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The Codex CLI error already has an active writer means a thread-resume request encountered another writer for that thread. First check whether a Codex process or client still owns it; the message alone cannot tell you whether that owner is active, disconnected, or stale. Do not delete lock files or terminate a process until you have identified what it is doing.

What the error means

A reported full message is thread/resume failed during TUI bootstrap: thread/resume failed: thread <thread-id> already has an active writer (code -32600). It appears during thread resume and indicates that Codex found an existing writer. Codex’s TUI source recognizes this error text, but that recognition does not provide a repair command or establish why the writer exists: Codex TUI source.

The owner could be a healthy CLI process, a remote TUI that survived a disconnect, a VS Code panel or another app-server-connected client, or stale ownership after an interrupted process. The right recovery depends on which case applies.

Check for another client holding the thread

Before trying to resume again, look for another Codex CLI session, VS Code panel, or app-server-connected client using the same thread. A live client may still be working, so treat its ownership as real rather than as a leftover file to remove. A VS Code issue report describes a panel holding an OS-level lock while CLI resume failed; its diagnostics apply to that reported setup, not every operating system: VS Code lock report.

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If the thread was open over SSH

A lost SSH connection does not necessarily mean the remote Codex process exited. In a report involving Linux and Codex CLI 0.153.4, the reporter said the remote TUI could remain alive after SSH loss, apparently leaving the thread with an actual owner. That account describes one environment and is not a general guarantee about SSH behavior: Remote TUI after SSH disconnect report.

  1. Reconnect to the remote host and check whether the original terminal session or Codex process is still running.
  2. If it is active, return to that session and finish or safely close it before resuming the thread elsewhere.
  3. If you cannot establish what the process is doing, avoid killing it merely to clear the error; first determine whether it may still be handling work.

If the previous process exited after Ctrl+C

One CLI 0.153.4 report says the error appeared after the reporter pressed Ctrl+C and the prior process exited. That is evidence that stale-looking ownership has been reported, not proof of the underlying mechanism or a universal fix: Ctrl+C followed by resume report.

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Do not assume that removing a lock file is supported or safe. The reports do not establish a universal lock-cleanup procedure. Confirm that no CLI or other client still owns the thread before considering any recovery specific to your installation.

If you interrupted an approval and use --approve-for-me

A separate report describes an approval interruption where resume worked after restarting without --approve-for-me, but failed when that option was included. The issue was closed as a duplicate, and the report does not establish a general fix. If your sequence matches this case, try resuming without the option; if it still fails, record the exact sequence and environment when reporting the problem: Approval interruption report.

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What to include when reporting the failure

If you cannot identify or safely release the owner, include the details needed to distinguish a live client from stale ownership:

  • Codex CLI version and operating system.
  • Whether the same thread is open in another CLI, VS Code panel, or app-server-connected client.
  • The exact interrupt, approval, or SSH-disconnect sequence before the failure.
  • The complete error text, including the thread ID and error code.

The cited reports are user accounts, not controlled reproductions or official product documentation; the source code confirms recognition of the message, not a supported recovery method.

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