang 5 years+ Experienced Dev (Specially in Web Development), can help in python, javascript, react, next.js and full stack web dev technologies. Tejas Chokhawala Tejas Chokhawala Full-stack engineer with 5 years experience building production web apps using React, Next.js and TypeScript. Focused on performance, clean architecture and shipping fast. Experienced with Supabase/Postgres backends, Stripe billing, and building AI-assisted developer tools. Kingsley Omage Kingsley Omage Fullstack software engineer passionate about AI Agents, blockchain, LLMs.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Where should OAuth tokens be stored?

Store encrypted tokens in a platform-specific config directory (~/.claude-code on Unix, %APPDATA% on Windows). Never commit tokens to version control.

How often should tokens be refreshed?

Check token expiration at CLI startup and refresh if within 10 minutes of expiry. Implement automatic refresh during long-running sessions.

What encryption should be used for stored tokens?

Use AES-256-GCM encryption with a key derived from a system keychain or master password stored securely.

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