enable-dream

Enable Dream — Claude Code Binary Patcher

This skill patches the Claude Code binary to bypass three server-side feature gates that control /dream and auto-dream availability. The gates are Statsig feature flags that Anthropic rolls out gradually; this patch makes them always return true so the features work regardless of rollout status.

What it patches

Three gate functions are identified structurally (not by minified names) and patched with same-length byte replacements:

Gate	Statsig flag	Controls
Availability gate	tengu_onyx_plover	Whether dream features are visible in UI
Skill gate	tengu_kairos_dream	Whether /dream command is registered
Runner gate	uses availability gate + autoDreamEnabled	Whether background auto-dream fires

How to use

Step 1 — Run the patcher

Run the bundled script. It auto-detects the Claude Code binary location.

python <this-skill-dir>/scripts/dream_patcher.py patch

On Windows (Claude Code typically runs in Git Bash), use:

python "<this-skill-dir>/scripts/dream_patcher.py" patch

Flags:

• --dry-run — show what would be patched without writing
• --binary PATH — explicit path to claude binary (skips auto-detection)

Step 2 — Offer to disable auto-updater (ASK THE USER FIRST)

The auto-updater will overwrite the patch on next update, so the user has to re-patch each time Claude Code updates. Disabling it keeps the patch stable but also means the user stops receiving Anthropic's updates until they turn it back on — that's a trade-off the user must decide, not you.

After the patch succeeds, ask the user something like:

"Patch applied. Auto-updater will overwrite it on the next claude update. Want me to set DISABLE_AUTOUPDATER: "1" in ~/.claude/settings.json to lock the patched version in? (You can re-enable and re-patch manually anytime.)"

Only edit ~/.claude/settings.json if the user says yes. If they decline or don't answer, skip this step — they may prefer to keep getting updates and re-patch each time, or manage the env var themselves at the OS level.

If the user says yes, add this under "env" in ~/.claude/settings.json:

{
  "env": {
    "DISABLE_AUTOUPDATER": "1"
  }
}

Step 3 — Restart Claude Code

The patch applies to the binary on disk. The current running session still uses the old binary. Start a new session to load the patched version.

Step 4 — Verify

In the new session:

• /memory should show an "Auto-dream" toggle
• /dream should work (not "Unknown skill")
• autoDreamEnabled: true in settings.json enables background consolidation

Other commands

Check status

python <this-skill-dir>/scripts/dream_patcher.py status

Shows: version, patch state (patched/unpatched/partially patched), backup info.

Restore original

python <this-skill-dir>/scripts/dream_patcher.py restore

Restores the most recent backup. If the binary is currently running (Windows), it uses rename-swap and you need to restart.

Re-patch after update

When you update Claude Code (claude update), re-run the patcher:

python <this-skill-dir>/scripts/dream_patcher.py patch

The script detects the new version, creates a fresh backup, and finds the gate functions in the new binary. Minified function names change between versions but the script matches structurally via stable anchor strings.

When the patcher fails

If the script reports "pattern not found", it means Anthropic changed the gating architecture in the new version. Possible causes:

1. Different Statsig flag names — check the binary for new flag names near auto_dream or dream strings
2. Restructured gate logic — the function shape changed beyond what structural matching can handle
3. Encrypted/obfuscated JS bundle — unlikely but possible
4. Integrity checks added — the Node.js SEA blob may have checksums

In these cases, the manual approach from the references/architecture.md document explains the underlying mechanism so you can adapt.

Important notes

• Patches are same-length byte replacements — no offsets shift, binary size is unchanged, the Node.js SEA structure stays intact
• The original binary is always backed up before patching
• macOS: the patcher auto-detects Darwin and runs codesign --force --sign - on the patched binary. Any byte edit invalidates the Apple code signature, so without re-signing the kernel would refuse to launch the binary (typically killed: 9 on arm64). Requires Xcode Command Line Tools (xcode-select --install) for codesign to be available.
• macOS/Linux: ~/.local/bin/claude is usually a symlink to the versioned binary (~/.local/share/claude/versions/<ver>). The patcher resolves symlinks so backups land next to the real file and restore finds them reliably.
• Windows: the running binary cannot be overwritten directly. The script uses a rename-swap strategy (rename running exe, put patched one in place)
• The autoDreamEnabled: true setting in ~/.claude/settings.json is still needed for auto-dream to run. The patch just makes the setting take effect instead of being ignored by the gate.