diff --git a/src/entrypoints/cli.tsx b/src/entrypoints/cli.tsx
index a1f173e6c..632cc6d9b 100644
--- a/src/entrypoints/cli.tsx
+++ b/src/entrypoints/cli.tsx
@@ -1,6 +1,20 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bun
 import { feature } from 'bun:bundle'
 
+// Runtime fallback for MACRO.* when not injected by build/dev defines.
+// This happens when running cli.tsx directly (not via `bun run dev` or built dist/).
+if (typeof globalThis.MACRO === 'undefined') {
+  ;(globalThis as any).MACRO = {
+    VERSION: process.env.CLAUDE_CODE_VERSION || '2.1.888',
+    BUILD_TIME: new Date().toISOString(),
+    FEEDBACK_CHANNEL: '',
+    ISSUES_EXPLAINER: '',
+    NATIVE_PACKAGE_URL: '',
+    PACKAGE_URL: '',
+    VERSION_CHANGELOG: '',
+  }
+}
+
 // Bugfix for corepack auto-pinning, which adds yarnpkg to peoples' package.jsons
 // eslint-disable-next-line custom-rules/no-top-level-side-effects
 process.env.COREPACK_ENABLE_AUTO_PIN = '0'