# Codex extension crash in Dockerized VS Code after update **URL:** \ **Category:** Codex\ **Tags:** codex, vscode, ide-extension\ **Created:** [August 31, 2026, 11:57am UTC](https://community.openai.com/t/codex-extension-crash-in-dockerized-vs-code-after-update/1393801 "2026-08-31T11:57:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![yselim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/ac8455/32.png) [@yselim](https://community.openai.com/u/yselim)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2026, 11:57am UTC](https://community.openai.com/t/codex-extension-crash-in-dockerized-vs-code-after-update/1393801/1 "2026-08-31T11:57:29Z")
Hi, I’ve been using the Codex extension for VS Code inside a Docker container, so it is not installed on my local machine. After updating to version 26.825.51511, I could no longer open the Codex tab in the VS Code window. The tab would appear, but it would not start properly. After a quick search and testing, I found that downgrading the extension resolved the issue. I reverted to the previous version and the Codex tab started working normally again. This may be helpful for anyone else who encounters the same problem after updating the extension in a containerized VS Code environment. If the tab fails to launch after an update, downgrading is a practical workaround until the issue is fixed in a newer release. Best, Selim ---
**Author:** ![EricGT](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/openai1/user_avatar/community.openai.com/ericgt/32/20571_2.png) [@EricGT](https://community.openai.com/u/EricGT)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2026, 12:13pm UTC](https://community.openai.com/t/codex-extension-crash-in-dockerized-vs-code-after-update/1393801/2 "2026-08-31T12:13:21Z")
Welcome to the forum! You are welcome to discuss Codex issues here. However, the official place to report and track Codex bugs is the [OpenAI Codex GitHub issue tracker](https://github.com/openai/codex/issues). I asked ChatGPT to search for the closest related issue, and it identified: > > > \### What version of the IDE extension are you using? > > openai.chatgpt-26.707.9194…8-linux-arm64 > > \### What subscription do you have? > > Business > > \### Which IDE are you using? > > Visual Studio Code 1.129.0 with Dev Containers 0.466.0 > > \### What platform is your computer? > > Host: Darwin 25.5.0 arm64 arm; Remote environment: VS Code devcontainer Linux ARM64 \[mcr.microsoft.com/devcontainers/rust:2-1-trixie\](\) > > \### What issue are you seeing? > > On the first launch of the Codex extension inside a fresh devcontainer, the Codex panel remains stuck on the logo/loading view. > > The extension itself installs successfully in the remote VS Code Server and begins activation. However, its bundled Codex app-server exits immediately because \`/home/vscode/.codex\` does not exist: > > \`\`\`text > \[info\] Activating Codex extension > \[info\] \[CodexMcpConnection\] Spawning codex app-server > \[error\] \[CodexMcpConnection\] cli: message="WARNING: proceeding, even though we could not create PATH aliases: CODEX\_HOME points to \\"/home/vscode/.codex\\", but that path does not exist > Error: CODEX\_HOME points to \\"/home/vscode/.codex\\", but that path does not exist" > \[error\] \[CodexMcpConnection\] Codex process fatal error errorMessage="Codex process errored: Codex app-server process exited unexpectedly (code=1, signal=null)." > \[error\] \[CodexWebviewProvider\] Fatal error message="Codex process errored: Codex app-server process exited unexpectedly..." > \`\`\` > > Neither the repository, \`.devcontainer/.env\`, \`devcontainer.json\`, nor the container configuration explicitly sets \`CODEX\_HOME\`. > > A new devcontainer naturally does not have \`/home/vscode/.codex\` yet. The extension-launched app-server treats this first-run state as fatal, while the webview remains indefinitely on its loading screen. > > \### What steps can reproduce the bug? > > 1. Create a devcontainer based on the Rust devcontainer image: > > \`\`\`dockerfile > FROM mcr.microsoft.com/devcontainers/rust:2-1-trixie > \`\`\` > > 2. Configure VS Code to install the Codex extension inside the container: > > \`\`\`jsonc > { > "name": "Rust