CLAUDE_CODE_PLUGIN_KEEP_MARKETPLACE_ON_FAILURE

Updated October 13, 2026 by Alex Sorokoletov

CLAUDE_CODE_PLUGIN_KEEP_MARKETPLACE_ON_FAILURE is a Claude Code environment variable: Preserves the local marketplace plugin cache when git pull fails. Source code shows that without this flag, a failed pull triggers a full delete-and-reclone of the marketplace directory. Added in v2.1.90 and still present in v2.1.294. It is listed in the official reference.

How to set it

For one session, export it in the shell that starts Claude Code:

export CLAUDE_CODE_PLUGIN_KEEP_MARKETPLACE_ON_FAILURE=<value>
claude

To apply it to every session, add it to the env object of a settings file:

// ~/.claude/settings.json
{
  "env": {
    "CLAUDE_CODE_PLUGIN_KEEP_MARKETPLACE_ON_FAILURE": "<value>"
  }
}

Release notes that mention it

• Claude Code v2.1.91 — MCP 500K Results, Plugin Binaries, and a New Security Toggle
• Claude Code v2.1.90 — 3 New Environment Variables: Anthropic AWS Provider, Marketplace Resilience, and /powerup Lessons
• Claude Code Version Tracker: Undocumented Env Vars, Feature Gates & Models

Related variables

• CLAUDE_CODE_DISABLE_OFFICIAL_MARKETPLACE_AUTOINSTALL: Disable automatic plugin installation from marketplace.
• CLAUDE_CODE_ENABLE_BACKGROUND_PLUGIN_REFRESH: Enables automatic background plugin refresh when the runtime detects updates are needed.
• CLAUDE_CODE_PLUGIN_CACHE_DIR: Local cache directory for downloaded plugins.
• CLAUDE_CODE_PLUGIN_DIR_WATCH
• CLAUDE_CODE_PLUGIN_DIRS
• CLAUDE_CODE_PLUGIN_PREFER_HTTPS: Force HTTPS for plugin source resolution.
• CLAUDE_CODE_PLUGIN_SEED_DIR: Seed directory for pre-installed plugins.
• CLAUDE_CODE_PLUGIN_USE_ZIP_CACHE: Use zip-based caching instead of git.

Frequently asked questions

All variables, searchable: Claude Code environment variables.