Troubleshooting `/i-have-adhd` Not Activating in Claude Code: A Complete Fix Guide

The /i-have-adhd slash command fails to activate when the plugin's SessionStart hook doesn't run, leaving the ~/.claude/.i-have-adhd-always flag file uncreated.

The i-have-adhd plugin for Claude Code enhances responses with structured, ADHD-friendly formatting through 10 specific rules. When properly configured, these rules auto-inject into every Claude response. This guide explains why activation fails and how to fix each failure point using the actual source code from ayghri/i-have-adhd.

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How the i-have-adhd Plugin Architecture Works

Understanding the three-component architecture reveals where activation breaks down.

Component	Purpose	Source File
Plugin metadata	Declares the plugin and registers the /i-have-adhd slash command	.claude-plugin/plugin.json
SessionStart hook	Runs always-on.sh on every Claude Code startup to create the always-on flag	hooks/hooks.json
Skill definition	Contains the 10 output-shaping rules applied when active	skills/i-have-adhd/SKILL.md

The activation flow requires all three:

1. Claude Code reads plugin.json at startup
2. hooks/hooks.json triggers the SessionStart hook
3. always-on.sh creates ~/.claude/.i-have-adhd-always
4. The flag enables auto-loading of SKILL.md rules

Any break in this chain prevents /i-have-adhd from working.

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Common Causes of /i-have-adhd Activation Failure

Plugin Not Installed or Enabled

Claude Code only recognizes plugins present in its plugin directory with enabled status.

Verify installation:

claude plugin list

If i-have-adhd appears but shows disabled, enable it:

claude plugin enable i-have-adhd@i-have-adhd

SessionStart Hook Never Executed

In hooks/hooks.json, the hook is defined as:

{
  "hooks": [
    {
      "type": "SessionStart",
      "command": "sh \"${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/hooks/always-on.sh\""
    }
  ]
}

The hook only runs on fresh Claude Code starts. Simply opening a new chat window doesn't trigger it—you must fully restart Claude Code.

always-on.sh Missing or Non-Executable

The hook expands ${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT} to the plugin's install path, then executes:

sh "${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/hooks/always-on.sh"

Verify the script exists and has execute permissions:

ls -la $(claude plugin path i-have-adhd@i-have-adhd)/hooks/always-on.sh

# Should show: -rwxr-xr-x ... always-on.sh

# If not executable:

chmod +x $(claude plugin path i-have-adhd@i-have-adhd)/hooks/always-on.sh

Always-On Flag File Missing or Stale

After a successful hook execution, always-on.sh creates:

~/.claude/.i-have-adhd-always

Check for this file:

ls -la ~/.claude/.i-have-adhd-always

If missing, create it manually as a temporary fix:

touch "$HOME/.claude/.i-have-adhd-always"

To disable auto-loading later:

rm "$HOME/.claude/.i-have-adhd-always"

Outdated Plugin Version

Older versions may reference removed scripts or contain hook bugs. Update via:

claude plugin marketplace update i-have-adhd

Then fully restart Claude Code to trigger the updated SessionStart hook.

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Step-by-Step Diagnosis and Fix

Follow this sequence to identify and resolve your specific failure.

Step 1: Verify plugin installation

claude plugin list | grep i-have-adhd

Expected output shows i-have-adhd@i-have-adhd with status enabled. If absent, reinstall:

claude plugin marketplace add ayghri/i-have-adhd
claude plugin install i-have-adhd@i-have-adhd

Step 2: Locate plugin files

PLUGIN_ROOT=$(claude plugin path i-have-adhd@i-have-adhd)
echo "Plugin installed at: $PLUGIN_ROOT"

# Verify core files exist

ls "$PLUGIN_ROOT/.claude-plugin/plugin.json"
ls "$PLUGIN_ROOT/hooks/hooks.json"
ls "$PLUGIN_ROOT/hooks/always-on.sh"
ls "$PLUGIN_ROOT/skills/i-have-adhd/SKILL.md"

Step 3: Check hook configuration

Inspect hooks/hooks.json to confirm the SessionStart entry points to the correct script path:

cat "$PLUGIN_ROOT/hooks/hooks.json"

Look for the exact command value: sh "${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/hooks/always-on.sh"

Step 4: Full Claude Code restart

Close all Claude Code windows or use your IDE's restart command. Partial restarts (new chat, reload window) do not trigger SessionStart.

Step 5: Verify flag creation

After restart, check:

if [ -f "$HOME/.claude/.i-have-adhd-always" ]; then
  echo "✅ Success: Always-on flag present"
else
  echo "❌ Failure: Hook did not create flag"
fi

Step 6: Manual activation fallback

If auto-loading fails, manually trigger per-session activation:

/i-have-adhd

This loads skills/i-have-adhd/SKILL.md rules immediately without requiring the flag file.

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Quick Reference: Key Source Files

File Path	Function
.claude-plugin/plugin.json	Plugin declaration and slash command registration
hooks/hooks.json	Hook definitions including SessionStart
hooks/always-on.sh	Creates the always-on flag file
skills/i-have-adhd/SKILL.md	The 10 ADHD-friendly output rules
README.md	Installation and usage documentation

All paths are relative to $(claude plugin path i-have-adhd@i-have-adhd).

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Summary

• /i-have-adhd requires three working components: plugin metadata, SessionStart hook, and always-on flag creation
• Most failures stem from incomplete restarts: The hook only fires on full Claude Code startup, not window reloads
• Verify the flag file first: ~/.claude/.i-have-adhd-always presence confirms successful hook execution
• Manual activation works as fallback: Typing /i-have-adhd loads rules for the current session regardless of flag status
• Keep the plugin updated: claude plugin marketplace update i-have-adhd ensures you have the latest hook fixes

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why does /i-have-adhd work after I type it manually but not automatically?

The manual command loads skills/i-have-adhd/SKILL.md directly for that session only. Automatic activation requires the SessionStart hook to have run and created ~/.claude/.i-have-adhd-always. If the hook failed—due to missing script, permissions, or incomplete restart—the flag never gets created and auto-loading never triggers.

How do I force Claude Code to run the SessionStart hook again?

Fully quit and restart Claude Code. Simply closing a chat tab, opening a new window, or reloading the IDE window does not trigger SessionStart hooks. On macOS: Cmd+Q then reopen. In VS Code: Command Palette → "Developer: Reload Window" does not work; fully close and reopen the application.

Can I use i-have-adhd without the always-on flag?

Yes. The flag only enables automatic rule injection. You can manually type /i-have-adhd at any point in a session to load the 10 rules from SKILL.md for that conversation only. This is useful when you want ADHD-structured output occasionally rather than on every response.

What permissions does always-on.sh need?

The script needs read and execute permissions for the user running Claude Code. The hook calls it via sh "${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/hooks/always-on.sh", which requires the file to be readable. Explicit execution via ./always-on.sh would also require the executable bit. Fix with: chmod 755 always-on.sh

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "instagit": {
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