devcontainer", > "service": "app", > "workspaceFolder": "/workspaces/${localWorkspaceFolderBasename}", > "customizations": { > "vscode": { > "extensions": \[ > "openai.chatgpt" > \] > } > } > } > \`\`\` > > 3. Ensure this is a fresh container where \`/home/vscode/.codex\` does not already exist. > 4. Open the repository in the devcontainer. > 5. Open the Codex panel. > 6. Observe that the panel remains on the logo/loading screen. > 7. Inspect the remote log at: > > \`\`\`text > /home/vscode/.vscode-server/data/logs/\/exthost1/openai.chatgpt/Codex.log > \`\`\` > > 8. Observe that the app-server exited because \`/home/vscode/.codex\` does not exist. > > \### What is the expected behavior? > > The extension should support first-run activation in a clean remote environment. > > It should either: > > 1. create \`~/.codex\` with appropriate ownership and permissions; > 2. allow the Codex runtime to initialize its default state directory; or > 3. display an actionable error instead of leaving the webview stuck indefinitely. > > Installing the extension through \`devcontainer.json\` should be sufficient to reach the Codex sign-in or initial setup screen. > > \### Additional information > > The remote extension package was downloaded, signature-verified, and installed successfully. The failure occurs after activation when the extension spawns its app-server. > > Creating \`/home/vscode/.codex\` during the image build appears to be a possible workaround: > > \`\`\`dockerfile > RUN install -d -o vscode -g vscode /home/vscode/.codex > \`\`\` > > The remote extension-host log also contains the following warning: > > \`\`\`text > PendingMigrationError: navigator is now a global in nodejs > \`\`\` > > That appears to be separately tracked by openai/codex#26509. The deterministic fatal error reported here is the app-server exit caused by the missing Codex home directory. If that issue describes the same problem you are experiencing, consider adding a 👍 reaction to the GitHub issue itself, rather than only reacting to this forum topic. GitHub reactions can help the maintainers gauge how many users are affected. If it does not match your problem closely enough, search the [existing Codex issues](https://github.com/openai/codex/issues) for a better match. If you cannot find one, consider opening a new issue and include as much relevant information as possible, such as your Codex version, operating system, environment, reproduction steps, expected behavior, actual behavior, and any relevant logs or error messages. ---
**Author:** ![joanna.sousa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/65b543/32.png) [@joanna.sousa](https://community.openai.com/u/joanna.sousa)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2026, 6:09pm UTC](https://community.openai.com/t/codex-extension-crash-in-dockerized-vs-code-after-update/1393801/3 "2026-09-04T18:09:40Z")
Experiencing the same issue, codex extension fails to boot in latest cursor versions Remote activation fails with `SyntaxError: Unexpected identifier 'p'` at generated code using `using p`, because Cursor’s remote server runs embedded Node `v22.22.1`. The container’s system Node is newer, but is not used by the remote extension host. Rebuilding the container does not help because `~/.cursor-server` is persisted via the host-mounted `~/.cursor` directory. Stable and prerelease Codex packages show the same failure. ---
**Author:** ![alexr-oai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/958977/32.png) [@alexr-oai](https://community.openai.com/u/alexr-oai)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2026, 3:20am UTC](https://community.openai.com/t/codex-extension-crash-in-dockerized-vs-code-after-update/1393801/4 "2026-09-07T03:20:18Z")
Hi @joanna.sousa, welcome and thanks for the report! The error you shared matches an issue we’re working on a fix for, and I’m sorry for the disruption. In the meantime, we highly recommend updating Cursor. If you can’t update, or updating doesn’t help, roll back the Codex extension to stable version 26.825.51511 (released August 30, 2026). Make the change in the connected dev container window. You don’t need to change the container’s system Node. We’ll post updates in GitHub issue [#42663](https://github.com/openai/codex/issues/42663).