diff --git a/internal/gateway/claude_warmup.go b/internal/gateway/claude_warmup.go
index 8d86beae..e8143c6c 100644
--- a/internal/gateway/claude_warmup.go
+++ b/internal/gateway/claude_warmup.go
@@ -53,11 +53,7 @@ func askClaude(ctx context.Context, configDir, model string) error {
 	var out, stderr bytes.Buffer
 	cmd.Stdout, cmd.Stderr = &out, &stderr
 	runErr := cmd.Run()
-	var res struct {
-		IsError bool   `json:"is_error"`
-		Result  string `json:"result"`
-	}
-	if json.Unmarshal(out.Bytes(), &res) == nil && res.IsError {
+	if res, ok := claudeResult(out.Bytes()); ok && res.IsError {
 		return errors.New("Claude Code: " + clip(res.Result))
 	}
 	if runErr != nil {
@@ -98,11 +94,7 @@ func claudeUsage(ctx context.Context) (string, error) {
 	var out, stderr bytes.Buffer
 	cmd.Stdout, cmd.Stderr = &out, &stderr
 	runErr := cmd.Run()
-	var res struct {
-		IsError bool   `json:"is_error"`
-		Result  string `json:"result"`
-	}
-	if err := json.Unmarshal(out.Bytes(), &res); err == nil {
+	if res, ok := claudeResult(out.Bytes()); ok {
 		if res.IsError {
 			return "", errors.New("Claude Code: " + clip(res.Result))
 		}
@@ -118,6 +110,35 @@ func claudeUsage(ctx context.Context) (string, error) {
 	return "", errors.New("Claude Code: " + clip(msg))
 }
 
+// claudeRun is the result Claude Code prints for a -p run with
+// --output-format json.
+type claudeRun struct {
+	Type    string `json:"type"`
+	IsError bool   `json:"is_error"`
+	Result  string `json:"result"`
+}
+
+// claudeResult reads the result from what claude -p --output-format json
+// printed: one object, or, when the user turned on Claude Code's verbose
+// output (its own config, which --setting-sources leaves on), an array of
+// every message, the result last.
+func claudeResult(b []byte) (claudeRun, bool) {
+	var res claudeRun
+	if json.Unmarshal(b, &res) == nil {
+		return res, true
+	}
+	var all []claudeRun
+	if json.Unmarshal(b, &all) != nil {
+		return claudeRun{}, false
+	}
+	for i := len(all) - 1; i >= 0; i-- {
+		if all[i].Type == "result" {
+			return all[i], true
+		}
+	}
+	return claudeRun{}, false
+}
+
 func claudeUsageArgs() []string {
 	return []string{"-p", "/usage", "--output-format", "json",
 		"--tools", "", "--strict-mcp-config", "--setting-sources", "", "--no-session-persistence"}
diff --git a/internal/gateway/claude_warmup_test.go b/internal/gateway/claude_warmup_test.go
index 6517e6c8..9e7539ba 100644
--- a/internal/gateway/claude_warmup_test.go
+++ b/internal/gateway/claude_warmup_test.go
@@ -115,3 +115,28 @@ func TestClaudeUsageRunsClaudeCode(t *testing.T) {
 		}
 	}
 }
+
+// With Claude Code's verbose output on (its /config, kept in .claude.json),
+// claude -p --output-format json prints every message as an array, the
+// system init first and the result last (KevinXC on Discord: usage
+// couldn't be read; the tooltip began [{"type":"system","subtype":"init")
+func TestClaudeVerboseOutput(t *testing.T) {
+	text := "Current session: 13% used"
+	b, _ := json.Marshal([]map[string]any{
+		{"type": "system", "subtype": "init", "tools": []string{}},
+		{"type": "result", "subtype": "success", "is_error": false, "result": text},
+	})
+	fakeWarmClaude(t, string(b), 0)
+	got, err := claudeUsage(context.Background())
+	if err != nil || got != text {
+		t.Fatalf("usage %q %v", got, err)
+	}
+	b, _ = json.Marshal([]map[string]any{
+		{"type": "system", "subtype": "init"},
+		{"type": "result", "is_error": true, "result": "Invalid API key · Please run /login"},
+	})
+	fakeWarmClaude(t, string(b), 1)
+	if err := warmClaude(context.Background(), ""); err == nil || !strings.Contains(err.Error(), "Please run /login") || strings.Contains(err.Error(), "init") {
+		t.Fatalf("got %v", err)
+	}
+}